luther's little instruction book: the small catechism of martin luther translation by robert e. smith from the german text, printed in: triglot concordia: the symbolical books of the ev. lutheran church. st. louis: concordia publishing house, 1921, pp. 538-559. note: this version of the small catechism is under continuous revision. please check your source for this file from time to time to obtain updated versions of this text. fort wayne, indiana: project wittenberg, 2004 i. the ten commandments the simple way a father should present them to his household the first commandment you must not have other gods. (exodus 20:3) what does this mean? we must fear, love, and trust god more than anything else. the second commandment you must not misuse your god's name. (exodus 20:7) what does this mean? we must fear and love god, so that we will not use his name to curse, swear, cast a spell, lie or deceive, but will use it to call upon him, pray to him, praise him and thank him in all times of trouble. the third commandment you must keep the sabbath holy. (exodus 20:8) what does this mean? we must fear and love god, so that we will not look down on preaching or god's word, but consider it holy, listen to it willingly, and learn it. the fourth commandment you must honor your father and mother. [so that things will go well for you and you will live long on earth]. (exodus 20:12) what does this mean? we must fear and love god, so that we will neither look down on our parents or superiors nor irritate them, but will honor them, serve them, obey them, love them and value them. the fifth commandment you must not kill. (exodus 20:13) what does this mean? we must fear and love god, so that we will neither harm nor hurt our neighbor's body, but help him and care for him when he is ill. the sixth commandment you must not commit adultery. (exodus 20:14) what does this mean? we must fear and love god, so that our words and actions will be clean and decent and so that everyone will love and honor their spouses. the seventh commandment you must not steal. (exodus 20:15) what does this mean? we must fear and love god, so that we will neither take our neighbor's money or property, nor acquire it by fraud or by selling him poorly made products, but will help him improve and protect his property and career. the eighth commandment you must not tell lies about your neighbor. (exodus 20:16 ) what does this mean? we must fear and love god, so that we will not deceive by lying, betraying, slandering or ruining our neighbor's reputation, but will defend him, say good things about him, and see the best side of everything he does. the ninth commandment you must not desire your neighbor's house. (exodus 20:17) what does this mean? we must fear and love god, so that we will not attempt to trick our neighbor out of his inheritance or house, take it by pretending to have a right to it, etc. but help him to keep & improve it. the tenth commandment you must not desire your neighbor's wife, servant, maid, animals or anything that belongs to him. (exodus 20:17) what does this mean? we must fear and love god, so that we will not release our neighbor's cattle, take his employees from him or seduce his wife, but urge them to stay and do what they ought to do. the conclusion to the commandments what does god say to us about all these commandments? this is what he says: "i am the lord your god. i am a jealous god. i plague the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of those who hate me with their ancestor's sin. but i make whole those who love me for a thousand generations." (exodus 20:5) what does it mean? god threatens to punish everyone who breaks these commandments. we should be afraid of his anger because of this and not violate such commandments. but he promises grace and all good things to those who keep such commandments. because of this, we, too, should love him, trust him, and willingly do what his commandments require. ii. the creed the simple way a father should present it to his household the first article on creation i believe in god the almighty father, creator of heaven and earth. what does this mean? i believe that god created me, along with all creatures. he gave to me: my body and soul, my eyes, ears and all the other parts of my body, my mind and all my senses. he preserves them as well. he gives me clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and land, wife and children, fields, animals and all i own. every day he abundantly provides everything i need to nourish this body and life. he protects me against all danger. he shields and defends me from all evil. he does all this because of his pure, fatherly and divine goodness and his mercy, not because i've earned it or deserved it. for all of this, i must thank him, praise him, serve him and obey him. yes, this is true! the second article on redemption and in jesus christ, his only son, our lord, who was conceived by the holy spirit, born of the virgin mary, suffered under pontius pilate, was crucified, died and was buried, descended to hell, on the third day rose again from the dead, ascended to heaven and sat down at the right hand of god the almighty father. from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. what does this mean? i believe that jesus christ is truly god, born of the father in eternity and also truly man, born of the virgin mary. he is my lord! he redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, bought and won me from all sins, death and the authority of the devil. it did not cost him gold or silver, but his holy, precious blood, his innocent body--his death! because of this, i am his very own, will live under him in his kingdom and serve him righteously, innocently and blessedly forever, just as he is risen from death, lives and reigns forever. yes, this is true. the third article on becoming holy i believe in the holy spirit, the holy christian church, the community of the saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and an everlasting life. amen. what does this mean? i believe that i cannot come to my lord jesus christ by my own intelligence or power. but the holy spirit called me by the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, made me holy and kept me in the true faith, just as he calls, gathers together, enlightens and makes holy the whole church on earth and keeps it with jesus in the one, true faith. in this church, he generously forgives each day every sin committed by me and by every believer. on the last day, he will raise me and all the dead from the grave. he will give eternal life to me and to all who believe in christ. yes, this is true! iii. the our father the simple way a father should present it to his household introduction our father, who is in heaven. (matthew 6:9) what does this mean? in this introduction, god invites us to believe that he is our real father and we are his real children, so that we will pray with trust and complete confidence, in the same way beloved children approach their beloved father with their requests. the first request may your name be holy. (matthew 6:9) what does this mean? of course, god's name is holy in and of itself, but by this request, we pray that he will make it holy among us, too. how does this take place? it happens when god's word is taught clearly and purely, and when we live holy lives as god's children based upon it. help us, heavenly father, to do this! but anyone who teaches and lives by something other than god's word defiles god's name among us. protect us from this, heavenly father! the second request your kingdom come. (matthew 6:10) what does this mean? truly god's kingdom comes by itself, without our prayer. but we pray in this request that it come to us as well. how does this happen? it happens when the heavenly father gives us his holy spirit, so that we believe his holy word by his grace and live godly lives here in this age and there in eternal life. the third request may your will be accomplished. as it is heaven, so may it be on earth. (matthew 6:10) what does this mean? truly, god's good and gracious will is accomplished without our prayer. but we pray in this request that is accomplished among us as well. how does this happen? it happens when god destroys and interferes with every evil will and all evil advice, which will not allow god's kingdom to come, such as the devil's will, the world's will and will of our bodily desires. it also happens when god strengthens us by faith and by his word and keeps us living by them faithfully until the end of our lives. this is his will, good and full of grace. the fourth request give us today our daily bread. (matthew 6:11) what does this mean? truly, god gives daily bread to evil people, even without our prayer. but we pray in this request that he will help us realize this and receive our daily bread with thanksgiving. what does "daily bread" mean? everything that nourishes our body and meets its needs, such as: food, drink, clothing, shoes, house, yard, fields, cattle, money, possessions, a devout spouse, devout children, devout employees, devout and faithful rulers, good government, good weather, peace, health, discipline, honor, good friends, faithful neighbors and other things like these. the fifth request and forgive our guilt, as we forgive those guilty of sinning against us. (matthew 6:12) what does this mean? we pray in this request that our heavenly father will neither pay attention to our sins nor refuse requests such as these because of our sins and because we are neither worthy nor deserve the things for which we pray. yet he wants to give them all to us by his grace, because many times each day we sin and truly deserve only punishment. because god does this, we will, of course, want to forgive from our hearts and willingly do good to those who sin against us. the sixth request and lead us not into temptation. (matthew 6:12) what does this mean? god tempts no one, of course, but we pray in this request that god will protect us and save us, so that the devil, the world and our bodily desires will neither deceive us nor seduce us into heresy, despair or other serious shame or vice, and so that we will win and be victorious in the end, even if they attack us. the seventh request but set us free from the evil one. ( matthew 6:12) what does this mean? we pray in this request, as a summary, that our father in heaven will save us from every kind of evil that threatens body, soul, property and honor. we pray that when at last our final hour has come, he will grant us a blessed death, and, in his grace, bring us to himself from this valley of tears. amen what does this mean? that i should be certain that such prayers are acceptable to the father in heaven and will be granted, that he himself has commanded us to pray in this way and that he promises to answer us. amen. amen. this means: yes, yes it will happen this way. iv. the sacrament of holy baptism the simple way a father should present it to his household what is baptism? baptism is not just plain water, but it is water contained within god's command and united with god's word. where in the word of god is this? where our lord christ spoke in the last chapter of matthew (matthew 28:19): "go into all the world, teaching all heathen nations, and baptizing them in the name of the father, the son and of the holy spirit." what does baptism give? what good is it? it gives us the forgiveness of sins, redeems us from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, just as god's words and promises declare. what are these words and promises of god? our lord christ spoke one of them in the last chapter of mark (mark 16:16): "whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; but whoever does not believe will be damned." how can water do such great things? water doesn't make these things happen, of course. it is god's word, which is with and in the water. because, without god's word, the water is plain water and not baptism. but with god's word it is a baptism, a grace-filled water of life, a bath of new birth in the holy spirit, as st. paul said to titus in the third chapter (titus 3:5-8): "through this bath of rebirth and renewal of the holy spirit, which he poured out on us abundantly through jesus christ, our savior, that we, justified by the same grace are made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. this is a faithful saying." what is the meaning of such a water baptism? it means that the old adam in us should be drowned by daily sorrow and repentance, and die with all sins and evil lusts, and, in turn, a new person daily come forth and rise from death again. he will live forever before god in righteousness and purity. where is this written? st. paul says to the romans in chapter six (romans 6:4): "we are buried with christ through baptism into death, so that, in the same way christ is risen from the dead by the glory of the father, thus also must we walk in a new life." v. how you should teach the uneducated to confess what is confession? confession has two parts: first, a person admits his sin second, a person receives absolution or forgiveness from the confessor, as if from god himself, without doubting it, but believing firmly that his sins are forgiven by god in heaven through it. which sins should people confess? when speaking to god, we should plead guilty to all sins, even those we don't know about, just as we do in the "our father," but when speaking to the confessor, only the sins we know about, which we know about and feel in our hearts. which are these? consider here your place in life according to the ten commandments. are you a father? a mother? a son? a daughter? a husband? a wife? a servant? are you disobedient, unfaithful or lazy? have you hurt anyone with your words or actions? have you stolen, neglected your duty, let things go or injured someone? please suggest to me a simple way to confess. you should speak to your confessor this way: honorable, dear sir: would you please hear my confession and pronounce forgiveness according to god's will. he will respond: yes. please go ahead. then say: i confess in the presence of god that i am a poor sinner and guilty of every kind of sin. i specifically admit to you that i am a servant, maid, etc., but i'm afraid that i have served my master unfaithfully. >from time to time, i have not done what i was told to do. i have angered them and caused them to swear at me. i have neglected my duty and allowed damage to be done. my words and actions have been shameful. i have been angry with my peers. i have complained about my master's wife and sworn at her, etc. i am sorry for all of this and ask for grace. i want to do better. a master or a lady of the house should speak this way: i specifically confess to you that i have not faithfully led my children, servants or wife to god's glory. i have cursed. i have set a bad example with my obscene words and actions. i have hurt my neighbor and spoken evil things about him. i have charged him too much, cheated him and sold him badly made goods. let him also confess any other sins against god's commandments and his place in life, etc. if a person is not burdened with sins such as these or greater sins, he should not look for other sins or invent them, because that would turn confession into torture. instead, he should mention one or two that he knows about. for example: specifically i confess that i once cursed. once i used inappropriate language. once i neglected to do this or that thing, etc. let that be enough. if you do not know of anything you have done wrong (which does not seem possible), do not say anything in specific, but receive forgiveness based upon the general confession you make to god in the presence of your confessor. after this, the confessor will say: may god be merciful to you and strengthen your faith! then he will ask: do you also believe that the forgiveness i give is god's forgiveness? then you will answer: yes, dear sir. after this, he will say: may what you believe happen to you. and by the command of my lord jesus, i forgive your sins in the name of the father, son and holy spirit. amen. go in peace! the confessor will know how to use additional passages to comfort and to encourage the faith of those who sorrow, are troubled or whose conscience is greatly burdened. this is only meant to be a general confession for the uneducated. vi. the sacrament of the altar the simple way a father should present it to his household what is the sacrament of the altar? it is the true body and blood of our lord jesus christ under bread and wine for us christians to eat and to drink, established by christ himself. where is that written? the holy apostles matthew, mark and luke and st. paul write this: "our lord jesus christ, in the night on which he was betrayed, took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to his disciples and said: 'take! eat! this is my body, which is given for you. do this to remember me!' in the same way he also took the cup after supper, gave thanks, gave it to them, and said: 'take and drink from it, all of you! this cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you to forgive sins. this do, as often as you drink it, to remember me!'" what good does this eating and drinking do? these words tell us: "given for you" and "shed for you to forgive sins." namely, that the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation are given to us through these words in the sacrament. because, where sins are forgiven, there is life and salvation as well. how can physical eating and drinking do such great things? of course, eating and drinking do not do these things. these words, written here, do them: "given for you" and "shed for you to forgive sins." these words, along with physical eating and drinking are the important part of the sacrament. anyone who believes these words has what they say and what they record, namely, the forgiveness of sins. who, then, receives such a sacrament in a worthy way? of course, fasting and other physical preparations are excellent disciplines for the body. but anyone who believes these words, "given for you," and "shed for you to forgive sins," is really worthy and well prepared. but whoever doubts or does not believe these words is not worthy and is unprepared, because the words, "for you" demand a heart that fully believes. appendix i how a father should teach his household to conduct morning and evening devotions. morning devotions as soon as you get out of bed in the morning, you should bless yourself with the sign of the holy cross and say: may the will of god, the father, the son and the holy spirit be done! amen. then, kneeling or standing, say the creed and pray the lord's prayer. if you wish, you may then pray this little prayer as well: my heavenly father, i thank you, through jesus christ, your beloved son, that you kept me safe from all evil and danger last night. save me, i pray, that you will keep me safe today from every evil and sin as well,, so that all i do and the way that i live will please you. i put myself in your care, body and soul and all that i have. let your holy angels be with me, so that the evil enemy will not gain power over me. amen. after that, with joy go about your work and perhaps sing a song inspired by the ten commandments or your own thoughts. evening devotions when you go to bed in the evening, you should bless yourself with the sign of the holy cross and say: may the will of god, the father, the son and the holy spirit be done! amen. then, kneeling or standing, say the creed and pray the lord's prayer. if you wish, then you may pray this little prayer as well: my heavenly father, i thank you, through jesus christ, your beloved son, that you have protected me, by your grace. forgive, i pray, all my sins and the evil i have done. protect me, by your grace, tonight. i put myself in your care, body and soul and all that i have. let your holy angels be with me, so that the evil enemy will not gain power over me. amen. after this, go to sleep immediately with joy. appendix ii how a father should teach his household to say grace and return thanks at meals: the blessing the children and servants should come to the table modestly and with folded hands and say: all eyes look to you, o lord, and you give everyone food at the right time. you open your generous hands and satisfy the hunger of all living things with what they desire. (psalm 145:15-16) note: "what they desire" means that all animals get so much to eat, that they are happy and cheerful. because, worry and greed interferes with such desires. after this, pray the lord's prayer and the following prayer: lord god, heavenly father, bless us and these gifts, which we receive from your generous hand, through jesus christ, our lord. amen. thanking god after eating, too, they should modestly fold their hands and say: thank the lord, because he is kind and his goodness lasts forever! he gives all creatures food. he gives livestock their food and feeds the young ravens that call out to him. a horse's strength does not give him pleasure. a man's legs do not give him joy. people who fear the lord and who wait for his goodness please him. after this, pray the lord's prayer and the following prayer: we thank you, lord god, father, through jesus christ our lord, for all your blessings. you live and rule forever! amen! appendix iii the home chart a number of passages to use to teach and admonish people in all holy orders and statuses in life about their duties. for bishops, pastors and preachers: 1 tim. 3:2-4 titus 1: 6 what hearers owe their pastors: 1 cor. 9:14 gal. 6: 6 1 tim. 5:17-18 heb. 13:17 for earthly authorities rom. 13:1-4 for those under authority matt. 22:21 rom. 13:5-7 1 tim. 2:1-3 titus 3:1 1 peter 2:13-14 for husbands 1 peter 3:7 col. 3:19 for wives eph. 5:22 1 peter 3:5-6 for parents eph. 6:4 for children eph. 6:1-3 for servants, maids, hired hands and workers eph. 6: 5-7 col. 3:22 for the man and woman of the house eph. 6:9 col. 4:1 for young people in general 1 pet. 5:5-6 for widows 1 tim. 5:5-6 for everyone in general rom. 13:8-10 1 tim. 2:1-2 if everyone will learn his part, the whole household will fare well. ________________________________________________________________________ this text was translated in 1994, revised in 2002 and revised and expanded in 2004 for project wittenberg by robert e. smith. it has been placed in the public domain by him. you may freely distribute, copy or print this text. please direct any comments or suggestions to rev. robert e. smith of the walther library at: concordia theological seminary email: smithre@mail.ctsfw.edu surface mail: 6600 n. clinton st., ft. wayne, in 46825 usa phone: (260) 452-3149 fax: (260) 452-2126 disputation of doctor martin luther on the power and efficacy of indulgences by dr. martin luther, 1517 published in: works of martin luther adolph spaeth, l.d. reed, henry eyster jacobs, et al., trans. & eds. (philadelphia: a. j. holman company, 1915), vol. 1, pp. 29-38. disputation of doctor martin luther on the power and efficacy of indulgences october 31, 1517 out of love for the truth and the desire to bring it to light, the following propositions will be discussed at wittenberg, under the presidency of the reverend father martin luther, master of arts and of sacred theology, and lecturer in ordinary on the same at that place. wherefore he requests that those who are unable to be present and debate orally with us, may do so by letter. in the name our lord jesus christ. amen. 1. our lord and master jesus christ, when he said poenitentiam agite, willed that the whole life of believers should be repentance. 2. this word cannot be understood to mean sacramental penance, i.e., confession and satisfaction, which is administered by the priests. 3. yet it means not inward repentance only; nay, there is no inward repentance which does not outwardly work divers mortifications of the flesh. 4. the penalty [of sin], therefore, continues so long as hatred of self continues; for this is the true inward repentance, and continues until our entrance into the kingdom of heaven. 5. the pope does not intend to remit, and cannot remit any penalties other than those which he has imposed either by his own authority or by that of the canons. 6. the pope cannot remit any guilt, except by declaring that it has been remitted by god and by assenting to god's remission; though, to be sure, he may grant remission in cases reserved to his judgment. if his right to grant remission in such cases were despised, the guilt would remain entirely unforgiven. 7. god remits guilt to no one whom he does not, at the same time, humble in all things and bring into subjection to his vicar, the priest. 8. the penitential canons are imposed only on the living, and, according to them, nothing should be imposed on the dying. 9. therefore the holy spirit in the pope is kind to us, because in his decrees he always makes exception of the article of death and of necessity. 10. ignorant and wicked are the doings of those priests who, in the case of the dying, reserve canonical penances for purgatory. 11. this changing of the canonical penalty to the penalty of purgatory is quite evidently one of the tares that were sown while the bishops slept. 12. in former times the canonical penalties were imposed not after, but before absolution, as tests of true contrition. 13. the dying are freed by death from all penalties; they are already dead to canonical rules, and have a right to be released from them. 14. the imperfect health [of soul], that is to say, the imperfect love, of the dying brings with it, of necessity, great fear; and the smaller the love, the greater is the fear. 15. this fear and horror is sufficient of itself alone (to say nothing of other things) to constitute the penalty of purgatory, since it is very near to the horror of despair. 16. hell, purgatory, and heaven seem to differ as do despair, almost-despair, and the assurance of safety. 17. with souls in purgatory it seems necessary that horror should grow less and love increase. 18. it seems unproved, either by reason or scripture, that they are outside the state of merit, that is to say, of increasing love. 19. again, it seems unproved that they, or at least that all of them, are certain or assured of their own blessedness, though we may be quite certain of it. 20. therefore by "full remission of all penalties" the pope means not actually "of all," but only of those imposed by himself. 21. therefore those preachers of indulgences are in error, who say that by the pope's indulgences a man is freed from every penalty, and saved; 22. whereas he remits to souls in purgatory no penalty which, according to the canons, they would have had to pay in this life. 23. if it is at all possible to grant to any one the remission of all penalties whatsoever, it is certain that this remission can be granted only to the most perfect, that is, to the very fewest. 24. it must needs be, therefore, that the greater part of the people are deceived by that indiscriminate and highsounding promise of release from penalty. 25. the power which the pope has, in a general way, over purgatory, is just like the power which any bishop or curate has, in a special way, within his own diocese or parish. 26. the pope does well when he grants remission to souls [in purgatory], not by the power of the keys (which he does not possess), but by way of intercession. 27. they preach man who say that so soon as the penny jingles into the money-box, the soul flies out [of purgatory]. 28. it is certain that when the penny jingles into the money-box, gain and avarice can be increased, but the result of the intercession of the church is in the power of god alone. 29. who knows whether all the souls in purgatory wish to be bought out of it, as in the legend of sts. severinus and paschal. 30. no one is sure that his own contrition is sincere; much less that he has attained full remission. 31. rare as is the man that is truly penitent, so rare is also the man who truly buys indulgences, i.e., such men are most rare. 32. they will be condemned eternally, together with their teachers, who believe themselves sure of their salvation because they have letters of pardon. 33. men must be on their guard against those who say that the pope's pardons are that inestimable gift of god by which man is reconciled to him; 34. for these "graces of pardon" concern only the penalties of sacramental satisfaction, and these are appointed by man. 35. they preach no christian doctrine who teach that contrition is not necessary in those who intend to buy souls out of purgatory or to buy confessionalia. 36. every truly repentant christian has a right to full remission of penalty and guilt, even without letters of pardon. 37. every true christian, whether living or dead, has part in all the blessings of christ and the church; and this is granted him by god, even without letters of pardon. 38. nevertheless, the remission and participation [in the blessings of the church] which are granted by the pope are in no way to be despised, for they are, as i have said, the declaration of divine remission. 39. it is most difficult, even for the very keenest theologians, at one and the same time to commend to the people the abundance of pardons and [the need of] true contrition. 40. true contrition seeks and loves penalties, but liberal pardons only relax penalties and cause them to be hated, or at least, furnish an occasion [for hating them]. 41. apostolic pardons are to be preached with caution, lest the people may falsely think them preferable to other good works of love. 42. christians are to be taught that the pope does not intend the buying of pardons to be compared in any way to works of mercy. 43. christians are to be taught that he who gives to the poor or lends to the needy does a better work than buying pardons; 44. because love grows by works of love, and man becomes better; but by pardons man does not grow better, only more free from penalty. 45. christians are to be taught that he who sees a man in need, and passes him by, and gives [his money] for pardons, purchases not the indulgences of the pope, but the indignation of god. 46. christians are to be taught that unless they have more than they need, they are bound to keep back what is necessary for their own families, and by no means to squander it on pardons. 47. christians are to be taught that the buying of pardons is a matter of free will, and not of commandment. 48. christians are to be taught that the pope, in granting pardons, needs, and therefore desires, their devout prayer for him more than the money they bring. 49. christians are to be taught that the pope's pardons are useful, if they do not put their trust in them; but altogether harmful, if through them they lose their fear of god. 50. christians are to be taught that if the pope knew the exactions of the pardon-preachers, he would rather that st. peter's church should go to ashes, than that it should be built up with the skin, flesh and bones of his sheep. 51. christians are to be taught that it would be the pope's wish, as it is his duty, to give of his own money to very many of those from whom certain hawkers of pardons cajole money, even though the church of st. peter might have to be sold. 52. the assurance of salvation by letters of pardon is vain, even though the commissary, nay, even though the pope himself, were to stake his soul upon it. 53. they are enemies of christ and of the pope, who bid the word of god be altogether silent in some churches, in order that pardons may be preached in others. 54. injury is done the word of god when, in the same sermon, an equal or a longer time is spent on pardons than on this word. 55. it must be the intention of the pope that if pardons, which are a very small thing, are celebrated with one bell, with single processions and ceremonies, then the gospel, which is the very greatest thing, should be preached with a hundred bells, a hundred processions, a hundred ceremonies. 56. the "treasures of the church," out of which the pope grants indulgences, are not sufficiently named or known among the people of christ. 57. that they are not temporal treasures is certainly evident, for many of the vendors do not pour out such treasures so easily, but only gather them. 58. nor are they the merits of christ and the saints, for even without the pope, these always work grace for the inner man, and the cross, death, and hell for the outward man. 59. st. lawrence said that the treasures of the church were the church's poor, but he spoke according to the usage of the word in his own time. 60. without rashness we say that the keys of the church, given by christ's merit, are that treasure; 61. for it is clear that for the remission of penalties and of reserved cases, the power of the pope is of itself sufficient. 62. the true treasure of the church is the most holy gospel of the glory and the grace of god. 63. but this treasure is naturally most odious, for it makes the first to be last. 64. on the other hand, the treasure of indulgences is naturally most acceptable, for it makes the last to be first. 65. therefore the treasures of the gospel are nets with which they formerly were wont to fish for men of riches. 66. the treasures of the indulgences are nets with which they now fish for the riches of men. 67. the indulgences which the preachers cry as the "greatest graces" are known to be truly such, in so far as they promote gain. 68. yet they are in truth the very smallest graces compared with the grace of god and the piety of the cross. 69. bishops and curates are bound to admit the commissaries of apostolic pardons, with all reverence. 70. but still more are they bound to strain all their eyes and attend with all their ears, lest these men preach their own dreams instead of the commission of the pope. 71. he who speaks against the truth of apostolic pardons, let him be anathema and accursed! 72. but he who guards against the lust and license of the pardon-preachers, let him be blessed! 73. the pope justly thunders against those who, by any art, contrive the injury of the traffic in pardons. 74. but much more does he intend to thunder against those who use the pretext of pardons to contrive the injury of holy love and truth. 75. to think the papal pardons so great that they could absolve a man even if he had committed an impossible sin and violated the mother of god--this is madness. 76. we say, on the contrary, that the papal pardons are not able to remove the very least of venial sins, so far as its guilt is concerned. 77. it is said that even st. peter, if he were now pope, could not bestow greater graces; this is blasphemy against st. peter and against the pope. 78. we say, on the contrary, that even the present pope, and any pope at all, has greater graces at his disposal; to wit, the gospel, powers, gifts of healing, etc., as it is written in i. corinthians xii. 79. to say that the cross, emblazoned with the papal arms, which is set up [by the preachers of indulgences], is of equal worth with the cross of christ, is blasphemy. 80. the bishops, curates and theologians who allow such talk to be spread among the people, will have an account to render. 81. this unbridled preaching of pardons makes it no easy matter, even for learned men, to rescue the reverence due to the pope from slander, or even from the shrewd questionings of the laity. 82. to wit:--"why does not the pope empty purgatory, for the sake of holy love and of the dire need of the souls that are there, if he redeems an infinite number of souls for the sake of miserable money with which to build a church? the former reasons would be most just; the latter is most trivial." 83. again:--"why are mortuary and anniversary masses for the dead continued, and why does he not return or permit the withdrawal of the endowments founded on their behalf, since it is wrong to pray for the redeemed?" 84. again:--"what is this new piety of god and the pope, that for money they allow a man who is impious and their enemy to buy out of purgatory the pious soul of a friend of god, and do not rather, because of that pious and beloved soul's own need, free it for pure love's sake?" 85. again:--"why are the penitential canons long since in actual fact and through disuse abrogated and dead, now satisfied by the granting of indulgences, as though they were still alive and in force?" 86. again:--"why does not the pope, whose wealth is to-day greater than the riches of the richest, build just this one church of st. peter with his own money, rather than with the money of poor believers?" 87. again:--"what is it that the pope remits, and what participation does he grant to those who, by perfect contrition, have a right to full remission and participation?" 88. again:--"what greater blessing could come to the church than if the pope were to do a hundred times a day what he now does once, and bestow on every believer these remissions and participations?" 89. "since the pope, by his pardons, seeks the salvation of souls rather than money, why does he suspend the indulgences and pardons granted heretofore, since these have equal efficacy?" 90. to repress these arguments and scruples of the laity by force alone, and not to resolve them by giving reasons, is to expose the church and the pope to the ridicule of their enemies, and to make christians unhappy. 91. if, therefore, pardons were preached according to the spirit and mind of the pope, all these doubts would be readily resolved; nay, they would not exist. 92. away, then, with all those prophets who say to the people of christ, "peace, peace," and there is no peace! 93. blessed be all those prophets who say to the people of christ, "cross, cross," and there is no cross! 94. christians are to be exhorted that they be diligent in following christ, their head, through penalties, deaths, and hell; 95. and thus be confident of entering into heaven rather through many tribulations, than through the assurance of peace. ====================================================================== this text was converted to ascii format for project wittenberg by allen mulvey and is in the public domain. you may freely distribute, copy or print this text. please direct any comments or suggestions to: rev. robert e. smith of the walther library at concordia theological seminary. e-mail: cfwlibrary@crf.cuis.edu surface mail: 6600 n. clinton st., ft. wayne, in 46825 usa phone: (219) 481-2123 fax: (219) 481-2126 ====================================================================== "disputatio pro declaratione virtutis indulgentiarum." by dr. martin luther, 1483-1546 d. martin luthers werke: kritische gesammtausgabe. 1. band (weimar: hermann boehlau, 1883). pp. 233-238. pw #001-001la ====================================================================== this text was converted to ascii format for project wittenberg by rev. robert e. smith and is in the public domain. you may freely distribute, copy or print this text. please direct any comments or suggestions to: rev. robert e. smith of the walther library at concordia theological seminary. e-mail: cfwlibrary@crf.cuis.edu surface mail: 6600 n. clinton st., ft. wayne, in 46825 usa phone: (219) 481-2123 fax: (219) 481-2126 ====================================================================== amore et studio elucidande veritatis hec subscripta disputabuntur wittenberge, presidente r. p. martino lutther, artium et s. theologie magistro eiusdemque ibidem lectore ordinario. quare petit, ut qui non possunt verbis presentes nobiscum disceptare agant id literis absentes. in nomine domini nostri hiesu christi. amen. 1. dominus et magister noster iesus christus dicendo 'penitentiam agite &c.' omnem vitam fidelium penitentiam esse voluit. 2. quod verbum de penitentia sacramentali (id est confessionis et satisfactionis, que sacerdotum ministerio celebratur) non potest intelligi. 3. non tamen solam intendit interiorem, immo interior nulla est, nisi foris operetur varias carnis mortificationes. 4. manet itaque pena, donec manet odium sui (id est penitentia vera intus), scilicet usque ad introitum regni celorum. 5. papa non vult nec potest ullas penas remittere preter eas, quas arbitrio vel suo vel canonum imposuit. 6. papa non potest remittere ullam culpam nisi declarando, et approbando remissam a deo aut certe remittendo casus reservatos sibi, quibus contemptis culpa prorsus remaneret. 7. nulli prorus remittit deus culpam, quin simul eum subiiciat humiliatum in omnibus sacerdoti suo vicario. 8. canones penitentiales solum viventibus sunt impositi nihilque morituris secundum eosdem debet imponi. 9. inde bene nobis facit spiritussanctus in papa excipiendo in suis decretis semper articulum mortis et necessitatis. 10. indocte et male faciunt sacerdotes ii, qui morituris penitentias canonicas in purgatorium reservant. 11. zizania illa de mutanda pena canonica in penam purgatorii videntur certe dormientibus episcopis seminata. 12. olim pene canonice non post, sed ante absolutionem imponebantur tanquam tentamenta vere contritionis. 13. morituri per mortem omnia solvunt et legibus canonum mortui iam sunt, habentes iure earum relaxationem. 14. imperfecta sanitas seu charitas morituri necessario secum fert magnum timorem, tantoque maiorem, quanto minor fuerit ipsa. 15. hic timor et horror satis est se solo (ut alia taceam) facere penam purgatorii, cum sit proximus desperationis horrori. 16. videntur infernus, purgaturium, celum differre, sicut desperatio, prope desperatio, securitas differunt. 17. necessarium videtur animabus in purgatorio sicut minni horrorem ita augeri charitatem. 18. nec probatum videtur ullis aut rationibus aut scripturis, quod sint extra statum meriti seu augende charitatis. 19. nec hoc probatum esse videtur, quod sint de sua beatitudine certe et secure, saltem omnes, licet nos certissimi simus. 20. igitur papa per remissionem plenariam omnium penarum non simpliciter omnium intelligit, sed a seipso tantummodo impositarum. 21. errant itaque indulgentiarum predicatores ii, qui dicunt per pape indulgentias hominem ab omni pena solvi et salvari. 22. quin nullam remittit animabus in purgatorio, quam in hac vita debuissent secundum canones solvere. 23. si remissio ulla omnium omnino penarum potest alicui dari, certum est eam non nisi perfectissimis, i.e. paucissimis, dari. 24. falli ob id necesse est maiorem partem populi per indifferentem illam et magnificam pene solute promissionem. 25. qualem potestatem habet papa in purgatorium generaliter, talem habet quilibet episcopus et curatus in sua diocesi et parochia specialiter. 1. [26] optime facit papa, quod non potestate clavis (quam nullam habet) sed per modum suffragii dat animabus remissionem. 2. [27] hominem predicant, qui statim ut iactus nummus in cistam tinnierit evolare dicunt animam. 3. [28] certum est, nummo in cistam tinniente augeri questum et avariciam posse: suffragium autem ecclesie est in arbitrio dei solius. 4. [29] quis scit, si omnes anime in purgatorio velint redimi, sicut de s. severino et paschali factum narratur. 5. [30] nullus securus est de veritate sue contritionis, multominus de consecutione plenarie remissionis. 6. [31] quam rarus est vere penitens, tam rarus est vere indulgentias redimens, i. e. rarissimus. 7. [32] damnabuntur ineternum cum suis magistris, qui per literas veniarum securos sese credunt de sua salute. 8. [33] cavendi sunt nimis, qui dicunt venias illas pape donum esse illud dei inestimabile, quo reconciliatur homo deo. 9. [34] gratie enim ille veniales tantum respiciunt penas satisfactionis sacramentalis ab homine constitutas. 10. [35] non christiana predicant, qui docent, quod redempturis animas vel confessionalia non sit necessaria contritio. 11. [36] quilibet christianus vere compunctus habet remissionem plenariam a pena et culpa etiam sine literis veniarum sibi debitam. 12. [37] quilibet versus christianus, sive vivus sive mortuus, habet participationem omnium bonorum christi et ecclesie etiam sine literis veniarum a deo sibi datam. 13. [38] remissio tamen et participatio pape nullo modo est contemnenda, quia (ut dixi) est declaratio remissionis divine. 14. [39] difficillimum est etiam doctissimis theologis simul extollere veniarum largitatem et contritionis veritatem coram populo. 15. [40] contritionis veritas penas querit et amat, veniarum autem largitas relaxat et odisse facit, saltem occasione. 16. [41] caute sunt venie apostolice predicande, ne populus false intelligat eas preferri ceteris bonis operibus charitatis. 17. [42] docendi sunt christiani, quod pape mens non est, redemptionem veniarum ulla ex parte comparandam esse operibus misericordie. 18. [43] docendi sunt christiani, quod dans pauperi aut mutuans egenti melius facit quam si venias redimereet. 19. [44] quia per opus charitatis crescit charitas et fit homo melior, sed per venias non fit melior sed tantummodo a pena liberior. 20. [45] docendi sunt christiani, quod, qui videt egenum et neglecto eo dat pro veniis, non idulgentias pape sed indignationem dei sibi vendicat. 21. [46] docendi sunt christiani, quod nisi superfluis abundent necessaria tenentur domui sue retinere et nequaquam propter venias effundere. 22. [47] docendi sunt christiani, quod redemptio veniarum est libera, non precepta. 23. [48] docendi sunt christiani, quod papa sicut magis eget ita magis optat in veniis dandis pro se devotam orationem quam promptam pecuniam. 24. [49] docendi sunt christiani, quod venie pape sunt utiles, si non in cas confidant, sed nocentissime, si timorem dei per eas amittant. 25. [50] docendi sunt christiani, quod si papa nosset exactiones venialium predicatorum, mallet basilicam s. petri in cineres ire quam edificari cute, carne et ossibus ovium suarum. 1. [51] docendi sunt christiani, quod papa sicut debet ita vellet, etiam vendita (si opus sit) basilicam s. petri, de suis pecuniis dare illis, a quorum plurimis quidam concionatores veniarum pecuniam eliciunt. 2. [52] vana est fiducia salutis per literas veniarum, etiam si commissarius, immo papa ipse suam animam pro illis impigneraret. 3. [53] hostes christi et pape sunt ii, qui propter venias predicandas verbum dei in aliis ecclesiis penitus silere iubent. 4. [54] iniuria fit verbo dei, dum in eodem sermone equale vel longius tempus impenditur veniis quam illi. 5. [55] mens pape necessario est, quod, si venie (quod minimum est) una campana, unis pompis et ceremoniis celebrantur, euangelium (quod maximum est) centum campanis, centum pompis, centum ceremoniis predicetur. 6. [56] thesauri ecclesie, unde pape dat indulgentias, neque satis nominati sunt neque cogniti apud populum christi. 7. [57] temporales certe non esse patet, quod non tam facile eos profundunt, sed tantummodo colligunt multi concionatorum. 8. [58] nec sunt merita christi et sanctorum, quia hec semper sine papa operantur gratiam hominis interioris et crucem, mortem infernumque exterioris. 9. [59] thesauros ecclesie s. laurentius dixit esse pauperes ecclesie, sed locutus est usu vocabuli suo tempore. 10. [60] sine temeritate dicimus claves ecclesie (merito christi donatas) esse thesaurum istum. 11. [61] clarum est enim, quod ad remissionem penarum et casuum sola sufficit potestas pape. 12. [62] verus thesaurus ecclesie est sacrosanctum euangelium glorie et gratie dei. 13. [63] hic autem est merito odiosissimus, quia ex primis facit novissimos. 14. [64] thesaurus autem indulgentiarum merito est gratissimus, quia ex novissimis facit primos. 15. [65] igitur thesauri euangelici rhetia sunt, quibus olim piscabantur viros divitiarum. 16. [66] thesauri indulgentiarum rhetia sunt, quibus nunc piscantur divitias virorum. 17. [67] indulgentie, quas concionatores vociferantur maximas gratias, intelliguntur vere tales quoad questum promovendum. 18. [68] sunt tamen re vera minime ad gratiam dei et crucis pietatem comparate. 19. [69] tenentur episcopi et curati veniarum apostolicarum commissarios cum omni reverentia admittere. 20. [70] sed magis tenentur omnibus oculis intendere, omnibus auribus advertere, ne pro commissione pape sua illi somnia predicent. 21. [71] contra veniarum apostolicarum veritatem qui loquitur, sit ille anathema et maledictus. 22. [72] qui vero, contra libidinem ac licentiam verborum concionatoris veniarum curam agit, sit ille benedictus. 23. [73] sicut papa iuste fulminat eos, qui in fraudem negocii veniarum quacunque arte machinantur, 24. [74] multomagnis fulminare intendit eos, qui per veniarum pretextum in fraudem sancte charitatis et veritatis machinantur, 25. [75] opinari venias papales tantas esse, ut solvere possint hominem, etiam si quis per impossibile dei genitricem violasset, est insanire. 1. [76] dicimus contra, quod venie papales nec minimum venialium peccatorum tollere possint quo ad culpam. 2. [77] quod dicitur, nec si s. petrus modo papa esset maiores gratias donare posset, est blasphemia in sanctum petrum et papam. 3. [78] dicimus contra, quod etiam iste et quilibet papa maiores habet, scilicet euangelium, virtutes, gratias, curationum &c. ut 1. co. xii. 4. [79] dicere, crucem armis papalibus insigniter erectam cruci christi equivalere, blasphemia est. 5. [80] rationem reddent episcopi, curati et theologi, qui tales sermones in populum licere sinunt. 6. [81] facit hec licentiosa veniarum predicatio, ut nec reverentiam pape facile sit etiam doctis viris redimere a calumniis aut certe argutis questionibus laicorm. 7. [82] scilicet. cur papa non evacuat purgatorium propter sanctissimam charitatem et summam animarum necessitatem ut causam omnium iustissimam, si infinitas animas redimit propter pecuniam funestissimam ad structuram basilice ut causam levissimam? 8. [83] item. cur permanent exequie et anniversaria defunctorum et non reddit aut recipi permittit beneficia pro illis instituta, cum iam sit iniuria pro redemptis orare? 9. [84] item. que illa nova pietas dei et pape, quod impio et inimico propter pecuniam concedunt animam piam et amicam dei redimere, et tamen propter necessitatem ipsius met pie et dilecte anime non redimunt eam gratuita charitate? 10. [85] item. cur canones penitentiales re ipsa et non usu iam diu in semet abrogati et mortui adhuc tamen pecuniis redimuntur per concessionem indulgentiarum tanquam vivacissimi? 11. [86] item. cur papa, cuius opes hodie sunt opulentissimis crassis crassiores, non de suis pecuniis magis quam pauperum fidelium struit unam tantummodo basilicam sancti petri? 12. [87] item. quid remittit aut participat papa iis, qui per contritionem perfectam ius habent plenarie remissionis et participationis? 13. [88] item. quid adderetur ecclesie boni maioris, si papa, sicut semel facit, ita centies in die cuilibet fidelium has remissiones et participationes tribueret? 14. [89] ex quo papa salutem querit animarum per venias magis quam pecunias, cur suspendit literas et venias iam olim concessas, cum sint eque efficaces? 15. [90] hec scrupulosissima laicorum argumenta sola potestate compescere nec reddita ratione diluere, est ecclesiam et papam hostibus ridendos exponere et infelices christianos facere. 16. [91] si ergo venie secundum spiritum et mentem pape predicarentur, facile illa omnia solverentur, immo non essent. 17. [92] valeant itaque omnes illi prophete, qui dicunt populo christi 'pax pax,' et non est pax. 18. [93] bene agant omnes illi prophete, qui dicunt populo christi 'crux crux,' et non est crux. 19. [94] exhortandi sunt christiani, ut caput suum christum per penas, mortes infernosque sequi studeant, 20. [95] ac sic magis per multas tribulationes intrare celum quam per securitatem pacis confidant. m.d.xvii. an open letter on translating by dr. martin luther, 1483-1546 translated from: "sendbrief von dolmetschen" in _dr. martin luthers werke_, (weimar: hermann boehlaus nachfolger, 1909), band 30, teil ii, pp. 632-646 by gary mann, ph.d. assistant professor of religion/theology augustana college rock island, illinois preface wenceslas link to all believers in christ: the wise solomon says in proverbs 11: "the people who withhold grain curse him. but there is a blessing on those who sell it." this verse speaks truly concerning all that can serve the common good or the well-being of christendom. this is the reason the master in the gospel reprimands the unfaithful servant like a lazy scoundrel for having hidden and buried his money in the ground. so that this curse of the lord and the entire church might be avoided, i must publish this letter which came into my possession through a good friend. i could not withhold it, as there has been much discussion about the translating of the old and new testaments. it has been charged by the despisers of truth that the text has been modified and even falsified in many places, which has shocked and startled many simple christians, even among the educated who do not know any hebrew or greek. it is devoutly hoped that with this publication the slander of the godless will be stopped and the scruples of the devout removed, at least in part. it may even give rise to more writing on such matters and questions such as these. so i ask all friends of the truth to seriously take this work to heart and faithfully pray to god for a proper understanding of the divine scriptures towards the improvement and increase of our common christendom. amen. nuremberg sept. 15, 1530. to the honorable and worthy n., my favorite lord and friend. grace and peace in christ, honorable, worthy and dear lord and friend. i received your writing with the two questions or queries requesting my response. in the first place, you ask why i, in the 3rd chapter of romans, translated the words of st. paul: "arbitramur hominem iustificari ex fide absque operibus" as "we hold that the human will be justified without the works of the law but only by faith." you also tell me that the papists are causing a great fuss because st. paul's text does not contain the word sola (alone), and that my changing of the words of god is not to be tolerated. secondly, you ask if the departed saints intercede for us. regarding the first question, you can give the papists this answer from me--if you so desire. on the first hand, if i, dr. luther, had thought that all the papists together were capable of translating even one passage of scripture correctly and well, i would have gathered up enough humility to ask for their aid and assistance in translating the new testament into german. however, i spared them and myself the trouble, as i knew and still see with my own eyes that not one of them knows how to speak or translate german. it is obvious, however, that they are learning to speak and write german from my translations. thus, they are stealing my language from me--a language they had little knowledge of before this. however, they do not thank me for this but instead use it against me. yet i readily grant them this as it tickles me to know that i have taught my ungrateful students, even my enemies, to speak. secondly, you might say that i have conscientiously translated the new testament into german to the best of my ability, and that i have not forced anyone to read it. rather i have left it open, only doing the translation as a service to those who could not do it as well. no one is forbidden to do it better. if someone does not wish to read it, he can let it lie, for i do not ask anyone to read it or praise anyone who does! it is my testament and my translation--and it shall remain mine. if i have made errors within it (although i am not aware of any and would most certainly be unwilling to intentionally mistranslate a single letter) i will not allow the papists to judge for their ears continue to be too long and their hee-haws too weak for them to be critical of my translating. i know quite well how much skill, hard work, understanding and intelligence is needed for a good translation. they know it less than even the miller's donkey for they have never tried it. it is said, "the one who builds along the pathway has many masters." it is like this with me. those who have not ever been able to speak correctly (to say nothing of translating) have all at once become my masters and i their pupil. if i were to have asked them how to translate the first two words of matthew "liber generationis" into german, not one of them would have been able to say "quack!" and they judge all my works! fine fellows! it was also like this for st. jerome when he translated the bible. everyone was his master. he alone was entirely incompetent as people, who were not good enough to clean his boots, judged his works. this is why it takes a great deal of patience to do good things in public for the world believes itself to be the master of knowledge, always putting the bit under the horse's tail, and not judging itself for that is the world's nature. it can do nothing else. i would gladly see a papist come forward and translate into german an epistle of st. paul's or one of the prophets and, in doing so, not make use of luther's german or translation. then one might see a fine, beautiful and noteworthy translation into german. we have seen that bungler from dresden play master to my new testament. (i will not mention his name in my books as he has his judge and is already well-known). he does admit that my german is good and sweet and that he could not improve it. yet, anxious to dishonor it, he took my new testament word for word as it was written, and removed my prefaces and glosses, replacing them with his own. then he published my new testament under his name! dear children, how it pained me when his prince in a detestable preface condemned my work and forbid all from reading luther's new testament, while at the same time commending the bungler's new testament to be read--even though it was the very same one luther had written! so no one thinks i am lying, put luther's and the bungler's new testaments side by side and compare them. you will see who did the translation for both. he has patched it in places and reordered it (and although it does not all please me) i can still leave it be for it does me no particular harm as far as the document is concerned. that is why i never intended to write in opposition to it. but i did have a laugh at the great wisdom that so terribly slandered, condemned and forbade my new testament, when it was published under my name, but required its reading when published under an other's name! what type of virtue is this that slanders and heaps shame on someone else's work, and then steals it, and publishes it under one's own name, thereby seeking glory and esteem through the slandered work of someone else! i leave that for his judge to say. i am glad and satisfied that my work (as st. paul also boasts ) is furthered by my enemies, and that luther's work, without luther's name but that of his enemy, is to be read. what better vengeance?! returning to the issue at hand, if your papist wishes to make a great fuss about the word "alone" (sola), say this to him: "dr. martin luther will have it so and he says that a papist and an ass are the same thing." sic volo, sic iubeo, sit pro ratione voluntas. (i will it, i command it; my will is reason enough) for we are not going to become students and followers of the papists. rather we will become their judge and master. we, too, are going to be proud and brag with these blockheads; and just as st. paul brags against his madly raving saints, i will brag over these asses of mine! they are doctors? me too. they are scholars? i am as well. they are philosophers? and i. they are dialecticians? i am too. they are lecturers? so am i. they write books? so do i. i will go even further with my bragging: i can exegete the psalms and the prophets, and they cannot. i can translate, and they cannot. i can read holy scriptures, and they cannot. i can pray, they cannot. coming down to their level, i can do their dialectics and philosophy better than all of them put together. plus i know that not one of them understands aristotle. if, in fact, any one of them can correctly understand one part or chapter of aristotle, i will eat my hat! no, i am not overdoing it for i have been educated in and have practiced their science since my childhood. i recognize how broad and deep it is. they, too, know that everything they can do, i can do. yet they handle me like a stranger in their discipline, these incurable fellows, as if i had just arrived this morning and had never seen or heard what they know and teach. how they do so brilliantly parade around with their science, teaching me what i grew beyond twenty years ago! to all their shouting and screaming i join the harlot in singing: "i have known for seven years that horseshoe nails are iron." so this can be the answer to your first question. please do not give these asses any other answer to their useless braying about that word "sola" than simply "luther will have it so, and he says that he is a doctor above all the papal doctors." let it remain at that. i will, from now on, hold them in contempt, and have already held them in contempt, as long as they are the kind of people that they are--asses, i should say. and there are brazen idiots among them who have never learned their own art of sophistry--like dr. schmidt and snot-nose, and such like them. they set themselves against me in this matter, which not only transcends sophistry, but as st. paul writes, all the wisdom and understanding in the world as well. an ass truly does not have to sing much as he is already known for his ears. for you and our people, however, i shall show why i used the word "sola"--even though in romans 3 it wasn't "sola" i used but "solum" or "tantum". that is how closely those asses have looked at my text! however, i have used "sola fides" in other places, and i want to use both "solum" and "sola". i have continually tried translating in a pure and accurate german. it has happened that i have sometimes searched and inquired about a single word for three or four weeks. sometimes i have not found it even then. i have worked meister philip and aurogallus so hard in translating job, sometimes barely translating 3 lines after four days. now that it has been translated into german and completed, all can read and criticize it. one can now read three or four pages without stumbling one time--without realizing just what rocks and hindrances had once been where now one travels as as if over a smoothly-cut plank. we had to sweat and toil there before we removed those rocks and hindrances, so one could go along nicely. the plowing goes nicely in a clear field. but nobody wants the task of digging out the rocks and hindrances. there is no such thing as earning the world's thanks. even god cannot earn thanks, not with the sun, nor with heaven and earth, or even the death of his son. it just is and remains as it is, in the devil's name, as it will not be anything else. i also know that in rom. 3, the word "solum" is not present in either greek or latin text--the papists did not have to teach me that--it is fact! the letters s-o-l-a are not there. and these knotheads stare at them like cows at a new gate, while at the same time they do not recognize that it conveys the sense of the text--if the translation is to be clear and accurate, it belongs there. i wanted to speak german since it was german i had spoken in translation--not latin or greek. but it is the nature of our language that in speaking about two things, one which is affirmed, the other denied, we use the word "solum" only along with the word "not" (nicht) or "no" (kein). for example, we say "the farmer brings only (allein) grain and no money"; or "no, i really have no money, but only (allein) grain"; "i have only eaten and not yet drunk"; "did you write it only and not read it over?" there are a vast number of such everyday cases. in all these phrases, this is a german usage, even though it is not the latin or greek usage. it is the nature of the german tongue to add "allein" in order that "nicht" or "kein" may be clearer and more complete. to be sure, i can also say "the farmer brings grain and no (kein) money", but the words "kein money" do not sound as full and clear as if i were to say, "the farmer brings allein grain and kein money." here the word "allein" helps the word "kein" so much that it becomes a clear and complete german expression. we do not have to ask about the literal latin or how we are to speak german--as these asses do. rather we must ask the mother in the home, the children on the street, the common person in the market about this. we must be guided by their tongue, the manner of their speech, and do our translating accordingly. then they will understand it and recognize that we are speaking german to them. for instance, christ says: ex abundatia cordis os loquitur. if i am to follow these asses, they will lay the original before me literally and translate it as: "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." is that speaking with a german tongue? what german could understand something like that? what is this "abundance of the heart?" no german can say that; unless, of course, he was trying to say that someone was altogether too magnanimous, or too courageous, though even that would not yet be correct, as "abundance of the heart" is not german, not any more than "abundance of the house", "abundance of the stove" or "abundance of the bench" is german. but the mother in the home and the common man say this: "what fills the heart overflows the mouth." that is speaking with the proper german tongue of the kind i have tried for, although unfortunately not always successfully. the literal latin is a great barrier to speaking proper german. so, as the traitor judas says in matthew 26: "ut quid perditio haec?" and in mark 14: "ut quid perditio iste unguenti facta est?" subsequently, for these literalist asses i would have to translate it: "why has this loss of salve occurred?" but what kind of german is this? what german says "loss of salve occurred"? and if he does understand it at all, he would think that the salve is lost and must be looked for and found again; even though that is still obscure and uncertain. now if that is good german why do they not come out and make us a fine, new german testament and let luther's testament be? i think that would really bring out their talents. but a german would say "ut quid, etc.." as "why this waste?" or "why this extravagance?" even "it is a shame about the ointment"--these are good german, in which one can understand that magdalene had wasted the salve she poured out and had done wrong. that was what judas meant as he thought he could have used it better. now when the angel greets mary, he says: "greetings to you, mary, full of grace, the lord is with you." well up to this point, this has simply been translated from the simple latin, but tell me is that good german? since when does a german speak like that--being "full of grace"? one would have to think about a keg "full of" beer or a purse "full of" money. so i translated it: "you gracious one". this way a german can at last think about what the angel meant by his greeting. yet the papists rant about me corrupting the angelic greeting--and i still have not used the most satisfactory german translation. what if i had used the most satisfactory german and translated the salutation: "god says hello, mary dear" (for that is what the angel was intending to say and what he would have said had he even been german!). if i had, i believe that they would have hanged themselves out of their great devotion to dear mary and because i have destroyed the greeting. yet why should i be concerned about their ranting and raving? i will not stop them from translating as they want. but i too shall translate as i want and not to please them, and whoever does not like it can just ignore it and keep his criticism to himself, for i will neither look at nor listen to it. they do not have to answer for or bear responsibility for my translation. listen up, i shall say "gracious mary" and "dear mary", and they can say "mary full of grace". anyone who knows german also knows what an expressive word "dear"(liebe) is: dear mary, dear god, the dear emperor, the dear prince, the dear man, the dear child. i do not know if one can say this word "liebe" in latin or in other languages with so much depth of emotion that it pierces the heart and echoes throughout as it does in our tongue. i think that st. luke, as a master of the hebrew and greek tongues, wanted to clarify and articulate the greek word "kecharitomene" that the angel used. and i think that the angel gabriel spoke with mary just as he spoke with daniel, when he called him "chamudoth" and "ish chamudoth, vir desiriorum", that is "dear daniel." that is the way gabriel speaks, as we can see in daniel. now if i were to literally translate the words of the angel, and use the skills of these asses, i would have to translate it as "daniel, you man of desires" or "daniel, you man of lust". oh, that would be beautiful german! a german would, of course, recognize "man", "lueste" and "begirunge" as being german words, although not altogether pure as "lust" and "begir" would be better. but when those words are put together you get "you man of desires" and no german is going to understand that. he might even think that daniel is full of lustful desires. now wouldn't that be a fine translation! so i have to let the literal words go and try to discover how the german says what the hebrew "ish chamudoth" expresses. i discover that the german says this, "you dear daniel", "you dear mary", or "you gracious maiden", "you lovely maiden", "you gentle girl" and so on. a translator must have a large vocabulary so he can have more words for when a particular one just does not fit in the context. why should i talk about translating so much? i would need an entire year were i to point out the reasons and concerns behind my words. i have learned what an art and job translating is by experience, so i will not tolerate some papal ass or mule as my critic, or judge. they have not tried the task. if anyone does not like my translations, they can ignore it; and may the devil repay the one who dislikes or criticizes my translations without my knowledge or permission. should it be criticized, i will do it myself. if i do not do it, then they can leave my translations in peace. they can each do a translation that suits them--what do i care? to this i can, with good conscience, give witness--that i gave my utmost effort and care and i had no ulterior motives. i have not taken or wanted even a small coin in return. neither have i made any by it. god knows that i have not even sought honor by it, but i have done it as a service to the blessed christians and to the honor of the one who sits above who blesses me every hour of my life that had i translated a thousand times more diligently, i should not have deserved to live or have a sound eye for even a single hour. all i am and have to offer is from his mercy and grace--indeed of his precious blood and bitter sweat. therefore, god willing, all of it will also serve to his honor, joyfully and sincerely. i may be insulted by the scribblers and papists but true christians, along with christ, their lord, bless me. further, i am more than amply rewarded if just one christian acknowledge me as a workman with integrity. i do not care about the papists, as they are not good enough to acknowledge my work and, if they were to bless me, it would break my heart. i may be insulted by their highest praise and honor, but i will still be a doctor, even a distinguished one. i am certain that they shall never take from me until the final day. yet i have not just gone ahead, ignoring the exact wording in the original. instead, with great care, i have, along with my helpers, gone ahead and have kept literally to the original, without the slightest deviation, wherever it appeared that a passage was crucial. for instance, in john 6 christ says: "him has god the father set his seal upon (versiegelt)." it would be more clear in german to say "him has god the father signified (gezeiehent)" or even "god the father means him." but rather than doing violence to the original, i have done violence to the german tongue. ah, translating is not every one's skill as some mad saints think. a right, devout, honest, sincere, god-fearing christian, trained, educated, and experienced heart is required. so i hold that no false christian or divisive spirit can be a good translator. that is obvious given the translation of the prophets at worms which although carefully done and approximating my own german quite closely, does not show much reverence for christ due to the jews who shared in the translation. aside from that it shows plenty of skill and craftsmanship there. so much for translating and the nature of language. however, i was not depending upon or following the nature of language when i inserted the word "solum" (alone) in rom. 3 as the text itself, and st. paul's meaning, urgently necessitated and demanded it. he is dealing with the main point of christian doctrine in this passage--namely that we are justified by faith in christ without any works of the law. in fact, he rejects all works so completely as to say that the works of the law, though it is god's law and word, do not aid us in justification. using abraham as an example, he argues that abraham was so justified without works that even the highest work, which had been commanded by god, over and above all others, namely circumcision, did not aid him in justification. instead, abraham was justified without circumcision and without any works, but by faith, as he says in chapter 4: "if abraham is justified by works, he may boast, but not before god." however, when all works are so completely rejected--which must mean faith alone justifies--whoever would speak plainly and clearly about this rejection of works would have to say "faith alone justifies and not works." the matter itself and the nature of language necessitates it. "yet", they say, "it has such an offensive tone that people infer from it that they need not do any good works." dear, what are we to say? is it not more offensive for st. paul himself to not use the term "faith alone" but spell it even more clearly, putting the finishing touches on it by saying "without the works of the law?" gal. 1 [2.16] says that "not by works of the law" (as well as in many other places) for the phrase "without the works of the law" is so ever offensive, and scandalous that no amount of revision can help it. how much more might people learn from "that they need not do any good works", when all they hear is preaching about the works themselves, stated in such a clear strong way: "no works", "without works", "not by works"! if it is not offensive to preach "without works", "not by works", "no works", why is it offensive to preach "by faith alone"? still more offensive is that st. paul does not reject just ordinary works, but works of the law! it follows that one could take offense at that all the more and say that the law is condemned and cursed before god and one ought only do what is contrary to the law as it is said in rom. 3: "why not do evil so that there might be more good?" which is what that one divisive spirit of our time was doing. should one reject st. paul's word because of such 'offense' or refrain from speaking freely about faith? gracious, st. paul and i want to offend like this for we preach so strongly against works, insisting on faith alone for no other reason than to offend people that they might stumble and fall and learn that they are not saved by good works but only by christ's death and resurrection. knowing that they cannot be saved by their good works of the law, how much more will they realize that they shall not be saved by bad works, or without the law! therefore, it does not follow that because good works do not help, bad works will; just as it does not follow that because the sun cannot help a blind person see, the night and darkness must help him see. it astounds me that one can be offended by something as obvious as this! just tell me, is christ's death and resurrection our work, what we do, or not? it is obviously not our work, nor is it the work of the law. now it is christ's death and resurrection alone which saves and frees us from sin, as paul writes in rom. 4: "he died for our sin and arose for our righteousness." tell me more! what is the work by which we take hold of christ's death and resurrection? it must not be an external work but only the eternal faith in the heart that alone, indeed all alone, which takes hold of this death and resurrection when it is preached through the gospel. then why all this ranting and raving, this making of heretics and burning of them, when it is clear at its very core, proving that faith alone takes hold of christ's death and resurrection, without any works, and that his death and resurrection are our life and righteousness? as this fact is so obvious, that faith alone gives, brings, and takes a hold of this life and righteousness--why should we not say so? it is not heretical that faith alone holds on to christ and gives life; and yet it seems to be heresy if someone mentions it. are they not insane, foolish and ridiculous? they will say that one thing is right but brand the telling of this right thing as wrong--even though something cannot be simultaneously right and wrong. furthermore, i am not the only one, nor the first, to say that faith alone makes one righteous. there was ambrose, augustine and many others who said it before me. and if one is to read and understand st. paul, the same thing must be said and not anything else. his words, as well, are blunt--"no works"--none at all! if it is not works, it must be faith alone. oh what a marvelous, constructive and inoffensive teaching that would be, to be taught that one can be saved by works as well as by faith. that would be like saying that it is not christ's death alone that takes away our sin but that our works have something to do with it. now that would be a fine way of honoring christ's death, saying that it is helped by our works, and that whatever it does our works can also do--that we are his equal in goodness and power. this is the devil itself for he cannot ever stop abusing the blood of christ. therefore the matter itself, at its very core, necessitates that one say: "faith alone makes one righteous." the nature of the german tongue teaches us to say it in the same way. in addition, i have the examples of the holy fathers. the dangers confronting the people also compel it so they do not continue to hang onto works and wander away from faith, losing christ, especially at this time when they have been so accustomed to works they have to be pulled away from them by force. it is for these reasons that it is not only right but also necessary to say it as plainly and forcefully as possible: "faith alone saves without works!" i am only sorry i did not add "alle" and "aller", and said "without any (alle) works or any (aller) laws." that would have stated it most effectively. therefore, it will remain in the new testament, and though all the papal asses rant and rave at me, they shall not take it away from me. let this be enough for now. i will have to speak more about this in the treatise "on justification" (if god grants me grace). on the other question as to whether the departed saints intercede for us. for the present i am only going to give a brief answer as i am considering publishing a sermon on the beloved angels in which i will respond more fully on this matter (god willing). first, you know that under the papacy it is not only taught that the saints in heaven intercede for us--even though we cannot know this as the scripture does not tell us such--but the saints have been made into gods, and that they are to be our patrons to whom we should call. some of them have never existed! to each of these saints a particular power and might has been given--one over fire, another over water, another over pestilence, fever and all sorts of plagues. indeed, god must have been altogether idle to have let the saints work in his place. of this atrocity the papists themselves are aware, as they quietly take up their pipes and preen and primp themselves over this doctrine of the intercession of the saints. i will leave this subject for now--but you can count on my not forgetting it and allowing this primping and preening to continue without cost. and again, you know that there is not a single passage from god demanding us to call upon either saints or angels to intercede for us, and that there is no example of such in the scriptures. one finds that the beloved angels spoke with the fathers and the prophets, but that none of them had ever been asked to intercede for them. why even jacob the patriarch did not ask the angel with whom he wrestled for any intercession. instead, he only took from him a blessing. in fact, one finds the very opposite in revelation as the angel will not allow itself to be worshipped by john. [rev. 22] so the worship of saints shows itself as nothing but human nonsense, our own invention separated from the word of god and the scriptures. as it is not proper in the matter of divine worship for us to do anything that is not commanded by god (and that whoever does is putting god to the test), it is therefore also not advisable or tolerable for one to call upon the saints for intercession or to teach others to do so. in fact, it is to be condemned and people taught to avoid it. therefore, i also will not advise it and burden my conscience with the iniquities of others. it was difficult for me to stop from worshipping the saints as i was so steeped in it to have nearly drowned. but the light of the gospel is now shining so brightly that from now on no one has an excuse for remaining in the darkness. we all very well know what we are to do. this is itself a very risky and blasphemous way to worship for people are easily accustomed to turning away from christ. they learn quickly to trust more in the saints than in christ himself. when our nature is already all too prone to run from god and christ, and trust in humanity, it is indeed difficult to learn to trust in god and christ, even though we have vowed to do so and are therefore obligated to do so. therefore, this offense is not to be tolerated whereby those who are weak and of the flesh participate in idolatry, against the first commandment and our baptism. even if one tries nothing other than to switch their trust from the saints to christ, through teaching and practice, it will be difficult to accomplish, that one should come to him and rightly take hold of him. one need not paint the devil on the door--he will already be present. we can finally be certain that god is not angry with us, and that even if we do not call on the saints for intercession, we are secure for god has never commanded it. god says that god is a jealous god granting their iniquities on those who do not keep his commandments [ex.20]; but there is no commandment here and, therefore, no anger to be feared. since, then, there is on this side security and on the other side great risk and offense against the word of god, why should we go from security into danger where we do not have the word of god to sustain, comfort and save us in the times of trial? for it is written, "whoever loves danger will perish by it" [ecclus. 3], and god's commandment says, "you shall not put the lord your god to the test" [matt. 4]. "but," they say, "this way you condemn all of christendom which has always maintained this--until now." i answer: i know very well that the priests and monks seek this cloak for their blasphemies. they want to give to christendom the damage caused by their own negligence. then, when we say, "christendom does not err," we shall also be saying that they do not err, since christendom believes it to be so. so no pilgrimage can be wrong, no matter how obviously the devil is a participant in it. no indulgence can be wrong, regardless of how horrible the lies involved. in other words, there is nothing there but holiness! therefore to this you reply, "it is not a question of who is and who is not condemned." they inject this irrelevant idea in order to divert us from the topic at hand. we are now discussing the word of god. what christendom is or does belongs somewhere else. the question here is: "what is or is not the word of god? what is not the word of god does not make christendom." we read that in the days of elijah the prophet there was apparently no word from god and no worship of god in israel. for elijah says, "lord, they have killed your prophets and destroyed your altars, and i am left totally alone" [i kings 19]. here king ahab and others could have said, "elijah, with talk like that you are condemning all the people of god." however god had at the same time kept seven thousand [i kings 19]. how? do you not also think that god could now, under the papacy, have preserved his own, even though the priests and monks of christendom have been teachers of the devil and gone to hell? many children and young people have died in christ. for even under the anti-christ, christ has strongly sustained baptism, the bare text of the gospel in the pulpit, the lord's prayer, and the creed. by this means he sustained many of his christians, and therefore also his christendom, and said nothing about it to these devil's teachers. now even though christians have done some parts of the papal blasphemy, the papal asses have not yet proved that they did it gladly. still less does it prove that they even did the right thing. all christians can err and sin, but god has taught them to pray in the lord's prayer for the forgiveness of sins. god could very well forgive the sins they had to unwillingly, unknowingly, and under the coercion of the antichrist commit, without saying anything about it to the priests and monks! it can, however, be easily proven that there has always been a great deal of secret murmuring and complaining against the clergy throughout the world, and that they are not treating christendom properly. and the papal asses have courageously withstood such complaining with fire and sword, even to the present day. this murmuring proves how happy christians have been over these blasphemies, and how right they have been in doing them! so out with it, you papal asses! say that this is the teaching of christendom: these stinking lies which you villains and traitors have forced upon christendom and for the sake of which you murderers have killed many christians. why each letter of every papal law gives testimony to the fact that nothing has ever been taught by the counsel and the consent of christendom. there is nothing there but "districte precipiendo mandamus" ["we teach and strictly command"]. that has been your holy spirit. christendom has had to suffer this tyranny. this tyranny has robbed it of the sacrament and, not by its own fault, has been held in captivity. and still the asses would pawn off on us this intolerable tyranny of their own wickedness as a willing act and example of christendom--and thereby acquit themselves! but this is getting too long. let this be enough of an answer to your questions for now. more another time. excuse this long letter. christ our lord be with us all. amen. martin luther, your good friend. the wilderness, september 8, 1530 * * * * * this text was translated for project wittenberg by dr. gary mann in 1995 and was placed by him in the public domain. you may freely distribute, copy or print this text, providing the information in this statement remains attached. please direct any comments or suggestions to: rev. robert e. smith of the walther library at concordia theological seminary. e-mail: cfwlibrary@crf.cuis.edu surface mail: 6600 n. clinton st., ft. wayne, in 46825 usa phone: (219) 481-2123 fax: (219) 481-2126 the smalcald articles by martin luther _the smalcald articles. articles of christian doctrine which were to have been presented on our part to the council, if any had been assembled at mantua or elsewhere, indicating what we could accept or yield, and what we could not._ by dr. martin luther, 1537 translated by f. bente and w. h. t. dau published in: _triglot concordia: the symbolical books of the ev. lutheran church_. (st. louis: concordia publishing house, 1921), pp. 453-529. preface of dr. martin luther. since pope paul iii convoked a council last year, to assemble at mantua about whitsuntide, and afterwards transferred it from mantua, so that it is not yet known where he will or can fix it, and we on our part either had to expect that we would be summoned also to the council or [to fear that we would] be condemned unsummoned, i was directed to compile and collect the articles of our doctrine [in order that it might be plain] in case of deliberation as to what and how far we would be both willing and able to yield to the papists, and in what points we intended to persevere and abide to the end. i have accordingly compiled these articles and presented them to our side. they have also been accepted and unanimously confessed by our side, and it has been resolved that, in case the pope with his adherents should ever be so bold as seriously and in good faith, without lying and cheating, to hold a truly free [legitimate] christian council (as, indeed, he would be in duty bound to do), they be publicly delivered in order to set forth the confession of our faith. but though the romish court is so dreadfully afraid of a free christian council, and shuns the light so shamefully, that it has [entirely] removed, even from those who are on its side, the hope that it will ever permit a free council, much less that it will itself hold one, whereat, as is just, they [many papists] are greatly offended and have no little trouble on that account [are disgusted with this negligence of the pope], since they notice thereby that the pope would rather see all christendom perish and all souls damned than suffer either himself or his adherents to be reformed even a little, and his [their] tyranny to be limited, nevertheless i have determined meanwhile to publish these articles in plain print, so that, should i die before there would be a council (as i fully expect and hope, because the knaves who flee the light and shun the day take such wretched pains to delay and hinder the council), those who live and remain after me may have my testimony and confession to produce, in addition to the confession which i have issued previously, whereby up to this time i have abided, and, by god's grace, will abide. for what shall i say? how shall i complain? i am still living, writing, preaching, and lecturing daily; [and] yet there are found such spiteful men, not only among the adversaries, but also false brethren that profess to be on our side, as dare to cite my writings and doctrine directly against myself, and let me look on and listen, although they know well that i teach otherwise, and as wish to adorn their venom with my labor, and under my name to [deceive and] mislead the poor people. [good god!] alas! what first will happen when i am dead? indeed, i ought to reply to everything while i am still living. but, again, how can i alone stop all the mouths of the devil? especially of those (as they all are poisoned) who will not hear or notice what we write, but solely exercise themselves with all diligence how they may most shamefully pervert and corrupt our word in every letter. these i let the devil answer, or at last gods wrath, as they deserve. i often think of the good gerson who doubts whether anything good should be [written and] published. if it is not done, many souls are neglected who could be delivered: but if it is done, the devil is there with malignant, villainous tongues without number which envenom and pervert everything, so that nevertheless the fruit [the usefulness of the writings] is prevented. yet what they gain thereby is manifest. for while they have lied so shamefully against us and by means of lies wished to retain the people, god has constantly advanced his work, and been making their following ever smaller and ours greater, and by their lies has caused and still causes them to be brought to shame. i must tell a story. there was a doctor sent here to wittenberg from france, who said publicly before us that his king was sure and more than sure, that among us there is no church, no magistrate, no married life, but all live promiscuously as cattle, and each one does as he pleases. imagine now, how will those who by their writings have instilled such gross lies into the king and other countries as the pure truth, look at us on that day before the judgment-seat of christ? christ, the lord and judge of us all, knows well that they lie and have [always] lied, his sentence they in turn, must hear; that i know certainly. god convert to repentance those who can be converted! regarding the rest it will be said, woe, and, alas! eternally. but to return to the subject. i verily desire to see a truly christian council [assembled some time], in order that many matters and persons might be helped. not that we need it, for our churches are now, through god's grace, so enlightened and equipped with the pure word and right use of the sacraments, with knowledge of the various callings and of right works, that we on our part ask for no council, and on such points have nothing better to hope or expect from a council. but we see in the bishoprics everywhere so many parishes vacant and desolate that one's heart would break, and yet neither the bishops nor canons care how the poor people live or die, for whom nevertheless christ has died, and who are not permitted to hear him speak with them as the true shepherd with his sheep. this causes me to shudder and fear that at some time he may send a council of angels upon germany utterly destroying us, like sodom and gomorrah, because we so wantonly mock him with the council. besides such necessary ecclesiastical affairs, there would be also in the political estate innumerable matters of great importance to improve. there is the disagreement between the princes and the states; usury and avarice have burst in like a flood, and have become lawful [are defended with a show of right]; wantonness, lewdness, extravagance in dress, gluttony, gambling, idle display, with all kinds of bad habits and wickedness, insubordination of subjects, of domestics and laborers of every trade, also the exactions [and most exorbitant selling prices] of the peasants (and who can enumerate all?) have so increased that they cannot be rectified by ten councils and twenty diets. if such chief matters of the spiritual and worldly estates as are contrary to god would be considered in the council, they would have all hands so full that the child's play and absurdity of long gowns [official insignia], large tonsures, broad cinctures [or sashes], bishops' or cardinals' hats or maces, and like jugglery would in the mean time be forgotten. if we first had performed god's command and order in the spiritual and secular estate we would find time enough to reform food, clothing, tonsures, and surplices. but if we want to swallow such camels, and, instead, strain at gnats, let the beams stand and judge the motes, we also might indeed be satisfied with the council. therefore i have presented few articles; for we have without this so many commands of god to observe in the church, the state and the family that we can never fulfil them. what, then, is the use, or what does it profit that many decrees and statutes thereon are made in the council, especially when these chief matters commanded of god are neither regarded nor observed? just as though he were bound to honor our jugglery as a reward of our treading his solemn commandments under foot. but our sins weigh upon us and cause god not to be gracious to us; for we do not repent, and, besides, wish to defend every abomination. o lord jesus christ, do thou thyself convoke a council, and deliver thy servants by thy glorious advent! the pope and his adherents are done for; they will have none of thee. do thou, then, help us, who are poor and needy, who sigh to thee, and beseech thee earnestly, according to the grace which thou hast given us, through thy holy ghost who liveth and reigneth with thee and the father, blessed forever. amen. the first part treats of the sublime articles concerning the divine majesty, as: i. that father, son, and holy ghost, three distinct persons in one divine essence and nature, are one god, who has created heaven and earth. ii. that the father is begotten of no one; the son of the father; the holy ghost proceeds from father and son. iii. that not the father nor the holy ghost but the son became man. iv. that the son became man in this manner, that he was conceived, without the cooperation of man, by the holy ghost, and was born of the pure, holy [and always] virgin mary. afterwards he suffered, died, was buried, descended to hell, rose from the dead, ascended to heaven, sits at the right hand of god, will come to judge the quick and the dead, etc. as the creed of the apostles, as well as that of st. athanasius, and the catechism in common use for children, teach. concerning these articles there is no contention or dispute, since we on both sides confess them. therefore it is not necessary now to treat further of them. the second part treats of the articles which refer to the office and work of jesus christ, or our redemption. the first and chief article is this, that jesus christ, our god and lord, died for our sins, and was raised again for our justification, rom. 4, 25. and he alone is the lamb of god which taketh away the sins of the world, john 1, 29; and god has laid upon him the iniquities of us all, is. 53, 6. likewise: all have sinned and are justified without merit [freely, and without their own works or merits] by his grace, through the redemption that is in christ jesus, in his blood, rom. 3, 23 f. now, since it is necessary to believe this, and it cannot be otherwise acquired or apprehended by any work, law, or merit, it is clear and certain that this faith alone justifies us as st. paul says, rom. 3, 28: for we conclude that a man is justified by faith, without the deeds of the law. likewise v. 26: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in christ. of this article nothing can be yielded or surrendered [nor can anything be granted or permitted contrary to the same], even though heaven and earth, and whatever will not abide, should sink to ruin. for there is none other name under heaven, given among men whereby we must be saved, says peter, acts 4, 12. and with his stripes we are healed, is. 53, 5. and upon this article all things depend which we teach and practice in opposition to the pope, the devil, and the [whole] world. therefore, we must be sure concerning this doctrine, and not doubt; for otherwise all is lost, and the pope and devil and all things gain the victory and suit over us. article ii: of the mass. that the mass in the papacy must be the greatest and most horrible abomination, as it directly and powerfully conflicts with this chief article, and yet above and before all other popish idolatries it has been the chief and most specious. for it has been held that this sacrifice or work of the mass, even though it be rendered by a wicked [and abandoned] scoundrel, frees men from sins, both in this life and also in purgatory, while only the lamb of god shall and must do this, as has been said above. of this article nothing is to be surrendered or conceded, because the first article does not allow it. if, perchance, there were reasonable papists we might speak moderately and in a friendly way, thus: first, why they so rigidly uphold the mass. for it is but a pure invention of men, and has not been commanded by god; and every invention of man we may [safely] discard, as christ declares, matt. 15, 9: in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. secondly. it is an unnecessary thing, which can be omitted without sin and danger. thirdly. the sacrament can be received in a better and more blessed way [more acceptable to god], (yea, the only blessed way), according to the institution of christ. why, then, do they drive the world to woe and [extreme] misery on account of a fictitious, unnecessary matter, which can be well obtained in another and more blessed way? let [care be taken that] it be publicly preached to the people that the mass as men's twaddle [commentitious affair or human figment] can be omitted without sin, and that no one will be condemned who does not observe it, but that he can be saved in a better way without the mass. i wager [thus it will come to pass] that the mass will then collapse of itself, not only among the insane [rude] common people, but also among all pious, christian, reasonable, god-fearing hearts; and that the more, when they would hear that the mass is a [very] dangerous thing, fabricated and invented without the will and word of god. fourthly. since such innumerable and unspeakable abuses have arisen in the whole world from the buying and selling of masses, the mass should by right be relinquished, if for no other purpose than to prevent abuses, even though in itself it had something advantageous and good. how much more ought we to relinquish it, so as to prevent [escape] forever these horrible abuses, since it is altogether unnecessary, useless, and dangerous, and we can obtain everything by a more necessary, profitable, and certain way without the mass. fifthly. but since the mass is nothing else and can be nothing else (as the canon and all books declare), than a work of men (even of wicked scoundrels), by which one attempts to reconcile himself and others to god, and to obtain and merit the remission of sins and grace (for thus the mass is observed when it is observed at the very best; otherwise what purpose would it serve?), for this very reason it must and should [certainly] be condemned and rejected. for this directly conflicts with the chief article, which says that it is not a wicked or a godly hireling of the mass with his own work, but the lamb of god and the son of god, that taketh away our sins. but if any one should advance the pretext that as an act of devotion he wishes to administer the sacrament, or communion, to himself, he is not in earnest [he would commit a great mistake, and would not be speaking seriously and sincerely]. for if he wishes to commune in sincerity, the surest and best way for him is in the sacrament administered according to christ's institution. but that one administer communion to himself is a human notion, uncertain, unnecessary, yea, even prohibited. and he does not know what he is doing, because without the word of god he obeys a false human opinion and invention. so, too, it is not right (even though the matter were otherwise correct) for one to use the common sacrament of [belonging to] the church according to his own private devotion, and without god's word and apart from the communion of the church to trifle therewith. this article concerning the mass will be the whole business of the council. [the council will perspire most over, and be occupied with this article concerning the mass.] for if it were [although it would be] possible for them to concede to us all the other articles, yet they could not concede this. as campegius said at augsburg that he would be torn to pieces before he would relinquish the mass, so, by the help of god, i, too, would suffer myself to be reduced to ashes before i would allow a hireling of the mass, be he good or bad, to be made equal to christ jesus, my lord and savior, or to be exalted above him. thus we are and remain eternally separated and opposed to one another. they feel well enough that when the mass falls, the papacy lies in ruins. before they will permit this to occur, they will put us all to death if they can. in addition to all this, this dragon's tail, [i mean] the mass, has begotten a numerous vermin-brood of manifold idolatries. first, purgatory. here they carried their trade into purgatory by masses for souls, and vigils, and weekly, monthly, and yearly celebrations of obsequies, and finally by the common week and all souls day, by soul-baths so that the mass is used almost alone for the dead, although christ has instituted the sacrament alone for the living. therefore purgatory, and every solemnity, rite, and commerce connected with it, is to be regarded as nothing but a specter of the devil. for it conflicts with the chief article [which teaches] that only christ, and not the works of men, are to help [set free] souls. not to mention the fact that nothing has been [divinely] commanded or enjoined upon us concerning the dead. therefore all this may be safely omitted, even if it were no error and idolatry. the papists quote here augustine and some of the fathers who are said to have written concerning purgatory, and they think that we do not understand for what purpose and to what end they spoke as they did. st. augustine does not write that there is a purgatory nor has he a testimony of scripture to constrain him thereto, but he leaves it in doubt whether there is one, and says that his mother asked to be remembered at the altar or sacrament. now, all this is indeed nothing but the devotion of men, and that, too, of individuals, and does not establish an article of faith, which is the prerogative of god alone. our papists, however, cite such statements [opinions] of men in order that men should believe in their horrible, blasphemous, and cursed traffic in masses for souls in purgatory [or in sacrifices for the dead and oblations], etc. but they will never prove these things from augustine. now, when they have abolished the traffic in masses for purgatory, of which augustine never dreamt, we will then discuss with them whether the expressions of augustine without scripture [being without the warrant of the word] are to be admitted, and whether the dead should be remembered at the eucharist. for it will not do to frame articles of faith from the works or words of the holy fathers; otherwise their kind of fare, of garments, of house, etc., would have to become an article of faith, as was done with relies. [we have, however, another rule, namely] the rule is: the word of god shall establish articles of faith, and no one else, not even an angel. secondly. from this it has followed that evil spirits have perpetrated much knavery [exercised their malice] by appearing as the souls of the departed, and with unspeakable [horrible] lies and tricks demanded masses, vigils, pilgrimages, and other alms. all of which we had to receive as articles of faith, and to live accordingly; and the pope confirmed these things, as also the mass and all other abominations. here, too, there is no [cannot and must not be any] yielding or surrendering. thirdly. [hence arose] the pilgrimages. here, too, masses, the remission of sins and the grace of god were sought, for the mass controlled everything. now it is indeed certain that such pilgrimages, without the word of god, have not been commanded us, neither are they necessary, since we can have these things [the soul can be cared for] in a better way, and can omit these pilgrimages without any sin and danger. why therefore do they leave at home [desert] their own parish [their called ministers, their parishes], the word of god, wives, children, etc., who are ordained and [attention to whom is necessary and has been] commanded, and run after these unnecessary, uncertain, pernicious will-o'-the-wisps of the devil [and errors]? unless the devil was riding [made insane] the pope, causing him to praise and establish these practices, whereby the people again and again revolted from christ to their own works, and became idolaters, which is worst of all; moreover, it is neither necessary nor commanded, but is senseless and doubtful, and besides harmful. hence here, too, there can be no yielding or surrendering [to yield or concede anything here is not lawful], etc. and let this be preached, that such pilgrimages are not necessary, but dangerous; and then see what will become of them. [for thus they will perish of their own accord.] fourthly. fraternities [or societies], in which cloisters, chapters, vicars have assigned and communicated (by a legal contract and sale) all masses and good works, etc., both for the living and the dead. this is not only altogether a human bauble, without the word of god, entirely unnecessary and not commanded, but also contrary to the chief article, of redemption. therefore it is in no way to be tolerated. fifthly. the relics, in which there are found so many falsehoods and tomfooleries concerning the bones of dogs and horses, that even the devil has laughed at such rascalities, ought long ago to have been condemned, even though there were some good in them; and so much the more because they are without the word of god; being neither commanded nor counseled, they are an entirely unnecessary and useless thing. but the worst is that [they have imagined that] these relics had to work indulgence and the forgiveness of sins [and have revered them] as a good work and service of god, like the mass, etc. sixthly. here belong the precious indulgences granted (but only for money) both to the living and the dead, by which the miserable [sacrilegious and accursed] judas, or pope, has sold the merit of christ, together with the superfluous merits of all saints and of the entire church, etc. all these things [and every single one of them] are not to be borne, and are not only without the word of god, without necessity, not commanded, but are against the chief article. for the merit of christ is [apprehended and] obtained not by our works or pence, but from grace through faith, without money and merit; and is offered [and presented] not through the power of the pope, but through the preaching of god's word. of the invocation of saints. the invocation of saints is also one of the abuses of antichrist conflicting with the chief article, and destroys the knowledge of christ. neither is it commanded nor counseled, nor has it any example [or testimony] in scripture, and even though it were a precious thing, as it is not [while, on the contrary, it is a most harmful thing], in christ we have everything a thousandfold better [and surer, so that we are not in need of calling upon the saints]. and although the angels in heaven pray for us (as christ himself also does), as also do the saints on earth, and perhaps also in heaven, yet it does not follow thence that we should invoke and adore the angels and saints, and fast, hold festivals, celebrate mass in their honor, make offerings, and establish churches, altars, divine worship, and in still other ways serve them, and regard them as helpers in need [as patrons and intercessors], and divide among them all kinds of help, and ascribe to each one a particular form of assistance, as the papists teach and do. for this is idolatry, and such honor belongs alone to god. for as a christian and saint upon earth you can pray for me, not only in one, but in many necessities. but for this reason i am not obliged to adore and invoke you, and celebrate festivals, fast, make oblations, hold masses for your honor [and worship], and put my faith in you for my salvation. i can in other ways indeed honor, love, and thank you in christ. if now such idolatrous honor were withdrawn from angels and departed saints, the remaining honor would be without harm and would quickly be forgotten. for when advantage and assistance, both bodily and spiritual, are no more to be expected, the saints will not be troubled [the worship of the saints will soon vanish], neither in their graves nor in heaven. for without a reward or out of pure love no one will much remember, or esteem, or honor them [bestow on them divine honor]. in short, the mass itself and anything that proceeds from it, and anything that is attached to it, we cannot tolerate, but must condemn, in order that we may retain the holy sacrament pure and certain, according to the institution of christ, employed and received through faith. article iii: of chapters and cloisters. that chapters and cloisters [colleges of canons and communistic dwellings], which were formerly founded with the good intention [of our forefathers] to educate learned men and chaste [and modest] women, ought again to be turned to such use, in order that pastors, preachers, and other ministers of the churches may be had, and likewise other necessary persons [fitted] for [the political administration of] the secular government [or for the commonwealth] in cities and countries, and well-educated, maidens for mothers and housekeepers, etc. if they will not serve this purpose, it is better that they be abandoned or razed, rather than [continued and], with their blasphemous services invented by men, regarded as something better than the ordinary christian life and the offices and callings ordained by god. for all this also is contrary to the first chief article concerning the redemption made through jesus christ. add to this that (like all other human inventions) these have neither been commanded; they are needless and useless, and, besides, afford occasion for dangerous and vain labor [dangerous annoyances and fruitless worship], such services as the prophets call aven, i.e., pain and labor. article iv: of the papacy. that the pope is not, according to divine law or according to the word of god the head of all christendom (for this [name] belongs to one only, whose name is jesus christ), but is only the bishop and pastor of the church at rome, and of those who voluntarily or through a human creature (that is, a political magistrate) have attached themselves to him, to be christians, not under him as a lord, but with him as brethren [colleagues] and comrades, as the ancient councils and the age of st. cyprian show. but to-day none of the bishops dare to address the pope as brother as was done at that time [in the age of cyprian]; but they must call him most gracious lord, even though they be kings or emperors. this [such arrogance] we will not, cannot, must not take upon our conscience [with a good conscience approve]. let him, however, who will do it, do so without us [at his own risk]. hence it follows that all things which the pope, from a power so false, mischievous, blasphemous, and arrogant, has done and undertaken, have been and still are purely diabolical affairs and transactions (with the exception of such things as pertain to the secular government, where god often permits much good to be effected for a people, even through a tyrant and [faithless] scoundrel) for the ruin of the entire holy [catholic or] christian church (so far as it is in his power) and for the destruction of the first and chief article concerning the redemption made through jesus christ. for all his bulls and books are extant, in which he roars like a lion (as the angel in rev. 12 depicts him), [crying out] that no christian can be saved unless he obeys him and is subject to him in all things that he wishes, that he says, and that he does. all of which amounts to nothing less than saying: although you believe in christ, and have in him [alone] everything that is necessary to salvation, yet it is nothing and all in vain unless you regard [have and worship] me as your god, and be subject and obedient to me. and yet it is manifest that the holy church has been without the pope for at least more than five hundred years, and that even to the present day the churches of the greeks and of many other languages neither have been nor are yet under the pope. besides, as often remarked, it is a human figment which is not commanded, and is unnecessary and useless; for the holy christian [or catholic] church can exist very well without such a head, and it would certainly have remained better [purer, and its career would have been more prosperous] if such a head had not been raised up by the devil. and the papacy is also of no use in the church, because it exercises no christian office; and therefore it is necessary for the church to continue and to exist without the pope. and supposing that the pope would yield this point, so as not to be supreme by divine right or from gods command, but that we must have [there must be elected] a [certain] head, to whom all the rest adhere [as their support] in order that the [concord and] unity of christians may be preserved against sects and heretics, and that such a head were chosen by men, and that it were placed within the choice and power of men to change or remove this head, just as the council of constance adopted nearly this course with reference to the popes, deposing three and electing a fourth; supposing, i say, that the pope and see at rome would yield and accept this (which, nevertheless, is impossible; for thus he would have to suffer his entire realm and estate to be overthrown and destroyed, with all his rights and books, a thing which, to speak in few words, he cannot do), nevertheless, even in this way christianity would not be helped, but many more sects would arise than before. for since men would have to be subject to this head, not from god's command, but from their personal good pleasure, it would easily and in a short time be despised, and at last retain no member; neither would it have to be forever confined to rome or any other place, but it might be wherever and in whatever church god would grant a man fit for the [taking upon him such a great] office. oh, the complicated and confused state of affairs [perplexity] that would result! therefore the church can never be better governed and preserved than if we all live under one head, christ, and all the bishops equal in office (although they be unequal in gifts), be diligently joined in unity of doctrine, faith, sacraments, prayer, and works of love, etc., as st. jerome writes that the priests at alexandria together and in common governed the churches, as did also the apostles, and afterwards all bishops throughout all christendom, until the pope raised his head above all. this teaching shows forcefully that the pope is the very antichrist, who has exalted himself above, and opposed himself against christ because he will not permit christians to be saved without his power, which, nevertheless, is nothing, and is neither ordained nor commanded by god. this is, properly speaking to exalt himself above all that is called god as paul says, 2 thess. 2, 4. even the turks or the tartars, great enemies of christians as they are, do not do this, but they allow whoever wishes to believe in christ, and take bodily tribute and obedience from christians. the pope, however, prohibits this faith, saying that to be saved a person must obey him. this we are unwilling to do, even though on this account we must die in god s name. this all proceeds from the fact that the pope has wished to be called the supreme head of the christian church by divine right. accordingly he had to make himself equal and superior to christ, and had to cause himself to be proclaimed the head and then the lord of the church, and finally of the whole world, and simply god on earth, until he has dared to issue commands even to the angels in heaven. and when we distinguish the pope s teaching from, or measure and hold it against, holy scripture, it is found [it appears plainly] that the pope s teaching, where it is best, has been taken from the imperial and heathen law and treats of political matters and decisions or rights, as the decretals show; furthermore, it teaches of ceremonies concerning churches, garments, food, persons and [similar] puerile, theatrical and comical things without measure, but in all these things nothing at all of christ, faith, and the commandments of god. lastly, it is nothing else than the devil himself, because above and against god he urges [and disseminates] his [papal] falsehoods concerning masses, purgatory, the monastic life, one's own works and [fictitious] divine worship (for this is the very papacy [upon each of which the papacy is altogether founded and is standing]), and condemns, murders and tortures all christians who do not exalt and honor these abominations [of the pope] above all things. therefore, just as little as we can worship the devil himself as lord and god, we can endure his apostle, the pope, or antichrist, in his rule as head or lord. for to lie and to kill, and to destroy body and soul eternally, that is wherein his papal government really consists, as i have very clearly shown in many books. in these four articles they will have enough to condemn in the council. for they cannot and will not concede us even the least point in one of these articles. of this we should be certain, and animate ourselves with [be forewarned and made firm in] the hope that christ, our lord, has attacked his adversary, and he will press the attack home [pursue and destroy him] both by his spirit and coming. amen. for in the council we will stand not before the emperor or the political magistrate, as at augsburg (where the emperor published a most gracious edict, and caused matters to be heard kindly [and dispassionately]), but [we will appear] before the pope and devil himself, who intends to listen to nothing, but merely [when the case has been publicly announced] to condemn, to murder and to force us to idolatry. therefore we ought not here to kiss his feet, or to say: thou art my gracious lord, but as the angel in zechariah 3, 2 said to satan: the lord rebuke thee, o satan. the third part of the articles. concerning the following articles we may [will be able to] treat with learned and reasonable men, or among ourselves. the pope and his [the papal] government do not care much about these. for with them conscience is nothing, but money, [glory] honors, power are [to them] everything. i. of sin. here we must confess, as paul says in rom. 5, 11, that sin originated [and entered the world] from one man adam, by whose disobedience all men were made sinners, [and] subject to death and the devil. this is called original or capital sin. the fruits of this sin are afterwards the evil deeds which are forbidden in the ten commandments, such as [distrust] unbelief, false faith, idolatry, to be without the fear of god, presumption [recklessness], despair, blindness [or complete loss of sight], and, in short not to know or regard god; furthermore to lie, to swear by [to abuse] god's name [to swear falsely], not to pray, not to call upon god, not to regard [to despise or neglect] god's word, to be disobedient to parents, to murder, to be unchaste, to steal, to deceive, etc. this hereditary sin is so deep and [horrible] a corruption of nature that no reason can understand it, but it must be [learned and] believed from the revelation of scriptures, ps. 51, 5; rom. 6, 12 ff.; ex. 33, 3; gen. 3, 7 ff. hence, it is nothing but error and blindness in regard to this article what the scholastic doctors have taught, namely: that since the fall of adam the natural powers of man have remained entire and incorrupt, and that man by nature has a right reason and a good will; which things the philosophers teach. again that man has a free will to do good and omit evil, and, conversely, to omit good and do evil. again, that man by his natural powers can observe and keep [do] all the commands of god. again, that, by his natural powers, man can love god above all things and his neighbor as himself. again, if a man does as much as is in him, god certainly grants him his grace. again, if he wishes to go to the sacrament, there is no need of a good intention to do good, but it is sufficient if he has not a wicked purpose to commit sin; so entirely good is his nature and so efficacious the sacrament. [again,] that it is not founded upon scripture that for a good work the holy ghost with his grace is necessary. such and many similar things have arisen from want of understanding and ignorance as regards both this sin and christ, our savior and they are truly heathen dogmas, which we cannot endure. for if this teaching were right [approved], then christ has died in vain, since there is in man no defect nor sin for which he should have died; or he would have died only for the body, not for the soul, inasmuch as the soul is [entirely] sound, and the body only is subject to death. ii. of the law here we hold that the law was given by god, first, to restrain sin by threats and the dread of punishment, and by the promise and offer of grace and benefit. but all this miscarried on account of the wickedness which sin has wrought in man. for thereby a part [some] were rendered worse, those, namely, who are hostile to [hate] the law, because it forbids what they like to do, and enjoins what they do not like to do. therefore, wherever they can escape [if they were not restrained by] punishment, they [would] do more against the law than before. these, then, are the rude and wicked [unbridled and secure] men, who do evil wherever they [notice that they] have the opportunity. the rest become blind and arrogant [are smitten with arrogance and blindness], and [insolently] conceive the opinion that they observe and can observe the law by their own powers, as has been said above concerning the scholastic theologians; thence come the hypocrites and [self-righteous or] false saints. but the chief office or force of the law is that it reveal original sin with all its fruits, and show man how very low his nature has fallen, and has become [fundamentally and] utterly corrupted; as the law must tell man that he has no god nor regards [cares for] god, and worships other gods, a matter which before and without the law he would not have believed. in this way he becomes terrified, is humbled, desponds, despairs, and anxiously desires aid, but sees no escape; he begins to be an enemy of [enraged at] god, and to murmur, etc. this is what paul says, rom. 4, 15: the law worketh wrath. and rom. 5, 20: sin is increased by the law. [the law entered that the offense might abound.] iii. of repentance. this office [of the law] the new testament retains and urges, as st. paul, rom. 1, 18 does, saying: the wrath of god is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. again, 3, 19: all the world is guilty before god. no man is righteous before him. and christ says, john 16, 8: the holy ghost will reprove the world of sin. this, then, is the thunderbolt of god by which he strikes in a heap [hurls to the ground] both manifest sinners and false saints [hypocrites], and suffers no one to be in the right [declares no one righteous], but drives them all together to terror and despair. this is the hammer, as jeremiah says, 23, 29: is not my word like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? this is not activa contritio or manufactured repentance, but passiva contritio [torture of conscience], true sorrow of heart, suffering and sensation of death. this, then, is what it means to begin true repentance; and here man must hear such a sentence as this: you are all of no account, whether you be manifest sinners or saints [in your own opinion]; you all must become different and do otherwise than you now are and are doing [no matter what sort of people you are], whether you are as great, wise, powerful, and holy as you may. here no one is [righteous, holy], godly, etc. but to this office the new testament immediately adds the consolatory promise of grace through the gospel, which must be believed, as christ declares, mark 1,15: repent and believe the gospel, i.e., become different and do otherwise, and believe my promise. and john, preceding him, is called a preacher of repentance, however, for the remission of sins, i.e., john was to accuse all, and convict them of being sinners, that they might know what they were before god, and might acknowledge that they were lost men, and might thus be prepared for the lord, to receive grace, and to expect and accept from him the remission of sins. thus also christ himself says, luke 24, 47: repentance and remission of sins must be preached in my name among all nations. but whenever the law alone, without the gospel being added exercises this its office there is [nothing else than] death and hell, and man must despair, like saul and judas; as st. paul, rom. 7, 10, says: through sin the law killeth. on the other hand, the gospel brings consolation and remission not only in one way, but through the word and sacraments, and the like, as we shall hear afterward in order that [thus] there is with the lord plenteous redemption, as ps. 130, 7 says against the dreadful captivity of sin. however, we must now contrast the false repentance of the sophists with true repentance, in order that both may be the better understood. of the false repentance of the papists. it was impossible that they should teach correctly concerning repentance, since they did not [rightly] know the real sins [the real sin]. for, as has been shown above, they do not believe aright concerning original sin, but say that the natural powers of man have remained [entirely] unimpaired and incorrupt; that reason can teach aright, and the will can in accordance therewith do aright [perform those things which are taught], that god certainly bestows his grace when a man does as much as is in him, according to his free will. it had to follow thence [from this dogma] that they did [must do] penance only for actual sins such as wicked thoughts to which a person yields (for wicked emotion [concupiscence, vicious feelings, and inclinations], lust and improper dispositions [according to them] are not sins ), and for wicked words and wicked deeds, which free will could readily have omitted. and of such repentance they fix three parts contrition, confession, and satisfaction, with this [magnificent] consolation and promise added: if man truly repent, [feel remorse,] confess, render satisfaction, he thereby would have merited forgiveness, and paid for his sins before god [atoned for his sins and obtained a plenary redemption]. thus in repentance they instructed men to repose confidence in their own works. hence the expression originated, which was employed in the pulpit when public absolution was announced to the people: prolong o god, my life, until i shall make satisfaction for my sins and amend my life. there was here [profound silence and] no mention of christ nor faith; but men hoped by their own works to overcome and blot out sins before god. and with this intention we became priests and monks, that we might array ourselves against sin. as to contrition, this is the way it was done: since no one could remember all his sins (especially as committed through an entire year), they inserted this provision, namely, that if an unknown sin should be remembered later [if the remembrance of a concealed sin should perhaps return], this also must be repented of and confessed etc. meanwhile they were [the person was] commended to the grace of god. moreover, since no one could know how great the contrition ought to be in order to be sufficient before god, they gave this consolation: he who could not have contrition, at least ought to have attrition, which i may call half a contrition or the beginning of contrition, for they have themselves understood neither of these terms nor do they understand them now, as little as i. such attrition was reckoned as contrition when a person went to confession. and when it happened that any one said that he could not have contrition nor lament his sins (as might have occurred in illicit love or the desire for revenge, etc.), they asked whether he did not wish or desire to have contrition [lament]. when one would reply yes (for who, save the devil himself, would here say no?), they accepted this as contrition, and forgave him his sins on account of this good work of his [which they adorned with the name of contrition]. here they cited the example of st. bernard, etc. here we see how blind reason, in matters pertaining to god, gropes about, and, according to its own imagination, seeks for consolation in its own works, and cannot think of [entirely forgets] christ and faith. but if it be [clearly] viewed in the light, this contrition is a manufactured and fictitious thought [or imagination], derived from man's own powers, without faith and without the knowledge of christ. and in it the poor sinner, when he reflected upon his own lust and desire for revenge, would sometimes [perhaps] have laughed rather than wept [either laughed or wept, rather than to think of something else], except such as either had been truly struck by [the lightning of] the law, or had been vainly vexed by the devil with a sorrowful spirit. otherwise [with the exception of these persons] such contrition was certainly mere hypocrisy, and did not mortify the lust for sins [flames of sin]; for they had to grieve, while they would rather have continued to sin, if it had been free to them. as regards confession, the procedure was this: every one had [was enjoined] to enumerate all his sins (which is an impossible thing). this was a great torment. from such as he had forgotten [but if any one had forgotten some sins] he would be absolved on the condition that, if they would occur to him, he must still confess them. in this way he could never know whether he had made a sufficiently pure confession [perfectly and correctly], or when confessing would ever have an end. yet he was pointed to his own works, and comforted thus: the more fully [sincerely and frankly] one confesses, and the more he humiliates himself and debases himself before the priest, the sooner and better he renders satisfaction for his sins; for such humility certainly would earn grace before god. here, too, there was no faith nor christ, and the virtue of the absolution was not declared to him, but upon his enumeration of sins and his self-abasement depended his consolation. what torture, rascality, and idolatry such confession has produced is more than can be related. as to satisfaction, this is by far the most involved [perplexing] part of all. for no man could know how much to render for a single sin, not to say how much for all. here they have resorted to the device of imposing a small satisfaction, which could indeed be rendered, as five paternosters, a day's fast, etc.; for the rest [that was lacking] of the [in their] repentance they were directed to purgatory. here, too, there was nothing but anguish and [extreme] misery. [for] some thought that they would never get out of purgatory, because, according to the old canons seven years' repentance is required for a single mortal sin. nevertheless, confidence was placed upon our work of satisfaction, and if the satisfaction could have been perfect, confidence would have been placed in it entirely, and neither faith nor christ would have been of use. but this confidence was impossible. for although any one had done penance in that way for a hundred years, he would still not have known whether he had finished his penance. that meant forever to do penance and never to come to repentance. here now the holy see at rome, coming to the aid of the poor church, invented indulgences, whereby it forgave and remitted [expiation or] satisfaction, first, for a single instance, for seven years, for a hundred years and distributed them among the cardinals and bishops, so that one could grant indulgence for a hundred years and another for a hundred days. but he reserved to himself alone the power to remit the entire satisfaction. now, since this began to yield money, and the traffic in bulls became profitable he devised the golden jubilee year [a truly goldbearing year], and fixed it at rome. he called this the remission of all punishment and guilt. then the people came running, because every one would fain have been freed from this grievous, unbearable burden. this meant to find [dig up] and raise the treasures of the earth. immediately the pope pressed still further, and multiplied the golden years one upon another. but the more he devoured money, the wider grew his maw. later, therefore, he issued them [those golden years of his] by his legates [everywhere] to the countries, until all churches and houses were full of the golden year. at last he also made an inroad into purgatory among the dead, first, by founding masses and vigils, afterwards, by indulgences and the golden year, and finally souls became so cheap that he released one for a farthing. but all this, too, was of no avail. for although the pope taught men to depend upon, and trust in, these indulgences [for salvation], yet he rendered the [whole] matter again uncertain. for in his bulls he declares: whoever would share in the indulgences or a golden year must be contrite, and have confessed, and pay money. now, we have heard above that this contrition and confession are with them uncertain and hypocrisy. likewise, also no one knew what soul was in purgatory, and if some were therein, no one knew which had properly repented and confessed. thus he took the precious money [the pope snatched up the holy pence], and comforted them meanwhile with [led them to confidence in] his power and indulgence, and [then again led them away from that and] directed them again to their uncertain work. if, now [although], there were some who did not believe [acknowledge] themselves guilty of such actual sins in [committed by] thoughts, words, and works,--as i, and such as i, in monasteries and chapters [fraternities or colleges of priests], wished to be monks and priests, and by fasting, watching, praying, saying mass, coarse garments, and hard beds, etc., fought against [strove to resist] evil thoughts, and in full earnest and with force wanted to be holy, and yet the hereditary, inborn evil sometimes did in sleep what it is wont to do (as also st. augustine and jerome among others confess),--still each one held the other in esteem, so that some, according to our teaching, were regarded as holy, without sin and full of good works, so much so that with this mind we would communicate and sell our good works to others, as being superfluous to us for heaven. this is indeed true, and seals, letters, and instances [that this happened] are at hand. [when there were such, i say] these did not need repentance. for of what would they repent, since they had not indulged wicked thoughts? what would they confess [concerning words not uttered], since they had avoided words? for what should they render satisfaction, since they were so guiltless of any deed that they could even sell their superfluous righteousness to other poor sinners? such saints were also the pharisees and scribes in the time of christ. here comes the fiery angel, st. john [rev. 10], the true preacher of [true] repentance, and with one [thunderclap and] bolt hurls both [those selling and those buying works] on one heap, and says: repent! matt. 3, 2. now, the former [the poor wretches] imagine: why, we have repented! the latter [the rest] say: we need no repentance. john says: repent ye, both of you, for ye are false penitents; so are these [the rest] false saints [or hypocrites], and all of you on either side need the forgiveness of sins, because neither of you know what true sin is not to say anything about your duty to repent of it and shun it. for no one of you is good; you are full of unbelief, stupidity, and ignorance of god and god's will. for here he is present of whose fulness have all we received, and grace for grace, john 1, 16, and without him no man can be just before god. therefore, if you wish to repent, repent arightyour penance will not accomplish anything [is nothing]. and you hypocrites, who do not need repentance, you serpents' brood, who has assured you that you will escape the wrath to come? etc. matt. 3, 7; luke 3, 7. in the same way paul also preaches, rom. 3, 10-12: there is none righteous, there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after god, there is none that doeth good, no not one; they are all gone out of the way; they are together become unprofitable. and acts 17, 30: god now commandeth all men everywhere to repent. "all men," he says; no one excepted who is a man. this repentance teaches us to discern sin, namely, that we are altogether lost, and that there is nothing good in us from head to foot [both within and without], and that we must absolutely become new and other men. this repentance is not piecemeal [partial] and beggarly [fragmentary], like that which does penance for actual sins, nor is it uncertain like that. for it does not debate what is or is not sin, but hurls everything on a heap, and says: all in us is nothing but sin [affirms that, with respect to us, all is simply sin (and there is nothing in us that is not sin and guilt)]. what is the use of [for why do we wish] investigating, dividing, or distinguishing a long time? for this reason, too, this contrition is not [doubtful or] uncertain. for there is nothing left with which we can think of any good thing to pay for sin, but there is only a sure despairing concerning all that we are, think, speak, or do [all hope must be cast aside in respect of everything], etc. in like manner confession, too, cannot be false, uncertain, or piecemeal [mutilated or fragmentary]. for he who confesses that all in him is nothing but sin comprehends all sins excludes none, forgets none. neither can the satisfaction be uncertain, because it is not our uncertain, sinful work, but it is the suffering and blood of the [spotless and] innocent lamb of god who taketh away the sin of the world. of this repentance john preaches, and afterwards christ in the gospel, and we also. by this [preaching of] repentance we dash to the ground the pope and everything that is built upon our good works. for all is built upon a rotten and vain foundation, which is called a good work or law, even though no good work is there, but only wicked works, and no one does the law (as christ, john 7, 19, says), but all transgress it. therefore the building [that is raised upon it] is nothing but falsehood and hypocrisy, even [in the part] where it is most holy and beautiful. and in christians this repentance continues until death, because, through the entire life it contends with sin remaining in the flesh, as paul, rom. 7, 14-25, [shows] testifies that he wars with the law in his members, etc.; and that, not by his own powers, but by the gift of the holy ghost that follows the remission of sins. this gift daily cleanses and sweeps out the remaining sins, and works so as to render man truly pure and holy. the pope, the theologians, the jurists, and every other man know nothing of this [from their own reason], but it is a doctrine from heaven, revealed through the gospel, and must suffer to be called heresy by the godless saints [or hypocrites]. on the other hand, if certain sectarists would arise, some of whom are perhaps already extant, and in the time of the insurrection [of the peasants] came to my own view, holding that all those who had once received the spirit or the forgiveness of sins, or had become believers, even though they should afterwards sin, would still remain in the faith, and such sin would not harm them, and [hence] crying thus: "do whatever you please; if you believe, it all amounts to nothing; faith blots out all sins," etc.--they say, besides, that if any one sins after he has received faith and the spirit, he never truly had the spirit and faith: i have had before me [seen and heard] many such insane men, and i fear that in some such a devil is still remaining [hiding and dwelling]. it is, accordingly, necessary to know and to teach that when holy men, still having and feeling original sin, also daily repenting of and striving with it, happen to fall into manifest sins, as david into adultery, murder, and blasphemy, that then faith and the holy ghost has departed from them [they cast out faith and the holy ghost]. for the holy ghost does not permit sin to have dominion, to gain the upper hand so as to be accomplished, but represses and restrains it so that it must not do what it wishes. but if it does what it wishes, the holy ghost and faith are [certainly] not present. for st. john says, 1 ep. 3, 9: whosoever is born of god doth not commit sin,... and he cannot sin. and yet it is also the truth when the same st. john says, 1 ep. 1, 8: if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. iv. of the gospel. we will now return to the gospel, which not merely in one way gives us counsel and aid against sin; for god is superabundantly rich [and liberal] in his grace [and goodness]. first, through the spoken word by which the forgiveness of sins is preached [he commands to be preached] in the whole world; which is the peculiar office of the gospel. secondly, through baptism. thirdly, through the holy sacrament of the altar. fourthly, through the power of the keys, and also through the mutual conversation and consolation of brethren, matt. 18, 20: where two or three are gathered together, etc. v. of baptism. baptism is nothing else than the word of god in the water, commanded by his institution, or, as paul says, a washing in the word; as also augustine says: let the word come to the element, and it becomes a sacrament. and for this reason we do not hold with thomas and the monastic preachers [or dominicans] who forget the word (god's institution) and say that god has imparted to the water a spiritual power, which through the water washes away sin. nor [do we agree] with scotus and the barefooted monks [minorites or franciscan monks], who teach that, by the assistance of the divine will, baptism washes away sins, and that this ablution occurs only through the will of god, and by no means through the word or water. of the baptism of children we hold that children ought to be baptized. for they belong to the promised redemption made through christ, and the church should administer it [baptism and the announcement of that promise] to them. vi. of the sacrament of the altar. of the sacrament of the altar we hold that bread and wine in the supper are the true body and blood of christ, and are given and received not only by the godly, but also by wicked christians. and that not only one form is to be given. [for] we do not need that high art [specious wisdom] which is to teach us that under the one form there is as much as under both, as the sophists and the council of constance teach. for even if it were true that there is as much under one as under both, yet the one form only is not the entire ordinance and institution [made] ordained and commanded by christ. and we especially condemn and in god's name execrate those who not only omit both forms but also quite autocratically [tyrannically] prohibit, condemn, and blaspheme them as heresy, and so exalt themselves against and above christ, our lord and god [opposing and placing themselves ahead of christ], etc. as regards transubstantiation, we care nothing about the sophistical subtlety by which they teach that bread and wine leave or lose their own natural substance, and that there remain only the appearance and color of bread, and not true bread. for it is in perfect agreement with holy scriptures that there is, and remains, bread, as paul himself calls it, 1 cor. 10, 16: the bread which we break. and 1 cor. 11, 28: let him so eat of that bread. vii. of the keys. the keys are an office and power given by christ to the church for binding and loosing sin, not only the gross and well-known sins, but also the subtle, hidden, which are known only to god, as it is written in ps. 19, 13: who can understand his errors? and in rom. 7, 25 st. paul himself complains that with the flesh he serves the law of sin. for it is not in our power, but belongs to god alone, to judge which, how great, and how many the sins are, as it is written in ps. 143, 2: enter not into judgment with thy servant; for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. and paul, 1 cor. 4, 4, says: for i know nothing by myself; yet am i not hereby justified. viii. of confession. since absolution or the power of the keys is also an aid and consolation against sin and a bad conscience, ordained by christ [himself] in the gospel, confession or absolution ought by no means to be abolished in the church, especially on account of [tender and] timid consciences and on account of the untrained [and capricious] young people, in order that they may be examined, and instructed in the christian doctrine. but the enumeration of sins ought to be free to every one, as to what he wishes to enumerate or not to enumerate. for as long as we are in the flesh, we shall not lie when we say: "i am a poor man [i acknowledge that i am a miserable sinner], full of sin." rom. 7, 23: i see another law in my members, etc. for since private absolution originates in the office of the keys, it should not be despised [neglected], but greatly and highly esteemed [of the greatest worth], as [also] all other offices of the christian church. and in those things which concern the spoken, outward word, we must firmly hold that god grants his spirit or grace to no one, except through or with the preceding outward word, in order that we may [thus] be protected against the enthusiasts, i.e., spirits who boast that they have the spirit without and before the word, and accordingly judge scripture or the spoken word, and explain and stretch it at their pleasure, as muenzer did, and many still do at the present day, who wish to be acute judges between the spirit and the letter, and yet know not what they say or declare. for [indeed] the papacy also is nothing but sheer enthusiasm, by which the pope boasts that all rights exist in the shrine of his heart, and whatever he decides and commands with [in] his church is spirit and right, even though it is above and contrary to scripture and the spoken word. all this is the old devil and old serpent, who also converted adam and eve into enthusiasts, and led them from the outward word of god to spiritualizing and self-conceit, and nevertheless he accomplished this through other outward words. just as also our enthusiasts [at the present day] condemn the outward word, and nevertheless they themselves are not silent, but they fill the world with their pratings and writings, as though, indeed, the spirit could not come through the writings and spoken word of the apostles, but [first] through their writings and words he must come. why [then] do not they also omit their own sermons and writings, until the spirit himself come to men, without their writings and before them, as they boast that me has come into them without the preaching of the scriptures? but of these matters there is not time now to dispute at greater length; we have elsewhere sufficiently urged this subject. for even those who believe before baptism, or become believing in baptism, believe through the preceding outward word, as the adults, who have come to reason, must first have heard: he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, even though they are at first unbelieving, and receive the spirit and baptism ten years afterwards. cornelius, acts 10, 1 ff., had heard long before among the jews of the coming messiah, through whom he was righteous before god, and in such faith his prayers and alms were acceptable to god (as luke calls him devout and god-fearing), and without such preceding word and hearing could not have believed or been righteous. but st. peter had to reveal to him that the messiah (in whom, as one that was to come, he had hitherto believed) now had come, lest his faith concerning the coming messiah hold him captive among the hardened and unbelieving jews, but know that he was now to be saved by the present messiah, and must not, with the [rabble of the] jews deny nor persecute him. in a word, enthusiasm inheres in adam and his children from the beginning [from the first fall] to the end of the world, [its poison] having been implanted and infused into them by the old dragon, and is the origin, power [life], and strength of all heresy, especially of that of the papacy and mahomet. therefore we ought and must constantly maintain this point, that god does not wish to deal with us otherwise than through the spoken word and the sacraments. it is the devil himself whatsoever is extolled as spirit without the word and sacraments. for god wished to appear even to moses through the burning bush and spoken word; and no prophet neither elijah nor elisha, received the spirit without the ten commandments [or spoken word]. neither was john the baptist conceived without the preceding word of gabriel, nor did he leap in his mother's womb without the voice of mary. and peter says, 2. ep. 1, 21: the prophecy came not by the will of man; but holy men of god spake as they were moved by the holy ghost. without the outward word, however, they were not holy, much less would the holy ghost have moved them to speak when they still were unholy [or profane]; for they were holy, says he, since the holy ghost spake through them. ix. of excommunication. the greater excommunication, as the pope calls it, we regard only as a civil penalty, and it does not concern us ministers of the church. but the lesser, that is, the true christian excommunication, consists in this, that manifest and obstinate sinners are not admitted to the sacrament and other communion of the church until they amend their lives and avoid sin. and ministers ought not to mingle secular punishments with this ecclesiastical punishment, or excommunication. x. of ordination and the call. if the bishops would be true bishops [would rightly discharge their office], and would devote themselves to the church and the gospel, it might be granted to them for the sake of love and unity, but not from necessity, to ordain and confirm us and our preachers; omitting, however, all comedies and spectacular display [deceptions, absurdities, and appearances] of unchristian [heathenish] parade and pomp. but because they neither are, nor wish to be, true bishops, but worldly lords and princes, who will neither preach, nor teach, nor baptize, nor administer the lord's supper, nor perform any work or office of the church, and, moreover, persecute and condemn those who discharge these functions, having been called to do so, the church ought not on their account to remain without ministers [to be forsaken by or deprived of ministers]. therefore, as the ancient examples of the church and the fathers teach us, we ourselves will and ought to ordain suitable persons to this office; and, even according to their own laws, they have not the right to forbid or prevent us. for their laws say that those ordained even by heretics should be declared [truly] ordained and stay ordained [and that such ordination must not be changed], as st. jerome writes of the church at alexandria, that at first it was governed in common by priests and preachers, without bishops. xi. of the marriage of priests. to prohibit marriage, and to burden the divine order of priests with perpetual celibacy, they have had neither authority nor right [they have done out of malice, without any honest reason], but have acted like antichristian, tyrannical, desperate scoundrels [have performed the work of antichrist, of tyrants and the worst knaves], and have thereby caused all kinds of horrible, abominable, innumerable sins of unchastity [depraved lusts], in which they still wallow. now, as little as we or they have been given the power to make a woman out of a man or a man out of a woman, or to nullify either sex, so little have they had the power to [sunder and] separate such creatures of god, or to forbid them from living [and cohabiting] honestly in marriage with one another. therefore we are unwilling to assent to their abominable celibacy, nor will we [even] tolerate it, but we wish to have marriage free as god has instituted [and ordained] it, and we wish neither to rescind nor hinder his work; for paul says, 1 tim. 4, 1 ff., that this [prohibition of marriage] is a doctrine of devils. xii. of the church. we do not concede to them that they are the church, and [in truth] they are not [the church]; nor will we listen to those things which, under the name of church, they enjoin or forbid. for, thank god, [to-day] a child seven years old knows what the church is, namely, the holy believers and lambs who hear the voice of their shepherd. for the children pray thus: i believe in one holy [catholic or] christian church. this holiness does not consist in albs, tonsures, long gowns, and other of their ceremonies devised by them beyond holy scripture, but in the word of god and true faith. xiii. how one is justified before god, and of good works. what i have hitherto and constantly taught concerning this i know not how to change in the least, namely, that by faith, as st. peter says, we acquire a new and clean heart, and god will and does account us entirely righteous and holy for the sake of christ, our mediator. and although sin in the flesh has not yet been altogether removed or become dead, yet he will not punish or remember it. and such faith, renewal, and forgiveness of sins is followed by good works. and what there is still sinful or imperfect also in them shall not be accounted as sin or defect, even [and that, too] for christ's sake; but the entire man, both as to his person and his works, is to be called and to be righteous and holy from pure grace and mercy, shed upon us [unfolded] and spread over us in christ. therefore we cannot boast of many merits and works, if they are viewed apart from grace and mercy, but as it is written, 1 cor. 1, 31: he that glorieth, let him glory in the lord, namely, that he has a gracious god. for thus all is well. we say, besides, that if good works do not follow, faith is false and not true. xiv. of monastic vows. as monastic vows directly conflict with the first chief article, they must be absolutely abolished. for it is of them that christ says, matt. 24, 5. 23 ff.: i am christ, etc. for he who makes a vow to live as a monk believes that he will enter upon a mode of life holier than ordinary christians lead, and wishes to earn heaven by his own works not only for himself, but also for others; this is to deny christ. and they boast from their st. thomas that a monastic vow is equal to baptism. this is blasphemy [against god]. xv. of human traditions. the declaration of the papists that human traditions serve for the remission of sins, or merit salvation, is [altogether] unchristian and condemned, as christ says matt. 15, 9: in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. again, titus 1, 14: that turn from the truth. again, when they declare that it is a mortal sin if one breaks these ordinances [does not keep these statutes], this, too, is not right. these are the articles on which i must stand, and, god willing, shall stand even to my death; and i do not know how to change or to yield anything in them. if any one wishes to yield anything, let him do it at the peril of his conscience. lastly, there still remains the pope's bag of impostures concerning foolish and childish articles, as, the dedication of churches, the baptism of bells, the baptism of the altarstone, and the inviting of sponsors to these rites, who would make donations towards them. such baptizing is a reproach and mockery of holy baptism, hence should not be tolerated. furthermore, concerning the consecration of wax-tapers, palm-branches, cakes, oats, [herbs,] spices, etc., which indeed, cannot be called consecrations, but are sheer mockery and fraud. and such deceptions there are without number, which we commend for adoration to their god and to themselves, until they weary of it. we will [ought to] have nothing to do with them. dr. martin luther subscribed. dr. justus jonas, rector, subscribed with his own hand. dr. john bugenhagen, pomeranus, subscribed. dr. caspar creutziger subscribed. nicholas amsdorf of magdeburg subscribed. george spalatin of altenburg subscribed. i, philip melanchthon, also regard [approve] the above articles as right and christian. but regarding the pope i hold that, if he would allow the gospel, his superiority over the bishops which he has otherwise, is conceded to him by human right also by us, for the sake of the peace and general unity of those christians who are also under him, and may be under him hereafter. john agricola of eisleben subscribed. gabriel didymus subscribed. i, dr. urban rhegius, superintendent of the churches in the duchy of lueneburg, subscribe in my own name and in the name of my brethren, and of the church of hanover. i, stephen agricola, minister at hof, subscribe. also i, john draconites, professor and minister at marburg, subscribe. i, conrad figenbotz, for the glory of god subscribe that i have thus believed, and am still preaching and firmly believing as above. i, andrew osiander of nuernberg, subscribe. i, magister veit dieterich, minister at nuernberg, subscribe. i, erhard schnepf, preacher at stuttgart, subscribe. conrad oettinger, preacher of duke ulrich at pforzheim. simon schneeweiss, pastor of the church at crailsheim. i, john schlagenhaufen, pastor of the church at koethen, subscribe. the reverend magister george helt of forchheim. the reverend magister adam of fulda, preacher in hesse. the reverend magister anthony corvinus, preacher in hesse. i, doctor john bugenhagen, pomeranus, again subscribe in the name of magister john brentz, as on departing from smalcald he directed me orally and by a letter, which i have shown to these brethren who have subscribed. i, dionysius melander, subscribe to the confession, the apology, and the concordia on the subject of the eucharist. paul rhodius, superintendent of stettin. gerard oemcken, superintendent of the church at minden. i, brixius northanus, minister of the church of christ which is at soest, subscribe to the articles of the reverend father martin luther, and confess that hitherto i have thus believed and taught, and by the spirit of christ i shall continue thus to believe and teach. michael caelius, preacher at mansfeld, subscribed. the reverend magister peter geltner preacher at frankfort, subscribed. wendal faber, pastor of seeburg in mansfeld. i, john aepinus, subscribe. likewise, i, john amsterdam of bremen. i, frederick myconius, pastor of the church at gotha in thuringia, subscribe in my own name and in that of justus menius of eisenach. i, doctor john lang, preacher of the church at erfurt, subscribe with my own hand in my own name, and in that of my other coworkers in the gospel, namely: the reverend licentiate ludwig platz of melsungen. the reverend magister sigismund kirchner, the reverend wolfgang kiswetter, the reverend melchior weitmann the reverend john thall. the reverend john kilian. the reverend nicholas faber. the reverend andrew menser. and i, egidius mechler, have subscribed with my own hand. concerning christian liberty by martin luther letter of martin luther to pope leo x. among those monstrous evils of this age with which i have now for three years been waging war, i am sometimes compelled to look to you and to call you to mind, most blessed father leo. in truth, since you alone are everywhere considered as being the cause of my engaging in war, i cannot at any time fail to remember you; and although i have been compelled by the causeless raging of your impious flatterers against me to appeal from your seat to a future council--fearless of the futile decrees of your predecessors pius and julius, who in their foolish tyranny prohibited such an action--yet i have never been so alienated in feeling from your blessedness as not to have sought with all my might, in diligent prayer and crying to god, all the best gifts for you and for your see. but those who have hitherto endeavoured to terrify me with the majesty of your name and authority, i have begun quite to despise and triumph over. one thing i see remaining which i cannot despise, and this has been the reason of my writing anew to your blessedness: namely, that i find that blame is cast on me, and that it is imputed to me as a great offence, that in my rashness i am judged to have spared not even your person. now, to confess the truth openly, i am conscious that, whenever i have had to mention your person, i have said nothing of you but what was honourable and good. if i had done otherwise, i could by no means have approved my own conduct, but should have supported with all my power the judgment of those men concerning me, nor would anything have pleased me better, than to recant such rashness and impiety. i have called you daniel in babylon; and every reader thoroughly knows with what distinguished zeal i defended your conspicuous innocence against silvester, who tried to stain it. indeed, the published opinion of so many great men and the repute of your blameless life are too widely famed and too much reverenced throughout the world to be assailable by any man, of however great name, or by any arts. i am not so foolish as to attack one whom everybody praises; nay, it has been and always will be my desire not to attack even those whom public repute disgraces. i am not delighted at the faults of any man, since i am very conscious myself of the great beam in my own eye, nor can i be the first to cast a stone at the adulteress. i have indeed inveighed sharply against impious doctrines, and i have not been slack to censure my adversaries on account, not of their bad morals, but of their impiety. and for this i am so far from being sorry that i have brought my mind to despise the judgments of men and to persevere in this vehement zeal, according to the example of christ, who, in his zeal, calls his adversaries a generation of vipers, blind, hypocrites, and children of the devil. paul, too, charges the sorcerer with being a child of the devil, full of all subtlety and all malice; and defames certain persons as evil workers, dogs, and deceivers. in the opinion of those delicate-eared persons, nothing could be more bitter or intemperate than paul's language. what can be more bitter than the words of the prophets? the ears of our generation have been made so delicate by the senseless multitude of flatterers that, as soon as we perceive that anything of ours is not approved of, we cry out that we are being bitterly assailed; and when we can repel the truth by no other pretence, we escape by attributing bitterness, impatience, intemperance, to our adversaries. what would be the use of salt if it were not pungent, or of the edge of the sword if it did not slay? accursed is the man who does the work of the lord deceitfully. wherefore, most excellent leo, i beseech you to accept my vindication, made in this letter, and to persuade yourself that i have never thought any evil concerning your person; further, that i am one who desires that eternal blessing may fall to your lot, and that i have no dispute with any man concerning morals, but only concerning the word of truth. in all other things i will yield to any one, but i neither can nor will forsake and deny the word. he who thinks otherwise of me, or has taken in my words in another sense, does not think rightly, and has not taken in the truth. your see, however, which is called the court of rome, and which neither you nor any man can deny to be more corrupt than any babylon or sodom, and quite, as i believe, of a lost, desperate, and hopeless impiety, this i have verily abominated, and have felt indignant that the people of christ should be cheated under your name and the pretext of the church of rome; and so i have resisted, and will resist, as long as the spirit of faith shall live in me. not that i am striving after impossibilities, or hoping that by my labours alone, against the furious opposition of so many flatterers, any good can be done in that most disordered babylon; but that i feel myself a debtor to my brethren, and am bound to take thought for them, that fewer of them may be ruined, or that their ruin may be less complete, by the plagues of rome. for many years now, nothing else has overflowed from rome into the world--as you are not ignorant--than the laying waste of goods, of bodies, and of souls, and the worst examples of all the worst things. these things are clearer than the light to all men; and the church of rome, formerly the most holy of all churches, has become the most lawless den of thieves, the most shameless of all brothels, the very kingdom of sin, death, and hell; so that not even antichrist, if he were to come, could devise any addition to its wickedness. meanwhile you, leo, are sitting like a lamb in the midst of wolves, like daniel in the midst of lions, and, with ezekiel, you dwell among scorpions. what opposition can you alone make to these monstrous evils? take to yourself three or four of the most learned and best of the cardinals. what are these among so many? you would all perish by poison before you could undertake to decide on a remedy. it is all over with the court of rome; the wrath of god has come upon her to the uttermost. she hates councils; she dreads to be reformed; she cannot restrain the madness of her impiety; she fills up the sentence passed on her mother, of whom it is said, "we would have healed babylon, but she is not healed; let us forsake her." it had been your duty and that of your cardinals to apply a remedy to these evils, but this gout laughs at the physician's hand, and the chariot does not obey the reins. under the influence of these feelings, i have always grieved that you, most excellent leo, who were worthy of a better age, have been made pontiff in this. for the roman court is not worthy of you and those like you, but of satan himself, who in truth is more the ruler in that babylon than you are. oh, would that, having laid aside that glory which your most abandoned enemies declare to be yours, you were living rather in the office of a private priest or on your paternal inheritance! in that glory none are worthy to glory, except the race of iscariot, the children of perdition. for what happens in your court, leo, except that, the more wicked and execrable any man is, the more prosperously he can use your name and authority for the ruin of the property and souls of men, for the multiplication of crimes, for the oppression of faith and truth and of the whole church of god? oh, leo! in reality most unfortunate, and sitting on a most perilous throne, i tell you the truth, because i wish you well; for if bernard felt compassion for his anastasius at a time when the roman see, though even then most corrupt, was as yet ruling with better hope than now, why should not we lament, to whom so much further corruption and ruin has been added in three hundred years? is it not true that there is nothing under the vast heavens more corrupt, more pestilential, more hateful, than the court of rome? she incomparably surpasses the impiety of the turks, so that in very truth she, who was formerly the gate of heaven, is now a sort of open mouth of hell, and such a mouth as, under the urgent wrath of god, cannot be blocked up; one course alone being left to us wretched men: to call back and save some few, if we can, from that roman gulf. behold, leo, my father, with what purpose and on what principle it is that i have stormed against that seat of pestilence. i am so far from having felt any rage against your person that i even hoped to gain favour with you and to aid you in your welfare by striking actively and vigorously at that your prison, nay, your hell. for whatever the efforts of all minds can contrive against the confusion of that impious court will be advantageous to you and to your welfare, and to many others with you. those who do harm to her are doing your office; those who in every way abhor her are glorifying christ; in short, those are christians who are not romans. but, to say yet more, even this never entered my heart: to inveigh against the court of rome or to dispute at all about her. for, seeing all remedies for her health to be desperate, i looked on her with contempt, and, giving her a bill of divorcement, said to her, "he that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he that is filthy, let him be filthy still," giving myself up to the peaceful and quiet study of sacred literature, that by this i might be of use to the brethren living about me. while i was making some advance in these studies, satan opened his eyes and goaded on his servant john eccius, that notorious adversary of christ, by the unchecked lust for fame, to drag me unexpectedly into the arena, trying to catch me in one little word concerning the primacy of the church of rome, which had fallen from me in passing. that boastful thraso, foaming and gnashing his teeth, proclaimed that he would dare all things for the glory of god and for the honour of the holy apostolic seat; and, being puffed up respecting your power, which he was about to misuse, he looked forward with all certainty to victory; seeking to promote, not so much the primacy of peter, as his own pre-eminence among the theologians of this age; for he thought it would contribute in no slight degree to this, if he were to lead luther in triumph. the result having proved unfortunate for the sophist, an incredible rage torments him; for he feels that whatever discredit to rome has arisen through me has been caused by the fault of himself alone. suffer me, i pray you, most excellent leo, both to plead my own cause, and to accuse your true enemies. i believe it is known to you in what way cardinal cajetan, your imprudent and unfortunate, nay unfaithful, legate, acted towards me. when, on account of my reverence for your name, i had placed myself and all that was mine in his hands, he did not so act as to establish peace, which he could easily have established by one little word, since i at that time promised to be silent and to make an end of my case, if he would command my adversaries to do the same. but that man of pride, not content with this agreement, began to justify my adversaries, to give them free licence, and to order me to recant, a thing which was certainly not in his commission. thus indeed, when the case was in the best position, it came through his vexatious tyranny into a much worse one. therefore whatever has followed upon this is the fault not of luther, but entirely of cajetan, since he did not suffer me to be silent and remain quiet, which at that time i was entreating for with all my might. what more was it my duty to do? next came charles miltitz, also a nuncio from your blessedness. he, though he went up and down with much and varied exertion, and omitted nothing which could tend to restore the position of the cause thrown into confusion by the rashness and pride of cajetan, had difficulty, even with the help of that very illustrious prince the elector frederick, in at last bringing about more than one familiar conference with me. in these i again yielded to your great name, and was prepared to keep silence, and to accept as my judge either the archbishop of treves, or the bishop of naumburg; and thus it was done and concluded. while this was being done with good hope of success, lo! that other and greater enemy of yours, eccius, rushed in with his leipsic disputation, which he had undertaken against carlstadt, and, having taken up a new question concerning the primacy of the pope, turned his arms unexpectedly against me, and completely overthrew the plan for peace. meanwhile charles miltitz was waiting, disputations were held, judges were being chosen, but no decision was arrived at. and no wonder! for by the falsehoods, pretences, and arts of eccius the whole business was brought into such thorough disorder, confusion, and festering soreness, that, whichever way the sentence might lean, a greater conflagration was sure to arise; for he was seeking, not after truth, but after his own credit. in this case too i omitted nothing which it was right that i should do. i confess that on this occasion no small part of the corruptions of rome came to light; but, if there was any offence in this, it was the fault of eccius, who, in taking on him a burden beyond his strength, and in furiously aiming at credit for himself, unveiled to the whole world the disgrace of rome. here is that enemy of yours, leo, or rather of your court; by his example alone we may learn that an enemy is not more baneful than a flatterer. for what did he bring about by his flattery, except evils which no king could have brought about? at this day the name of the court of rome stinks in the nostrils of the world, the papal authority is growing weak, and its notorious ignorance is evil spoken of. we should hear none of these things, if eccius had not disturbed the plans of miltitz and myself for peace. he feels this clearly enough himself in the indignation he shows, too late and in vain, against the publication of my books. he ought to have reflected on this at the time when he was all mad for renown, and was seeking in your cause nothing but his own objects, and that with the greatest peril to you. the foolish man hoped that, from fear of your name, i should yield and keep silence; for i do not think he presumed on his talents and learning. now, when he sees that i am very confident and speak aloud, he repents too late of his rashness, and sees--if indeed he does see it--that there is one in heaven who resists the proud, and humbles the presumptuous. since then we were bringing about by this disputation nothing but the greater confusion of the cause of rome, charles miltitz for the third time addressed the fathers of the order, assembled in chapter, and sought their advice for the settlement of the case, as being now in a most troubled and perilous state. since, by the favour of god, there was no hope of proceeding against me by force, some of the more noted of their number were sent to me, and begged me at least to show respect to your person and to vindicate in a humble letter both your innocence and my own. they said that the affair was not as yet in a position of extreme hopelessness, if leo x., in his inborn kindliness, would put his hand to it. on this i, who have always offered and wished for peace, in order that i might devote myself to calmer and more useful pursuits, and who for this very purpose have acted with so much spirit and vehemence, in order to put down by the strength and impetuosity of my words, as well as of my feelings, men whom i saw to be very far from equal to myself--i, i say, not only gladly yielded, but even accepted it with joy and gratitude, as the greatest kindness and benefit, if you should think it right to satisfy my hopes. thus i come, most blessed father, and in all abasement beseech you to put to your hand, if it is possible, and impose a curb to those flatterers who are enemies of peace, while they pretend peace. but there is no reason, most blessed father, why any one should assume that i am to utter a recantation, unless he prefers to involve the case in still greater confusion. moreover, i cannot bear with laws for the interpretation of the word of god, since the word of god, which teaches liberty in all other things, ought not to be bound. saving these two things, there is nothing which i am not able, and most heartily willing, to do or to suffer. i hate contention; i will challenge no one; in return i wish not to be challenged; but, being challenged, i will not be dumb in the cause of christ my master. for your blessedness will be able by one short and easy word to call these controversies before you and suppress them, and to impose silence and peace on both sides--a word which i have ever longed to hear. therefore, leo, my father, beware of listening to those sirens who make you out to be not simply a man, but partly a god, so that you can command and require whatever you will. it will not happen so, nor will you prevail. you are the servant of servants, and more than any other man, in a most pitiable and perilous position. let not those men deceive you who pretend that you are lord of the world; who will not allow any one to be a christian without your authority; who babble of your having power over heaven, hell, and purgatory. these men are your enemies and are seeking your soul to destroy it, as isaiah says, "my people, they that call thee blessed are themselves deceiving thee." they are in error who raise you above councils and the universal church; they are in error who attribute to you alone the right of interpreting scripture. all these men are seeking to set up their own impieties in the church under your name, and alas! satan has gained much through them in the time of your predecessors. in brief, trust not in any who exalt you, but in those who humiliate you. for this is the judgment of god: "he hath cast down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble." see how unlike christ was to his successors, though all will have it that they are his vicars. i fear that in truth very many of them have been in too serious a sense his vicars, for a vicar represents a prince who is absent. now if a pontiff rules while christ is absent and does not dwell in his heart, what else is he but a vicar of christ? and then what is that church but a multitude without christ? what indeed is such a vicar but antichrist and an idol? how much more rightly did the apostles speak, who call themselves servants of a present christ, not the vicars of an absent one! perhaps i am shamelessly bold in seeming to teach so great a head, by whom all men ought to be taught, and from whom, as those plagues of yours boast, the thrones of judges receive their sentence; but i imitate st. bernard in his book concerning considerations addressed to eugenius, a book which ought to be known by heart by every pontiff. i do this, not from any desire to teach, but as a duty, from that simple and faithful solicitude which teaches us to be anxious for all that is safe for our neighbours, and does not allow considerations of worthiness or unworthiness to be entertained, being intent only on the dangers or advantage of others. for since i know that your blessedness is driven and tossed by the waves at rome, so that the depths of the sea press on you with infinite perils, and that you are labouring under such a condition of misery that you need even the least help from any the least brother, i do not seem to myself to be acting unsuitably if i forget your majesty till i shall have fulfilled the office of charity. i will not flatter in so serious and perilous a matter; and if in this you do not see that i am your friend and most thoroughly your subject, there is one to see and judge. in fine, that i may not approach you empty-handed, blessed father, i bring with me this little treatise, published under your name, as a good omen of the establishment of peace and of good hope. by this you may perceive in what pursuits i should prefer and be able to occupy myself to more profit, if i were allowed, or had been hitherto allowed, by your impious flatterers. it is a small matter, if you look to its exterior, but, unless i mistake, it is a summary of the christian life put together in small compass, if you apprehend its meaning. i, in my poverty, have no other present to make you, nor do you need anything else than to be enriched by a spiritual gift. i commend myself to your paternity and blessedness, whom may the lord jesus preserve for ever. amen. wittenberg, 6th september, 1520. concerning christian liberty christian faith has appeared to many an easy thing; nay, not a few even reckon it among the social virtues, as it were; and this they do because they have not made proof of it experimentally, and have never tasted of what efficacy it is. for it is not possible for any man to write well about it, or to understand well what is rightly written, who has not at some time tasted of its spirit, under the pressure of tribulation; while he who has tasted of it, even to a very small extent, can never write, speak, think, or hear about it sufficiently. for it is a living fountain, springing up into eternal life, as christ calls it in john iv. now, though i cannot boast of my abundance, and though i know how poorly i am furnished, yet i hope that, after having been vexed by various temptations, i have attained some little drop of faith, and that i can speak of this matter, if not with more elegance, certainly with more solidity, than those literal and too subtle disputants who have hitherto discoursed upon it without understanding their own words. that i may open then an easier way for the ignorant--for these alone i am trying to serve--i first lay down these two propositions, concerning spiritual liberty and servitude:-a christian man is the most free lord of all, and subject to none; a christian man is the most dutiful servant of all, and subject to every one. although these statements appear contradictory, yet, when they are found to agree together, they will make excellently for my purpose. they are both the statements of paul himself, who says, "though i be free from all men, yet have i made myself servant unto all" (1 cor. ix. 19), and "owe no man anything, but to love one another" (rom. xiii. 8). now love is by its own nature dutiful and obedient to the beloved object. thus even christ, though lord of all things, was yet made of a woman; made under the law; at once free and a servant; at once in the form of god and in the form of a servant. let us examine the subject on a deeper and less simple principle. man is composed of a twofold nature, a spiritual and a bodily. as regards the spiritual nature, which they name the soul, he is called the spiritual, inward, new man; as regards the bodily nature, which they name the flesh, he is called the fleshly, outward, old man. the apostle speaks of this: "though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day" (2 cor. iv. 16). the result of this diversity is that in the scriptures opposing statements are made concerning the same man, the fact being that in the same man these two men are opposed to one another; the flesh lusting against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh (gal. v. 17). we first approach the subject of the inward man, that we may see by what means a man becomes justified, free, and a true christian; that is, a spiritual, new, and inward man. it is certain that absolutely none among outward things, under whatever name they may be reckoned, has any influence in producing christian righteousness or liberty, nor, on the other hand, unrighteousness or slavery. this can be shown by an easy argument. what can it profit the soul that the body should be in good condition, free, and full of life; that it should eat, drink, and act according to its pleasure; when even the most impious slaves of every kind of vice are prosperous in these matters? again, what harm can ill-health, bondage, hunger, thirst, or any other outward evil, do to the soul, when even the most pious of men and the freest in the purity of their conscience, are harassed by these things? neither of these states of things has to do with the liberty or the slavery of the soul. and so it will profit nothing that the body should be adorned with sacred vestments, or dwell in holy places, or be occupied in sacred offices, or pray, fast, and abstain from certain meats, or do whatever works can be done through the body and in the body. something widely different will be necessary for the justification and liberty of the soul, since the things i have spoken of can be done by any impious person, and only hypocrites are produced by devotion to these things. on the other hand, it will not at all injure the soul that the body should be clothed in profane raiment, should dwell in profane places, should eat and drink in the ordinary fashion, should not pray aloud, and should leave undone all the things above mentioned, which may be done by hypocrites. and, to cast everything aside, even speculation, meditations, and whatever things can be performed by the exertions of the soul itself, are of no profit. one thing, and one alone, is necessary for life, justification, and christian liberty; and that is the most holy word of god, the gospel of christ, as he says, "i am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me shall not die eternally" (john xi. 25), and also, "if the son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed" (john viii. 36), and, "man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of god" (matt. iv. 4). let us therefore hold it for certain and firmly established that the soul can do without everything except the word of god, without which none at all of its wants are provided for. but, having the word, it is rich and wants for nothing, since that is the word of life, of truth, of light, of peace, of justification, of salvation, of joy, of liberty, of wisdom, of virtue, of grace, of glory, and of every good thing. it is on this account that the prophet in a whole psalm (psalm cxix.), and in many other places, sighs for and calls upon the word of god with so many groanings and words. again, there is no more cruel stroke of the wrath of god than when he sends a famine of hearing his words (amos viii. 11), just as there is no greater favour from him than the sending forth of his word, as it is said, "he sent his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions" (psalm cvii. 20). christ was sent for no other office than that of the word; and the order of apostles, that of bishops, and that of the whole body of the clergy, have been called and instituted for no object but the ministry of the word. but you will ask, what is this word, and by what means is it to be used, since there are so many words of god? i answer, the apostle paul (rom. i.) explains what it is, namely the gospel of god, concerning his son, incarnate, suffering, risen, and glorified, through the spirit, the sanctifier. to preach christ is to feed the soul, to justify it, to set it free, and to save it, if it believes the preaching. for faith alone and the efficacious use of the word of god, bring salvation. "if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the lord jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that god hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved" (rom. x. 9); and again, "christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth" (rom. x. 4), and "the just shall live by faith" (rom. i. 17). for the word of god cannot be received and honoured by any works, but by faith alone. hence it is clear that as the soul needs the word alone for life and justification, so it is justified by faith alone, and not by any works. for if it could be justified by any other means, it would have no need of the word, nor consequently of faith. but this faith cannot consist at all with works; that is, if you imagine that you can be justified by those works, whatever they are, along with it. for this would be to halt between two opinions, to worship baal, and to kiss the hand to him, which is a very great iniquity, as job says. therefore, when you begin to believe, you learn at the same time that all that is in you is utterly guilty, sinful, and damnable, according to that saying, "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of god" (rom. iii. 23), and also: "there is none righteous, no, not one; they are all gone out of the way; they are together become unprofitable: there is none that doeth good, no, not one" (rom. iii. 10-12). when you have learnt this, you will know that christ is necessary for you, since he has suffered and risen again for you, that, believing on him, you might by this faith become another man, all your sins being remitted, and you being justified by the merits of another, namely of christ alone. since then this faith can reign only in the inward man, as it is said, "with the heart man believeth unto righteousness" (rom. x. 10); and since it alone justifies, it is evident that by no outward work or labour can the inward man be at all justified, made free, and saved; and that no works whatever have any relation to him. and so, on the other hand, it is solely by impiety and incredulity of heart that he becomes guilty and a slave of sin, deserving condemnation, not by any outward sin or work. therefore the first care of every christian ought to be to lay aside all reliance on works, and strengthen his faith alone more and more, and by it grow in the knowledge, not of works, but of christ jesus, who has suffered and risen again for him, as peter teaches (1 peter v.) when he makes no other work to be a christian one. thus christ, when the jews asked him what they should do that they might work the works of god, rejected the multitude of works, with which he saw that they were puffed up, and commanded them one thing only, saying, "this is the work of god: that ye believe on him whom he hath sent, for him hath god the father sealed" (john vi. 27, 29). hence a right faith in christ is an incomparable treasure, carrying with it universal salvation and preserving from all evil, as it is said, "he that believeth and is baptised shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned" (mark xvi. 16). isaiah, looking to this treasure, predicted, "the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness. for the lord god of hosts shall make a consumption, even determined (verbum abbreviatum et consummans), in the midst of the land" (isa. x. 22, 23). as if he said, "faith, which is the brief and complete fulfilling of the law, will fill those who believe with such righteousness that they will need nothing else for justification." thus, too, paul says, "for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness" (rom. x. 10). but you ask how it can be the fact that faith alone justifies, and affords without works so great a treasure of good things, when so many works, ceremonies, and laws are prescribed to us in the scriptures? i answer, before all things bear in mind what i have said: that faith alone without works justifies, sets free, and saves, as i shall show more clearly below. meanwhile it is to be noted that the whole scripture of god is divided into two parts: precepts and promises. the precepts certainly teach us what is good, but what they teach is not forthwith done. for they show us what we ought to do, but do not give us the power to do it. they were ordained, however, for the purpose of showing man to himself, that through them he may learn his own impotence for good and may despair of his own strength. for this reason they are called the old testament, and are so. for example, "thou shalt not covet," is a precept by which we are all convicted of sin, since no man can help coveting, whatever efforts to the contrary he may make. in order therefore that he may fulfil the precept, and not covet, he is constrained to despair of himself and to seek elsewhere and through another the help which he cannot find in himself; as it is said, "o israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help" (hosea xiii. 9). now what is done by this one precept is done by all; for all are equally impossible of fulfilment by us. now when a man has through the precepts been taught his own impotence, and become anxious by what means he may satisfy the law--for the law must be satisfied, so that no jot or tittle of it may pass away, otherwise he must be hopelessly condemned--then, being truly humbled and brought to nothing in his own eyes, he finds in himself no resource for justification and salvation. then comes in that other part of scripture, the promises of god, which declare the glory of god, and say, "if you wish to fulfil the law, and, as the law requires, not to covet, lo! believe in christ, in whom are promised to you grace, justification, peace, and liberty." all these things you shall have, if you believe, and shall be without them if you do not believe. for what is impossible for you by all the works of the law, which are many and yet useless, you shall fulfil in an easy and summary way through faith, because god the father has made everything to depend on faith, so that whosoever has it has all things, and he who has it not has nothing. "for god hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all" (rom. xi. 32). thus the promises of god give that which the precepts exact, and fulfil what the law commands; so that all is of god alone, both the precepts and their fulfilment. he alone commands; he alone also fulfils. hence the promises of god belong to the new testament; nay, are the new testament. now, since these promises of god are words of holiness, truth, righteousness, liberty, and peace, and are full of universal goodness, the soul, which cleaves to them with a firm faith, is so united to them, nay, thoroughly absorbed by them, that it not only partakes in, but is penetrated and saturated by, all their virtues. for if the touch of christ was healing, how much more does that most tender spiritual touch, nay, absorption of the word, communicate to the soul all that belongs to the word! in this way therefore the soul, through faith alone, without works, is from the word of god justified, sanctified, endued with truth, peace, and liberty, and filled full with every good thing, and is truly made the child of god, as it is said, "to them gave he power to become the sons of god, even to them that believe on his name" (john i. 12). from all this it is easy to understand why faith has such great power, and why no good works, nor even all good works put together, can compare with it, since no work can cleave to the word of god or be in the soul. faith alone and the word reign in it; and such as is the word, such is the soul made by it, just as iron exposed to fire glows like fire, on account of its union with the fire. it is clear then that to a christian man his faith suffices for everything, and that he has no need of works for justification. but if he has no need of works, neither has he need of the law; and if he has no need of the law, he is certainly free from the law, and the saying is true, "the law is not made for a righteous man" (1 tim. i. 9). this is that christian liberty, our faith, the effect of which is, not that we should be careless or lead a bad life, but that no one should need the law or works for justification and salvation. let us consider this as the first virtue of faith; and let us look also to the second. this also is an office of faith: that it honours with the utmost veneration and the highest reputation him in whom it believes, inasmuch as it holds him to be truthful and worthy of belief. for there is no honour like that reputation of truth and righteousness with which we honour him in whom we believe. what higher credit can we attribute to any one than truth and righteousness, and absolute goodness? on the other hand, it is the greatest insult to brand any one with the reputation of falsehood and unrighteousness, or to suspect him of these, as we do when we disbelieve him. thus the soul, in firmly believing the promises of god, holds him to be true and righteous; and it can attribute to god no higher glory than the credit of being so. the highest worship of god is to ascribe to him truth, righteousness, and whatever qualities we must ascribe to one in whom we believe. in doing this the soul shows itself prepared to do his whole will; in doing this it hallows his name, and gives itself up to be dealt with as it may please god. for it cleaves to his promises, and never doubts that he is true, just, and wise, and will do, dispose, and provide for all things in the best way. is not such a soul, in this its faith, most obedient to god in all things? what commandment does there remain which has not been amply fulfilled by such an obedience? what fulfilment can be more full than universal obedience? now this is not accomplished by works, but by faith alone. on the other hand, what greater rebellion, impiety, or insult to god can there be, than not to believe his promises? what else is this, than either to make god a liar, or to doubt his truth--that is, to attribute truth to ourselves, but to god falsehood and levity? in doing this, is not a man denying god and setting himself up as an idol in his own heart? what then can works, done in such a state of impiety, profit us, were they even angelic or apostolic works? rightly hath god shut up all, not in wrath nor in lust, but in unbelief, in order that those who pretend that they are fulfilling the law by works of purity and benevolence (which are social and human virtues) may not presume that they will therefore be saved, but, being included in the sin of unbelief, may either seek mercy, or be justly condemned. but when god sees that truth is ascribed to him, and that in the faith of our hearts he is honoured with all the honour of which he is worthy, then in return he honours us on account of that faith, attributing to us truth and righteousness. for faith does truth and righteousness in rendering to god what is his; and therefore in return god gives glory to our righteousness. it is true and righteous that god is true and righteous; and to confess this and ascribe these attributes to him, this it is to be true and righteous. thus he says, "them that honour me i will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed" (1 sam. ii. 30). and so paul says that abraham's faith was imputed to him for righteousness, because by it he gave glory to god; and that to us also, for the same reason, it shall be imputed for righteousness, if we believe (rom. iv.). the third incomparable grace of faith is this: that it unites the soul to christ, as the wife to the husband, by which mystery, as the apostle teaches, christ and the soul are made one flesh. now if they are one flesh, and if a true marriage--nay, by far the most perfect of all marriages--is accomplished between them (for human marriages are but feeble types of this one great marriage), then it follows that all they have becomes theirs in common, as well good things as evil things; so that whatsoever christ possesses, that the believing soul may take to itself and boast of as its own, and whatever belongs to the soul, that christ claims as his. if we compare these possessions, we shall see how inestimable is the gain. christ is full of grace, life, and salvation; the soul is full of sin, death, and condemnation. let faith step in, and then sin, death, and hell will belong to christ, and grace, life, and salvation to the soul. for, if he is a husband, he must needs take to himself that which is his wife's, and at the same time, impart to his wife that which is his. for, in giving her his own body and himself, how can he but give her all that is his? and, in taking to himself the body of his wife, how can he but take to himself all that is hers? in this is displayed the delightful sight, not only of communion, but of a prosperous warfare, of victory, salvation, and redemption. for, since christ is god and man, and is such a person as neither has sinned, nor dies, nor is condemned, nay, cannot sin, die, or be condemned, and since his righteousness, life, and salvation are invincible, eternal, and almighty,--when i say, such a person, by the wedding-ring of faith, takes a share in the sins, death, and hell of his wife, nay, makes them his own, and deals with them no otherwise than as if they were his, and as if he himself had sinned; and when he suffers, dies, and descends to hell, that he may overcome all things, and since sin, death, and hell cannot swallow him up, they must needs be swallowed up by him in stupendous conflict. for his righteousness rises above the sins of all men; his life is more powerful than all death; his salvation is more unconquerable than all hell. thus the believing soul, by the pledge of its faith in christ, becomes free from all sin, fearless of death, safe from hell, and endowed with the eternal righteousness, life, and salvation of its husband christ. thus he presents to himself a glorious bride, without spot or wrinkle, cleansing her with the washing of water by the word; that is, by faith in the word of life, righteousness, and salvation. thus he betrothes her unto himself "in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving-kindness, and in mercies" (hosea ii. 19, 20). who then can value highly enough these royal nuptials? who can comprehend the riches of the glory of this grace? christ, that rich and pious husband, takes as a wife a needy and impious harlot, redeeming her from all her evils and supplying her with all his good things. it is impossible now that her sins should destroy her, since they have been laid upon christ and swallowed up in him, and since she has in her husband christ a righteousness which she may claim as her own, and which she can set up with confidence against all her sins, against death and hell, saying, "if i have sinned, my christ, in whom i believe, has not sinned; all mine is his, and all his is mine," as it is written, "my beloved is mine, and i am his" (cant. ii. 16). this is what paul says: "thanks be to god, which giveth us the victory through our lord jesus christ," victory over sin and death, as he says, "the sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law" (1 cor. xv. 56, 57). from all this you will again understand why so much importance is attributed to faith, so that it alone can fulfil the law and justify without any works. for you see that the first commandment, which says, "thou shalt worship one god only," is fulfilled by faith alone. if you were nothing but good works from the soles of your feet to the crown of your head, you would not be worshipping god, nor fulfilling the first commandment, since it is impossible to worship god without ascribing to him the glory of truth and of universal goodness, as it ought in truth to be ascribed. now this is not done by works, but only by faith of heart. it is not by working, but by believing, that we glorify god, and confess him to be true. on this ground faith alone is the righteousness of a christian man, and the fulfilling of all the commandments. for to him who fulfils the first the task of fulfilling all the rest is easy. works, since they are irrational things, cannot glorify god, although they may be done to the glory of god, if faith be present. but at present we are inquiring, not into the quality of the works done, but into him who does them, who glorifies god, and brings forth good works. this is faith of heart, the head and the substance of all our righteousness. hence that is a blind and perilous doctrine which teaches that the commandments are fulfilled by works. the commandments must have been fulfilled previous to any good works, and good works follow their fulfillment, as we shall see. but, that we may have a wider view of that grace which our inner man has in christ, we must know that in the old testament god sanctified to himself every first-born male. the birthright was of great value, giving a superiority over the rest by the double honour of priesthood and kingship. for the first-born brother was priest and lord of all the rest. under this figure was foreshown christ, the true and only first-born of god the father and of the virgin mary, and a true king and priest, not in a fleshly and earthly sense. for his kingdom is not of this world; it is in heavenly and spiritual things that he reigns and acts as priest; and these are righteousness, truth, wisdom, peace, salvation, etc. not but that all things, even those of earth and hell, are subject to him--for otherwise how could he defend and save us from them?--but it is not in these, nor by these, that his kingdom stands. so, too, his priesthood does not consist in the outward display of vestments and gestures, as did the human priesthood of aaron and our ecclesiastical priesthood at this day, but in spiritual things, wherein, in his invisible office, he intercedes for us with god in heaven, and there offers himself, and performs all the duties of a priest, as paul describes him to the hebrews under the figure of melchizedek. nor does he only pray and intercede for us; he also teaches us inwardly in the spirit with the living teachings of his spirit. now these are the two special offices of a priest, as is figured to us in the case of fleshly priests by visible prayers and sermons. as christ by his birthright has obtained these two dignities, so he imparts and communicates them to every believer in him, under that law of matrimony of which we have spoken above, by which all that is the husband's is also the wife's. hence all we who believe on christ are kings and priests in christ, as it is said, "ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light" (1 peter ii. 9). these two things stand thus. first, as regards kingship, every christian is by faith so exalted above all things that, in spiritual power, he is completely lord of all things, so that nothing whatever can do him any hurt; yea, all things are subject to him, and are compelled to be subservient to his salvation. thus paul says, "all things work together for good to them who are the called" (rom. viii. 28), and also, "whether life, or death, or things present, or things to come, all are yours; and ye are christ's" (1 cor. iii. 22, 23). not that in the sense of corporeal power any one among christians has been appointed to possess and rule all things, according to the mad and senseless idea of certain ecclesiastics. that is the office of kings, princes, and men upon earth. in the experience of life we see that we are subjected to all things, and suffer many things, even death. yea, the more of a christian any man is, to so many the more evils, sufferings, and deaths is he subject, as we see in the first place in christ the first-born, and in all his holy brethren. this is a spiritual power, which rules in the midst of enemies, and is powerful in the midst of distresses. and this is nothing else than that strength is made perfect in my weakness, and that i can turn all things to the profit of my salvation; so that even the cross and death are compelled to serve me and to work together for my salvation. this is a lofty and eminent dignity, a true and almighty dominion, a spiritual empire, in which there is nothing so good, nothing so bad, as not to work together for my good, if only i believe. and yet there is nothing of which i have need--for faith alone suffices for my salvation--unless that in it faith may exercise the power and empire of its liberty. this is the inestimable power and liberty of christians. nor are we only kings and the freest of all men, but also priests for ever, a dignity far higher than kingship, because by that priesthood we are worthy to appear before god, to pray for others, and to teach one another mutually the things which are of god. for these are the duties of priests, and they cannot possibly be permitted to any unbeliever. christ has obtained for us this favour, if we believe in him: that just as we are his brethren and co-heirs and fellow-kings with him, so we should be also fellow-priests with him, and venture with confidence, through the spirit of faith, to come into the presence of god, and cry, "abba, father!" and to pray for one another, and to do all things which we see done and figured in the visible and corporeal office of priesthood. but to an unbelieving person nothing renders service or work for good. he himself is in servitude to all things, and all things turn out for evil to him, because he uses all things in an impious way for his own advantage, and not for the glory of god. and thus he is not a priest, but a profane person, whose prayers are turned into sin, nor does he ever appear in the presence of god, because god does not hear sinners. who then can comprehend the loftiness of that christian dignity which, by its royal power, rules over all things, even over death, life, and sin, and, by its priestly glory, is all-powerful with god, since god does what he himself seeks and wishes, as it is written, "he will fulfil the desire of them that fear him; he also will hear their cry, and will save them"? (psalm cxlv. 19). this glory certainly cannot be attained by any works, but by faith only. from these considerations any one may clearly see how a christian man is free from all things; so that he needs no works in order to be justified and saved, but receives these gifts in abundance from faith alone. nay, were he so foolish as to pretend to be justified, set free, saved, and made a christian, by means of any good work, he would immediately lose faith, with all its benefits. such folly is prettily represented in the fable where a dog, running along in the water and carrying in his mouth a real piece of meat, is deceived by the reflection of the meat in the water, and, in trying with open mouth to seize it, loses the meat and its image at the same time. here you will ask, "if all who are in the church are priests, by what character are those whom we now call priests to be distinguished from the laity?" i reply, by the use of these words, "priest," "clergy," "spiritual person," "ecclesiastic," an injustice has been done, since they have been transferred from the remaining body of christians to those few who are now, by hurtful custom, called ecclesiastics. for holy scripture makes no distinction between them, except that those who are now boastfully called popes, bishops, and lords, it calls ministers, servants, and stewards, who are to serve the rest in the ministry of the word, for teaching the faith of christ and the liberty of believers. for though it is true that we are all equally priests, yet we cannot, nor, if we could, ought we all to, minister and teach publicly. thus paul says, "let a man so account of us as of the ministers of christ and stewards of the mysteries of god" (1 cor. iv. 1). this bad system has now issued in such a pompous display of power and such a terrible tyranny that no earthly government can be compared to it, as if the laity were something else than christians. through this perversion of things it has happened that the knowledge of christian grace, of faith, of liberty, and altogether of christ, has utterly perished, and has been succeeded by an intolerable bondage to human works and laws; and, according to the lamentations of jeremiah, we have become the slaves of the vilest men on earth, who abuse our misery to all the disgraceful and ignominious purposes of their own will. returning to the subject which we had begun, i think it is made clear by these considerations that it is not sufficient, nor a christian course, to preach the works, life, and words of christ in a historic manner, as facts which it suffices to know as an example how to frame our life, as do those who are now held the best preachers, and much less so to keep silence altogether on these things and to teach in their stead the laws of men and the decrees of the fathers. there are now not a few persons who preach and read about christ with the object of moving the human affections to sympathise with christ, to indignation against the jews, and other childish and womanish absurdities of that kind. now preaching ought to have the object of promoting faith in him, so that he may not only be christ, but a christ for you and for me, and that what is said of him, and what he is called, may work in us. and this faith is produced and is maintained by preaching why christ came, what he has brought us and given to us, and to what profit and advantage he is to be received. this is done when the christian liberty which we have from christ himself is rightly taught, and we are shown in what manner all we christians are kings and priests, and how we are lords of all things, and may be confident that whatever we do in the presence of god is pleasing and acceptable to him. whose heart would not rejoice in its inmost core at hearing these things? whose heart, on receiving so great a consolation, would not become sweet with the love of christ, a love to which it can never attain by any laws or works? who can injure such a heart, or make it afraid? if the consciousness of sin or the horror of death rush in upon it, it is prepared to hope in the lord, and is fearless of such evils, and undisturbed, until it shall look down upon its enemies. for it believes that the righteousness of christ is its own, and that its sin is no longer its own, but that of christ; but, on account of its faith in christ, all its sin must needs be swallowed up from before the face of the righteousness of christ, as i have said above. it learns, too, with the apostle, to scoff at death and sin, and to say, "o death, where is thy sting? o grave, where is thy victory? the sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. but thanks be to god, which giveth us the victory through our lord jesus christ" (1 cor. xv. 55-57). for death is swallowed up in victory, not only the victory of christ, but ours also, since by faith it becomes ours, and in it we too conquer. let it suffice to say this concerning the inner man and its liberty, and concerning that righteousness of faith which needs neither laws nor good works; nay, they are even hurtful to it, if any one pretends to be justified by them. and now let us turn to the other part: to the outward man. here we shall give an answer to all those who, taking offence at the word of faith and at what i have asserted, say, "if faith does everything, and by itself suffices for justification, why then are good works commanded? are we then to take our ease and do no works, content with faith?" not so, impious men, i reply; not so. that would indeed really be the case, if we were thoroughly and completely inner and spiritual persons; but that will not happen until the last day, when the dead shall be raised. as long as we live in the flesh, we are but beginning and making advances in that which shall be completed in a future life. on this account the apostle calls that which we have in this life the firstfruits of the spirit (rom. viii. 23). in future we shall have the tenths, and the fullness of the spirit. to this part belongs the fact i have stated before: that the christian is the servant of all and subject to all. for in that part in which he is free he does no works, but in that in which he is a servant he does all works. let us see on what principle this is so. although, as i have said, inwardly, and according to the spirit, a man is amply enough justified by faith, having all that he requires to have, except that this very faith and abundance ought to increase from day to day, even till the future life, still he remains in this mortal life upon earth, in which it is necessary that he should rule his own body and have intercourse with men. here then works begin; here he must not take his ease; here he must give heed to exercise his body by fastings, watchings, labour, and other regular discipline, so that it may be subdued to the spirit, and obey and conform itself to the inner man and faith, and not rebel against them nor hinder them, as is its nature to do if it is not kept under. for the inner man, being conformed to god and created after the image of god through faith, rejoices and delights itself in christ, in whom such blessings have been conferred on it, and hence has only this task before it: to serve god with joy and for nought in free love. but in doing this he comes into collision with that contrary will in his own flesh, which is striving to serve the world and to seek its own gratification. this the spirit of faith cannot and will not bear, but applies itself with cheerfulness and zeal to keep it down and restrain it, as paul says, "i delight in the law of god after the inward man; but i see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin" (rom. vii. 22, 23), and again, "i keep under my body, and bring it unto subjection, lest that by any means, when i have preached to others, i myself should be a castaway" (1 cor. ix. 27), and "they that are christ's have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts" (gal. v. 24). these works, however, must not be done with any notion that by them a man can be justified before god--for faith, which alone is righteousness before god, will not bear with this false notion--but solely with this purpose: that the body may be brought into subjection, and be purified from its evil lusts, so that our eyes may be turned only to purging away those lusts. for when the soul has been cleansed by faith and made to love god, it would have all things to be cleansed in like manner, and especially its own body, so that all things might unite with it in the love and praise of god. thus it comes that, from the requirements of his own body, a man cannot take his ease, but is compelled on its account to do many good works, that he may bring it into subjection. yet these works are not the means of his justification before god; he does them out of disinterested love to the service of god; looking to no other end than to do what is well-pleasing to him whom he desires to obey most dutifully in all things. on this principle every man may easily instruct himself in what measure, and with what distinctions, he ought to chasten his own body. he will fast, watch, and labour, just as much as he sees to suffice for keeping down the wantonness and concupiscence of the body. but those who pretend to be justified by works are looking, not to the mortification of their lusts, but only to the works themselves; thinking that, if they can accomplish as many works and as great ones as possible, all is well with them, and they are justified. sometimes they even injure their brain, and extinguish nature, or at least make it useless. this is enormous folly, and ignorance of christian life and faith, when a man seeks, without faith, to be justified and saved by works. to make what we have said more easily understood, let us set it forth under a figure. the works of a christian man, who is justified and saved by his faith out of the pure and unbought mercy of god, ought to be regarded in the same light as would have been those of adam and eve in paradise and of all their posterity if they had not sinned. of them it is said, "the lord god took the man and put him into the garden of eden to dress it and to keep it" (gen. ii. 15). now adam had been created by god just and righteous, so that he could not have needed to be justified and made righteous by keeping the garden and working in it; but, that he might not be unemployed, god gave him the business of keeping and cultivating paradise. these would have indeed been works of perfect freedom, being done for no object but that of pleasing god, and not in order to obtain justification, which he already had to the full, and which would have been innate in us all. so it is with the works of a believer. being by his faith replaced afresh in paradise and created anew, he does not need works for his justification, but that he may not be idle, but may exercise his own body and preserve it. his works are to be done freely, with the sole object of pleasing god. only we are not yet fully created anew in perfect faith and love; these require to be increased, not, however, through works, but through themselves. a bishop, when he consecrates a church, confirms children, or performs any other duty of his office, is not consecrated as bishop by these works; nay, unless he had been previously consecrated as bishop, not one of those works would have any validity; they would be foolish, childish, and ridiculous. thus a christian, being consecrated by his faith, does good works; but he is not by these works made a more sacred person, or more a christian. that is the effect of faith alone; nay, unless he were previously a believer and a christian, none of his works would have any value at all; they would really be impious and damnable sins. true, then, are these two sayings: "good works do not make a good man, but a good man does good works"; "bad works do not make a bad man, but a bad man does bad works." thus it is always necessary that the substance or person should be good before any good works can be done, and that good works should follow and proceed from a good person. as christ says, "a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit" (matt. vii. 18). now it is clear that the fruit does not bear the tree, nor does the tree grow on the fruit; but, on the contrary, the trees bear the fruit, and the fruit grows on the trees. as then trees must exist before their fruit, and as the fruit does not make the tree either good or bad, but on the contrary, a tree of either kind produces fruit of the same kind, so must first the person of the man be good or bad before he can do either a good or a bad work; and his works do not make him bad or good, but he himself makes his works either bad or good. we may see the same thing in all handicrafts. a bad or good house does not make a bad or good builder, but a good or bad builder makes a good or bad house. and in general no work makes the workman such as it is itself; but the workman makes the work such as he is himself. such is the case, too, with the works of men. such as the man himself is, whether in faith or in unbelief, such is his work: good if it be done in faith; bad if in unbelief. but the converse is not true that, such as the work is, such the man becomes in faith or in unbelief. for as works do not make a believing man, so neither do they make a justified man; but faith, as it makes a man a believer and justified, so also it makes his works good. since then works justify no man, but a man must be justified before he can do any good work, it is most evident that it is faith alone which, by the mere mercy of god through christ, and by means of his word, can worthily and sufficiently justify and save the person; and that a christian man needs no work, no law, for his salvation; for by faith he is free from all law, and in perfect freedom does gratuitously all that he does, seeking nothing either of profit or of salvation--since by the grace of god he is already saved and rich in all things through his faith--but solely that which is well-pleasing to god. so, too, no good work can profit an unbeliever to justification and salvation; and, on the other hand, no evil work makes him an evil and condemned person, but that unbelief, which makes the person and the tree bad, makes his works evil and condemned. wherefore, when any man is made good or bad, this does not arise from his works, but from his faith or unbelief, as the wise man says, "the beginning of sin is to fall away from god"; that is, not to believe. paul says, "he that cometh to god must believe" (heb. xi. 6); and christ says the same thing: "either make the tree good and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt" (matt. xii. 33),--as much as to say, he who wishes to have good fruit will begin with the tree, and plant a good one; even so he who wishes to do good works must begin, not by working, but by believing, since it is this which makes the person good. for nothing makes the person good but faith, nor bad but unbelief. it is certainly true that, in the sight of men, a man becomes good or evil by his works; but here "becoming" means that it is thus shown and recognised who is good or evil, as christ says, "by their fruits ye shall know them" (matt. vii. 20). but all this stops at appearances and externals; and in this matter very many deceive themselves, when they presume to write and teach that we are to be justified by good works, and meanwhile make no mention even of faith, walking in their own ways, ever deceived and deceiving, going from bad to worse, blind leaders of the blind, wearying themselves with many works, and yet never attaining to true righteousness, of whom paul says, "having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof, ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" (2 tim. iii. 5, 7). he then who does not wish to go astray, with these blind ones, must look further than to the works of the law or the doctrine of works; nay, must turn away his sight from works, and look to the person, and to the manner in which it may be justified. now it is justified and saved, not by works or laws, but by the word of god--that is, by the promise of his grace--so that the glory may be to the divine majesty, which has saved us who believe, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy, by the word of his grace. from all this it is easy to perceive on what principle good works are to be cast aside or embraced, and by what rule all teachings put forth concerning works are to be understood. for if works are brought forward as grounds of justification, and are done under the false persuasion that we can pretend to be justified by them, they lay on us the yoke of necessity, and extinguish liberty along with faith, and by this very addition to their use they become no longer good, but really worthy of condemnation. for such works are not free, but blaspheme the grace of god, to which alone it belongs to justify and save through faith. works cannot accomplish this, and yet, with impious presumption, through our folly, they take it on themselves to do so; and thus break in with violence upon the office and glory of grace. we do not then reject good works; nay, we embrace them and teach them in the highest degree. it is not on their own account that we condemn them, but on account of this impious addition to them and the perverse notion of seeking justification by them. these things cause them to be only good in outward show, but in reality not good, since by them men are deceived and deceive others, like ravening wolves in sheep's clothing. now this leviathan, this perverted notion about works, is invincible when sincere faith is wanting. for those sanctified doers of works cannot but hold it till faith, which destroys it, comes and reigns in the heart. nature cannot expel it by her own power; nay, cannot even see it for what it is, but considers it as a most holy will. and when custom steps in besides, and strengthens this pravity of nature, as has happened by means of impious teachers, then the evil is incurable, and leads astray multitudes to irreparable ruin. therefore, though it is good to preach and write about penitence, confession, and satisfaction, yet if we stop there, and do not go on to teach faith, such teaching is without doubt deceitful and devilish. for christ, speaking by his servant john, not only said, "repent ye," but added, "for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (matt. iii. 2). for not one word of god only, but both, should be preached; new and old things should be brought out of the treasury, as well the voice of the law as the word of grace. the voice of the law should be brought forward, that men may be terrified and brought to a knowledge of their sins, and thence be converted to penitence and to a better manner of life. but we must not stop here; that would be to wound only and not to bind up, to strike and not to heal, to kill and not to make alive, to bring down to hell and not to bring back, to humble and not to exalt. therefore the word of grace and of the promised remission of sin must also be preached, in order to teach and set up faith, since without that word contrition, penitence, and all other duties, are performed and taught in vain. there still remain, it is true, preachers of repentance and grace, but they do not explain the law and the promises of god to such an end, and in such a spirit, that men may learn whence repentance and grace are to come. for repentance comes from the law of god, but faith or grace from the promises of god, as it is said, "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of god" (rom. x. 17), whence it comes that a man, when humbled and brought to the knowledge of himself by the threatenings and terrors of the law, is consoled and raised up by faith in the divine promise. thus "weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning" (psalm xxx. 5). thus much we say concerning works in general, and also concerning those which the christian practises with regard to his own body. lastly, we will speak also of those works which he performs towards his neighbour. for man does not live for himself alone in this mortal body, in order to work on its account, but also for all men on earth; nay, he lives only for others, and not for himself. for it is to this end that he brings his own body into subjection, that he may be able to serve others more sincerely and more freely, as paul says, "none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. for whether we live, we live unto the lord; and whether we die, we die unto the lord" (rom. xiv. 7, 8). thus it is impossible that he should take his ease in this life, and not work for the good of his neighbours, since he must needs speak, act, and converse among men, just as christ was made in the likeness of men and found in fashion as a man, and had his conversation among men. yet a christian has need of none of these things for justification and salvation, but in all his works he ought to entertain this view and look only to this object--that he may serve and be useful to others in all that he does; having nothing before his eyes but the necessities and the advantage of his neighbour. thus the apostle commands us to work with our own hands, that we may have to give to those that need. he might have said, that we may support ourselves; but he tells us to give to those that need. it is the part of a christian to take care of his own body for the very purpose that, by its soundness and well-being, he may be enabled to labour, and to acquire and preserve property, for the aid of those who are in want, that thus the stronger member may serve the weaker member, and we may be children of god, thoughtful and busy one for another, bearing one another's burdens, and so fulfilling the law of christ. here is the truly christian life, here is faith really working by love, when a man applies himself with joy and love to the works of that freest servitude in which he serves others voluntarily and for nought, himself abundantly satisfied in the fulness and riches of his own faith. thus, when paul had taught the philippians how they had been made rich by that faith in christ in which they had obtained all things, he teaches them further in these words: "if there be therefore any consolation in christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfil ye my joy, that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others" (phil. ii. 1-4). in this we see clearly that the apostle lays down this rule for a christian life: that all our works should be directed to the advantage of others, since every christian has such abundance through his faith that all his other works and his whole life remain over and above wherewith to serve and benefit his neighbour of spontaneous goodwill. to this end he brings forward christ as an example, saying, "let this mind be in you, which was also in christ jesus, who, being in the form of god, thought it not robbery to be equal with god, but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death" (phil. ii. 5-8). this most wholesome saying of the apostle has been darkened to us by men who, totally misunderstanding the expressions "form of god," "form of a servant," "fashion," "likeness of men," have transferred them to the natures of godhead and manhood. paul's meaning is this: christ, when he was full of the form of god and abounded in all good things, so that he had no need of works or sufferings to be just and saved--for all these things he had from the very beginning--yet was not puffed up with these things, and did not raise himself above us and arrogate to himself power over us, though he might lawfully have done so, but, on the contrary, so acted in labouring, working, suffering, and dying, as to be like the rest of men, and no otherwise than a man in fashion and in conduct, as if he were in want of all things and had nothing of the form of god; and yet all this he did for our sakes, that he might serve us, and that all the works he should do under that form of a servant might become ours. thus a christian, like christ his head, being full and in abundance through his faith, ought to be content with this form of god, obtained by faith; except that, as i have said, he ought to increase this faith till it be perfected. for this faith is his life, justification, and salvation, preserving his person itself and making it pleasing to god, and bestowing on him all that christ has, as i have said above, and as paul affirms: "the life which i now live in the flesh i live by the faith of the son of god" (gal. ii. 20). though he is thus free from all works, yet he ought to empty himself of this liberty, take on him the form of a servant, be made in the likeness of men, be found in fashion as a man, serve, help, and in every way act towards his neighbour as he sees that god through christ has acted and is acting towards him. all this he should do freely, and with regard to nothing but the good pleasure of god, and he should reason thus:-lo! my god, without merit on my part, of his pure and free mercy, has given to me, an unworthy, condemned, and contemptible creature all the riches of justification and salvation in christ, so that i no longer am in want of anything, except of faith to believe that this is so. for such a father, then, who has overwhelmed me with these inestimable riches of his, why should i not freely, cheerfully, and with my whole heart, and from voluntary zeal, do all that i know will be pleasing to him and acceptable in his sight? i will therefore give myself as a sort of christ, to my neighbour, as christ has given himself to me; and will do nothing in this life except what i see will be needful, advantageous, and wholesome for my neighbour, since by faith i abound in all good things in christ. thus from faith flow forth love and joy in the lord, and from love a cheerful, willing, free spirit, disposed to serve our neighbour voluntarily, without taking any account of gratitude or ingratitude, praise or blame, gain or loss. its object is not to lay men under obligations, nor does it distinguish between friends and enemies, or look to gratitude or ingratitude, but most freely and willingly spends itself and its goods, whether it loses them through ingratitude, or gains goodwill. for thus did its father, distributing all things to all men abundantly and freely, making his sun to rise upon the just and the unjust. thus, too, the child does and endures nothing except from the free joy with which it delights through christ in god, the giver of such great gifts. you see, then, that, if we recognize those great and precious gifts, as peter says, which have been given to us, love is quickly diffused in our hearts through the spirit, and by love we are made free, joyful, all-powerful, active workers, victors over all our tribulations, servants to our neighbour, and nevertheless lords of all things. but, for those who do not recognise the good things given to them through christ, christ has been born in vain; such persons walk by works, and will never attain the taste and feeling of these great things. therefore just as our neighbour is in want, and has need of our abundance, so we too in the sight of god were in want, and had need of his mercy. and as our heavenly father has freely helped us in christ, so ought we freely to help our neighbour by our body and works, and each should become to other a sort of christ, so that we may be mutually christs, and that the same christ may be in all of us; that is, that we may be truly christians. who then can comprehend the riches and glory of the christian life? it can do all things, has all things, and is in want of nothing; is lord over sin, death, and hell, and at the same time is the obedient and useful servant of all. but alas! it is at this day unknown throughout the world; it is neither preached nor sought after, so that we are quite ignorant about our own name, why we are and are called christians. we are certainly called so from christ, who is not absent, but dwells among us--provided, that is, that we believe in him and are reciprocally and mutually one the christ of the other, doing to our neighbour as christ does to us. but now, in the doctrine of men, we are taught only to seek after merits, rewards, and things which are already ours, and we have made of christ a taskmaster far more severe than moses. the blessed virgin beyond all others, affords us an example of the same faith, in that she was purified according to the law of moses, and like all other women, though she was bound by no such law and had no need of purification. still she submitted to the law voluntarily and of free love, making herself like the rest of women, that she might not offend or throw contempt on them. she was not justified by doing this; but, being already justified, she did it freely and gratuitously. thus ought our works too to be done, and not in order to be justified by them; for, being first justified by faith, we ought to do all our works freely and cheerfully for the sake of others. st. paul circumcised his disciple timothy, not because he needed circumcision for his justification, but that he might not offend or contemn those jews, weak in the faith, who had not yet been able to comprehend the liberty of faith. on the other hand, when they contemned liberty and urged that circumcision was necessary for justification, he resisted them, and would not allow titus to be circumcised. for, as he would not offend or contemn any one's weakness in faith, but yielded for the time to their will, so, again, he would not have the liberty of faith offended or contemned by hardened self-justifiers, but walked in a middle path, sparing the weak for the time, and always resisting the hardened, that he might convert all to the liberty of faith. on the same principle we ought to act, receiving those that are weak in the faith, but boldly resisting these hardened teachers of works, of whom we shall hereafter speak at more length. christ also, when his disciples were asked for the tribute money, asked of peter whether the children of a king were not free from taxes. peter agreed to this; yet jesus commanded him to go to the sea, saying, "lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth thou shalt find a piece of money; that take, and give unto them for me and thee" (matt. xvii. 27). this example is very much to our purpose; for here christ calls himself and his disciples free men and children of a king, in want of nothing; and yet he voluntarily submits and pays the tax. just as far, then, as this work was necessary or useful to christ for justification or salvation, so far do all his other works or those of his disciples avail for justification. they are really free and subsequent to justification, and only done to serve others and set them an example. such are the works which paul inculcated, that christians should be subject to principalities and powers and ready to every good work (titus iii. 1), not that they may be justified by these things--for they are already justified by faith--but that in liberty of spirit they may thus be the servants of others and subject to powers, obeying their will out of gratuitous love. such, too, ought to have been the works of all colleges, monasteries, and priests; every one doing the works of his own profession and state of life, not in order to be justified by them, but in order to bring his own body into subjection, as an example to others, who themselves also need to keep under their bodies, and also in order to accommodate himself to the will of others, out of free love. but we must always guard most carefully against any vain confidence or presumption of being justified, gaining merit, or being saved by these works, this being the part of faith alone, as i have so often said. any man possessing this knowledge may easily keep clear of danger among those innumerable commands and precepts of the pope, of bishops, of monasteries, of churches, of princes, and of magistrates, which some foolish pastors urge on us as being necessary for justification and salvation, calling them precepts of the church, when they are not so at all. for the christian freeman will speak thus: i will fast, i will pray, i will do this or that which is commanded me by men, not as having any need of these things for justification or salvation, but that i may thus comply with the will of the pope, of the bishop, of such a community or such a magistrate, or of my neighbour as an example to him; for this cause i will do and suffer all things, just as christ did and suffered much more for me, though he needed not at all to do so on his own account, and made himself for my sake under the law, when he was not under the law. and although tyrants may do me violence or wrong in requiring obedience to these things, yet it will not hurt me to do them, so long as they are not done against god. from all this every man will be able to attain a sure judgment and faithful discrimination between all works and laws, and to know who are blind and foolish pastors, and who are true and good ones. for whatsoever work is not directed to the sole end either of keeping under the body, or of doing service to our neighbour--provided he require nothing contrary to the will of god--is no good or christian work. hence i greatly fear that at this day few or no colleges, monasteries, altars, or ecclesiastical functions are christian ones; and the same may be said of fasts and special prayers to certain saints. i fear that in all these nothing is being sought but what is already ours; while we fancy that by these things our sins are purged away and salvation is attained, and thus utterly do away with christian liberty. this comes from ignorance of christian faith and liberty. this ignorance and this crushing of liberty are diligently promoted by the teaching of very many blind pastors, who stir up and urge the people to a zeal for these things, praising them and puffing them up with their indulgences, but never teaching faith. now i would advise you, if you have any wish to pray, to fast, or to make foundations in churches, as they call it, to take care not to do so with the object of gaining any advantage, either temporal or eternal. you will thus wrong your faith, which alone bestows all things on you, and the increase of which, either by working or by suffering, is alone to be cared for. what you give, give freely and without price, that others may prosper and have increase from you and your goodness. thus you will be a truly good man and a christian. for what to you are your goods and your works, which are done over and above for the subjection of the body, since you have abundance for yourself through your faith, in which god has given you all things? we give this rule: the good things which we have from god ought to flow from one to another and become common to all, so that every one of us may, as it were, put on his neighbour, and so behave towards him as if he were himself in his place. they flowed and do flow from christ to us; he put us on, and acted for us as if he himself were what we are. from us they flow to those who have need of them; so that my faith and righteousness ought to be laid down before god as a covering and intercession for the sins of my neighbour, which i am to take on myself, and so labour and endure servitude in them, as if they were my own; for thus has christ done for us. this is true love and the genuine truth of christian life. but only there is it true and genuine where there is true and genuine faith. hence the apostle attributes to charity this quality: that she seeketh not her own. we conclude therefore that a christian man does not live in himself, but in christ and in his neighbour, or else is no christian: in christ by faith; in his neighbour by love. by faith he is carried upwards above himself to god, and by love he sinks back below himself to his neighbour, still always-abiding in god and his love, as christ says, "verily i say unto you, hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of god ascending and descending upon the son of man" (john i. 51). thus much concerning liberty, which, as you see, is a true and spiritual liberty, making our hearts free from all sins, laws, and commandments, as paul says, "the law is not made for a righteous man" (1 tim. i. 9), and one which surpasses all other external liberties, as far as heaven is above earth. may christ make us to understand and preserve this liberty. amen. finally, for the sake of those to whom nothing can be stated so well but that they misunderstand and distort it, we must add a word, in case they can understand even that. there are very many persons who, when they hear of this liberty of faith, straightway turn it into an occasion of licence. they think that everything is now lawful for them, and do not choose to show themselves free men and christians in any other way than by their contempt and reprehension of ceremonies, of traditions, of human laws; as if they were christians merely because they refuse to fast on stated days, or eat flesh when others fast, or omit the customary prayers; scoffing at the precepts of men, but utterly passing over all the rest that belongs to the christian religion. on the other hand, they are most pertinaciously resisted by those who strive after salvation solely by their observance of and reverence for ceremonies, as if they would be saved merely because they fast on stated days, or abstain from flesh, or make formal prayers; talking loudly of the precepts of the church and of the fathers, and not caring a straw about those things which belong to our genuine faith. both these parties are plainly culpable, in that, while they neglect matters which are of weight and necessary for salvation, they contend noisily about such as are without weight and not necessary. how much more rightly does the apostle paul teach us to walk in the middle path, condemning either extreme and saying, "let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth" (rom. xiv. 3)! you see here how the apostle blames those who, not from religious feeling, but in mere contempt, neglect and rail at ceremonial observances, and teaches them not to despise, since this "knowledge puffeth up." again, he teaches the pertinacious upholders of these things not to judge their opponents. for neither party observes towards the other that charity which edifieth. in this matter we must listen to scripture, which teaches us to turn aside neither to the right hand nor to the left, but to follow those right precepts of the lord which rejoice the heart. for just as a man is not righteous merely because he serves and is devoted to works and ceremonial rites, so neither will he be accounted righteous merely because he neglects and despises them. it is not from works that we are set free by the faith of christ, but from the belief in works, that is from foolishly presuming to seek justification through works. faith redeems our consciences, makes them upright, and preserves them, since by it we recognise the truth that justification does not depend on our works, although good works neither can nor ought to be absent, just as we cannot exist without food and drink and all the functions of this mortal body. still it is not on them that our justification is based, but on faith; and yet they ought not on that account to be despised or neglected. thus in this world we are compelled by the needs of this bodily life; but we are not hereby justified. "my kingdom is not hence, nor of this world," says christ; but he does not say, "my kingdom is not here, nor in this world." paul, too, says, "though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh" (2 cor. x. 3), and "the life which i now live in the flesh i live by the faith of the son of god" (gal. ii. 20). thus our doings, life, and being, in works and ceremonies, are done from the necessities of this life, and with the motive of governing our bodies; but yet we are not justified by these things, but by the faith of the son of god. the christian must therefore walk in the middle path, and set these two classes of men before his eyes. he may meet with hardened and obstinate ceremonialists, who, like deaf adders, refuse to listen to the truth of liberty, and cry up, enjoin, and urge on us their ceremonies, as if they could justify us without faith. such were the jews of old, who would not understand, that they might act well. these men we must resist, do just the contrary to what they do, and be bold to give them offence, lest by this impious notion of theirs they should deceive many along with themselves. before the eyes of these men it is expedient to eat flesh, to break fasts, and to do in behalf of the liberty of faith things which they hold to be the greatest sins. we must say of them, "let them alone; they be blind leaders of the blind" (matt. xv. 14). in this way paul also would not have titus circumcised, though these men urged it; and christ defended the apostles, who had plucked ears of corn on the sabbath day; and many like instances. or else we may meet with simple-minded and ignorant persons, weak in the faith, as the apostle calls them, who are as yet unable to apprehend that liberty of faith, even if willing to do so. these we must spare, lest they should be offended. we must bear with their infirmity, till they shall be more fully instructed. for since these men do not act thus from hardened malice, but only from weakness of faith, therefore, in order to avoid giving them offence, we must keep fasts and do other things which they consider necessary. this is required of us by charity, which injures no one, but serves all men. it is not the fault of these persons that they are weak, but that of their pastors, who by the snares and weapons of their own traditions have brought them into bondage and wounded their souls when they ought to have been set free and healed by the teaching of faith and liberty. thus the apostle says, "if meat make my brother to offend, i will eat no flesh while the world standeth" (1 cor. viii. 13); and again, "i know, and am persuaded by the lord jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him that esteemeth anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. it is evil for that man who eateth with offence" (rom. xiv. 14, 20). thus, though we ought boldly to resist those teachers of tradition, and though the laws of the pontiffs, by which they make aggressions on the people of god, deserve sharp reproof, yet we must spare the timid crowd, who are held captive by the laws of those impious tyrants, till they are set free. fight vigorously against the wolves, but on behalf of the sheep, not against the sheep. and this you may do by inveighing against the laws and lawgivers, and yet at the same time observing these laws with the weak, lest they be offended, until they shall themselves recognise the tyranny, and understand their own liberty. if you wish to use your liberty, do it secretly, as paul says, "hast thou faith? have it to thyself before god" (rom. xiv. 22). but take care not to use it in the presence of the weak. on the other hand, in the presence of tyrants and obstinate opposers, use your liberty in their despite, and with the utmost pertinacity, that they too may understand that they are tyrants, and their laws useless for justification, nay that they had no right to establish such laws. since then we cannot live in this world without ceremonies and works, since the hot and inexperienced period of youth has need of being restrained and protected by such bonds, and since every one is bound to keep under his own body by attention to these things, therefore the minister of christ must be prudent and faithful in so ruling and teaching the people of christ, in all these matters, that no root of bitterness may spring up among them, and so many be defiled, as paul warned the hebrews; that is, that they may not lose the faith, and begin to be defiled by a belief in works as the means of justification. this is a thing which easily happens, and defiles very many, unless faith be constantly inculcated along with works. it is impossible to avoid this evil, when faith is passed over in silence, and only the ordinances of men are taught, as has been done hitherto by the pestilent, impious, and soul-destroying traditions of our pontiffs and opinions of our theologians. an infinite number of souls have been drawn down to hell by these snares, so that you may recognise the work of antichrist. in brief, as poverty is imperilled amid riches, honesty amid business, humility amid honours, abstinence amid feasting, purity amid pleasures, so is justification by faith imperilled among ceremonies. solomon says, "can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?" (prov. vi. 27). and yet as we must live among riches, business, honours, pleasures, feastings, so must we among ceremonies, that is among perils. just as infant boys have the greatest need of being cherished in the bosoms and by the care of girls, that they may not die, and yet, when they are grown, there is peril to their salvation in living among girls, so inexperienced and fervid young men require to be kept in and restrained by the barriers of ceremonies, even were they of iron, lest their weak minds should rush headlong into vice. and yet it would be death to them to persevere in believing that they can be justified by these things. they must rather be taught that they have been thus imprisoned, not with the purpose of their being justified or gaining merit in this way, but in order that they might avoid wrong-doing, and be more easily instructed in that righteousness which is by faith, a thing which the headlong character of youth would not bear unless it were put under restraint. hence in the christian life ceremonies are to be no otherwise looked upon than as builders and workmen look upon those preparations for building or working which are not made with any view of being permanent or anything in themselves, but only because without them there could be no building and no work. when the structure is completed, they are laid aside. here you see that we do not contemn these preparations, but set the highest value on them; a belief in them we do contemn, because no one thinks that they constitute a real and permanent structure. if any one were so manifestly out of his senses as to have no other object in life but that of setting up these preparations with all possible expense, diligence, and perseverance, while he never thought of the structure itself, but pleased himself and made his boast of these useless preparations and props, should we not all pity his madness and think that, at the cost thus thrown away, some great building might have been raised? thus, too, we do not contemn works and ceremonies--nay, we set the highest value on them; but we contemn the belief in works, which no one should consider to constitute true righteousness, as do those hypocrites who employ and throw away their whole life in the pursuit of works, and yet never attain to that for the sake of which the works are done. as the apostle says, they are "ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" (2 tim. iii. 7). they appear to wish to build, they make preparations, and yet they never do build; and thus they continue in a show of godliness, but never attain to its power. meanwhile they please themselves with this zealous pursuit, and even dare to judge all others, whom they do not see adorned with such a glittering display of works; while, if they had been imbued with faith, they might have done great things for their own and others' salvation, at the same cost which they now waste in abuse of the gifts of god. but since human nature and natural reason, as they call it, are naturally superstitious, and quick to believe that justification can be attained by any laws or works proposed to them, and since nature is also exercised and confirmed in the same view by the practice of all earthly lawgivers, she can never of her own power free herself from this bondage to works, and come to a recognition of the liberty of faith. we have therefore need to pray that god will lead us and make us taught of god, that is, ready to learn from god; and will himself, as he has promised, write his law in our hearts; otherwise there is no hope for us. for unless he himself teach us inwardly this wisdom hidden in a mystery, nature cannot but condemn it and judge it to be heretical. she takes offence at it, and it seems folly to her, just as we see that it happened of old in the case of the prophets and apostles, and just as blind and impious pontiffs, with their flatterers, do now in my case and that of those who are like me, upon whom, together with ourselves, may god at length have mercy, and lift up the light of his countenance upon them, that we may know his way upon earth and his saving health among all nations, who is blessed for evermore. amen. in the year of the lord mdxx. a treatise on good works together with the letter of dedication by dr. martin luther, 1520 introduction 1. the occasion of the work.--luther did not impose himself as reformer upon the church. in the course of a conscientious performance of the duties of his office, to which he had been regularly and divinely called, and without any urging on his part, he attained to this position by inward necessity. in 1515 he received his appointment as the standing substitute for the sickly city pastor, simon heinse, from the city council of wittenberg. before this time he was obliged to preach only occasionally in the convent, apart from his activity as teacher in the university and convent. through this appointment he was in duty bound, by divine and human right, to lead and direct the congregation at wittenberg on the true way to life, and it would have been a denial of the knowledge of salvation which god had led him to acquire, by way of ardent inner struggles, if he had led the congregation on any other way than the one god had revealed to him in his word. he could not deny before the congregation which had been intrusted to his care, what up to this time he had taught with ever increasing clearness in his lectures at the university--for in the lectures on the psalms, which he began to deliver in 1513, he declares his conviction that faith alone justifies, as can be seen from the complete manuscript, published since 1885, and with still greater clearness from his commentary on the epistle to the romans (1515-1516), which is accessible since 1908; nor what he had urged as spiritual adviser of his convent brethren when in deep distress--compare the charming letter to georg spenlein, dated april 8, 1516. luther's first literary works to appear in print were also occasioned by the work of his calling and of his office in the wittenberg congregation. he had no other object in view than to edify his congregation and to lead it to christ when, in 1517, he published his first independent work, the explanation of the seven penitential psalms. on oct 31 of the same year he published his 95 theses against indulgences. these were indeed intended as controversial theses for theologians, but at the same time it is well known that luther was moved by his duty toward his congregation to declare his position in this matter and to put in issue the whole question as to the right and wrong of indulgences by means of his theses. his sermon of indulgences and grace, occasioned by tetzel's attack and delivered in the latter part of march, 1518, as well as his sermon of penitence, delivered about the same time, were also intended for his congregation. before his congregation (sept., 1516-feb., 1517) he delivered the sermons on the ten commandments, which were published in 1518 and the sermons on the lord's prayer, which were also published in 1518 by agricola. though luther in the same year published a series of controversial writings, which were occasioned by attacks from outside sources, viz., the resolutiones disputationis de virtute indulgentiarum, the asterisci adversus obeliscos joh. eccii, and the ad dialogum silv. prieriatis responsio, still he never was diverted by this necessary rebuttal from his paramount duty, the edification of the congregation. the autumn of the year 1518, when he was confronted with cajetan, as well as the whole year of 1519, when he held his disputations with eck, etc., were replete with disquietude and pressing labors; still luther served his congregation with a whole series of writings during this time, and only regretted that he was not entirely at its disposal. of such writings we mention: explanation of the lord's prayer for the simple laity (an elaboration of the sermons of 1517); brief explanation of the ten commandments; instruction concerning certain articles, which might be ascribed and imputed to him by his adversaries; brief instruction how to confess; of meditation on the sacred passion of christ; of twofold righteousness; of the matrimonial estate; brief form to understand and to pray the lord's prayer; explanation of the lord's prayer "vor sich und hinter sich"; of prayer and processions in rogation week; of usury; of the sacrament of penitence; of preparation for death; of the sacrament of baptism; of the sacrament of the sacred body; of excommunication. with but few exceptions these writings all appeared in print in the year 1519, and again it was the congregation which luther sought primarily to serve. if the bounds of his congregation spread ever wider beyond wittenberg, so that his writings found a surprisingly ready sale, even afar, that was not luther's fault. even the tessaradecas consolatoria, written in 1519 and printed in 1520, a book of consolation, which was originally intended for the sick elector of saxony, was written by him only upon solicitation from outside sources. to this circle of writings the treatise of good works also belongs though the incentive for its composition came from george spalatin, court-preacher to the elector, who reminded luther of a promise he had given, still luther was willing to undertake it only when he recalled that in a previous sermon to his congregation he occasionally had made a similar promise to deliver a sermon on good works; and when luther actually commenced the composition he had nothing else in view but the preparation of a sermon for his congregation on this important topic. but while the work was in progress the material so accumulated that it far outgrew the bounds of a sermon for his congregation. on march 25. he wrote to spalatin that it would become a whole booklet instead of a sermon; on may 5. he again emphasizes the growth of the material; on may 13. he speaks of its completion at an early date, and on june 8. he could send melanchthon a printed copy. it was entitled: von den guten werckenn: d. m. l. vuittenberg. on the last page it bore the printer's mark: getruck zu wittenberg bey dem iungen melchior lotther. im tausent funfhundert vnnd zweyntzigsten jar. it filled not less than 58 leaves, quarto. in spite of its volume, however, the intention of the book for the congregation remained, now however, not only for the narrow circle of the wittenberg congregation, but for the christian layman in general. in the dedicatory preface luther lays the greatest stress upon this, for he writes: "though i know of a great many, and must hear it daily, who think lightly of my poverty and say that i write only small sexternlein (tracts of small volume) and german sermons for the untaught laity, i will not permit that to move me. would to god that during my life i had served but one layman for his betterment with all my powers; it would be sufficient for me, i would thank god and suffer all my books to perish thereafter.... most willingly i will leave the honor of greater things to others, and not at all will i be ashamed of preaching and writing german to the untaught laity." since luther had dedicated the afore-mentioned tessaradecas consolatoria to the reigning prince, he now, probably on spalatin's recommendation, dedicated the treatise on good works to his brother john, who afterward, in 1525, succeeded frederick in the electorate. there was probably good reason for dedicating the book to a member of the reigning house. princes have reason to take a special interest in the fact that preaching on good works should occur within their realm, for the safety and sane development of their kingdom depend largely upon the cultivation of morality on the part of their subjects. time and again the papal church had commended herself to princes and statesmen by her emphatic teaching of good works. luther, on the other hand, had been accused--like the apostle paul before him (rom. 3 31)--that the zealous performance of good works had abated, that the bonds of discipline had slackened and that, as a necessary consequence, lawlessness and shameless immorality were being promoted by his doctrine of justification by faith alone. before 1517 the rumor had already spread that luther intended to do away with good works. duke george of saxony had received no good impression from a sermon luther had delivered at dresden, because he feared the consequences which luther's doctrine of justification by faith alone might have upon the morals of the masses. under these circumstances it would not have been surprising if a member of the electoral house should harbor like scruples, especially since the full comprehension of luther's preaching on good works depended on an evangelical understanding of faith, as deep as was luther's own. the middle ages had differentiated between fides informis, a formless faith, and fides formata or informata, a formed or ornate faith. the former was held to be a knowledge without any life or effect, the latter to be identical with love for, as they said, love which proves itself and is effective in good works must be added to the formless faith, as its complement and its content, well pleasing to god. in luther's time every one who was seriously interested in religious questions was reared under the influence of these ideas. now, since luther had opposed the doctrine of justification by love and its good works, he was in danger of being misunderstood by strangers, as though he held the bare knowledge and assent to be sufficient for justification, and such preaching would indeed have led to frivolity and disorderly conduct. but even apart from the question whether or not the brother of the elector was disturbed by such scruples, luther must have welcomed the opportunity, when the summons came to him, to dedicate his book of good works to a member of the electoral house. at any rate the book could serve to acquaint him with the thoughts of his much-abused pastor and professor at wittenberg, for never before had luther expressed himself on the important question of good works in such a fundamental, thorough and profound way. 2. the contents of the work.--a perusal of the contents shows that the book, in the course of its production, attained a greater length than was originally intended. to this fact it must be attributed that a new numeration of sections begins with the argument on the third commandment, and is repeated at every commandment thereafter, while before this the sections were consecutively numbered. but in spite of this, the plan of the whole is clear and lucid. evidently the whole treatise is divided into two parts: the first comprising sections 1-17, while the second comprises all the following sections. the first, being fundamental, is the more important part. luther well knew of the charges made against him that "faith is so highly elevated" and "works are rejected" by him; but he knew, too, that "neither silver, gold and precious stone, nor any other precious thing had experienced so much augmentation and diminution" as had good works "which should all have but one simple goodness, or they are nothing but color, glitter and deception." but especially was he aware of the fact that the church was urging nothing but the so-called self-elected works, such as "running to the convent, singing, reading, playing the organ, saying the mass, praying matins, vespers, and other hours, founding and ornamenting churches, altars, convents, gathering chimes, jewels, vestments, gems and treasures, going to rome and to the saints, curtsying and bowing the knees, praying the rosary and the psalter," etc., and that she designated these alone as truly good works, while she represented the faithful performance of the duties of one's calling as a morality of a lower order. for these reasons it is luther's highest object in this treatise to make it perfectly clear what is the essence of good works. whenever the essence of good works has been understood, then the accusations against him will quickly collapse. in the fundamental part he therefore argues: "truly good works are not self-elected works of monastic or any other holiness, but such only as god has commanded, and as are comprehended within the bounds of one's particular calling, and all works, let their name be what it may, become good only when they flow from faith, the first, greatest, and noblest of good works." (john 6:29.) in this connection the essence of faith, that only source of all truly good works, must of course be rightly understood. it is the sure confidence in god, that all my doing is wellpleasing to him; it is trust in his mercy, even though he appears angry and puts sufferings and adversities upon us; it is the assurance of the divine good will even though "god should reprove the conscience with sin, death and hell, and deny it all grace and mercy, as though he would condemn and show his wrath eternally." where such faith lives in the heart, there the works are good "even though they were as insignificant as the picking up of a straw"; but where it is wanting, there are only such works as "heathen, jew and turk" may have and do. where such faith possesses the man, he needs no teacher in good works, as little as does the husband or the wife, who only look for love and favor from one another, nor need any instruction therein "how they are to stand toward each other, what they are to do, to leave undone, to say, to leave unsaid, to think." this faith, luther continues, is "the true fulfilment of the first commandment, apart from which there is no work that could do justice to this commandment." with this sentence he combines, on the one hand, the whole argument on faith, as the best and noblest of good works, with his opening proposition (there are no good works besides those commanded of god), and, on the other hand, he prepares the way for the following argument, wherein he proposes to exhibit the good works according to the ten commandments. for the first commandment does not forbid this and that, nor does it require this and that; it forbids but one thing, unbelief; it requires but one thing, faith, "that confidence in god's good will at all times." without this faith the best works are as nothing, and if man should think that by them he could be well-pleasing to god, he would be lowering god to the level of a "broker or a laborer who will not dispense his grace and kindness gratis." this understanding of faith and good works, so luther now addresses his opponents, should in fairness be kept in view by those who accuse him of declaiming against good works, and they should learn from it, that though he has preached against "good works," it was against such as are falsely so called and as contribute toward the confusion of consciences, because they are self-elected, do not flow from faith, and are done with the pretension of doing works well-pleasing to god. this brings us to the end of the fundamental part of the treatise. it was not luther's intention, however, to speak only on the essence of good works and their fundamental relation to faith; he would show, too, how the "best work," faith, must prove itself in every way a living faith, according to the other commandments. luther does not proceed to this part, however, until in the fundamental part he has said with emphasis, that the believer, the spiritual man, needs no such instruction (i. timothy 1:9), but that he of his own accord and at all times does good works "as his faith, his confidence, teaches him." only "because we do not all have such faith, or are unmindful of it," does such instruction become necessary. nor does he proceed until he has applied his oft repeated words concerning the relation of faith to good works to the relation of the first to the other commandments. from the fact, that according to the first commandment, we acquire a pure heart and confidence toward god, he derives the good work of the second commandment, namely, "to praise god, to acknowledge his grace, to render all honor to him alone." from the same source he derives the good work of the third commandment, namely, "to observe divine services with prayer and the hearing of preaching, to incline the imagination of our hearts toward god's benefits, and, to that end, to mortify and overcome the flesh." from the same source he derives the works of the second table. the argument on the third and fourth commandments claims nearly one-half of the entire treatise. among the good works which, according to the third commandment, should be an exercise and proof of faith, luther especially mentions the proper hearing of mass and of preaching, common prayer, bodily discipline and the mortification of the flesh, and he joins the former and the latter by an important fundamental discussion of the new testament conception of sabbath rest. luther discusses the fourth commandment as fully as the third. the exercise of faith, according to this commandment, consists in the faithful performance of the duties of children toward their parents, of parents toward their children, and of subordinates toward their superiors in the ecclesiastical as well as in the common civil sphere. the various duties issue from the various callings, for faithful performance of the duties of one's calling, with the help of god and for god's sake, is the true "good work." as he now proceeds to speak of the spiritual powers, the government of the church, he frankly reveals their faults and demands a reform of the present rulers. honor and obedience in all things should be rendered unto the church, the spiritual mother, as it is due to natural parents, unless it be contrary to the first three commandments. but as matters stand now the spiritual magistrates neglect their peculiar work, namely, the fostering of godliness and discipline, like a mother who runs away from her children and follows a lover, and instead they undertake strange and evil works, like parents whose commands are contrary to god. in this case members of the church must do as godly children do whose parents have become mad and insane. kings, princes, the nobility, municipalities and communities must begin of their own accord and put a check to these conditions, so that the bishops and the clergy, who are now too timid, may be induced to follow. but even the civil magistrates must also suffer reforms to be enacted in their particular spheres; especially are they called on to do away with the rude "gluttony and drunkenness," luxury in clothing, the usurious sale of rents and the common brothels. this, by divine and human right, is a part of their enjoined works according to the fourth commandment. luther, at last, briefly treats of the second table of the commandments, but in speaking of the works of these commandments he never forgets to point out their relation to faith, thus holding fast this fundamental thought of the book to the end. faith which does not doubt that god is gracious, he says, will find it an easy matter to be graciously and favorably minded toward one's neighbor and to overcome all angry and wrathful desires. in this faith in god the spirit will teach us to avoid unchaste thoughts and thus to keep the sixth commandment. when the heart trusts in the divine favor, it cannot seek after the temporal goods of others, nor cleave to money, but according to the seventh commandment, will use it with cheerful liberality for the benefit of the neighbor. where such confidence is present there is also a courageous, strong and intrepid heart, which will at all times defend the truth, as the eighth commandment demands, whether neck or coat be at stake, whether it be against pope or kings. where such faith is present there is also strife against the evil lust, as forbidden in the ninth and tenth commandments, and that even unto death. 3. the importance of the work.--inquiring now into the importance of the book, we note that luther's impression evidently was perfectly correct, when he wrote to spalatin, long before its completion--as early as march 2 5.--that he believed it to be better than anything he had heretofore written. the book, indeed, surpasses all his previous german writings in volume, as well as all his latin and german ones in clearness, richness and the fundamental importance of its content. in comparison with the prevalent urging of self-elected works of monkish holiness, which had arisen from a complete misunderstanding of the so-called evangelical counsels (comp. esp. matthew 19:16-22) and which were at that time accepted as self-evident and zealously urged by the whole church, luther's argument must have appeared to all thoughtful and earnest souls as a revelation, when he so clearly amplified the proposition that only those works are to be regarded as good works which god has commanded, and that therefore, not the abandoning of one's earthly calling, but the faithful keeping of the ten commandments in the course of one's calling, is the work which god requires of us. over against the wide-spread opinion, as though the will of god as declared in the ten commandments referred only to the outward work always especially mentioned, luther's argument must have called to mind the explanation of the law, which the lord had given in the sermon on the mount, when he taught men to recognize only the extreme point and manifestation of a whole trend of thought in the work prohibited by the text, and when he directed christians not to rest in the keeping of the literal requirement of each commandment, but from this point of vantage to inquire into the whole depth and breadth of god's will--positively and negatively--and to do his will in its full extent as the heart has perceived it. though this thought may have been occasionally expressed in the expositions of the ten commandments which appeared at the dawn of the reformation, still it had never before been so clearly recognized as the only correct principle, much less had it been so energetically carried out from beginning to end, as is done in this treatise. over against the deep-rooted view that the works of love must bestow upon faith its form, its content and its worth before god, it must have appeared as the dawn of a new era (galatians 3:22-25) when luther in this treatise declared, and with victorious certainty carried out the thought, that it is true faith which invests the works, even the best and greatest of works, with their content and worth before god. this proposition, which luther here amplifies more clearly than ever before, demanded nothing less than a breach with the whole of prevalent religious views, and at that time must have been perceived as the discovery of a new world, though it was no more than a return to the clear teaching of the new testament scriptures concerning the way of salvation. this, too, accounts for the fact that in this writing the accusation is more impressively repelled than before, that the doctrine of justification by faith alone resulted in moral laxity, and that, on the other hand, the fundamental and radical importance of righteousness by faith for the whole moral life is revealed in such a heart-refreshing manner. luther's appeal in this treatise to kings, princes, the nobility, municipalities and communities, to declare against the misuse of spiritual powers and to abolish various abuses in civil life, marks this treatise as a forerunner of the great reformation writings, which appeared in the same year (1520), while, on the other hand, his espousal of the rights of the "poor man"--to be met with here for the first time--shows that the monk of witttenberg, coming from the narrow limits of the convent, had an intimate and sympathetic knowledge of the social needs of his time. thus he proved by his own example that to take a stand in the center of the gospel does not narrow the vision nor harden the heart, but rather produces courage in the truth and sympathy for all manner of misery. luther's contemporaries at once recognized the great importance of the treatise, for within the period of seven months it passed through eight editions; these were followed by six more editions between the years of 1521 and 1525; in 1521 it was translated into latin, and in this form passed through three editions up to the year 1525; and all this in spite of the fact that in those years the so-called three great reformation writings of 1520 were casting all else into the shadow. melanchthon, in a contemporaneous letter to john hess, called it luther's best book. john mathesius, the well-known pastor at joachimsthal and luther's biographer, acknowledged that he had learned the "rudiments of christianity" from it. even to-day this book has its peculiar mission to the church. the seeking after self-elected works, the indolence regarding the works commanded of god, the foolish opinion, that the path of works leads to god's grace and good-will, are even to-day widely prevalent within the kingdom of god. to all this luther's treatise answers: be diligent in the works of your earthly calling as commanded of god, but only after having first strengthened, by the consideration of god's mercy, the faith within you, which is the only source of all truly good works and well-pleasing to god. m. reu. wartburg seminary, dubuque, iowa. treatise on good works 1520 dedication jesus to the illustrious, high-born prince and lord, john duke of saxony, landgrave of thuringia, margrave of meissen, my gracious lord and patron. illustrious, high-born prince, gracious lord! my humble duty and my feeble prayer for your grace always remembered! for a long time, gracious prince and lord, i have wished to show my humble respect and duty toward your princely grace, by the exhibition of some such spiritual wares as are at my disposal; but i have always considered my powers too feeble to undertake anything worthy of being offered to your princely grace. since, however, my most gracious lord frederick, duke of saxony, elector and vicar of the holy roman empire, your grace's brother, has not despised, but graciously accepted my slight book, dedicated to his electoral grace, and now published--though such was not my intention, i have taken courage from his gracious example and ventured to think that the princely spirit, like the princely blood, may be the same in both of you, especially in gracious kindness and good will. i have hoped that your princely grace likewise would not despise this my humble offering which i have felt more need of publishing than an other of my sermons or tracts. for the greatest of all questions has been raised, the question of good works; in which is practised immeasurably more trickery and deception than in anything else, and in which the simpleminded man is so easily misled that our lord christ has commanded us to watch carefully for the sheep's clothings under which the wolves hide themselves. neither silver, gold, precious stones, nor any rare thing has such manifold alloys and flaws as have good works, which ought to have a single simple goodness, and without it are mere color, show and deceit. and although i know and daily hear many people, who think slightingly of my poverty, and say that i write only little pamphlets and german sermons for the unlearned laity, this shall not disturb me. would to god i had in all my life, with all the ability i have, helped one layman to be better! i would be satisfied, thank god, and be quite willing then to let all my little books perish. whether the making of many great books is an art and a benefit to the church, i leave others to judge. but i believe that if i were minded to make great books according to their art, i could, with god's help, do it more readily perhaps than they could prepare a little discourse after my fashion. if accomplishment were as easy as persecution, christ would long since have been cast out of heaven again, and god's throne itself overturned. although we cannot all be writers, we all want to be critics. i will most gladly leave to any one else the honor of greater things, and not be at all ashamed to preach and to write in german for the unlearned laymen. although i too have little skill in it, i believe that if we had hitherto done, and should henceforth do more of it, christendom would have reaped no small advantage, and have been more bene fited by this than by the great, deep books and quaestiones, which are used only in the schools, among the learned. then, too, i have never forced or begged any one to hear me, or to read my sermons. i have freely ministered in the church of that which god has given me and which i owe the church. whoever likes it not, may hear and read what others have to say. and if they are not willing to be my debtors, it matters little. for me it is enough, and even more than too much, that some laymen condescend to read what i say. even though there were nothing else to urge me, it should be more than sufficient that i have learned that your princely grace is pleased with such german books and is eager to receive instruction in good works and the faith, with which instruction it was my duty, humbly and with all diligence to serve you. therefore, in dutiful humility i pray that your princely grace may accept this offering of mine with a gracious mind, until, if god grant me time, i prepare a german exposition of the faith in its entirety. for at this time i have wished to show how in all good works we should practice and make use of faith, and let faith be the chief work. if god permit, i will treat at another time of the faith itself--how we are daily to pray or recite it. i humbly commend myself herewith to your princely grace, your princely grace's humble chaplain, dr. martin luther. from wittenberg, march 29th, a. d. 1520. the treatise i. we ought first to know that there are no good works except those which god has commanded, even as there is no sin except that which god has forbidden. therefore whoever wishes to know and to do good works needs nothing else than to know god's commandments. thus christ says, matthew xix, "if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." and when the young man asks him, matthew xix, what he shall do that he may inherit eternal life, christ sets before him naught else but the ten commandments. accordingly, we must learn how to distinguish among good works from the commandments of god, and not from the appearance, the magnitude, or the number of the works themselves, nor from the judgment of men or of human law or custom, as we see has been done and still is done, because we are blind and despise the divine commandments. ii. the first and highest, the most precious of all good works is faith in christ, as he says, john vi. when the jews asked him: "what shall we do that we may work the works of god?" he answered: "this is the work of god, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." when we hear or preach this word, we hasten over it and deem it a very little thing and easy to do, whereas we ought here to pause a long time and to ponder it well. for in this work all good works must be done and receive from it the inflow of their goodness, like a loan. this we must put bluntly, that men may understand it. we find many who pray, fast, establish endowments, do this or that, lead a good life before men, and yet if you should ask them whether they are sure that what they do pleases god, they say, "no"; they do not know, or they doubt. and there are some very learned men, who mislead them, and say that it is not necessary to be sure of this; and yet, on the other hand, these same men do nothing else but teach good works. now all these works are done outside of faith, therefore they are nothing and altogether dead. for as their conscience stands toward god and as it believes, so also are the works which grow out of it. now they have no faith, no good conscience toward god, therefore the works lack their head, and all their life and goodness is nothing. hence it comes that when i exalt faith and reject such works done without faith, they accuse me of forbidding good works, when in truth i am trying hard to teach real good works of faith. iii. if you ask further, whether they count it also a good work when they work at their trade, walk, stand, eat, drink, sleep, and do all kinds of works for the nourishment of the body or for the common welfare, and whether they believe that god takes pleasure in them because of such works, you will find that they say, "no"; and they define good works so narrowly that they are made to consist only of praying in church, fasting, and almsgiving. other works they consider to be in vain, and think that god cares nothing for them. so through their damnable unbelief they curtail and lessen the service of god, who is served by all things whatsoever that are done, spoken or thought in faith. so teaches ecclesiastes ix: "go thy way with joy, eat and drink, and know that god accepteth thy works. let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment. live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity." "let thy garments be always white," that is, let all our works be good, whatever they may be, without any distinction. and they are white when i am certain and believe that they please god. then shall the head of my soul never lack the ointment of a joyful conscience. so christ says, john viii: "i do always those things that please him." and st. john says, i. john iii: "hereby we know that we are of the truth, if we can comfort our hearts before him and have a good confidence. and if our heart condemns or frets us, god is greater than our heart, and we have confidence, that whatsoever we ask, we shall receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight." again: "whosoever is born of god, that is, whoever believes and trusts god, doth not commit sin, and cannot sin." again, psalm xxxiv: "none of them that trust in him shall do sin." and in psalm ii: "blessed are all they that put their trust in him." if this be true, then all that they do must be good, or the evil that they do must be quickly forgiven. behold, then, why i exalt faith so greatly, draw all works into it, and reject all works which do not flow from it. iv. now every one can note and tell for himself when he does what is good or what is not good; for if he finds his heart confident that it pleases god, the work is good, even if it were so small a thing as picking up a straw. if confidence is absent, or if he doubts, the work is not good, although it should raise all the dead and the man should give himself to be burned. this is the teaching of st. paul, romans xiv: "whatsoever is not done of or in faith is sin." faith, as the chief work, and no other work, has given us the name of "believers on christ." for all other works a heathen, a jew, a turk, a sinner, may also do; but to trust firmly that he pleases god, is possible only for a christian who is enlightened and strengthened by grace. that these words seem strange, and that some call me a heretic because of them, is due to the fact that men have followed blind reason and heathen ways, have set faith not above, but beside other virtues, and have given it a work of its own, apart from all works of the other virtues; although faith alone makes all other works good, acceptable and worthy, in that it trusts god and does not doubt that for it all things that a man does are well done. indeed, they have not let faith remain a work, but have made a habitus of it, as they say, although scripture gives the name of a good, divine work to no work except to faith alone. therefore it is no wonder that they have become blind and leaders of the blind. and this faith brings with it at once love, peace, joy and hope. for god gives his spirit at once to him who trusts him, as st. paul says to the galatians: "you received the spirit not because of your good works, but when you believed the word of god." v. in this faith all works become equal, and one is like the other; all distinctions between works fall away, whether they be great, small, short, long, few or many. for the works are acceptable not for their own sake, but because of the faith which alone is, works and lives in each and every work without distinction, however numerous and various they are, just as all the members of the body live, work and have their name from the head, and without the head no member can live, work and have a name. from which it further follows that a christian who lives in this faith has no need of a teacher of good works, but whatever he finds to do he does, and all is well done; as samuel said to saul: "the spirit of the lord will come upon thee, and thou shalt be turned into another man; then do thou as occasion serves thee; for god is with thee." so also we read of st. anna, samuel's mother: "when she believed the priest eli who promised her god's grace, she went home in joy and peace, and from that time no more turned hither and thither," that is, whatever occurred, it was all one to her. st. paul also says: "where the spirit of christ is, there all is free." for faith does not permit itself to be bound to any work, nor does it allow any work to be taken from it, but, as the first psalm says, "he bringeth forth his fruit in his season," that is, as a matter of course. vi. this we may see in a common human example. when a man and a woman love and are pleased with each other, and thoroughly believe in their love, who teaches them how they are to behave, what they are to do, leave undone, say, not say, think? confidence alone teaches them all this, and more. they make no difference in works: they do the great, the long, the much, as gladly as the small, the short, the little, and vice versa; and that too with joyful, peaceful, confident hearts, and each is a free companion of the other. but where there is a doubt, search is made for what is best; then a distinction of works is imagined whereby a man may win favor; and yet he goes about it with a heavy heart, and great disrelish; he is, as it were, taken captive, more than half in despair, and often makes a fool of himself. so a christian who lives in this confidence toward god, a knows all things, can do all things, undertakes all things that are to be done, and does everything cheerfully and freely; not that he may gather many merits and good works, but because it is a pleasure for him to please god thereby, and he serves god purely for nothing, content that his service pleases god. on the other hand, he who is not at one with god, or doubts, hunts and worries in what way he may do enough and with many works move god. he runs to st. james of compostella, to rome, to jerusalem, hither and yon, prays st. bridget's prayer and the rest, fasts on this day and on that, makes confession here, and makes confession there, questions this man and that, and yet finds no peace. he does all this with great effort, despair and disrelish of heart, so that the scriptures rightly call such works in hebrew avenama, that is, labor and travail. and even then they are not good works, and are all lost. many have been crazed thereby; their fear has brought them into all manner of misery. of these it is written, wisdom of solomon v: "we have wearied ourselves in the wrong way; and have gone through deserts, where there lay no way; but as for the way of the lord, we have not known it, and the sun of righteousness rose not upon us." vii. in these works faith is still slight and weak; let us ask further, whether they believe that they are well-pleasing to god when they suffer in body, property, honor, friends, or whatever they have, and believe that god of his mercy appoints their sufferings and difficulties for them, whether they be small or great. this is real strength, to trust in god when to all our senses and reason he appears to be angry; and to have greater confidence in him than we feel. here he is hidden, as the bride says in the song of songs: "behold he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows"; that is, he stands hidden among the sufferings, which would separate us from him like a wall, yea, like a wall of stone, and yet he looks upon me and does not leave me, for he is standing and is ready graciously to help, and through the window of dim faith he permits himself to be seen. and jeremiah says in lamentations, "he casts off men, but he does it not willingly." this faith they do not know at all, and give up, thinking that god has forsaken them and is become their enemy; they even lay the blame of their ills on men and devils, and have no confidence at all in god. for this reason, too, their suffering is always an offence and harmful to them, and yet they go and do some good works, as they think, and are not aware of their unbelief. but they who in such suffering trust god and retain a good, firm confidence in him, and believe that he is pleased with them, these see in their sufferings and afflictions nothing but precious merits and the rarest possessions, the value of which no one can estimate. for faith and confidence make precious before god all that which others think most shameful, so that it is written even of death in psalm cxvi, "precious in the sight of the lord is the death of his saints." and just as the confidence and faith are better, higher and stronger at this stage than in the first stage, so and to the same degree do the sufferings which are borne in this faith excel all works of faith. therefore between such works and sufferings there is an immeasurable difference and the sufferings are infinitely better. viii. beyond all this is the highest stage of faith, when; god punishes the conscience not only with temporal sufferings, but with death, hell, and sin, and refuses grace and mercy, as though it were his will to condemn and to be angry eternally. this few men experience, but david cries out in psalm vi, "o lord, rebuke me not in thine anger." to believe at such times that god, in his mercy, is pleased with us, is the highest work that can be done by and in the creature; but of this the work-righteous and doers of good works know nothing at all. for how could they here look for good things and grace from god, as long as they are not certain in their works, and doubt even on the lowest step of faith. in this way i have, as i said, always praised faith, and rejected all works which are done without such faith, in order thereby to lead men from the false, pretentious, pharisaic, unbelieving good works, with which all monastic houses, churches, homes, low and higher classes are overfilled, and lead them to the true, genuine, thoroughly good, believing works. in this no one opposes me except the unclean beasts, which do not divide the hoof, as the law of moses decrees; who will suffer no distinction among good works, but go lumbering along: if only they pray, fast, establish endowments, go to confession, and do enough, everything shall be good, although in all this they have had no faith in god's grace and approval. indeed, they consider the works best of all, when they have done many, great and long works without any such confidence, and they look for good only after the works are done; and so they build their confidence not on divine favor, but on the works they have done, that is, on sand and water, from which they must at last take a cruel fall, as christ says, matthew vii. this good-will and favor, on which our confidence rests, was proclaimed by the angels from heaven, when they sang on christmas night: "gloria in excelsis deo, glory to god in the highest, peace to earth, gracious favor to man." ix. now this is the work of the first commandment, which commands: "thou shalt have no other gods," which means: "since i alone am god, thou shalt place all thy confidence, trust and faith on me alone, and on no one else." for that is not to have a god, if you call him god only with your lips, or worship him with the knees or bodily gestures; but if you trust him with the heart, and look to him for all good, grace and favor, whether in works or sufferings, in life or death, in joy or sorrow; as the lord christ says to the heathen woman, john iv: "i say unto thee, they that worship god must worship him in spirit and in truth." and this faith, faithfulness, confidence deep in the heart, is the true fulfilling of the first commandment; without this there is no other work that is able to satisfy this commandment. and as this commandment is the very first, highest and best, from which all the others proceed, in which they exist, and by which they are directed and measured, so also its work, that is, the faith or confidence in god's favor at all times, is the very first, highest and best, from which all others must proceed, exist, remain, be directed and measured. compared with this, other works are just as if the other commandments were without the first, and there were no god, therefore st. augustine well says that the works of the first commandment are faith, hope and love. as i said above, such faith and confidence bring love and hope with them. nay, if we see it aright, love is the first, or comes at the same instant with faith. for i could not trust god, if i did not think that he wished to be favorable and to love me, which leads me, in turn, to love him and to trust him heartily and to look to him for all good things. x. now you see for yourself that all those who do not at at all times trust god and do not in all their works or sufferings, life and death, trust in his favor, grace and good-will, but seek his favor in other things or in themselves, do not keep this commandment, and practise real idolatry, even if they were to do the works of all the other commandments, and in addition had all the prayers, fasting, obedience, patience, chastity, and innocence of all the saints combined. for the chief work is not present, without which all the others are nothing but mere sham, show and pretence, with nothing back of them; against which christ warns us, matthew vii: "beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing." such are all who wish with their many good works, as they say, to make god favorable to themselves, and to buy god's grace from him, as if he were a huckster or a day-laborer, unwilling to give his grace and favor for nothing. these are the most perverse people on earth, who will hardly or never be converted to the right way. such too are all who in adversity run hither and thither, and look for counsel and help everywhere except from god, from whom they are most urgently commanded to seek it; whom the prophet isaiah reproves thus, isaiah ix: "the mad people turneth not to him that smiteth them"; that is, god smote them and sent them sufferings and all kinds of adversity, that they should run to him and trust him. but they run away from him to men, now to egypt, now to assyria, perchance also to the devil; and of such idolatry much is written in the same prophet and in the books of the kings. this is also the way of all holy hypocrites when they are in trouble: they do not run to god, but flee from him, and only think of how they may get rid of their trouble through their own efforts or through human help, and yet they consider themselves and let others consider them pious people. xi. this is what st. paul means in many places, where he ascribes so much to faith, that he says: justus ex fide sua vivit, "the righteous man draws his life out of his faith," and faith is that because of which he is counted righteous before god. if righteousness consists of faith, it is clear that faith fulfils all commandments and makes all works righteous, since no one is justified except he keep all the commands of god. again, the works can justify no one before god without faith. so utterly and roundly does the apostle reject works and praise faith, that some have taken offence at his words and say: "well, then, we will do no more good works," although he condemns such men as erring and foolish. so men still do. when we reject the great, pretentious works of our time, which are done entirely without faith, they say: men are only to believe and not to do anything good. for nowadays they say that the works of the first commandment are singing, reading, organ-playing, reading the mass, saying matins and vespers and the other hours, the founding and decorating of churches, altars, and monastic houses, the gathering of bells, jewels, garments, trinkets and treasures, running to rome and to the saints. further, when we are dressed up and bow, kneel, pray the rosary and the psalter, and all this not before an idol, but before the holy cross of god or the pictures of his saints: this we call honoring and worshiping god, and, according to the first commandment, "having no other gods"; although these things usurers, adulterers and all manner of sinners can do too, and do them daily. of course, if these things are done with such faith that we believe that they please god, then they are praiseworthy, not because of their virtue, but because of such faith, for which all works are of equal value, as has been said. but if we doubt or do not believe that god is gracious to us and is pleased with us, or if we presumptuously expect to please him only through and after our works, then it is all pure deception, outwardly honoring god, but inwardly setting up self as a false god. this is the reason why i have so often spoken against the display, magnificence and multitude of such works and have rejected them, because it is as clear as day that they are not only done in doubt or without faith, but there is not one in a thousand who does not set his confidence upon the works, expecting by them to win god's favor and anticipate his grace; and so they make a fair of them, a thing which god cannot endure, since he has promised his grace freely, and wills that we begin by trusting that grace, and in it perform all works, whatever they may be. xii. note for yourself, then, how far apart these two are: keeping the first commandment with outward works only, and keeping it with inward trust. for this last makes true, living children of god, the other only makes worse idolatry and the most mischievous hypocrites on earth, who with their apparent righteousness lead unnumbered people into their way, and yet allow them to be without faith, so that they are miserably misled, and are caught in the pitiable babbling and mummery. of such christ says, matthew xxiv: "beware, if any man shall say unto you, lo, here is christ, or there"; and john iv: "i say unto thee, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain nor yet at jerusalem worship god, for the father seeketh spiritual worshipers." these and similar passages have moved me and ought to move everyone to reject the great display of bulls, seals, flags, indulgences, by which the poor folk are led to build churches, to give, to endow, to pray, and yet faith is not mentioned, and is even suppressed. for since faith knows no distinction among works, such exaltation and urging of one work above another cannot exist beside faith. for faith desires to be the only service of god, and will grant this name and honor to no other work, except in so far as faith imparts it, as it does when the work is done in faith and by faith. this perversion is indicated in the old testament, when the jews left the temple and sacrificed at other places, in the green parks and on the mountains. this is what these men also do: they are zealous to do all works, but this chief work of faith they regard not at all. xiii. where now are they who ask, what works are good; what they shall do; how they shall be religious? yes, and where are they who say that when we preach of faith, we shall neither teach nor do works? does not this first commandment give us more work to do than any man can do? if a man were a thousand men, or all men, or all creatures, this commandment would yet ask enough of him, and more than enough, since he is commanded to live and walk at all times in faith and confidence toward god, to place such faith in no one else, and so to have only one, the true god, and none other. now, since the being and nature of man cannot for an instant be without doing or not doing something, enduring or running away from something (for, as we see, life never rests), let him who will be pious and filled with good works, begin and in all his life and works at all times exercise himself in this faith; let him learn to do and to leave undone all things in such continual faith; then will he find how much work he has to do, and how completely all things are included in faith; how he dare never grow idle, because his very idling must be the exercise and work of faith. in brief, nothing can be in or about us and nothing can happen to us but that it must be good and meritorious, if we believe (as we ought) that all things please god. so says st. paul: "dear brethren, all that ye do, whether ye eat or drink, do all in the name of jesus christ, our lord." now it cannot be done in this name except it be done in this faith. likewise, romans vii: "we know that all things work together for good to the saints of god." therefore, when some say that good works are forbidden when we preach faith alone, it is as if i said to a sick man: "if you had health, you would have the use of all your limbs; but without health, the works of all your limbs are nothing"; and he wanted to infer that i had forbidden the works of all his limbs; whereas, on the contrary, i meant that he must first have health, which will work all the works of all the members. so faith also must be in all works the master-workman and captain, or they are nothing at all. xiv. you might say: "why then do we have so many laws of the church and of the state, and many ceremonies of churches, monastic houses, holy places, which urge and tempt men to good works, if faith does all things through the first commandment?" i answer: simply because we do not all have faith or do not heed it. if every man had faith, we would need no more laws, but every one would of himself at all times do good works, as his confidence in god teaches him. but now there are four kinds of men: the first, just mentioned, who need no law, of whom st. paul says, i. timothy i, "the law is not made for a righteous man," that is, for the believer, but believers of themselves do what they know and can do, only because they firmly trust that god's favor and grace rests upon them in all things. the second class want to abuse this freedom, put a false confidence in it, and grow lazy; of whom st. peter says, i. peter ii, "ye shall live as free men, but not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness," as if he said: the freedom of faith does not permit sins, nor will it cover them, but it sets us free to do all manner of good works and to endure all things as they happen to us, so that a man is not bound only to one work or to a few. so also st. paul, galatians v: "use not your liberty for an occasion to the flesh." such men must be urged by laws and hemmed in by teaching and exhortation. the third class are wicked men, always ready for sins; these must be constrained by spiritual and temporal laws, like wild horses and dogs, and where this does not help, they must be put to death by the worldly sword, as st. paul says, romans xiii: "the worldly ruler bears the sword, and serves god with it, not as a terror to the good, but to the evil." the fourth class, who are still lusty, and childish in their understanding of faith and of the spiritual life, must be coaxed like young children and tempted with external, definite and prescribed decorations, with reading, praying, fasting, singing, adorning of churches, organ playing, and such other things as are commanded and observed in monastic houses and churches, until they also learn to know the faith. although there is great danger here, when the rulers, as is now, alas! the case, busy themselves with and insist upon such ceremonies and external works as if they were the true works, and neglect faith, which they ought always to teach along with these works, just as a mother gives her child other food along with the milk, until the child can eat the strong food by itself. xv. since, then, we are not all alike, we must tolerate such people, share their observances and burdens, and not despise them, but teach them the true way of faith. so st. paul teaches, romans xiv: "him that is weak in the faith receive ye, to teach him." and so he did himself, i. corinthians ix: "to them that are under the law, i became as under the law, although i was not under the law." and christ, matthew xvii, when he was asked to pay tribute, which he was not obligated to pay, argues with st. peter, whether the children of kings must give tribute, or only other people. st. peter answers: "only other people." christ said: "then are the children of kings free; notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and in his mouth thou shalt find a piece of money; take that and give it for me and thee." here we see that all works and things are free to a christian through his faith; and yet, because the others do not yet believe, he observes and bears with them what he is not obligated to do. but this he does freely, for he is certain that this is pleasing to god, and he does it willingly, accepts it as any other free work which comes to his hand without his choice, because he desires and seeks no more than that he may in his faith do works to please god. but since in this discourse we have undertaken to teach what righteous and good works are, and are now speaking of the highest work, it is clear that we do not speak of the second, third and fourth classes of men, but of the first, into whose likeness all the others are to grow, and until they do so the first class must endure and instruct them. therefore we must not despise, as if they were hopeless, these men of weak faith, who would gladly do right and learn, and yet cannot understand because of the ceremonies to which they cling; we must rather blame their ignorant, blind teachers, who have never taught them the faith, and have led them so deeply into works. they must be gently and gradually led back again to faith, as a sick man is treated, and must be allowed for a time, for their conscience sake, to cling to some works and do them as necessary to salvation, so long as they rightly grasp the faith; lest if we try to tear them out so suddenly, their weak consciences be quite shattered and confused, and retain neither faith nor works. but the hardheaded, who, hardened in their works, give no heed to what is said of faith, and fight against it, these we must, as christ did and taught, let go their way, that the blind may lead the blind. xvi. but you say: how can i trust surely that all my works are pleasing to god, when at times i fall, and talk, eat, drink and sleep too much, or otherwise transgress, as i cannot help doing? answer: this question shows that you still regard faith as a work among other works, and do not set it above all works. for it is the highest work for this very reason, because it remains and blots out these daily sins by not doubting that god is so kind to you as to wink at such daily transgression and weakness. aye, even if a deadly sin should occur (which, however, never or rarely happens to those who live in faith and trust toward god), yet faith rises again and does not doubt that its sin is already gone; as it is written i. john ii: "my little children, these things i write unto you, that ye sin not. and if any man sin, we have an advocate with god the father, jesus christ, who is the propitiation of all our sins." and wisdom xv: "for if we sin, we are thine, knowing thy power." and proverbs xxiv: "for a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again." yes, this confidence and faith must be so high and strong that the man knows that all his life and works are nothing but damnable sins before god's judgment, as it is written, psalm cxliii: "in thy sight shall no man living be justified"; and he must entirely despair of his works, believing that they cannot be good except through this faith, which looks for no judgment, but only for pure grace, favor, kindness and mercy, like david, psalm xxvi: "thy loving kindness is ever before mine eyes, and i have trusted in thy truth"; psalm iv: "the light of thy countenance is lift up upon us (that is, the knowledge of thy grace through faith), and thereby hast thou put gladness in my heart"; for as faith trusts, so it receives. see, thus are works forgiven, are without guilt and are good, not by their own nature, but by the mercy and grace of god because of the faith which trusts on the mercy of god. therefore we must fear because of the works, but comfort ourselves because of the grace of god, as it is written, psalm cxlvii: "the lord taketh pleasure in them that i fear him, in those that hope in his mercy." so we pray with perfect confidence: "our father," and yet petition: "forgive us our trespasses"; we are children and yet sinners; are acceptable and yet do not do enough; and all this is the work of faith, firmly grounded in god's grace. xvii. but if you ask, where the faith and the confidence can be found and whence they come, this it is certainly most necessary to know. first: without doubt faith does not come from your works or merit, but alone from jesus christ, and is freely promised and given; as st. paul writes, romans v: "god commendeth his love to us as exceeding sweet and kindly, in that, while we were yet sinners, christ died for us"; as if he said: "ought not this give us a strong unconquerable confidence, that before we prayed or cared for it, yes, while we still continually walked in sins, christ dies for our sin?" st. paul concludes: "if while we were yet sinners christ died for us, how much more then, being justified by his blood, shall we be saved from wrath through him; and if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to god by the death of his son, much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life." lo! thus must thou form christ within thyself and see how in him god holds before thee and offers thee his mercy without any previous merits of thine own, and from such a view of his grace must thou draw faith and confidence of the forgiveness of all thy sins. faith, therefore, does not begin with works, neither do they create it, but it must spring up and flow from the blood, wounds and death of christ. if thou see in these that god is so kindly affectioned toward thee that he gives even his son for thee, then thy heart also must in its turn grow sweet and kindly affectioned toward god, and so thy confidence must grow out of pure good-will and love--god's love toward thee and thine toward god. we never read that the holy spirit was given to any one when he did works, but always when men have heard the gospel of christ and the mercy of god. from this same word and from no other source must faith still come, even in our day and always. for christ is the rock out of which men suck oil and honey, as moses says, deuteronomy xxxii. xviii. so far we have treated of the first work and of the first commandment, but very briefly, plainly and hastily, for very much might be said of it. we will now trace the works farther through the following commandments. the second work, next to faith, is the work of the second commandment, that we shall honor god's name and not take it in vain. this, like all the other works, cannot be done without faith; and if it is done without faith, it is all sham and show. after faith we can do no greater work than to praise, preach, sing and in every way exalt and magnify god's glory, honor and name. and although i have said above, and it is true, that there is no difference in works where faith is and does the work, yet this is true only when they are compared with faith and its works. measured by one another there is a difference, and one is higher than the other. just as in the body the members do not differ when compared with health, and health works in the one as much as in the other; yet the works of the members are different, and one is higher, nobler, more useful than the other; so, here also, to praise god's glory and name is better than the works of the other commandments which follow; and yet it must be done in the same faith as all the others. but i know well that this work is lightly esteemed, and has indeed become unknown. therefore we must examine it further, and will say no more about the necessity of doing it in the faith and confidence that it pleases god. indeed there is no work in which confidence and faith are so much experienced and felt as in honoring god's name; and it greatly helps to strengthen and increase faith, although all works also help to do this, as st. peter says, ii. peter i: "wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence through good works to make your calling and election sure." xix. the first commandment forbids us to have other gods, and thereby commands that we have a god, the true god, by a firm faith, trust, confidence, hope and love, which are the only works whereby a man can have, honor and keep a god; for by no other work can one find or lose god except by faith or unbelief, by trusting or doubting; of the other works none reaches quite to god. so also in the second commandment we are forbidden to use his name in vain. yet this is not to be enough, but we are thereby also commanded to honor, call upon, glorify, preach and praise his name. and indeed it is impossible that god's name should not be dishonored where it is not rightly honored. for although it be honored with the lips, bending of the knees, kissing and other postures, if this is not done in the heart by faith, in confident trust in god's grace, it is nothing else than an evidence and badge of hypocrisy. see now, how many kinds of good works a man can do under this commandment at all times and never be without the good works of this commandment, if he will; so that he truly need not make a long pilgrimage or seek holy places. for, tell me, what moment can pass in which we do not without ceasing receive god's blessings, or, on the other hand, suffer adversity? but what else are god's blessings and adversities than a constant urging and stirring up to praise, honor, and bless god, and to call upon his name? now if you had nothing else at all to do, would you not have enough to do with this commandment alone, that you without ceasing bless, sing, praise and honor god's name? and for what other purpose have tongue, voice, language and mouth been created? as psalm li. says: "lord, open thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise." again: "my tongue shall sing aloud of thy mercy." what work is there in heaven except that of this second commandment? as it is written in psalm lxxxiv: "blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be for ever praising thee." so also david says in psalm xxxiv: "god's praise shall be continually in my mouth." and st. paul, i. corinthians x: "whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of god." also colossians iii: "whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the lord jesus, giving thanks to god and the father." if we were to observe this work, we would have a heaven here on earth and always have enough to do, as have the saints in heaven. xx. on this is based the wonderful and righteous judgment of god, that at times a poor man, in whom no one can see many great works, in the privacy of his home joyfully praises god when he fares well, or with entire confidence calls upon him when he fares ill, and thereby does a greater and more acceptable work than another, who fasts much, prays much, endows churches, makes pilgrimages, and burdens himself with great deeds in this place and in that. such a fool opens wide his mouth, looks for great works to do, and is so blinded that he does not at all notice this greatest work, and praising god is in his eyes a very small matter compared with the great idea he has formed of the works of his own devising, in which he perhaps praises himself more than god, or takes more pleasure in them than he does in god; and thus with his good works he storms against the second commandment and its works. of all this we have an illustration in the case of the pharisee and the publican in the gospel. for the sinner calls upon god in his sins, and praises him, and so has hit upon the two highest commandments, faith and god's honor. the hypocrite misses both and struts about with other good works by which he praises himself and not god, and puts his trust in himself more than in god. therefore he is justly rejected and the other chosen. the reason of all this is that the higher and better the works are, the less show they make; and that every one thinks they are easy, because it is evident that no one pretends to praise god's name and honor so much as the very men who never do it and with their show of doing it, while the heart is without faith, cause the precious work to be despised. so that the apostle st. paul dare say boldly, romans ii, that they blaspheme god's name who make their boast of god's law. for to name the name of god and to write his honor on paper and on the walls is an easy matter; but genuinely to praise and bless him in his good deeds and confidently to call upon him in all adversities, these are truly the most rare, highest works, next to faith, so that if we were to see how few of them there are in christendom, we might despair for very sorrow. and yet there is a constant increase of high, pretty, shining works of men's devising, or of works which look like these true works, but at bottom are all without faith and without faithfulness; in short, there is nothing good back of them. thus also isaiah xlviii. rebukes the people of israel: "hear ye this, ye which are called by the name of israel, which swear by the name of the lord, and make mention of the god of israel neither in truth, nor in righteousness"; that is, they did it not in the true faith and confidence, which is the real truth and righteousness, but trusted in themselves, their works and powers, and yet called upon god's name and praised him, two things which do not fit together. xxi. the first work of this commandment then is, to praise god in all his benefits, which are innumerable, so that such praise and thanksgiving ought also of right never to cease or end. for who can praise him perfectly for the gift of natural life, not to mention all other temporal and eternal blessings? and so through this one part of the commandment man is overwhelmed with good and precious works; if he do these in true faith, he has indeed not lived in vain. and in this matter none sin so much as the most resplendent saints, who are pleased with themselves and like to praise themselves or to hear themselves praised, honored and glorified before men. therefore the second work of this commandment is, to be on one's guard, to flee from and to avoid all temporal honor and praise, and never to seek a name for oneself, or fame and a great reputation, that every one sing of him and tell of him; which is an exceedingly dangerous sin, and yet the most common of all, and, alas! little regarded. every one wants to be of importance and not to be the least, however small he may be; so deeply is nature sunk in the evil of its own conceit and in its self-confidence contrary to these two first commandments. now the world regards this terrible vice as the highest virtue, and this makes it exceedingly dangerous for those who do not understand and have not had experience of god's commandments and the histories of the holy scriptures, to read or hear the heathen books and histories. for all heathen books are poisoned through and through with this striving after praise and honor; in them men are taught by blind reason that they were not nor could be men of power and worth, who are not moved by praise and honor; but those are counted the best, who disregard body and life, friend and property and everything in the effort to win praise and honor. all the holy fathers have complained of this vice and with one mind conclude that it is the very last vice to be overcome. st. augustine says: "all other vices are practised in evil works; only honor and self-satisfaction are practised in and by means of good works." therefore if a man had nothing else to do except this second work of this commandment, he would yet have to work all his life-time in order to fight this vice and drive it out, so common, so subtile, so quick and insidious is it. now we all pass by this good work and exercise ourselves in many other lesser good works, nay, through other good works we overthrow this and forget it entirely. so the holy name of god, which alone should be honored, is taken in vain and dishonored through our own cursed name, self-approval and honor-seeking. and this sin is more grievous before god than murder and adultery; but its wickedness is not so clearly seen as that of murder, because of its subtilty, for it is not accomplished in the coarse flesh, but in the spirit. xxii. some think it is good for young people that they be enticed by reputation and honor, and again by shame of and dishonor, and so be induced to do good. for there are many who do the good and leave the evil undone out of fear of shame and love of honor, and so do what they would otherwise by no means do or leave undone. these i leave to their opinion. but at present we are seeking how true good works are to be done, and they who are inclined to do them surely do not need to be driven by the fear of shame and the love of honor; they have, and are to have a higher and far nobler incentive, namely, god's commandment, god's fear, god's approval, and their faith and love toward god. they who have not, or regard not this motive, and let shame and honor drive them, these also have their reward, as the lord says, matthew vi; and as the motive, so is also the work and the reward: none of them is good, except only in the eyes of the world. now i hold that a young person could be more easily trained and incited by god's fear and commandments than by any other means. yet where these do not help, we must endure that they do the good and leave the evil for the sake of shame and of honor, just as we must also endure wicked men or the imperfect, of whom we spoke above; nor can we do more than tell them that their works are not satisfactory and right before god, and so leave them until they learn to do right for the sake of god's commandments also. just as young children are induced to pray, fast, learn, etc., by gifts and promises of the parents, even though it would not be good to treat them so all their lives, so that they never learn to do good in the fear of god: far worse, if they become accustomed to do good for the sake of praise and honor. xxiii. but this is true, that we must none the less have a good name and honor, and every one ought so to live that nothing evil can be said of him, and that he give offence to no one, as st. paul says, romans xii: "we are to be zealous to do good, not only before god, but also before all men." and ii. corinthians iv: "we walk so honestly that no man knows anything against us." but there must be great diligence and care, lest such honor and good name puff up the heart, and the heart find pleasure in them. here the saying of solomon holds: "as the fire in the furnace proveth the gold, so man is proved by the mouth of him that praises him." few and most spiritual men must they be, who, when honored and praised, remain indifferent and unchanged, so that they do not care for it, nor feel pride and pleasure in it, but remain entirely free, ascribe all their honor and fame to god, offering it to him alone, and using it only to the glory of god, to the edification of their neighbors, and in no way to their own benefit or advantage; so that a man trust not in his own honor, nor exalt himself above the most incapable, despised man on earth, but acknowledge himself a servant of god, who has given him the honor in order that with it he may serve god and his neighbor, just as if he had commanded him to distribute some gulden to the poor for his sake. so he says, matthew v: "your light shall shine before men, so that they may see your good works and glorify your father who is in heaven." he does not say, "they shall praise you," but "your works shall only serve them to edification, that through them they may praise god in you and in themselves." this is the correct use of god's name and honor, when god is thereby praised through the edification of others. and if men want to praise us and not god in us, we are not to endure it, but with all our powers forbid it and flee from it as from the most grievous sin and robbery of divine honor. xxiv. hence it comes that god frequently permits a man to fall into or remain in grievous sin, in order that he may be put to shame in his own eyes and in the eyes of all men, who otherwise could not have kept himself from this great vice of vain honor and fame, if he had remained constant in his great gifts and virtues; so god must ward off this sin by means of other grievous sins, that his name alone may be honored; and thus one sin becomes the other's medicine, because of our perverse wickedness, which not only does the evil, but also misuses all that is good. now see how much a man has to do, if he would do good works, which always are at hand in great number, and with which he is surrounded on all sides; but, alas! because of his blindness, he passes them by and seeks and runs after others of his own devising and pleasure, against which no man can sufficiently speak and no man can sufficiently guard. with this all the prophets had to contend, and for this reason they were all slain, only because they rejected such self-devised works and preached only god's commandments, as one of them says, jeremiah vii: "thus saith the god of israel unto you: take your burnt offerings unto all your sacrifices and eat your burnt-offerings and your flesh yourselves; for concerning these things i have commanded you nothing, but this thing commanded i you: obey my voice (that is, not what seems right and good to you, but what i bid you), and walk in the way that i have commanded you." and deuteronomy xii: "thou shalt not do whatsoever is right in thine own eyes, but what thy god has commanded thee." these and numberless like passages of scripture are spoken to tear man not only from sins, but also from the works which seem to men to be good and right, and to turn men, with a single mind, to the simple meaning of god's commandment only, that they shall diligently observe this only and always, as it is written, exodus xiii: "these commandments shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes." and psalm i: "a godly man meditates in god's law day and night." for we have more than enough and too much to do, if we are to satisfy only god's commandments. he has given us such commandments that if we understand them aright, we dare not for a moment be idle, and might easily forget all other works. but the evil spirit, who never rests, when he cannot lead us to the left into evil works, fights on our right through self-devised works that seem good, but against which god has commanded, deuteronomy xxviii, and joshua xxiii, "ye shall not go aside from my commandments to the right hand or to the left." xxv. the third work of this commandment is to call upon god's name in every need. for this god regards as keeping his name holy and greatly honoring it, if we name and call upon it in adversity and need. and this is really why he sends us so much trouble, suffering, adversity and even death, and lets us live in many wicked, sinful affections, that he may thereby urge man and give him much reason to run to him, to cry aloud to him, to call upon his holy name, and thus to fulfil this work of the second commandment, as he says in psalm 1: "call upon me in the day of trouble; i will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me; for i desire the sacrifice of praise." and this is the way whereby thou canst come unto salvation; for through such works man perceives and learns what god's name is, how powerful it is to help all who call upon it; and whereby confidence and faith grow mightily, and these are the fulfilling of the first and highest commandment. this is the experience of david, psalm liv: "thou hast delivered me out of all trouble, therefore will i praise thy name and confess that it is lovely and sweet." and psalm xci says, "because he hath set his hope upon me, therefore will i deliver him: i will help him, because he hath known my name." lo! what man is there on earth, who would not all his life long have enough to do with this work? for who lives an hour without trials? i will not mention the trials of adversity, which are innumerable. for this is the most dangerous trial of all, when there is no trial and every thing is and goes well; for then a man is tempted to forget god, to become too bold and to misuse the times of prosperity. yea, here he has ten times more need to call upon god's name than when in adversity. since it is written, psalm xci, "a thousand shall fall on the left hand and ten thousand on the right hand." so too we see in broad day, in all men's daily experience, that more heinous sins and vice occur when there is peace, when all things are cheap and there are good times, than when war, pestilence, sicknesses and all manner of misfortune burden us; so that moses also fears for his people, lest they forsake god's commandment for no other reason than because they are too full, too well provided for and have too much peace, as he says, deuteronomy xxxii "my people is waxed rich, full and fat; therefore has it forsaken its god." wherefore also god let many of its enemies remain and would not drive them out, in order that they should not have peace and must exercise themselves in the keeping of god's commandments, as it is written, judges iii. so he deals with us also, when he sends us all kinds of misfortune: so exceedingly careful is he of us, that he may teach us and drive us to honor and call upon his name, to gain confidence and faith toward him, and so to fulfil the first two commandments. xxvi. here foolish men run into danger, and especially the work-righteous saints, and those who want to be more than others; they teach men to make the sign of the cross; one arms himself with letters, another runs to the fortunetellers; one seeks this, another that, if only they may thereby escape misfortune and be secure. it is beyond telling what a devilish allurement attaches to this trifling with sorcery, conjuring and superstition, all of which is done only that men may not need god's name and put no trust in it. here great dishonor is done the name of god and the first two commandments, in that men look to the devil, men or creatures for that which should be sought and found in god alone, through naught but a pure faith and confidence, and a cheerful meditation of and calling upon his holy name. now examine this closely for yourself and see whether this is not a gross, mad perversion: the devil, men and creatures they must believe, and trust to them for the best; without such faith and confidence nothing holds or helps. how shall the good and faithful god reward us for not believing and trusting him as much or more than man and the devil, although he not only promises help and sure assistance, but also commands us confidently to look for it, and gives and urges all manner of reasons why we should place such faith and confidence in him? is it not lamentable and pitiable that the devil or man, who commands nothing and does not urge, but only promises, is set above god, who promises, urges and commands; and that more is thought of them than of god himself? we ought truly to be ashamed of ourselves and learn from the example of those who trust the devil or men. for if the devil, who is a wicked, lying spirit, keeps faith with all those who ally themselves with him, how much more will not the most gracious, all-truthful god keep faith, if a man trusts him? nay, is it not rather he alone who will keep faith? a rich man trusts and relies upon his money and possessions, and they help him; and we are not willing to trust and rely upon the living god, that he is willing and able to help us? we say: gold makes bold; and it is true, as baruch iii. says, "gold is a thing wherein men trust." but far greater is the courage which the highest eternal good gives, wherein trust, not men, but only god's children. xxvii. even if none of these adversities constrain us to call upon god's name and to trust him, yet were sin alone more than sufficient to train and to urge us on in this work. for sin has hemmed us in with three strong, mighty armies. the first is our own flesh, the second the world, the third the evil spirit, by which three we are without ceasing oppressed and troubled; whereby god gives us occasion to do good works without ceasing, namely, to fight with these enemies and sins. the flesh seeks pleasure and peace, the world seeks riches, favor, power and honor, the evil spirit seeks pride, glory, that a man be well thought of, and other men be despised. and these three are all so powerful that each one of them is alone sufficient to fight a man, and yet there is no way we can overcome them, except only by calling upon the holy name of god in a firm faith, as solomon says, proverbs xviii: "the name of the lord is a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it, and is set aloft." and david, psalm cxvi: "i will drink the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the lord." again, psalm xviii: "i will call upon the lord with praise: so shall i be saved from all mine enemies." these works and the power of god's name have become unknown to us, because we are not accustomed to it, and have never seriously fought with sins, and have not needed his name, because we are trained only in our self devised works, which we were able to do with our own powers. xxviii. further works of this commandment are: that we shall not swear, curse, lie, deceive and conjure with the holy name of god, and otherwise misuse it; which are very simple matters and well known to every one, being the sins which have been almost exclusively preached and proclaimed under this commandment. these also include, that we shall prevent others from making sinful use of god's name by lying, swearing, deceiving, cursing, conjuring, and otherwise. herein again much occasion is given for doing good and warding off evil. but the greatest and most difficult work of this commandment is to protect the holy name of god against all who misuse it in a spiritual manner, and to proclaim it to all men. for it is not enough that i, for myself and in myself, praise and call upon god's name in prosperity and adversity. i must step forth and for the sake of god's honor and name bring upon myself the enmity of all men, as christ said to his disciples: "ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake." here we must provoke to anger father, mother, and the best of friends. here we must strive against spiritual and temporal powers, and be accused of disobedience. here we must stir up against us the rich, learned, holy, and all that is of repute in the world. and although this is especially the duty of those who are commanded to preach god's word, yet every christian is also obligated to do so when time and place demand. for we must for the holy name of god risk and give up all that we have and can do, and show by our deeds that we love god and his name, his honor and his praise above all things, and trust him above all things, and expect good from him; thereby confessing that we regard him as the highest good, for the sake of which we let go and give up all other goods. xxix. here we must first of all resist all wrong, where truth or righteousness suffers violence or need, and dare make no distinction of persons, as some do, who fight most actively and busily against the wrong which is done to the rich, the powerful, and their own friends; but when it is done to the poor, or the despised or their own enemy, they are quiet and patient. these see the name and the honor of god not as it is, but through a painted glass, and measure truth or righteousness according to the persons, and do not consider their deceiving eye, which looks more on the person than on the thing. these are hypocrites within and have only the appearance of defending the truth. for they well know that there is no danger when one helps the rich, the powerful, the learned and one's own friends, and can in turn enjoy their protection and be honored by them. thus it is very easy to fight against the wrong which is done to popes, kings, princes, bishops and other big-wigs. here each wants to be the most pious, where there is no great need. o how sly is here the deceitful adam with his demand; how finely does he cover his greed of profit with the name of truth and righteousness and god's honor! but when something happens to a poor and insignificant man, there the deceitful eye does not find much profit, but cannot help seeing the disfavor of the powerful; therefore he lets the poor man remain unhelped. and who could tell the extent of this vice in christendom? god says in the lxxxii. psalm, "how long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? judge the matter of the poor and fatherless, demand justice for the poor and needy; deliver the poor and rid the forsaken out of the hand of the wicked." but it is not done, and therefore the text continues: "they know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness"; that is, the truth they do not see, but they stop at the reputation of the great, however unrighteous they are; and do not consider the poor, however righteous they are. xxx. see, here would be many good works. for the greater portion of the powerful, rich and friends do injustice and oppress the poor, the lowly, and their own opponents; and the greater the men, the worse the deeds; and where we cannot by force prevent it and help the truth, we should at least confess it, and do what we can with words, not take the part of the unrighteous, not approve them, but speak the truth boldly. what would it help a man if he did all manner of good, made pilgrimages to rome and to all holy places, acquired all indulgences, built all churches and endowed houses, if he were found guilty of sin against the name and honor of god, not speaking of them and neglecting them, and regarding his possessions, honor, favor and friends more than the truth (which is god's name and honor)? or who is he, before whose door and into whose house such good works do not daily come, so that he would have no need to travel far or to ask after good works? and if we consider the life of men, how in every place men act so very rashly and lightly in this respect, we must cry out with the prophet, omnis homo mendax, "all men are liars, lie and deceive"; for the real good works they neglect, and adorn and paint themselves with the most insignificant, and want to be pious, to mount to heaven in peaceful security. but if you should say: "why does not god do it alone and himself, since he can and knows how to help each one?" yes, he can do it; but he does not want to do it alone; he wants us to work with him, and does us the honor to want to work his work with us and through us. and if we are not willing to accept such honor, he will, after all, perform the work alone, and help the poor; and those who were unwilling to help him and have despised the great honor of doing his work, he will condemn with the unrighteous, because they have made common cause with the unrighteous. just as he alone is blessed, but he wants to do us the honor and not be alone in his blessedness, but have us to be blessed with him. and if he were to do it alone, his commandments would be given us in vain, because no one would have occasion to exercise himself in the great works of these commandments, and no one would test himself to see whether he regards god and his name as the highest good, and for his sake risks everything. xxxi. it also belongs to this work to resist all false, seductive, erroneous, heretical doctrines, every misuse of spiritual power. now this is much higher, for these use the holy name of god itself to fight against the name of god. for this reason it seems a great thing and a dangerous to resist them, because they assert that he who resists them resists god and all his saints, in whose place they sit and whose power they use, saying that christ said of them, "he that heareth you, heareth me, and he that despiseth you, despiseth me." on which words they lean heavily, become insolent and bold to say, to do, and to leave undone what they please; put to the ban, accurse, rob, murder, and practise all their wickedness, in whatever way they please and can invent, without any hindrance. now christ did not mean that we should listen to them in everything they might say and do, but only then when they present to us his word, the gospel, not their word, his work, and not their work. how else could we know whether their lies and sins were to be avoided? there must be some rule, to what extent we are to hear and to follow them, and this rule cannot be given by them, but must be established by god over them, that it may serve us as a guide, as we shall hear in the fourth commandment. it must be, indeed, that even in the spiritual estate the greater part preach false doctrine and misuse spiritual power, so that thus occasion may be given us to do the works of this commandment, and that we be tried, to see what we are willing to do and to leave undone against such blasphemers for the sake of god's honor. oh, if we were god-fearing in this matter, how often would the knaves of officiales have to decree their papal and episcopal ban in vain! how weak the roman thunderbolts would become! how often would many a one have to hold his tongue, to whom the world must now give ear! how few preachers would be found in christendom! but it has gotten the upper hand: whatever they assert and in whatever way, that must be right. here no one fights for god's name and honor, and i hold that no greater or more frequent sin is done in external works than under this head. it is a matter so high that few understand it, and, besides, adorned with god's name and power, dangerous to touch. but the prophets of old were masters in this; also the apostles, especially st. paul, who did not allow it to trouble them whether the highest or the lowest priest had said it, or had done it in god's name or in his own. they looked on the works and words, and held them up to god's commandment, no matter whether big john or little nick said it, or whether they had done it in god's name or in man's. and for this they had to die, and of such dying there would be much more to say in our time, for things are much worse now. but christ and st. peter and paul must cover all this with their holy names, so that no more infamous cover for infamy has been found on earth than the most holy and most blessed name of jesus christ! one might shudder to be alive, simply because of the misuse and blasphemy of the holy name of god; through which, if it shall last much longer, we will, as i fear, openly worship the devil as a god; so completely do the spiritual authorities and the learned lack all understanding in these things. it is high time that we pray god earnestly that he hallow his name. but it will cost blood, and they who enjoy the inheritance of the holy martyrs and are won with their blood, must again make martyrs. of this more another time. i. we have now seen how many good works there are in the second commandment, which however are not good in themselves, unless they are done in faith and in the assurance of divine favor; and how much we must do, if we take heed to this commandment alone, and how we, alas! busy ourselves much with other works, which have no agreement at all with it. now follows the third commandment: "thou shalt hallow the day of rest." in the first commandment is prescribed our heart's attitude toward god in thoughts, in the second, that of our mouth in words, in this third is prescribed our attitude toward god in works; and it is the first and right table of moses, on which these three commandments are written, and they govern man on the right side, namely, in the things which concern god, and in which god has to do with man and man with god, without the mediation of any creature. the first works of this commandment are plain and outward, which we commonly call worship, such as going to mass, praying, and hearing a sermon on holy days. so understood there are very few works in this commandment; and these, if they are not done in assurance of and with faith in god's favor, are nothing, as was said above. hence it would also be a good thing if there were fewer saint's days, since in our times the works done on them are for the greater part worse than those of the work days, what with loafing, gluttony, and drunkenness, gambling and other evil deeds; and then, the mass and the sermon are listened to without edification, the prayer is spoken without faith. it almost happens that men think it is sufficient that we look on at the mass with our eyes, hear the preaching with our ears, and say the prayers with our mouths. it is all so formal and superficial! we do not think that we might receive something out of the mass into our hearts, learn and remember something out of the preaching, seek, desire and expect something in our prayer. although in this matter the bishops and priests, or they to whom the work of preaching is entrusted, are most at fault, because they do not preach the gospel, and do not teach the people how they ought to look on at mass, hear preaching and pray. therefore, we will briefly explain these three works. ii. in the mass it is necessary that we attend with our a hearts also; and we do attend, when we exercise faith in our hearts. here we must repeat the words of christ, when he institutes the mass and says, "take and eat, this is my body, which is given for you"; in like manner over the cup, "take and drink ye all of it: this is a new, everlasting testament in my blood, which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins. this shall ye do, as oft as ye do it, in remembrance of me." in these words christ has made for himself a memorial or anniversary, to be daily observed in all christendom, and has added to it a glorious, rich, great testament, in which no interest, money or temporal possessions are bequeathed and distributed, but the forgiveness of all sins, grace and mercy unto eternal life, that all who come to this memorial shall have the same testament; and then he died, whereby this testament has become permanent and irrevocable. in proof and evidence of which, instead of letter and seal, he has left with us his own body and blood under the bread and wine. here there is need that a man practise the first works of this commandment right well, that he doubt not that what christ has said is true, and consider the testament sure, so that he make not christ a liar. for if you are present at mass and do not consider nor believe that here christ through his testament has bequeathed and given you forgiveness of all your sins, what else is it, than as if you said: "i do not know or do not believe that it is true that forgiveness of my sins is here bequeathed and given me"? oh, how many masses there are in the world at present! but how few who hear them with such faith and benefit! most grievously is god provoked to anger thereby. for this reason also no one shall or can reap any benefit from the mass except he be in trouble of soul and long for divine mercy, and desire to be rid of his sins; or, if he have an evil intention, he must be changed during the mass, and come to have a desire for this testament. for this reason in olden times no open sinner was allowed to be present at the mass. when this faith is rightly present, the heart must be made joyful by the testament, and grow warm and melt in god's love. then will follow praise and thanksgiving with a pure heart, from which the mass is called in greek eucharistia, that is, "thanksgiving," because we praise and thank god for this comforting, rich, blessed testament, just as he gives thanks, praises and is joyful, to whom a good friend has presented a thousand and more gulden. although christ often fares like those who make several persons rich by their testament, and these persons never think of them, nor praise or thank them. so our masses at present are merely celebrated, without our knowing why or wherefore, and consequently we neither give thanks nor love nor praise, remain parched and hard, and have enough with our little prayer. of this more another time. iii. the sermon ought to be nothing else than the proclamation of this testament. but who can hear it if no one preaches it? now, they who ought to preach it, themselves do not know it. this is why the sermons ramble off into other unprofitable stories, and thus christ is forgotten, while we fare like the man in ii. kings vii: we see our riches but do not enjoy them. of which the preacher also says, "this is a great evil, when god giveth a man riches, and giveth him not power to enjoy them." so we look on at unnumbered masses and do not know whether the mass be a testament, or what it be, just as if it were any other common good work by itself. o god, how exceeding blind we are! but where this is rightly preached, it is necessary that it be diligently heard, grasped, retained, often thought of, and that the faith be thus strengthened against all the temptation of sin, whether past, or present, or to come. lo! this is the only ceremony or practice which christ has instituted, in which his christians shall assemble, exercise themselves and keep it with one accord; and this he did not make to be a mere work like other ceremonies, but placed into it a rich, exceeding great treasure, to be offered and bestowed upon all who believe on it. this preaching should induce sinners to grieve over their sins, and should kindle in them a longing for the treasure. it must, therefore, be a grievous sin not to hear the gospel, and to despise such a treasure and so rich a feast to which we are bidden; but a much greater sin not to preach the gospel, and to let so many people who would gladly hear it perish, since christ has so strictly commanded that the gospel and this testament be preached, that he does not wish even the mass to be celebrated, unless the gospel be preached, as he says: "as oft as ye do this, remember me"; that is, as st. paul says, "ye shall preach of his death." for this reason it is dreadful and horrible in our times to be a bishop, pastor and preacher; for no one any longer knows this testament, to say nothing of their preaching it, although this is their highest and only duty and obligation. how heavily must they give account for so many souls who must perish because of this lack in preaching. iv. we should pray, not as the custom is, counting many pages or beads, but fixing our mind upon some pressing need, desire it with all earnestness, and exercise faith and confidence toward god in the matter, in such wise that we do not doubt that we shall be heard. so st. bernard instructs his brethren and says: "dear brethren, you shall by no means despise your prayer, as if it were in vain, for i tell you of a truth that, before you have uttered the words, the prayer is already recorded in heaven; and you shall confidently expect from god one of two things: either that your prayer will be granted, or that, if it will not be granted, the granting of it would not be good for you." prayer is, therefore, a special exercise of faith, and faith makes the prayer so acceptable that either it will surely be granted, or something better than we ask will be given in its stead. so also says st. james: "let him who asketh of god not waver in faith; for if he wavers, let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the lord." this is a clear statement, which says directly: he who does not trust, receives nothing, neither that which he asks, nor anything better. and to call forth such faith, christ himself has said, mark xi: "therefore i say unto you, what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall surely have them." and luke xi: "ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. or what father is there of you, who, if his son shall ask bread, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? or if he ask an egg, will he give him a scorpion? but if you know how to give good gifts to your children, and you yourselves are not naturally good, how much more shall your father which is in heaven give a good spirit to all them that ask him!" v. who is so hard and stone-like, that such mighty words ought not to move him to pray with all confidence! joyfully and gladly? but how many prayers must be reformed, if we are to pray aright according to these words! now, indeed, all churches and monastic houses are full of praying and singing, but how does it happen that so little improvement and benefit result from it, and things daily grow worse? the reason is none other than that which st. james indicates when he says: "you ask much and receive not, because ye ask amiss." for where this faith and confidence is not in the prayer, the prayer is dead, and nothing more than a grievous labor and work. if anything is given for it, it is none the less only temporal benefit without any blessing and help for the soul; nay, to the great injury and blinding of souls, so that they go their way, babbling much with their mouths, regardless of whether they receive, or desire, or trust; and in this unbelief, the state of mind most opposed to the exercise of faith and to the nature of prayer, they remain hardened. from this it follows that one who prays aright never doubts that his prayer is surely acceptable and heard, although the very thing for which he prays be not given him. for we are to lay our need before god in prayer, but not prescribe to him a measure, manner, time or place; but if he wills to give it to us better or in another way than we think, we are to leave it to him; for frequently we do not know what we pray, as st. paul says, romans viii; and god works and gives above all that we understand, as he says, ephesians iii, so that there be no doubt that the prayer is acceptable and heard, and we yet leave to god the time, place, measure and limit; he will surely do what is right. they are the true worshipers, who worship god in spirit and in truth. for they who believe not that they will be heard, sin upon the left hand against this commandment, and go far astray with their unbelief. but they who set a limit for him, sin upon the other side, and come too close with their tempting of god. so he has forbidden both, that we should err from his commandment neither to the left nor to the right, that is, neither with unbelief nor with tempting, but with simple faith remain on the straight road, trusting him, and yet setting him no bounds. vi. thus we see that this commandment, like the second, is to be nothing else than a doing and keeping of the first commandment, that is, of faith, trust, confidence, hope and love to god, so that in all the commandments the first may be the captain, and faith the chief work and the life of all other works, without which, as was said, they cannot be good. but if you say: "what if i cannot believe that my prayer is heard and accepted?" i answer: for this very reason faith, prayer and all other good works are commanded, that you shall know what you can and what you cannot do. and when you find that you cannot so believe and do, then you are humbly to confess it to god, and so begin with a weak spark of faith and daily strengthen it more and more by exercising it in all your living and doing. for as touching infirmity of faith (that is, of the first and highest commandment), there is no one on earth who does not have his good share of it. for even the holy apostles in the gospel, and especially st. peter, were weak in faith, so that they also prayed christ and said: "lord, increase our faith "; and he very frequently rebukes them because they have so little faith. therefore you shall not despair, nor give up, even if you find that you do not believe as firmly as you ought and wish, in your prayer or in other works. nay, you shall thank god with all your heart that he thus reveals to you your weakness, through which he daily teaches and admonishes you how much you need to exercise yourself and daily strengthen yourself in faith. for how many do you see who habitually pray, sing, read, work and seem to be great saints, and yet never get so far as to know where they stand in respect of the chief work, faith; and so in their blindness they lead astray themselves and others; think they are very well off, and so unknowingly build on the sand of their works without any faith, not on god's mercy and promise through a firm, pure faith. therefore, however long we live, we shall always have our hands full to remain, with all our works and sufferings, pupils of the first commandment and of faith, and not to cease to learn. no one knows what a great thing it is to trust god alone, except he who attempts it with his works. vii. again: if no other work were commanded, would not prayer alone suffice to exercise the whole life of man in faith? for this work the spiritual estate has been specially established, as indeed in olden times some fathers prayed day and night. nay, there is no christian who does not have time to pray without ceasing. but i mean the spiritual praying, that is: no one is so heavily burdened with his labor, but that if he will he can, while working, speak with god in his heart, lay before him his need and that of other men, ask for help, make petition, and in all this exercise and strengthen his faith. this is what the lord means, luke xviii, when he says, "men ought always to pray, and never cease," although in matthew vi. he forbids the use of much speaking and long prayers, because of which he rebukes the hypocrites; not because the lengthy prayer of the lips is evil, but because it is not that true prayer which can be made at all times, and without the inner prayer of faith is nothing. for we must also practise the outward prayer in its proper time, especially in the mass, as this commandment requires, and wherever it is helpful to the inner prayer and faith, whether in the house or in the field, in this work or in that; of which we have no time now to speak more. for this belongs to the lord's prayer, in which all petitions and spoken prayer are summed up in brief words. viii. where now are they who desire to know and to do good works? let them undertake prayer alone, and rightly exercise themselves in faith, and they will find that it is true, as the holy fathers have said, that there is no work like prayer. mumbling with the mouth is easy, or at least considered easy, but with earnestness of heart to follow the words in deep devotion, that is, with desire and faith, so that one earnestly desires what the words say, and not to doubt that it will be heard: that is a great deed in god's eyes. here the evil spirit hinders men with all his powers. oh, how often will he here prevent the desire to pray, not allow us to find time and place, nay, often also raise doubts, whether a man is worthy to ask anything of such a majesty as god is, and so confuse us that a man himself does not know whether it is really true that he prays or not; whether it is possible that his prayer is acceptable, and other such strange thoughts. for the evil spirit knows well how powerful one man's truly believing prayer is, and how it hurts him, and how it benefits all men. therefore he does not willingly let it happen. when so tempted, a man must indeed be wise, and not doubt that he and his prayer are, indeed, unworthy before such infinite majesty; in no wise dare he trust his worthiness, or because of his unworthiness grow faint; but he must heed god's command and cast this up to him, and hold it before the devil, and say: "because of my worthiness i do nothing, because of my unworthiness i cease from nothing. i pray and work only because god of his pure mercy has promised to hear and to be gracious to all unworthy men, and not only promised it, but he has also most sternly, on pain of his everlasting displeasure and wrath, commanded us to pray, to trust and to receive. if it has not been too much for that high majesty so solemnly and highly to obligate his unworthy worms to pray, to trust, and to receive from him, how shall it be too much for me to take such command upon myself with all joy, however worthy or unworthy i may be?" thus we must drive out the devil's suggestion with god's command. thus will he cease, and in no other way whatever. ix. but what are the things which we must bring before almighty god in prayer and lamentation, to exercise faith thereby? answer: first, every man's own besetting need and trouble, of which david says, psalm xxxii: "thou art my refuge in all trouble which compasseth me about; thou art my comfort, to preserve me from all evil which surrounds me." likewise, psalm cxlii: "i cried unto the lord with my voice; with my voice unto the lord did i make my supplication. i poured out my complaint before him; i showed before him my trouble." in the mass a christian shall keep in mind the short-comings or excesses he feels, and pour out all these freely before god with weeping and groaning, as woefully as he can, as to his faithful father, who is ready to help him. and if you do not know or recognise your need, or have no trouble, then you shall know that you are in the worst possible plight. for this is the greatest trouble, that you find yourself so hardened, hard-hearted and insensible that no trouble moves you. there is no better mirror in which to see your need than simply the ten commandments, in which you will find what you lack and what you should seek. if, therefore, you find in yourself a weak faith, small hope and little love toward god; and that you do not praise and honor god, but love your own honor and fame, think much of the favor of men, do not gladly hear mass and sermon, are indolent in prayer, in which things every one has faults, then you shall think more of these faults than of all bodily harm to goods, honor and life, and believe that they are worse than death and all mortal sickness. these you shall earnestly lay before god, lament and ask for help, and with all confidence expect help, and believe that you are heard and shall obtain help and mercy. then go forward into the second table of the commandments, and see how disobedient you have been and still are toward father and mother and all in authority; how you sin against your neighbor with anger, hatred and evil words; how you are tempted to unchastity, covetousness and injustice in word and deed against your neighbor; and you will doubtless find that you are full of all need and misery, and have reason enough to weep even drops of blood, if you could. x. but i know well that many are so foolish as not to want to ask for such things, unless they first be conscious that they are pure, and believe that god hears no one who is a sinner. all this is the work of those false preachers, who teach men to begin, not with faith and trust in god's favor, but with their own works. look you, wretched man! if you have broken a leg, or the peril of death overtakes you, you call upon god, this saint and that, and do not wait until your leg is healed, or the danger is past: you are not so foolish as to think that god hears no one whose leg is broken, or who is in bodily danger. nay, you believe that god shall hear most of all when you are in the greatest need and fear. why, then, are you so foolish here, where there is immeasurably greater need and eternal hurt, and do not want to ask for faith, hope, love, humility, obedience, chastity, gentleness, peace, righteousness, unless you are already free of all your unbelief, doubt, pride, disobedience, unchastity, anger, covetousness and unrighteousness. although the more you find yourself lacking in these things, the more and more diligently you ought to pray or cry. so blind are we: with our bodily sickness and need we run to god; with the soul's sickness we run from him, and are unwilling to come back before we are well, exactly as if there could be one god who could help the body, and another god who could help the soul; or as if we would help ourselves in spiritual need, although it really is greater than the bodily need. such plan and counsel is of the devil. not so, my good man! if you wish to be cured of sin, you must not withdraw from god, but run to him, and pray with much more confidence than if a bodily need had overtaken you. god is not hostile to sinners, but only to unbelievers, that is, to such as do not recognize and lament their sin, nor seek help against it from god, but in their own presumption wish first to purify themselves, are unwilling to be in need of his grace, and will not suffer him to be a god who gives to everyone and takes nothing in return. xi. all this has been said of prayer for personal needs, and of prayer in general. but the prayer which really belongs to this commandment and is called a work of the holy day, is far better and greater, and is to be made for all christendom, for all the need of all men, of foe and friend, especially for those who belong to the parish or bishopric. thus st. paul commanded his disciple timothy: "exhort thee, that thou see to it, that prayers and intercessions be made for all men, for kings, and for all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. for this is good and acceptable in the sight of god our saviour." for this reason jeremiah, chapter xxix, commanded the people of israel to pray for the city and land of babylon, because in the peace thereof they should have peace. and baruch i: "pray for the life of the king of babylon and for the life of his son, that we may live in peace under their rule." this common prayer is precious and the most powerful, and it is for its sake that we come together. for this reason also the church is called a house of prayer, because in it we are as a congregation with one accord to consider our need and the needs of all men, present them before god, and call upon him for mercy. but this must be done with heart-felt emotion and sincerity, so that we feel in our hearts the need of all men, and that we pray with true sympathy for them, in true faith and confidence. where such prayers are not made in the mass, it were better to omit the mass. for what sense is there in our coming together into a house of prayer, which coming together shows that we should make common prayer and petition for the entire congregation, if we scatter these prayers, and so distribute them that everyone prays only for himself, and no one has regard for the other, nor concerns himself for another's need? how can that prayer be of help, good, acceptable and a common prayer, or a work of the holy day and of the assembled congregation, which they make who make their own petty prayers, one for this, the other for that, and have nothing but self-seeking, selfish prayers, which god hates? xii. a suggestion of this common prayer has been retained from ancient practice, when at the end of the sermon the confession of sins is said and prayer is made on the pulpit for all christendom. but this should not be the end of the matter, as is now the custom and fashion; it should be an exhortation to pray throughout the entire mass for such need as the preacher makes us feel; and in order that we may pray worthily, he first exhorts us because of our sin, and thereby makes us humble. this should be done as briefly as possible, that then the entire congregation may confess their own sin and pray for every one with earnestness and faith. oh, if god granted that any congregation at all heard mass and prayed in this way, so that a common earnest heart-cry of the entire people would rise up to god, what immeasurable virtue and help would result from such a prayer! what more terrible thing could happen to all the evil spirits? what greater work could be done on earth, whereby so many pious souls would be preserved, so many sinners converted? for, indeed, the christian church on earth has no greater power or work than such common prayer against everything that may oppose it. this the evil spirit knows well, and therefore he does all that he can to prevent such prayer. gleefully he lets us go on building churches, endowing many monastic houses, making music, reading, singing, observing many masses, and multiplying ceremonies beyond all measure. this does not grieve him, nay, he helps us do it, that we may consider such things the very best, and think that thereby we have done our whole duty. but in that meanwhile this common, effectual and fruitful prayer perishes and its omission is unnoticed because of such display, in this he has what he seeks. for when prayer languishes, no one will take anything from him, and no one will withstand him. but if he noticed that we wished to practise this prayer, even if it were under a straw roof or in a pig-sty, he would indeed not endure it, but would fear such a pig-sty far more than all the high, big and beautiful churches, towers and bells in existence, if such prayer be not in them. it is indeed not a question of the places and buildings in which we assemble, but only of this unconquerable prayer, that we pray it and bring it before god as a truly common prayer. xiii. the power of this prayer we see in the fact that in olden times abraham prayed for the five cities, sodom, gomorrah, etc., genesis xviii, and accomplished so much, that if there had been ten righteous people in them, two in each city, god would not have destroyed them. what then could many men do, if they united in calling upon god earnestly and with sincere confidence? st. james also says: "dear brethren, pray for one another, that ye may be saved. for the prayer of a righteous man availeth much, a prayer that perseveres and does not cease" (that is, which does not cease asking ever more and more, although what it asks is not immediately granted, as some timid men do). and as an example in this matter he sets before us elijah, the prophet, "who was a man," he says, "as we are, and prayed, that it might not rain; and it rained not by the space of three years and six months. and he prayed again, and it rained, and everything became fruitful." there are many texts and examples in the scriptures which urge us to pray, only that it be done with earnestness and faith. as david says, "the eyes of the lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry." again, "the lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth." why does he add, "call upon him in truth"? because that is not prayer nor calling upon god when the mouth alone mumbles. what should god do, if you come along with your mouth, book or paternoster, and think of nothing except that you may finish the words and complete the number? so that if some one were to ask you what it all was about, or what it was that you prayed for, you yourself would not know; for you had not thought of laying this or that matter before god or desiring it. your only reason for praying is that you are commanded to pray this and so much, and this you intend to do in full. what wonder that thunder and lightning frequently set churches on fire, because we thus make of the house of prayer a house of mockery, and call that prayer in which we bring nothing before god and desire nothing from him. but we should do as they do who wish to ask a favor of great princes. these do not plan merely to babble a certain number of words, for the prince would think they mocked him, or were insane; but they put their request very plainly, and present their need earnestly, and then leave it to his mercy, in good confidence that he will grant it. so we must deal with god of definite things, namely, mention some present need, commend it to his mercy and good-will, and not doubt that it is heard; for he has promised to hear such prayer, which no earthly lord has done. xiv. we are masters in this form of prayer when we suffer bodily need; when we are sick we call here upon st. christopher, there upon st. barbara; we vow a pilgrimage to st. james, to this place and to that; then we make earnest prayer, have a good confidence and every good kind of prayer. but when we are in our churches during mass, we stand like images of saints; know nothing to speak of or to lament; the beads rattle, the pages rustle and the mouth babbles; and that is all there is to it. but if you ask what you shall speak of and lament in your prayer, you can easily learn from the ten commandments and the lord's prayer. open your eyes and look into your life and the life of all christians, especially of the spiritual estate, and you will find how faith, hope, love, obedience, chastity and every virtue languish, and all manner of heinous vices reign; what a lack there is of good preachers and prelates; how only knaves, children, fools and women rule. then you will see that there were need every hour without ceasing to pray everywhere with tears of blood to god, who is so terribly angry with men. and it is true that it has never been more necessary to pray than at this time, and it will be more so from now on to the end of the world. if such terrible crimes do not move you to lament and complain, do not permit yourself to be led astray by your rank, station, good works or prayer: there is no christian vein or trait in you, however righteous you may be. but it has all been foretold, that when god's anger is greatest and christendom suffers the greatest need, then petitioners and supplicants before god shall not be found, as isaiah says with tears, chapter lxiv: "thou art angry with us, and there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee." likewise, ezekiel xxii: "i sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that i should not destroy it; but i found none. therefore have i poured out mine indignation upon them; i have consumed them with the fire of my wrath." with these words god indicates how he wants us to withstand him and turn away his anger from one another, as it is frequently written of the prophet moses, that he restrained god, lest his anger should overwhelm the people of israel. xv. but what will they do, who not only do not regard such misfortune of christendom, and do not pray against it, but laugh at it, take pleasure in it, condemn, malign, sing and talk of their neighbor's sins, and yet dare, unafraid and unashamed, go to church, hear mass, say prayers, and regard themselves and are regarded as pious christians? these truly are in need that we pray twice for them, if we pray once for those whom they condemn, talk about and laugh at. that there would be such is also prophesied by the thief on christ's left hand, who blasphemed him in his suffering, weakness and need; also by all those who reviled christ on the cross, when they should most of all have helped him. o god, how blind, nay, how insane have we christians become! when will there be an end of wrath, o heavenly father? that we mock at the misfortune of christendom, to pray for which we gather together in church and at the mass, that we blaspheme and condemn men, this is the fruit of our mad materialism. if the turk destroys cities, country and people, and ruins churches, we think a great injury has been done christendom. then we complain, and urge kings and princes to war. but when faith perishes, love grows cold, god's word is neglected, and all manner of sin flourishes, then no one thinks of fighting, nay, pope, bishops, priests and clergy, who ought to be generals, captains and standard-bearers in this spiritual warfare against these spiritual and many times worse turks, these are themselves the very princes and leaders of such turks and of the devil host, just as judas was the leader of the jews when they took christ. it had to be an apostle, a bishop, a priest, one of the number of the best, who began the work of slaying christ. so also must christendom be laid waste by no others than those who ought to protect it, and yet are so insane that they are ready to eat up the turks and at home themselves set house and sheep-cote on fire and let them burn up with the sheep and all other contents, and none the less worry about the wolf in the woods. such are our times, and this is the reward we have earned by our ingratitude toward the endless grace which christ has won for us freely with his precious blood, grievous labor and bitter death. xvi. lo! where are the idle ones, who do not know how to do good works? where are they who run to rome, to st. james, hither and thither? take up this one single work of the mass, look on your neighbor's sin and ruin, and have pity on him; let it grieve you, tell it to god, and pray over it. do the same for every other need of christendom, especially of the rulers, whom god, for the intolerable punishment and torment of us all, allows to fall and be misled so terribly. if you do this diligently, be assured you are one of the best fighters and captains, not only against the turks, but also against the devils and the powers of hell. but if you do it not, what would it help you though you performed all the miracles of the saints, and murdered all the turks, and yet were found guilty of having disregarded your neighbor's need and of having thereby sinned against love? for christ at the last day will not ask how much you have prayed, fasted, pilgrimaged, done this or that for yourself, but how much good you have done to others, even the very least. now without doubt among the "least" are also those who are in sin and spiritual poverty, captivity and need, of whom there are at present far more than of those who suffer bodily need. therefore take heed: our own self-assumed good works lead us to and into ourselves, that we seek only our own benefit and salvation; but god's commandments drive us to our neighbor, that we may thereby benefit others to their salvation. just as christ on the cross prayed not for himself alone, but rather for us, when he said, "father, forgive them, fort they know not what they do," so we also must pray for one another. from which every man may know that the slanderers, frivolous judges and despisers of other people are a perverted, evil race, who do nothing else than heap abuse on those for whom they ought to pray; in which vice no one is sunk so deep as those very men who do many good works of their own, and seem to men to be something extraordinary, and are honored because of their beautiful, splendid life in manifold good works. xvii. spiritually understood, this commandment has a yet far higher work, which embraces the whole nature of man. here it must be known that in hebrew "sabbath" means "rest," because on the seventh day god rested and ceased from all his works, which he had made. genesis ii. therefore he commanded also that the seventh day should be kept holy and that we cease from our works which we do the other six days. this sabbath has now for us been changed into the sunday, and the other days are called work-days; the sunday is called rest-day or holiday or holy day. and would to god that in christendom there were no holiday except the sunday; that the festivals of our lady and of the saints were all transferred to sunday; then would many evil vices be done away with through the labor of the work-days, and lands would not be so drained and impoverished. but now we are plagued with many holidays, to the destruction of souls, bodies and goods; of which matter much might be said. this rest or ceasing from labors is of two kinds, bodily and spiritual. for this reason this commandment is also to be understood in two ways. the bodily rest is that of which we have spoken above, namely, that we omit our business and work, in order that we may gather in the church, see mass, hear god's word and make common prayer. this rest is indeed bodily and in christendom no longer commanded by god, as the apostle says, colossians ii, "let no man obligate you to any holiday whatever"--for they were of old a figure, but now the truth has been fulfilled, so that all days are holy days, as isaiah says, chapter lxvi, "one holy day shall follow the other"; on the other hand, all days are workdays. yet it is a necessity and ordained by the church for the sake of the imperfect laity and working people, that they also may be able to come to hear god's word. for, as we see, the priests and clergy celebrate mass every day, pray at all hours and train themselves in god's word by study, reading and hearing. for this reason also they are freed from work before others, supported by tithes and have holy-day every day, and every day do the works of the holy-day, and have no work-day, but for them one day is as the other. and if we were all perfect, and knew the gospel, we might work every day if we wished, or rest if we could. for a day of rest is at present not necessary nor commanded except only for the teaching of god's word and prayer. the spiritual rest, which god particularly intends in this commandment, is this: that we not only cease from our labor and trade, but much more, that we let god alone work in us and that we do nothing of our own with all our powers. but how is this done? in this way: man, corrupted by sin, has much wicked love and inclination toward all sins, as the scriptures say, genesis viii, "man's heart and senses incline always to the evil," that is, to pride, disobedience, anger, hatred, covetousness, unchastity, etc., and summa summarum, in all that he does and leaves undone, he seeks his own profit, will and honor rather than god's and his neighbor's. therefore all his works, all his words, all his thoughts, all his life are evil and not godly. now if god is to work and to live in him, all this vice and wickedness must be choked and up-rooted, so that there may be rest and a cessation of all our works, thoughts and life, and that henceforth (as st. paul says, galatians ii.) it may be no longer we who live, but christ who lives, works and speaks in us. this is not accomplished with comfortable, pleasant days, but here we must hurt our nature and let it be hurt. here begins the strife between the spirit and the flesh; here the spirit resists anger, lust, pride, while the flesh wants to be in pleasure, honor and comfort. of this st. paul says, galatians v, "they that are our lord christ's have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts." then follow the good works,--fasting, watching, labor, of which some say and write so much, although they know neither the source nor the purpose of these good works. therefore we will now also speak of them. xviii. this rest, namely, that our work cease and god alone work in us, is accomplished in two ways. first, through our own effort, secondly, through the effort or urging of others. our own effort is to be so made and ordered that, in the first place, when we see our flesh, senses, will and thoughts tempting us, we resist them and do not heed them, as the wise man says: "follow not thine own desires." and moses, deuteronomy xii: "thou shalt not do what is right in thine own eyes." here a man must make daily use of those prayers which david prays: "lord, lead me in thy path, and let me not walk in my own ways," and many like prayers, which are all summed up in the prayer, "thy kingdom come." for the desires are so many, so various, and besides at times so nimble, so subtile and specious, through the suggestions of the evil one, that it is not possible for a man to control himself in his own ways. he must let hands and feet go, commend himself to god's governance, and entrust nothing to his reason, as jeremiah says, "o lord, i know that the way of man is not in his own power." we see proof of this, when the children of israel went out of egypt through the wilderness, where there was no way, no food, no drink, no help. therefore god went before them, by day in a bright: cloud, by night in a fiery pillar, fed them with manna from heaven, and kept their garments and shoes that they waxed not old, as we read in the books of moses. for this reason we pray: "thy kingdom come, that thou rule us, and not: we ourselves," for there is nothing more perilous in us than our reason and will. and this is the first and highest work of god in us and the best training, that we cease from our works, that we let our reason and will be idle, that we rest and commend ourselves to god in all things, especially when they seem to be spiritual and good. xix. after this comes the discipline of the flesh, to kill its gross, evil lust, to give it rest and relief. this we must kill and quiet with fasting, watching and labor, and from this we learn how much and why we shall fast, watch and labor. there are, alas! many blind men, who practise their castigation, whether it be fasting, watching or labor, only because they think these are good works, intending by them to gain much merit. far blinder still are they who measure their fasting not only by the quantity or duration, as these do, but also by the nature of the food, thinking that it is of far greater worth if they do not eat meat, eggs or butter. beyond these are those who fast according to the saints, and according to the days; one fasting on wednesday, another on saturday, another on st. barbara's day, another on st. sebastian's day, and so on. these all seek in their fasting nothing beyond the work itself: when they have performed that, they think they have done a good work. i will here say nothing of the fact that some fast in such a way that they none the less drink themselves full; some fast by eating fish and other foods so lavishly that they would come much nearer to fasting if they ate meat, eggs and butter, and by so doing would obtain far better results from their fasting. for such fasting is not fasting, but a mockery of fasting and of god. therefore i allow everyone to choose his day, food and quantity for fasting, as he will, on condition that he do not stop with that, but have regard to his flesh; let him put upon it fasting, watching and labor according to its lust and wantonness, and no more, although pope, church, bishop, father-confessor or any one else whosoever have commanded it. for no one should measure and regulate fasting, watching and labor according to the character or quantity of the food, or according to the days, but according to the withdrawal or approach of the lust and wantonness of the flesh, for the sake of which alone the fasting, watching and labor is ordained, that is, to kill and to subdue them. if it were not for this lust, eating were as meritorious as fasting, sleeping as watching, idleness as labor, and each were as good as the other without all distinction. xx. now, if some one should find that more wantonness arose in his flesh from eating fish than from eating eggs and meat, let him eat meat and not fish. again, if he find that his head becomes confused and crazed or his body and stomach injured through fasting, or that it is not needful to kill the wantonness of his flesh, he shall let fasting alone entirely, and eat, sleep, be idle as is necessary for his health, regardless whether it be against the command of the church, or the rules of monastic orders: for no commandment of the church, no law of an order can make fasting, watching and labor of more value than it has in serving to repress or to kill the flesh and its lusts. where men go beyond this, and the fasting, eating, sleeping, watching are practised beyond the strength of the body, and more than is necessary to the killing of the lust, so that through it the natural strength is ruined and the head is racked; then let no one imagine that he has done good works, or excuse himself by citing the commandment of the church or the law of his order. he will be regarded as a man who takes no care of himself, and, as far as in him lies, has become his own murderer. for the body is not given us that we should kill its natural life or work, but only that we kill its wantonness; unless its wantonness were so strong and great that we could not sufficiently resist it without ruin and harm to the natural life. for, as has been said, in the practice of fasting, watching and labor, we are not to look upon the works in themselves, not on the days, not on the number, not on the food, but only on the wanton and lustful adam, that through them he may be cured of his evil appetite. xxi. from this we can judge how wisely or foolishly some women act when they are with child, and how the sick are to be treated. for the foolish women cling so firmly to their fasting that they run the risk of great danger to the fruit of their womb and to themselves, rather than not to fast when the others fast. they make a matter of conscience where there is none, and where there is matter of conscience they make none. this is all the fault of the preachers, because they continually prate of fasting, and never point out its true use, limit, fruit, cause and purpose. so also the sick should be allowed to eat and to drink every day whatever they wish. in brief, where the wantonness of the flesh ceases, there every reason for fasting, watching, laboring, eating this or that, has already ceased, and there no longer is any binding commandment at all. but then care must be taken, lest out of this freedom there grow a lazy indifference about killing the wantonness of the flesh; for the roguish adam is exceedingly tricky in looking for permission for himself, and in pleading the ruin of the body or of the mind; so some men jump right in and say it is neither necessary nor commanded to fast or to mortify the flesh, and are ready to eat this and that without fear, just as if they had for a long time had much experience of fasting, although they have never tried it. no less are we to guard against offending those who, not sufficiently informed, regard it a great sin if we do not fast or eat as they do. these we must kindly instruct, and not haughtily despise, nor eat this or that in despite of them, but we must tell them the reason why it is right to do so, and thus gradually lead them to a correct understanding. but if they are stubborn and will not listen, we must let them alone, and do as we know it is right to do. xxii. the second form of discipline which we receive at the hands of others, is when men or devils cause us suffering, as when our property is taken, our body sick, and our honor taken away; and everything that may move us to anger, impatience and unrest. for god's work rules in us according to his wisdom, not according to our wisdom, according to his purity and chastity, not according to the wantonness of our flesh; for god's work is wisdom and purity, our work is foolishness and impurity, and these shall rest: so in like manner it should rule in us according to his peace, not our anger, impatience and lack of peace. for peace too is god's work, impatience is the work of our flesh; this shall rest and be dead, that we thus in every way keep a spiritual holiday, let our works stand idle, and let god work in us. therefore in order to kill our works and the adam in us, god heaps many temptations upon us, which move us to anger, many sufferings, which rouse us to impatience, and last of all death and the world's abuse; whereby he seeks nothing else than that he may drive out anger, impatience and lack of peace, and attain to his work, that is, to peace, in us. thus says isaiah xxviii, "he does the work of another that he may come to his own work." what does this mean? he sends us suffering and trouble that he may teach us to have patience and peace; he bids us die that he may make us live, until a man, thoroughly trained, becomes so peaceful and quiet that he is not disturbed, whether it go well or ill with him, whether he die or live, be honored or dishonored. there god himself dwells alone, and there are no works of men. this is rightly keeping and hallowing the day of rest; then a man does not guide himself, then he desires nothing for himself, then nothing troubles him; but god himself leads him, there is naught but godly pleasure, joy and peace with all other works and virtues. xxiii. these works he considers so great that he commands us not only to keep the day of rest, but also to hallow it or regard it as holy, whereby he declares that there are no more precious things than suffering, dying, and all manner of misfortune. for they are holy and sanctify a man from his works to god's works, just as a church is consecrated from natural works to the worship of god. therefore a man shall also recognise them as holy things, be glad and thank god when they come upon him. for when they come they make him holy, so that he fulfils this commandment and is saved, redeemed from all his sinful works. thus says david: "precious in the sight of the lord is the death of his saints." in order to strengthen us thereto he has not only commanded us to keep such a rest (for nature is very unwilling to die and to suffer, and it is a bitter day of rest for it to cease from its works and be dead); but he has also comforted us in the scriptures with many words and told us, psalm xci, "i will be with him in all his trouble, and will deliver him." likewise psalm xxxiv: "the lord is nigh unto all them that suffer, and will help them." as if this were not enough, he has given us a powerful, strong example of it, his only, dear son, jesus christ, our lord, who on the sabbath lay in the tomb the entire day of rest, free from all his works, and was the first to fulfil this commandment, although he needed it not for himself, but only for our comfort, that we also in all suffering and death should be quiet and have peace. since, as christ was raised up after his rest and henceforth lives only in god and god in him, so also shall we by the death of our adam, which is perfectly accomplished only through natural death and burial, be lifted up into god, that god may live and work in us forever. lo! these are the three parts of man: reason, desire, aversion; in which all his works are done. these, therefore, must be slain by these three exercises, god's governance, our self-mortification, the hurt done to us by others; and so they must spiritually rest before god, and give him room for his works. xxiv. but such works are to be done and such sufferings to be endured in faith and in sure confidence of god's favor, in order that, as has been said, all works remain in the first commandment and in faith, and that faith, for the sake of which all other commandments and works are ordained, exercise and strengthen itself in them. see, therefore, what a pretty, golden ring these three commandments and their works naturally form, and how from the first commandment and faith the second flows on to the third, and the third in turn drives through the second up into the first. for the first work is to believe, to have a good heart and confidence toward god. from this flows the second good work, to praise god's name, to confess his grace, to give all honor to him alone. then follows the third, to worship by praying, hearing god's word, thinking of and considering god's benefits, and in addition chastising one's self, and keeping the body under. but when the evil spirit perceives such faith, such honoring of god and such worship, he rages and stirs up persecution, attacks body, goods, honor and life, brings upon us sickness, poverty, shame and death, which god so permits and ordains. see, here begins the second work, or the second rest of the third commandment; by this faith is very greatly tried, even as gold in the fire. for it is a great thing to retain a sure confidence in god, although he sends us death, shame, sickness, poverty; and in this cruel form of wrath to regard him as our all-gracious father, as must be done in this work of the third commandment. here suffering contains faith, that it must call upon god's name and praise it in such suffering, and so it comes through the third commandment into the second again; and through that very calling on the name of god and praise, faith grows, and becomes conscious of itself, and so strengthens itself, through the two works of the third and of the second commandment. thus faith goes out into the works and through the works comes to itself again; just as the sun goes forth unto its setting and comes again unto its rising. for this reason the scriptures associate the day with peaceful living in works, the night with passive living in adversity, and faith lives and works, goes out and comes in, in both, as christ says, john ix. xxv. this order of good works we pray in the lord's prayer. the first is this, that we say: "our father, who art in heaven"; these are the words of the first work of faith, which, according to the first commandment, does not doubt that it has a gracious father in heaven. the second: "hallowed be thy name," in which faith asks that god's name, praise and honor be glorified, and calls upon it in every need, as the second commandment says. the third: "thy kingdom come," in which we pray for the true sabbath and rest, peaceful cessation of our works, that god's work alone be done in us, and so god rule in us as in his own kingdom, as he says, luke xvii, "behold, god's kingdom is nowhere else except within you." the fourth petition is "thy will be done"; in which we pray that we may keep and have the seven commandments of the second table, in which faith is exercised toward our neighbor; just as in the first three it is exercised in works toward god alone. and these are the petitions in which stands the word "thou, thy, thy, thy," because they seek only what belongs to god; all the others say "our, us, our," etc; for in them we pray for our goods and blessedness. let this, then, suffice as a plain, hasty explanation of the first table of moses, pointing out to simple folk what are the highest of good works. the second table follows. "thou shalt honor thy father and thy mother." from this commandment we learn that after the excellent works of the first three commandments there are no better works than to obey and serve all those who are set over us as superiors. for this reason also disobedience is a greater sin than murder, unchastity, theft and dishonesty, and all that these may include. for we can in no better way learn how to distinguish between greater and lesser sins than by noting the order of the commandments of god, although there are distinctions also within the works of each commandment. for who does not know that to curse is a greater sin than to be angry, to strike than to curse, to strike father and mother more than to strike any one else? thus these seven commandments teach us how we are to exercise ourselves in good works toward men, and first of all toward our superiors. the first work is that we honor our own father and mother. and this honor consists not only in respectful demeanor, but in this: that we obey them, look up to, esteem and heed their words and example, accept what they say, keep silent and endure their treatment of us, so long as it is not contrary to the first three commandments; in addition, when they need it, that we provide them with food, clothing and shelter. for not for nothing has he said: "thou shalt honor them"; he does not say: "thou shalt love them," although this also must be done. but honor is higher than mere love and includes a certain fear, which unites with love, and causes a man to fear offending them more than he fears the punishment. just as there is fear in the honor we pay a sanctuary, and yet we do not flee from it as from a punishment, but draw near to it all the more. such a fear mingled with love is the true honor; the other fear without any love is that which we have toward things which we despise or flee from, as we fear the hangman or punishment. there is no honor in that, for it is a fear without all love, nay, fear that has with it hatred and enmity. of this we have a proverb of st. jerome: what we fear, that we also hate. with such a fear god does not wish to be feared or honored, nor to have us honor our parents; but with the first, which is mingled with love and confidence. ii. this work appears easy, but few regard it aright. for where the parents are truly pious and love their children not according to the flesh, but (as they ought) instruct and direct them by words and works to serve god according to the first three commandments, there the child's own will is constantly broken, and it must do, leave undone, and suffer what its nature would most gladly do otherwise; and thereby it finds occasion to despise its parents, to murmur against them, or to do worse things. there love and fear depart, unless they have god's grace. in like manner, when they punish and chastise, as they ought (at times even unjustly, which, however, does not harm the soul's salvation), our evil nature resents the correction. beside all this, there are some so wicked that they are ashamed of their parents because of poverty, lowly birth, deformity or dishonor, and allow these things to influence them more than the high commandment of god, who is above all things, and has with benevolent intent given them such parents, to exercise and try them in his commandment. but the matter becomes still worse when the child has children of its own; then love descends to them, and detracts very much from the love and honor toward the parents. but what is said and commanded of parents must also be understood of those who, when the parents are dead or absent, take their place, such as relatives, god-parents, sponsors, temporal lords and spiritual fathers. for every one must be ruled and be subject to other men. wherefore we here see again how many good works are taught in this commandment, since in it all our life is made subject to other men. hence it comes that obedience is so highly praised and all virtue and good works are included in it. iii. there is another dishonoring of parents, much more dangerous and subtile than this first, which adorns itself and passes for a real honor; that is, when a child has its own way, and the parents through natural love allow it. here there is indeed mutual honor, here there is mutual love, and on all sides it is a precious thing, parents and child take mutual pleasure in one another. this plague is so common that instances of the first form of dishonoring are very seldom seen. this is due to the fact that the parents are blinded, and neither know nor honor god according to the first three commandments; hence also they cannot see what the children lack, and how they ought to teach and train them. for this reason they train them for worldly honors, pleasure and possessions, that they may by all means please men and reach high positions: this the children like, and they obey very gladly without gainsaying. thus god's commandment secretly comes to naught while all seems good, and that is fulfilled which is written in the prophets isaiah and jeremiah, that the children are destroyed by their own parents, and they do like the king manasseh, who sacrificed his own son to the idol moloch and burned him, ii. kings xxi. what else is it but to sacrifice one's own child to the idol and to burn it, when parents train their children more in the way of the world than in the way of god? let them go their way, and be burned up in worldly pleasure, love, enjoyment, possessions and honor, but let god's love and honor and the desire of eternal blessings be quenched in them? o how perilous it is to be a father or a mother, where flesh and blood are supreme! for, truly, the knowledge and fulfilment of the first three and the last six commandments depends altogether upon this commandment; since parents are commanded to teach them to their children, as psalm lxxviii. says, "how strictly has he commanded our fathers, that they should make known god's commandments to their children, that the generation to come might know them and declare them to their children's children." this also is the reason why god bids us honor our parents, that is, to love them with fear; for that other love is without fear, therefore it is more dishonor than honor. now see whether every one does not have good works enough to do, whether he be father or child. but we blind men leave this untouched, and seek all sorts of other works which are not commanded. iv. now where parents are foolish and train their children after the fashion of the world, the children are in no way to obey them; for god, according to the first three commandments, is to be more highly regarded than the parents. but training after the fashion of the world i call it, when they teach them to seek no more than pleasure, honor and possessions of this world or its power. to wear decent clothes and to seek an honest living is a necessity, and not sin. yet the heart of a child must be taught to be sorry that this miserable earthly life cannot well be lived, or even begun, without the striving after more adornment and more possessions than are necessary for the protection of the body against cold and for nourishment. thus the child must be taught to grieve that, without its own will, it must do the world's will and play the fool with the rest of men, and endure such evil for the sake of something better and to avoid something worse. so queen esther wore her royal crown, and yet said to god, esther xiv, "thou knowest, that the sign of my high estate, which is upon my head, has never yet delighted me, and i abhor it as a menstruous rag, and never wear it when i am by myself, but when i must do it and go before the people." the heart that is so minded wears adornment without peril; for it wears and does not wear, dances and does not dance, lives well and does not live well. and these are the secret souls, hidden brides of christ, but they are rare; for it is hard not to delight in great adornment and parade. thus st. cecilia wore golden clothes at the command of her parents, but within against her body she wore a garment of hair. here some men say: "how then could i bring my children into society, and marry them honorably? i must make some display." tell me, are not these the words of a heart which despairs of god, and trusts more on its own providing than on god's care? whereas st. peter teaches and says, i. peter v, "cast all your care upon him, and be certain that he cares for you." it is a sign that they have never yet thanked god for their children, have never yet rightly prayed for them, have never yet commended them to him; otherwise they would know and have experienced that they ought to ask god also for the marriage dower of their children, and await it from him. therefore also he permits them to go their way, with cares and worries, and yet succeed poorly. v. thus it is true, as men say, that parents, although they had nothing else to do, could attain salvation by training their own children; if they rightly train them to god's service, they will indeed have both hands full of good works to do. for what else are here the hungry, thirsty, naked, imprisoned, sick, strangers, than the souls of your own children? with whom god makes of your house a hospital, and sets you over them as chief nurse, to wait on them, to give them good words and works as meat and drink, that they may learn to trust, believe and fear god, and to place their hope on him, to honor his name, not to swear nor curse, to mortify themselves by praying, fasting, watching, working, to attend worship and to hear god's word, and to keep the sabbath, that they may learn to despise temporal things, to bear misfortune calmly, and not to fear death nor to love this life. see, what great lessons are these, how many good works you have before you in your home, with your child, that needs all these things like a hungry, thirsty, naked, poor, imprisoned, sick soul. o what a blessed marriage and home were that where such parents were to be found! truly it would be a real church, a chosen cloister, yea, a paradise. of such says psalm cxxviii: "blessed are they that fear god, and walk in his commandments; thou shalt eat of the labor of thine hands; therefore thou shalt be happy, and it shall be well with thee. thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine in thine house, and thy children shall be as the young scions of laden olive trees about thy table. behold, thus shall the man be blessed, that feareth the lord," etc. where are such parents? where are they that ask after good works? here none wishes to come. why? god has commanded it; the devil, flesh and blood pull away from it; it makes no show, therefore it counts for nothing. here this husband runs to st. james, that wife vows a pilgrimage to our lady; no one vows that he will properly govern and teach himself and his child to the honor of god; he leaves behind those whom god has commanded him to keep in body and soul, and would serve god in some other place, which has not been commanded him. such perversity no bishop forbids, no preacher corrects; nay, for covetousness' sake they confirm it and daily only invent more pilgrimages, elevations of saints, indulgence-fairs. god have pity on such blindness. vi. on the other hand, parents cannot earn eternal punishment in any way more easily than by neglecting their own children in their own home, and not teaching them the things which have been spoken of above. of what help is it, that they kill themselves with fasting, praying, making pilgrimages, and do all manner of good works? god will, after all, not ask them about these things at their death and in the day of judgment, but will require of them the children whom he entrusted to them. this is shown by that word of christ, luke xxiii, "ye daughters of jerusalem, weep not for me, but for yourselves and for your children. the days are coming, in which they shall say: blessed are the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck." why shall they lament, except because all their condemnation comes from their own children? if they had not had children, perhaps they might have been saved. truly, these words ought to open the eyes of parents, that they may have regard to the souls of their children, so that the poor children be not deceived by their false, fleshly love, as if they had rightly honored their parents when they are not angry with them, or are obedient in worldly matters, by which their self-will is strengthened; although the commandment places the parents in honor for the very purpose that the self-will of the children may be broken, and that the children may become humble and meek. just as it has been said of the other commandments, that they are to be fulfilled in the chief work, so here too let no one suppose that the training and teaching of his children is sufficient of itself, except it be done in confidence of divine favor, so that a man doubt not that he is wellpleasing to god in his works, and that he let such works be nothing else than an exhortation and exercise of his faith, that he trust god and look to him for blessings and a gracious will; without which faith no work lives, or is good and acceptable; for many heathen have trained their children beautifully, but it is all lost, because of their unbelief. vii. the second work of this commandment is to honor and obey the spiritual mother, the holy christian church, the spiritual power, so that we conform to what she commands, forbids, appoints, orders, binds and looses, and honor, fear and love the spiritual authority as we honor, love and fear our natural parents, and yield to it in all things which are not contrary to the first three commandments. now with regard to this work, things are almost worse than with regard to the first. the spiritual authority should punish sin with the ban and with laws, and constrain its spiritual children to be good, in order that they might have reason to do this work and to exercise themselves in obeying and honoring it. such zeal one does not see now; they act toward their subjects like the mothers who forsake their children and run after their lovers, as hosea ii. says; they do not preach, they do not teach, they do not hinder, they do not punish, and there is no spiritual government at all left in christendom. what can i say of this work? a few fast-days and feast-days are left, and these had better be done away with. but no one gives this a thought, and there is nothing left except the ban for debt, and this should not be. but spiritual authority should look to it, that adultery, unchastity, usury, gluttony, worldly show, excessive adornment, and such like open sin and shame might be most severely punished and corrected; and they should properly manage the endowments, monastic houses, parishes and schools, and earnestly maintain worship in them, provide for the young people, boys and girls, in schools and cloisters, with learned, pious men as teachers, that they might all be well trained, and so the older people give a good example and christendom be filled and adorned with fine young people. so st. paul teaches his disciple titus, that he should rightly instruct and govern all classes, young and old, men and women. but now he goes to school who wishes; he is taught who governs and teaches himself; nay, it has, alas! come to such a pass that the places where good should be taught have become schools of knavery, and no one at all takes thought for the wild youth. viii. if the above order prevailed, one could say how honor and obedience should be given to the spiritual authority. but now the case is like that of the natural parents who let their children do as they please; at present the spiritual authority threatens, dispenses, takes money, and pardons more than it has power to pardon. i will here refrain from saying more; we see more of it than is good; greed holds the reins, and just what should be forbidden is taught; and it is clearly seen that the spiritual estate is in all things more worldly than the worldly estate itself. meanwhile christendom must be ruined, and this commandment perish. if there were a bishop who would zealously provide for all these classes, supervise, make visitations and be faithful as he ought, truly, one city would be too much for him. for in the time of the apostles, when christendom was at its best estate, each city had a bishop, although the smallest part of the inhabitants were christians. how may things go when one bishop wants to have so much, another so much, this one the whole world, that one the fourth of it. it is time that we pray god for mercy. of spiritual power we have much; but of spiritual government nothing or little. meanwhile may he help who can, that endowments, monastic houses, parishes and schools be well established and managed; and it would also be one of the works of the spiritual authority that it lessen the number of endowments, monastic houses and schools, where they cannot be cared for. it is much better that there be no monastic house or endowment than that there be evil government in them, whereby god is the more provoked to anger. ix. since, then, the authorities so entirely neglect their work, and are perverted, it must assuredly follow that they misuse their power, and undertake other and evil works, just as parents do when they give some command contrary to god. here we must be wise; for the apostle has said, that those times shall be perilous in which such authorities shall rule. for it seems as if we resisted their power if we do not do and leave undone all that they prescribe. therefore we must take hold of the first three commandments and the first table, and be certain that no man, neither bishop, nor pope, nor angel, may command or determine anything that is contrary to or hinders these three commandments, or does not help them; and if they attempt such things, it is not valid and amounts to nothing; and we also sin if we follow and obey, or even tolerate such acts. from this it is easy to understand that the commands of fasting do not include the sick, the pregnant women, or those who for other reasons cannot fast without injury. and, to rise higher, in our time nothing comes from rome but a fair of spiritual wares, which are openly and shamelessly bought and sold, indulgences, parishes, monastic houses, bishoprics, provostships, benefices, and every thing that has ever been founded to god's service far and wide; whereby not only is all money and wealth of the world drawn and driven to rome (for this would be the smallest harm), but the parishes, bishoprics and prelacies are torn to pieces, deserted, laid waste, and so the people are neglected, god's word and god's name and honor come to naught, and faith is destroyed, so that at last such institutions and offices fall into the hands not only of unlearned and unfit men, but the greater part into the hands of the romans, the greatest villains in the world. thus what has been founded for god's service, for the instruction, government and improvement of the people, must now serve the stable-boys, mule-drivers, yea, not to use plainer language, roman whores and knaves; yet we have no more thanks than that they mock us for it as fools. x. if then such unbearable abuses are all carried on in the name of god and st. peter, just as if god's name and the spiritual power were instituted to blaspheme god's honor, to destroy christendom, body and soul: we are indeed in duty bound to resist in a proper way as much as we can. and here we must do like pious children whose parents have become insane, and first see by what right that which has been founded for god's service in our lands, or has been ordained to provide for our children, must be allowed to do its work in rome, and to lapse here, where it ought to serve. how can we be so foolish? since then bishops and spiritual prelates stand idle in this matter, offer no opposition or are afraid, and thus allow christendom to perish, it is our duty first of all humbly to call upon god for help to prevent this thing, then to put our hand to work to the same end, send the courtesans and those who bear letters from rome about their business, in a reasonable, gentle way inform them that, if they wish to care for their parishes properly, they shall live in them and improve the people by preaching or by good example; or if not, and they do live in rome or elsewhere, lay waste and debauch the churches, then let the pope feed them, whom they serve. it is not fitting that we support the pope's servants, his people, yes, his knaves and whores, to the destruction and injury of our souls. lo! these are the true turks, whom the kings, princes and the nobility ought to attack first: not seeking thereby their own benefit, but only the improvement of christendom, and the prevention of the blasphemy and disgracing of the divine name; and so to deal with the clergy as with a father who has lost his sense and wits; who, if one did not restrain him and resist him (although with all humility and honor), might destroy child, heir and everybody. thus we are to honor roman authority as our highest father; and yet, since they have gone mad and lost their senses, not allow them to do what they attempt, lest christendom be destroyed thereby. xi. some think, this should be referred to a general council. to this i say: no! for we have had many councils in which this has been proposed, namely, at constance, basel and the last roman council; but nothing has been accomplished, and things have grown ever worse, moreover, such councils are entirely useless, since roman wisdom has contrived the device that the kings and princes must beforehand take an oath to let the romans remain what they are and keep what they have, and so has put up a bar to ward off all reformation, to retain protection and liberty for all their knavery, although this oath is demanded, forced and taken contrary to god and the law, and by it the doors are locked against the holy spirit, who should rule the councils. but this would be the best, and also the only remedy remaining, if kings, princes, nobility, cities and communities themselves began and opened a way for reformation, so that the bishops and clergy, who now are afraid, would have reason to follow. for here nothing else shall and must be considered except god's first three commandments, against which neither rome, nor heaven nor earth can command or forbid anything. and the ban or threatening with which they think they can prevent this, amounts to nothing; just as it amounts to nothing if an insane father severely threatens the son who restrains him or locks him up. xii. the third work of this commandment is to obey the temporal authority, as paul teaches, romans xiii, and titus iii, and st. peter, i. peter ii: "submit yourselves to the king as supreme, and to the princes as his ambassadors, and to all the ordinances of the worldly power." but it is the work of the temporal power to protect its subjects, and to punish thievery, robbery, and adultery, as st. paul says, romans xiii: "it beareth not the sword in vain; it serves god with it, to the terror of evil doers, and to the protection of the good." here men sin in two ways. first, if they lie to the government, deceive it, and are disloyal, neither obey nor do as it has ordered and commanded, whether with their bodies or their possessions. for even if the government does injustice, as the king of babylon did to the people of israel, yet god would have it obeyed, without treachery and deception. secondly, when men speak evil of the government and curse it, and when a man cannot revenge himself and abuses the government with grumbling and evil words, publicly or secretly. in all this we are to regard that which st. peter bids us regard, namely, that its power, whether it do right or wrong, cannot harm the soul, but only the body and property; unless indeed it should try openly to compel us to do wrong against god or men; as in former days when the magistrates were not yet christians, and as the turk is now said to do. for to suffer wrong destroys no one's soul, nay, it improves the soul, although it inflicts loss upon the body and property; but to do wrong, that destroys the soul, although it should gain all the world's wealth. xiii. this also is the reason why there is not such great danger in the temporal power as in the spiritual, when it does wrong. for the temporal power can do no harm, i since it has nothing to do with preaching and faith and the first three commandments. but the spiritual power does harm not only when it does wrong, but also when it neglects its duty and busies itself with other things, even if they were better than the very best works of the temporal power. therefore, we must resist it when it does not do right, and not resist the temporal power although it does wrong. for the poor people believe and do as they see the spiritual power believing and doing; if they are not set an example and are not taught, then they also believe nothing and do nothing; since this power is instituted for no other reason than to lead the people in faith to god. all this is not found in the temporal power; for it may do and leave undone what it will, my faith to god still goes its way and works its works, because i need not believe what it believes. therefore, also, the temporal power is a very small thing in god's sight, and far too slightly regarded by him, that for its sake, whether it do right or wrong, we should resist, become disobedient and quarrel. on the other hand, the spiritual power is an exceeding great blessing, and far too precious in his eyes, that the very least of christians should endure and keep silent, if it departs a hair's breadth from its own duty, not to say when it does the very opposite of its duty, as we now see it do every day. xiv. in this power also there is much abuse. first, when it follows the flatterers, which is a common and especially harmful plague of this power, against which no one can sufficiently guard and protect himself. here it is led by the nose, and oppresses the common people, becomes a government of the like of which a heathen says: "the spider-webs catch the small flies, but the mill-stones roll through." so the laws, ordinances and government of one and the same authority hold the small men, and the great are free; and where the prince is not himself so wise that he needs nobody's advice, or has such a standing that they fear him, there will and must be (unless god should do a special wonder) a childish government. for this reason god has considered evil, unfit rulers the greatest of plagues, as he threatens, isaiah iii, "i will take away from them every man of valor, and will give children to be their princes and babes to rule over them." four plagues god has named in scripture, ezekiel xiv. the first and slightest, which also david chose, is pestilence, the second is famine, the third is war, the fourth is all manner of evil beasts, such as lions, wolves, serpents, dragons; these are the wicked rulers. for where these are, the land is destroyed, not only in body and property, as in the others, but also in honor, discipline, virtue and the soul's salvation. for pestilence and famine make people good and rich; but war and wicked rulers bring to naught everything that has to do with temporal and eternal possessions. xv. a prince must also be very wise and not at all times undertake to enforce his own will, although he may have the authority and the very best cause. for it is a far nobler virtue to endure wrong to one's authority than to risk property and person, if it is advantageous to the subjects; since worldly rights attach only to temporal goods. hence, it is a very foolish saying: i have a right to it, therefore i will take it by storm and keep it, although all sorts of misfortune may come to others thereby. so we read of the emperor octavianus, that he did not wish to make war, however just his cause might be, unless there were sure indications of greater benefit than harm, or at least that the harm would not be intolerable, and said: "war is like fishing with a golden net; the loss risked is always greater than the catch can be." for he who guides a wagon must walk far otherwise than if he were walking alone; when alone he may walk, jump, and do as he will; but when he drives, he must so guide and adapt himself that the wagon and horses can follow him, and regard that more than his own will. so also a prince leads a multitude with him and must not walk and act as he wills, but as the multitude can, considering their need and advantage more than his will and pleasure. for when a prince rules after his own mad will and follows his own opinion, he is like a mad driver, who rushes straight ahead with horse and wagon, through bushes, thorns, ditches, water, up hill and down dale, regardless of roads and bridges; he will not drive long, all will go to smash. therefore it would be most profitable for rulers, that they read, or have read to them, from youth on, the histories, both in sacred and in profane books, in which they would find more examples and skill in ruling than in all the books of law; as we read that the kings of persia did, esther vi. for examples and histories benefit and teach more than the laws and statutes: there actual experience teaches, here untried and uncertain words. xvi. three special, distinct works all rulers might do in our times, particularly in our lands. first, to make an end of the horrible gluttony and drunkenness, not only because of the excess, but also because of its expense. for through seasonings and spices and the like, without which men could well live, no little loss of temporal wealth has come and daily is coming upon our lands. to prevent these two great evils would truly give the temporal power enough to do, for the inroads they have made are wide and deep. and how could those in power serve god better and thereby also improve their own land? secondly, to forbid the excessive cost of clothing, whereby so much wealth is wasted, and yet only the world and the flesh are served; it is fearful to think that such abuse is to be found among the people who have been pledged, baptised and consecrated to christ, the crucified, and who should bear the cross after him and prepare for the life to come by dying daily. if some men erred through ignorance, it might be borne; but that it is practised so freely, without punishment, without shame, without hindrance, nay, that praise and fame are sought thereby, this is indeed an unchristian thing. thirdly, to drive out the usurious buying of rent-charges, which in the whole world ruins, consumes and troubles all lands, peoples and cities through its cunning form, by which it appears not to be usury, while in truth it is worse than usury, because men are not on their guard against it as against open usury. see, these are the three jews, as men say, who suck the whole world dry. here princes ought not to sleep, nor be lazy, if they would give a good account of their office to god. xvii. here too ought to be mentioned the knavery which is practised by officiales and other episcopal and spiritual officers, who ban, load, hunt and drive the poor people with great burdens, as long as a penny remains. this ought to be prevented by the temporal sword, since there is no other help or remedy. o, would god in heaven, that some time a government might be established that would do away with the public bawdy-houses, as was done among the people of israel! it is indeed an unchristian sight, that public houses of sin are maintained among christians, a thing formerly altogether unheard of. it should be a rule that boys and girls should be married early and such vice be prevented. such a rule and custom ought to be sought for by both the spiritual and the temporal power. if it was possible among the jews, why should it not also be possible among christians? nay, if it is possible in villages, towns and some cities, as we all see, why should it not be possible everywhere? but the trouble is, there is no real government in the world. no one wants to work, therefore the mechanics must give their workmen holiday: then they are free and no one can tame them. but if there were a rule that they must do as they are bid, and no one would give them work in other places, this evil would to a large extent be mended. god help us! i fear that here the wish is far greater than the hope; but this does not excuse us. now see, here only a few works of magistrates are indicated, but they are so good and so many, that they have superabundant good works to do every hour and could constantly serve god. but these works, like the others, should also be done in faith, yea, be an exercise of faith, so that no one expect to please god by the works, but by confident trust in his favor do such works only to the honor and praise of his gracious god, thereby to serve and benefit his neighbor. xviii. the fourth work of this commandment is obedience of servants and workmen toward their lords and ladies, masters and mistresses. of this st. paul says, titus ii: "thou shalt exhort servants that they highly honor their masters, be obedient, do what pleases them, not cheating them nor opposing them"; for this reason also: because they thereby bring the doctrine of christ and our faith into good repute, that the heathen cannot complain of us and be offended. st. peter also says: "servants, be subject to your masters, for the fear of god, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward and harsh. for this is acceptable with god, if a man suffers harshness, being innocent." now there is the greatest complaint in the world about servants and working men, that they are disobedient, unfaithful, unmannerly, and over-reaching; this is a plague sent of god. and truly, this is the one work of servants whereby they may be saved; truly they need not make pilgrimages or do this thing or the other; they have enough to do if their heart is only set on this, that they gladly do and leave undone what they know pleases their masters and mistresses, and all this in a simple faith; not that they would by their works gain much merit, but that they do it all in the confidence of divine favor (in which all merits are to be found), purely for nothing, out of the love and good-will toward god which grows out of such confidence. and all such works they should think of as an exercise and exhortation ever to strengthen their faith and confidence more and more. for, as has now been frequently said, this faith makes all works good, yea, it must do them and be the master-workman. xix. on the other hand, the masters and mistresses should not rule their servants, maids and workingmen roughly, not look to all things too closely, occasionally overlook something, and for peace' sake make allowances. for it is not possible that everything be done perfectly at all times among any class of men, as long as we live on earth in imperfection. of this st. paul says, colossians iv, "masters, do unto your servants that which is just and equal, knowing that ye also have a master in heaven." therefore as the masters do not wish god to deal too sharply with them, but that many things be overlooked through grace, they also should be so much the more gentle toward their servants, and overlook some things, and yet have a care that the servants do right and learn to fear god. but see now, what good works a householder and a mistress can do, how finely god offers us all good works so near at hand, so manifold, so continuously, that we have no need of asking after good works, and might well forget the other showy, far-off, invented works of men, such as making pilgrimages, building churches, seeking indulgence, and the like. here i ought naturally also to say how a wife ought to be obedient, subject to her husband as to her superior, give way to him, keep silent and give up to him, where it is a matter not contrary to god's commands. on the other hand, the husband should love his wife, overlook a little, and not deal strictly with her, of which matter st. peter and st. paul have said much. but this has its place in the further explanation of the ten commandments, and is easily inferred from these passages. xx. but all that has been said of these works is included in these two, obedience and considerateness. obedience is the duty of subjects, considerateness that of masters, that they take care to rule their subjects well, deal kindly with them, and do everything whereby they may benefit and help them. that is their way to heaven, and these are the best works they can do on earth; with these they are more acceptable to god than if without these they did nothing but miracles. so says st. paul, romans xii: "he that ruleth, let him do it with diligence"; as who should say: "let him not allow himself to be led astray by what other people or classes of people do; let him not look to this work or to that, whether it be splendid or obscure; but let him look to his own position, and think only how he may benefit those who are subject to him; by this let him stand, nor let himself be torn from it, although heaven stood open before him, nor be driven from it, although hell were chasing him. this is the right road that leads him to heaven." oh, if a man were so to regard himself and his position, and attended to its duties alone, how rich in good works would he be in a short time, so quietly and secretly that no one would notice it except god alone! but now we let all this go, and one runs to the carthusians, another to this place, a third to that, just as if good works and god's commandments had been thrown into corners and hidden; although it is written in proverbs i, that divine wisdom crieth out her commandments publicly in the streets, in the midst of the people and in the gates of the cities; which means that they are present in profusion in all places, in all stations of life and at all times, and we do not see them, but in our blindness look for them elsewhere. this christ declared, matthew xxiv: "if they shall say unto you: lo, here is christ, or there, believe it not. if they shall say: behold, he is in the desert, go not forth; behold, he is in the secret chambers, believe it not; they are false prophets and false christs." xxi. again, obedience is the duty of subjects, that they direct all their diligence and effort to do and to leave undone what their over-lords desire of them, that they do not allow themselves to be torn or driven from this, whatever another do. let no man think that he lives well or does good works, whether it be prayer or fasting, or by whatever name it may be called, if he does not earnestly and diligently exercise himself in this. but if it should happen, as it often does, that the temporal power and authorities, as they are called, should urge a subject to do contrary to the commandments of god, or hinder him from doing them, there obedience ends, and that duty is annulled. here a man must say as st. peter says to the rulers of the jews: "we ought to obey god rather than men." he did not say: "we must not obey men"; for that would be wrong; but he said: "god rather than men." thus, if a prince desired to go to war, and his cause was manifestly unrighteous, we should not follow nor help him at all; since god has commanded that we shall not kill our neighbor, nor do him injustice. likewise, if he bade us bear false witness, steal, lie or deceive and the like. here we ought rather give up goods, honor, body, and life, that god's commandments may stand. the four preceding commandments have their works in the understanding, that is, they take a man captive, rule him and make him subject, so that he rule not himself, approve not himself, think not highly of himself; but in humility know himself and allow himself to be led, that pride be prevented. the following commandments deal with the passions and lust of men, that these also be killed. i. the passions of anger and revenge, of which the fifth commandment says, "thou shalt not kill." this commandment has one work, which however includes many and dispels many vices, and is called meekness. now this is of two kinds. the one has a beautiful splendor, and there is nothing back of it. this we practice toward our friends and those who do us good and give us pleasure with goods, honor and favor, or who do not offend us with words nor with deeds. such meekness irrational animals have, lions and snakes, jews, turks, knaves, murderers, bad women. these are all content and gentle when men do what they want, or let them alone; and yet there are not a few who, deceived by such worthless meekness, cover over their anger and excuse it, saying: "i would indeed not be angry, if i were left alone." certainly, my good man, so the evil spirit also would be meek if he had his own way. dissatisfaction and resentment overwhelm you in order that they may show you how full of anger and wickedness you are, that you may be admonished to strive after meekness and to drive out anger. the second form of meekness is good through and through, that which is shown toward opponents and enemies, does them no harm, does not revenge itself, does not curse nor revile, does not speak evil of them, does not meditate evil against them, although they had taken away goods, honor, life, friends and everything. nay, where it is possible, it returns good for evil, speaks well of them, thinks well of them, prays for them. of this christ says, matthew v: "do good to them that despitefully use you. pray for them that persecute you and revile you." and paul, romans xii: "bless them which curse you, and by no means curse them, but do good to them." ii. behold how this precious, excellent work has been lost among christians, so that nothing now everywhere prevails except strife, war, quarreling, anger, hatred, envy, back-biting, cursing, slandering, injuring, vengeance, and all manner of angry works and words; and yet, with all this, we have our many holidays, hear masses, say our prayers, establish churches, and more such spiritual finery, which god has not commanded. we shine resplendently and excessively, as if we were the most holy christians there ever were. and so because of these mirrors and masks we allow god's commandment to go to complete ruin, and no one considers or examines himself, how near or how far he be from meekness and the fulfilment of this commandment; although god has said, that not he who does such works, but he who keeps his commandments, shall enter into eternal life. now, since no one lives on earth upon whom god does not bestow an enemy and opponent as a proof of his own anger and wickedness, that is, one who afflicts him in goods, honor, body or friends, and thereby tries whether anger is still present, whether he can be well-disposed toward his enemy, speak well of him, do good to him, and not intend any evil against him; let him come forward who asks what he shall do that he may do good works, please god and be saved. let him set his enemy before him, keep him constantly before the eyes of his heart, as an exercise whereby he may curb his spirit and train his heart to think kindly of his enemy, wish him well, care for him and pray for him; and then, when opportunity offers, speak well of him and do good to him. let him who will, try this and if he find not enough to do all his life long, he may convict me of lying, and say that my contention was wrong. but if this is what god desires, and if he will be paid in no other coin, of what avail is it, that we busy ourselves with other great works which are not commanded, and neglect this? therefore god says, matthew v, "i say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his neighbor, is in danger of the judgment; but whosoever shall say to his brother, thou fool (that is, all manner of invective, cursing, reviling, slandering), he shall be in danger of everlasting fire." what remains then for the outward act, striking, wounding, killing, injuring, etc., if the thoughts and words of anger are so severely condemned? iii. but where there is true meekness, there the heart is pained at every evil which happens to one's enemy. and these are the true children and heirs of god and brethren of christ, whose heart was so pained for us all when he died on the holy cross. even so we see a pious judge passing sentence upon the criminal with sorrow, and regretting the death which the law imposes. here the act seems to be one of anger and harshness. so thoroughly good is meekness that even in such works of anger it remains, nay, it torments the heart most sorely when it must be angry and severe. but here we must watch, that we be not meek contrary to god's honor and commandment. for it is written of moses that he was the very meekest man on earth, and yet, when the jews had worshiped the golden calf and provoked god to anger, he put many of them to death, and thereby made atonement before god. likewise it is not fitting that the magistrates should be idle and allow sin to have sway, and that we say nothing. my own possessions, my honor, my injury, i must not regard, nor grow angry because of them; but god's honor and commandment we must protect, and injury or injustice to our neighbor we must prevent, the magistrates with the sword, the rest of us with reproof and rebuke, yet always with pity for those who have merited the punishment. this high, noble, sweet work can easily be learned, if we perform it in faith, and as an exercise of faith. for if faith does not doubt the favor of god nor question that god is gracious, it will become quite easy for a man to be gracious and favorable to his neighbor, however much he may have sinned; for we have sinned much more against god. behold, a short commandment this, but it presents a long, mighty exercise of good works and of faith. thou shalt not commit adultery. in this commandment too a good work is commanded, which includes much and drives away much vice; it is called purity, or chastity, of which much is written and preached, and it is well known to every one, only that it is not as carefully observed and practised as other works which are not commanded. so ready are we to do what is not commanded and to leave undone what is commanded. we see that the world is full of shameful works of unchastity, indecent words, tales and ditties, temptation to which is daily increased through gluttony and drunkenness, idleness and frippery. yet we go our way as if we were christians; when we have been to church, have said our little prayer, have observed the fasts and feasts, then we think our whole duty is done. now, if no other work were commanded but chastity alone, we would all have enough to do with this one; so perilous and raging a vice is unchastity. it rages in all our members: in the thoughts of our hearts, in the seeing of our eyes, in the hearing of our ears, in the words of our mouth, in the works of our hands and feet and all our body. to control all these requires labor and effort; and thus the commandments of god teach us how great truly good works are, nay, that it is impossible for us of our own strength to conceive a good work, to say nothing of attempting or doing it. st. augustine says, that among all the conflicts of the christian the conflict of chastity is the hardest, for the one reason alone, that it continues daily without ceasing, and chastity seldom prevails. this all the saints have wept over and lamented, as st. paul does, romans vii: "i find in me, that is in my flesh, no good thing." ii. if this work of chastity is to be permanent, it will drive to many other good works, to fasting and temperance over against gluttony and drunkenness, to watching and early rising over against laziness and excessive sleep, to work and labor over against idleness. for gluttony, drunkenness, lying late abed, loafing and being without work are weapons of unchastity, with which chastity is quickly overcome. on the other hand, the holy apostle paul calls fasting, watching and labor godly weapons, with which unchastity is mastered; but, as has been said above, these exercises must do no more than overcome unchastity, and not pervert nature. above all this, the strongest defence is prayer and the word of god; namely, that when evil lust stirs, a man flee to prayer, call upon god's mercy and help, read and meditate on the gospel, and in it consider christ's sufferings. thus says psalm cxxxvii: "happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth the little ones of babylon against the rock," that is, if the heart runs to the lord christ with its evil thoughts while they are yet young and just beginning; for christ is a rock, on which they are ground to powder and come to naught. see, here each one will find enough to do with himself, and more than enough, and will be given many good works to do within himself. but now no one uses prayer, fasting, watching, labor for this purpose, but men stop in these works as if they were in themselves the whole purpose, although they should be arranged so as to fulfil the work of this commandment and purify us daily more and more. some have also indicated more things which should be avoided, such as soft beds and clothes, that we should avoid excessive adornment, and neither associate nor talk with members of the opposite sex, nor even look upon them, and whatsoever else may be conducive to chastity. in all these things no one can fix a definite rule and measure. each one must watch himself and see what things are needful to him for chastity, in what quantity and how long they help him to be chaste, that he may thus choose and observe them for himself; if he cannot do this, let him for a time give himself up to be controlled by another, who may hold him to such observance until he can learn to rule himself. this was the purpose for which the monastic houses were established of old, to teach young people discipline and purity. iii. in this work a good strong faith is a great help, more noticeably so than in almost any other; so that for this reason also isaiah xi. says that "faith is a girdle of the reins," that is, a guard of chastity. for he who so lives that he looks to god for all grace, takes pleasure in spiritual purity; therefore he can so much more easily resist fleshly impurity: and in such faith the spirit tells him of a certainty how he shall avoid evil thoughts and everything that is repugnant to chastity. for as the faith in divine favor lives without ceasing and works in all works, so it also does not cease its admonitions in all things that are pleasing to god or displease him; as st. john says in his epistle: "ye need not that any man teach you: for the divine anointing, that is, the spirit of god, teacheth you of all things." yet we must not despair if we are not soon rid of the temptation, nor by any means imagine that we are free from it as long as we live, and we must regard it only as an incentive and admonition to prayer, fasting, watching, laboring, and to other exercises for the quenching of the flesh, especially to the practice and exercise of faith in god. for that chastity is not precious which is at ease, but that which is at war with unchastity, and fights, and without ceasing drives out all the poison with which the flesh and the evil spirit attack it. thus st. peter says, "i beseech you, abstain from fleshly desires and lusts, which war always against the soul." and st. paul, romans vi, "ye shall not obey the body in its lusts." in these and like passages it is shown that no one is without evil lust; but that everyone shall and must daily fight against it. but although this brings uneasiness and pain, it is none the less a work that gives pleasure, in which we shall have our comfort and satisfaction. for they who think they make an end of temptation by yielding to it, only set themselves on fire the more; and although for a time it is quiet, it comes again with more strength another time, and finds the nature weaker than before. thou shalt not steal. this commandment also has a work, which embraces very many good works, and is opposed to many vices, and is called in german mildigkeit, "benevolence;" which is a work ready to help and serve every one with one's goods. and it fights not only against theft and robbery, but against all stinting in temporal goods which men may practise toward one another: such as greed, usury, overcharging and plating wares that sell as solid, counterfeit wares, short measures and weights, and who could tell all the ready, novel, clever tricks, which multiply daily in every trade, by which every one seeks his own gain through the other's loss, and forgets the rule which says: "what ye wish that others do to you, that do ye also to them." if every one kept this rule before his eyes in his trade, business, and dealings with his neighbor, he would readily find how he ought to buy and sell, take and give, lend and give for nothing, promise and keep his promise, and the like. and when we consider the world in its doings, how greed controls all business, we would not only find enough to do, if we would make an honorable living before god, but also be overcome with dread and fear for this perilous, miserable life, which is so exceedingly overburdened, entangled and taken captive with cares of this temporal life and dishonest seeking of gain. ii. therefore the wise man says not in vain: "happy is the rich man, who is found without blemish, who does not run after gold, and has not set his confidence in the treasures of money. who is he? we will praise him, that he has done wondrous things in his life." as if he would say: "none such is found, or very few indeed." yea, they are very few who notice and recognise such lust for gold in themselves. for greed has here a very beautiful, fine cover for its shame, which is called provision for the body and natural need, under cover of which it accumulates wealth beyond all limits and is never satisfied; so that he who would in this matter keep himself clean, must truly, as he says, do miracles or wondrous things in his life. now see, if a man wish not only to do good works, but even miracles, which god may praise and be pleased with, what need has he to look elsewhere? let him take heed to himself, and see to it that he run not after gold, nor set his trust on money, but let the gold run after him, and money wait on his favor, and let him love none of these things nor set his heart on them; then he is the true, generous, wonderworking, happy man, as job xxxi says: "i have never yet: relied upon gold, and never yet made gold my hope and confidence." and psalm lxii: "if riches increase, set not your heart upon them." so christ also teaches, matthew vi, that we shall take no thought, what we shall eat and drink and wherewithal we shall be clothed, since god cares for this, and knows that we have need of all these things. but some say: "yes, rely upon that, take no thought, and see whether a roasted chicken will fly into your mouth!" i do not say that a man shall not labor and seek a living; but he shall not worry, not be greedy, not despair, thinking that he will not have enough; for in adam we are all condemned to labor, when god says to him, genesis iii, "in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread." and job v, "as the birds to flying, so is man born unto labor." now the birds fly without worry and greed, and so we also should labor without worry and greed; but if you do worry and are greedy, wishing that the roasted chicken fly into your mouth: worry and be greedy, and see whether you will thereby fulfil god's commandment and be saved! iii. this work faith teaches of itself. for if the heart looks for divine favor and relies upon it, how is it possible that a man should be greedy and worry? he must be sure beyond a doubt that god cares for him; therefore he does not cling to money; he uses it also with cheerful liberality for the benefit of his neighbor, and knows well that he will have enough, however much he may give away. for his god, whom he trusts, will not lie to him nor forsake him, as it is written, psalm xxxvii: "i have been young, and now am old; never have i seen a believing man, who trusts god, that is a righteous man, forsaken, or his child begging bread." therefore the apostle calls no other sin idolatry except covetousness, because this sin shows most plainly that it does not trust god for anything, expects more good from its money than from god; and, as has been said, it is by such confidence that god is truly honored or dishonored. and, indeed, in this commandment it can be clearly seen how all good works must be done in faith; for here every one most surely feels that the cause of covetousness is distrust and the cause of liberality is faith. for because a man trusts god, he is generous and does not doubt that he will always have enough; on the other hand, a man is covetous and worries because he does not trust god. now, as in this commandment faith is the master-workman and the doer of the good work of liberality, so it is also in all the other commandments, and without such faith liberality is of no worth, but rather a careless squandering of money. iv. by this we are also to know that this liberality shall extend even to enemies and opponents. for what manner of good deed is that, if we are liberal only to our friends? as christ teaches, luke vi, even a wicked man does that to another who is his friend. besides, the brute beasts also do good and are generous to their kind. therefore a christian must rise higher, let his liberality serve also the undeserving, evil-doers, enemies, and the ungrateful, even as his heavenly father makes his sun to rise on good and evil, and the rain to fall on the grateful and ungrateful. but here it will be found how hard it is to do good works according to god's commandment, how nature squirms, twists and writhes in its opposition to it, although it does the good works of its own choice easily and gladly. therefore take your enemies, the ungrateful, and do good to them; then you will find how near you are to this commandment or how far from it, and how all your life you will always have to do with the practice of this work. for if your enemy needs you and you do not help him when you can, it is just the same as if you had stolen what belonged to him, for you owed it to him to help him. so says st. ambrose, "feed the hungry; if you do not feed him, you have, as far as you are concerned, slain him." and in this commandment are included the works of mercy, which christ will require at men's hands at the last day. but the magistrates and cities ought to see to it that the vagabonds, pilgrims and mendicants from foreign lands be debarred, or at least allowed only under restrictions and rules, so that knaves be not permitted to run at large under the guise of mendicants, and their knavery, of which there now is much, be prohibited. i have spoken at greater length of this commandment in the treatise on usury. thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. this commandment seems small, and yet is so great, that he who would rightly keep it must risk and imperil life and limb, goods and honor, friends and all that he has; and yet it includes no more than the work of that small member, the tongue, and is called in german wahrheit sagen, "telling the truth" and, where there is need, gainsaying lies; so that it forbids many evil works of the tongue. first: those which are committed by speaking, and those which are committed by keeping silent. by speaking, when a man has an unjust law-suit, and wants to prove and maintain his case by a false argument, catch his neighbor with subtilty, produce everything that strengthens and furthers his own cause, and withhold and discount everything that furthers his neighbor's good cause; in doing which he does not do to his neighbor as he would have his neighbor do to him. this some men do for the sake of gain, some to avoid loss or shame, thereby seeking their own advantage more than god's commandment, and excuse themselves by saying: vigilanti jura subveniunt, "the law helps him who watches"; just as if it were not as much their duty to watch for their neighbor's cause as for their own. thus they intentionally allow their neighbor's cause to be lost, although they know that it is just. this evil is at present so common that i fear no court is held and no suit tried but that one side sins against this commandment. and even when they cannot accomplish it, they yet have the unrighteous spirit and will, so that they would wish the neighbor's just cause to be lost and their unjust cause to prosper. this sin is most frequent when the opponent is a prominent man or an enemy. for a man wants to revenge himself on his enemy: but the ill will of a man of prominence he does not wish to bring upon himself; and then begins the flattering and fawning, or, on the other hand, the withholding of the truth. here no one is willing to run the risk of disfavor and displeasure, loss and danger for the truth's sake; and so god's commandment must perish. and this is almost universally the way of the world. he who would keep this commandment, would have both hands full doing only those good works which concern the tongue. and then, how many are there who allow themselves to be silenced and swerved aside from the truth by presents and gifts! so that in all places it is truly a high, great, rare work, not to be a false witness against one's neighbor. ii. there is a second bearing of witness to the truth, which is still greater, with which we must fight against the evil spirits; and this concerns not temporal matters, but the gospel and the truth of faith, which the evil spirit has at no time been able to endure, and always so manages that the great among men, whom it is hard to resist, must oppose and persecute it. of which it is written in psalm lxxxii, "rid the poor out of the hand of the wicked, and help the forsaken to maintain his just cause." such persecution, it is true, has now become infrequent; but that is the fault of the spiritual prelates, who do not stir up the gospel, but let it perish, and so have abandoned the very thing because of which such witnessing and persecution should arise; and in its place they teach us their own law and what pleases them. for this reason the devil also does not stir, since by vanquishing the gospel he has also vanquished faith in christ, and everything goes as he wishes. but if the gospel should be stirred up and be heard again, without doubt the whole world would be aroused and moved, and the greater portion of the kings, princes, bishops, doctors and clergy, and all that is great, would oppose it and rage against it, as has always happened when the word of god has come to light; for the world cannot endure what comes from god. this is proved in christ, who was and is the very greatest and most precious and best of all that god has; yet the world not only did not receive him, but persecuted him more cruelly than all others who had ever come forth from god. therefore, as at that time, so at all times there are few who stand by the divine truth, and imperil and risk life and limb, goods and honor, and all that they have, as christ has foretold: "ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake." and: "many of them shall be offended in me." yea, if this truth were attacked by peasants, herdsmen, stable-boys and men of no standing, who would not be willing and able to confess it and to bear witness to it? but when the pope, and the bishops, together with princes and kings attack it, all men flee, keep silent, dissemble, in order that they may not lose goods, honor, favor and life. iii. why do they do this? because they have no faith in god, and expect nothing good from him. for where such faith and confidence are, there is also a bold, defiant, fearless heart, that ventures and stands by the truth, though it cost life or cloak, though it be against pope or kings; as we see that the martyrs did. for such a heart is satisfied and rests easy because it has a gracious, loving god. therefore it despises all the favor, grace, goods and honor of men, lets them come and go as they please; as is written in psalm xv: "he contemneth them that contemn god, and honoreth them that fear the lord"; that is, the tyrants, the mighty, who persecute the truth and despise god, he does not fear, he does not regard them, he despiseth them; on the other hand, those who are persecuted for the truth's sake, and fear god more than men, to these he clings, these he defends, these he honors, let it vex whom it may; as it is written of moses, hebrews xi, that he stood by his brethren, regardless of the mighty king of egypt. lo, in this commandment again you see briefly that faith must be the master-workman in this work also, so that without it no one has courage to do this work: so entirely are all works comprised in faith, as has now been often said. therefore, apart from faith all works are dead, however good the form and name they bear. for as no one does the work of this commandment except he be firm and fearless in the confidence of divine favor; so also he does no work of any other commandment without the same faith: thus every one may easily by this commandment test and weigh himself whether he be a christian and truly believe in christ, and thus whether he is doing good works or no. now we see how the almighty god has not only set our lord jesus christ before us that we should believe in him with such confidence, but also holds before us in him an example of this same confidence and of such good works, to the end that we should believe in him, follow him and abide in him forever; as he says, john xiv: "i am the way, the truth and the life,"--the way, in which we follow him; the truth, that we believe in him; the life, that we live in him forever. from all this it is now manifest that all other works, which are not commanded, are perilous and easily known: such as building churches, beautifying them, making pilgrimages, and all that is written at so great length in the canon law and has misled and burdened the world and ruined it, made uneasy consciences, silenced and weakened faith, and has not said how a man, although he neglect all else, has enough to do with all his powers to keep the commandments of god, and can never do all the good works which he is commanded to do; why then does he seek others, which are neither necessary nor commanded, and neglect those that are necessary and commanded? the last two commandments, which forbid evil desires of the body for pleasure and for temporal goods, are clear in themselves; these evil desires do no harm to our neighbor, and yet they continue unto the grave, and the strife in us against them endures unto death; therefore these two commandments are drawn together by st. paul into one, romans vii, and are set as a goal unto which we do not attain, and only in our thoughts reach after until death. for no one has ever been so holy that he felt in himself no evil inclination, especially when occasion and temptation were offered. for original sin is born in us by nature, and may be checked, but not entirely uprooted, except through the death of the body; which for this reason is profitable and a thing to be desired. to this may god help us. amen. librarian, and still an lcms pastor lessons in the small catechism of dr. martin luther. for the senior department of lutheran sunday-schools and for general use. by geo. mezger, professor at concordia seminary, st. louis, mo. st. louis, mo. concordia publishing house. 1923. lesson 1. the catechism and the bible. 1. the little book we have before us is called the _small catechism._ the word "catechism" means _instruction._ this little book gives us instruction in a brief and simple form, such as even a child can understand. it teaches us what every christian, as a child of god, should believe, and how every christian, as a child of god, should live.--this book is called the _small catechism_ not only because it is a small book, but mainly because we have also a _large catechism_ for older people. 2. the _small catechism_ was written by _dr. martin luther, the great reformer of the church._ luther was born at eisleben, a small town in germany, november 10, 1483, and died at the same place, february 18, 1546. he published his _small catechism in the year 1529,_ for the benefit of the common people and the children, who are most in need of such instruction. 3. our catechism is a small book, indeed, but it is a most precious little book. it does not contain luther's thoughts and doctrines or those of any other wise and learned man; it contains _god's own words_ revealed to us for our salvation. it does not teach us _all_ the doctrines of god's word, but those that every christian must know in order _to believe rightly, to lead a godly life, and when his last hour is come to depart in peace._ our catechism teaches these doctrines in a short form, in plain and simple words. 4. _our catechism teaches god's word._ how do we prove this? luther has taken the contents of his catechism from the bible, and the bible is the word of god.--the word "bible" means _book._ we call our bible "the book" because it really is the book of books, the book in comparison with which no other book is worthy to be called by that name, the most important and valuable book.--the bible is also called _the scriptures,_ or _scripture,_ which means something written, a written word. the bible was written by _holy men of god._ these holy men did not write the bible of their own will. _"holy men of god spake"_ (and wrote) _"as they were moved by the holy ghost."_ 2 pet. 1,21. god himself moved his holy men to write the bible. 5. the bible contains many _different books,_ written at different times. we divide the books of our bible into _two chief parts._ the first we call the _old testament._ to it belong all the books written by the prophets of god, by moses, samuel, david, isaiah, and others, before our savior was born.--the second part we call the _new testament,_ which contains all the books written by the evangelists and apostles, such as matthew, mark, luke, john, paul, peter, and others, after our savior came into this world. _both testaments teach us the same things and doctrines._ in what respect do they differ? 6. the bible is the written word of god. it is true, holy men have written the bible, but they wrote being moved by the holy ghost, and moreover, they wrote what god told them to write, they wrote by inspiration of god. _"all scripture is given by inspiration of god."_ 2 tim. 3,16. god inspired his prophets and apostles, that is, he taught and told them what to write, he taught and gave them the very words which they were to use. when a teacher dictates to his pupils, the children, indeed, write the words; yet they do not write their own words, but the words of their teacher. in a similar manner, god, as it were, dictated his word to the holy men; he told them what to write, and how to write it. so the whole bible is god's word. therefore it is wholly _free from every error,_ it is _infallible._ everything it tells us is the truth. god will not and cannot tell us an untruth. 7. _for what purpose did god give us his word in the bible?_ the holy scriptures _"are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in christ jesus."_ 2 tim. 3,15. god's word is to make us _wise,_ not wise unto the things of this world, unto our daily life and work, but _wise unto salvation._ it teaches us how we who are sinners can be saved from damnation. nobody can teach us this but god in his word.--our salvation is in christ jesus. we are saved solely by faith in him who has taken away the sins of the world. the scriptures testify of christ.--the word of god is _able_ to make us wise unto salvation. in it we find all we must know, all that is necessary to save us, to give us eternal life. _"thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path."_ ps. 119,105. 8. _how should we use the scriptures?_ our savior says: _"search the scriptures; for in them, ye think ye have eternal life; and they are they which testify of me."_ 3 john 5,39. we should _search_ the scriptures, that is, we should read and study them diligently. we hear god's word preached in our churches, we learn it in our schools, we should read it daily in our homes. we should not only read, but _study_ it _with earnest prayer to god_ that he would open our eyes that we may understand his word.--we should read it so as _to seek and to find in it christ,_ our lord and savior, and through faith in him have eternal life. _"blessed are they that hear the word of god, and keep it,"_ luke 11,28. 9. from the word of god our catechism is taken. luther took the most important doctrines from the bible for his catechism. _it may be called a small bible._ gladly should we study this little book. as new-born babes long and cry for their milk and grow thereby to become strong men or women, so children of god, newly born in holy baptism, should desire the pure milk of the word set before them in their catechism and grow thereby in knowledge and faith unto salvation. 1 pet. 2,2. remember:-_the bible is the word of god, written by inspiration of the holy ghost. god gave us his word to make us wise unto salvation through faith in christ jesus._ _we should diligently search the scriptures to find in them christ, our savior, and in him, everlasting life._ memorize:-_and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in christ jesus. all scripture is given by inspiration of god._ 2 tim. 3,15.16. _search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life; and they are they which testify of me._ john 5,39. _blessed are they that hear the word of god and keep it._ luke 11,28. questions. 1. what does the word "catechism" mean? 2. what does the catechism teach us? 3. by whom was our catechism written? 4. who was dr. martin luther? 5. when was our catechism published? 6. from what other book are the doctrines of our catechism taken? 7. what does the word "bible" mean? 8. why do we call this book the bible? 9. how is the bible also called? 10. by whom was the bible, or holy scripture, written? whose word is the bible? 11. how is the bible god's word, though it was written by men? 12. what are the chief parts of the scriptures? 13. of whom do both parts testify? 14. in what respect do they differ? 15. for what purpose did god give us his word? 16. unto what does the bible make wise? 17. how do we obtain salvation? 18. how should we use the bible? 19. what does the psalmist say about god's word? 20. why should we also diligently learn our catechism? lesson 2. the first commandment. which is the first commandment? _thou shalt have no other gods before me._ what does this mean? _we should fear, love, and trust in god above all things._ 1. we all have been baptized. in holy baptism god has received us as his children. _god is our heavenly father._ a father gives his children his commands. he tells them what they should do and not do, how they should live to please him. so our heavenly father has given us, his children, his _commandments._ he tells us what, according to his will, we should do and not do, how we should live and walk in his sight. as his obedient children we will gladly hear and learn his will and try, with his gracious help, to lead such lives as will please him. it should be our pleasure to fulfil his commandments, for they are the will of our father, who loves us so dearly.--_the ten commandments are our heavenly father's will; they tell us what we should do and not do._ 2. _"thou shalt have no other gods before me,"_ that is the first of the ten commandments. that is the will of god, our lord and father, that we are to have no other gods before or besides him. he who is the only true god should be our god. him alone, and nobody and nothing besides him, we are to have and regard as our god. _"i am, the lord, that is my name; and my glory will i not give to another"_ is. 42,8. when do we regard god as our god? when is he our god indeed? our catechism says: _"we should fear, love, and trust in god above all things."_ when we fear god, and love him, and trust in him above all things, then he is truly our god. 3. _"we should fear god."_ a dutiful child fears his father. he certainly is not afraid of him, but he honors and respects him. in the same manner we should fear god. he says: _"i am the almighty god."_ gen. 17,7. he has, through his mighty word, made heaven and earth. because god is so great and mighty, we should fear him. we should not be afraid of him,--the almighty god is our father,--but we should honor and respect him above all things. 4. a child shows his fear and filial respect for his father _by not doing anything wrong,_ because his dear father might see it or hear of it. he is afraid he might displease his father by disobeying him, yes, cause him grief. _god is always with us. he sees and hears everything we do or say, yea, he knows the very thoughts of our hearts._ we should always remember that he is present wherever we are, and therefore behave accordingly. we should be afraid to grieve our heavenly father by doing wrong. _the fear of god will keep us from doing anything against his holy will. "by the fear of the lord men depart from evil."_ prov. 16,6. _think of joseph, in egypt!_ when he was tempted by potiphar's wife, he remembered that god was with him, therefore he told her: _"how, then, can i do this great wickedness and sin against god?"_ gen. 30,9. remember always: god is with me! and you will not do such great wickedness and sin against your god. _"i am the almighty god; walk before me and be thou perfect."_ gen. 17,1. _we fear god, when we honor and respect him, when we walk before him, and for his sake keep away from sin._ 5. _"we should love god,"_ we all love our parents. we esteem them highly, our hearts cling to them, because we know how dearly they love us, and that they are doing all they can for us. god ought to be dearer to us than everything in this world, dearer even than our parents. he is our heavenly father, our greatest benefactor. from him we receive all that we have and enjoy. he loves us first, he has so loved us that he gave his dear son for us. _so we should love him and cling to him with our whole heart._ 6. _"this is the love of god, that we keep his commandments."_ 1 john 5,3. if we love god, we shall gladly do as he bids us do. thus our _lord jesus_ loved his heavenly father. he says: _"i will delight to do thy will, o my god; yea, thy law is within my heart."_ ps. 40,8. _abraham_ loved god, and therefore he was willing to sacrifice his only son for god's sake. gen. 22,1-12. _we love god when we cling to him with our whole heart and from love to him fulfil his commandments._ 7. _"we should trust in god."_ to trust in god means to put our confidence in god and his promises, to be assured that he will give us what we need and what is good for us in this life and in the life to come. we trust in god when we believe that he will not forsake us in the day of trouble, that whatever he sends us, though it seem evil, will be for our good. our father can and will give us only good and perfect gifts. thus _david_ trusted in the lord when he went forth to conquer goliath. 1 sam. 17. thus, too _those three men _trusted in god who suffered themselves to be cast into the fiery furnace rather than deny their god. dan. 3. _we trust in god when we put our confidence in him and firmly believe that he will give us all we need, that he will never forsake us, and that everything which he sends us will be for our welfare._ 8. "we should fear and love god and trust" in him _"above all things,"_ that is, more than in all other men or things. we may, and we really do, fear and love many things besides god. we fear and love our parents, our teachers, our friends, and we trust in them. god himself bids us do so. for god's sake we fear and love them. but we must fear and love _god_ more than all other things, more than even our parents, or our dearest friends. _he must be first in our heart and in our life._ if our parents, or friends, or anything else would separate us from god, or prevent us from fearing and loving him, or from trusting in him above all things, we must cast them aside. if we fear and love and trust in anything more than in god, we make a creature our god; then we have other gods besides god; then we are worshiping idols (other gods that are no gods), as the heathen do. _"thou shalt worship the lord, thy god, and him only shalt thou serve."_ matt. 4,10. 9. fear, love, and trust god demands from us. fear, love, and trust are to be found in the heart. _god claims our hearts in this commandment. "trust in the lord with all thine heart."_ prov. 3,5. together with our hearts god wants our whole lives, all we are and have. _the first commandment is the greatest of them all._ in this all the others are included. let us daily pray god to grant us his grace to fear and love him and trust in him above all things, in order that we may have no other gods before him. remember:-_1. we should fear and love god and trust in him above all things; then we shall have no other gods before him; then he, the true god, will be our god indeed._ _2. we should fear and love and trust in god above all things. god wants our whole heart and life, all that we are and have._ memorize:-_i am the almighty god; walk before me, and be thou perfect._ gen. 17,1. _trust in the lord with all thine heart._ prov. 3,5. _thou shalt worship the lord, thy god, and him only shalt thou serve._ matt. 4,10. questions. 1. what does god tell us in his commandments? 2. why has god a right to give us these commandments? 3. which is the first commandment? 4. who should be our god? 5. when is the only true god our god? 6. what does it mean to fear god? 7. how do we show that we fear god? 8. what does the lord say gen. 17,1? 9. what does it mean to love god? 10. what shall we fulfil if we love god? 11. what does it mean to trust in god? 12. what shall we firmly believe if we trust in god? 13. how should we fear and love god and trust in him? 14. why should we fear and love god above all things? 15. what sin do we commit if we fear and love any one more than god? 16. what does our lord say matt. 4,10? 17. what does god demand of us in the first commandment? 18. why is the first commandment the greatest of all? lesson 3. the second commandment. which is the second commandment? _thou shalt not take the name of the lord, thy god, in vain._ what does this mean? _we should fear and love god that we may not curse, swear, use witchcraft, lie, or deceive by his name, but call upon it in every trouble, pray, praise, and give thanks._ 1. we learned in the first commandment that we should _fear and love our god above all things._ that is the will of our father in heaven. if we fear and love god, we shall gladly fulfil his commandments and do his will. and it is only if we fear and love god that we shall do so. all our obedience to god and his commandments must come from a heart that fears and loves god. in every commandment our god demands again that we fear and love him. therefore our catechism begins the explanation of every commandment with these words: _"we should fear and love god."_ 2. _"thou shalt not take the name of the lord, thy god, in vain."_ because we fear and love god, we must not take his name in vain. god has a name, just as you and everybody has a name by which he is known and called; indeed, god has many names. you already learned several of his names. _(god, lord, father, jesus christ, holy ghost, the almighty, creator, savior,_ etc.) these names god has given himself in his word. through his names he shows us who and what he is, what he has done and still is doing for his children. god is called savior, and he really is the savior; he is called creator because he has created heaven and earth; he is called the almighty, for with him nothing is impossible. _god's name is god himself as he has revealed himself to us._ 3. _we are not to take god's name in vain._ to take god's name in vain means to use his holy name _thoughtlessly_ and _without any need._ many persons, it is sad to say, very often use the name of god, and especially that of jesus christ, in their speech without thinking of their savior, without even knowing that they do so. they use it even when they talk of vile things. they take god's name in vain and mock god. _"be not deceived; god is not mocked."_ gal. 6,7. 4. our catechism shows us more plainly how god's name is taken in vain: _"we should fear and love god that we may not curse, swear, use witchcraft, lie, or deceive by his name."_ we should not _curse._ to curse by god's name means _to call down upon oneself or another god's punishment. peter_ cursed. matt. 26,74. he said god should punish him if he knew "the man" jesus. christians should never curse. they bless and praise god, their father; how, then, can they curse their fellow-men and wish them god's punishment? blessing and cursing should not come out of the same mouth. jas. 3,9.10. 5. _we should not swear by god's name._ we swear when we use god's name to affirm the truth of what we say, as we hear it done so often in daily life. our lord says to his disciples: _"i say unto you, swear not at all. ... but let your communication be, yea, yea; nay, nay; for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil."_ matt. 5,34,37. 6. _we should not use witchcraft by god's name._ we use witchcraft when we try to perform things which by natural means we cannot do, such as _fortune-telling, calling and asking the dead_ (as the spiritualists claim to do), etc. such works are in themselves grievous sins, works of the devil. but such sins are much greater when god's holy name is used in performing them. christians should have nothing to do with these works of darkness, these works of the devil. (read deut. 18,10-12.) 7. _we should not lie or deceive by god's name._ lying by god's name means telling a lie and using god's name and word in order to make the lie seem to be the truth. so the _false prophets_ use god's name and word in order to hide their false doctrines and make them appear as god's truth. _"behold, i am against the prophets, saith the lord, that use their tongues and say, he saith." _jer. 23,31, the hypocrites deceive by god's name. they use god's name, they talk about god and his word in order to hide their evil life. _"not every one that saith unto me, lord, lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my father which is in heaven."_ matt. 7,21. think of ananias and sapphira. acts 5. 8. to take god's name in vain is a _grievous sin._ god is greatly displeased with it. how can we, who fear and love god, grieve him by taking his holy name in vain? _and god has threatened to punish all that misuse his name. "the lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain."_ ex. 20,7.4 9. god has revealed his name to us in order to _bless and save us._ he wants us to use his holy name _in the right way. "we should call upon it in every trouble, pray, praise, and give thanks."_ that is the right use of our lord's name.--he wants us to _call_ on him, to beg for his help, especially in all our troubles; for he alone can help us in all our needs. god says: _"call upon me in the day of trouble; i will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me."_ ps. 50,15.--we should _pray_ in his name; for in every true prayer we use his name aright. he wants us to come to him daily and speak with him, as a child speaks to his father.--we should use his name in _praising_ and _thanking_ him for his manifold goodness, for all his benefits, all the great things he does for us. if he has delivered or helped us, we should glorify him. _"bless the lord, o my soul; and all that is within me, bless his holy name."_ ps. 103,1. _"o give thanks unto the lord; for he is good; because his mercy endureth forever."_ ps. 118,1. if we rightly use the name of our god, we shall be blessed by it. _"the name of the lord is a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it and is safe."_ prov. 18,10. remember:-_1. god has given us his holy name that we may be blessed and saved by it._ _2. he forbids us to take in vain and misuse his sacred name by cursing, swearing, using witchcraft, lying, or deceiving, or by thoughtlessly speaking it._ _3. he commands us to use it aright by calling upon it in all our needs, by praying, praising, and giving of thanks. we should fear and love god and so use his blessed name._ memorize:-_i say unto you, swear not at all, but let your communication be, yea, yea; nay, nay; for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil."_ [tr. note: sic on quotation mark] matt. 5,34.37. _behold, i am against the prophets, saith the lord, that use their tongues and say, he saith._ jer. 23,31. _call upon me in the day of trouble; i will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me._ ps. 50, 15. _bless the lord, o my soul; and all that is within me bless his holy name._ ps. 103,1. questions. 1. how does our catechism begin the explanation of every commandment after the first commandment? 2. when only can and will we fulfil all the commandments? 3. what, therefore, does god demand of us in every commandment? 4. enumerate some of god's holy names. 5. for what purpose has god revealed his name to us? 6. what does it mean to take god's name in vain? 7. what does it mean to curse by god's name? 8. when do we swear by god's name? 9. whose work is witchcraft? 10. what people lie by god's name? 11. what does god say about the false prophets? (jer. 3,31.) 12. what does it mean to deceive by god's name? 13. what has god threatened those who take his name in vain? 14. what is the will of god with respect to his name? 15. how should we use god's name? 16. what does it mean to call upon god? 17. when especially should we do so? 18. recite ps. 50,15. 19. why should we praise the lord and give thanks unto his name? 20. recite ps. 103,1. lesson 4. the third commandment. which is the third commandment? _thou shalt sanctify the holy-day._ what does this mean? _we should fear and love god that we may not despise preaching and his word, but hold it sacred, and gladly hear and learn it._ 1. _"thou shalt sanctify the holy-day,"_ that is the third commandment. we christians have a _holy-day._ we celebrate as our holy-day the first day in week, sunday. we do not do this because god has commanded us to keep this day or any other day holy, more sacred than the rest of the week. in the old testament, before christ came into the world, god had given his people a certain day as a holy-day, the seventh day of the week, the _sabbath._ in the new testament, after christ was born, god has given no such commandment. _the church, the christians themselves,_ has chosen a holy-day. the church chose sunday, because it was on a sunday that our dear lord, our savior and our king, arose again from the dead. every sunday should remind us of the resurrection of our savior, of his victory over sin, death, and the power of the devil.--we also keep other days holy, for instance, christmas, new year's day, easter, and other festival days. can you name some other christian festival? 2. _why do we christians celebrate certain days as holy-days though god has not commanded us to do so?_ it is god's will that his children should come together for services of _preaching and hearing his word,_ that they should come together in their churches for public worship. in order to do this, it is necessary to set aside a _certain day._ that is the reason why the church celebrates sunday and other feasts. _we celebrate them not by divine command, but in order to have time for public worship,_ for going to church, for services of preaching and hearing the word of god. to the question, "what does this mean?" namely, to sanctify the holy-day, our catechism rightly answers: _"we should fear and love god that we may not despise preaching and his word, but hold it sacred, and gladly hear and learn it."_ 3. _we should not despise preaching and his word, but hold it sacred,_ that is the will of god according to the third commandment. remember, it is _his_ word, the holy word of our _heavenly father,_ whom we should fear and love. it is god himself who speaks to us in his word, in the bible, when we read it. it is god himself who sends his messengers to us, our pastors and teachers, to preach his word that we may the better understand it. our savior says concerning his messengers: _"he that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me."_ luke 10, 16. in despising his word, we despise our lord, yea, our god and father himself. a child does not despise the words of his respected and beloved father. how deeply would we, then, offend our heavenly father by despising his word!--if we really fear and love god, we shall not despise his word, but hold it sacred. we shall not forget that we are hearing our dear father's voice when we are reading our bible. when god's word is preached to us in our churches, we shall hear and receive it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of god. 1 thess. 2,13. 4. _when is this done?_ when do we not despise god's word, but rather hold it sacred? god's word is _preached to to us in public worship._ we despise the preaching of his word when we do not go to church at all, or only now and then, at long intervals, because we prefer to stay at home to do our work or to amuse ourselves. we despise preaching when we go to church, but hear the sermon carelessly when we do not pay attention to the pastor. he that will not hear god's word is not of god; such a one cannot remain god's child. john 8,47.--if we keep the preaching of god's word sacred, we shall go to church regularly every sunday, unless sickness, or something else that we cannot avoid, hinders us. we shall go to church in order to hear the sermon, to listen attentively to it. we shall hear the word willingly and gladly and rejoice that we may again hear the dear gospel of the love of god in jesus christ, our lord. we shall rejoice and say: _"lord, i have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honor dwelleth."_ ps. 26,8.--god's word is also preached and taught us in our _day-schools_ and _sunday-schools._ come to your school regularly, hear the lessons from the word of god diligently and attentively and you will hold his word sacred; you will do the will of your father. 5. god's word is not only preached, god has also given us the _bible, his written word._ he wants us to read his word in our _homes. "search the scriptures,"_ john 5,39, our savior says. we should not only read it, but read it carefully and often, read it with prayer to god that we may more thoroughly understand it. the word of god should dwell among us _richly, abundantly._ col. 3,16. if we do not read and study our bible at home, we are despising the word of god. 6. we should not only hear and read the word of god, and hear and read it gladly; our catechism also tells us _that we should learn it._ like mary, the mother of jesus, _so we, too, should keep all these words and ponder them in our hearts._ luke 2,19. we should try with the help of our lord to live more and more according to god's word. _"thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path."_ ps. 119,105. if we do this, we are holding god's word sacred and shall be blessed by it. _"blessed are they that hear the word of god and keep it."_ luke 11,28. remember _hannah,_ the mother of little samuel, 1 sam. 1,2; _mary_ sitting at jesus feet and hearing his word, luke 10,39. remember especially how our _lord_ loved his father's house. luke 2,41-52. 7. there is one thing we should not forget: to keep god's word sacred. god sends his messengers to us, our pastors and preachers. we should _honor and esteem and love them_ for their work's sake. we should obey them when they preach god's word and _pray_ for them. we should help that the blessed word of god may be preached to all nations, to all men, that all may hear it and be saved by it. 8. in the first commandment we learned that throughout our life we should fear and love god and trust in him with our whole heart; in the second, that we should not misuse his holy name, but use it to the praise of god and the salvation of our neighbors and ourselves; in the third, that we should diligently hear and learn god's word, so that all our actions, our entire life, may be ordered according to it. _these three commandments relate to god. they teach us the love of god._ now follow the other seven, which relate to our neighbor, _whom we should love as ourselves._ remember:-_1. we sanctify our holy-day when we fear and love god that we may not despise preaching and his word, but hold it sacred._ _2. the fear and love of god will induce us to hear and read god's word, not carelessly, but diligently and gladly, to learn it and to live according to it._ memorize:-_he that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me._ luke 10,16. _lord, i have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honor dwelleth._ ps. 26,8. _let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things._ gal. 6,6. questions. 1. which day did god institute in the old testament as the holy-day of his people? 2. did god in the new testament give us a certain day as our holy-day? 3. why does the christian church choose a holy-day, though god did not command us to do so? 4. what is god's will concerning his word? 5. what is necessary that christians may come together to preach and hear god's word? 6. how do we, therefore, sanctify our holy-days? 7. why should we not despise god's word, but keep it sacred? 8. how do we show that we do not despise the preaching of his word? 9. whose voice do we hear in the sermon? 10. as whose word should we, therefore, hear and accept the sermon? 11. where do we also hear the word of god? 12. in which book do we find the written word of god? 13. how should we us our bibles, the written word of god? 14. what does it mean to learn god's word? 15. how must we, finally, show our love of god's word? 16. to whom do the first three commandments relate? 17. what does the first commandment teach us? 18. the second? 19. the third? 20. what is the sum of these commandments? 21. to whom do the other commandments relate? 22. how should we love our neighbor? lesson 5. the fourth commandment. which is the fourth commandment? _thou shalt honor thy father and thy mother, that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth._ what does this mean? _we should fear and love god that we may not despise our parents and masters, nor provoke them to anger, but give them honor, serve and obey them, and hold them in love and esteem._ 1. _"thou shalt honor thy father and thy mother."_ go has given us a commandment in regard to our _father_ and _mother,_ our _parents._ this is a very important commandment for all children. it is god's will that we not only _love_ our parents, but also _honor_ them. we honor those who occupy a higher position than we, who have been placed above us, who have a right to command us and demand our obedience. by commanding us to honor our parents, god places them above us. he wants children to regard their parents as being in god's stead, above them, as his representatives, whom for his sake they should honor. never forget that your dear parents have been placed over you by god. never forget to honor and respect them for god's sake. 2. what does it mean to honor father and mother? _"we should, fear and love god that we may not despise our parents ... nor provoke them to anger."_ we should not _despise_ our parents. we despise them when we do not respect the high station in which god has placed them over us, when in our hearts we do not esteem them as god's representatives, when we act as though we were their equals or even stood above them.--we should not _provoke them to anger,_ that is, we should not by word or deed excite them to just anger or cause them pain and distress, by being unkind, stubborn, disobedient, even insolent towards them, or by wicked deeds and sins which dishonor them. remember _absalom,_ who despised his father david and caused him bitter grief by rebelling against him and making himself king in his stead. 2 sam. 15. remember the wicked sons of eli. 1 sam. 2,12.--god is displeased with this sin. _"the eye that mocketh at his father and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it,"_ says the word of god. prov. 30,17. god will severely punish all bad and disobedient children, very often in this life, as he did with absalom, and if they do not repent, in eternity. 3. we must not despise our parents, but should _give them honor,_ that is, we should regard them in our hearts as god's representatives; we should respect their station, even if they are lowly, or poor, or even queer. they are still our parents, and therefore should not be deprived of their honor because of their failings. it is _god's will_ that we honor them. 4. we should show in words and deeds that we honor our parents. we should _serve_ them, we should do for them whatever we can, even if they do not ask for it, and do it gladly. when they become old or sick, we should do all in our power to help them, and so try to repay the love and care which they have shown us when we were young and weak and so much in need of their kindness. your dear parents did and still do so much for you that you will hardly ever be able to repay them. _"let them_ [the children] _learn . . . to requite their parents_ [to repay their love]; _for that is good and acceptable before god."_ 1 tim. 5,4. 5. we should, furthermore, show the respect we owe our parents by _obeying them._ we should do what they tell us, carry out their commands, and do it without a murmur, willingly, quickly, fully, and gladly. in this manner you, at your age, can best prove that you honor your parents. _"children, obey your parents in all, things; for this is well-pleasing unto the lord."_ col. 3,20. _"hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old."_ prov. 23,22. 6. _"we should hold them in love and esteem."_ god has given us our parents as a most precious gift. through them our heavenly father bestows upon us numberless other gifts and blessings. our parents provide for us; they give us all we need in this life; they shelter and protect us. they try to lead us to our savior by teaching us the word of god, by sending us to a christian school. they bring us up in the nurture and admonition of the lord. eph. 6,4. should we not love and esteem them as a precious gift of god? should we not thank him with all our heart, thank him by doing his will in regard to our parents? do not forget: _we honor our parents because we fear and love god, who has given us this most precious gift._ 7. our catechism not only says that we should honor our parents, but it adds the word _"masters."_ god has placed other persons besides our parents over us, in _home, school, and state._ our parents are also those who take our parents place, _who take care of us and protect us_ if our parents are dead or otherwise unable to take care of us. god has placed over us our _teachers_ in our schools, who instruct us in our parents stead. there are many persons in our country, in our cities and towns, who have been placed above us, such as the president of the united states, the governor of our state, the mayor of our city, etc. it is god who has placed also these rulers over us. he commands us to hold all these in honor and esteem, to serve and obey them in all things in which he has placed them over us. 8. god has added to the fourth commandment a _special promise: "honor thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise: that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth."_ eph. 6,2.3. this shows how well-pleasing it is unto god if we keep this commandment, if we honor and love our parents and masters. our gracious lord will abundantly reward all children who honor their parents and masters, and do it in the fear and love of god. he will bless them here on earth in a way which is good for them, and he will bless and reward them more abundantly in heaven. the most beautiful example of the fulfilment of this commandment is our _lord himself,_ of whom we read: _"and he went down with them_ [his lowly parents], _and came to nazareth, and was subject unto them."_ luke 2,51. he even remembered his mother when he was nailed to the cross. john 19,26.27. remember:-_1. parents are a most precious gift of god. god has placed them over us that through them he may provide for us, protect us, and lead us to himself, our savor, and to eternal life._ _2. we should therefore highly honor and esteem our parents, serve and obey them in the fear and love of god, our heavenly father._ _3. this is well-pleasing to god, who will graciously reward us._ memorize:-_honor thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise: that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth._ eph. 6,2,3. _children, obey your parents in all things; for this is well-pleasing unto the lord._ col. 3,20. _let them learn ... to requite their parents; for that is good and acceptable before god._ 1 tim. 5,4. questions. 1. what is god's holy will regarding our parents? 2. what place does god give our parents by commanding us to honor them? 3. whose representatives are they? 4. when do we despise our parents? 5. when do we provoke them to anger? 6. give examples of children who despised their parents. 7. how will god punish children who despise their parents? 8. what does it mean to hold our parents in honor? 9. how do we show in words and deeds that we honor our parents? 10. when do we serve them? 11. at what time especially can we repay their love? 12. what does it mean to obey our parents? 13. how should we carry out their commands? 14. why should we love and highly esteem our parents? 15. who are the "masters" whom god has placed over us? 16. what has god added to this commandment? 17. what does god teach us by adding this special promise? 18. who is the most beautiful example of the fulfilment of this commandment? lesson 6. the fifth commandment. which is the fifth commandment? _thou shalt not kill._ what does this mean? _we should fear and love god, that we may not hurt nor harm our neighbor in his body, but help and befriend him in every bodily need._ 1. you all know what it means to kill. it means to take our own life or the life of our neighbor, our fellow-man. this is what god forbids in this commandment. _god is the giver of all life._ he alone, therefore, has the right to take it away. god made man in his image. how dare we destroy the image of god! our neighbor's life should be _sacred_ to us. god will punish him who takes his neighbor's life. _"whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of god made he man."_ gen. 9,6. remember _cain_ and _judas._ 2. god forbids still more in this commandment. our catechism explains it by saying: _"we should fear and love god that we may not hurt ... our neighbor in his body."_ in the story of the good samaritan we learn what this means. the man who went down from jerusalem to jericho fell among thieves (robbers), who wounded him and, leaving him half dead, departed. luke 10,30. these robbers hurt the jew in his body, they brought his life into danger. but for the samaritan he certainly would have died. the life of our neighbor may be hurt in other ways. pharaoh of egypt endangered the lives of the israelites by compelling them to do labor that was too hard for them. we should not wound our neighbor in his body, or in any other way bring his life or health into danger and thus shorten his life. 3. _we should not harm our neighbor in his body,_ that is we should not by spiteful words or wicked deeds embitter his life and in this way shorten it. remember how joseph's brothers embittered his life by selling him into slavery, how they embittered the life of their father by telling him that joseph had been killed by a wild animal they made life a burden both to their brother and to their father. 4. _we should fear and love god that we may ... help and befriend our neighbor in every bodily need._ our neighbor is in bodily need when he is in danger of losing his life and health. look again at the story of the good samaritan. there you will learn what it means to help and befriend our neighbor in his bodily need. the poor jew fell among robbers, who stripped him of his raiment, wounded him and carelessly departed, though that poor man was nearly dead. the jew certainly was in bodily need, being in great danger of losing his life. a samaritan passed, and, seeing this poor man, he took compassion on him. he went up to him and helped him. he bound up his wounds, set him on his own beast brought him to an inn, and took care of him. he helped the poor jew in his bodily need and saved his life.--but the good samaritan did more. the next day, not being able to stay any longer with his afflicted brother, he gave money to the host of the inn, and asked him to take care of the wounded jew in his stead after his departure; he even promised to give the innkeeper more money if it should be necessary. the good samaritan befriended the jew, he acted as a friend to him. not only did he save him from death, he also assisted him until he was no longer in bodily need. _"go, and do thou likewise,"_ our lord says.--that jew, like all the jews at that time, most probably, was an enemy of the samaritans. the samaritan knew that, and still he helped and befriended him. we should help and befriend not only our relatives and friends, or those who are able and willing to repay us and help us when we are in need, but also our enemies, those who hate and despitefully use us, _"if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink,"_ rom. 12,20. _"love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you."_ matt. 5,44. 5. the samaritan _took compassion_ on the jew, therefore he helped him. the compassion, or pity, was in his heart. all our good works and all our sins issue from the heart. _we should watch over our hearts, over our thoughts._ no anger and hate against our neighbor should be in our hearts. and even if our neighbor does us wrong, if he injures and insults us, we should not revenge ourselves, but love our brother. _"whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer; and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him."_ 1 john 3,15.--we should always be kind, merciful, and forgiving to our neighbor, even to our enemy. _"blessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy."_ matt. 5,7. and above all, we should _fear and love god,_ then we shall help and befriend our neighbor, him whom god has made in his image. remember:-_1. life is god's gift. only he who gave it has the right to take it. the life of our neighbor should be sacred to us._ _2. therefore we should not kill or hurt or harm our neighbor, our fellowman, in his body, nor hate him or be angry with him. god has made man in his image._ _3. we should help and befriend our neighbor whenever he is in bodily need, always be kind and merciful to him and forgive him when he wrongs us._ memorize:-_whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of god made he man._ gen. 9,6. _whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer; and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him._ 1 john 3,15. _therefore, if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink._ rom. 12,20. _blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy._ matt. 5,7. questions. 1. what does it mean to kill? 2. why should we not take our fellow-man's life? 3. in whose image did god make man? 4. what does god, furthermore, forbid in this commandment? 5. what does it mean to hurt our neighbor in his body? 6. what does it mean to harm him in his body? 7. from whom may we learn how to fulfil this commandment? 8. how did the good samaritan help the jew? 9. how did he befriend him? 10. when, even, should we help our neighbor? 11. what does our lord say matt. 5,44? 12. where do all our good works and all our sins rise? 13. what kind of thoughts should not be in our hearts against our neighbor? 14. what does the bible tell us of him who hates his brother? 15. how should we be disposed towards our neighbor if he wrongs us? 16. when will we fulfill this commandment? 17. what does our lord say about the merciful? lesson 7. the sixth commandment. which is the sixth commandment? _thou shalt not commit adultery._ what does this mean? _we should fear and love god that we may lead a chaste and decent life in word and deed, and each love and honor his spouse._ 1. _we should lead a chaste and decent life,_ that is the demand of our god and heavenly father according to the sixth commandment. our hearts must be chaste to make our lives chaste and decent. our _hearts_ should be _chaste,_ that is, free from evil lusts, free from unclean and lewd thoughts and desires. when our hearts are chaste and pure, our lives will be decent and modest and clean. the chastity of our hearts will show itself in all the acts of our life. _"keep thyself pure,"_ says the word of god. 1 tim. 5,22. keep your heart pure and chaste. 2. _we should lead a chaste and decent life in word._ we should refrain from _all filthy words_ that prove our heart to be unclean, from all words, songs, jests, etc., of which we would be ashamed before god, or before parents if they would hear them. we should shun all those jests and verses which boy whispers to boy, or girl to girl, lest decent persons might overhear them. only such words as are good and clean should pass our lips. never use a word that you would be ashamed of in the presence of your parents and teachers! always remember that god is with you, that he will hear every word you utter in secret. _"let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good."_ eph. 4,29. 3. _we should lead a chaste and decent life in deed._ we should shun all acts which are mostly done in secret, all deeds which we would be ashamed of in the presence of god, our parents, or other decent people. we should walk honestly as in the day. rom. 13,13. we should keep all members of our body clean and pure. _our body is the temple of the holy ghost._ 1 cor. 6,19. how could a child of god use a member of his body for filthy purposes and so defile god's temple, make it impure! we should be modest and decent in our behavior, manners, dress, etc. 4. _what must we do to lead such a chaste and decent life?_ our hearts, by nature, are unclean and unchaste full of evil desires. we cannot hinder evil lusts from springing up in our hearts at times. but with the help of god we must try, and try earnestly, _to quench them, to put them down,_ lest they gain a place in our hearts. we can do this only _by means of god's word and prayer._ think of god's holy commandment, of the will of our heavenly father according to which we should be pure in heart. god says: _"blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see god."_ matt. 5,8. remember that god knows the secret thoughts of your heart, and you will say with joseph: _"how, then, can i do this great wickedness and, sin against god?"_ gen. 39,9. the fear and love of god will put down all evil lusts and lewd thoughts. and whenever filthy desires arise and tempt you, pray to god for his help, pray earnestly and fervently: _"create in me a clean heart, o god, and renew a right spirit within me."_ ps. 51,10. 5. in order to lead a chaste and decent life, _we should, as far as possible, shun all temptations and all places and occasions where such temptations will come upon us._ the world is an unclean place, full of evil lusts. temptations meet us everywhere. therefore we must always watch over ourselves. _"flee youthful lusts,"_ 2 tim 2,22, as joseph fled when potiphar's wife tempted him. we should not go to places where such temptations may be met; we should shun bad company, impure books or pictures, theaters, etc. where indecent talk or pictures may excite evil lusts in us. 6. _when we are alone and idle,_ the devil often comes to tempt us with impure thoughts and desires in order to lead a chaste and decent life, we should avoid idleness and work diligently and faithfully. find something useful to do in work or innocent play, and satan will find less time to tempt you with lustful thoughts. but above all, pray to your heavenly father that he would guard you in all temptations, that you may overcome and obtain the victory. 7. we should fear and love god _that each may love and honor his spouse. spouse_ is man or wife, persons who live in holy matrimony, as your parents do. _matrimony_ is instituted by god, and it is his will that husband and wife should love and honor each other, that they should faithfully live together till death parts them. if one is unfaithful to the other, or leaves the other, he or she commits _adultery._ remember:-_1. god alone can make your heart chaste and keep it clean from sinful lust. pray to him: "create in me a clean heart, o god, and renew a right spirit within me."_ ps. 51,10. _2. when temptation comes near you, when you feel in your heart the sinful lust, remember: god is with me, he sees and hears everything i do, even the innermost thoughts of my heart. "how, them, can i do this great wickedness and sin against god?"_ gen. 39,9. _3. watch over yourself and keep away from all places where temptation is sure to come. "flee youthful lusts."_ 2 tim. 2,22. memorize:-_let us walk honestly as in the day._ rom. 13,13. _let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good._ eph. 4,29. _create in me a clean heart, o god, and renew a right spirit within me._ ps. 51,10. _keep thyself pure._ 1 tim. 5,22. _flee youthful lusts._ 2 tim. 2,22. questions. 1. what does god command in the sixth commandment? 2. when will our _hearts_ be chaste? 3. when will our lives be decent? 4. what does god demand 1 tim. 5,22? 5. when will we be chaste and decent in _words?_ 6. what kind of words should we never use? 7. how do we lead a chaste and decent life in _deed?_ 8. what does god himself call our bodies in his word? 9. when do we defile this temple of god and make it impure? 10. how should our behavior, our manners, be? 11. how are our hearts by nature? 12. what feelings will therefore often arise in our hearts? 13. by what means can and should we put down these evil thoughts? 14. what should they not gain in our hearts? 15. what places should we avoid in order to lead a chaste life? 16. name some such places and occasions. 17. what should we also avoid, in order that satan may have less opportunity to tempt us? 18. what does god command those who live together in holy matrimony? 19. how long should husband and wife live together in this union? 20. what sin do they commit if they prove unfaithful to each other? lesson 8. the seventh commandment. which is the seventh commandment? _thou shalt not steal._ what does this mean? _we should fear and love god that we may not take our neighbor's money or goods, nor get them by false ware or dealing, but help him to improve and protect his property and business._ 1. _we should not steal;_ that means, _we should not take our neighbor's money or goods._ our neighbor's, our fellow-man's, money and his goods do not belong to us, but to him _they are his property._ it is god's will that men should have property, money, and goods that belong to them. all the goods in the world come from him, they are his gift. he gives to every one as much earthly goods as he pleases, as much or as little as is best for him. there always will be rich people and poor people among us. _the property of our neighbor should be sacred to us because it is given him by god, our heavenly father._ 2. _we should not take our neighbor's money or goods._ it belongs to him according to god's will; therefore we should not steal, that is, not take his property away from him. he may give and present it to us, if he so chooses, but we should not take it. we may buy his goods at a fair price, if he is willing to sell, but we should not take it against his will. this may be done in various ways. think of the _thieves_ into whose hands the jew fell who came down from jerusalem to jericho. luke 10,30. they stripped him of his raiment; _openly_ and _by force_ they took his clothes and all that he had. we call such men _robbers._-others do not take their neighbor's property by force, they sneak into their neighbor's house and take his money and valuables _secretly,_ without his knowledge, or they pick his pockets when there is a chance. _achan_ took some of the spoils of the city of jericho secretly and hid the goods in the earth under his tent, in order that nobody might know what he had taken. josh. 7,21. such men are called _thieves;_ their sin is called _theft._ also to-day there are many robbers and thieves in the world.--beware of taking your fellow-pupil's property, be it ever so small, a pen or a pencil, etc. that would be theft. remember that your heavenly father, whom you fear and love, will see you. our lord says: _"let him that stole steal no more, but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good."_ eph. 4,28. 3. _we should not get our neighbor's money and goods by false ware or dealing._ that is another way of taking our neighbor's property. taking our neighbor's property in this manner is generally called fraud or cheating. _"let no man go beyond_ [what belongs to him according to the will of god], _and defraud his brother in any matter_ [in his trade and business], _because that the lord is the avenger of all such"_ (the lord will punish all that commit such frauds). 1 thess. 4,6. we should not take our neighbor's money _by false ware,_ that is, by selling bad, poor wares to him in place of good ones for which he pays. we should not take his money _by false dealings,_ that is, by using short weights and measures, and in this way keeping back what belongs to our neighbor, by taking too much profit when buying or selling anything, and thus cheating our brother, by borrowing money or other goods and not returning them, etc. _"the wicked borroweth and payeth not again."_ ps. 37,21. there are many ways of taking our brother's money or goods. a child of god will shun them all, he will be _honest_ in all his dealings with his neighbor. 4. _we should help our neighbor to improve ... his property and business._ we should help and assist our neighbor as much as we can, by _word and deed,_ that his property and business, by means of which he earns his living, may be _improved,_ become better. if our neighbor is poor and suffers want, we should help him by _giving_ him of our money, or other goods which he may be in need of. _"he that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again."_ prov. 19,17 we should lend him our money if he is in need, until he may be able to repay it. _"give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away."_ matt. 5,42. _zacchaeus,_ after having joyfully received the lord into his house, was ready to give half of his goods to the poor. luke 19,8. how _well-pleasing_ it is to our lord when we help the poor and needy! _"to do good and to communicate forget not; for with such sacrifices god is well pleased."_ heb. 13,16. 5. _we should help our neighbor to ... protect his property and business._ our neighbor's property and business sometimes is in danger, in danger by water or fire, or by wicked men who try to harm our brother. we should _warn_ him against these dangers, we should give him _good advice how to overcome them._ but we should not only warn and advise but also assist him as much as we can that his property may not be lost or come to harm. our love to god should prompt us to serve our brethren. _"this commandment have we from him, that he who loves god love his brother also."_ 1 john 4,21. remember:-_1. all our property has been given us by god. god bestows these goods as he pleases. rich and poor will always be among us. the property of our neighbor should be sacred to us because god has given it to him._ _2. we should, therefore, not take our neighbor's money and goods against his will, neither by robbery and theft, nor by defrauding him by poor wares or crooked dealings. always be honest!_ _3. we should rather help him to improve his property and business and to preserve it from danger and harm._ memorize:-_give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away._ matt. 5,42. _he that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again._ prov. 19,17. _to do good and to communicate forget not; for with such sacrifices god is well pleased._ heb. 13, 16. questions. 1. stating it in one word, what do we call all the money and goods our neighbor has? 2. from whom did he receive his property? 3. how should the property of our neighbor be to us? 4. what does it mean to steal? 5. in what way do men take the property of their neighbor against his will? 6. what do we call robbery? 7. what is theft? 8. how should we also not take our neighbor's money or goods? 9. when do we take our neighbor's money by false wares? 10. when do we take it by false dealings? 11. how does the bible call him who borrows money but does not repay it? (ps. 37,21.) 12. what does god command us to do in behalf of our neighbor's property and business? 13. how should we help our neighbor when he is poor and suffering want? 14. what does our lord say matt. 5,42? 15. to whom does he lend who takes pity on the poor? 16. what do we learn from heb. 13,16? 17. what should we do to protect our neighbor's property? 18. if we love god, whom shall we love also? lesson 9. the eighth commandment. which is the eighth commandment? _thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor._ what does this mean? _we should fear and love god that we may not deceitfully belie, betray, slander, nor defame our neighbor, but defend him, speak well, of him, and put the best construction on everything._ 1. _"thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor,"_ that is the command of our heavenly father in the eighth commandment. _false witness_ is any false statement against our neighbor, anything false and deceitful that we say against him. a _false_ statement is saying something that is not true; it is a statement _against_ our neighbor when it will harm him, or hurt his good name, or deprive him of it altogether.--false witness comes out of an evil _heart,_ a heart that is false and insincere against our neighbor. we should not even _think evil_ of him. _"let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against your neighbor."_ zech. 8,17. if we love god and for his sake our neighbor, we shall always think well of him, even if he is our enemy. 2. we can bear false witness against our neighbor in many ways. our catechism explains: "we should fear and love god that we may not deceitfully belie, betray, slander nor defame our neighbor."--_we should not belie our neighbor. potiphar's wife_ belied joseph. she told her husband a lie about joseph, saying that he had tried to wrong her. she did so in order to harm joseph, to bring him into prison.--_we should not lie,_ we should never wilfully and knowingly tell an untruth, or withhold the truth from our neighbor to harm him. be careful always to tell the truth. our lord tells us that the _devil_ is a liar and the father of it. john 8,44. if you tell a lie, you do the work of the devil. remember that you are a child of god and that a child of god fears and loves his heavenly father. god hates all liars and will most certainly punish them. _"he that telleth lies shall not tarry [remain] in my sight,"_ says the lord ps. 101,7. 3. _we should not betray our neighbor._ we should not reveal his secrets, not tell others what our neighbor does not want other people to know. it shows a false and deceitful heart against our brother to reveal his secret sins. _"a talebearer revealeth secrets; but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter."_ prov. 11,13. 4. _we should not slander nor defame our neighbor._ we are not to speak evil against our brother behind his back, when he is not present and therefore not able to defend himself. even if the evil which we tell of him be true, we should not tell others of it. holy scripture admonishes us: _"speak not evil one of another, brethren."_ jas. 4,11. because we are brethren, we should not speak evil, but well, of one another. if we slander and backbite our neighbor, speak evil of him when he is not present, we _defame_ him, that is, we harm his good name; it is our fault if other people will think evil of him. we are all much inclined to these sins; therefore beware of backbiting and slandering your neighbor. honor and a good name are easily taken away, but not easily restored. 5. we should never speak against our neighbor to harm and injure him, but we are to speak _for_ him. _we should defend him._ when in our presence anybody speaks evil of our brother behind his back, so that this brother cannot speak for himself, we should not remain silent, but speak for him, defend him against all false statements and lies uttered against him. we should never allow our neighbor to be slandered in our presence. 6. _we should speak well of our neighbor._ we are to speak well of his good works and deeds, to praise them as far as it can be done in keeping with the truth. especially when others speak evil of our brother, when they slander and defame him, we ought to take his part and speak well of him, so that he may keep his good name. we read of jonathan, david's friend: _"and jonathan spake good of david unto saul, his father_ [who was david's enemy and wanted to kill him], _and said unto him, let not the king sin against his servant, against david, because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works have been to thee-ward_ [towards you] _very good."_ 1 sam. 19,4. and in verse 6 we read that saul listened to jonathan and resolved not to kill david. owing to jonathan's good words, then, david was safe for a while. the jews who asked jesus to heal the servant of the centurion spoke highly of him. they besought the lord instantly to hear the prayer of the centurion, saying, _"that he was worthy for whom he should do this, for he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagog."_ luke 7,4.5. in the same way we should speak well of our neighbor and praise him. 7. _we should put the best construction on everything_ that we hear of our neighbor, or that we see him doing. we should put the best construction on everything, that is, in love and charity we should cover his faults and not make too much of them. we should explain all his words and deeds in his favor as far as this can be done in keeping with the truth. _"charity shall cover the multitude of sins."_ 1 pet 4,9. true love and charity always thinks the best of the neighbor, always hopes for the best, and will suffer wrong rather than do wrong. _"charity believeth all things, hopeth all things endureth all things."_ 1 cor. 13,7. it is a noble virtue to explain as best you can all you may hear of your neighbor. 8. in this commandment god demands of us, his children, many good works which are well-pleasing to him, if only we would recognize them. there is nothing which can do both greater good or harm in all matters than our tongue, though it is such a small and feeble member of our body. remember:-_1. if we love god and, for his sake, our neighbor, we shall always think well of him, even though he is our enemy._ _2. a child of god should never tell a lie. god hates a liar and will punish him._ _3. always speak well of your neighbor, defend him if he is falsely accused, and explain his deeds and words in his favor._ _4. "there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, o lord, thou knowest it altogether."_ ps. 139,4. memorize:-_let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbor._ zech. 8,17. _wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor._ eph. 4,25. _speak not evil one of another, brethren._ jas. 4,11. _charity shall cover the multitude of sins._ 1 pet. 4,8. questions. 1. which is the eighth commandment? 2. what does it mean to bear false witness against our neighbor? 3. when is a statement a false statement? 4. when is it a statement against our neighbor? 5. when do we belie our brother? 6. what does it mean to lie? 7. who was the first liar in the world? 8. how does god look upon a liar? 9. what does it mean to betray our neighbor? 10. when do we slander and defame him? 11. what ought we to do to protect the good name of our neighbor? 12. when should we defend him? 13. what does it mean to speak well of him? 14. who, for example, spoke well of his friend? 15. whom did the jews praise in the presence of the lord? 16. what does it mean to put the best construction on everything? 17. what do we read 1 pet. 4,8? 18. of what member of our body should we take especial care? lesson 10. the ninth and tenth commandments. which is the ninth commandment? _thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house._ what does this mean? _we should fear and love god that we may not craftily seek to get our neighbor's inheritance and house, nor obtain it by a show of right, but help and be of service to him in keeping it._ which is the tenth commandment? _thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his cattle, nor anything that is thy neighbors._ what does this mean? _we should fear and love god that we may not estrange, force, or entice away from our neighbor his wife, servants, or cattle, but urge them to stay and do their duty._ 1. in the ninth and the tenth commandment god forbids the same. both commandments begin with the words: _"thou shalt not covet."_ to covet means eagerly and sinfully to desire and want what does not belong to us, but to some one else, to our neighbor. we are covetous when we envy our neighbor because of what he has, and want it for ourselves, and will not be satisfied until we have obtained it for ourselves. remember the story of _king ahab and naboth._ ahab, the wicked king of israel, had a strong desire for a certain vineyard which was the property of naboth. he offered to buy the vineyard, but naboth did not want to sell it because he had inherited it from his fathers. ahab kept on longing for the property of his neighbor and was not satisfied until naboth was stoned to death, and he was able to take possession of the vineyard. 1 kings 21,1-16. here we learn what it is to covet our neighbor's property. 2. we are all, by nature, covetous. we all envy our neighbor and desire to obtain what belongs to him. god forbids such evil desires. already in the seventh commandment we learned that our neighbor's property ought to be sacred to us because god himself gave it to him. god does not want us even to covet it, to _desire_ to obtain it against the will of our neighbor. we should, therefore, not _craftily,_ with cunning and fraud, _seek to get our neighbor's inheritance,_ what he inherited from his parents, or his _house,_ nor try _to obtain it by a show of right,_ in such a way that it appears right before men while it is wrong in the sight of god. we should not _force or entice away our neighbor's wife, or servants, or cattle, or whatever belongs to him._ 3. the property of our neighbor should be sacred to us. because we love him for god's sake, we should _help him and be of service to him in keeping his property._ we should urge our _neighbor's wife or servants to remain with him and do their duty towards him_ whenever we see that they are seeking to leave him. god, our heavenly father, tells us in his word: _"by love serve one another."_ gal. 5,13. and furthermore he says: _"look not every man on his own things, but ever man also on the things of others."_ phil. 2,4. 4. god forbids us to covet our neighbor's property, all that belongs to him. _covetousness is a sin of the heart._ god teaches us a very important lesson in these last two commandments. he teaches us that not only our evil deeds nor only our evil words are sins against the holy god, _but also our evil thoughts._ in the sight of god every desire for anything that he has forbidden in his word is evil, is a sin, even if this sinful thought does not break out in evil words or deeds. every lust in itself is truly a sin which god has threatened to punish. _"thou shalt not covet,"_ is his demand. every sinful thought, every impure desire in our heart, proves that we do not fear and love our heavenly father as we should, that we have broken not only these two commandments, but the first also, yea, all the commandments of our lord. 5. god demands that our hearts be holy. there should be no evil lust, no desire for any sin in our hearts, _but only a holy desire to serve our god and father. "ye shall be holy [without any sin], for i, the lord, your god, am holy."_ lev. 19,2. our hearts should be so filled with fear and love of god and all that is good in his eyes that no evil thought, no sinful lust, can find room in them. _"be ye therefore perfect, even as your father which is in heaven is perfect."_ matt. 5,48. 6. these last two commandments, even as the first commandment, especially teach us that we have not kept the commandments of our lord, and _that we cannot keep them perfectly._ our hearts are full of lust against the demands of god, full of evil thoughts. our lust so often entices and tempts us to sin by word and deed. we must confess that _we all are sinners in the sight of god._ and "the wages of sin is death." we are poor and lost sinners. therefore _we daily pray for god's forgiveness,_ we beg our heavenly father to be gracious unto us for christ's sake, who has fulfilled the commandments of god in our stead and borne our sins. remember:-_1. "thou shalt not covet," is god's command. if you covet what belongs to your neighbor, you sin against god. every desire in your heart to do what the lord has forbidden is a sin in the sight of god._ _2. god wants our hearts to be without sin, perfect and holy, as he himself is holy._ _3. my heart is sinful. "create in me a clean heart, o god, and renew a right spirit within me."_ ps. 51,10. memorize:-_by love serve one another._ gal. 5,13. _ye shall be holy; for i, the lord, your god, am holy._ lev. 19,2. _be ye therefore perfect, even as your father which is in heaven is perfect._ matt. 5,48. questions. 1. what does god forbid in the last two commandments? 2. what does it mean to covet? 3. why should we not covet our neighbor's property? 4. how should we not seek to get our neighbor's inheritance and house? 5. what does it mean to obtain our neighbor's property by a show of right? 6. whom should we not force and entice away from our neighbor? 7. what should we do concerning our neighbor's inheritance and house? 8. what does our lord tell us gal. 5,13? 9. what should we do concerning our neighbor's wife and servants? 10. what important lesson do these commandments teach us? 11. what does every impure desire in our heart prove? 12. how should our hearts be? 13. what does our lord command lev. 19,2? 14. with what ought our hearts to be filled? 15. what does our savior say matt. 5,48? 16. what must we confess when we consider the commandments of god? 17. what should therefore be our daily prayer? lesson 11. the close of the commandments. what does god say of all these commandments? _he says thus: i, the lord, thy god, am a jealous god, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, and showing mercy unto thousands of them, that love me and keep my commandments._ what does this mean? _god threatens to punish all that transgress these commandments. therefore we should fear his wrath, and not act contrary to them. but he promises grace and every blessing to all that keep these commandments. therefore we should also love and trust in him, and willingly do according to his commandments._ 1. thus says the lord of all his commandments: _"i, the lord, thy god, am a jealous god."_ god reminds us that he who has given us his commandments is the _lord._ he is our lord, we are his servants. he, as our lord, has the right to give us his commandments, and we are in duty bound to obey them.--he furthermore reminds us that he is _our god._ through christ, our savior, god has become our god, our father. a father will give only good gifts to his children. our heavenly father means well in giving his commandments. they are to be a blessing to us and will be a blessing, if we rightly use them. we should thank him for his commandments.--god tells us that he is a _jealous god._ god is not like a weak father who gives his children commands, but does not see to it that his children obey. god is a strict, a very strict father. he watches over his children whether they fulfil his commandments or break them.--and do not forget: our god is the _almighty_ god. he has the power to do what he says, to carry out his threats and to fulfil his promises. _"there is one lawgiver_ [this lawgiver is god, who has given us his commandments], _who is able to save and to destroy."_ jas. 4,12. 2. god is a _jealous_ god. this he shows by _"visiting the iniquity_ [the wickedness] _of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate him."_ that means: _"god threatens to punish all that transgress these commandments."_ those who break the commandments of god surely deserve punishment. by breaking the law of god they sin against him, they show that they _hate_ god, who has created and preserved them, who gives them life and all they need, who wants to be their father in christ, that they may become his children. instead of loving god, they hate him, who is the giver of all they have and enjoy.--what punishment does god threaten those who hate him? this is what he threatens: _"cursed be he that confirmeth_ [keeps] _not all the words of this law to do them."_ god's displeasure, his curse, his anger and wrath, will be upon him that sins. how fearful is it to be cursed by the almighty god!--when god gave adam the first command, he said: _"in the day that thou eatest thereof_ [of the tree] _thou shalt surely die."_ gen. 2,17. god threatens _death_ to every sinner. _"the soul that sinneth, it shall die."_ ezek. 18,20. _"the wages of sin is death,"_ god tells us in his word. rom. 6,23. and after death eternal damnation awaits the sinner. _verily, we should fear god's wrath and terrible punishment and not act contrary to his commandments._ we should daily pray our heavenly father for grace to help us shun and flee all sins, even every evil thought that would bring god's wrath and punishment upon us. daily we will go to christ, our only savior, who has redeemed us from all sin, from death, and from the power of the devil. 3. our god is a _merciful_ god. this he proves _"by showing mercy unto thousands that love him and keep his commandments."_ god threatens to punish all that transgress these commandments, but he also _"promises grace and every blessing to all that keep these commandments."_ our god is a gracious and loving god. he promises to reward those who keep his commandments. it is true, we do not deserve any reward, even if we fulfil his law and live according to his will. it is our duty to do so. but so kind and loving is he to his children that he will reward them if they do what they owe him.--what does our god promise us? he promises _grace and every blessing._ the grace of god will be upon us when in love of god we try to keep his commandments. he will be well pleased with us, his children. what a great thing it is to be assured of god's grace and good will! who can harm us when the lord is with us? he furthermore promises _every blessing_ to those who keep his commandments. god will bless his obedient children here on earth, in this life, but far more will he bless them in the life to come with eternal salvation. in heaven we shall see him, our father and savior. _therefore we should also love and trust in him and willingly do according to his commandments._ 4. the ten commandments teach us the _holy will of our god,_ or, as we also call it, _his law._ here we learn what as god's children we should do and not do, in order to please him. gladly we should learn it. we desire to love him who has loved us.--we learn also _that we have not kept the law,_ that we cannot keep it, that we daily transgress the commandments of our lord. we learn that we are sinners who have deserved death and damnation. this also we should learn willingly, for it teaches us _how much we need a savior._ and then we go to our only savior, to our lord, who has fulfilled the law in our stead. remember:-_1. god is our lord. he has a right to give us his commandments, and it is our duty to obey him. he is a jealous god, who will see to it that his law is fulfilled._ _2. god threatens to punish all who hate him and transgress his commandments. fear his wrath and do not act contrary to his holy will._ _3. god promises grace and every blessing to all who love him and keep his commandments. love and trust him, and willingly do according to his will._ memorize:-_there is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy._ jas. 4,12. _cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them._ deut. 27,26. _the soul that sinneth, it shall die._ ezek. 18,20. _the wages of sin is death._ rom. 6,23. _this do, and thou shalt live._ luke 10,28. questions. 1. what does god call himself at the close of the ten commandments? 2. what right has god as our lord? 3. what is our duty to him? 4. of what does god remind us when he calls himself a jealous god? 5. what does god threaten to all that transgress his commandments? 6. what is the punishment that god threatens? 7. what is the wages of sin? 8. what punishment does god threaten the sinner after his death? 9. what does god promise those that love him and keep his commandments? 10. why do we not deserve any reward? 11. what is the reward which god promises us? 12. what should we do because god promises such rich reward? 13. what do the ten commandments teach us? 14. what do we furthermore learn from them? 15. of whom are we in need because we are sinners? 16. who is our true and only savior? lesson 12. review. 1. we have studied the ten commandments. who gave us these commandments? in all his commandments god tells us his holy will; he tells us what we should do and not do. why should we gladly obey him? what is our father's will according to the _first commandment?_ when do we regard god as our god? when do we show that we fear and love him? what does it mean to trust in god? what sin do we commit if we fear and love any one more than the true god? 2. which is the _second commandment?_ our catechism begins the explanation of every commandment after the first with these words: "we should fear and love god." what do we learn from this? in the second commandment god reveals his will concerning his holy name. mention some of god's names. in all these names god shows us who and what he is. his name should therefore be sacred to us. when do we take his holy name in vain? what does it mean to curse by god's name? how should we use his holy name? 3. which is the _third commandment?_ we celebrate as our holy-day the first day of the week, sunday. who instituted this holy-day? how do we sanctify our holy-day? we should not despise preaching and his word. when do we despise preaching and god's word? how should we hold god's word? how is this done?--to whom do the first three commandments relate? what is their sum? to whom do the other commandments relate? how should we love our neighbor? 4. we should love our neighbor as ourselves. of all our fellow-men our dear _parents_ are nearest to us. what is god's will concerning our parents? what place does god give them by commanding us to honor them? whose representatives are they? we should honor our parents as god's representatives. god has placed them over us. what should we therefore not do with regard to our parents? when do we honor them? 5. in the _fifth commandment_ god teaches us his will regarding the life, body, and health of our neighbor. who is the giver of all life? what right, therefore, belongs to god alone? god forbids us to kill, to take the life of our neighbor. but he forbids more. what does god furthermore forbid in this commandment? when do we hurt our neighbor in his body? when do we harm him in his body? when should we help and befriend our neighbor? what is "bodily need"? how should our hearts be disposed towards our neighbor according to the fifth commandment? 6. according to the _sixth commandment_ we should lead a chaste and decent life. how should our hearts be in order that we may lead such a life? when are our hearts chaste? when do we lead a chaste and decent life in words? what acts must we shun to lead a chaste and decent life in deed? our hearts, by nature, are unclean and full of evil lust; what should we do that our hearts may become clean? do you know the prayer for a clean heart? ps. 51,10. what kind of place is this world? what may meet us everywhere? what places should we therefore shun? what does god command of married people in this commandment? 7. in the _seventh commandment_ god protects our neighbor's property. from whom do we receive all that belongs to us? the property of our neighbor should be sacred to us because it is given him by god. what does god therefore forbid in this commandment? when do we steal our neighbor's property? there are many ways of taking our neighbor's property. name some of them. how do we take our neighbor's goods and money by false ware and dealing? in what way should we help our neighbor to keep and improve his property? 8. which is the _eighth commandment?_ what is false witness? when do we bear false witness against our neighbor? when do we tell a lie? never tell a lie. god hates all liars. who was the first liar? what does it mean to slander and defame our brother? how should we act toward our neighbor according to the eighth commandment? when do we put the best construction on everything we hear about him? of which member of our body should we take special care? 9. _the ninth and the tenth commandment_ begin with these words: "thou shalt not covet." covetousness is in the heart. what important lesson do we therefore learn from these commandments? what should not be found in our hearts according to these commandments? how should our hearts be? are they holy? what must we therefore confess? what should be our daily prayer? 10. _what does god say of all these commandments?_ why does he call himself the lord? what does he mean when he calls himself a jealous god? what does he threaten in these words? whom will he punish? what does he threaten those who hate him and transgress his commandments? therefore we should fear his wrath and not act contrary to his commandments. what does god promise those who love him and keep his commandments? what is the reward which he promises them? why does he give his children such rich rewards? what should this grace and kindness of god induce us to do? what do the ten commandments teach us? we do not perfectly fulfil the will of god; we are sinners. whom are we in need of because we are sinners? who is our true and only savior? let us all diligently study the ten commandments and learn therefrom the will of our father. let us pray to god for his spirit that we may live according to his will more and more. lesson 13. our creed. 1. you have already learned by heart the three articles of the creed. these articles, together with their explanation, form the _second chief part of our small catechism._ the three articles are called the _creed,_ that is, the _christian faith._ in these articles is contained all that we christians _believe_ in our hearts, and _confess_ with our mouths, _regarding god and his works,_ all that he has done and will do for us, his children. through baptism you have become god's children; you must therefore also believe and confess what our church confesses in these three articles. consequently it is necessary for us to study them, in order that we may understand them. 2. no man knows of himself who god is and what he has done for us. _god alone_ can tell us about these things. and god has revealed himself to us; he has told us in his holy _word_ who he is and what he has done for us. from holy scriptures alone do we learn what we, as christians, are to know and believe regarding god and his works. and what god tells us in his word we verily may believe. it must be true, since god cannot and will not lie.--all the doctrines in holy scriptures which teach us who god is and what he has done and will do for us to save us, we call the _gospel._ the word gospel means _glad tidings, good news._ 3. in the first part of our small catechism we also studied a word of god, and we have called it the _holy will of god,_ or the _law._ so you see that there are _two chief doctrines in our bible;_ one we call the law; the other, the gospel. both are revealed to us by our heavenly father, both are the word of god. _but they differ greatly from each other._ the _law_ tells us how, according to the will of god, we ought to be and what we must do and not do to please our god. from it we learn that we all are sinners, having not kept his commandments, and that god threatens to punish all who hate him and break his commandments; that, therefore, as transgressors of his law, we deserve his punishment, death and damnation. the law does not bring us glad tidings.--the _gospel_ has quite another message for us. it brings a message of joy to sinners, to those who have broken the commandments. it tells us that god loves even us sinners. _"god so loved the world,"_ that is, all sinful men, _"that he gave his only-begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."_ john 3,16. it teaches us what and how much god, moved by his love and grace toward us sinners, has done and will do to save us from the deserved punishment of the law, from sin, death, and hell. these are indeed good tidings, tidings of great joy for all men, to know that we have a savior who can and will save us and give us eternal happiness in heaven. this gospel of great joy we hear and learn in the three articles of our christian faith. 4. we call the three articles the creed, or the _apostles' creed._ this creed contains what the apostles of the lord believed and what they taught in all the world, as the lord himself had commanded them: _"go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."_ mark 16,15. let us give thanks to our dear lord for having graciously sent his gospel also to us that we may be saved thereby. 5. we have three articles of faith, because god has done three great saving works for us. we call these _creation, redemption, and sanctification._ in our next lesson we shall begin our study of the first of the three articles, which treats of creation. remember:-1. _in the three articles is contained all that we believe and confess regarding god and his saving works for us. we call them also the apostles' creed. our creed is taken from scripture._ 2. _there are two chief doctrines in the bible, the law and the gospel. both are god's word. the law tells us how, according to the will of god, we ought to be and what we must do and not do. it also tells us that god will punish us because we have not fulfilled, his commandments._ 3. _the gospel brings to us the glad tidings of the grace and love of god. it tells us what god in his grace has done and will do to save us from the punishment of the law, from sin and hell._ memorize:-_the gospel is the glad tidings of the grace of god toward all men, proclaiming to them salvation from sin and death in christ jesus._ _god so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life._ john 3,16. _go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature._ mark 16,15. questions. 1. of what does the second chief part of our catechism treat? 2. how do we also call these three articles? 3. what does the word "creed" mean? 4. where are the three articles of our christian faith taken from? 5. how many chief doctrines are contained in the scriptures? 6. how are these two doctrines called? 7. what does our lord tell us in his law? 8. with what does the law threaten us because we have not fulfilled it? 9. what will our punishment be according to the law? 10. what is the gospel? 11. what does the word "gospel" mean? 12. what does god reveal to us in his gospel? 13. recite the gospel-message that we find john 3,16. 14. in what work especially has god shown his love toward mankind? 15. who, according to the words of our savior, shall not perish? 16. what will god give to him that believeth? 17. why are the three articles called the apostles' creed? 18. why do we confess our faith in three articles? 19. what are the three great works which god has done and will do for our salvation? 20. to whom is the gospel to be preached? 21. recite the command of our lord to his disciples to preach the gospel to all the world. 22. what does the word "creature" in this verse mean? lesson 14. the first article. of creation. which is the first article of the creed? _i believe in god the father almighty, maker of heaven and earth._ what does this mean? _i believe that god has made me and all creatures._ 1. _"i believe in god,"_ thus the first article begins. every christian should confess and every true christian does confess: _i, i myself,_ believe in god. it is of no avail to us that anybody else believes, we ourselves must believe in god. _we believe in god the father almighty._ we believe that god is the father almighty, or the almighty father. and why do we believe that god is the almighty father? because he is _the maker of heaven and earth._ that is god's first great, saving work for us. he has made heaven and earth. we call this work the _creation._ 2. _god is the maker of heaven and earth._ our catechism explains these words thus: _"i believe that god has made me and all creatures."_ god has made _me;_ it is due to him that i came into existence, that i am living. he gave me life and everything that i have. god, however, did not only make me, but me _and all creatures._ creatures are all things that god has made. heaven and earth, all the angels, the sun, the moon, the glittering stars, all things on earth, the mountain and the mighty oceans, all animals, large and small, all the plants on land and in the water, man himself; all things that we see, yes, even those we do not see, all things, visible and invisible, are his creatures. god has made them all, they are the work of his almighty power. "in the beginning god created the heaven and the earth." gen. 1,1. "by him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible." col. 1,16. 3. in bible history you have already learned _how_ god made or created heaven and earth. before god began to create the world, nothing was there except god alone, the creator. god always was, is, and in all eternity will be. _"from everlasting to everlasting thou art god."_ ps. 90,2.--god did not have any material out of which to make this world. _out of nothing_ he created heaven and earth. god simply said, "let there be light," and there was light. he simply said, let there be the sun and the moon and the stars, and, behold, there they were, shining in all their splendor. in this manner, by speaking, by his word, god made all things, visible and invisible, heaven and earth. god has created everything without any means; _god has made heaven and earth and all creatures out of nothing, by his word._ we do not understand how this is possible; but we believe it because god himself has revealed it to us in his word. _"through faith, we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of god."_ heb. 11,3. god made all things by his word, with the exception of his foremost creature, man. it pleased him to form the first man in a different manner. do you know how god made adam? read gen. 1,26-28 and 2,7.--god could have made heaven and earth, as we see them now, in one instant, but it has pleased him to do it in _six days._ in six days _"the heavens and the earth were finished and all the host of them."_ gen. 2,1. and when all this was finished, _"god saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good."_ gen. 1,31. 4. when we consider this great work of our lord, consider that he has made the whole world, the heavens and all the host of them, the mighty sun, the countless stars, the earth with all its treasures, with its millions of living creatures, must we not say that god, who created all these things by his word alone, is a _mighty_ and _powerful_ god, more powerful and mighty than all other things which he has made? and it is true indeed, god is more powerful than his creatures. he is _almighty._ we believe in god, _the father almighty. "with god nothing shall be impossible,"_ holy scripture tells us. luke 1,37. _"he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased."_ ps. 115,3. god is an almighty father. in him we can trust. he can and will be our help. no one and nothing can resist his mighty power. 5. when we consider how wonderful this world is made, when we consider that everything that came from the hand of god was very good, that everything was made as it should be to serve its end, must we not say that god is a very wise god, being able to plan such a wonderful and good work? yea, _our god is the all-wise god._ what he does is always good and wise, even if we do not understand it.--and remember, moreover, that god has created this beautiful world for us, his children. this great and wonderful earth is to be our dwelling-place; sun, moon, and the stars are to serve us. is not our god a loving, a good, a merciful god? truly, _"the lord is good to all; and his tender mercies are over all his works."_ ps. 145,9. _"god is love."_ 1 john 4,8. in him, our loving, merciful god, will we trust; he _will_ surely help us. remember:-1. _i myself must believe in god the father almighty. the faith of another cannot save me._ 2. _in six days god created heaven and earth. he is the creator of all things, visible and invisible. he has created, that is, made, all things out of nothing, by his word. this we believe because god himself has revealed it unto us in holy scriptures._ 3. _god, the maker of heaven and earth, always has been and always will be. from everlasting to everlasting he is god. he is our almighty and all-wise father, always loving, good, and merciful. in him we can and will trust._ memorize:-_in the beginning god created the heaven and the earth._ gen. 1,1. _through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of god._ heb. 11,3. _from everlasting to everlasting thou art god._ ps. 90,2. _with god nothing shall be impossible._ luke 1,37. _god is love._ john 4,8. questions. 1. why do we say in our creed, _i_ believe? 2. in whom do we believe according to the first article? 3. why do we call god "the father almighty"? 4. how does our catechism explain the words "maker of heaven and earth"? 5. what are creatures? 6. in how many days did god create heaven and earth? 7. what does it mean when we say god _created_ them? 8. why do we believe that god made everything out of nothing, merely by his word? 9. recite heb. 11,3. 10. how was everything when god had finished the work of creation? 11. what do we learn of god from ps. 90,2? 12. why is god called the almighty father? 13. how does the creation show us that god is all-wise? 14. which other qualities of god do we learn from his work of creation? 15. why can and will we always trust in the almighty, all-wise, loving, and merciful god? lesson 15. the first article. god has made me and still preserves me. which is the first article of the creed? _i believe in god, the father almighty, maker of heaven and earth._ what does this mean? _i believe that god has made me and all creatures, that he has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still preserves them._ 1. god is the maker of heaven and earth. i believe that god made all creatures, all things in heaven and earth. he also created _man._ about the creation of man we read in the holy scriptures: _"and god said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. so god created man in his own image, in the image of god, created he him; male and female created he them. and god blessed them; and god said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth."_ gen. 1,26-28. _"and the lord god formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."_ gen. 2,7. there is a _great difference_ between the creation of man and the creation of all other visible things. god, so to say, took especial care about this last of all his wonderful works. he did not merely say: let there be a man, but god the father, son, and holy ghost, as it were, _deliberated_ and _planned_ beforehand how to make man. god then formed man, that is, his body, _out of the dust of the ground,_ and _breathed the breath of life,_ his soul, into his nostrils, his nose, and so man became a living soul.--and what is more, god created man _in his own image, after his likeness._ as god is lord and master over all things and governs them, so he gave to man the power to govern all things on earth; he gave him _dominion_ over all the creatures on earth, to be lord over this world. god made man in his own image. adam and eve were created _holy, without any blemish and sin._ they _knew_ and _loved god,_ their creator, and lived according to his holy will. truly, man is the _foremost of all of god's visible creatures._ god has made all men; therefore i confess, he made _me._ 2. _"i believe,"_ i know it to be true from the word of god, _"that god made me." he has made me by giving me body and soul._ true, god did not make me as he made adam, by forming my body out of the dust and breathing the breath of life into my nostrils. he made me by giving me body and soul through my parents. nevertheless it is true that god has made me, that my body and my soul are _the gift of god,_ my heavenly father. i confess: _"the spirit of god hath made me, and the breath of the almighty hath given me life."_ job 33,4. 3. how wonderfully did god make me! _"he has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses."_ consider how beautifully and wonderfully god made your body. he gave you _eyes_ and _ears._ you can _see_ and _hear;_ you can see all the great works of go, the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the animals and plants, the mighty mountains and the vast seas. you can see your fellow-men, your friends and parents, and hear their voices, hear their words that instruct and console you. you ca read your bible and hear the preaching of god's word. he gave you not only eyes and ears, but _all the members of your body_--your mouth so that you are able to talk to your friends and parents and make known your needs and wishes; your feet and hands for your work.--we are wonderfully made. god has given you a _soul,_ and he has endowed it with _reason,_ and has given you _all your senses._ you are able to _think_ about the great work of god that surround you, to try to understand what they are and for what purpose god created them, you are able to understand all that god tells you in his word about himself, his will, and his grace, and thus to know him. you are able to _feel_ his goodness, his fatherly love and mercy. surely we must say: _"i will praise thee; for i am fearfully and wonderfully made. marvelous are thy works, and that my soul knoweth right well."_ ps. 139,14. 4. _"i believe that god has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still preserves them."_ every christian confesses: god, my father, _preserves_ me, my life, my body and soul, all that i am. god has not made us and given us his great gifts and then left it to us how to preserve and keep them. this we could never do. he is not like a builder who, having finished a house, leaves it and lets others take care of it in the future. _"he is not far from every one of us; for in him we live and move and have our being."_ acts 17, 27.28. he will preserve us, and he alone, our almighty father, can do it. he has preserved me until this day. the fact that i am still enjoying life, that i still have body and soul with all their precious gifts, that i still can see and hear and have the use of my members, that i still have the gift of reason and the use of my senses, all this is not my work, not due to my prudence, or the care of my parents, or the skill of a physician, _but it is god's work and gift alone. "he upholds all things by the word of his power."_ heb. 1,3. and i believe that god, my father, will also in future preserve me, his child, until the hour of death, and that he will then for christ's sake take me up to heaven, body and soul, and there preserve me forever. remember:-1. _god has made you. he has given you your body and soul, eyes, ears, and all your members, your reason and all your senses. he is your almighty father._ 2. _god has preserved and still preserves you. that you are still living, that you have body and soul and the use of your reason and all your members, is god's free gift alone. god is your almighty father._ 3. _how precious are these gifts of god! never forget how wonderfully you are made. god, your almighty father, is also a very kind and loving father._ memorize:-_i will praise thee; for i am fearfully and wonderfully made. marvelous are thy works, and that my soul knoweth right well._ ps. 139,14. _he is not far from every one of us; for in him we live and move and have our being._ acts 17,27.28. _he upholds all things by the word of his power._ heb. 1,3. questions. 1. on which of the six days did god create man? 2. what is the difference between the creation of man and the creation of all other visible creatures? 3. what did god do before he created man? 4. out of what did he form his body? 5. how did god create his soul? 6. what does it mean that god created man in his own image? 7. how were adam and eve after god had created them? 8. how did they show that they were holy and without sin? 9. how did god make _you?_ 10. through whom did he give you body and soul? 11. which gift did god bestow upon your body? 12. why are eyes and ears and all members such wonderful gifts of god? 13. which is god's greatest gift to your soul? 14. why is reason his greatest gift? 15. what does god do for us in addition to having created us? 16. what does it mean that god preserves us? 17. until what day did god preserve you? 18. how long will he preserve you? 19. what, therefore, is god to me because he made me and preserves me? lesson 16. the first article. how my heavenly father provides for me and guards my life. which is the first article of the creed? _i believe in god the father almighty, maker of heaven and earth._ what does this mean? _i believe that god has given me also clothing and shoes, meat and drink, house and home, wife and children, fields, cattle, and all my goods; that he richly and daily provides me with all that i need to support this body and life; that he defends me against all danger, and guards and protects me from all evil._ 1. in the first article of our christian faith we say: _"i believe in god the father almighty, maker of heaven and earth."_ this means, as we have learned: _i believe that god has made me and has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still preserves them._ god generally does not preserve us by his word and will alone, but through _earthly means._ in order to preserve our life and body, we must eat and drink, have clothing, house and home, etc. true, god could preserve us without these means. he is the almighty. he has done so at times. he preserved moses' life for forty days and nights without food and drink on mount sinai. ex. 34,28. jesus twice, as you know, fed several thousand people with a few loaves of bread and with a few fish. god can do so to-day, and he will do it if his children are in need of it. but generally it pleases god to preserve our body and life through outward means. _god preserves me by providing me with all that i need to support my body and life._ 2. i need many things to support my body and life. our catechism names quite a number of them. in order to support our life, we must have _meat and drink._ we must have _clothing and shoes, house and home_ to protect our bodies from sunshine and rain. true, you have not everything that is named in our catechism; but all these things are necessary to preserve our lives, and somebody must have them. the farmer must have _fields_ and _cattle_ to provide for his life and for the lives of many other people. _all my goods,_ all that i need and have, clothing and shoes, meat and drink house and home, father and mother, brothers and sisters, were given me _by god, my heavenly father. "the eyes of all wait upon thee, and thou givest them their meat in due season thou openest thine hand and satisfiest the desire of every living thing."_ ps. 145,15.16. 3. god provides me with all that i need to support my life. god generally does it through _the work of our hands._ he can do it without our work, or labor, and at times has done so. remember how god gave manna from heaven to the children of israel when they were in the desert. deut. 8,3.4. remember how he fed his prophet elijah during the famine by sending the ravens to bring him his daily bread. 1 kings 17. god can do the same thing to-day, and he certainly will do so whenever his children are in need of it. _"cast all your care upon him; for he careth for you."_ 1 pet. 5,7. as a rule, however, god wants us to work diligently and carefully to save what we earn. but still it is _god_ that provides for us. he gives us strength and health for our work. he blesses our labors. without his blessing all our labor would be in vain. _"except the lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it."_ ps. 127,1. 4. god provides me with all that i need for my life and body, and he does so _richly and daily._ god provides me _richly._ i have a rich father. he is the maker of heaven and earth. everything belongs to him. out of his abundance he gives us richly all that we need, and often more than we need. he gives us daily, that is, he never tires of giving. every morning he begins anew to bless us by giving us our daily bread. 5. one thing more is needed to preserve us. our life and our body are in constant danger. but a child of god confesses: _"he defends me against all danger, and guard and protects me from all evil."_ remember how he defended the children of israel against their enemies, the egyptians, at the red sea. ex. 13.14. remember how he guarded his son, the christ-child, whom king herod sought to kill. matt. 2,13-15. so god defends and guards all his children. _"there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling."_ ps. 91,10. true, also children of god have to suffer, they have many troubles and misfortunes; but their father protects them in all these troubles, so that nothing can really harm them, but that everything must work together for good to them. joseph in egypt had to suffer much that was meant to do him harm, being cast into prison; but god was with him and made everything turn out for his welfare. he himself said to his brothers: _"ye thought evil against me, but god meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive."_ gen. 50,20.--in protecting his children from evil, god often uses his _angels,_ those holy spirits whom he has created, and whom he sends out to minister to his children. by an angel god protected daniel in the den of the lions and the three men in the fiery furnace. he sends his angels to protect us from evil. _"he shall give his angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways. they shall bear thee up in their hands lest thou dash thy foot against a stone."_ ps. 91, 11.12. remember:-1. _god preserves you by providing you with all things that you need for your life and body. he does so richly and daily. therefore trust in him, your rich and merciful father._ 2. _god wants you to work diligently and earn your daily bread; he also wants you to be thrifty, saving, with what he has given you. but with all your working and saving you could never provide the necessary food and clothing without god's blessing. he alone provides for you._ 3. _trust in god! he will defend you against all danger and guard and protect you from all evil. he will send his angels so that no evil may harm you._ memorize:-_the eyes of all wait upon thee, and thou givest them their meat in due season. thou openest thine hand and satisfiest the desire of every living thing._ ps. 145,15.16. _cast all your care upon him, for he careth for you._ 1 pet. 5,7. _there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling._ ps. 91,10. _he shall give his angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways._ ps. 91, 11. _commit thy way unto the lord, trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass._ ps. 37,5. questions. 1. how does god preserve you? 2. what must you do to preserve your life and body? 3. where has god shown that he can preserve us without any means? 4. in what manner does god generally preserve us? 5. which of the things that are needed to support our life and body does our catechism mention? 6. who gave me all the good things i have? 7. in what way does god generally provide us with the things necessary for our life? 8. when, for instance, did god show that he can provide for us without the labor of our hands? 9. what, however, is god's rule in this matter? 10. can you show that god provides for us even though we work to earn our living? 11. how does god provide you with all that is needed for your life? 12. why can he provide richly for his children? 13. what more does god do to preserve us? 14. give examples of god's protecting care over his children. 15. what is our consolation when we have troubles and misfortunes? 16. whom does god often send forth to protect his children? 17. what do we read ps. 37,5? lesson 17. the first article. god has made me and preserves me out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy. which is the first article of the creed? _i believe in god the father almighty, maker of heaven and earth._ what does this mean? _i believe that god does all this out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without an merit or worthiness in me._ 1. we have learned that god has _made_ me by giving me my body and soul, and that he still _preserves_ me by giving me richly and daily all that i need for life and body, by guarding and protecting me from all evil. now we ask, _why has god done all this for me?_ our catechism answers: he has done _"all this purely out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy."_ this answer is taken from the word of god. _"the lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works."_ ps. 145,9.-god is moved by his _goodness_ to bestow his manifold blessings on us. _our god is good._ ps. 118,1. he loves all his creatures, especially those whom in holy baptism and through faith in jesus christ he has accepted as his children. he wishes to make them happy here on earth and above all, eternally in heaven. he also loves you; therefore he has formed your body so beautifully and given you an immortal soul; therefore he provides you with all that is needed for your life and body, and does this richly and daily. 2. god is moved by his _mercy_ to provide for me and protect me. _"his tender mercies are over all his works." our god is a merciful god._ he knows that without him, without his provident care, we are helpless, unable to support our life, not even for a single day. and he has compassion on us. he does not like to see his children in need and danger. his tender mercies are over you also; therefore he feeds and clothes you through your parents or friends; therefore he guards and protects you, his child. 3. his goodness and mercy is _fatherly_ goodness and mercy. he provides for me and protects me as a _father_ provides for his children and protects them. _"like as a father pitieth his children, so the lord pitieth them that fear him."_ ps. 103,13. not only in his word does god assure us that he is our loving father, but he daily proves it to us by the blessings he sends us. he has given me my beautiful body and a rational soul, that is, powers to think and understand; he daily provides for everything i need; he is at my side in every danger to defend me; from every evil that comes near me he protects me. surely _god is my father._--his goodness and mercy are a _divine_ goodness and mercy, such as only god has and can have, a _perfect_ and _never-failing_ goodness and mercy. my father is the _father almighty,_ who daily will and can provide for and protect his children. _"his compassions fail not. they are new every morning."_ lam. 3,22.--therefore i confess: _i believe in god, my almighty father,_ that is, i do not only know from the word of god and from the blessings i am daily receiving from him that the almighty god is my father, but _with all my heart i trust in him,_ i confide in him, i rely on him as on my true father. when i am in need, i trust in him, my father; he will and can provide for me. when dangers surround me, i trust in him, my father; he will and can defend me. when evil seems to come near me, i trust in him, my father; he will and can protect me. _to believe in god the father almighty means to be fully assured that the almighty god is my father, and with all my heart to trust in him who is my father for jesus' sake._ 4. whatever god does for his children, he does _"purely_ out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy." his fatherly goodness and mercy-nothing else--moves him to show us goodness and mercy. he provides and protects me _"without any merit or worthiness in me."_ when a man performs some work for another man, he has done something for him and thereby earned, or _merited,_ payment for such service. we have not given anything to god, so that he would be in duty bound to reward us for it. we have not earned his fatherly love, nor can we ever do so.-when a rich man bestows a free gift upon a poor man, this poor man has certainly not merited this gift, but he may be _worthy_ of the help. his worthiness may have moved the rich man to take pity on him. we are _not worthy_ of anything that god bestows upon us; we do not deserve his fatherly love and kindness. we have transgressed, and daily transgress, his holy commandments. we are sinners. we so often misuse god's kindness and his gifts. if god were to treat us according to our merits and worthiness, he would not be able to bless us, but he would have to punish and condemn us. in us god does not find anything that might move him to love us and to care for us. it is _purely_ out of his fatherly, divine goodness and mercy that he loves me and provides for me, an unworthy sinner. we must confess with jacob: _"i am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which thou hast showed unto thy servant."_ gen. 32,10. remember:-1. _in bestowing all his blessings on me god is moved only by his goodness and mercy, not by any merit or worthiness in me. all i am and all i have and receive is a free gift of his love and kindness._ 2. _god's goodness and mercy are a fatherly and divine goodness and mercy. he daily shows that he is my father indeed, who loves me and cares for me with a most perfect, never-failing, never-ceasing love._ 3. _to believe in god the father almighty means to know and be assured from scripture that the almighty god is my father, and with all my heart to trust and confide in him who is my father for christ's sake._ memorize:-_the lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works._ ps. 145,9. _like as a father pitieth his children, so the lord pitieth them that fear him._ ps. 103,13. _i am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which thou hast showed unto thy servant._ gen. 32,10. _i believe in god the father almighty, that is, i know and am assured that the almighty god is my father; with all my heart, therefore, i trust and confide in him who is my father for christ's sake._ questions. 1. who has made you and still preserves you? 2. what moves god to do this? 3. whom among his creatures does god especially love? 4. how does he show his goodness and love toward his children? 5. what furthermore moves god to care for his children? 6. what does it mean that god is merciful? 7. how are his goodness and mercy called in our catechism? 8. what do we read ps. 103,13? 9. how does god daily show his fatherly goodness toward you? 10. how are his goodness and mercy furthermore called in our catechism? 11. why is his goodness called a divine goodness? 12. what do we therefore confess because god daily shows us his fatherly love and mercy? 13. what does this mean, "i believe in god the father almighty"? 14. why may and should we trust and confide in god as in our father? 15. what does not move god to love us and provide for us? 16. why do we not merit god's love and kindness? 17. why are we not worthy of his goodness and mercy? 18. what have we sinners merited? 19. recite what jacob said to the lord. gen. 32,10. lesson 18. the first article. for his goodness and mercy i will thank and praise my father, and serve and obey him. which is the first article? _i believe in god the father almighty, maker of heaven and earth._ what does this mean? _i believe that for all this it is my duty to thank and praise, to serve and obey him. this is most certainly true._ 1. great are the blessings which we daily receive from our heavenly father. it is he who preserves our bodies and souls. it is he who provides us with all that we need for our lives, and who defends us against all danger and guards and protects us from all evil. and he does all this without any merit or worthiness in me, moved purely by his fatherly, divine goodness and mercy. when we consider all this love and kindness, we ask, _what, then, is our duty toward our father in heaven? "what shall i render unto the lord for all his benefits toward me?"_ ps. 116,12. our catechism answers: _"for all which it is my duty to thank and praise, to serve and obey him."_ 2. for all his benefits we should, and, most certainly, every child of god gladly will, _thank_ our father. when somebody has shown us a kindness and given us valuable gifts, we certainly thank him. how we do look down with contempt upon an ungrateful person! if we give thanks to our human benefactors, how much more should we thank god, our greatest benefactor, from whom we receive every good and perfect gift! it is _god's will_ that we thank him. _"o give thanks unto the lord; for he is good, because his mercy endureth forever."_ ps. 118,1. remember how well pleased our lord was with the _grateful samaritan_ who alone of the ten came back to thank him for the gift of his health. luke 17, 17-19. to be able to thank god we must _believe in our hearts_ that everything that we are, have and enjoy is god's gracious gift. yet many do not admit this. they boast that they themselves provide for their life by their daily work, that they themselves defend their bodies and souls from danger and evil, and so they do not consider it their duty to thank the lord. we are assured that all we have is a free gift of god, and therefore we must and will thank him in all our prayers. do not forget to do this, especially in your morning and evening prayers, as well as before and after meals. (see the prayers in your catechism.) 3. _we should praise god, our father._ with glad and rejoicing hearts we will _tell_ others, our fellow-men, of the great and wondrous things the lord has done for us. we will _make know_ to them what a mighty and wise as well as gracious, merciful, and loving father our god is, and thus _glorify_ his name in the world, also in the presence of _unbelievers. "bless the lord, o my soul, and forget not all his benefits!"_ ps. 103,2. "to god, the father of all love, the god of earth and heaven, the mighty god who reigns above, be praise and glory given! with healing balm my soul he fills and every pain and sorrow stills: to god all praise and glory!" 4. _it is our duty to serve the lord._ god, it is true, is not in need of our poor services, for it is he who gives us day by day everything we have. but he has told us in his word that what we do to our brethren for his sake _we have done unto him._ matt. 25,40. _in serving our brethren we serve god._ we serve him by not using the gifts we receive from him merely for our own benefit, much less for sinful purposes, in the service of sin and satan, but _by using them to help our neighbor in distress._ we serve him by using our worldly goods _to further our father's kingdom here on earth, by laboring and giving for his church, for foreign and home missions, and for all purposes pleasing to god._ in this manner our whole life will be a service and a thank-offering to god, our gracious father. "o grant that i may through thy grace use all my powers to show thy praise, and serve and help my neighbor." 5. _finally, it is my duty to obey him, my father._ i know that god is my father, and i am his child. how can a child show his love and his gratitude toward his father better _than by obeying him?_ so will i render my thanks unto my heavenly father by cheerfully and willingly obeying him and by doing according to his commandments. above all, i will, according to his first commandment, _love him and trust in him,_ my father, in every need and danger, firmly believing that he will never leave nor forsake me. 6. _"this is most certainly true."_ with these words we conclude our first article. these words are the explanation of the word _amen_ which we find at the end of our creed. _amen_ means: "this is most certainly true." we declare it to be most certainly true what we have confessed and what we believe. it is most certainly true that god has made me and still preserves me. it is most certainly true that god has given me my body and soul, that he provides for me and defends, guards, and protects me. it is most certainly true that he has done all this purely out of his fatherly, divine goodness and mercy. it is most certainly true that god is my almighty father whom i, his child, am in duty bound to thank and praise, to serve and obey. _from god's word we know that all this is most certainly true._ remember:-1. _god is our heavenly father, our greatest benefactor; therefore we should thank and praise, serve and obey him. let us never forget all his benefits._ 2. _we thank god when we believe and acknowledge it to be true that all we have is the gift of god's goodness and mercy, given us without any merit or worthiness in us.--we praise him when we glorify him and his gracious deeds also before our fellow-men._ 3. _we serve our heavenly father by devoting all the powers of body and soul, all of which are his gifts, not to the service of sin and satan, but to the service of our fellow-men and of the church of god.--we obey him by fulfilling his will, by keeping his commandments, especially by loving him and trusting in him._ memorize:-_what shall i render unto the lord for all his benefits toward me?_ ps. 116,12. _o give thanks unto the lord, for he is good; because his mercy endureth forever._ ps. 118,1. _bless the lord, o my soul, and forget not all his benefits!_ ps. 103,2. questions. 1. which are the great blessings we receive from god, according to the first article? 2. what do we ask when we consider these blessings? 3. how is this expressed in ps. 116,12? 4. how does our catechism answer this question? 5. why is it our duty to thank god? 6. how can you prove from scripture that god is pleased with our gratitude? 7. what must we admit in our hearts in order really to thank god? 8. most men do not admit this; what do they believe regarding their worldly goods? 9. at what time especially should we thank god for his benefits? 10. what does it mean to praise god? 11. before whom also should we glorify him? 12. recite ps. 103,2. 13. what, in addition, is our duty towards god? 14. how can we serve our father? 15. how do you know that you are serving god by serving your neighbor? 16. what should i also do to serve god? 17. what finally, is our duty towards our father in heaven? 18. when do we obey him? 19. how should we obey him, according to the first commandment? 20. what do we express in the last words of the first article? 21. how do we know that everything we have confessed in this article is most certainly true? lesson 19. the first article. review lesson. 1. we have begun to study the three articles of our creed. these articles contain all that we believe and confess regarding god and his works, all that he has done and will do for us, his children. where did god reveal himself and his works to us? what do we call all the doctrines of scripture that teach us who god is and what he has done for us? what is the meaning of the word _gospel?_ there are two chief doctrines in the bible. what are they called? what does the law tell us? what are the good tidings brought to us in the gospel? 2. we confess in the first article that god is the father almighty, maker of heaven and earth. god is the maker of heaven and earth. what do we call this great work of god? what is the meaning of the word create? what do we call all the things that god has made? what does it mean to say: god created all things _by his word?_ in how many days did god create this world, heaven and earth?--when we thoughtfully consider this great work of god, his creation, we can learn from it how wonderful our god is. what does creation teach us about god? when we say, god is almighty, what does that mean? how does creation teach us that god is an all-wise god? how does creation show us god's great love and kindness toward his creatures? how were all creatures when god had made them? 3. god is the maker of heaven and earth, he created all things. therefore he also created man. how did god create the first man? man is the foremost of all the visible creatures. how do we prove this? in whose image did god make our first parents? in what respect did god make man in his image? how were our first parents when god had made them? whom did they know and love? how did they live?--god made all men; whom, therefore, did he also make? what did god give me in making me? it is true that god did not make me in the same manner as he made our first parents. through whom did he give me my body and soul?--consider how wonderfully god has made you. why did god give you eyes and ears? what can you do because god endowed your soul with reason? all this proves that we are god's foremost creatures.--god has made you, but what do we furthermore confess? what does this statement mean: god preserves me? what do we read heb. 1,3? in whom do we all live and move and have our being? 4. we confess in the first article that our heavenly father has made me and all creatures, that he has given me my body with all its members, my soul, my reason and all my senses, and that he still preserves me, so that in him we live and move, and have our being. how does god preserve me? from whom do we receive all things to support our body and life? recite ps. 145,15.16. in what manner does god, as a rule, provide us with all the things that we need to support our body and soul? why is it that we, nevertheless, must say that god provides for us? what must god also do to preserve my body and life? whom does god often use to protect his children from danger and evil? 5. god has done great things for me. he has made me, he has given me my body and soul. he still preserves me by providing daily and richly all that i need for my life and body, by guarding and protecting me from all evil. what moves god to give me all these great benefits? recite ps. 145,9. what does that mean: god is good to all his creatures? whom especially does god love? what does that mean: god is merciful? how are god's goodness and mercy called in our catechism? why is his goodness called a fatherly goodness? why is it called a _divine_ goodness? why do we say that it is _purely_ fatherly and divine goodness that moves god? what have we merited by our conduct toward god? why are we unworthy of all the benefits of god? what must we confess with jacob? gen. 32,10. what do we say by confessing: "i believe in god the father almighty"? 6. great are the blessings which we have received, and daily are receiving, from our heavenly father. and he gives all his blessings out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me. what, therefore, is our duty over against god? we should, in the first place, thank our father. what do we think of an ungrateful person? what do we read ps. 118,1? with whom was our lord well pleased? why are so many men not thankful to god? when only shall we be truly thankful? --in the second place, we should praise our father. what does it mean to praise god? before whom also should we glorify god?--in the third place, we should serve god in order to show him our gratitude. how can we serve god although he is not in need of our services? how ought we to use all the gifts of god in order to serve him?--lastly, we should obey our father. when do we obey him? which commandment, especially, should we keep? what does this commandment require of us? why do we close the first article with the words: "this is most certainly true"? we all believe in one true god, father, son, and holy ghost, present helper in all need, praised by all the heavenly host, by whose mighty power alone all is made and wrought and done. lesson 20. the second article: of redemption. i believe that my lord jesus christ is true god. which is the second article? _i believe in jesus christ, his only son, our lord._ what does this mean? _i believe that jesus christ, true god, begotten of the father from eternity, ... is my lord._ 1. _"i believe in jesus christ, our lord"_ thus the second article of our creed begins. every true christian, every child of god, confesses: i believe in my lord jesus christ. i believe that jesus christ is my lord. we do not only believe in god the father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, but likewise in our lord jesus christ. you know what it means to believe in jesus christ. it means, i know and am assured by god's word that jesus christ is my lord, and with all my heart i trust and confide in him as in my lord. our catechism teaches us _two things_ about our lord jesus christ: 1. _who our lord jesus christ is,_ and 2. _what he has done for me to become my lord._ 2. _who is our lord jesus christ?_ we confess _"i believe in jesus christ, his only son,"_ that is, god the father's only son. many are called, and in truth are, god's children. _"ye are all the children of god by faith in christ jesus."_ gal. 3,26. all who believe in our lord jesus christ are sons and daughters of god. how, then, can we say that jesus christ is god's only son? our catechism says: _"i believe that jesus christ, true god, begotten of the father from eternity, is my lord."_ all those who believe in christ are god's children; god has _adopted_ them as his children for christ's sake. christ, however, is god's _own son, begotten, born of the father from eternity._ before god created heaven and earth, christ was god's son, begotten of the father. god himself says to this his only son: _"thou art my son; this day_ [that is, from eternity] _have i begotten thee."_ ps. 2,7. _"god so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life."_ john 3,16. christ is god's son, begotten of the father from eternity, and it is for this reason, too, that in the first article we call god the _father._ he is the father of his own only son, through whom he is also our father. 3. whoever is born of human parents is a true man; he has a human body and a human soul. our lord jesus christ is born of the father from eternity, and therefore _he is true god._ we confess that we believe in jesus christ, true god. he is true god in the same sense as the father is true god. _together with the father he is the one true god._ he himself has said: _"he that hath seen me hath seen the father."_ john 14,9. _"i and my father are one."_ john 10,30 the father is the _almighty_ god; likewise the son, our lord, is the _almighty_ god. _"all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth."_ matt. 28,18. god the father is always with us wherever we are; likewise the son, our lord, is with us always. _"lo, i am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."_ matt. 28,20. god the father has created all things; likewise the son, our lord jesus christ. _"all things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made."_ john 1,3. he tells us that we should _honor_ him as we honor the father. _"all men should honor the son even as they honor the father."_ john 5,23. he tells us that we should believe in him as we believe in the father. _"ye believe in god, believe also in me."_ john 14,1. 4. jesus christ is true god from eternity. when our lord was dwelling here on earth among men, he _showed_ that he was true god. his apostle john tells us: _"we_ [the apostles] _beheld his glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the father."_ john 1,14. with his almighty word he healed the sick, he made the blind to see, the lame to walk, the deaf to hear, he brought the dead to life again: the daughter of jairus, the son of the widow in nain, and lazarus, the brother of mary and martha. remember how the winds and the sea obeyed him, how he stilled the storm and walked on the sea as on dry land, how he changed water into wine. 5. _our lord jesus christ is true god, the only-begotten son of the father._ his disciples confessed it time and again. simon peter confessed regarding the lord: _"thou art the christ, the son of the living god."_ matt. 16,16. thomas said to him, _"my lord and my god."_ john 20,28. and jesus was well pleased with their confessions and accepted them. _"this_ [our dear lord] _is the true god and eternal life," is what john the apostle tells of him._ 1 john 5,20. and st. paul writes: _"who_ [christ] _is over all, god blessed forever."_ rom. 9,5. _from our bible, from the word of god,_ we know it to be most certainly true that our lord is true god, begotten of the father from eternity. 6. never forget that our dear lord, together with the father, is the one true god. _therefore i believe in him and trust in him with all my heart._ in every need and trouble, in every danger, i lift up my hands to my lord and god and _pray_ to him. he will not forsake me, for he is _"jesus christ, the same yesterday to-day and forever."_ heb. 13,8. remember:-1. _our lord jesus christ is the only son of god the father, his own son, begotten of the father from eternity._ 2. _our lord jesus christ is true god, with god the father the one true god in whom we believe, and to whom we pray._ 3. _this we know and believe because god himself has revealed it to us in his holy word. our confession is and always will be: "i believe in jesus christ, his only son." i believe that jesus christ is true god, begotten of the father from eternity._ memorize:-_this is the true god and eternal life._ 1 john 5,20. _who is over all, god blessed forever. amen._ rom. 9,5. _thomas answered and said unto him, my lord and my god._ john 20,28. _for god so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life._ john 3,16. _all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth._ matt. 28,18. _lo, i am with you alway, even unto the end of the world._ matt. 28,20. questions. 1. what does it mean to believe in jesus christ, our lord? 2. what two things does our catechism teach us about our lord jesus christ? 3. whose only son is jesus christ? 4. who also are god's children? 5. why is jesus called god's _only_ son? 6. where in the bible is christ called the only-begotten son of god? john 3,16. 7. christ is the own, the only-begotten son of god; what must he therefore be? 8. what is christ together with the father? 9. where does our lord himself say so? 10. where does our lord say that he is almighty? 11. where does he promise that he will always be with us? 12. what great work of god the father is also done by the son? 13. how should we honor the son? 14. how did christ show, when he was dwelling visibly on earth, that he is true god? 15. what did peter confess of the lord? 16. what did thomas say to him? 17. what does the apostle john write about the lord? 18. what does st. paul write? 19. how do we know that it is most certainly true that christ is true god? 20. what must our confession regarding christ always be? lesson 21. the second article. i believe that my lord is true god and true man. which is the second article? _i believe in jesus christ, his only son, our lord, who was conceived by the holy ghost, born of the virgin mary, suffered under pontius pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried._ what does this mean? _i believe that jesus christ, true god, begotten of the father from eternity, and also true man, born of the virgin mary, is my lord._ 1. we confess that jesus christ is the only son of god, begotten of the father from eternity and therefore true god. we also confess _that he is born of the virgin mary and therefore is a true man,_ with a human soul and a human body. holy scripture expressly calls our lord a man. _"there is one god and one mediator between god and men, the man christ jesus."_ 1 tim. 2,5. our lord is indeed true man. while he was visibly dwelling here on earth, he lived as a man among men. he was born in bethlehem as a little child. in the house of his mother and his foster-father joseph he grew up like other children. he became hungry and thirsty, he ate and drank, he grew tired and slept, and lastly, he died. 2. christ, our lord, is _true_ man, man in the true sense of the word. he is our brother. but there is _one great difference_ between him and all other men. we confess in the second article that he was _conceived by the holy ghost._ though our lord was born of a human mother, he did not have a human father. he was conceived by the power of god the holy ghost without sin. _"the holy ghost shall come upon thee_ [the virgin mary], _and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the son of god."_ luke 1,35. christ, our lord, was born _holy, without sin,_ and during his life he never committed any sin, but always fulfilled the will of god, his father. 3. christ, our lord, is true god and true man. there are not two christs, one who is god, and another who is man, but _only one christ, who is god and man at the same time, god and man in one person, the god-man._ he is _emmanuel,_ that is, god with us, god in our flesh and blood. matt. 1,23. how this is possible we cannot understand, but we firmly believe it because god himself has revealed it to us in his word. the son of god, the true god, became a true man, born of a woman. _"the word_ [the son of god] _was made flesh_ [man], _and dwelt among us."_ john 1,14. 4. the son of god, the true god, became man, but more than that. _he also humbled himself._ he did not, as a rule, show forth his divine glory nor use his divine powers, but was like any other man. he did not come to us as a great prince, in kingly splendor, but though he is our god and king, he came to us _as a low, poor man._ from bible history you know the life of the god-man, how he was _born_ a little child in bethlehem, of the virgin mary, a lowly maid in israel, though she came from the royal house of the great king david. and after he was born, he _suffered._ his whole life was a constant suffering. he was despised by his people, persecuted by the priests and pharisees. he was so poor that he did not have where to lay his head. remember how he suffered that unspeakable agony in the garden of gethsemane and in the courts of his enemies, where they passed that cruel sentence of death upon him who had never committed a sin. and _under pontius pilate,_ the governor of judea, he was _crucified,_ nailed to a cross. and on the cross he _died,_ died the death of a criminal. and after his death his friends _buried_ his body, just as they would have buried that of any other man. verily, the son of god, our lord, _deeply humbled himself;_ he humbled himself unto death, even the death of the cross. 5. _why did our lord do all this?_ why did the son of god become man? why did our lord humble himself so deeply? he did it for our sake, for the sake of all men, for those who are his enemies. _he did it for me that he might become my lord and savior._ therefore our lord was called _jesus._ this name means helper, savior. it was given to our lord by the will of god; for he had an angel tell joseph: _"she_ [the virgin mary] _shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name jesus; for he shall save his people from their sins."_ matt. 1,21. jesus is our savior.--our lord is also called _christ._ christ means the _messiah._ our lord is the messiah whom god had promised to his people in the old testament. all the prophecies regarding the messiah in the old testament have been fulfilled in jesus christ, our lord.--our lord jesus christ is the savior, and he is our _only_ savior. _"neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved."_ acts 4,12. remember:-1. _our lord jesus christ is true god, born of the father from eternity; but he is also true man, born in time of the virgin mary. he is like unto other men, except that he is holy and without sin._ 2. _christ, our lord, is true god and true man in one person--the god-man. as such he is my savior._ 3. _the son of god did not only become man, he also humbled himself, suffering and dying, dying on the cross._ 4. _christ, our lord, has done all this to be jesus, the savior of all men, to be christ, the promised messiah. he has done all this for me that he might become my lord._ memorize:-_there is one god and one mediator between god and men, the man christ jesus._ 1 tim. 2,5. _the word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the father, full of grace and truth._ john 1,14. _she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name jesus; for he shall save his people from their sins._ matt. 7,21. _neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved._ acts 4,12. questions. 1. what do we confess regarding our lord? 2. what do we also confess? 3. recite the passage of scripture where christ is expressly called man. 4. how did our lord show in his life here on earth that he was truly a man? 5. by whom was christ conceived? 6. how was he, therefore, when he was born? 7. what, therefore, is the difference between him and all other men? 8. we confess that christ is god and man, what do we mean by this? 9. what did the son of god become? 10. how do we read john 1,14? 11. our lord became true man; what did he also do? 12. what did he, as a rule, not show and use while he was here on earth? 13. what kind of man did our lord become? 14. how was he born? 15. what was his whole life here on earth? 16. how poor did he become? 17. how did he die? 18. why did christ do all this? 19. for whose sake also did he humble himself? 20. why is my lord called jesus? 21. why is he called the christ? lesson 22. the second article. my lord has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature. which is the second article? _i believe in jesus christ, his only son, our lord._ what does this mean? _i believe that jesus christ is my lord, who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil._ 1. we have learned that our lord is true god and true man. we have heard that the son of god became man and humbled himself even unto death for our sake to become our lord and savior. our catechism furthermore tells us _by what means jesus christ, true god and true man, became my lord and savior._ that is the great work of our lord: he came into this world to save, to redeem us. his work is our _redemption._ let us diligently and prayerfully consider this great work of our lord--our redemption. 2. _christ has redeemed me,_ so i confess. we were in great need of such a lord and of the redemption which he was to bring. for without such a lord _we are lost and condemned creatures._ we are _lost_ creatures. what does this mean? remember the beautiful story of the _prodigal son._ the father in this story said of his son after his return that he had been lost. wilfully and sinfully the son had left his home and his father and gone into a far country, where he spent all his goods with riotous living. he was now far away from his father, separated from him and his home. he was lost in that far-away country, where great misery and distress soon overtook him. without his father he would have _perished_ with hunger. thus we are lost without christ. we have sinned against our heavenly father, we have transgressed his commandments. by committing sins we have left our father and are separated from him. we are in a far-away country, in this sinful world, where misery and distress surround us. we are without god and without hope in the world. without our lord we must perish, suffer eternal death. _without christ we are indeed lost._ every one of us must confess: i am a lost creature. _"all we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way."_ is. 53,6. 3. i confess also that i am a _condemned_ creature. god, as you have learned, is a righteous and jealous god. he _threatens to punish_ all that transgress his commandments. when adam and eye transgressed god's command, the threatened punishment came over them. _"in the day that thou eatest thereof,"_ god had told adam, _"thou shalt surely die."_ gen. 2,17. _death_ is the punishment of all sinners, not only death here on earth, but _eternal death,_ that is, _eternal damnation._ that is the sentence which god passed upon all that have sinned, that they should be separated from him in eternity, from him in whom alone we find life and true happiness.--it was the _devil_ that tempted adam and eve to sin. they heard and obeyed his voice instead of the voice of their father. he became their lord and master. _"he that committeth sin is of the devil."_ 1 john 3,8. because we have sinned, we are under the power of the devil, we belong to his kingdom. without christ we are all lost and condemned creatures, that is, _we are separated from god, our father; we are under god's judgment of damnation; we are under the powers of sin, death, and the devil. they are our masters. "we were by nature the children of wrath."_ eph. 2,3. 4. i am a lost and condemned creature; i am in the power of sin, death, and the devil. _who can help me in this misery and redeem and save me?_ surely not i myself. how could i deliver myself from these mighty enemies? i have nothing with which i might atone for my sins or remove god's wrath and curse. neither can any other man help me, powerful and wise though he may be. _all_ men are lost and condemned creatures, just as helpless as i am. _there is only one who is able to help and redeem us, jesus christ, our lord._ he is the _god-man._ he could conquer these fearful enemies, sin, death, and the devil. he is the _almighty god._ he alone among men is without sin, and therefore not in the power of the devil. he can redeem me, _and he has redeemed me._ in order to redeem the world, the son of god became man, humbled himself, and suffered and died. thankfully i confess _that christ has redeemed me, that he is my lord._ 5. i confess that christ, my lord, has redeemed me. but not only me did he redeem, but _all men,_ from adam up to the last man that will be born before the day of judgment. god loved the _world,_ all _mankind,_ and he so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten son to redeem and save the world. all men are lost and condemned creatures, all are under god's wrath and in the power of sin, and our savior himself said: _"the son of man is come to save that which was lost."_ matt. 18,11. john the baptist pointed to him and said: _"behold the lamb of god, which taketh away the sin of the world."_ john 1,29. _"he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world."_ 1 john 2,2. christ, my lord, has redeemed all mankind, and therefore i know that it is most certainly true: _he has redeemed also me._ remember:-1. _without christ, my lord, i am a lost and condemned creature. i am without god and hope in this world, separated from god and under the sentence of damnation._ 2. _by nature i am in the power of sin, death, and the devil. i belong to satan's kingdom. sin, death, and the devil were my masters._ 3. _in this dreadful distress no man was able to help me. only christ could redeem me, for he is the god-man; and he has redeemed me and all the world._ memorize:-_he that committeth sin is of the devil._ 1 john 3,8. _the son of man is come to save that which was lost._ matt. 18,11. _behold the lamb of god, which taketh away the sin of the world._ john 1,29. _he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world._ 1 john 2,2. questions. 1. what do we call the great work which christ has done for us and all men? 2. what do i confess in the second article concerning myself? 3. from which parable of our lord do we learn what it means to be lost? 4. why was the prodigal son called lost? 5. how did he become separated from his father? 6. what happened to him in that far-away country? 7. how did we become separated from our heavenly father? 8. what always separates us from god? 9. what do we furthermore confess concerning ourselves? 10. why are we condemned creatures? 11. what does god threaten to those who transgress his commandments? 12. in what does the punishment of sin consist? 13. what death is meant? 14. who tempted adam and eve to sin? 15. of whom is he who commits sin? 16. under whose power are we because we have sinned? 17. who alone is able to help us in our misery? 18. why can jesus christ surely help and save us? 19. whom did christ redeem? 20. how can you prove from scripture that christ has redeemed all men? lesson 23. the second article. christ, my lord, has redeemed me with his holy, precious blood. which is the second article? _i believe in jesus christ, his only son, our lord._ what does this mean? _i believe that jesus christ is my lord, who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil, not with gold or silver, but with his holy, precious blood and with his innocent suffering and death._ 1. christ has redeemed and _purchased us,_ that is, he bought us. our lord had to pay a price, a very high price for our redemption. he has purchased or bought me not with _gold_ or _silver. "ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold."_ 1 pet 1,18. gold and silver are, indeed, highly prized among men. much can be accomplished, much can be bought with gold and silver for the support of our life and for our comfort here in this world. but all the gold and silver, all the treasures in the world, cannot buy our redemption. gold and silver cannot redeem one lost and condemned sinner from sin, death, and the powers of the devil, from hell and damnation. a much higher price was necessary. our lord has paid this price. 2. christ redeemed and purchased us with his _blood._ he shed his blood for us. he gave his _life_ for our redemption. consider the great love of our lord. he gave his life not for his friends, but for us, who were his enemies. we call this blood a _holy_ blood. _it is the blood of a holy man._ our savior was born without sin, and he never committed a sin in his life. we have been redeemed, not with gold or silver, _"but with the precious blood of christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot."_ 1 pet. 1,19. we call the blood of christ a _precious_ blood. this blood is the most precious thing in heaven and earth. it is the _blood of the son of god,_ shed for our sins. _"the blood of jesus christ, god's son, cleanseth us from all sin."_ 1 john 1,7. 3. christ purchased us with his blood _and with his suffering and death._ suffering and dying our lord shed his blood for us. we say it was an _innocent_ suffering and death, because he did not deserve this. he was without sin, he never did any wrong. he did not suffer and die because of any guilt of his own. he suffered and died _on account of my guilt and the guilt of the whole world._ during his whole sinless life he fulfilled god's commandments. _we_ ought to have kept the commandments, but we could not do it because we were born in sins. christ, our lord, has fulfilled the law of god _for us, in our stead._ he came into this world and was made under the law that he might redeem us, who were under the law. _we_ had transgressed the commandments, therefore the wrath of god was upon us, and we deserved his punishment. _we_ ought to have suffered death, eternal death. _christ_ was _innocent,_ without sin, and still he suffered death on the cross. _he did all this for us, in our stead. "surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.... he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed."_ is. 53,4.5.--it was a high price that jesus paid for our salvation. he gave himself for us. how thankful we ought to be to our dear savior, who lived and died for us that we may be saved! how thankful we ought to be to our heavenly father, who _"so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life"!_ john 3,16. 4. christ paid a high price for me. he gave himself a ransom for my salvation. but before his death on the cross my savior cried out: _"it is finished."_ his great work is finished indeed. my lord _has_ purchased and redeemed me and all mankind. because christ shed his precious blood, and suffered and died for us in our stead, we are redeemed and free from _our sins._ by leading a sinless life christ has fulfilled all commandments of god for us; _in him we have fulfilled them._ we are free from the curse of the law. _"christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us."_ gal. 3,13. all the punishments for our sins were suffered by christ. _in him god has punished us,_ and therefore we no longer need to suffer punishment for our sins.--we have been redeemed from _all_ sins. there is not a single sin, either great or small, from which christ, our lord, has not redeemed us. _he has earned forgiveness of all sins for us._ 5. the penalty of sin is _death,_ eternal death and damnation. christ, our lord, has taken away our sins, he has earned forgiveness for us; therefore _we have been redeemed from death._ he has suffered death for us and therefore we are free from death. eternal death has no power over us; for _"christ hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light."_ 2 tim. 1,10. we no longer need to fear death. in death our lord gives us everlasting life. 6. since christ has suffered and died for us, _we have also been redeemed from the power of the devil._ through sin the devil has power over us. our sins are forgiven; by his death the lord _destroyed the works of the devil._ satan has lost his power over me. he cannot force me to sin nor keep me in his kingdom. _"through death he destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the devil."_ heb. 2,14. we thank the lord for having redeemed us from all sin, from death, and from the power of the devil. remember:-1. _i have been bought with a price. my lord has purchased me, not with treasures of this world, but with his own precious blood, with his innocent suffering and death._ 2. _in my stead christ fulfilled all the commandments of god. in my stead he suffered and died for my sins. with his stripes i am healed._ 3. _now i am redeemed and free from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil. in christ i have forgiveness of all my sins._ memorize:-_ye know that ye ware not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot._ 1 pet. 1,18.19. _the blood of jesus christ, his son, cleanseth us from all sins._ 1 john 1,7. _surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.... he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed._ is. 53,4.5. _christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us._ gal. 3,13. _christ hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light._ 2 tim. 1,10. questions. 1. what does it mean when we say that the lord purchased us? 2. wherein did the price which he paid for us not consist? 3. with what did our lord redeem us? 4. why do we call his blood a holy blood? 5. why do we call it a precious blood? 6. what do we read 1 john 1,7? 7. why do we call the suffering and death of our lord an innocent suffering and death? 8. why did our lord not deserve suffering and death? 9. for whom did he suffer and die? 10. what did christ during his whole life fulfil? 11. for whom did he do this? 12. what did we deserve for our sins? 13. who suffered the punishment we had deserved in our stead? 14. what does the prophet say is. 53,4.5? 15. what do we know regarding this great work of our lord? 16. from what have we been redeemed? 17. what did christ earn for us with regard to our sins? 18. from what have we also been redeemed? 19. what need we no longer fear? 20. in what respect are we redeemed also from the power of the devil? lesson 24. the second article. my lord has won me that i may be his own. which is the second article? _i believe in jesus christ, his only son, our lord._ what does this mean? _i believe that jesus christ is my lord, who has won me, that i may be his own, and live under him in his kingdom, and serve him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness._ 1. christ, my lord, has redeemed and purchased me, and we add: _he has won me._ he has won me after a hard fight with sin, death, and the devil. in the first prophecy of the promised messiah, god said to the serpent, to satan: _"i will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."_ gen. 3,15. this prophecy has been fulfilled in the coming of christ, our lord. he is the _seed of the woman._ the serpent, satan, indeed, bruised his heel. christ had to suffer and die for us. but through his death on the cross our lord has gained the victory he has bruised the serpent's head and destroyed his works. he has delivered us out of the hand of our enemies. sin, death, and the devil no longer have any power over us. christ has won us for himself. _he has become my lord. i now am his own,_ i belong to him, to him alone, who has bought me and won me. _christ has won me in order that he may be my lord and i his own._ 2. christ, my lord, has won me that i may _live in his kingdom._ without christ we are all in satan's kingdom, living under him. he is our evil master, who rules over us but christ has delivered us out of the hand of our enemies that we should live in his kingdom.--_our lord has a kingdom here on earth._ for the purpose of founding this his kingdom, he came into the world and humbled himself, and suffered and died for us. our lord, truly, is a king. he himself told us so. when pontius pilate asked him, _"art thou a king, then?"_ he answered: _"thou sayest that i am a king."_ to his kingdom all those belong who believe and trust in him and accept him as their lord and king. for this purpose my lord redeemed and won me, that i, too, may belong to his kingdom and live under him. 3. the kingdom of our lord and king is a _most glorious kingdom._ the lord himself reigns and rules in his kingdom with his grace and love. in his kingdom we live _under him._ he rules and governs my whole life. under his rule and care i shall not want. i live under him, under his protection. he protects me from the temptations of sin, the godless world, and the devil. my lord and king is always with me. under his care and protection i am _safe;_ for my king is _the almighty god, whom nothing can withstand._ all power is given unto him in heaven and in earth. matt. 28,18. _this kingdom of our lord we call the kingdom of grace;_ for with grace and love our king governs all who accept him as their lord and king. 4. for this purpose christ has redeemed and won me, that i may be his own and live under him in his kingdom and _serve him,_ who has become my lord. before christ became our lord, we had other masters. we served our enemies, sin and the devil. we could not but serve them, and we served them willingly, even joyfully. how miserable to be a servant of satan and sin, to do their will, to obey them! _the wages of sin is death,_ eternal, death and damnation. our lord has delivered us from sin and satan, he has won us as his own. _"that we, delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life."_ luke 1, 74.75. we live in the kingdom of our lord under his care; we need not fear our enemies if we do not serve them. we serve him who has delivered us. in his kingdom our lord gives us strength to serve him by living according to his commandments, by doing his good and gracious will. to serve this lord is a _noble_ service. can there be a nobler service than to serve god, the highest lord, to serve the highest king, who has bought and won us out of the hands of our enemies, of sin and satan? _gladly_ and _joyfully_ will we serve him, our savior and our lord. 5. we serve our lord _in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness._ the kingdom of our lord is, indeed, a glorious kingdom. in his kingdom we serve him in _righteousness._ we are not righteous in ourselves, but our lord has gained a perfect righteousness for us. he has fulfilled the law in our stead. clothed in christ's blood and righteousness, we serve our lord, and therefore our poor service is _well-pleasing_ to god.--we serve our lord in _innocence._ we are free from the guilt of our sins. sad to say, we daily sin in the service of our lord, we deserve nothing but punishment; but god forgives us our sins_ daily and richly for christ's sake, and so we are _innocent_ in his sight. in holiness and righteousness we will serve him all the days of our life.--we serve him in _blessedness._ it is blessedness to serve this our lord. he blesses his servants with all his rich gifts. he blesses them here on earth and leads them to eternal blessedness in heaven. it is _everlasting righteousness and innocence and blessedness that our lord gives us. he leads his servants to _his kingdom in heaven._ here in this world his kingdom is a _kingdom of grace;_ in heaven it is the _kingdom of glory. "the lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom; to whom be glory forever and ever! amen."_ 2 tim. 4,18. remember:-1. _through his sufferings and death, christ has become my lord, and therefore i am his own. i am living in his kingdom, under him, my king, being delivered from the hands of all my enemies. he cares for me and protects me._ 2. _in his kingdom i am serving my king in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, which he bestows on me. for my lord's sake god forgives me all my sins and accepts my poor sinful service._ 3. _our lord's kingdom is a twofold kingdom, the kingdom of grace here on earth, in which our king reigns with his grace, with forgiveness of sins, and the kingdom of glory in heaven, in which we shall reign with our king, freed from all evil, in his glory forever and ever._ memorize:-_i will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel._ gen. 3,15. _pilate, therefore, said unto him, art thou a king then? jesus answered, thou sayest, i am a king._ john 18,37. _that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life._ luke 1,74.75. _the lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom; to whom be glory forever and ever! amen._ 2 tim. 4,18. questions. 1. from whom has our lord won me? 2. to whom do i now belong? 3. recite the first prophecy of the promised messiah. 4. who has no power over me since christ has won me? 5. in whose kingdom may i live? 6. what does it mean to live under him? 7. what will our lord do as our king? 8. why are we safe under his rule and protection? 9. how do we call his kingdom here on earth? 10. because christ is our lord, what should we therefore do? 11. whom must we serve when we are not in our lord's service? 12. why is this service a miserable service? 13. why can we now serve our lord? 14. why is his service a glorious service? 15. who has given us the righteousness in which we serve our lord? 16. why are we innocent before god? 17. why is it blessedness to serve the lord? 18. how do we call his kingdom in heaven? lesson 25. the second article. review lesson. (1) 1. in whom does every christian believe according to the second article? 2. what do we mean when we say: i believe in jesus christ, my lord? 3. what two things does our catechism teach us about our lord jesus christ? 4. what do we confess in the second article concerning the _person_ of our lord? 5. prove from scripture that christ is god's only son, the only-begotten son of the father. 6. if christ is god's only-begotten son of the father, he must be true god with the father. how can you prove this from holy writ? 7. how did the apostles confess jesus christ as their god? 8. what do we confess about our lord in the beginning of the explanation of the second article? 9. together with whom is christ true god? 10. in what respect is there no difference between jesus and his father? christ is coequal with the father. he has the same divine majesty, glory and honor. (2) we confess that jesus christ is god's only son and therefore, together with the father, true god from eternity. 1. what do we furthermore confess concerning our lord? 2. how can you prove that christ is true man? 3. christ is indeed true man, born of the virgin mary. but there is one great difference between him and all other men. which is it? 4. why was christ conceived and born without sin? 5. christ is true god and true man; there are, however, not two christs, one true god and the other true man; there is but one christ. what is he? 6. the son of god became true man, but he did more. what kind of a man did he become? 7. how does the second article describe the lowly life of our savior here on earth? 8. why did christ humble himself so deeply? 9. what does the name jesus mean? 10. why is he called savior? 11. why was jesus called the christ? (3) we learn from our catechism not only who jesus, our lord, is, but also what he has done for us to become our lord. 1. what does our catechism say concerning the work of our lord? 2. christ has redeemed me; how do we therefore call his work? 3. why was it necessary that i should be redeemed? we are by nature lost and condemned creatures. 4. from which parable of the lord can you learn what it means to be lost? 5. why are we also condemned creatures? 6. who had pronounced judgment upon us because of our sins? 7. what was this punishment? 8. we were under the power of sin, death, and the devil. who alone could help us in this distress? 9. we confess that christ redeemed me, a lost and condemned sinner; but i am not the only one whom he has redeemed. whom did he also redeem? 10. prove from scripture that our lord redeemed all men. 11. what conclusion may and should i draw from this truth? (4) our catechism says that our lord has redeemed and purchased us. 1. what is the meaning of the word purchase? 2. christ has bought us with a price. what is the price our lord paid for our redemption? 3. why could we not be bought with gold or silver? 4. we have been purchased with his blood. how did christ purchase us with his blood? 5. it is, indeed, a high price which our lord paid for us. why do we call his blood a holy blood? 6. why is it called a precious blood? 7. what does christs blood do for us regarding our sins? 8. christ has purchased us with his suffering. why do we call his suffering an innocent suffering? 9. in whose stead did christ suffer all the punishment of sin? 10. what is the punishment of sin?--11. christ has purchased us with his holy blood and his innocent suffering. from whom did he purchase us? christ redeemed us from the power of sin, and death, and the devil. 12. how did christ redeem us from all sins? 18. what did he fulfil in our stead? 14. why are we also free from death? 15. being free from sin we are also free from the power of the devil. why are we free from his power? (5) christ, our lord, has redeemed and purchased us. he has also _won_ us. he has won us after a severe fight with sin, death, and the devil. 1. which is the first prophecy of this conflict between our savior and the devil? 2. christ gained the victory in this conflict. he won us. to whom do we now belong? 3. we are christ's own; we live in his kingdom. to whose kingdom do we belong without christ? 4. christ has won me from the power and the kingdom of the devil; christ now is my king. who belongs to his kingdom? 5. what do we call his kingdom here on earth? 6. why do we call it the kingdom of grace? 7. in his kingdom we live under him. what does this mean? 8. not only do we live under our king, under his care and protection, we also serve him. how do we serve him? 9. out of whose hand has our lord delivered us? 10. how do we serve our lord? 11. without christ we had to serve sin and the devil. why is this service such a degrading service? 12. why should we gladly and willingly serve our lord in his kingdom? 13. we serve our lord in righteousness, innocence, and blessedness. which righteousness is here meant? 14. in what respect are we innocent in the eyes of god? 15. why does his service bestow blessedness upon us? 16. to what kingdom does our gracious lord lead us after this life? 17. why is this kingdom called the kingdom of glory? let us give thanks to our dear savior, who has become our lord, that we may be his own and in his kingdom live under him and serve him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness. amen. lesson 26. the second article. how our lord as victor descended into hell and rose again from the dead. which is the second article? _i believe in jesus christ, his only son, our lord.... he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead._ 1. we believe and confess in the second article of our faith that jesus christ, true god, begotten of the father from eternity, became also true man, born of the virgin mary, that he suffered, was crucified, died on the cross, and was buried. all this our lord has done to redeem us lost and condemned creatures from all our sins, from death, and from the power of the devil, that he may be our lord, that we may be his own and live under him in his glorious kingdom and serve him in everlasting righteousness and blessedness. our lord died and was buried for our sakes to redeem us. is, then, our lord still in death and in the grave? do we believe in a dead savior? do we serve a dead and helpless king? thank god, we do not! _we know from holy writ that our lord came to life again, that our living lord descended into hell and on the third day after his death rose again from the grave._ 2. we confess in the second article: _"he,"_ our lord jesus christ, _"descended into hell."_ when our lord descended into hell, he was no longer dead. it is true, when they took him from the cross and buried him, he was really dead. nobody, indeed, had taken his life from him, he had laid it down of himself, of his own free will, laid it down for us that we might not suffer eternal death; _but in his grave christ, the son of god, took his life back again. "christ was put to death in the flesh, but quickened_ [came to life again] _by the spirit."_ 1 pet. 3,18. as our living lord he went down into hell, into the place whither the evil spirits, the devils and condemned men, have been banished. christ did not enter the gates of hell _in order to be punished there for his sins;_ for our savior was without sin and blemish. he did not descend into hell _to suffer the penalty for our sins;_ this he had already done on the cross. he descended into hell _to show that he had won the victory over the devil and all his hosts._ "he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them." col. 2,15. as the triumphant victor over all his enemies christ entered hell, the abode of satan. now we are certain that the old evil foe cannot keep us in his power, that _we are free from hell and damnation._ 3. _on the third day our lord rose again from the dead._ you have often heard the easter-gospel, the joyful tidings of christ's glorious resurrection: our lord is not dead, but he lives. when, very early in the morning, the women came to the grave to anoint the body of their master, they did not find him, the grave was empty, and an angel of god brought them the message: _"why seek ye the living among the dead? he is not here, but is risen."_ luke 24,5.6. after his resurrection our lord showed himself to his disciples as their living savior. they saw him, they spoke to him, and ate with him. _the lord convinced them that he was risen._ they are the witnesses of his resurrection. even the _soldiers_ whom the enemies had placed around the grave as a watch, lest his disciples might come by night and steal the body, could not deny that the grave was empty, that the lord had risen. matt. 28,4.11-15. _we are sure that christ, our lord, is not dead, but lives; for god himself tells us in his word that christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the father._ rom. 6,4. joyously we confess: _"i know that my redeemer liveth."_ job 19,25. 4. christ is risen. he came forth from his sepulcher with _the same body_ that was laid in the grave. _the tomb was empty._ the disciples knew him when he showed himself. they saw the print of the nails in his hands and his feet and the wound in his side. he let them touch his body in order to convince them that he was not a spirit. luke 24,39.40. but after his resurrection his body was _glorified;_ it was free from all human weakness and sufferings, free from death. 5. _the resurrection of our savior is full of comfort and consolation for us. "if christ be not raised, your faith is vain, ye are yet in your sins. then they also which are fallen asleep in christ are perished. if in this life only we have hope in christ, we are of all men most miserable."_ 1 cor. 15,17-19. this would be our sad lot if christ were not risen. all our faith and hope in him would be in vain. but he _is_ risen, and now we know _that he is the true son of god._ we know that christ _has gained the victory over all our enemies,_ sin, death, and the devil, who could not keep him in their power. we know that christ _has paid the penalty for our sins,_ that our sins are forgiven. we know that we have a _living_ savior, _who is with us alway,_ to govern and protect us in his kingdom. we know that we shall not perish when we die, that our risen lord will not leave us in the grave, but will _raise us again unto eternal life. "because i live, ye shall live also."_ john 14,19. our lord is risen, and so we put our trust in him both in life and death. "jesus, my redeemer, lives! i, too, unto life must waken endless joy my savior gives; shall my courage then be shaken? shall i fear, or could the head rise and leave his members dead?" remember:-1. _christ descended into hell to show himself as victor over our enemies, over the devil and all his hosts._ 2. _christ is risen. we know that our redeemer lives. we have a living savior, our sins are forgiven. our king lives forever; under him we live in everlasting righteousness and innocence._ 3. _christ is risen; he has conquered death. though we must die, he will recall us from our graves and raise us to eternal life and everlasting blessedness._ memorize:-_i know that my redeemer liveth._ job 19,25. _if christ be not raised, your faith is vain, ye are yet in your sins. then they also which are fallen asleep in christ are perished._ 1 cor. 15,17.18. _because i live, ye shall live also._ john 14,19. questions. 1. where did christ go after he had come to life again in the grave? 2. why did christ not descend into hell? 3. what was his purpose in descending into the abode of satan? 4. when did our lord rise from the dead? 5. what message did the angel bring to the women at the grave? 6. who are the witnesses of his resurrection? 7. how did our risen lord convince his apostles that he was alive again? 8. who even could not deny his resurrection? 9. what makes us perfectly certain that christ is risen and lives forever and ever? 10. how was christ's body after his resurrection? 11. what does that mean, christ's body was glorified? 12. what do we know regarding our sins since christ is risen? 13. what consolation does his resurrection give us for our christian life? 14. what consolation does it give us in the hour of death? lesson 27. the second article. the triumphant ascension of our lord. which is the second article? _i believe in jesus christ, his only son, our lord.... he ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of god the father almighty._ what does this mean? _even as he is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity._ 1. after his resurrection our lord _remained here on earth for forty days._ during these days he repeatedly appeared to his disciples; he showed himself alive to them by many proofs. he convinced them that he was not dead, but lived. he spoke to them about the kingdom of god, _his_ kingdom. he finally gave them his great command or commission, to go out into all the world and preach the gospel of their living savior to all men. acts 1,3. 2. on the _fortieth day_ when the apostles were assembled in jerusalem, the lord appeared to them again. he told them: _"behold, i send the promise of my father upon you; but tarry ye in the city of jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high."_ luke 24,49. he commanded his disciples to remain in jerusalem until they had received the gift of the holy ghost, that in his power they might be his witnesses unto the uttermost parts of the earth. then our lord led them out to _mount olivet,_ as far as to _bethany._ and there he lifted up his hands and blessed them. _while he blessed them, he was parted from his beloved apostles and carried up into heaven._ while the disciples looked on he was taken up higher and higher, until a cloud received him out of their sight. luke 24,50.51; acts 1,8.9. in this manner our lord was received up to his heavenly glory _visibly,_ before the eyes of his disciples, he ascended on high and entered into the glory of his father. 3. christ ascended into heaven, _and he did so for our sake._ he ascended up on high as _the triumphant victor_ over all his and our enemies. his entrance into heaven assures us _that he has opened heaven again for us through his sufferings and death._ before his death he gave his apostles the promise: _"in my father's house are many mansions. i go to prepare a place for you."_ john 14,2. this promise he has fulfilled. he went up to heaven to prepare a place in his father's house for all who believe in him, their savior.--our lord ascended into heaven, _and where he is, there shall we, his friends and disciples also be._ he will not leave us behind in this world. as truly as christ went up to heaven, we, his own, will follow him to his and our father's house. _"where i am, there shall also my servant be."_ john 12,26. our lord prayed for us before his death upon the cross: _"father, i will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where i am, that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me."_ john 17,24. "mighty lord, in thine ascension we by faith behold our own."--remember: _our treasure, our lord and savior, is in heaven, and where our treasure is, our hearts and hopes should also be._ 4. _"he was received up into heaven and sat on the right hand of god,"_ thus we read mark 16,19. we, therefore, confess that our ascended lord now _"sitteth at the right hand of god the father almighty."_ what does this mean? it does not mean that in heaven, at the right hand of god the father, there is a special throne, prepared for our lord, the god-man jesus christ, upon which he is now seated in divine glory, adored and praised by all the heavenly hosts, and that, because he is sitting on that throne, he is _far away from us, his own._ it means--and so our catechism explains it--that our dear lord, after being raised from the dead, _"lives and reigns to all eternity."_ it means that christ, though he was dead, lives and is alive forevermore, that our living lord is with us and reigns over us as our gracious king to all eternity. he is, and will be, according to his almighty power, our king forever and ever. 5. christ, indeed, ascended into heaven. he now is in heaven, in the glory of his father; _but he is not far away from us. he is with us._ we cannot see him, as his apostles saw him, but he is with us _invisibly in his word, his gospel._ when we read or hear his gospel or think about it, our savior is always at our side. he himself has promised us: _"i will not leave you comfortless; i will come to you."_ john 14,18.-_our lord lives and reigns to all eternity,_ that is, he rules and governs us, his own, his disciples. he leads and protects us against all our enemies. out of his almighty hand no enemy can pluck us. our mighty lord on god's throne is our good shepherd, who leads us in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. ps. 23.--christ's resurrection, his ascension, and his sitting at the right hand of god assure us of the fact that he is indeed our lord, and will be our lord and king to eternity; and in his kingdom we shall live and him we shall serve in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness. remember:-1. _christ, our savior, ascended into heaven as the triumphant victor over all his and our enemies. he entered into heaven, into the glory of his father, there to prepare a place for us._ 2. _his ascension assures us that the gates of heaven are open to all who believe in him, that we shall be where he is to see his glory._ 3. _our lord sits at the right hand of god the father almighty, that is, he, the god-man, lives to eternity, lives, and is with us in his word, and reigns over his own with his almighty power forever and ever._ memorize:-_in my father's house are many mansions. i go to prepare a place for you._ john 14,2. _i will come again and receive you unto myself, that where i am, there ye may be also._ john 14,3. _where i am, there shall also my servant be._ john 12,26. _i will not leave you comfortless; i will come to you._ john 14,18. questions. 1. how long did our lord remain on earth after his resurrection? 2. what did he do during these forty days? 3. where were his disciples assembled on the fortieth day? 4. what promise did the lord give them? 5. why were they to be endued with the power of the holy ghost? 6. where did christ lead the apostles? 7. in what manner was the lord taken up into heaven? 8. who were the witnesses of his ascension? 9. what has christ prepared for us in his father's house? 10. what does our savior say john 12,26? 11. since our lord is in heaven, who also shall be there? 12. what does the sitting of christ at the right hand of the father not mean? 13. with what words does our catechism explain it? 14. how is our lord with us after his ascension? 15. what does it mean that our lord reigns over us? 16. of what does his resurrection, his ascension, and his sitting at the right hand of god make us certain? lesson 28. the second article. christ will come to judge the world which is the second article? _i believe in jesus christ, his only son, our lord, who sitteth at the right hand of god the father almighty, from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead._ 1. when our lord ascended into heaven and his disciples were looking after him as he was taken up before their eyes, higher and higher, two men stood by them in white apparel, two angels, who said: _"this same jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven."_ acts 1,11. we confess therefore that our lord _will come again,_ that he will come again in like manner as his apostles saw him taken up into heaven. he will come _visibly._ all men on earth will see our lord coming in a cloud with power and great glory. luke 21,27. he will not come again in deep humility and poverty, as he came when he was born in bethlehem, but with great power and glory. _"the son of man shall come in the glory of his father with his angels."_ matt. 16,27. all men will see him as the almighty king surrounded by his heavenly hosts. every one will then have to confess that jesus christ is lord, and every one will have to bow to him. _our lord will come again visibly and in great glory._ 2. when the lord comes in his glory, the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the earth and all the works therein shall be burned up. 2 pet. 3,10. _the last day, the end of this world, will then have come._ on this last day our lord will come to _"judge the quick and the dead."_ christ has been ordained of god to be the judge of quick and dead. acts 10,42. he will judge the _quick,_ that is, those who are still living when he comes. he will judge the dead. on that day all the dead will rise again and will be brought before the lord to be judged by him. 3. christ himself has given us a beautiful description of his judgment. (read the whole passage, matt. 25,31-46.) he tells us: _"when the son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory, and before him shall be gathered all nations."_ matt. 25,31.32. christ is the judge of all nations, of all men. _"we must all appear before the judgment-seat of christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad."_ 2 cor. 5,10. no one, be he ever so mighty, rich, or learned, can escape his judgment. 4. how will christ judge? he says: _"and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats. and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left."_ matt. 25,32.33. the _sheep are those who truly believe in christ, their savior,_ and in him have forgiveness of their sins. _the goats are those who in this life rejected christ and his grace._ to his sheep he will say: _"come, ye blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."_ v. 34. on the goats he will pronounce this judgment: _"depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels."_ v. 41. and then the lord will prove to all men that his judgment is a righteous one by the good works of the believers and the evil deeds of his enemies.--this judgment is final and will never be altered. his enemies _"shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal."_ matt. 25,46. 5. _when will this great day of judgment, the day of our lord, come?_ this we do not know. our lord says: _"of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the son, but the father."_ mark 13,32. we should not try to find out the exact day of the coming of our lord. but god has in his word revealed two important things about this day. he tells us that his day will come _suddenly, when nobody expects it. "the day of the lord will come as a thief in the night."_ 2 pet. 3,10. _"watch therefore; for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the son of man cometh."_ matt. 25,13.--we also know that this day will come _soon. "the end of all things is at hand."_ 1 pet. 4,7. we may and should expect the lord _daily_ and be prepared to receive him. there are many signs which announce the coming of christ. matt. 24,14-31; luke 21,25-36. 6. _"this is most certainly true."_ with these words we conclude also our second article. from god's word we know that all we have learned in the second article is most certainly true. therefore we believe and confess it. remember:-1. _on the last day our lord will come again visibly and in great glory to judge the quick and the dead, all men. you, too, must appear before the judgment-seat of christ._ 2. _on this day he will cast away the wicked and unbelievers into everlasting punishment. the righteous he will receive into his everlasting kingdom. believe in christ, and you will be saved._ 3. _we know neither day nor hour of his coming, but we know that his day will come unexpectedly and soon. watch always and be prepared to receive your lord._ memorize:-_he is ordained of god to be the judge of quick and dead._ acts 10,42. _the day of the lord will come as a thief in the night._ 2 pet. 3,10. _the end of all things is at hand._ 1 pet. 4,7. _we must all appear before the judgment-seat of christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad._ 2 cor. 5,10. questions. 1. how did the apostles learn of the coming of their lord at his ascension? 2. how will the lord come again, according to the words of the angels? 3. who will see our lord in his second coming? 4. what is the difference between his first and his second coming? 5. on what day will the lord come again? 6. what is the purpose of his coming? 7. who are the quick? 8. how can the lord judge the dead? 9. whom, therefore, will christ judge? 10. how will christ judge? 11. who are his sheep? 12. who are the goats? 13. what will christ say to his sheep on that day? 14. what judgment will he pronounce on his enemies? 15. when will the last day, the day of judgment, come? 16. what has god revealed to us concerning this day? 17. when, therefore, should we expect our lord and prepare for his coming? lesson 29. the second article. review lesson. 1. we confess in the second article that christ, the god-man, is our lord. in order to become our lord, he had to redeem and purchase us from the cruel masters to whom we belonged, from all our sins, from death, and from the power of the devil. to purchase us he had to pay a price, a very high price--his holy, precious blood, his life. to purchase us he of his own free will gave up his life; he died on the cross. christ was dead and buried. do we now believe in a dead and buried lord and savior? what happened after his death, when he was still in his grave? where did he go after having been quickened by the spirit? what was his purpose in entering the habitation of satan and his evil spirits? christ showed himself to be the victor over satan and hell. for whose benefit did he win this victory? from whose power are we free? 2. what happened on the third day after the death of our lord? christ rose from the dead. what does that mean? christ came forth from his sepulcher. who brought this glad message to the women? how did the lord convince his disciples that he was living? even who could not deny his resurrection? what makes us sure that christ rose from the dead? what do we therefore gladly confess? (job 19,25.)--with what body did christ come forth from his grave? how can we prove that it was the same body that was laid in the grave? but how was christ's body after his resurrection? his body, indeed, was glorified. what does this mean?-the resurrection of our lord is of great importance for us. it is full of comfort and consolation. if christ would still be dead and lying in the grave, how could he be our savior and king, and how would it be possible for him to help us? our faith in him would be vain; indeed, we would be of all men most miserable. what does the apostle paul say about this? (1 cor. 15,17-19.) but christ is risen indeed. what great comfort for us! whom has he conquered? who alone is able to conquer this powerful enemy? what, therefore, must our lord be? christ rose after he had given his life a ransom for our sins. what, therefore, does the resurrection of our lord prove concerning our sins? christ is risen and lives forever. what comfort does this give us for our whole life? what comfort does it give us in the hour of death? 3. how long did our lord remain with his disciples after his resurrection? why did he repeatedly show himself to them? what happened on the fortieth day? where did his ascension take place? what promise did the lord give his apostles just before his ascension? why were they to be endued with the power of the holy ghost? in what manner did the ascension of our lord take place?--christ ascended into heaven as the triumphant victor over all his enemies. his enemies are our enemies. what does his ascension prove concerning our enemies? for whose sake, therefore, did christ ascend into heaven?--christ ascended into heaven. heaven is his father's house. why did our lord go to his father's house for us? he has prepared a place for us in heaven. he has opened the gates of heaven for us. what does our lord say john 12,26? where will our savior lead us, his disciples, too? christ, our treasure, is in heaven; what, therefore, shall be there also? 4. christ ascended into heaven, and he now sits at the right hand of god in the glory of his father. how does our catechism explain this? though christ is sitting at the right hand of god, he is always with us, his disciples. in what manner is he with us? what must we use, read, hear, and think about in order that our lord may be with us? what promise did he give us, john 14,18? the lord sitting at the right hand of god reigns over us; what does this mean? of what does christ's resurrection, ascension, and the sitting at the right hand of god make us certain? 5. when our lord ascended into heaven, two angels stood by the disciples. they told them that christ would come again in like manner as they had seen him taken up into his glory. what do we learn from these words about the coming of our lord? who will see him when he returns? what is the difference between the first and the second coming of christ? our lord will come again with power and glory. what will all men have to confess on that day, even his enemies? who will escort the lord when he returns in his glory?--what is the purpose of his coming? whom will the lord judge? what judgment will he pronounce on his sheep? how do we become his sheep? who, therefore, will stand before the son of man on judgment day? what terrible sentence will his enemies hear? our lord tells us that after the judgment his enemies will go away into everlasting punishment, but his sheep into everlasting life. how, therefore, is this judgment?--who alone knows the day and hour of the second coming of christ? what should we therefore never try to do? what, however, does scripture tell us concerning the last day? when, therefore, should we expect his coming and prepare for it? what does our lord himself say to us, matt. 25,13? believe in jesus christ, and you will be saved. and we believe in jesus christ, son of god and mary's son, who from heaven above came down and leads us to heaven's throne; by whose blood and death are we rescued from all misery. lesson 30. the third article: of sanctification. the holy ghost. the triune god. which is the beginning of the third article? _i believe in the holy ghost._ 1. according to the second article we believe in jesus christ, our lord, that is, we do not only know that it is true what god's word says about christ and his work for us, but _we put all our confidence, all our trust, in him as our savior_ who has redeemed us. that is the true, saving faith. this saving faith is not our own work. _it is the work of god the holy ghost._ without him and the work which he performs in us no man would come to jesus and believe in him. the holy ghost alone can and does bring to christ those that believe in him. about the holy ghost and the work which he performs in us we learn in the _third article of our christian creed._ 2. _"i believe in the holy ghost,"_ these are the first words of the third article. we _believe_ in the holy ghost, thus we confess. to believe in some one means, as we have learned, _to put one's whole confidence and trust in him._ now, god tells us in the first commandment that we should fear and love him above all things _and trust in him alone. in god only_ we should believe. and therefore we believe in the holy ghost, because he is the true god. _in saying that we believe in the holy ghost, we confess that he is the one true god, that he is our god, god as truly as the father and jesus christ, his only son, our lord._ the apostle says: _"know ye not that ye are the temple of god, and that the spirit of god, dwelleth in you?"_ 1 cor. 3,16. because the spirit of god, the holy ghost, dwells in us, we are _god's_ temple. the holy ghost therefore is the true god.--remember what you learned in the history of creation. there we read: _"and the spirit of god moved upon the face of the waters."_ gen. 1,2. the work of creation is ascribed to the spirit of god, to the holy ghost. creation is the work of god. _therefore the holy ghost must be god._ 3. _we believe in the father, and we believe in jesus christ, god's only son, and we believe in the holy ghost._ there are _three distinct persons_ in whom we believe. there are three persons whom we confess to be our god--god the father, god the son, and god the holy ghost. and we confess this according to scripture. christ, our lord, commands us to baptize in the name of god the father and the son and the holy ghost. matt. 28,19. let me remind you of the _baptism of our lord._ there the three divine persons revealed themselves. _god the son,_ our lord jesus christ, stood in the river jordan, being baptized by john. _god the father_ revealed himself in a voice from heaven, saying: _"this is my beloved son, in whom i am well pleased."_ and the heavens opened, and the _spirit of god, the holy ghost,_ like a dove, descended upon our lord. _there are three distinct divine persons in god, the father, the son, and the holy ghost._ 4. we confess that the father is god, and the son is god, and the holy ghost is god. _there are not three gods, however, but only one god. "hear, o israel: the lord, our god, is one lord."_ deut. 6,4. the one and only true god has revealed himself in three distinct divine persons. _our god, the one true god, besides whom there is no other god in heaven and earth, is god the father, god the son, and god, the holy ghost, three divine persons, but one god._ because god has revealed himself in three divine persons, we say: _god is the triune god, the holy trinity._--how it is possible that there are three distinct divine persons, but only one god, we do not _understand;_ but in accordance with the word of god we _believe_ in the triune god, in god the father, son, and holy ghost, who has created us, redeemed us, and sanctifies us, or makes us holy. in him we believe, him we praise and adore as our god. 5. the holy ghost is the true god, the third person of the holy trinity. the third person is called the holy ghost because _he himself is perfectly holy,_ even as the father and the son. he is without sin. _"holy, holy, holy, is the lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory."_ is. 6,3. three times god is called holy, because there are three divine persons in god.--but the holy ghost is called holy also _because he makes us sinners holy._ that is his work, making us holy, who by nature are unholy and sinful. he makes us holy by bringing us to christ, our savior, by kindling faith in him in our hearts. this work of the holy ghost we call _sanctification._ remember:-1. _the holy ghost is true god together with the father and the son. therefore we confess that we believe in him._ 2. _the father is god, the son is god, and the holy ghost is god. according to scripture we confess three distinct divine persons in god._ 3. _there are not three gods, however, but only one true and eternal god, who has revealed himself in three persons._ 4. _the one true god, our god, is the triune god, the holy trinity, god the father, god the son, and god the holy ghost._ memorize:-_know ye not that ye are the temple of god, and that the spirit of god dwelleth in you?_ 1 cor. 3,16. _go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy ghost._ matt. 28,19. _hear, o israel: the lord, our god, is one lord._ deut. 6,4. _holy, holy, holy, is the lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory._ is. 6,3. questions. 1. of whom does the third article treat? 2. in whom do we believe? 3. what does it mean to believe in some one? 4. in whom alone should we believe? 5. what do we therefore confess when we say that we believe in the holy ghost? 6. how do we prove from 1 cor. 3,16 that the holy ghost is true god? 7. what divine work is ascribed in scripture to the holy ghost? 8. what, therefore, must the holy ghost be? 9. how many divine persons do we confess in the three articles of our christian faith? 10. how are they called? 11. in whose name are we baptized? 12. how did the three divine persons reveal themselves at the baptism of our lord? 13. how many gods are there? 14. in how many persons did the one true god reveal himself? 15. who, therefore, is the one true god? 16. how do we call god because he has revealed himself in three distinct persons? 17. which person of the holy trinity is the holy ghost? 18. why is he called holy? 19. what is his work? 20. by what other name is this work of the holy spirit known? lesson 31. the third article. without the holy ghost i cannot believe in jesus or come to him. which is the third article? _i believe in the holy ghost._ what does this mean? _i believe that i cannot by my own reason or strength believe in jesus christ, my lord, or come to him._ 1. we confess that we cannot by our own reason or strength believe in jesus christ or come to him. whoever would be saved must believe in jesus christ and so come to him _"believe on the lord jesus christ and thou shalt be saved."_ acts 16,31. christ, our lord, it is true, has done everything that was necessary for our salvation. he redeemed us, he paid the penalty for all our sins, by his sufferings and death he gained for us the grace of god and the forgiveness of sins. he has done everything that we might be his own and live under him as our lord. all things are made ready for our salvation. 2. _the only thing that we need do now is to come to christ and accept from him all he has gained for us._ take an example. you are in great want and distress. a rich and charitably inclined man offers you a sum of money sufficient to help you out of your trouble. the money is yours, for the rich man has given it to you. if you take it, your want will be at an end. but suppose you do not take it. perhaps you do not believe that the rich man really means what he says, or you do not want to accept it from him, or, if you have taken it, you are not making use of it. the help has then been offered to you in vain. your sad condition remains as it was. so it is with what christ, our savior, has merited for us. he has gained full salvation for us, and he offers it to us in his word. if we do not accept it, his work is in vain as far as we are concerned; we remain in our sins. 3. how do we accept what christ has gained for us? _by believing in him as our savior._ he believes in christ who from his whole heart confesses: i know from the word of god that christ is _my_ lord, that he has redeemed me from all _my_ sins, from death, and from the power of the devil. i know from the word of god that _i_ am christ's own, his child, that he is really _my_ lord. for his sake all _my_ sins are forgiven. through his suffering and death _i_ am free from death and damnation and have everlasting life. _what christ has done he has done for me, a lost and condemned sinner._ in him is my only hope. by faith we come to christ. faith is, as it were, the _hand_ with which we take everything that christ has gained for us. 4. believe in jesus christ and you will be saved, that is the only way to heaven and everlasting life. but we confess that _we cannot by our own reason or strength believe in jesus christ, or come to him._ alas! also this is most certainly true. we are lost and condemned sinners. the scriptures tell us that all men are by nature _blind_ in these things. we do not understand the glorious message that in christ alone is our salvation. we always try to save ourselves by our good works. if we are told about this salvation, we think it _foolishness._ "the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of god, for they are foolishness unto him." 1 cor. 2,14.--we have not the _strength_ to come to jesus, our savior. we are _dead_ in the sight of god. _"ye were dead in trespasses and sins."_ eph. 2,1. a dead person cannot do anything to bring himself to life again. lazarus could not raise himself from the grave. so we cannot do anything to raise ourselves from our death in sins. _"no man can say that jesus is the lord_ [that is, believe in him] _but by the holy ghost."_ 1 cor. 12,3. and even if we could, we would not come to jesus and believe in him. we are by nature god's enemies. we do not want to be saved by him. we cannot by our own reason or strength believe in jesus christ, or come to him. _as far as we are concerned, we are lost._ 5. but god has had pity on us. he sent his holy ghost. the _holy ghost_ does what we cannot do. he brings us to christ, he works in us true faith. true faith is god's work in us, the work of the holy ghost, _his work alone._ not our works, but his _grace alone_ moves him to do this work. _"by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of god; not of works, lest any man should boast."_ eph. 2,8.9. remember:-1. _christ has done everything for my salvation. all now depends upon my coming to jesus, my lord and savior._ 2. _i come to jesus by believing in him. true faith in christ is not my own work. i believe that i cannot by my own reason or strength believe in jesus christ, or come to him._ 3. _saving faith in christ is the work of the holy ghost alone. not my works or my merits, but only his grace has moved him to bring me to christ and save me._ memorize:-_the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of god, for they are foolishness unto him._ 1 cor. 2,14. _ye were dead in trespasses and sins._ eph. 2,1. _no man can say that jesus is the lord but by the holy ghost._ 1 cor. 12,3. _by grace are ye saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of god; not of works, lest any man should boast._ questions. 1. what has christ done for our salvation? 2. in what manner did he gain for us the grace of god, forgiveness of sins, and life everlasting? 3. what is now the one thing necessary for our salvation? 4. what happens if we do not accept all that christ offers us for our salvation? 5. how do we come to christ and accept in true faith what he has gained for us? 6. what does it mean to believe in christ? 7. in what respect may we compare our faith with a hand? 8. which is the only way to heaven? 9. what do we confess in the third article about our coming to christ and believing in him? 10. why are we not able to come to christ by our own reason? 11. how do we always try to save ourselves? 12. why do we not have strength to come to jesus and believe in him? 13. what does the apostle say 1 cor. 12,3? 14. who alone can bring us to christ and work faith in us? 15. what moves the holy ghost to perform this work in us? lesson 32. the third article. the holy ghost has called me. which is the third article? _i believe in the holy ghost._ what does this mean? _i believe that i cannot by my own reason or strength believe in jesus christ, my lord, or come to him, but the holy ghost has called me by the gospel._ 1. we cannot by our own reason or strength believe in jesus christ, our lord, or come to him. the holy ghost alone is able to bring us to christ, our savior. how does he bring us to christ? we confess as children of god that _the holy ghost has called me by the gospel._ by calling me through the gospel, the holy ghost has brought me to jesus christ, my lord and savior. let us see what this means. 2. our lord, in a parable, once spoke of a certain rich man who made a great supper for his guests. and he sent out his servants at supper-time to say to those who were bidden: _"come, for all things are now ready."_ luke 14,16.17. the meal was prepared, and the rich man invited his guests to come and partake of it. at dinner-time, when your mother has prepared dinner for the family, she calls to you, "dinner is ready. now come and eat! it is prepared for you too." in a similar manner the _holy ghost calls us and invites us to come to christ and accept his salvation._ christ, our savior, has prepared all things; he has prepared forgiveness of all our sins, life, and salvation. all things necessary for our salvation are ready in christ. all is finished. and now the holy ghost brings us these glad tidings: all things are now ready, all things needed for your salvation. come, whosoever you are, come to your savior! come and take and enjoy what he in his great love has prepared for you. _we come to jesus only by faith._ the holy ghost calls us and invites us, come, _believe_ in your savior, and you will be saved. 3. you do not see the holy ghost when he calls you. _the holy ghost calls you by the gospel._ the gospel, as you have learned (lesson 14), _is the glad tidings of the grace of god for all men,_ the tidings of what christ has done for us to save us. as the rich man in the parable, so the holy ghost sends his _servants._ these servants are all those who tell you the gospel of christ, your minister, your teacher, your parents, etc. when you hear the gospel or read it, the holy ghost comes to you and calls you. in the gospel he says to you: all things have been prepared by christ; they are ready for you, for your salvation. in christ you have forgiveness of your sins and salvation. _come now, you lost and condemned sinner, and take what your lord freely offers you. believe in christ, and you will be saved._ that is the call of the holy ghost by the gospel. _"he called you by our gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our lord jesus christ."_ 2 thess. 2,14. 4. when your mother calls you to dinner, you must come by your own will and strength, and you have the strength to do so. we sinners have neither the will nor the strength to come to jesus. the holy ghost knows that we cannot by our own strength come to our savior. _by calling us he gives us the strength to hear and to follow his call._ by his call he brings us to christ and works in us faith in our lord, so that we willingly come to him. the call of the holy ghost is god's call, full of power. this work of the holy ghost we also call _conversion._ the holy ghost alone converts us, that is, he turns us from our sins to christ. "turn thou me, and i shall be turned; for thou art the lord, my god." jer. 31,18. 5. remember that the holy ghost brings you to christ _by the gospel._ only through the gospel does he work in the hearts of men. the gospel is the means by which we obtain the grace of god and salvation. _if we do not read or hear the word of god, the gospel, the holy ghost cannot perform his work in us._ therefore you should _diligently_ read and hear the word of god, the gospel. _"it is the power of god unto salvation to every one that believeth."_ rom. 1,16. remember:-1. _christ has prepared your whole salvation. all is ready, ready for you. the holy ghost calls and invites you to come and partake freely of what jesus has gained for you._ 2. _by his call the holy ghost gives you strength to follow his call, to come to your lord. he himself works by his call in your heart the true faith in your savior and so brings you to christ. this work of the holy ghost is also called conversion. conversion is the work of the holy ghost alone. our salvation is a free gift of god._ 3. _the holy ghost calls us by the gospel of christ. diligently read and hear god's saving word._ memorize:-_come, for all things are now ready._ luke 14,17. _turn thou me, and i shall be turned; for thou art the lord, my god._ jer. 31,18. _by grace are ye saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of god; not of works, lest any man should boast._ eph. 2,8.9. _i am not ashame of the gospel of christ; for it is the power of god unto salvation to every one that believeth._ rom. 1,16. questions. 1. what do we confess in the third article concerning ourselves? 2. whose work is it that we come to christ? 3. who has prepared all things necessary for our salvation? 4. who calls us to come and partake of all that christ has gained? 5. what do we mean when we say that the holy ghost calls us? 6. by what means does the holy ghost call us to jesus? 7. what is the gospel? 8. who are the servants the holy ghost sends to us with the gospel message? 9. what the holy ghost do when you hear or read the gospel? 10. what are we not able to do of ourselves when the holy ghost calls us? 11. what does the holy ghost give us when he calls us? 12. what does he work in us by his call? 13. what other name have we for this work of the holy ghost? 14. whose work alone is our conversion? 15. to whom does the holy ghost tun us when he converts us? 16. the holy ghost converts us by the gospel; what should we therefore diligently do? lesson 33. the third article. the holy ghost has enlightened, sanctified, and kept me in the true faith. which is the third article? _i believe in the holy ghost._ what does this mean? _i believe that the holy ghost has called me by the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith._ 1. the holy ghost has called me by the gospel, and in doing so _he has also enlightened me with his gifts._ by calling me, he has kindled true faith in christ in me, so that i know christ and acknowledge him to be my savior, i believe and trust, rejoice and find comfort in him alone for life and death. these are gifts of the holy ghost with which he enlightens every child of god: _true knowledge of christ as his redeemer, true faith in him, peace with god, his father, joy and comfort in all distress._ what wonderful gifts! how rich does the holy ghost make a child of god! _do not forget to thank him daily for the precious gifts he bestows upon you._ 2. _"the holy ghost has sanctified me,"_ that is, _he has made me holy, and he does this every day, more and more._ he sanctifies me _"in the true faith."_ by his call the holy ghost has called forth in us true faith in our lord. through faith you have forgiveness of sins and are a child of god, with whom god, for christ's sake, is well pleased. _but it is god's will that his children lead a holy life,_ flee and shun all sin, and live according to his commandments. _"this is the will of god, even your sanctification."_ 1 thess. 4,3. of ourselves we cannot do this, but the holy ghost comes to our aid. _he sanctifies us, he makes us holy._ through faith he comes into our heart and dwells in us. _"know ye not that ye are the temple of god, and that the spirit of god dwelleth in you?"_ 1 cor. 3,16. and the holy ghost _works_ in us, the children of god. in his strength we begin _to hate the sins_ that we formerly loved, and to flee them. in his strength we begin _to fear and love god above all things, and to trust in him._ we no longer serve the devil and our sins, but begin to serve our lord who has redeemed us, and our father in heaven. 3. true, we are not _perfectly holy,_ nor do we become so as long as we live here on earth. true children of god also must confess _that they daily sin much and deserve nothing but punishment._ but they are heartily sorry for this. they daily ask god's forgiveness for christ's sake. and the holy ghost _daily_ gives them _new strength and power_ to fight and struggle against all temptations of the devil and the world and their own evil lusts. he daily gives them new strength to walk in godliness, to love god and their neighbor. let us abide in him, and we shall more and more overcome the devil, the world, and our sins, become more and more holy as our lord and god is holy. _"he that abideth in me and i in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing."_ john 15,5. 4. _"the holy ghost has kept me in the true faith,"_ so a child of god confesses. the holy ghost has already called and enlightened us and begun to sanctify us _in holy baptism._ there already he has brought us to christ and has bestowed his precious gifts upon us. and to-day we still have the true faith; we believe in our savior, and in him we are children of god. _that is not our own merit, it is the work of the holy ghost in us._ he has worked in us by the gospel, through our parents, through the christian school and the church, and by the gospel. he has kept us in the true faith. _"ye are kept by the power of god through faith unto salvation."_ 1 pet. 1,5.--and he has promised in his word _that he will keep us in this faith until our end. "he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of jesus christ."_ phil. 1,6. 5. this is the work of the holy ghost in all true believers, and _he is willing to perform this work in every one who hears the gospel._ god earnestly desires to save all men. _"god will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth."_ 1 tim. 2,4. christ died for all men; he redeemed all lost and condemned sinners. the gospel is a power of god unto salvation to all who read and hear it.--_and yet not all men are saved; most men are lost._ what is the cause of this? they are lost _by their own fault._ most men will not be saved. they obstinately resist the holy ghost and the saving gospel, and so they do not come to christ, but are condemned. _"o israel, thou hast destroyed thyself, but in me is thine help."_ hos. 13,9. remember:-1. _the holy ghost has enlightened me and bestowed on me his precious gifts, the right knowledge of christ, true faith in him._ 2. _he sanctifies me and makes me holy. he daily gives me strength to struggle against satan, world, and sin, to overcome them and to lead a godly life, to love god and my neighbor._ 3. _he has, by the gospel, kept me in the true faith until this day, and he has promised me that he will do so until the end._ 4. _this work the holy ghost desires to perform in all that hear the gospel. whosoever is lost is lost by his own fault._ memorize:-_this is the will of god, even your sanctification._ 1 thess. 4,3. _ye are kept by the power of god through faith unto salvation._ 1 pet. 1,5. _he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of jesus christ._ phil. 1,6. _god will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth._ 1 tim. 2,4. questions. 1. which is the second work of the holy ghost mentioned in our catechism? 2. with what does the holy ghost enlighten us? 3. what are his gifts? 4. what has the holy ghost by his call kindled in us? 5. whose children are we through faith? 6. what is god's will regarding his children? (1 cor. 3,16.) 7. what does the word "sanctify" mean? 8. who performs this work in us? 9. what do we, by the grace of the holy ghost, begin to hate? 10. whom do we begin to love? 11. what must even true believers confess? 12. what do we therefore daily ask of god? 13. and what does the holy ghost daily grant us? 14. which is the last work which the holy ghost performs in us? 15. since when has he kept us in the true faith? 16. how long has he promised to keep us in the faith? 17. in whom will the holy ghost perform this work he has begun in us? 18. what is the gracious will of god toward all men? 19. what is the reason that not all men are saved? 20. whose fault is it that they are lost? 21. by whose work alone are we saved? lesson 34. the third article. review lesson. 1. in the third article of our creed we learn about the holy ghost, about his person and his work. we confess that we believe in the holy ghost. in whom alone should we believe? what do we therefore confess of the holy ghost when we say that we believe in him? how can we prove from holy scripture that the holy ghost is true god? 1 cor. 3,16. which divine work is ascribed to the holy ghost? 2. in whom do we believe according to the first article? in whom according to the second article? and in whom according to the third article? in how many persons of the godhead do we believe, according to our creed? there are three distinct persons in whom we believe. we believe in them; what, therefore, are they? all these three persons are the true god. in whose name have we been baptized? on what occasion did these three divine persons reveal themselves to us? how did they reveal themselves at the baptism of christ? the father is god, the son is god, and tho holy ghost is god; how many gods are there? in how many persons did the one true god reveal himself? who, therefore, is the one true god? what do we call god because he is one and has revealed himself in three persons?--why is the third person of god called the holy ghost? the holy ghost makes us holy; what do we call this work of the holy spirit? 3. what has christ done for our salvation? what has he gained for us in order to save us? what is now the one thing necessary for our salvation? what becomes of us if we do not come to jesus and accept what he has merited for us? how do we come to jesus and accept all that he offers us?--believe in jesus christ, your savior; that is the only way to heaven. but what must we confess concerning our believing and coming to christ? why can we not by our own reason and strength believe in christ or come to him? what do we read eph. 2,1? we are dead in trespasses and sins. a dead person cannot do anything to raise himself from death to a new life. as far as we are concerned, we are lost and condemned creatures. who took pity on us? whom did god send to raise us from the death of our sins? to whom does the holy ghost bring us? do we and can we help him to perform this work in us? whose work alone is it? by what is the holy ghost moved to bring us to christ, our lord, and thus to save us? 4. the holy ghost alone can bring us to christ. our catechism tells us how the spirit of god performs this work in us. what do we confess in the third article about this work of the holy ghost? the holy ghost has called me. in which parable does christ himself explain what this means? as this rich man had prepared a supper for his guests, so christ has prepared, as it were, a supper for us, for all men. what is this supper which christ has prepared for all men? in what manner did he prepare everything for our salvation? who now calls us to the salvation christ has prepared? what does the holy ghost say to us in this call? we come to our lord and to the meal he has prepared for us by believing in him. the holy ghost calls and invites us to believe in jesus christ, our lord, and be saved.--by what means does the holy ghost call and invite us to christ, to faith in him? who, generally, are the servants he sends out to call us to christ by the gospel? but who is it that really calls us when we hear the gospel?--the holy ghost calls us by the gospel. he says to us, come to your lord and be saved. what are we not able to do by our own strength when the holy ghost calls us? what does the holy ghost give us in calling us? what does he call forth in us by his call? what do we call this work of the spirit? who alone performs conversion in us? the holy ghost brings us to christ, or converts us, only through the gospel. when can the holy ghost not perform this work in us? what should we therefore diligently do? 5. what is the second work of the holy ghost? with what does the holy ghost enlighten us? what are his gifts?--the holy ghost sanctifies me; what does that mean? the holy ghost sanctifies us in the true faith. whose children are we through faith? what is god's will toward his children? 1 thess. 4,3. who performs this work in us? the holy ghost dwells in our heart, and renews and sanctifies it. what do we hate now by the power he has granted us? whom do we begin to love?--our sanctification in this life is never perfect. what must also the children of god confess? what do they therefore ask of their lord every day? but what does the holy ghost daily give them? against whom do the children of god daily struggle and fight? in whose strength do they more and more overcome the devil, the world, and their own sins?--which is the last work performed in us by the holy ghost? since when has the holy ghost kept us in the true faith? how long has he promised to keep us with christ?--in whom is the holy ghost willing to perform his work to the end in order to save them? what is god's gracious will towards all men? what additional proof can you give for the fact that god desires all men to be saved? how is it that not all men are saved? whose fault is it that those are lost who are condemned? by whose grace and work alone are we saved? lesson 35. the third article. the holy christian church. which is the third article? _i believe in the holy ghost; the holy christian church, the communion of saints._ what does this mean? _i believe that ... the holy ghost has called me, ... even as he calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole christian church on earth and keeps it with jesus christ in the one true faith._ 1. god the holy ghost has called me to christ, sanctified me, and kept me in the true faith. the holy ghost, however, has performed this work of his grace _not only on me._ besides me he has called, and still calls, many poor lost sinners to christ, enlightens them with his precious gifts, with faith in their savior. all these the holy ghost also _"gathers,"_ as our catechism states. the holy ghost does not suffer those who have been converted by the gospel to _be separate,_ but adds them to his disciples, as on that first pentecost all those were added to the congregation of the disciples who had been converted by peter's sermon. acts 2,41. all true believers are christ's own; through faith in him they are closely united as brethren and sisters in the one lord. _all true believers, taken together are the holy christian church on earth, which the holy ghost sanctifies and keeps in the one true faith._ 2. the third article calls the christian church _the communion of saints._ it is a communion, a congregation, of _saints,_ that is, of _holy people._ they are not holy in themselves, but the holy ghost has sanctified them, or made them holy, through faith in christ. in christ they have _forgiveness of all their sins_ and are holy in the eyes of god. _only true believers in christ therefore belong to the christian church; only they, but all of them._ instead of the communion of saints we might also say _the communion of true believers._--the church is the communion of saints. all believers in christ are a _communion,_ a _congregation;_ they form, as it were, one _body._ they do not all live together at one place, in one city, or in the same country,--we find them scattered over all the earth,--but they are _closely bound together by one and the same faith in christ._ they belong to one family, of which christ is the head and master, and all are members. _the church is the communion of saints; for believers only, but all believers, are members of it._ 3. we _believe_ that the holy christian church is here on earth, but we do not _see_ it; it is invisible. only true believers belong to the church, and no man can look into another's heart and see his _faith._ only one really knows who the members of the church are. _"the lord knoweth them that are his."_ 2 tim. 2,19. we cannot see the church, but _we believe that it is here on earth;_ for holy scripture assures us that the holy ghost by the gospel at all times calls men to christ and keeps them in the true faith to the end of the world. our lord says: _"thou art peter, and upon this rock i will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."_ matt. 16,18.--the church is _holy_ because all its members are _holy by faith in christ_ and in the strength of the holy ghost _lead a godly life_ and serve their lord in his kingdom in righteousness.--it is called the _christian_ church because it is built on _christ. "other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is jesus christ."_ 1 cor. 3,11. and he is not only its foundation, but also _the head and king of the church._ 4. we do not see the church, _but we know where it is, where we can find it._ the holy ghost calls and keeps the church only _by the gospel._ god has promised us that, where his gospel is preached, it shall not remain _without fruit;_ some of those who hear it will come to christ and believe in him. _wherever the word of god is preached, and only where it is in use, the holy christian church is to be found._ 5. scripture also speaks of a _visible_ church, of visible congregations of christians. a visible church is the number of all those who call themselves christians, who _profess their faith in christ and are gathered about god's word._ in these visible congregations there are not only true believers, but also _hypocrites,_ who indeed confess the christian faith, but do not believe in their savior. among the visible churches there are _many false churches and one true visible church._ the true visible church teaches and confesses the word of god _in all its purity, without false doctrines. this true visible church is the evangelical lutheran church._ to this church we ought to belong, and to no other; for our lord says: _"if ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed, and ye shall know the truth; and the truth shall make you free."_ john 8, 31.32. _"beware of false prophets!"_ matt. 7,15. remember:-1. _let it be your earnest concern to be and remain a member of the invisible church of christ; remain steadfast in the true faith. he that believes, and he only, shall be saved._ 2. _let it also be your earnest concern to belong to the true visible church, the evangelical lutheran church. in this church the pure word is preached, the gospel, which is the power of god unto salvation. avoid all false churches. "beware of false prophets!"_ 3. _pray and work with all diligence for your church that it may be maintained and extended._ matt. 28,19. memorize:-_the lord knoweth them that are his._ 2 tim. 2,19. _thou art peter, and upon this rock i will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it._ matt. 16,18. _other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is jesus christ._ 1 cor. 3,11. _if ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed, and ye shall know the truth; and the truth shall make you free._ john 8,31.32. questions. 1. who are the members of the holy christian church? 2. by whom was the church founded? 3. in what way does the holy ghost build up and preserve the church? 4. what is the church also called in the third article? 5. who are the saints? 6. why are believers called saints? 7. how are they sanctified by the holy ghost? 8. what does the word "communion" mean? 9. what binds true believers so closely together? 10. why is the church called the _holy_ church? 11. why is it called the _christian_ church? 12. where do we find the true church? 13. why is this so? 14. what is the visible church? 15. who also, besides true believers, belongs to these visible churches? 16. which is the true visible church? 17. how is the true visible church called? 18. why should we belong to this church and avoid all false churches? lesson 36. the third article. the forgiveness of sins. which is the third article? _i believe in the holy ghost; the holy christian church, the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins._ what does this mean? _in which church he_ [the holy ghost] _daily and richly forgives all sins to me and all believers._ 1. we confess in our catechism that the holy ghost forgives all sins to me and all believers. _we believe that there is a forgiveness of sins. god's word assures us of this. _"there is forgiveness with thee."_ ps. 130,4. _how sorely do we need forgiveness of sins!_ you know that all men, also believers, commit sin. a child of god indeed earnestly strives against committing any sin, he tries not to transgress the commandments of his heavenly father; but, alas! also god's children sin daily and much. _"there is not a just man upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not."_ eccl. 7,20. with our sins we deserve nothing but god's punishment. _"the wages of sin is death."_ rom. 6,23. _without forgiveness of sins we are lost. 2. _but there is a forgiveness of sins with god._ he assures us in his word that by grace, for christ's sake, he will forgive me all my sins. he will do so _daily and richly._ whenever we have sinned, we should come to him and pray to him: forgive me my trespasses. even as a child who has grieved his father by his disobedience penitently comes to him and asks his forgiveness, so we in true penitence should daily come to our heavenly father, whom we have so sorely grieved, whose punishment we deserve, and ask his forgiveness. _he will not cast us out._ he will hear our prayer, and we will praise him: _"bless the lord, o my soul, and forget not all his benefits; who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases."_ ps. 103,2.3. the _publican_ came into the temple and humbly said: _"god be merciful to me, a sinner!"_ and god was merciful to him; he went down to his house _justified._ he had received forgiveness of his sins. luke 18,9-14. 3. god forgives us our sins. he is moved to do this _not by our good works or merits._ god does not see anything in us which could induce him to forgive us our trespasses. we deserve nothing but punishment. _his free grace alone moves god to forgive us all our sins._ our god is a merciful god. he takes pity on us, his sinful children.--by grace god _forgives_ us our sins, that is, he does not look upon our sins, does not _impute_ them to us, but declares us sinners _righteous._ in the beautiful parable of our lord which we find matt. 18,23 ff., the wicked servant asks his lord to have patience with him, whom he owed so much. and the kind lord, moved with compassion, loosed the servant from his fetters and forgave him all his debts, which he never would have been able to pay. _thus god, moved with compassion, does not punish us as we have deserved, and declares us free from debt, declares us righteous, or in other words, god justifies us._ 4. how can the just and holy god who has threatened to punish all who transgress his commandments forgive sins and declare sinners righteous? he does so _for christ's sake. in christ_ we have the forgiveness of sins. _"in christ we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace."_ eph. 1,7 christ fulfilled the law of god in our stead, he suffered the punishment for our sins, and so made good for us. _he has earned full forgiveness for us; for his sake all our sins are forgiven._ 5. who _receives_ forgiveness of sins? we confess that god forgives all sins _to me and all believers._ it is true, christ has _procured_ forgiveness _for all men_--christ died for every sinner. god, in his grace, _offers_ this forgiveness by the gospel _to all who hear it._ we read: _"god was in christ, reconciling the world_ [all men] _unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation."_ 2 cor. 5,19. yet not all receive forgiveness, but only those _who believe in christ and thus accept the forgiveness_ which christ has earned for all men. without faith in christ there is no forgiveness of sins. _we are justified by faith alone._ 6. we receive forgiveness of sins, we are justified before god, _without the deeds of the law, by grace alone, for christ's sake, through faith in our lord._ this is the _chief article of our christian faith._ this doctrine is taught only by the christian church. _it gives all the glory for our salvation to god and affords true comfort to all sinners._ remember:-1. _god has promised in his word to forgive us all our sins daily and richly. come to him every day and with true penitence, with a contrite heart, ask his forgiveness for christ's sake. he will graciously grant it._ 2. _we are justified in the sight of god without the deeds of the law, by his grace, for christ's sake, through faith in him. this is the chief doctrine of the christian church and the only one that gives lasting comfort to all sinners._ memorize:-_bless the lord, o my soul, and forget not all his benefits; who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases._ ps. 103,2.3. _in christ we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace._ eph. 1,7. _god was in christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and has committed unto us the word of reconciliation._ 2 cor. 5,19. questions. 1. why do we so sorely need daily forgiveness of sins? 2. what do we deserve with our sins before god? 3. of what does god assure us in his word with regard to our sins? 4. what should we therefore do every day? 5. how did the publican in the temple ask for forgiveness 6. how did god answer his prayer? luke 18, 13.14. 7. why cannot our works and merits induce god to grant us forgiveness? 8. by what is god moved to forgive us our sins? 9. god forgives us our sins--what does that mean? 10. what do we also call this act of god by which he forgives us our sins? 11. for whose sake does god forgive, or justify, us? 12. why do we have forgiveness of sins for christ's sake? 13. who only receives forgiveness of sins? 14. why is faith in christ necessary if we wish to receive forgiveness? 15. how are we justified before god? 16. why is this doctrine the chief doctrine of our church? lesson 37. the third article the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. which is the third article? _i believe in the holy ghost; the holy christian church, the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting._ what does this mean? _he_ [the holy ghost] _will at the last day raise up me and all the dead and give unto me and all believers in christ eternal life. this is most certainly true._ 1. _we believe the resurrection of the body,_ so we confess. we believe that _god will raise up me and all the dead,_ so that our bodies which have died shall again be made alive and come forth from their graves. our bodies _die_ and are buried, and in the grave they decay. _these same bodies_ will live again. it is true, we cannot _understand_ how this is possible. to unbelievers it seems ridiculous, they laugh and mock at this doctrine. still we _believe_ it; we are assured by the word of god that our dead shall live again. and _"the word of the lord is right."_ ps. 33,4. our lord says: _"the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth."_ john 5,28. our god is _almighty,_ with him nothing is impossible. luke 1,37. 2. god will raise _me and all the dead. all_ that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth from their graves. christ will not only raise his own, his believers, but all men, those, too, who did not believe in him, but died in their sins.--_"the hour is coming,"_ our lord says: it is coming on _the last day_ of the world. on that great day, when our lord will come again to judge the quick and the dead, all the dead shall hear the almighty voice of the son of god and whether they will or not, shall come forth from their graves to meet their god and lord at his judgment-seat. 3. all the dead will be raised from death and the grave; _but there will be a great difference in their resurrection._ our lord says: _"they that have done good_ [shall come forth] _unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation."_ john 5,29. those who here on earth believed in christ, and by the power of his grace served him in his kingdom, and died in the lord trusting in him, will come forth to life everlasting and go with their lord to his eternal glory. _they that have done evil,_ those who rejected their savior and died in their sins, will rise unto _the resurrection of damnation._ they will be thrown into _hell,_ into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. matt. 25,41. may our heavenly father keep us steadfast in the true faith and preserve us from hell and damnation! 4. _they that have done good,_ those who believed in christ and died in the lord, shall come forth unto _the resurrection of life. at the last day the risen lord will raise all that fell asleep in him, and will give them life everlasting, life without end._ we confess that the lord will "give _me_ and all believers eternal life." the holy ghost has called me by the gospel, by his grace i believe in my savior, by grace he has kept me in the faith, and so _i am assured_ that he will give _me_ eternal life. _"whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life."_ john 3,16. to me and all believers the lord will give eternal life, but _to believers only. "he that believeth on the son hath eternal life, and he that believeth not the son shall not see life, but the wrath of god abideth on him."_ john 3,36. 5. god will give us believers _eternal life._ christ will lead his own, his believers, soul and body, into his heavenly kingdom, there to live and reign with him in everlasting joy and glory. in heaven there will be _no sin;_ in perfect holiness we shall serve our lord. there will be no more _death,_ nor _sorrow,_ nor _crying,_ nor _pain._ rev. 21,4. all these things shall have passed away. there will be pure and _true joy and happiness forever and ever._ we shall be _with god:_ we shall see him, our heavenly king and father, and his wondrous ways. _"we shall see him as he is."_ 1 john 3,2. we shall _see our dear lord and savior,_ whom we love now even without having seen him. we shall see him _in his glory,_ in the glory which his father has given him. what unspeakable joy to see god, our lord and savior, to be and live with him! _"in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore."_ ps. 16,11.--our _bodies_ will share this joy. they will come forth _glorified, freed from all sin, sickness, and infirmity, fashioned_ like unto the glorious body of our risen lord. remember:-1. _it is most certainly true that the holy ghost by the gospel has called me to christ, my lord, and enlightened me with his gifts, with true faith in my savior._ 2. _it is most certainly true that in christ i have forgiveness of all my sins, that i am justified before god without the deeds of the law, by grace alone, for christ's sake through faith._ 3. _it is most certainly true that the holy ghost will keep me in the true faith, and at the day of my lord raise my glorified body and give to me and all believers in christ eternal life. i am assured of all of this by the word of god. this is what i firmly believe and hope for in life and death._ memorize:-_the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth: they that have done good unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation._ john 5,28.29. _we shall see him as he is._ 1 john 3,2. _in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore._ ps. 16,11. _he that believeth on the son hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not the son shall not see life, but the wrath of god abideth on him._ john 3,36. questions. 1. "we believe the resurrection of the body"--what does this mean? 2. what happens to our bodies when we die? 3. why do we believe that god will raise our bodies? 4. why do we firmly believe that god can do this though to us it seems impossible? 5. who will hear the voice of the son of god when his hour has come? 6. when will his hour come? 7. what difference will there be in the resurrection of the dead? 8. who are "they that have done good"? 9. who are "they that have done evil"? 10. to what kind of resurrection will these come forth? 11. what will the lord at the last day give unto me and all believers? 12. why am i assured that he will give eternal life also to me? 13. what does our lord say john 3,36? 14. what will there no longer be in eternal life? 15. what will give us everlasting joy and happiness in eternal life? 16. how will the bodies of the believers rise at that day? 17. like unto whose body will they be fashioned? 18. why do we believe that all we have confessed in the third article is most certainly true? lesson 38 the third article. review lesson. 1. god the holy ghost has called me to christ, sanctified and kept me in the true faith. besides me he has called and calls others. what does the holy ghost also do in regard to all that he has brought to christ? what does it mean that he gathers them? what does scripture call the whole number of all true believers?--what is the christian church also called in the third article? why are the believers called saints? what does the word _communion_ signify? who only, therefore, belongs to the one true christian church?--why is this church invisible? the true church is invisible; still we know and are convinced that it is always here on earth. why are we certain about this? what does our lord say concerning his church matt. 16,18? we call the church the _holy_ church; why do we do this? why is the church called the _christian_ church? christ is the foundation of the church, what else?--we cannot see the church, still we know where we can find it. where is it to be found? why can we be certain that the church is where the word of god, the gospel, is preached and used?--there is one true church of christ, the congregation of all believers on earth. but scripture also speaks of visible churches, visible congregations. what do we mean when we speak of visible churches? to these churches not only true believers belong, but who also? of these visible churches, or denominations, there is quite a number. what difference exists among these churches? which is the true visible church? what is it called? to which church should we belong? 2. in the third article we also confess the forgiveness of sins. why do we so sorely need forgiveness of sins? what have we deserved with our sins? what will be our fate if we do not receive forgiveness of sins?-of what does god assure us in his word concerning our sins? we daily sin much and deserve nothing but punishment; what should we therefore do every day? how did the publican in the temple pray to god for forgiveness? how do you know that god answered his prayer?--god forgives the sins of all who come to him in true penitence. what does not move god to forgive us our sins? why cannot anything he sees in us induce him to grant us forgiveness? what moves god to forgive us our sins? what do we mean when we say that god forgives sin? for whose sake does the just and holy god grant us forgiveness? in whom have we redemption, the forgiveness of sins? what has christ done to earn this forgiveness?--for whom has christ procured forgiveness? how does god offer this forgiveness? what, however, is necessary if we wish to receive this precious gift of god? how, therefore, are we justified in the sight of god? why is this doctrine of justification so important? we should by all means hold fast to this doctrine: we are justified without the deeds of the law, by god's grace alone, for christ's sake, through faith in him, our savior. 3. in the third article we furthermore confess the resurrection of the body. how does our catechism explain these words? how is the doctrine of the resurrection of the body regarded by the unbelievers? why do we nevertheless believe it?--god will raise the dead. how many of them will he bring to life again? all shall hear the voice of the son of god and come forth. when will christ raise all the dead? what is this "last day"? all the dead will rise again at the last day; but there will be a difference among them. what will this difference be? who will come forth unto the resurrection of damnation? who are they that have done evil? what will be their punishment on that day? may our heavenly father preserve us from hell and damnation!--who will come forth unto the resurrection of life? who are they that have done good? what will god give to me and all believers on that day? from what shall we be free in eternal life? with whom shall we be? not only shall we be with him, united with him by faith, what, too, has he promised us? 1 john 3,2. whom also shall we see in the heavenly kingdom? what do we read ps. 16,11? how will our bodies be after the resurrection? like whose body will they be fashioned? what do we mean by adding: "this is most certainly true"? and we confess the holy ghost, who from both fore'er proceeds, who upholds and comforts us in the midst of fears and needs. blest and holy trinity, praise forever be to thee! lesson 39. the lord's prayer. the introduction. which is the introduction? _our father who art in heaven._ what does this mean? _god would by these words tenderly invite us to believe that he is our true father, and that we are his true children, so that we may with all boldness and confidence ask him as dear children ask their dear father._ 1. we have thus far considered the _ten commandments,_ the holy _law_ of the lord, in which our heavenly father tells us what we should do and not do, how we, as his children, should live according to his will. we have considered the law, which teaches us that we have not kept it, that we have sinned against god and therefore deserved his punishment, eternal death and damnation.--we have considered the _three articles of the christian faith,_ which teach us the _gospel,_ the glad tidings of what the triune god, our redeemer, has done and will do for us to save us from sin and death, that we may live in his kingdom in everlasting innocence, righteousness, and blessedness. in its third part our catechism explains to us the _lord's prayer,_ that is, the prayer that our lord once taught his apostles. 2. we read (luke 11,1) that, at a certain time, the disciples saw and, probably heard their master praying, speaking with his father in heaven. this made so deep an impression upon them that one of them asked the lord: _"lord, teach us to pray."_ the lord gladly complied with this request and said: _"when ye pray, say: our father who art in heaven,"_ etc. the lord himself gave his disciples this prayer, and therefore we call it the lord's prayer. we say this beautiful prayer _very often, daily,_ and we should do so. our lord gave it to us. when we use this prayer, we know that we pray according to our master's will. but reciting this prayer is not enough, we must also understand what we are praying. we should ever better learn _what the words of this prayer mean._ let us see how our catechism explains them. 3. _"our father who art in heaven,"_ thus our lord teaches us to address _the true god, the triune god._ what love god has bestowed upon us that we are called his children, and that we are permitted to call him _father!_ 1 john 3,1. christ might have chosen different names to address god; but he teaches us to call god our _father._ why does he do so? _"god would by these words tenderly invite us to believe that he is our true father and we are his true children."_ when we come to god to speak to him in our prayers, we should always believe and remember that god is our true father, and that we are his true children. _you know that god is indeed your father and you are his child._ it is true, we are all sinners, and the holy god hates sin, but our dear lord has redeemed us from all sins and has earned for us forgiveness of sins and righteousness in the sight of god. _through christ, my brother,_ i have become god's true child, and god has become my true father. _in christ's name_ i come to god and call him father, believing that for christ's sake god really is my father and i am his child. _"for this cause"_ (because christ is my brother) _"i bow my knees unto the father of our lord jesus christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named."_ eph. 3,14.15. remember that only those who believe in jesus christ may call god their father. _only children of god, through faith in christ, can really pray to god._ 4. we pray to god, our father. how _tenderly_ does this name _invite_ us to come to him in our need! how this name does give us courage, _"so that we may with all boldness and confidence ask him as dear children ask their dear father"!_ a child is not afraid to come to his beloved father, to tell him with confidence all that he wants and needs. he knows that hie dear father will gladly listen to him and help him. so it is with the children of god. they do not fear to come to their father, for he loves them. they do not doubt, but confidently believe that their dear father _will hear their prayer and help them._ our father promised to do that. by the endearing name father, god reminds us: i am your father, you are my dear child. come without fear and doubt; pray with ail confidence. i will hear your prayer. 5. _"our father who art in heaven."_ this father of ours to whom we pray is not a weak, not an earthly father. god is the _heavenly father;_ he is the almighty god, the lord of heaven and earth. he can do whatsoever he wills. with all confidence we come to him and believe that he not only will hear our prayers, but _is also able to help us in every need and trouble._ 6. our lord teaches us to say: _"our_ father who art in heaven." he reminds us of the fact that _all true believers are children of god, and that all children of god pray for and with each other._ "one god and father of all, who is above all and through all and in you all." eph. 4,6. i am not the only one praying to god, but a great host of fellow-men, all my brethren in christ, are praying with me and for me. in christ's name i pray to my father in heaven for and with all my brethren; should i not therefore with all confidence ask my dear father, as dear children ask their dear father? remember:-1. _always pray in the name of jesus christ, your savior. through him alone god is your true father, and you are his true child. in his name you may and should ask your father in heaven as dear children ask their dear father._ 2. _as god's child through christ pray to your father without fear and doubt, with the firm, confidence that he will hear and accept your prayer._ 3. _the father to whom you pray is the heavenly father, the almighty god. to him we pray with all confidence that he not only will, but also can answer our prayers and help us in all our troubles._ memorize:-_behold, what manner of love the father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of god._ 1 john 3,1. _for this cause i bow my knees unto the father of our lord jesus christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named._ eph. 3,14.15. _one god and father of all, who is above all and through all and in you all._ eph. 4,6. questions. 1. of what does the third part of our catechism treat? 2. why do we call this prayer the lord's prayer? 3. on what occasion did the lord teach his disciples this prayer? 4. why do we christians use this prayer so often? 5. but it is not enough to recite this prayer if we would use it correctly; what else is needed? 6. whom do we address when we say "our _"father"?_ [tr. note: punctuation is correct] 7. why did jesus teach us to use the name father in this prayer? 8. how does god become our father, and how do we become his children? 9. in whose name should we therefore always pray? 10. who only can really pray to god? 11. of what is a child certain when he asks his father for something? 12. what may we confidently expect when we pray to our dear father? 13. of what do the words "who art in heaven" remind us in our prayer? 14. our father to whom we pray is the almighty god; what can he therefore do regarding our prayers? 15. why does our lord teach us to say, _"our_ father"? lesson 40. the lord's prayer. the first petition. which is the first petition? _our father who art in heaven. hallowed be thy name._ what does this mean? _god's name is indeed holy in itself; but we pray in this petition that it may be holy among us also._ how is this done? _when the word of god is taught in its truth and purity, and we, as the children of god, also lead a holy life according to it. this grant us, dear father in heaven. but he that teaches and lives otherwise than god's word teaches, profanes the name of god among us. from this preserve us, heavenly father!_ 1. _"our father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name,"_ this is our first petition. it is a matter of utmost importance that god's name be hallowed among us; for this reason our lord teaches us to pray for it in the first place. _"god's name is indeed holy in itself."_ god has a name above every other name. in heaven and earth there is no name higher or more sacred than the name of our heavenly father; no name can be compared with it. it is holy in itself. we cannot and we need not _make it holy._ what, then, do we ask for in this petition? since the name of our father in heaven is so holy and so exalted, we pray _that it may be holy among us also,_ that we, his children, may hold it sacred and use it rightly both in words and deeds. 2. _how is this done?_ we shall place god's name above every other name in heaven and on earth and hold it holy, sacred, only when we rightly _know god as he is, and what he has done and will do for us his children._ god has revealed himself and his great name _only in his word._ there alone we learn to know our heavenly father and the great things he has done for our temporal and eternal welfare. we shall hold his name holy and sacred "when the word of god is taught in its truth and purity." god's word must be preached among us without the admixture of any human thoughts and errors, just as god has given it to us, just as it reads. in god's word we learn how great god, our father, is, the perfectly holy and just god, and yet gracious, ever ready to forgive all our sins and heal all our transgressions, when we come to him in the name of christ; the almighty ruler of heaven and earth and yet our dear father in christ, who pities those that fear him, as a father pities his children ps. 103,13. the more we learn from his word how great our god is, the more we shall hold his name sacred, the more we shall exalt and praise it. 3. it is not enough that god's word is taught and preached among us in its truth and purity, that we only hear it; we must also, as god's children, _lead a holy life according to it. by a holy life we honor the name of our father._ if a child disobeys his father, if he leads a bad life, committing sins and crimes, he will not only bring dishonor upon himself, but he will also disgrace his father's name. remember how the sons of eli, the high priest, brought dishonor upon their father's fair name. 1 sam. 2,12. when, on the other hand, a child is obedient to his father, doing the will of his good father, leading an upright and honest life, his father will be honored by the good deeds of his son. we are children of god. we confess that he is our true father. if we were to lead an ungodly life, how would his name be dishonored among men! but when we live according to our father's word and will, if we live in accordance with the word of god, our friends and neighbors will see our good works. by our godly life we shall help others, too, to know and honor the great name of god. our savior says: _"let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven."_ matt. 5,16.--by our own strength we cannot preach the word of god in its truth and purity among us, nor can we by our own strength lead a holy life according to it; therefore we pray: _grant us, o heavenly father, the pure doctrine of thy word and a holy life according to it._ 4. as the name of our father is glorified here on earth by the preaching of his pure word and by our holy life, so it is dishonored by _false doctrine and an ungodly life._ in our sinful hearts we are always inclined _to teach and live otherwise than god's word teaches,_ and thus to profane the name of god. _"thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonorest thou god. for the name of god is blasphemed among the gentiles through you."_ rom. 2,23.24. therefore we pray: _preserve us, o heavenly father, for christ's sake, from false doctrine and an ungodly life!_ remember:-_we pray in this petition:_-1. _dear heavenly father, grant that we may always teach thy word in its truth and purity, and that we may always live in accordance with it, so that thy name may be hallowed among us!_ 2. _dear heavenly father, preserve us from ever teaching and living otherwise than thy word teaches!_ memorize:-_let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven._ matt. 5,16. _thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonorest thou god. for the name of god is blasphemed among the gentiles through you._ rom. 2,23.24. questions. 1. why does christ teach us to pray in the first place that god's name may be hallowed, held sacred, among us? 2. how is god's name in itself? 3. why do we nevertheless pray that his name be hallowed? 4. what must we know before we shall hold god's name sacred as we should? 5. where has god revealed himself? 6. how, therefore, is god's name hallowed among us? 7. how must god's word be taught among us? 8. what does it mean to teach god's word in its truth and purity? 9. what, furthermore, is necessary if we wish to glorify our father's name? 10. in what way is god's name honored by a godly life? 11. what does our lord say matt. 5,16? 12. who profanes god's name among us? 13. from what do we ask god to preserve us? 14. what are the two things for which we pray in the first petition? lesson 41. the lord's prayer. the second petition. which is the second petition? _our father who art in heaven. thy kingdom come._ what does this mean? _the kingdom of god comes indeed without our prayer, of itself; but we pray in this petition that it may come unto us also._ how is this done? _when our heavenly father gives us his holy spirit, so that by his grace we believe his holy word and lead a godly life, here in time and hereafter in eternity._ 1. _"thy kingdom come,"_ that is the second petition. we pray for the kingdom of our heavenly father. in the second article of our faith we already heard of a kingdom, the _kingdom of our lord jesus christ._ there we learned that our lord has redeemed us from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil, in order that we may be his own, and in his _kingdom_ live under him in everlasting innocence, righteousness, and blessedness. _christ's kingdom and our father's kingdom is the same thing._ christ established this kingdom by his sufferings and death. all that believe in christ belong to this kingdom. christ is their lord and king; he governs them, bestowing upon them in his kingdom all his gifts: forgiveness of sins, the grace of god, true righteousness, peace with god, etc. he protects them against all their enemies, against sin, satan, and death. we also call this kingdom of our father the _kingdom of grace,_ or the _true christian church._ it has its beginning here on earth; but when our lord and king will come again at the last day, he will lead it to his glory in heaven. then we shall call this kingdom the _kingdom of glory._ 2. our lord teaches us to pray for the _coming_ of this kingdom. true, _"the kingdom of god comes indeed without our prayer, of itself."_ christ lives and reigns, and he gathers his congregation through the gospel from all nations, and he will lead it to its heavenly glory even if we do not pray for it. but still the lord teaches us to pray for the coming of his kingdom. we pray _"that it may come to us also."_ it is god's will to give _us_ his kingdom. our lord says: _"fear not, little flock; for it is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."_ luke 12,32. but god wants us to _pray_ for his good gifts. we pray in this petition that our father's kingdom may come to us also, that we, too, may belong to his kingdom and remain in it, _"here in time and hereafter in eternity."_ 3. _"how is this done?"_ how does the kingdom of god come to us? the kingdom of god comes to us only through faith in christ. only those who believe in him can enter the kingdom. but _"i cannot by my own reason or strength believe in christ, or come to him."_ (in what part of your catechism did you learn this?) to bring us to christ is _the work of the holy ghost._ he has called me to christ and his grace by the gospel. _"except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of god."_ john 3,5. the kingdom of god, therefore, comes to us _"when our heavenly father gives us his holy spirit, so that by his grace we believe his holy word and lead a godly life."_ the holy ghost can and will graciously, by the gospel, work within our hearts, so that we believe god's holy word, believe in jesus christ, our savior; and in this way the kingdom of god will come to us. 4. the holy spirit does not only bring us to christ, so that we, through faith, enter the kingdom of god, but he also _preserves us in the true faith;_ by means of the gospel he gives us strength to prove our faith _by a godly life_ and thus remain in the kingdom to the end. he will lead us to the glory of our lord, to the kingdom of glory in heaven. _"the lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom."_ 2 tim. 4,18. by the holy spirit the kingdom of god comes to me _"here in time"_ (the kingdom of grace) _"and hereafter in eternity"_ (the kingdom of glory). in this petition we especially pray our heavenly father to grant us _the most precious gift --his holy ghost._ 5. but we do not only pray that the kingdom of god would come to _us_ and remain with us, we also pray that it may come to _all men_ who as yet are not members of this kingdom. we pray that all men may become true believers in christ through the preaching of the gospel. this work, preaching the gospel to all nations, we call _mission-work. the second petition is the great mission-prayer of the church._ the lord admonishes us: _"pray ye therefore the lord of the harvest that he will send forth laborers into his harvest."_ matt. 9,38. remember:-1. _in this petition we pray: dear heavenly father, grant me thy holy spirit that by his grace i may believe in jesus christ, my king, and by faith in him lead a godly life, so that i may be with my savior in his kingdom, here in time and hereafter in eternity._ 2. _do not forget to pray for our missions when you say this petition. mission is the work our lord has entrusted to all christians, saying: "go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."_ mark 16,15. memorize:-_fear not, little flock, for it is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom._ luke 12,32. _pray ye therefore the lord of the harvest that he will send forth laborers into his harvest._ matt. 9,38. _the lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom._ 2 tim. 4,18. questions. 1. how did christ establish his kingdom on earth? 2. who belongs to it? 3. who is lord and king of this kingdom? 4. what does christ bestow upon his own in his kingdom? 5. from whom does he protect and against whom does he defend us? 6. what do we also call the kingdom of christ? 7. what will christ do with his kingdom when he shall come in his glory at the last day? 8. what shall we then call this kingdom? 9. what does our lord teach us to pray in behalf of his kingdom? 10. what, indeed, is true concerning the coming of his kingdom? 11. why do we nevertheless pray for his kingdom? 12. how does the kingdom of god come to us? 13. why do we need the holy ghost for this purpose? 14. the holy spirit does not only bring us to christ and into his kingdom, what does he also perform in us? 15. what do we call the work for which we are especially praying in this petition? lesson 42. the lord's prayer. the third petition. what is the third petition? _our father who art in heaven, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven._ what does this mean? _the good and gracious will of god is done indeed without our prayer; but we pray in this petition that it may be done among us also._ how is this done? _when god breaks and hinders every evil counsel and will which would not let us hallow god's name nor let his kingdom come, such as the will of the devil, the world, and our flesh; but strengthens and preserves us steadfast in his word and faith unto our end. this is his gracious and good will._ 1. we pray in this petition that the will of our father in heaven may be done. _his will is a good and gracious one._ being the will of our heavenly father, how could it be otherwise than good and gracious? he wills, or desires, that his name be hallowed among us, that his kingdom may come to us and all men, or, in other words, _that all men be saved. "god will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth."_ 1 tim. 2,4. he earnestly desires that his saving gospel be preached to all men, that all men, by the grace of the holy spirit, may believe in christ and through him have eternal life. this is most assuredly the good and gracious will of our heavenly father. 2. we pray that this will of our father _may be done on earth, that it may prevail. "the goo and gracious will of god is done indeed without our prayer, but we pray in this petition that it may be done among us also,"_ that his gracious will may prevail against all such as try to hinder our salvation. 3. _how is the will of our heavenly father done?_ our catechism answers: _"when god breaks and hinders every evil counsel and will which would not lat us hallow god's name nor let his kingdom come, such as the will of the devil, the world, and our flesh."_ there is an evil counsel and will here on earth. it is the will of the _devil,_ the _world,_ that is, all godless men, who are in the service of satan, and of the _flesh,_ our own sinful heart, which is always in accord with satan and the world. these our enemies do not want us to hallow god's name, to come into christ's kingdom or to remain therein, to remain steadfast in faith, to remain true to christ, our savior. theirs is an evil will, which desires to _lead us astray from god, our father, into sin, into the power and the kingdom of the devil._ if their evil will and counsel prevails, we are lost. against these mighty enemies we are powerless; we ourselves have no strength whatever to resist them and their temptations. therefore we daily pray our father in heaven to break and hinder their evil will and counsel, in order that they may not be able to fulfil their evil desires. 4. god sincerely desires us to be saved, to obtain eternal life. but our lord says: _"he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."_ matt. 24,13. we cannot endure by our own strength. _"ye are kept by the power of god, through faith, unto salvation."_ 1 pet. 1,5. therefore we pray our dear father to _"strengthen and preserve us steadfast in his word and faith unto our end."_ we ask him for christ's sake to grant us strength to remain steadfast in his _word,_ to continue to hear, read, and use it. by means of the gospel the holy spirit will _preserve our faith_ in our lord and savior; through faith he will give us strength gladly to do his will and to live according to his commandments. in this way god will preserve us _unto our end,_ to our dying hour, and thus his gracious and good will is done. 5. god, our dear father, _directs and guides our whole life_ according to this will of his to lead us to salvation. for this purpose our father sometimes will permit _sufferings and troubles_ to come over us. in such times especially we should pray: _"thy will be done,"_ my father! give me strength to remain steadfast and faithful in all sufferings and cheerfully to submit to your gracious will. even our lord jesus christ prayed in the hour of his deep agony: _"not as i will, but as thou wilt."_ matt. 26,39. 6. the _first three petitions_ belong together. they are connected by the words _"on earth as it is in heaven."_ we pray that our father's name may be hallowed on earth as it is hallowed in heaven, that his kingdom may come to us on earth as it is in heaven, and that his gracious will may be done among us on earth as it is done in heaven. _we ask our heavenly father for his heavenly gifts._ these gifts we most urgently need, and therefore our lord teaches us to pray for them first of all. remember:-1. _we pray in this petition: my dear heavenly father, break and hinder every evil will of my enemies, the devil, the world, and my own flesh, that i may hallow thy name and thy kingdom may come to me._ 2. _my dear heavenly father, strengthen and preserve me in thy word and in true faith unto my end, to my dying hour, that thy gracious and good will may be done._ memorize:-_god will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth._ 1 tim. 2,4. _ye are kept by the power of god, through faith, unto salvation._ 1 pet. 1,5. _he which has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of jesus christ._ phil. 1,6. questions. 1. we pray that god's will may be done among us. what is god's will toward us? 2. what is this will, therefore, called in our catechism? 3. this good and gracious will of god is indeed done without our prayer; why do we nevertheless pray that it may be done? 4. there is an evil will and counsel against us, the children of god. whose will is this? 5. what is their evil will and desire against us? 6. why must we ask god to break and hinder their evil will? 7. god earnestly desires us to be saved, to obtain eternal life. who only will be saved and obtain eternal life? matt. 24,13. 8. by whose power are we kept unto salvation? 1 pet. 1,5. 9. how do we, therefore, pray? 10. why is it necessary for us to remain steadfast in the word of god? 11. unto what time will god preserve our faith through the gospel? 12. why does god sometimes permit suffering and trouble to come over his children? 13. how should we pray especially in such times? 14. what gifts do we pray for in the first three petitions? 15. why does christ teach us to pray first of all for his heavenly gifts? lesson 43. the lord's prayer. the fourth petition. which is the fourth petition? _our father who art in heaven, give us this day our daily bread._ what does this mean? _god gives daily bread indeed without our prayer, also to all the wicked; but we pray in this petition that he would lead us to know it and to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving._ what, then, is meant by "daily bread"? _everything that belongs to the support and wants of the body, such as food, drink, clothing, shoes, house, home, field, cattle, money, goods, a pious spouse, pious children, pious servants, pious and faithful rulers, good government, good weather, peace, health, discipline, honor, good friends, faithful neighbors, and the like._ 1. for _our daily bread_ our lord bids us pray in this petition. by daily bread everything is meant that _belongs to the support and wants of our body,_ everything we need to support our life. our catechism enumerates quite a number of such things. for all these things we pray as far as we need them for our daily bread. we do not pray for _riches,_ for many comforts or luxuries, but for that which we need. we pray: _"give me neither poverty nor riches, feed me with food convenient for me, lest i be full, and deny thee, and say, who is the lord? or lest i be poor, and steal, and take the name of my god in vain."_ prov. 30,8.9. the apostle says: _"having food and raiment, let us be therewith content."_ 1 tim. 6,8. 2. we pray for our daily bread. _"god gives daily bread indeed without our prayer";_ he gives it _"also to all the wicked,"_ who cannot and will not pray for it. _"he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust."_ matt. 5,45. if god gives daily bread without our prayer, why, then, do we pray for it? _"we pray in this petition that he would lead us to know it,"_ that is, we pray that god may lead us to know that our daily bread, all we have and receive in this life, is _his gracious gift._ wicked, unbelieving men do not acknowledge this. they believe that they are earning their daily bread by means of their labor or receiving it by other natural means. christians also often forget that all their earthly goods are the gift of their father in heaven. therefore we pray that god would grant us to know that every good gift comes from above, from him, our father. _"the eyes of all wait upon thee, and thou givest them their meat in due season. thou openest thine hand and satisfiest the desire of every living thing."_ ps. 145,15.16. when we acknowledge this, _we shall receive our daily bread with thanksgiving._ then our daily bread, all our earthly goods, _will be a blessing to us,_ a blessing for both our body and our soul. knowing that our daily bread is god's gift, we receive it with thanksgiving; therefore we pray before each meal and, having finished it, say grace. 3. our lord tells us to pray for _our_ daily bread. it is true, our daily bread is the gift of our father in heaven, but he will generally bestow this gift upon us _by means of our labor._ god wants us to work, and he will provide what we need for this life. the bread that we eat should be the bread _that is honestly coming to us. "if any would not work, neither should he eat."_ 2 thess. 3,10.--we do not say _my,_ but _our_ bread, because we _include our neighbor_ in our prayer, asking god to give also him his daily bread. this reminds us of our duty willingly to help our neighbor whenever he is in need and want. our father in heaven very often gives us more than we need for our own support and the support of our family; he does this for the purpose that _we may have to give to those that are in need._ god, then, desires to give our neighbor his daily bread through us. _"deal thy bread to the hungry."_ is. 58,7. 4. we pray god to give us our daily bread _this day._ our lord reminds us _that we should not be anxiously concerned for the morrow._ we have a rich and kind father in heaven, who cares for us, for our life and welfare. we pray to him for our bread to-day and every day, and we know that he will not forsake us. our lord admonishes us: _"take therefore no thought for the morrow; for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself."_ matt. 6,34. 5. in the fourth petition we pray for our _daily bread,_ for all that is necessary for our life and bodily welfare here on earth. in the first three petitions we pray for _heavenly gifts,_ for the gifts which we need for our soul, for our eternal welfare. our lord in this way teaches us that the heavenly gifts are much more important, that we should pray for them first of all. _"seek ye first the kingdom of god and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you."_ matt. 6,33. remember:-1. _we pray in this petition: my dear heavenly father, give me this day my daily bread. grant me grace to know and acknowledge that my daily bread is thy gracious gift in order that i may receive it from thy hand with thanksgiving._ 2. _do not forget to say your prayers at meals. thereby you confess that your daily bread is the gift of your father in heaven, and you show your thankfulness to him._ 3. _pray also for your neighbor and give from your abundance whenever he is in need._ memorize:-_he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust._ matt. 5,45. _give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me._ prov. 30,8. _having food and raiment, let us be therewith content._ 1 tim. 6,8. _seek ye first the kingdom of god and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you._ matt. 6,33. questions. 1. what is meant in this petition by "daily bread"? 2. why does the lord teach us to pray for our daily bread? 3. wherewith should we be content? 4. does not god give us our daily bread without our prayer? 5. on whom even does he bestow this gift? 6. why, then, do we pray for our daily bread? 7. why do we pray god to lead us to know that our daily bread comes from him? 8. how will we receive our daily bread when we know that it is he who gives it to us? 9. why does our lord teach us to pray for our daily bread? 10. why do we not say _my,_ but _our_ bread? 11. of what should this remind us? 12. why do we add the words _this day?_ 13. why do we not need to be anxious for the morrow? 14. what does our lord teach us by putting the petition for our daily bread after the petitions for his heavenly gifts? lesson 44. the lord's prayer. the fifth petition. which is the fifth petition? _our father who art in heaven, forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us._ what does this mean? _we pray in this petition that our father in heaven would not look upon our sins, nor on their account deny our prayer; for we are worthy of none of the things for which we pray, neither have we deserved them; but that he would grant them all to us by grace; for use daily sin much and indeed deserve nothing but punishment. so will we also heartily forgive and readily do good to those who sin against us._ 1. _"and forgive us our trespasses,"_ thus the lord teaches us to pray in the fifth petition. that means, as our catechism explains these words: _"we pray in this petition that our father would not look upon our sins."_ a child that has disobeyed his father approaches him sorrowfully, asks his forgiveness, and promises to be more obedient in future. we, the children of god, do the very same thing. every day we come to our heavenly father with a contrite heart and ask his _forgiveness._ daily we confess that we have sinned again. we are deeply sorry that again we have been disobedient to his good will, that we have deserved his punishment. but we also know that god is _our gracious, loving father,_ always willing to forgive us our many sins. we know that christ has paid the _ransom for our transgressions_ and earned god's forgiveness for us. in our savior's name, trusting in him, we come to god every day and pray with deep shame, but also with firm confidence: my dear father in heaven, i, a poor sinner, come to thee and humbly confess that again i have trespassed and sinned against thee. do not look upon my sins, do not punish me as i have deserved, but regard thy son's righteousness and for his sake forgive me all my sins. we pray as did the prodigal son: _"father, i have sinned against heaven and in thy sight, and i am no more worthy to be called thy son."_ luke 15,21. however, accept me again for christ's sake. 2. we have a _special reason_ for asking god's forgiveness in our prayers. we pray to god for many blessings, for many precious gifts, both heavenly and earthly. but we are sinners; _"we are worthy of none of the things for which we pray, neither have we deserved them."_ if god would look upon our unworthiness and sin, how could he grant us our petitions? _"for we daily sin much and deserve nothing but punishment."_ as long as our sins separate us from god, we are certain that god will not hear us. our prayers would indeed be in vain. therefore we pray to our father that he would not look upon our sins, _"nor on their account deny our prayer,"_ as we have so well deserved. we pray that he would grant us his forgiveness and give us all his rich blessings _by grace, for christ's sake._ in christ's name we come to our father and confidently pray with the _publican_ in the temple: _"god be merciful to me, a sinner."_ luke 18,13. 3. our lord adds something to this petition. he says: _"as we forgive those who trespass against us."_ these words contain a _promise_ on our part. because god so graciously and willingly forgives us our many and great sins, we promise that _we also will forgive those who sin against us._ there are such as sin against us, wrong and grieve us with word or deed. but how small are their faults over against the great and grievous sins we have committed against our father in heaven! having received the gracious forgiveness of our father, how could we do otherwise than forgive also those who trespass against us? willingly we promise to forgive them, and to do so _heartily, from our hearts,_ as our father has forgiven us, and not only to forgive them, but _readily_ to _do good to them._ does not our father do the same thing to us? we sin against him and grieve him daily, and nevertheless he not only forgives us, but he also blesses us every day with all his gifts for body and soul. if, on the other hand, we refuse to forgive our brother, we shall not obtain forgiveness from our father. _"when we stand praying, forgive if ye have aught against any, that your father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. but if ye do not forgive, neither will your father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses."_ mark 11,25.26. (read carefully the beautiful parable of our lord about the _wicked servant,_ matt. 18,23-35.) remember:-1. _we pray in this petition: my dear father in heaven, do not look upon my sins and do not on their account deny my prayer. i am not worthy of any of the things for which i pray, but on account of thy grace hear my prayer and forgive me all my sins for christ's sake._ 2. _we promise in this petition: my dear father in heaven, as thou hast forgiven me the multitude of my sins and hast granted me daily all thy precious blessings, so will i show thee my gratitude by heartily forgiving those who sin against me and readily doing good to them. grant me grace to do this, dear heavenly father._ memorize:-_father, i have sinned against heaven and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy son._ luke 15,21. _god be merciful to me, a sinner._ luke 18,13. _when ye stand praying, forgive if ye have aught against any, that your father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. but if ye do not forgive, neither will your father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses._ mark 11,25.26. questions. 1. what is meant by the word "trespasses" in this petition? 2. what do we ask our heavenly father to do in this prayer? 3. how do we know that god will forgive us our sins? 4. how has christ earned forgiveness of sins for us? 5. for whose sake, therefore, do we ask forgiveness? 6. what special reason have we to include this petition in our prayers? 7. why are we unworthy of the things for which we pray? 8. what, on the contrary, have we deserved? 9. what moves god to hear our prayers? 10. what words does our lord add to this petition? 11. what promise do we give god when we add these words? 12. how are the sins our neighbor commits against us to be regarded as compared with our sins against god? 13. what should we therefore willingly do? 14. what will happen to us if we do not heartily forgive our neighbor? 15. what must we be willing to do in addition to forgiving our neighbor? 16. what should induce us to forgive our neighbor when he trespasses against us? lesson 45. the lord's prayer. the sixth petition. which is the sixth petition? _our father who art in heaven, lead us not into temptation._ what does this mean? _god indeed tempts no one; but we pray in this petition that god would guard and keep us, so that the devil, the world, and our flesh may not deceive us, nor seduce us into misbelief, despair, and other great shame and vice; and though we be assailed by them, that still we may finally overcome and obtain the victory._ 1. _"and lead us not into temptation,"_ this is the sixth petition. our catechism explains it in the first place by saying: _"god indeed tempts no one,"_ that is, he tempts no one _for evil._ that is most certainly true. our heavenly father is the holy god. he hates sin and all those who willingly commit it. how could he tempt us to sin, try to lead us into evil ways which he hates? scripture tells us: _"let no man say when he is tempted, i am tempted of god; for god cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man; but every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lusts and enticed."_ jas. 1,13.14. 2. as god does not tempt us for evil, why, then do we pray our father not to lead us into temptation? we pray _"that god would guard and keep us" that our enemies may not lead us into sin and shame._ there are such as always try to lead us, the children of god, into sin, those _enemies_ of whom we heard in the third petition--the _devil,_ the _world,_ and our _own flesh._ our most dangerous foe is the _devil. "be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour; whom resist steadfast in the faith."_ 1 pet 5,8.9. remember how he tempted _adam and eve_ in paradise and seduced them to fall into sin. our next enemy is the _world,_ that is, all the wicked men around us. how often do our friends or schoolmates entice us to do wrong! _"my son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not."_ prov. 1,10. the third enemy is _our own flesh,_ our old sinful heart, which is full of evil lust. our own lust draws us away from god and entices us to sin. 3. these our enemies have an _evil will_ against us. they want to lead us away from god and our salvation, to lead us again into the kingdom of satan and sin. they try with all their power and cunning to _deceive_ us; they try to give us the impression that it would be good for us to follow their temptations. by such enticements they try to seduce us to lead us astray from god and his word, into _misbelief,_ into a wrong faith, or into _despair,_ so that we abandon all hope for our salvation. (remember _cain,_ gen. 4,15, and _judas,_ matt. 27,4.5.) or they try to lead us into _other great shame and vice,_ into sins that will bring shame upon us, to yield to evil passions, which will destroy our faith. 4. against these mighty enemies we are _powerless._ we could not seriously think of taking up the fight against them by our own power. if we did, we would soon learn to our sorrow that we cannot successfully resist their temptations. our enemies would gain the victory over us. in this our pitiful condition we come to _our father in heaven,_ who has promised us his help, and who is always with us. we pray to him in the name of our savior not to lead us into temptation, that is, we pray that god would _guard_ or watch over us that such temptations may not come near us, that he would graciously defend us against them.--_if is true, temptations will come._ we live in this sinful world, which is full of temptations. the devil "walketh about" to devour the children of god, and our flesh tempts us with evil lust. these enemies will again and again _assail_ us to gain their evil ends and desires. _and it is for our good that god permits them to do so._ but we pray god to keep us steadfast in all these temptations, to _strengthen_ us in order that we may fight the good fight of faith against them. we pray to our father that he may _preserve_ us in the true faith, so that we shall _finally,_ in the end, _overcome all temptations and obtain the victory._ our heavenly father will hear our prayer. _"god is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able."_ 1 cor. 10,13. according to his good and gracious will he wants us to be faithful to the end and to be saved. remember:-1. _we pray in this petition: my dear heavenly father, guard and keep me against my powerful enemies, the devil, the world, and my flesh; hinder their evil will that their temptations may not approach me._ 2. _we pray in this petition: my dear heavenly father, be with me in all temptations, whenever my enemies assail me, and grant me grace to fight the good fight of faith. keep me in the true faith in christ, my lord, that i may finally overcome all temptations and obtain the victory._ memorize:-_be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour; whom resist steadfast in the faith._ 1 pet. 5,8.9. _my son, if sinners entice thee consent thou not._ prov. 1,10. _god is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able._ 1 cor. 10,13. questions. 1. which is the sixth petition? 2. what does god indeed not do? 3. why are we certain that god will not lead any one into temptation? 4. why, then, do we pray god not to lead us into temptation? 5. who are our enemies that lead us into temptation? 6. why is the devil compared to a roaring lion? 7. who is our second enemy? 8. what do we understand by our own flesh? 9. what is the evil will of these our enemies against us? 10. into what do they try to lead us? 11. who alone can help us against our powerful enemies? 12. what does it mean when we pray that god would guard us against our enemies? 13. when their temptations do assail us, what do we pray our father in heaven to do? 14. what makes us certain that god will hear our prayer? lesson 46. the lord's prayer. the seventh petition and the conclusion. which is the seventh petition? _our father who art in heaven, deliver us from evil._ what does this mean? _we pray in this petition, as the sum, of all that our father in heaven would deliver us from every evil of body and soul, property and honor, and finally, when our last hour has come, grant us a blessed end, and graciously take us from this vale of tears to himself in heaven._ which is the conclusion of the lord's prayer? _for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. amen._ what is meant by the word "amen"? _that i should be certain that these petitions are acceptable to our father in heaven, and heard; for he himself has commanded us so to pray, and has promised to hear us. amen, amen, that is, yea, yea, it shall be so._ 1. _"but deliver us from evil." "we pray in this petition, as the sum of all";_ in this petition we sum up all the others. we include in the word _"evil"_ our misfortunes and troubles of every kind, all our wants and needs: all the ailments of our _body,_ such as sickness and the like; everything that is hurtful to our _soul,_ sin with all its fearful consequences; anything that injures or destroys our _property,_ such as is done by fire, water, or bad, evil-minded men; whatever harms our _honor,_ loss of our good name through lies and calumnies, etc. all these things we sum up in the word _evil._ 2. we pray that our father would _deliver_ us from all these evils. we beseech him to _spare_ us from as many evils as he sees fit. we know that days of sorrow and afflictions will indeed come to us. it is our father's good will that _"we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of god."_ acts 14,22. god sends us afflictions because he _loves_ us, his children, because in his wisdom he knows that it is good and salutary for us. _"whom the lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth."_ heb. 12,6. we willingly submit to his will. but whenever the lord has afflicted us, in every need and distress, we lift our hearts to him, the father of mercies, and _pray him to be with us in our affliction,_ to help _bear the cross_ he has laid upon us. we ask him that he would turn every affliction _to our benefit_ and in his own good time take it from us. it is our earnest prayer that through everything that seems evil to us he would keep us steadfast in faith to everlasting life. 3. true, as long as we live here on earth, we shall not be entirely free from evil. on earth we are living in a _"vale of tears."_ but the time will come when _"the lord shall deliver me from every evil and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom."_ 2 tim. 4,18. and when this time has come, _our last hour,_ the hour of our departure from this world, we pray _that our father would grant us a blessed end, and graciously take us from this vale of tears to himself in heaven,_ and thus wholly deliver us from all evil. in that hour we shall say: _"lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation."_ luke 2,29.30. when our dear father takes us to himself in heaven, all our prayers will have been granted, all earthly sorrow and affliction will be at an end; we shall have and enjoy with our father and our lord all his heavenly gifts. 4. in the conclusion of the lord's prayer we say: _"thine is the kingdom."_ we mean to say: thou alone art my lord and king, from whom i am to seek help, and who certainly will hear my prayer. _"thine is the power":_ that is, thou alone art the almighty god, thou alone hast the power to grant my petitions. and so _"thine is the glory";_ that is, all glory, all honor, all praise, shall be given to thee alone _forever and ever._ 5. the word _"amen"_ with which we conclude our prayer means, as our catechism explains it: _"yea, yea, it shall be so."_ we express in this word our assurance that our prayers are _acceptable to our father in heaven,_ and that _he will hear them._ may we really be certain that our petitions are acceptable to god? most assuredly. _our lord himself has given us this prayer,_ he has taught us these petitions, and _"has commanded us so to pray."_ when in true devotion, in the name of our redeemer, we come to our father and pray these petitions, how could it be otherwise than that our father is well pleased! and he himself, our father, has so often _promised that he will hear us,_ that he will grant our prayer. our lord has promised us: _"verily, verily, i say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the father in my name, he will give it you."_ john 16,23. how could we doubt that god will hear us when we pray in christ's name, according to his will?--indeed, it sometimes seems to us as if god _did not hear_ our prayers. but it only seems so; god hears every true prayer. but we must not forget that god grants us our petitions _in his own manner,_ which we often do not understand. he does not always grant our petitions at once, but _at his appointed time,_ at the time he has appointed for his help, which, indeed, is the best time for us. confidently we always want to conclude our prayers with, _"amen; yea, yea, it shall be so."_ remember:-1. _we pray in this petition: my dear father in heaven, lead me through all my afflictions according to thy gracious will and pleasure, and when my last hour has come, grant me a blessed end and take me up to thee in heaven, and so deliver me from all evil._ 2. _we are certain that this, our lord's prayer, as well as all the prayers we are bringing before god in accordance with it, are acceptable to god, and heard; for he himself has commanded us so to pray and promised to hear us._ memorize:-_we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of god._ acts 14,22. _the lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom._ 2 tim. 4,18. _lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation._ luke 2,29.30. questions. 1. what do we mean when we say: "we pray in this petition,_as the sum of all"?_ 2. what is meant in this petition by the word "evil"? 3. why does god sometimes send us afflictions? 4. what do we ask our father in heaven to do when he has afflicted us? 5. to what should he turn all our afflictions, all that seems evil to us? 6. what should god preserve in us at such times? 7. why do we call this life a "vale of tears"? 8. when, finally, will god deliver us from all evil? 9. what kind of end do we ask our heavenly father to grant us? 10. why will all our sorrows then be at an end. 11. what do the words of the conclusion mean? 12. what the word "amen"? 13. what do we mean to express by adding this word? 14. why may we be certain that all our petitions are acceptable to god? 15. why are we certain that god will always hear our prayers? 16. how will god hear our prayers and grant us his help? lesson 47. how we should pray. review lesson. 1. when we pray we frequently use the prayer which the lord has given us. it really does contain everything we need, everything we may pray for. but we also use other prayers; we bring our petitions before god in our own words, or offer praise and thanks to him. this is well-pleasing to our father in heaven. but we must not forget _that all our prayers should be in accordance with the lord's prayer._ he has given us his prayer also for this purpose, that we should learn from it _how to pray._ the lord's prayer should be _the model for all our prayers._ if that is our model, we are certain that we are praying according to god's will. let us see what the lord's prayer teaches us in this respect. _let us learn how we should pray._ 2. whom do we address in the lord's prayer? who is "our father in heaven"? our father in heaven is _the only true, the triune god, god the father, son, and holy ghost._ to him we pray, and to him alone. such is his will. _"thou shalt worship the lord, thy god, and him only shalt thou serve."_ matt. 4,10. against which commandment do we sin when we pray to any one but the true god? we pray only to the true god because he alone is _able_ and _willing_ to hear and answer our prayer. 3. the lord teaches us to call the triune god _"our father."_ why does christ teach us to use this dear name? through whom is god our true father and we his true children? in whose name should we pray? our savior says: _"verily, verily, i say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the father in my name, he will give it you."_ john 16,23. in the fifth petition we learn why it is so necessary to pray in jesus' name, trusting in his merits. we daily sin much. we deserve nothing but punishment. we pray that god would not look upon our sins, but graciously answer our prayers for christ's sake, who has earned forgiveness of sins for us. only _in christ_ is god well pleased with us; _only for his sake will our prayers be heard and answered._ 4. christ teaches us to address god as our father, to believe that in christ he is indeed our true father. by this endearing name our lord would _encourage_ and _tenderly invite us_ to come to him as his children and ask him with all confidence. we should always pray with confidence, never doubting that god for chris's sake _will hear us and grant our prayers. "all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."_ matt. 21,22. we are praying to the _almighty god,_ who is able to give all good things; we pray to him who is our _father,_ who has promised to hear our prayers. 5. for what do we pray in the first three petitions? for what in the fourth petition? we learn from this that we may pray for _everything that is needful for our welfare, both spiritual and temporal things. "what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them."_ mark 11,24. in how many petitions do we ask for the heavenly or spiritual things, which we need for our souls? in one petition the lord teaches us to pray for our daily bread, for our wants here on earth. whenever we pray, we should first of all pray for those gifts which we need for our salvation. _"seek ye first the kingdom of god and his righteousness,"_ our lord tells us. matt. 6,33. above all we should pray for the gift of god's pure word, for the holy ghost, in order that by his grace we may believe his holy word and lead a godly life, that his will may be done among us, and that we may remain faithful to our lord and obtain eternal life. 6. the fourth petition follows the one in which our lord teaches us to pray that god's good and gracious will may be done. when we are praying for our daily bread, asking god for the things we need for our body and our temporal welfare, _we should submit everything to god's will,_ that is, we should pray that god would grant us these gifts, _if it is his will, if they tend to his glory and to our welfare. "this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us."_ 1 john 5,14. 7. our lord teaches us to say not _my,_ but _our_ father; indeed, throughout the whole prayer we always include our neighbor in our petitions. he wants us to _pray for our neighbors,_ not only for our friends and relatives, but for _all men,_ even for our _enemies. "pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you."_ matt. 5,44. 8. in the last three petitions the lord tells us to bring our cares and troubles, our afflictions and sorrows of every kind, before the lord. indeed, we ought to pray _at all times. "pray without ceasing."_ 1 thess. 5,17. especially, however, we should pray in times of _trouble and need. "call upon me in the day of trouble; i will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me."_ ps. 50,15. remember:-1. _always pray to the true god, the father of your lord jesus christ, who through him is also your father. come to him in christ's name. that is his will, and he alone can and will hear such prayers._ 2. _pray in christ's name, with full confidence that your prayer is acceptable to god and heard. pray in the same manner as a dear child asks his dear father._ 3. _ask him for all you need for the welfare of your body and soul; in the first place, however, for the welfare of your soul, for your salvation. in asking for temporal blessings submit your will to god's will. not my, but thy will be done, my heavenly father._ 4. _do not forget to include in your prayer your neighbor, all men, even your enemies. finish your prayer with a confident "amen; yea, yea, it shall be so."_ memorize:-_thou shalt worship the lord, thy god, and him only shalt thou serve._ matt. 4,10. _this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us._ 1 john 5,14. _all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive._ matt. 21,22. _call upon me in the day of trouble; i will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me._ ps. 50,15. lesson 48. holy baptism. what baptism is. what is baptism? _baptism is not simple water only, but it is the water comprehended in god's command and connected with god's word._ which is that word of god? _christ, our lord, says in the last chapter of matthew: go ye and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy ghost._ 1. after having explained the lord's prayer, our catechism tells us about _holy baptism._ you all, most probably, have seen children baptized, and some of you, perhaps, also adults. you yourselves were baptized in your infancy in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy ghost. you, therefore, should learn what baptism is, and what it gives and profits. let us hear what our catechism has to say about this sacred act. in the first place, it explains _what baptism is._ 2. _"baptism is not simple water only."_ in baptism there is indeed _water._ the person to be baptized is sprinkled with water, with simple, common, natural water. we must use water in baptism and nothing else. _water is the external means_ which god himself has instituted for baptism. but baptism is not only water, it is more; _"it is the water comprehended in god's command and connected with god's word."_ in baptism there is both god's command and god's word. 3. baptism is the water comprehended in god's command, that is, _we use the water in baptism because god has commanded it._ without this command of god baptism would be water only. before our lord ascended into heaven, he gave his disciples this command: _"go ye and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy ghost."_ holy baptism, therefore, is an act instituted and ordained by god. for that reason we call it a _sacred act._ christ gave this command to his _disciples, to his church, to all christians._ the called ministers of christ, our pastors, ordinarily administer baptism; but in cases of necessity every christian can and should perform it. christ commands us to _baptize;_ that means he commands us to _apply_ the water _by washing or sprinkling the person to be baptized with water, or by immersing him into the water._ 4. _baptism is the water connected with god's word._ the word which christ has commanded us to use in baptism is this: _"in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy ghost."_ this word must always be connected with the water to make it a baptism. _"without the word of god the water is simple water, and no baptism. but with the word it is a baptism, that is, a gracious water of life."--we are baptized in the name of the triune god._ what does this mean? god's name is god himself, as we have learned in the second commandment. we are baptized in god the father and the son and the holy ghost. by baptism we are _received into communion with the triune god._ he gives himself to us _as our father_ and accepts us _as his children,_ he bestows upon us all his blessings, all that he has done for us to save us. _with_ the word of god baptism is indeed a gracious water of life. 5. our lord commands us to baptize _all nations,_ that is, _all human beings,_ old and young, men and women. _"preach the gospel to every creature. he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved."_ mark 16,15.16. baptism is necessary to salvation; consequently god wants all who believe in him to be baptized. but a _certain distinction_ should be made. those who are old enough to be instructed we baptize after they have been _previously_ taught the main doctrine of the word of god, _confess their faith_ in jesus christ, and _desire to be baptized_ and thus become christians. 6. _little children_ are baptized by us soon after their birth, before they are able to learn the word of god. we teach them after their baptism in our homes and schools and churches. we baptize our little children because in the word _nations_ the children, too, are included. we baptize them because our lord says: _"suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of god."_ mark 10,14. christ bids us bring our little children to him that he may bless them. we can do this only by means of holy baptism. without baptism they are under god's wrath, and their sins are not forgiven. by baptism the holy ghost himself brings them to christ and kindles in them the true faith in him. god becomes their father, and they are made his children. remember:-1. _holy baptism is a sacred act instituted by god. god himself has commanded us to baptize, that is, to apply water in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy ghost. it is the water comprehended in god's command._ 2. _baptism is the water connected with god's word. in baptism the water must be applied with these words: "in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy ghost." by baptism we are received into communion with the triune god. he becomes our father, and we are made his children._ memorize:-_go ye and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy ghost._ matt. 28,19. _preach the gospel to every creature. he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved._ mark 16,15.16. _suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of god._ mark 10,14. questions. 1. what is the external means which god has instituted for holy baptism? 2. what kind of water is to be used when we baptize a person? 3. in what is the water of baptism comprehended? 4. what is meant when we say: "the water is comprehended in god's command"? 5. recite the words of god's command. matt. 28,19. 6. to whom did christ give this command? 7. who does now ordinarily administer holy baptism? 8. who may and should do it in cases of necessity? 9. what does the word _baptize_ mean? 10. what is the word of god with which the water in baptism is connected? 11. what does it mean to be baptized in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy ghost? 12. what does god become to us in baptism? 13. whom did christ command us to baptize? 14. whom do we generally baptize? 15. how can you prove that it is right to baptize little children? 16. what does christ say about the little children mark 10,14? lesson 49. holy baptism what baptism gives, or profits. what does baptism give, or profit? _it works forgiveness of sins, delivers from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of god declare._ which are such words and promises of god? _christ, our lord, says in the last chapter of mark: he that believeth, and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned._ 1. in our last lesson we learned what baptism is. _"baptism is not simple water only, but it is the water comprehended in god's command and connected with god's word."_ now the question arises, what good does it do one to be baptized? _what does baptism give, or profit?_ baptism must indeed be a great and wonderful thing. god himself instituted it. he put his name, his word, into it. where his name and his word are, there, indeed, must be great, eternal blessings. 2. our catechism answers the question: _"what does baptism give, or profit?"_ by saying: _"it works forgiveness of sins, delivers from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of god declare."_ three great blessings of baptism are mentioned: 1. it works forgiveness of sins; 2. it delivers from death and the devil; 3. it gives eternal salvation. it does this because of the words and promises of god: _"he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved."_ mark 16,16. how can we prove by these words that holy baptism also works forgiveness of sins and delivers from death and the devil? christ merely says that he who believes and is baptized shall be _saved._ remember, however, that there is no salvation where there is not forgiveness of sins and deliverance from death and the devil. _salvation consists in forgiveness of sins and deliverance from death and the devil._ if baptism gives us salvation, it must also work forgiveness of sins and deliver us from death and the devil. 3. _baptism works forgiveness of sins. "repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of jesus christ for the remission of sins."_ acts 2,38. how are we to understand this statement: baptism works forgiveness of sins? has not christ himself merited this heavenly gift? christ, our savior, has indeed, by his sufferings and death, atoned for our sins; _he has redeemed us from all our sins and so indeed earned for us, for all men, forgiveness of sins._ but holy baptism is the _means_ by which the holy ghost _makes the forgiveness_ which christ has earned for us _our own._ in baptism he presents to us and gives us this great blessing. the apostle says: _"ye are all the children of god, by faith in christ jesus; for as many of you as have been baptized into christ have put on christ."_ gal. 3,26.27. we are baptized _into christ._ in baptism _we put on christ_ with all his merits. as in a beautiful, white, spotless garment we are clothed in baptism in the perfect righteousness christ has merited for us. _baptism works forgiveness by making christ's righteousness our own._ 4. _baptism delivers us from death and the devil._ by sin death came into the world; death is the wages of sin. in baptism our sins are washed away for christ's sake, and in this way we are delivered from death. in our dying hour we do not really see death, but have eternal life. in death we rejoice: _"o death, where is thy sting? o grave, where is thy victory? ... but thanks be to god, which giveth us the victory through our lord jesus christ."_ 1 cor. 15,55-57.--baptism works forgiveness of sin and therefore _delivers us from the devil._ when our sins have been washed away, the devil no longer has any power over us; we are free from hell and damnation. if satan still tempts us to sin, we may, in the power of our baptism, resist him and gain the victory.--by working forgiveness of sin, by delivering us from death and the devil, _baptism gives us eternal salvation. "he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved."_ mark 16,16. 5. to whom does baptism give all this? it gives these things _"to all who believe this."_ our savior says: _"he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved."_ mark 16,16. all those who believe, trusting in the promises god has given in his word concerning baptism, receive these heavenly gifts. it is true, baptism _contains_ all these precious gifts and blessings, _whether we believe or not._ they are _offered to all who _are baptized._ but we must take them and _make them our own._ this is done _by faith in christ._ baptism is _god's hand,_ by means of which he hands down his gifts, forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and salvation. faith is our _hand, with which we take god's gifts and make them our own.--_during our whole life_ we should remember our baptism and the grace god therein has bestowed upon us. whenever we have sinned, we should in true repentance take refuge to our baptism, to the grace of god which he has promised us there. _"the covenant of my peace shall not be removed, saith the lord that hath mercy on thee."_ is. 54,10. remember:-1. _do not forget to thank your father in heaven for your baptism. it makes you certain that his heavenly gifts, forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation, are indeed yours. it makes you certain that god is your father and will remain your father and you his child._ 2. _if you have sinned and grieved your heavenly father, take refuge to your baptism. trust to his unfaltering grace which he has promised you there. believe in christ, who is yours through baptism, and you will be saved._ memorize:-_repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of jesus christ for the remission of sins._ acts 2,38. _ye are all the children of god by faith in christ jesus; for as many of you as have been baptized into christ have put on christ._ gal. 3,26.27. _o death, where is thy sting? o grave, where is thy victory? thanks be to god, which giveth us the victory through our lord jesus christ._ 1 cor. 15,55-57. questions. 1. what three great benefits does baptism give us? 2. where did christ himself promise this? mark 16,16. 3. prove that in these words of christ forgiveness of sins and deliverance from death and the devil are included. 4. which is the first benefit holy baptism gives us? 5. who, indeed, has redeemed us from all sins? 6. how, then, can we say that baptism works forgiveness of sins? 7. whom do we put on in baptism? 8. what does that mean? 9. how, therefore, does baptism work forgiveness of sins? 10. which is the second benefit of baptism? 11. how does baptism deliver us from death and the devil? 12. how does it give us eternal salvation? 13. to whom does baptism give all these blessings? 14. baptism is god's hand, by means of which he gives us all his gifts. which is our hand with which we receive them? 15. how long should we remember our baptism? 16. when, especially, should it be our refuge? lesson 50. the lord's supper. what is the sacrament of the altar? _it is the true body and blood of our lord jesus christ under the bread and wine, for us christians to eat and to drink, instituted by christ himself._ what is the benefit of such eating and drinking? _that is shown us by these words, "given and shed for you for the remission of sins"; namely, that in the sacrament forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation are given us through these words. for where there is forgiveness of sins there is also life and salvation._ 1. you have often seen how on certain sundays confirmed members of our church went up to the altar to receive bread and wine to eat and drink, while the minister said to them: "take and eat; this is the true body of your lord and savior jesus christ. take and drink; this is the true blood of your lord and savior jesus christ." we call this sacred act the _lord's supper,_ or the _sacrament of the altar. what does this sacred act mean?_ 2. the holy evangelists, matthew, mark, and luke, and st. paul the apostle write about the lord's supper thus: _"our lord jesus christ," etc. the lords supper was not instituted by men, by the church, _but by christ himself._ therefore it is _a sacred act._ the lord instituted his supper _"the same night in which he was betrayed,"_ in the night before his sufferings and death. after he had given his disciples the bread and the cup, he added: _"this do in remembrance of me." the lord _commanded_ his disciples that after his ascension _they should do as he had done,_ that they should take bread and wine, give thanks over them, and eat and drink in remembrance of him. _he commanded his church to celebrate his supper to the end of days._ "as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show the lord's death _till he come."_ 1 cor. 11,26. 3. in the night in which jesus was betrayed by his disciple judas, our lord _took bread, and when he had given thanks, he brake it into small pieces, and gave it to his disciples, and said, take and eat. after the same manner also he took the cup, filled it with wine, gave thanks, and gave it to his disciples, saying, take, drink ye all of it._ the lord took _bread and wine_ and gave them to his disciples to eat and drink. we should do likewise in celebrating the lord's supper. we should take bread and wine, eat and drink both in remembrance of the lord. as in baptism the water, so in the lord's supper bread and wine are the external, visible means. the lord's supper is the bread and wine _comprehended in god's command._ 4. in the lord's supper bread and wine are also _connected with god's word._ while the disciples ate the bread and drank the wine, the lord said to them, _"this is my body, which is given for you. this cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you for the remission of sins."_ these words of christ we must also have in his supper, together with the bread and wine.--in his supper, under the bread and wine, our lord gives us, according to his promise, _his body, which was given for us,_ which was crucified, _and his true blood, which was shed for us on the cross for the remission of our sins._ under and with the bread and wine we eat and drink the body and the blood of our lord. we cannot understand how this is possible, but we _believe_ it because our lord has promised it. _"the word of the lord is right, and all his works are done in truth."_ ps. 33,4. our lord is the _almighty god,_ who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think and can understand. eph. 3,20. the lord's supper, or the sacrament of the altar, _"is the true body and blood of our lord jesus christ, under the bread and wine, for us christians to eat and to drink, instituted by christ himself."_ 5. _what is the benefit of such eating and drinking?_ our catechism answers: _"that is shown us by these words, 'given and shed for you for the remission of sins.'"_ in the sacrament forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation are given us through these words. our lord, it is true, speaks only of remission, or forgiveness, of sins; but _"where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation."_--in his supper my lord gives me, and i eat, his body, given for me, and he gives me, and i drink, his blood, shed for the remission of my sins. he gives me his body and blood, by the giving and shedding of which upon the cross he purchased and earned and procured for me the forgiveness of my sins. so the lord's supper _strengthens our faith in christ,_ our redeemer. when we believe these words in the sacrament, we have in it _forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation._ how we ought to thank our lord for making us so certain of our salvation in his supper! remember:-1. _we have two sacraments, two sacred acts, wherein our lord, through visible, external means, connected with the word of god, offers and gives us his grace which christ has merited._ 2. _very many of those who call themselves christians, and who are christians, deny that in the sacrament there is really christ's true body and blood, because they cannot understand how this is possible. we firmly believe the plain and clear words of our true and almighty savior._ 3. _let us give thanks to the lord, who has prepared for us such a wonderful means of grace to strengthen our faith in the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation._ memorize: -_the word of the lord is right, and all his works are done in truth._ ps. 33,4. _as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show the lord's death till he come._ 1 cor. 11,26. questions. 1. what do we call the second sacrament of the christian church? 2. who instituted this sacrament? 3. when did christ institute it? 4. which words of christ show that we also should do as he has done, and celebrate his supper? 5. what are the external visible means in this sacrament? 6. what word of god is it with which bread and wine are connected? 7. what does christ give us to eat and to drink under and with the bread and wine? 8. why do we believe this to be true though we can not understand it? 9. why do we believe that christ is able to do what he has promised in his supper? 10. which words of christ show us the benefit of such eating and drinking? 11. what is given us, according to these words, in the sacrament? 12. how do we prove that also life and salvation are given us in the sacrament, although christ speaks only of forgiveness of sins? 13. how does the sacrament make us certain of forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation? 14. what is a sacrament? lesson 51. baptism and the lord's supper. review lesson. 1. we have two sacraments in our church. what do we mean by a sacrament? by whom have the sacraments been instituted? what has god ordained in the sacraments to offer his grace? with what are these visible, external means connected? what does god offer and give through the external means connected with his word? what are the two sacraments called? 2. our first sacrament is baptism. how does our catechism answer the question, "what is baptism"? what is the external means in baptism? what kind of water must we use when we baptize a person? if we have no water, we cannot baptize. but the water in baptism is not simple, common water; what, then, is it?--baptism is the water comprehended in god's command. what command did christ give his disciples before he ascended into heaven? matt. 28,19. who, therefore, has instituted baptism? who, at the present time, ordinarily performs this sacred act? in which case can and should every christian do it? christ has commanded us to baptize? what does the word baptize mean?--which is the word of god connected with the water in baptism? we are baptized in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy ghost, in the name of the triune god. god's name is god himself. we are baptized in god himself, in the father, son, and holy ghost. what does god bestow upon us in baptism? god there gives us himself as our true father and accepts us as his dear children. since the water of baptism is connected with god's word and name, it is indeed not common water, but a gracious water of life.-whom are we to baptize according to god's command? what is meant by the word _nations_? we make a distinction in baptizing adults and children. when do we baptize adults? we baptize our children in their infancy, when they are still babies, not able to be instructed in the word of god. we instruct them in the doctrines of god's word after they have been baptized, when they are able to understand and to learn the word of god. what kind of schools do we christians therefore establish? which word of christ induces us to baptize our little children? mark 10,14. to whom are our children brought in baptism? what does the holy ghost kindle in them by baptism? in holy baptism our children become god's children. christ takes them up in his arms and blesses them. 3. baptism is the water comprehended in god's command and connected with god's word. baptism is indeed a great and wonderful institution. why? what three great blessings of baptism are mentioned in our catechism? where has christ promised these three blessings? mark 16,16. christ here only says that he that believeth and is baptized _shall be saved._ he mentions only salvation; how, then, can we prove that baptism also works forgiveness of sins and delivers from death and the devil?--baptism works forgiveness of sins. christ by his innocent sufferings and death has earned us this great gift, and yet we say that baptism works forgiveness of sins. what do we mean to say by this? by what means does the holy ghost make forgiveness of sins our own? what does the apostle write gal. 3,26.27? whom do we put on in baptism? what does this mean? by baptism all the merits of christ are imputed to us, his spotless righteousness is made our own. the second great blessing of baptism is this, that it delivers us from death and from the devil. how did death come into this world? if baptism works forgiveness of sins, from what must it deliver us? baptism delivers us from the devil. how does baptism deliver us from the devil? how does it give us salvation? to whom does baptism give all these great things? what does our lord say mark 16,16? it is true, baptism offers all these heavenly gifts to us, whether we believe or not. but we must take and receive them by faith. as god offers all these things in baptism, with what may we compare holy baptism as far as god is concerned? what is the hand with which we take all god's blessings which are offered in baptism? we should remember our baptism during our whole life. when especially should we think of it? how long will god keep his promises? 4. our second sacrament is the lord's supper. what is it also called? by whom was it instituted? what does our lord mean to say when he adds: "this do in remembrance of me"? christ wants his sacrament to be celebrated in his church till he again comes visibly on the last day.-what are the visible means in this sacrament? what are we to do with the bread and wine? in the lord's supper as in baptism the visible means, bread and wine, are comprehended in god's command.--what is the word of god connected with the bread and wine? what does christ give us in the sacrament under bread and wine? we, indeed, cannot understand this, cannot see how it is possible. why do we nevertheless believe it to be true? can christ fulfil what he has promised us? why? in which of his words of institution is the benefit of such eating and drinking shown? what is given us in the sacrament through these words? we are given forgiveness of sins; what must be there also, where there is forgiveness of sins? what is especially strengthened in us when we partake of the lord's supper? lord, grant that we e'er pure retain the catechismal doctrine plain as luther taught the heavenly truth in simple words to tender youth. that we thy holy law may know and mourn our sin and all its woe, and yet believe in father, son, and holy spirit, three in one. that we on thee, our father, call, who canst and wilt give help to all; that as thy children we may live, whom thou in baptism didst receive. that, if we fall, we rise again, repentingly confess our sin, and take the sacrament in faith;-amen. god grant a happy death! commentary on the epistle to the galatians (1535) by martin luther translated by theodore graebner preface the preparation of this edition of luther's commentary on galatians was first suggested to me by mr. p. j. zondervan, of the firm of publishers, in march, 1937. the consultation had the twofold merit of definiteness and brevity. "luther is still the greatest name in protestantism. we want you to help us publish some leading work of luther's for the general american market. will you do it?" "i will, on one condition." "and what is that?" "the condition is that i will be permitted to make luther talk american, 'streamline' him, so to speak--because you will never get people, whether in or outside the lutheran church, actually to read luther unless we make him talk as he would talk today to americans." i illustrated the point by reading to mr. zondervan a few sentences from an english translation lately reprinted by an american publisher, of one of luther's outstanding reformatory essays. the demonstration seemed to prove convincing for it was agreed that one may as well offer luther in the original german or latin as expect the american church-member to read any translations that would adhere to luther's german or latin constructions and employ the mid-victorian type of english characteristic of the translations now on the market. "and what book would be your choice?" "there is one book that luther himself likes better than any other. let us begin with that: his commentary on galatians..." the undertaking, which seemed so attractive when viewed as a literary task, proved a most difficult one, and at times became oppressive. the letter to the galatians consists of six short chapters. luther's commentary fills seven hundred and thirty-three octavo pages in the weidman edition of his works. it was written in latin. we were resolved not to present this entire mass of exegesis. it would have run to more than fifteen hundred pages, ordinary octavo (like this), since it is impossible to use the compressed structure of sentences which is characteristic of latin, and particularly of luther's latin. the work had to be condensed. german and english translations are available, but the most acceptable english version, besides laboring under the handicaps of an archaic style, had to be condensed into half its volume in order to accomplish the "streamlining" of the book. whatever merit the translation now presented to the reader may possess should be written to the credit of rev. gerhardt mahler of geneva, n.y., who came to my assistance in a very busy season by making a rough draft of the translation and later preparing a revision of it, which forms the basis of the final draft submitted to the printer. a word should now be said about the origin of luther's commentary on galatians. the reformer had lectured on this epistle of st. paul's in 1519 and again in 1523. it was his favorite among all the biblical books. in his table talks the saying is recorded: "the epistle to the galatians is my epistle. to it i am as it were in wedlock. it is my katherine." much later when a friend of his was preparing an edition of all his latin works, he remarked to his home circle: "if i had my way about it they would republish only those of my books which have doctrine. my galatians, for instance." the lectures which are preserved in the works herewith submitted to the american public were delivered in 1531. they were taken down by george roerer, who held something of a deanship at wittenberg university and who was one of luther's aids in the translation of the bible. roerer took down luther's lectures and this manuscript has been preserved to the present day, in a copy which contains also additions by veit dietrich and by cruciger, friends of roerer's, who with him attended luther's lectures. in other words, these three men took down the lectures which luther addressed to his students in the course of galatians, and roerer prepared the manuscript for the printer. a german translation by justus menius appeared in the wittenberg edition of luther's writings, published in 1539. the importance of this commentary on galatians for the history of protestantism is very great. it presents like no other of luther's writings the central thought of christianity, the justification of the sinner for the sake of christ's merits alone. we have permitted in the final revision of the manuscript many a passage to stand which seemed weak and ineffectual when compared with the trumpet tones of the latin original. but the essence of luther's lectures is there. may the reader accept with indulgence where in this translation we have gone too far in modernizing luther's expression--making him "talk american." at the end of his lectures in 1531, luther uttered a brief prayer and then dictated two scriptural texts, which we shall inscribe at the end of these introductory remarks: "the lord who has given us power to teach and to hear, let him also give us the power to serve and to do." luke 2 glory to god in the highest, and on earth peace, good will to men. isaiah 40 the word of our god shall stand forever. theodore graebner st. louis, missouri from luther's introduction, 1538 in my heart reigns this one article, faith in my dear lord christ, the beginning, middle and end of whatever spiritual and divine thoughts i may have, whether by day or by night. chapter 1 verse 1. paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by jesus christ, and god the father, who raised him from the dead). st. paul wrote this epistle because, after his departure from the galatian churches, jewish-christian fanatics moved in, who perverted paul's gospel of man's free justification by faith in christ jesus. the world bears the gospel a grudge because the gospel condemns the religious wisdom of the world. jealous for its own religious views, the world in turn charges the gospel with being a subversive and licentious doctrine, offensive to god and man, a doctrine to be persecuted as the worst plague on earth. as a result we have this paradoxical situation: the gospel supplies the world with the salvation of jesus christ, peace of conscience, and every blessing. just for that the world abhors the gospel. these jewish-christian fanatics who pushed themselves into the galatian churches after paul's departure, boasted that they were the descendants of abraham, true ministers of christ, having been trained by the apostles themselves, that they were able to perform miracles. in every way they sought to undermine the authority of st. paul. they said to the galatians: "you have no right to think highly of paul. he was the last to turn to christ. but we have seen christ. we heard him preach. paul came later and is beneath us. it is possible for us to be in error--we who have received the holy ghost? paul stands alone. he has not seen christ, nor has he had much contact with the other apostles. indeed, he persecuted the church of christ for a long time." when men claiming such credentials come along, they deceive not only the naive, but also those who seemingly are well-established in the faith. this same argument is used by the papacy. "do you suppose that god for the sake of a few lutheran heretics would disown his entire church? or do you suppose that god would have left his church floundering in error all these centuries?" the galatians were taken in by such arguments with the result that paul's authority and doctrine were drawn in question. against these boasting, false apostles, paul boldly defends his apostolic authority and ministry. humble man that he was, he will not now take a back seat. he reminds them of the time when he opposed peter to his face and reproved the chief of the apostles. paul devotes the first two chapters to a defense of his office and his gospel, affirming that he received it, not from men, but from the lord jesus christ by special revelation, and that if he or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel than the one he had preached, he shall be accursed. the certainty of our calling every minister should make much of his calling and impress upon others the fact that he has been delegated by god to preach the gospel. as the ambassador of a government is honored for his office and not for his private person, so the minister of christ should exalt his office in order to gain authority among men. this is not vain glory, but needful glorying. paul takes pride in his ministry, not to his own praise but to the praise of god. writing to the romans, he declares, "inasmuch as i am the apostle of the gentiles, i magnify mine office," i.e., i want to be received not as paul of tarsus, but as paul the apostle and ambassador of jesus christ, in order that people might be more eager to hear. paul exalts his ministry out of the desire to make known the name, the grace, and the mercy of god. verse 1. paul, an apostle, (not of men, etc.) paul loses no time in defending himself against the charge that he had thrust himself into the ministry. he says to the galatians: "my call may seem inferior to you. but those who have come to you are either called of men or by man. my call is the highest possible, for it is by jesus christ, and god the father." when paul speaks of those called "by men," i take it he means those whom neither god nor man sent, but who go wherever they like and speak for themselves. when paul speaks of those called "by man" i take it he means those who have a divine call extended to them through other persons. god calls in two ways. either he calls ministers through the agency of men, or he calls them directly as he called the prophets and apostles. paul declares that the false apostles were called or sent neither by men, nor by man. the most they could claim is that they were sent by others. "but as for me i was called neither of men, nor by man, but directly by jesus christ. my call is in every respect like the call of the apostles. in fact i am an apostle." elsewhere paul draws a sharp distinction between an apostleship and lesser functions, as in i corinthians 12:28: "and god hath set some in the church; first, apostles; secondarily, prophets; thirdly, teachers." he mentions the apostles first because they were appointed directly by god. matthias was called in this manner. the apostles chose two candidates and then cast lots, praying that god would indicate which one he would have. to be an apostle he had to have his appointment from god. in the same manner paul was called as the apostle of the gentiles. the call is not to be taken lightly. for a person to possess knowledge is not enough. he must be sure that he is properly called. those who operate without a proper call seek no good purpose. god does not bless their labors. they may be good preachers, but they do not edify. many of the fanatics of our day pronounce words of faith, but they bear no good fruit, because their purpose is to turn men to their perverse opinions. on the other hand, those who have a divine call must suffer a good deal of opposition in order that they may become fortified against the running attacks of the devil and the world. this is our comfort in the ministry, that ours is a divine office to which we have been divinely called. reversely, what an awful thing it must be for the conscience if one is not properly called. it spoils one's best work. when i was a young man i thought paul was making too much of his call. i did not understand his purpose. i did not then realize the importance of the ministry. i knew nothing of the doctrine of faith because we were taught sophistry instead of certainty, and nobody understood spiritual boasting. we exalt our calling, not to gain glory among men, or money, or satisfaction, or favor, but because people need to be assured that the words we speak are the words of god. this is no sinful pride. it is holy pride. verse 1. and god the father, who raised him from the dead. paul is so eager to come to the subject matter of his epistle, the righteousness of faith in opposition to the righteousness of works, that already in the title he must speak his mind. he did not think it quite enough to say that he was an apostle "by jesus christ"; he adds, "and god the father, who raised him from the dead." the clause seems superfluous on first sight. yet paul had a good reason for adding it. he had to deal with satan and his agents who endeavored to deprive him of the righteousness of christ, who was raised by god the father from the dead. these perverters of the righteousness of christ resist the father and the son, and the works of them both. in this whole epistle paul treats of the resurrection of christ. by his resurrection christ won the victory over law, sin, flesh, world, devil, death, hell, and every evil. and this his victory he donated unto us. these many tyrants and enemies of ours may accuse and frighten us, but they dare not condemn us, for christ, whom god the father has raised from the dead is our righteousness and our victory. do you notice how well suited to his purpose paul writes? he does not say, "by god who made heaven and earth, who is lord of the angels," but paul has in mind the righteousness of christ, and speaks to the point, saying, "i am an apostle, not of men, neither by man, but by jesus christ, and god the father, who raised him from the dead." verse 2. and all the brethren which are with me. this should go far in shutting the mouths of the false apostles. paul's intention is to exalt his own ministry while discrediting theirs. he adds for good measure the argument that he does not stand alone, but that all the brethren with him attest to the fact that his doctrine is divinely true. "although the brethren with me are not apostles like myself, yet they are all of one mind with me, think, write, and teach as i do." verse 2. unto the churches of galatia. paul had preached the gospel throughout galatia, founding many churches which after his departure were invaded by the false apostles. the anabaptists in our time imitate the false apostles. they do not go where the enemies of the gospel predominate. they go where the christians are. why do they not invade the catholic provinces and preach their doctrine to godless princes, bishops, and doctors, as we have done by the help of god? these soft martyrs take no chances. they go where the gospel has a hold, so that they may not endanger their lives. the false apostles would not go to jerusalem of caiaphas, or to the rome of the emperor, or to any other place where no man had preached before as paul and the other apostles did. but they came to the churches of galatia, knowing that where men profess the name of christ they may feel secure. it is the lot of god's ministers not only to suffer opposition at the hand of a wicked world, but also to see the patient indoctrination of many years quickly undone by such religious fanatics. this hurts more than the persecution of tyrants. we are treated shabbily on the outside by tyrants, on the inside by those whom we have restored to the liberty of the gospel, and also by false brethren. but this is our comfort and our glory, that being called of god we have the promise of everlasting life. we look for that reward which "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man." jerome raises the question why paul called them churches that were no churches, inasmuch as the galatians had forsaken the grace of christ for the law of moses. the proper answer is: although the galatians had fallen away from the doctrine of paul, baptism, the gospel, and the name of christ continued among them. not all the galatians had become perverted. there were some who clung to the right view of the word and the sacraments. these means cannot be contaminated. they remain divine regardless of men's opinion. wherever the means of grace are found, there is the holy church, even though antichrist reigns there. so much for the title of the epistle. now follows the greeting of the apostle. verse 3. grace be to you, and peace, from god the father, and from our lord jesus christ. the terms of grace and peace are common terms with paul and are now pretty well understood. but since we are explaining this epistle, you will not mind if we repeat what we have so often explained elsewhere. the article of justification must be sounded in our ears incessantly because the frailty of our flesh will not permit us to take hold of it perfectly and to believe it with all our heart. the greeting of the apostle is refreshing. grace remits sin, and peace quiets the conscience. sin and conscience torment us, but christ has overcome these fiends now and forever. only christians possess this victorious knowledge given from above. these two terms, grace and peace, constitute christianity. grace involves the remission of sins, peace, and a happy conscience. sin is not canceled by lawful living, for no person is able to live up to the law. the law reveals guilt, fills the conscience with terror, and drives men to despair. much less is sin taken away by man-invented endeavors. the fact is, the more a person seeks credit for himself by his own efforts, the deeper he goes into debt. nothing can take away sin except the grace of god. in actual living, however, it is not so easy to persuade oneself that by grace alone, in opposition to every other means, we obtain the forgiveness of our sins and peace with god. the world brands this a pernicious doctrine. the world advances free will, the rational and natural approach of good works, as the means of obtaining the forgiveness of sin. but it is impossible to gain peace of conscience by the methods and means of the world. experience proves this. various holy orders have been launched for the purpose of securing peace of conscience through religious exercises, but they proved failures because such devices only increase doubt and despair. we find no rest for our weary bones unless we cling to the word of grace. the apostle does not wish the galatians grace and peace from the emperor, or from kings, or from governors, but from god the father. he wishes them heavenly peace, the kind of which jesus spoke when he said, "peace i leave unto you: my peace i give unto you." worldly peace provides quiet enjoyment of life and possessions. but in affliction, particularly in the hour of death, the grace and peace of the world will not deliver us. however, the grace and peace of god will. they make a person strong and courageous to bear and to overcome all difficulties, even death itself, because we have the victory of christ's death and the assurance of the forgiveness of our sins. men should not speculate about the nature of god the apostle adds to the salutation the words, "and from our lord jesus christ." was it not enough to say, "from god the father"? it is a principle of the bible that we are not to inquire curiously into the nature of god. "there shall no man see me, and live," exodus 33:20. all who trust in their own merits to save them disregard this principle and lose sight of the mediator, jesus christ. true christian theology does not inquire into the nature of god, but into god's purpose and will in christ, whom god incorporated in our flesh to live and to die for our sins. there is nothing more dangerous than to speculate about the incomprehensible power, wisdom, and majesty of god when the conscience is in turmoil over sin. to do so is to lose god altogether because god becomes intolerable when we seek to measure and to comprehend his infinite majesty. we are to seek god as paul tells us in i corinthians 1:23, 24: "we preach christ crucified, unto the jews a stumbling block, and unto the greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both jews and greeks, christ the power of god, and the wisdom of god." begin with christ. he came down to earth, lived among men, suffered, was crucified, and then he died, standing clearly before us, so that our hearts and eyes may fasten upon him. thus we shall be kept from climbing into heaven in a curious and futile search after the nature of god. if you ask how god may be found, who justifies sinners, know that there is no other god besides this man christ jesus. embrace him, and forget about the nature of god. but these fanatics who exclude our mediator in their dealings with god, do not believe me. did not christ himself say: "i am the way, and the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the father, but by me"? without christ there is no access to the father, but futile rambling; no truth, but hypocrisy; no life, but eternal death. when you argue about the nature of god apart from the question of justification, you may be as profound as you like. but when you deal with conscience and with righteousness over against the law, sin, death, and the devil, you must close your mind to all inquiries into the nature of god, and concentrate upon jesus christ, who says, "come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and i will give you rest." doing this, you will recognize the power, and majesty condescending to your condition according to paul's statement to the colossians, "in christ are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge," and, "in him dwelleth all the fulness of the godhead bodily." paul in wishing grace and peace not alone from god the father, but also from jesus christ, wants to warn us against the curious incursions into the nature of god. we are to hear christ, who has been appointed by the father as our divine teacher. christ is god by nature at the same time, paul confirms our creed, "that christ is very god." we need such frequent confirmation of our faith, for satan will not fail to attack it. he hates our faith. he knows that it is the victory which overcometh him and the world. that christ is very god is apparent in that paul ascribes to him divine powers equally with the father, as for instance, the power to dispense grace and peace. this jesus could not do unless he were god. to bestow peace and grace lies in the province of god, who alone can create these blessings. the angels cannot. the apostles could only distribute these blessings by the preaching of the gospel. in attributing to christ the divine power of creating and giving grace, peace, everlasting life, righteousness, and forgiveness of sins, the conclusion is inevitable that christ is truly god. similarly, st. john concludes from the works attributed to the father and the son that they are divinely one. hence, the gifts which we receive from the father and from the son are one and the same. otherwise paul should have written: "grace from god the father, and peace from our lord jesus christ." in combining them he ascribes them equally to the father and the son. i stress this on account of the many errors emanating from the sects. the arians were sharp fellows. admitting that christ had two natures, and that he is called "very god of very god," they were yet able to deny his divinity. the arians took christ for a noble and perfect creature, superior even to the angels, because by him god created heaven and earth. mohammed also speaks highly of christ. but all their praise is mere palaver to deceive men. paul's language is different. to paraphrase him: "you are established in this belief that christ is very god because he gives grace and peace, gifts which only god can create and bestow." verse 4. who gave himself for our sins. paul sticks to his theme. he never loses sight of the purpose of his epistle. he does not say, "who received our works," but "who gave." gave what? not gold, or silver, or paschal lambs, or an angel, but himself. what for? not for a crown, or a kingdom, or our goodness, but for our sins. these words are like so many thunderclaps of protest from heaven against every kind and type of self-merit. underscore these words, for they are full of comfort for sore consciences. how may we obtain remission of our sins? paul answers: "the man who is named jesus christ and the son of god gave himself for our sins." the heavy artillery of these words explodes papacy, works, merits, superstitions. for if our sins could be removed by our own efforts, what need was there for the son of god to be given for them? since christ was given for our sins it stands to reason that they cannot be put away by our own efforts. this sentence also defines our sins as great, so great, in fact, that the whole world could not make amends for a single sin. the greatness of the ransom, christ, the son of god, indicates this. the vicious character of sin is brought out by the words "who gave himself for our sins." so vicious is sin that only the sacrifice of christ could atone for sin. when we reflect that the one little word "sin" embraces the whole kingdom of satan, and that it includes everything that is horrible, we have reason to tremble. but we are careless. we make light of sin. we think that by some little work or merit we can dismiss sin. this passage, then, bears out the fact that all men are sold under sin. sin is an exacting despot who can be vanquished by no created power, but by the sovereign power of jesus christ alone. all this is of wonderful comfort to a conscience troubled by the enormity of sin. sin cannot harm those who believe in christ, because he has overcome sin by his death. armed with this conviction, we are enlightened and may pass judgment upon the papists, monks, nuns, priests, mohammedans, anabaptists, and all who trust in their own merits, as wicked and destructive sects that rob god and christ of the honor that belongs to them alone. note especially the pronoun "our" and its significance. you will readily grant that christ gave himself for the sins of peter, paul, and others who were worthy of such grace. but feeling low, you find it hard to believe that christ gave himself for your sins. our feelings shy at a personal application of the pronoun "our" and we refuse to have anything to do with god until we have made ourselves worthy by good deeds. this attitude springs from a false conception of sin, the conception that sin is a small matter, easily taken care of by good works; that we must present ourselves unto god with a good conscience; that we must feel no sin before we may feel that christ was given for our sins. this attitude is universal and particularly developed in those who consider themselves better than others. such readily confess that they are frequent sinners, but they regard their sins as of no such importance that they cannot easily be dissolved by some good action, or that they may not appear before the tribunal of christ and demand the reward of eternal life for their righteousness. meantime they pretend great humility and acknowledge a certain degree of sinfulness for which they soulfully join in the publican's prayer, "god be merciful to me a sinner." but the real significance and comfort of the words "for our sins" is lost upon them. the genius of christianity takes the words of paul "who gave himself for our sins" as true and efficacious. we are not to look upon our sins as insignificant trifles. on the other hand, we are not to regard them as so terrible that we must despair. learn to believe that christ was given, not for picayune and imaginary transgressions, but for mountainous sins; not for one or two, but for all; not for sins that can be discarded, but for sins that are stubbornly ingrained. practice this knowledge and fortify yourself against despair, particularly in the last hour, when the memory of past sins assails the conscience. say with confidence: "christ, the son of god, was given not for the righteous, but for sinners. if i had no sin i should not need christ. no, satan, you cannot delude me into thinking i am holy. the truth is, i am all sin. my sins are not imaginary transgressions, but sins against the first table, unbelief, doubt, despair, contempt, hatred, ignorance of god, ingratitude towards him, misuse of his name, neglect of his word, etc.; and sins against the second table, dishonor of parents, disobedience of government, coveting of another's possessions, etc. granted that i have not committed murder, adultery, theft, and similar sins in deed, nevertheless i have committed them in the heart, and therefore i am a transgressor of all the commandments of god. "because my transgressions are multiplied and my own efforts at self-justification rather a hindrance than a furtherance, therefore christ the son of god gave himself into death for my sins." to believe this is to have eternal life. let us equip ourselves against the accusations of satan with this and similar passages of holy scripture. if he says, "thou shalt be damned," you tell him: "no, for i fly to christ who gave himself for my sins. in accusing me of being a damnable sinner, you are cutting your own throat, satan. you are reminding me of god's fatherly goodness toward me, that he so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. in calling me a sinner, satan, you really comfort me above measure." with such heavenly cunning we are to meet the devil's craft and put from us the memory of sin. st. paul also presents a true picture of christ as the virgin-born son of god, delivered into death for our sins. to entertain a true conception of christ is important, for the devil describes christ as an exacting and cruel judge who condemns and punishes men. tell him that his definition of christ is wrong, that christ has given himself for our sins, that by his sacrifice he has taken away the sins of the whole world. make ample use of this pronoun "our" be assured that christ has canceled the sins, not of certain persons only, but your sins. do not permit yourself to be robbed of this lovely conception of christ. christ is no moses, no law-giver, no tyrant, but the mediator for sins, the giver of grace and life. we know this. yet in the actual conflict with the devil, when he scares us with the law, when he frightens us with the very person of the mediator, when he misquotes the words of christ, and distorts for us our savior, we so easily lose sight of our sweet high-priest. for this reason i am so anxious for you to gain a true picture of christ out of the words of paul "who gave himself for our sins." obviously, christ is no judge to condemn us, for he gave himself for our sins. he does not trample the fallen but raises them. he comforts the broken-hearted. otherwise paul should lie when he writes "who gave himself for our sins." i do not bother my head with speculations about the nature of god. i simply attach myself to the human christ, and i find joy and peace, and the wisdom of god in him. these are not new truths. i am repeating what the apostles and all teachers of god have taught long ago. would to god we could impregnate our hearts with these truths. verse 4. that he might deliver us from this present evil world. paul calls this present world evil because everything in it is subject to the malice of the devil, who reigns over the whole world as his domain and fills the air with ignorance, contempt, hatred, and disobedience of god. in this devil's kingdom we live. as long as a person is in the world he cannot by his own efforts rid himself of sin, because the world is bent upon evil. the people of the world are the slaves of the devil. if we are not in the kingdom of christ, it is certain we belong to the kingdom of satan and we are pressed into his service with every talent we possess. take the talents of wisdom and integrity. without christ, wisdom is double foolishness and integrity double sin, because they not only fail to perceive the wisdom and righteousness of christ, but hinder and blaspheme the salvation of christ. paul justly calls it the evil or wicked world, for when the world is at its best the world is at its worst. the grossest vices are small faults in comparison with the wisdom and righteousness of the world. these prevent men from accepting the gospel of the righteousness of christ. the white devil of spiritual sin is far more dangerous than the black devil of carnal sin because the wiser, the better men are without christ, the more they are likely to ignore and oppose the gospel. with the words, "that he might deliver us," paul argues that we stand in need of christ. no other being can possibly deliver us from this present evil world. do not let the fact disturb you that a great many people enjoy excellent reputations without christ. remember what paul says, that the world with all its wisdom, might, and righteousness is the devil's own. god alone is able to deliver us from the world. let us praise and thank god for his mercy in delivering us from the captivity of satan, when we were unable to do so by our own strength. let us confess with paul that all our work-righteousness is loss and dung. let us condemn as filthy rags all talk about free will, all religious orders, masses, ceremonies, vows, fastings, and the like. in branding the world the devil's kingdom of iniquity, ignorance, error, sin, death, and everlasting despair, paul at the same time declares the kingdom of christ to be a kingdom of equity, light, grace, remission of sin, peace, saving health, and everlasting life into which we are translated by our lord jesus christ, to whom be glory forever. in this passage paul contends against the false apostles for the article of justification. christ, says paul, has delivered us from this wicked kingdom of the devil and the world according to the good will, the pleasure and commandment of the father. hence we are not delivered by our own will, or shrewdness, or wisdom, but by the mercy and love of god, as it is written, i john 4:10, "herein is love, not that we loved god, but that he loved us, and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins." another reason why paul, like john, emphasizes the father's will is christ's habit of directing attention to the father. for christ came into the world to reconcile god with us and to draw us to the father. not by curious inquiries into the nature of god shall we know god and his purpose for our salvation, but by taking hold of christ, who according to the will of the father has given himself into death for our sins. when we understand this to be the will of the father in christ, then shall we know god to be merciful, and not angry. we shall realize that he loved us wretched sinners so much indeed that he gave us his only-begotten son into death for us. the pronoun "our" refers to both god and father. he is our god and our father. christ's father and our father are one and the same. hence christ said to mary magdalene: "go to my brethren, and say unto them, i ascend unto my father, and your father; and to my god, and your god." god is our father and our god, but only in christ jesus. verse 5. to whom be glory for ever and ever. amen. hebrew writing is interspersed with expressions of praise and gratitude. this peculiarity can be traced in the apostolic writings, particularly in those of paul. the name of the lord is to be mentioned with great reverence and thanksgiving. verse 6. i marvel. how patiently paul deals with his seduced galatians! he does not pounce on them but, like a father, he fairly excuses their error. with motherly affection he talks to them yet he does it in a way that at the same time he also reproves them. on the other hand, he is highly indignant at the seducers whom he blames for the apostasy of the galatians. his anger bursts forth in elemental fury at the beginning of his epistle. "if any may," he cries, "preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." later on, in the fifth chapter, he threatens the false apostles with damnation. "he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be." he pronounces a curse upon them. "i would they were even cut off which trouble you." he might have addressed the galatians after this fashion: "i am ashamed of you. your ingratitude grieves me. i am angry with you." but his purpose was to call them back to the gospel. with this purpose in his mind he speaks very gently to them. he could not have chosen a milder expression than this, "i marvel." it indicates his sorrow and his displeasure. paul minds the rule which he himself lays down in a later chapter where he says: "brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." toward those who have been misled we are to show ourselves parentally affectionate, so that they may perceive that we seek not their destruction but their salvation. over against the devil and his missionaries, the authors of false doctrines and sects, we ought to be like the apostle, impatient, and rigorously condemnatory, as parents are with the dog that bites their little one, but the weeping child itself they soothe. the right spirit in paul supplies him with an extraordinary facility in handling the afflicted consciences of the fallen. the pope and his bishops, inspired by the desire to lord it over men's souls, crack out thunders and curses upon miserable consciences. they have no care for the saving of men's souls. they are interested only in maintaining their position. verse 6. that ye are so soon. paul deplores the fact that it is difficult for the mind to retain a sound and steadfast faith. a man labors for a decade before he succeeds in training his little church into orderly religion, and then some ignorant and vicious poltroon comes along to overthrow in a minute the patient labor of years. by the grace of god we have effected here in wittenberg the form of a christian church. the word of god is taught as it should be, the sacraments are administered, and everything is prosperous. this happy condition, secured by many years of arduous labors, some lunatic might spoil in a moment. this happened in the churches of galatia which paul had brought into life in spiritual travail. soon after his departure, however, these galatian churches were thrown into confusion by the false apostles. the church is a tender plant. it must be watched. people hear a couple of sermons, scan a few pages of holy writ, and think they know it all. they are bold because they have never gone through any trials of faith. void of the holy spirit, they teach what they please as long as it sounds good to the common people who are ever ready to join something new. we have to watch out for the devil lest he sow tares among the wheat while we sleep. no sooner had paul turned his back on the churches of galatia, than the false apostles went to work. therefore, let us watch over ourselves and over the whole church. verse 6. i marvel that ye are so soon removed. again the apostle puts in a gentle word. he does not berate the galatians, "i marvel that ye are so unsteady, unfaithful." he says, "i marvel that ye are so soon removed." he does not address them as evildoers. he speaks to them as people who have suffered great loss. he condemns those who removed them rather than the galatians. at the same time he gently reproves them for permitting themselves to be removed. the criticism is implied that they should have been rather a little more settled in their beliefs. if they had taken better hold of the word they could not have been removed so easily. jerome thinks that paul is playing upon the name galatians, deriving it from the hebrew word galath, which means fallen or carried away, as though paul wanted to say, "you are true galatians, i.e., fallen away in name and in fact." some believe that the germans are descended from the galatians. there may be something to that. for the germans are not unlike the galatians in their lack of constancy. at first we germans are very enthusiastic, but presently our emotions cool and we become slack. when the light of the gospel first came to us many were zealous, heard sermons greedily, and held the ministry of god's word in high esteem. but now that religion has been reformed, many who formerly were such earnest disciples have discarded the word of god, have become sow-bellies like the foolish and inconsistent galatians. verse 6. from him that called you into the grace of christ. the reading is a little doubtful. the sentence may be construed to read: "from that christ that called you into grace"; or it may be construed to read: "from god that called you into the grace of christ." i prefer the former for it seems to me that paul's purpose is to impress upon us the benefits of christ. this reading also preserves the implied criticism that the galatians withdrew themselves from that christ who had called them not unto the law, but unto grace. with paul we decry the blindness and perverseness of men in that they will not receive the message of grace and salvation, or having received it they quickly let go of it, in spite of the fact that the gospel bestows all good things spiritual: forgiveness of sins, true righteousness, peace of conscience, everlasting life; and all good things temporal: good judgment, good government and peace. why does the world abhor the glad tidings of the gospel and the blessings that go with it? because the world is the devil's. under his direction the world persecutes the gospel and would if it could nail again christ, the son of god, to the cross although he gave himself into death for the sins of the world. the world dwells in darkness. the world is darkness. paul accentuates the point that the galatians had been called by christ unto grace. "i taught you the doctrine of grace and of liberty from the law, from sin and wrath, that you should be free in christ, and not slaves to the hard laws of moses. will you allow yourselves to be carried away so easily from the living fountain of grace and life?" verse 6. unto another gospel. note the resourcefulness of the devil. heretics do not advertise their errors. murderers, adulterers, thieves disguise themselves. so the devil masquerades all his devices and activities. he puts on white to make himself look like an angel of light. he is astoundingly clever to sell his patent poison for the gospel of christ. knowing satan's guile, paul sardonically calls the doctrine of the false apostles "another gospel," as if he would say, "you galatians have now another gospel, while my gospel is no longer esteemed by you." we infer from this that the false apostles had depreciated the gospel of paul among the galatians on the plea that it was incomplete. their objection to paul's gospel is identical to that recorded in the fifteenth chapter of the book of acts to the effect that it was not enough for the galatians to believe in christ, or to be baptized, but that it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of moses, for "except ye be circumcised after the manner of moses, ye cannot be saved." as though christ were a workman who had begun a building and left it for moses to finish. today the anabaptists and others, finding it difficult to condemn us, accuse us lutherans of timidity in professing the whole truth. they grant that we have laid the foundation in christ, but claim that we have failed to go through with the building. in this way these perverse fanatics parade their cursed doctrine as the word of god, and, flying the flag of god's name, they deceive many. the devil knows better than to appear ugly and black. he prefers to carry on his nefarious activities in the name of god. hence the german proverb: "all mischief begins in the name of god." when the devil sees that he cannot hurt the cause of the gospel by destructive methods, he does it under the guise of correcting and advancing the cause of the gospel. he would like best of all to persecute us with fire and sword, but this method has availed him little because through the blood of martyrs the church has been watered. unable to prevail by force, he engages wicked and ungodly teachers who at first make common cause with us, then claim that they are particularly called to teach the hidden mysteries of the scriptures to superimpose upon the first principles of christian doctrine that we teach. this sort of thing brings the gospel into trouble. may we all cling to the word of christ against the wiles of the devil, "for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." verse 7. which is not another; but there be some that trouble you. here again the apostle excuses the galatians, while he blames the false apostles for disturbing their consciences and for stealing them out of his hand. how angry he gets at these deceivers! he calls them troublemakers, seducers of poor consciences. this passage adduces further evidence that the false apostles defamed paul as an imperfect apostle and a weak and erroneous preacher. they condemn paul, paul condemns them. such warfare of condemnation is always going on in the church. the papists and the fanatics hate us, condemn our doctrine, and want to kill us. we in turn hate and condemn their cursed doctrine. in the meanwhile the people are uncertain whom to follow and which way to turn, for it is not given to everybody to judge these matters. but the truth will win out. so much is certain, we persecute no man, neither does our doctrine trouble men. on the contrary, we have the testimony of many good men who thank god on their knees for the consolation that our doctrine has brought them. like paul, we are not to blame that the churches have trouble. the fault lies with the anabaptists and other fanatics. every teacher of work-righteousness is a trouble-maker. has it never occurred to you that the pope, cardinals, bishops, monks, and that the whole synagogue of satan are trouble-makers? the truth is, they are worse than false apostles. the false apostles taught that in addition to faith in christ the works of the law of god were necessary unto salvation. but the papists omit faith altogether and teach self-devised traditions and works that are not commanded of god, indeed are contrary to the word of god, and for these traditions they demand preferred attention and obedience. paul calls the false apostles troublers of the church because they taught circumcision and the keeping of the law as needful unto salvation. they insisted that the law must be observed in every detail. they were supporters in this contention by the jews, with the result that those who were not firmly established in faith were easily persuaded that paul was not a sincere teacher of god because he ignored the law. the jews were offended at the idea that the law of god should be entirely ignored by paul and that the gentiles, former idol-worshippers, should gratuitously attain to the station of god's people without circumcision, without the penitentiary performance of the law, by grace alone through faith in christ jesus. these criticisms were amplified by the false apostles. they accused paul of designs to abolish the law of god and the jewish dispensation, contrary to the law of god, contrary to their jewish heritage, contrary to apostolic example, contrary to paul's own example. they demanded that paul be shunned as a blasphemer and a rebel, while they were to be heard as true teachers of the gospel and authentic disciples of the apostles. thus paul stood defamed among the galatians. he was forced to attack the false apostles. he did so without hesitation. verse 7. and would pervert the gospel of christ. to paraphrase this sentence: "these false apostles do not merely trouble you, they abolish christ's gospel. they act as if they were the only true gospel-preachers. for all that they muddle law and gospel. as a result they pervert the gospel. either christ must live and the law perish, or the law remains and christ must perish; christ and the law cannot dwell side by side in the conscience. it is either grace or law. to muddle the two is to eliminate the gospel of christ entirely." it seems a small matter to mingle the law and gospel, faith and works, but it creates more mischief than man's brain can conceive. to mix law and gospel not only clouds the knowledge of grace, it cuts out christ altogether. the words of paul, "and would pervert the gospel of christ," also indicate how arrogant these false apostles were. they were shameless boasters. paul simply had to exalt his own ministry and gospel. verse 8. but though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. paul's zeal for the gospel becomes so fervent that it almost leads him to curse angels. "i would rather that i, my brethren, yes, the angels of heaven be anathematized than that my gospel be overthrown." the greek word _anathema_, hebrew _herem_, means to accurse, execrate, to damn. paul first (hypothetically) curses himself. knowing persons first find fault with themselves in order that they may all the more earnestly reprove others. paul maintains that there is no other gospel besides the one he had preached to the galatians. he preached, not a gospel of his own invention, but the very same gospel god had long ago prescribed in the sacred scriptures. no wonder paul pronounces curses upon himself and upon others, upon the angels of heaven, if anyone should dare to preach any other gospel than christ's own. verse 9. as we said before, so say i now again. if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. paul repeats the curse, directing it now upon other persons. before, he cursed himself, his brethren, and an angel from heaven. "now," he says, "if there are any others who preach a gospel different from that you have received from us, let them also be accursed." paul herewith curses and excommunicates all false teachers including his opponents. he is so worked up that he dares to curse all who pervert his gospel. would to god that this terrible pronouncement of the apostle might strike fear into the hearts of all who pervert the gospel of paul. the galatians might say: "paul, we do not pervert the gospel you have brought unto us. we did not quite understand it. that is all. now these teachers who came after you have explained everything so beautifully." this explanation the apostle refuses to accept. they must add nothing; they must correct nothing. "what you received from me is the genuine gospel of god. let it stand. if any man brings any other gospel than the one i brought you, or promises to deliver better things than you have received from me, let him be accursed." in spite of this emphatic denunciation so many accept the pope as the supreme judge of the scriptures. "the church," they say, "chose only four gospels. the church might have chosen more. ergo the church is above the gospel." with equal force one might argue: "i approve the scriptures. ergo i am above the scriptures. john the baptist confessed christ. hence he is above christ." paul subordinates himself, all preachers, all the angels of heaven, everybody to the sacred scriptures. we are not the masters, judges, or arbiters, but witnesses, disciples, and confessors of the scriptures, whether we be pope, luther, augustine, paul, or an angel from heaven. verse 10. for do i now persuade men, or god? with the same vehemence paul continues: "you galatians ought to be able to tell from my preaching and from the many afflictions which i have endured, whether i serve men or god. everybody can see that my preaching has stirred up persecution against me everywhere, and has earned for me the cruel hatred of my own people, in fact the hatred of all men. this should convince you that by my preaching i do not seek the favor and praise of men, but the glory of god." no man can say that we are seeking the favor and praise of men with our doctrine. we teach that all men are naturally depraved. we condemn man's free will, his strength, wisdom, and righteousness. we say that we obtain grace by the free mercy of god alone for christ's sake. this is no preaching to please men. this sort of preaching procures for us the hatred and disfavor of the world, persecutions, excommunications, murders, and curses. "can't you see that i seek no man's favor by my doctrine?" asks paul. "if i were anxious for the favor of men i would flatter them. but what do i do? i condemn their works. i teach things only that i have been commanded to teach from above. for that i bring down upon my head the wrath of jews and gentiles. my doctrine must be right. it must be divine. any other doctrine cannot be better than mine. any other doctrine must be false and wicked." with paul we boldly pronounce a curse upon every doctrine that does not agree with ours. we do not preach for the praise of men, or the favor of princes. we preach for the favor of god alone whose grace and mercy we proclaim. whosoever teaches a gospel contrary to ours, or different from ours, let us be bold to say that he is sent of the devil. verse 10. or do i seek to please men? "do i serve men or god?" paul keeps an eye on the false apostles, those flatterers of men. they taught circumcision to avoid the hatred and persecution of men. to this day you will find many who seek to please men in order that they may live in peace and security. they teach whatever is agreeable to men, no matter whether it is contrary to god's word or their own conscience. but we who endeavor to please god and not men, stir up hell itself. we must suffer reproach, slanders, death. for those who go about to please men we have a word from christ recorded in the fifth chapter of st. john: "how can ye believe, which receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that cometh from god alone?" verse 10. for if i yet pleased men, i should not be the servant of christ. observe the consummate cleverness with which the false apostles went about to bring paul into disrepute. they combed paul's writings for contradictions (our opponents do the same) to accuse him of teaching contradictory things. they found that paul had circumcised timothy according to the law, that paul had purified himself with four other men in the temple at jerusalem, that paul had shaven his head at cenchrea. the false apostles slyly suggested that paul had been constrained by the other apostles to observe these ceremonial laws. we know that paul observed these _decora_ out of charitable regard for the weak brethren. he did not want to offend them. but the false apostles turned paul's charitable regard to his disadvantage. if paul had preached the law and circumcision, if he had commended the strength and free will of man, he would not have been so obnoxious to the jews. on the contrary they would have praised his every action. verses 11, 12. but i certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. for i neither received it of man, neither was i taught it, but by the revelation of jesus christ. this passage constitutes paul's chief defense against the accusations of his opponents. he maintains under oath that he received his gospel not from men, but by the revelation of jesus christ. in declaring that his gospel is not after man, paul does not merely wish to state that his gospel is not mundane. the false apostles made the same claim for their gospel. paul means to say that he learned his gospel not in the usual and accepted manner through the agency of men by hearing, reading, or writing. he received the gospel by special revelation directly from jesus christ. paul received his gospel on the way to damascus when christ appeared to him. st. luke furnishes an account of the incident in the ninth chapter of the book of acts. "arise," said christ to paul, "and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do." christ did not send paul into the city to learn the gospel from ananias. ananias was only to baptize paul, to lay his hands on paul, to commit the ministry of the word unto paul, and to recommend him to the church. ananias recognized his limited assignment when he said to paul: "brother saul, the lord, even jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the holy ghost." paul did not receive instruction from ananias. paul had already been called, enlightened, and taught by christ in the road. his contact with ananias was merely a testimonial to the fact that paul had been called by christ to preach the gospel. paul was forced to speak of his conversion to combat the slanderous contention of the false apostles to the effect that this apostleship was inferior to that of the other apostles. if it were not for the example of the galatian churches i would never have thought it possible that anybody who had received the word of god with such eagerness as they had, could so quickly let go of it. good lord, what terrible mischief one single false statement can create. the article of justification is fragile. not in itself, of course, but in us. i know how quickly a person can forfeit the joy of the gospel. i know in what slippery places even those stand who seem to have a good footing in the matters of faith. in the midst of the conflict when we should be consoling ourselves with the gospel, the law rears up and begins to rage all over our conscience. i say the gospel is frail because we are frail. what makes matters worse is that one-half of ourselves, our own reason, stands against us. the flesh resists the spirit, or as paul puts it, "the flesh lusteth against the spirit." therefore we teach that to know christ and to believe in him is no achievement of man, but the gift of god. god alone can create and preserve faith in us. god creates faith in us through the word. he increases, strengthens and confirms faith in us through his word. hence the best service that anybody can render god is diligently to hear and read god's word. on the other hand, nothing is more perilous than to be weary of the word of god. thinking he knows enough, a person begins little by little to despise the word until he has lost christ and the gospel altogether. let every believer carefully learn the gospel. let him continue in humble prayer. we are molested not by puny foes, but by mighty ones, foes who never grow tired of warring against us. these, our enemies, are many: our own flesh, the world, the law, sin, death, the wrath and judgment of god, and the devil himself. the arguments which the false apostles advanced impress people to this day. "who are you to dissent from the fathers and the entire church, and to bring a contradictory doctrine? are you wiser than so many holy men, wiser than the whole church?" when satan, abetted by our own reason, advances these arguments against us, we lose heart, unless we keep on saying to ourselves: "i don't care if cyprian, ambrose, augustine, peter, paul, john, or an angel from heaven, teaches so and so. i know that i teach the truth of god in christ jesus." when i first took over the defense of the gospel, i remembered what doctor staupitz said to me. "i like it well," he said, "that the doctrine which you proclaim gives glory to god alone and none to man. for never can too much glory, goodness, and mercy be ascribed unto god." these words of the worthy doctor comforted and confirmed me. the gospel is true because it deprives men of all glory, wisdom, and righteousness and turns over all honor to the creator alone. it is safer to attribute too much glory unto god than unto man. you may argue that the church and the fathers are holy. yet the church is compelled to pray: "forgive us our trespasses," i am not to be believed, nor is the church to be believed, or the fathers, or the apostles, or an angel from heaven, if they teach anything contrary to the word of god. let the word of god abide forever. peter erred in life and in doctrine. paul might have dismissed peter's error as a matter of no consequence. but paul saw that peter's error would lead to the damage of the whole church unless it were corrected. therefore he withstood peter to his face. the church, peter, the apostles, angels from heaven, are not to be heard unless they teach the genuine word of god. this argument is not always to our advantage. people ask: "whom then shall we believe?" our opponents maintain that they teach the pure word of god. we do not believe them. they in turn hate and persecute us for vile heretics. what can we do about it? with paul we glory in the gospel of jesus christ. what do we gain? we are told that our glorying is idle vanity and unadulterated blasphemy. the moment we abase ourselves and give in to the rage of our opponents, papists and anabaptists grow arrogant. the anabaptists hatch out some new monstrosity. the papists revive their old abominations. what to do? let everybody become sure of his calling and doctrine, that he may boldly say with paul: "but though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than ye have received, let him be accursed." verses 13, 14. for ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the jews' religion, how that beyond measure i persecuted the church of god, and wasted it: and profited in the jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation. this passage does not contain doctrine. paul adduces his own case for an example. "i have," he says, "at one time defended the traditions of the pharisees more fiercely than any of your false apostles. now, if the righteousness of the law had been worth anything i would never have forsaken it. so carefully did i live up to the law that i excelled many of my companions. so zealous was i in defense of the law that i wasted the church of god." verse 14. being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. speaking now of the mosaic law, paul declares that he was wrapped up in it. to the philippians he wrote: "as touching the law, a pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless." he means to say, "i can compare myself with the best and holiest of all those who are of the circumcision. let them show me if they can, a more earnest defender of the mosaic law than i was at one time. this fact, o galatians, should have put you on your guard against these deceivers who make so much of the law. if anybody ever had reason to glory in the righteousness of the law, it was i." i too may say that before i was enlightened by the gospel, i was as zealous for the papistical laws and traditions of the fathers as ever a man was. i tried hard to live up to every law as best i could. i punished myself with fasting, watching, praying, and other exercises more than all those who today hate and persecute me. i was so much in earnest that i imposed upon my body more than it could stand. i honored the pope as a matter of conscience. whatever i did, i did with a single heart to the glory of god. but our opponents, well-fed idlers that they are, will not believe what i and many others have endured. verses 15, 16, 17. but when it pleased god, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace. to reveal his son in me, that i might preach him among the heathen; immediately i conferred not with flesh and blood: neither went i up to jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but i went into arabia, and returned again unto damascus. here paul relates that immediately upon being called by god to preach the gospel to the gentiles, he went into arabia without consulting a single person. "when it had pleased god," he writes, "i did not deserve it. i had been an enemy of christ. i had blasphemed his gospel. i had shed innocent blood. in the midst of my frenzy i was called. why? on account of my outrageous cruelty? indeed not. my gracious god who shows mercy unto whom he will, pardoned all mine iniquities. he bestowed his grace upon me, and called me for an apostle." we also have come to the knowledge of the truth by the same kindness of god. i crucified christ daily in my cloistered life, and blasphemed god by my wrong faith. outwardly i kept myself chaste, poor, and obedient. i was much given to fasting, watching, praying, saying of masses, and the like. yet under the cloak of my outward respectability i continually mistrusted, doubted, feared, hated, and blasphemed god. my righteousness was a filthy puddle. satan loves such saints. they are his darlings, for they quickly destroy their body and soul by depriving them of the blessings of god's generous gifts. i tell you i stood in awe of the pope's authority. to dissent from him i considered a crime worthy of eternal death. i thought of john huss as a cursed heretic. i counted it a sin even to think of him. i would gladly have furnished the wood to burn him. i would have felt i had done god a real service. in comparison with these sanctimonious hypocrites of the papacy, publicans and harlots are not bad. they at least feel remorse. they at least do not try to justify their wicked deeds. but these pretended saints, so far from acknowledging their errors, justify them and regard them as acceptable sacrifices unto god. verse 15. when it pleased god. "by the favor of god i, a wicked and cursed wretch, a blasphemer, persecutor, and rebel, was spared. not content to spare me, god granted unto me the knowledge of his salvation, his spirit, his son, the office of an apostle, everlasting life." paul speaking. god not only pardoned our iniquities, but in addition overwhelmed us with blessings and spiritual gifts. many, however, are ungrateful. worse, by opening again a window to the devil many begin to loathe god's word, and end by perverting the gospel. verse 15. who separated me from my mother's womb. this is a hebrew expression, meaning to sanctify, ordain, prepare. paul is saying, "when i was not yet born god ordained me to be an apostle, and in due time confirmed my apostleship before the world. every gift, be it small or great, spiritual or temporal, and every good thing i should ever do, god has ordained while i was yet in my mother's womb where i could neither think nor perform any good thing. after i was born god supported me. heaping mercy upon mercy, he freely forgave my sins, replenishing me with his grace to enable me to learn what great things are ours in christ. to crown it all, he called me to preach the gospel to others." verse 15. and called me by his grace. "did god call me on account of my holy life? or on account of my pharisaical religion? or on account of my prayers, fastings, and works? never. well, then, it is certain god did not call me on account of my blasphemies, persecutions, oppressions. what prompted him to call me? his grace alone." verse 16. to reveal his son to me. we now hear what kind of doctrine was committed to paul: the doctrine of the gospel, the doctrine of the revelation of the son of god. this doctrine differs greatly from the law. the law terrorizes the conscience. the law reveals the wrath and judgment of god. the gospel does not threaten. the gospel announces that christ is come to forgive the sins of the world. the gospel conveys to us the inestimable treasures of god. verse 16. that i might preach him among the heathen. "it pleased god," says the apostle, "to reveal himself in me. why? for a twofold purpose. that i personally should believe in the son of god, and that i should reveal him to the gentiles." paul does not mention the jews, for the simple reason that he was the called and acknowledged apostle of the gentiles, although he preached christ also to the jews. we can hear the apostle saying to himself: "i will not burden the gentiles with the law, because i am their apostle and not their lawgiver. not once did you galatians hear me speak of the righteousness of the law or of works. my job was to bring you the gospel. therefore you ought to listen to no teachers of the law, but the gospel: not moses, but the son of god; not the righteousness of works, but the righteousness of faith must be proclaimed to the gentiles. that is the right kind of preaching for gentiles." verse 16. immediately i conferred not with flesh and blood. once paul had received the gospel from christ, he conferred with nobody in damascus. he asked no man to teach him. he did not go up to jerusalem to sit at the feet of peter and the other apostles. at once he preached jesus christ in damascus. verse 17. neither went i up to jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but i went into arabia, and returned again unto damascus. "i went to arabia before i saw any of the apostles. i took it upon myself to preach the gospel to the gentiles without delay, because christ had called me for that purpose." this statement refutes the assertion of the false apostles that paul had been a pupil of the apostles, from which the false apostles inferred that paul had been instructed in the obedience of the law, that therefore the gentiles also ought to keep the law and submit to circumcision. verses 18, 19. then after three years i went up to jerusalem to see peter, and abode with him fifteen days. but other of the apostles saw i none, save james the lord's brother. paul minutely recounts his personal history to stop the cavil of the false apostles. paul does not deny that he had been with some of the apostles. he went to jerusalem uninvited, not to be instructed, but to visit with peter. luke reports the occasion in the ninth chapter of the book of acts. barnabas introduced paul to the apostles and related to them how paul had met the lord jesus on the way to damascus, also how paul had preached boldly at damascus in the name of jesus. paul says that he saw peter and james, but he denies that he learned anything from them. why does paul harp on this seemingly unimportant fact? to convince the churches of galatia that his gospel was the true word of christ which he learned from christ himself and from no man. paul was forced to affirm and re-affirm this fact. his usefulness to all the churches that had used him as their pastor and teacher was at stake. verse 20. now the things which i write unto you, behold, before god, i lie not. was it necessary for paul to go under oath? yes. paul is reporting personal history. how else would the churches believe him? the false apostles might say, "who knows whether paul is telling the truth?" paul, the elect vessel of god, was held in so little esteem by his own galatians to whom he had preached christ that it was necessary for him to swear an oath that he spoke the truth. if this happened to paul, what business have we to complain when people doubt our words, or hold us in little regard, we who cannot begin to compare ourselves with the apostle? verse 21. afterwards i came into the regions of syria and cilicia. syria and cilicia are adjacent countries. paul traces his movements carefully in order to convince the galatians that he had never been the disciple of any apostle. verses 22, 23, 24. and was unknown by face unto the churches of judaea which were in christ: but they had heard only, that he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed. and they glorified god in me. in syria and cilicia paul won the indorsement of all the churches of judea, by his preaching. all the churches everywhere, even those of judea, could testify that he had preached the same faith everywhere. "and," paul adds, "these churches glorified god in me, not because i taught that circumcision and the law of moses should be observed, but because i urged upon all faith in the lord jesus christ." chapter 2 verse 1. then fourteen years after i went up again to jerusalem. paul taught justification by faith in christ jesus, without the deeds of the law. he reported this to the disciples at antioch. among the disciples were some that had been brought up in the ancient customs of the jews. these rose against paul in quick indignation, accusing him of propagating a gospel of lawlessness. great dissension followed. paul and barnabas stood up for the truth. they testified: "wherever we preached to the gentiles, the holy ghost came upon those who received the word. this happened everywhere. we preached not circumcision, we did not require observance of the law. we preached faith in jesus christ. at our preaching of faith, god gave to the hearers the holy ghost." from this fact paul and barnabas inferred that the holy ghost approved the faith of the gentiles without the law and circumcision. if the faith of the gentiles had not pleased the holy ghost, he would not have manifested his presence in the uncircumcised hearers of the word. unconvinced, the jews fiercely opposed paul, asserting that the law ought to be kept and that the gentiles ought to be circumcised, or else they could not be saved. when we consider the obstinacy with which romanists cling to their traditions, we can very well understand the zealous devotion of the jews for the law. after all, they had received the law from god. we can understand how impossible it was for recent converts from judaism suddenly to break with the law. for that matter, god did bear with them, as he bore with the infirmity of israel when the people halted between two religions. was not god patient with us also while we were blindfolded by the papacy? god is longsuffering and full of mercy. but we dare not abuse the patience of the lord. we dare no longer continue in error now that the truth has been revealed in the gospel. the opponents of paul had his own example to prefer against him. paul had circumcised timothy. paul defended his action on the ground that he had circumcised timothy, not from compulsion, but from christian love, lest the weak in faith should be offended. his opponents would not accept paul's explanation. when paul saw that the quarrel was getting out of hand he obeyed the direction of god and left for jerusalem, there to confer with the other apostles. he did this not for his own sake, but for the sake of the people. verse 1. with barnabas, and took titus with me also. paul chose two witnesses, barnabas and titus. barnabas had been paul's preaching companion to the gentiles. barnabas was an eye-witness of the fact that the holy ghost had come upon the gentiles in response to the simple preaching of faith in jesus christ. barnabas stuck to paul on this point, that it was not necessary for the gentiles to be bothered with the law as long as they believed in christ. titus was superintendent of the churches in crete, having been placed in charge of the churches by paul. titus was a former gentile. verse 2. and i went up by revelation. if god had not ordered paul to jerusalem, paul would never have gone there. verse 2. and communicated unto them that gospel. after an absence of fourteen years, respectively eighteen years, paul returned to jerusalem to confer with the other apostles. verse 2. which i preach among the gentiles. among the jews paul allowed law and circumcision to stand for the time being. so did all the apostles. nevertheless paul held fast to the liberty of the gospel. on one occasion he said to the jews: "through this man (christ) is preached unto you forgiveness of sins; and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of moses." (acts 13:39.) always remembering the weak, paul did not insist that they break at once with the law. paul admits that he conferred with the apostles concerning his gospel. but he denies that the conference benefited or taught him anything. the fact is he resisted those who wanted to force the practice of the law upon the gentiles. they did not overcome him, he overcame them. "your false apostles lie, when they say that i circumcised timothy, shaved my head in cenchrea, and went up to jerusalem, at the request of the apostles. i went to jerusalem at the request of god. what is more, i won the indorsement of the apostles. my opponents lost out." the matter upon which the apostles deliberated in conference was this: is the observance of the law requisite unto justification? paul answered: "i have preached faith in christ to the gentiles, and not the law. if the jews want to keep the law and be circumcised, very well, as long as they do so from a right motive." verse 2. but privately to them which were of reputation. this is to say, "i conferred not only with the brethren, but with the leaders among them." verse 2. lest by any means i should run, or had run, in vain. not that paul himself ever thought he had run in vain. however, many did think that paul had preached the gospel in vain, because he kept the gentiles free from the yoke of the law. the opinion that obedience to the law was mandatory unto salvation was gaining ground. paul meant to remedy this evil. by this conference he hoped to establish the identity of his gospel with that of the other apostles, to stop the talk of his opponents that he had been running around in vain. verse 3. but neither titus, who was with me, being a greek, was compelled to be circumcised. the word "compelled" acquaints us with the outcome of the conference. it was resolved that the gentiles should not be compelled to be circumcised. paul did not condemn circumcision in itself. neither by word nor deed did he ever inveigh against circumcision. but he did protest against circumcision being made a condition for salvation. he cited the case of the fathers. "the fathers were not justified by circumcision. it was to them a sign and seal of righteousness. they looked upon circumcision as a confession of their faith." the believing jews, however, could not get it through their heads that circumcision was not necessary for salvation. they were encouraged in their wrong attitude by the false apostles. the result was that the people were up in arms against paul and his doctrine. paul did not condemn circumcision as if it were a sin to receive it. but he insisted, and the conference upheld him, that circumcision had no bearing upon salvation and was therefore not to be forced upon the gentiles. the conference agreed that the jews should be permitted to keep their ancient customs for the time being, so long as they did not regard those customs as conveying god's justification of the sinner. the false apostles were dissatisfied with the verdict of the conference. they did not want to rest circumcision and the practice of the law in christian liberty. they insisted that circumcision was obligatory unto salvation. as the opponents of paul, so our own adversaries [luther's, the enemies of the reformation] contend that the traditions of the fathers dare not be neglected without loss of salvation. our opponents will not agree with us on anything. they defend their blasphemies. they go as far to enforce them with the sword. paul's victory was complete. titus, who was with paul, was not compelled to be circumcised, although he stood in the midst of the apostles when this question of circumcision was debated. this was a blow to the false apostles. with the living fact that titus was not compelled to be circumcised paul was able to squelch his adversaries. verses 4,5. and that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in christ jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: to whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. paul here explains his motive for going up to jerusalem. he did not go to jerusalem to be instructed or confirmed in his gospel by the other apostles. he went to jerusalem in order to preserve the true gospel for the galatian churches and for all the churches of the gentiles. when paul speaks of the truth of the gospel he implies by contrast a false gospel. the false apostles also had a gospel, but it was an untrue gospel. "in holding out against them," says paul, "i conserved the truth of the pure gospel." now the true gospel has it that we are justified by faith alone, without the deeds of the law. the false gospel has it that we are justified by faith, but not without the deeds of the law. the false apostles preached a conditional gospel. so do the papists. they admit that faith is the foundation of salvation. but they add the conditional clause that faith can save only when it is furnished with good works. this is wrong. the true gospel declares that good works are the embellishment of faith, but that faith itself is the gift and work of god in our hearts. faith is able to justify, because it apprehends christ, the redeemer. human reason can think only in terms of the law. it mumbles: "this i have done, this i have not done." but faith looks to jesus christ, the son of god, given into death for the sins of the whole world. to turn one's eyes away from jesus means to turn them to the law. true faith lays hold of christ and leans on him alone. our opponents cannot understand this. in their blindness they cast away the precious pearl, christ, and hang onto their stubborn works. they have no idea what faith is. how can they teach faith to others? not satisfied with teaching an untrue gospel, the false apostles tried to entangle paul. "they went about," says paul, "to spy out our liberty which we have in christ jesus, that they might bring us into bondage." when paul saw through their scheme, he attacked the false apostles. he says, "we did not let go of the liberty which we have in christ jesus. we routed them by the judgment of the apostles, and we would not give in to them, no, not an inch." we too were willing to make all kinds of concessions to the papists. yes, we are willing to offer them more than we should. but we will not give up the liberty of conscience which we have in christ jesus. we refuse to have our conscience bound by any work or law, so that by doing this or that we should be righteous, or leaving this or that undone we should be damned. since our opponents will not let it stand that only faith in christ justifies, we will not yield to them. on the question of justification we must remain adamant, or else we shall lose the truth of the gospel. it is a matter of life and death. it involves the death of the son of god, who died for the sins of the world. if we surrender faith in christ, as the only thing that can justify us, the death and resurrection of jesus are without meaning; that christ is the savior of the world would be a myth. god would be a liar, because he would not have fulfilled his promises. our stubbornness is right, because we want to preserve the liberty which we have in christ. only by preserving our liberty shall we be able to retain the truth of the gospel inviolate. some will object that the law is divine and holy. let it be divine and holy. the law has no right to tell me that i must be justified by it. the law has the right to tell me that i should love god and my neighbor, that i should live in chastity, temperance, patience, etc. the law has no right to tell me how i may be delivered from sin, death, and hell. it is the gospel's business to tell me that. i must listen to the gospel. it tells me, not what i must do, but what jesus christ, the son of god, has done for me. to conclude, paul refused to circumcise titus for the reason that the false apostles wanted to compel him to circumcise titus. paul refused to accede to their demands. if they had asked it on the plea of brotherly love, paul would not have denied them. but because they demanded it on the ground that it was necessary for salvation, paul defied them, and prevailed. titus was not circumcised. verse 6. but of those who seemed to be somewhat, whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me. this is a good point in paul's refutation. paul disparages the authority and dignity of the true apostles. he says of them, "which seemed to be somewhat." the authority of the apostles was indeed great in all the churches. paul did not want to detract from their authority, but he had to speak disparagingly of their authority in order to conserve the truth of the gospel, and the liberty of conscience. the false apostles used this argument against paul: "the apostles lived with christ for three years. they heard his sermons. they witnessed his miracles. they themselves preached and performed miracles while christ was on earth. paul never saw jesus in the flesh. now, whom ought you to believe: paul, who stands alone, a mere disciple of the apostles, one of the last and least; or will you believe those grand apostles who were sent and confirmed by christ himself long before paul?" what could paul say to that? he answered: "what they say has no bearing on the argument. if the apostles were angels from heaven, that would not impress me. we are not now discussing the excellency of the apostles. we are talking about the word of god now, and the truth of the gospel. that gospel is more excellent than all apostles." verse 6. god accepteth no man's person. paul is quoting moses: "thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty." (lev. 19:15) this quotation from moses ought to shut the mouths of the false apostles. "don't you know that god is no respecter of persons?" cries paul. the dignity or authority of men means nothing to god. the fact is that god often rejects just such who stand in the odor of sanctity and in the aura of importance. in doing so god seems unjust and harsh. but men need deterring examples. for it is a vice with us to esteem personality more highly than the word of god. god wants us to exalt his word and not men. there must be people in high office, of course. but we are not to deify them. the governor, the mayor, the preacher, the teacher, the scholar, father, mother, are persons whom we are to love and revere, but not to the extent that we forget god. least we attach too much importance to the person, god leaves with important persons offenses and sins, sometimes astounding shortcomings, to show us that there is a lot of difference between any person and god. david was a good king. but when the people began to think too well of him, down he fell into horrible sins, adultery and murder. peter, excellent apostle that he was, denied christ. such examples of which the scriptures are full, ought to warn us not to repose our trust in men. in the papacy appearance counts for everything. indeed, the whole papacy amounts to nothing more than a mere kowtowing of persons and outward mummery. but god alone is to be feared and honored. i would honor the pope, i would love his person, if he would leave my conscience alone, and not compel me to sin against god. but the pope wants to be adored himself, and that cannot be done without offending god. since we must choose between one or the other, let us choose god. the truth is we are commissioned by god to resist the pope, for it is written, "we ought to obey god rather than men." (acts 5:29) we have seen how paul refutes the argument of the false apostles concerning the authority of the apostles. in order that the truth of the gospel may continue; in order that the word of god and the righteousness of faith may be kept pure and undefiled, let the apostles, let an angel from heaven, let peter, let paul, let them all perish. verse 6. for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me. the apostle repeats: "i did not so confer with the apostles that they taught me anything. what could they possibly teach me since christ by his revelation had taught me all things? it was but a conference, and no disputation. i learned nothing, neither did i defend my cause. i only stated what i had done, that i had preached to the gentiles faith in christ, without the law, and that in response to my preaching the holy ghost came down upon the gentiles. when the apostles heard this, they were glad that i had taught the truth." if paul would not give in to the false apostles, much less ought we to give in to our opponents. i know that a christian should be humble, but against the pope i am going to be proud and say to him: "you, pope, i will not have you for my boss, for i am sure that my doctrine is divine." such pride against the pope is imperative, for if we are not stout and proud we shall never succeed in defending the article of the righteousness of faith. if the pope would concede that god alone by his grace through christ justifies sinners, we would carry him in our arms, we would kiss his feet. but since we cannot obtain this concession, we will give in to nobody, not to all the angels in heaven, not to peter, not to paul, not to a hundred emperors, not to a thousand popes, not to the whole world. if in this matter we were to humble ourselves, they would take from us the god who created us, and jesus christ who has redeemed us by his blood. let this be our resolution, that we will suffer the loss of all things, the loss of our good name, of life itself, but the gospel and our faith in jesus christ--we will not stand for it that anybody take them from us. verses 7, 8. but contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto peter; [for he that wrought effectually in peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the gentiles.] here the apostle claims for himself the same authority which the false apostles attributed to the true apostles. paul simply inverts their argument. "to bolster their evil cause," says he, "the false apostles quote the authority of the great apostles against me. i can quote the same authority against them, for the apostles are on my side. they gave me the right hand of fellowship. they approved my ministry. o my galatians, do not believe the counterfeit apostles!" what does paul mean by saying that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto him, and that of the circumcision to peter? did not paul preach to the jews, while peter preached to the gentiles also? peter converted the centurion. paul's custom was to enter into the synagogues of the jews, there to preach the gospel. why then should he call himself the apostle of the gentiles, while he calls peter the apostle of the circumcision? paul refers to the fact that the other apostles remained in jerusalem until the destruction of the city became imminent. but paul was especially called the apostle of the gentiles. even before the destruction of jerusalem jews dwelt here and there in the cities of the gentiles. coming to a city, paul customarily entered the synagogues of the jews and first brought to them as the children of the kingdom, the glad tidings that the promises made unto the fathers were fulfilled in jesus christ. when the jews refused to hear these glad tidings, paul turned to the gentiles. he was the apostle of the gentiles in a special sense, as peter was the apostle of the jews. paul reiterates that peter, james, and john, the accepted pillars of the church, taught him nothing, nor did they commit unto him the office of preaching the gospel unto the gentiles. both the knowledge of the gospel and the commandment to preach it to the gentiles, paul received directly from god. his case was parallel to that of peter's, who was particularly commissioned to preach the gospel to the jews. the apostles had the same charge, the identical gospel. peter did not proclaim a different gospel, nor had he appointed his fellow apostles. they were equals. they were all taught of god. none was greater than the other, none could point to prerogatives above the other. to justify his usurped primacy in the church the pope claims that peter was the chief of the apostles. this is an impudent falsehood. verse 8. for he that wrought effectually in peter. with these words paul refutes another argument of the false apostles. "what reason have the false apostles to boast that the gospel of peter was mighty, that he converted many, that he wrought great miracles, and that his very shadow healed the sick? these reports are true enough. but where did peter acquire this power? god gave him the power. i have the same power. i received my power, not from peter, but from the same god, the same spirit who was mighty in peter was mighty in me also." luke corroborates paul's statement in the words: "and god wrought special miracles by the hands of paul, so that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them." (acts 19:11, 12.) to conclude, paul is not going to be inferior to the rest of the apostles. some secular writers put paul's boasting down as carnal pride. but paul had no personal interest in his boasting. it was with him a matter of faith and doctrine. the controversy was not about the glory of paul, but the glory of god, the word of god, the true worship of god, true religion, and the righteousness of faith. verse 9. and when james, cephas and john, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. "the fact is, when the apostles heard that i had received the charge to preach the gospel to the gentiles from christ; when they heard that god had wrought many miracles through me; that great numbers of the gentiles had come to the knowledge of christ through my ministry; when they heard that the gentiles had received the holy ghost without law and circumcision, by the simple preaching of faith; when they heard all this they glorified god for his grace in me." hence, paul was justified in concluding that the apostles were for him, and not against him. verse 9. the right hands of fellowship. as if the apostles had said to him: "we, paul, do agree with you in all things. we are companions in doctrine. we have the same gospel with this difference, that to you is committed the gospel for the uncircumcised, while the gospel for the circumcision is committed unto us. but this difference ought not to hinder our friendship, since we preach one and the same gospel." verse 10. only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which i also was forward to do. next to the preaching of the gospel, a true and faithful pastor will take care of the poor. where the church is, there must be the poor, for the world and the devil persecute the church and impoverish many faithful christians. speaking of money, nobody wants to contribute nowadays to the maintenance of the ministry, and the erection of schools. when it comes to establishing false worship and idolatry, no cost is spared. true religion is ever in need of money, while false religions are backed by wealth. verse 11. but when peter was come to antioch, i withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. paul goes on in his refutation of the false apostles by saying that in antioch he withstood peter in the presence of the whole congregation. as he stated before, paul had no small matter in hand, but the chief article of the christian religion. when this article is endangered, we must not hesitate to resist peter, or an angel from heaven. paul paid no regard to the dignity and position of peter, when he saw this article in danger. it is written: "he that loveth father or mother or his own life, more than me, is not worthy of me." (matt. 10:37.) for defending the truth in our day, we are called proud and obstinate hypocrites. we are not ashamed of these titles. the cause we are called to defend, is not peter's cause, or the cause of our parents, or that of the government, or that of the world, but the cause of god. in defense of that cause we must be firm and unyielding. when he says, "to his face," paul accuses the false apostles of slandering him behind his back. in his presence they dared not to open their mouths. he tells them, "i did not speak evil of peter behind his back, but i withstood him frankly and openly." others may debate here whether an apostle might sin. i claim that we ought not to make peter out as faultless. prophets have erred. nathan told david that he should go ahead and build the temple of the lord. but his prophecy was afterwards corrected by the lord. the apostles erred in thinking of the kingdom of christ as a worldly state. peter had heard the command of christ, "go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." but if it had not been for the heavenly vision and the special command of christ, peter would never have gone to the home of cornelius. peter also erred in this matter of circumcision. if paul had not publicly censured him, all the believing gentiles would have been compelled to receive circumcision and accept the jewish law. we are not to attribute perfection to any man. luke reports "that the contention between paul and barnabas was so sharp that they departed asunder one from the other." the cause of their disagreement could hardly have been small since it separated these two, who had been joined together for years in a holy partnership. such incidents are recorded for our consolation. after all, it is a comfort to know that even saints might and do sin. samson, david, and many other excellent men, fell into grievous sins. job and jeremiah cursed the day of their birth. elijah and jonah became weary of life and prayed for death. such offenses on the part of the saints, the scriptures record for the comfort of those who are near despair. no person has ever sunk so low that he cannot rise again. on the other hand, no man's standing is so secure that he may not fall. if peter fell, i may fall. if he rose again, i may rise again. we have the same gifts that they had, the same christ, the same baptism and the same gospel, the same forgiveness of sins. they needed these saving ordinances just as much as we do. verse 12. for before that certain came from james, he did eat with the gentiles. the gentiles who had been converted to faith in christ, ate meats forbidden by the law. peter, visiting some of these gentiles, ate meat and drank wine with them, although he knew that these things were forbidden in the law. paul declared that he did likewise, that he became as a jew to the jews, and to them that were without law, as without law. he ate and drank with the gentiles unconcerned about the jewish law. when he was with the jews, however, he abstained from all things forbidden in the law, for he labored to serve all men, that he "might by all means save some." paul does not reprove peter for transgressing the law, but for disguising his attitude to the law. verse 12. but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. paul does not accuse peter of malice or ignorance, but of lack of principle, in that he abstained from meats, because he feared the jews that came from james. peter's weak attitude endangered the principle of christian liberty. it is the deduction rather than the fact which paul reproves. to eat and to drink, or not to eat and drink, is immaterial. but to make the deduction "if you eat, you sin; if you abstain you are righteous"--this is wrong. meats may be refused for two reasons. first, they may be refused for the sake of christian love. there is no danger connected with a refusal of meats for the sake of charity. to bear with the infirmity of a brother is a good thing. paul himself taught and exemplified such thoughtfulness. secondly, meats may be refused in the mistaken hope of thereby obtaining righteousness. when this is the purpose of abstaining from meats, we say, let charity go. to refrain from meats for this latter reason amounts to a denial of christ. if we must lose one or the other, let us lose a friend and brother, rather than god, our father. jerome, who understood not this passage, nor the whole epistle for that matter, excuses peter's action on the ground "that it was done in ignorance." but peter offended by giving the impression that he was indorsing the law. by his example he encouraged gentiles and jews to forsake the truth of the gospel. if paul had not reproved him, there would have been a sliding back of christians into the jewish religion, and a return to the burdens of the law. it is surprising that peter, excellent apostle that he was, should have been guilty of such vacillation. in a former council at jerusalem he practically stood alone in defense of the truth that salvation is by faith, without the law. peter at that time valiantly defended the liberty of the gospel. but now by abstaining from meats forbidden in the law, he went against his better judgment. you have no idea what danger there is in customs and ceremonies. they so easily tend to error in works. verse 13. and the other jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. it is marvelous how god preserved the church by one single person. paul alone stood up for the truth, for barnabas, his companion, was lost to him, and peter was against him. sometimes one lone person can do more in a conference than the whole assembly. i mention this to urge all to learn how properly to differentiate between the law and the gospel, in order to avoid dissembling. when it come to the article of justification we must not yield, if we want to retain the truth of the gospel. when the conscience is disturbed, do not seek advice from reason or from the law, but rest your conscience in the grace of god and in his word, and proceed as if you had never heard of the law. the law has its place and its own good time. while moses was in the mountain where he talked with god face to face, he had no law, he made no law, he administered no law. but when he came down from the mountain, he was a lawgiver. the conscience must be kept above the law, the body under the law. paul reproved peter for no trifle, but for the chief article of christian doctrine, which peter's hypocrisy had endangered. for barnabas and other jews followed peter's example. it is surprising that such good men as peter, barnabas, and others should fall into unexpected error, especially in a matter which they knew so well. to trust in our own strength, our own goodness, our own wisdom, is a perilous thing. let us search the scriptures with humility, praying that we may never lose the light of the gospel. "lord, increase our faith." verse 14. but when i saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel. no one except paul had his eyes open. consequently it was his duty to reprove peter and his followers for swerving from the truth of the gospel. it was no easy task for paul to reprimand peter. to the honor of peter it must be said that he took the correction. no doubt, he freely acknowledged his fault. the person who can rightly divide law and gospel has reason to thank god. he is a true theologian. i must confess that in times of temptation i do not always know how to do it. to divide law and gospel means to place the gospel in heaven, and to keep the law on earth; to call the righteousness of the gospel heavenly, and the righteousness of the law earthly; to put as much difference between the righteousness of the gospel and that of the law, as there is difference between day and night. if it is a question of faith or conscience, ignore the law entirely. if it is a question of works, then lift high the lantern of works and the righteousness of the law. if your conscience is oppressed with a sense of sin, talk to your conscience. say: "you are now groveling in the dirt. you are now a laboring ass. go ahead, and carry your burden. but why don't you mount up to heaven? there the law cannot follow you!" leave the ass burdened with laws behind in the valley. but your conscience, let it ascend with isaac into the mountain. in civil life obedience to the law is severely required. in civil life gospel, conscience, grace, remission of sins, christ himself, do not count, but only moses with the lawbooks. if we bear in mind this distinction, neither gospel nor law shall trespass upon each other. the moment law and sin cross into heaven, i.e., your conscience, kick them out. on the other hand, when grace wanders unto the earth, i.e., into the body, tell grace: "you have no business to be around the dreg and dung of this bodily life. you belong in heaven." by his compromising attitude peter confused the separation of law and gospel. paul had to do something about it. he reproved peter, not to embarrass him, but to conserve the difference between the gospel which justifies in heaven, and the law which justifies on earth. the right separation between law and gospel is very important to know. christian doctrine is impossible without it. let all who love and fear god, diligently learn the difference, not only in theory but also in practice. when your conscience gets into trouble, say to yourself: "there is a time to die, and a time to live; a time to learn the law, and a time to unlearn the law; a time to hear the gospel, and a time to ignore the gospel. let the law now depart, and let the gospel enter, for now is the right time to hear the gospel, and not the law." however, when the conflict of conscience is over and external duties must be performed, close your ears to the gospel, and open them wide to the law. verse 14. i said unto peter before them all, if thou being a jew, livest after the manner of gentiles, and not as do the jews, why compellest thou the gentiles to live as do the jews to live as a jew is nothing bad. to eat or not to eat pork, what difference does it make? but to play the jew, and for conscience' sake to abstain from certain meats, is a denial of christ. when paul saw that peter's attitude tended to this, he withstood peter and said to him: "you know that the observance of the law is not needed unto righteousness. you know that we are justified by faith in christ. you know that we may eat all kinds of meats. yet by your example you obligate the gentiles to forsake christ, and to return to the law. you give them reason to think that faith is not sufficient unto salvation." peter did not say so, but his example said quite plainly that the observance of the law must be added to faith in christ, if men are to be saved. from peter's example the gentiles could not help but draw the conclusion that the law was necessary unto salvation. if this error had been permitted to pass unchallenged, christ would have lost out altogether. the controversy involved the preservation of pure doctrine. in such a controversy paul did not mind if anybody took offense. verse 15. we who are jews by nature, and not sinners of the gentiles. "when we jews compare ourselves with the gentiles, we look pretty good. we have the law, we have good works. our rectitude dates from our birth, because the jewish religion is natural to us. but all this does not make us righteous before god." peter and the others lived up to the requirements of the law. they had circumcision, the covenant, the promises, the apostleship. but because of these advantages they were not to think themselves righteous before god. none of these prerogatives spell faith in christ, which alone can justify a person. we do not mean to imply that the law is bad. we do not condemn the law, circumcision, etc., for their failure to justify us. paul spoke disparagingly of these ordinances, because the false apostles asserted that mankind is saved by them without faith. paul could not let this assertion stand, for without faith all things are deadly. verse 16. knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of jesus christ. for the sake of argument let us suppose that you could fulfill the law in the spirit of the first commandment of god: "thou shalt love the lord, thy god, with all thy heart." it would do you no good. a person simply is not justified by the works of the law. the works of the law, according to paul, include the whole law, judicial, ceremonial, moral. now, if the performance of the moral law cannot justify, how can circumcision justify, when circumcision is part of the ceremonial law? the demands of the law may be fulfilled before and after justification. there were many excellent men among the pagans of old, men who never heard of justification. they lived moral lives. but that fact did not justify them. peter, paul, all christians, live up to the law. but that fact does not justify them. "for i know nothing by myself," says paul, "yet am i not hereby justified." (i cor. 4:4.) the nefarious opinion of the papists, which attributes the merit of grace and the remission of sins to works, must here be emphatically rejected. the papists say that a good work performed before grace has been obtained, is able to secure grace for a person, because it is no more than right that god should reward a good deed. when grace has already been obtained, any good work deserves everlasting life as a due payment and reward for merit. for the first, god is no debtor, they say; but because god is good and just, it is no more than right (they say) that he should reward a good work by granting grace for the service. but when grace has already been obtained, they continue, god is in the position of a debtor, and is in duty bound to reward a good work with the gift of eternal life. this is the wicked teaching of the papacy. now, if i could perform any work acceptable to god and deserving of grace, and once having obtained grace my good works would continue to earn for me the right and reward of eternal life, why should i stand in need of the grace of god and the suffering and death of christ? christ would be of no benefit to me. christ's mercy would be of no use to me. this shows how little insight the pope and the whole of his religious coterie have into spiritual matters, and how little they concern themselves with the spiritual health of their forlorn flocks. they cannot believe that the flesh is unable to think, speak, or do anything except against god. if they could see evil rooted in the nature of man, they would never entertain such silly dreams about man's merit or worthiness. with paul we absolutely deny the possibility of self merit. god never yet gave to any person grace and everlasting life as a reward for merit. the opinions of the papists are the intellectual pipe-dreams of idle pates, that serve no other purpose but to draw men away from the true worship of god. the papacy is founded upon hallucinations. the true way of salvation is this. first, a person must realize that he is a sinner, the kind of a sinner who is congenitally unable to do any good thing. "whatsoever is not of faith, is sin." those who seek to earn the grace of god by their own efforts are trying to please god with sins. they mock god, and provoke his anger. the first step on the way to salvation is to repent. the second part is this. god sent his only-begotten son into the world that we may live through his merit. he was crucified and killed for us. by sacrificing his son for us god revealed himself to us as a merciful father who donates remission of sins, righteousness, and life everlasting for christ's sake. god hands out his gifts freely unto all men. that is the praise and glory of his mercy. the scholastics explain the way of salvation in this manner. when a person happens to perform a good deed, god accepts it and as a reward for the good deed god pours charity into that person. they call it "charity infused." this charity is supposed to remain in the heart. they get wild when they are told that this quality of the heart cannot justify a person. they also claim that we are able to love god by our own natural strength, to love god above all things, at least to the extent that we deserve grace. and, say the scholastics, because god is not satisfied with a literal performance of the law, but expects us to fulfill the law according to the mind of the lawgiver, therefore we must obtain from above a quality above nature, a quality which they call "formal righteousness." we say, faith apprehends jesus christ. christian faith is not an inactive quality in the heart. if it is true faith it will surely take christ for its object. christ, apprehended by faith and dwelling in the heart, constitutes christian righteousness, for which god gives eternal life. in contrast to the doting dreams of the scholastics, we teach this: first a person must learn to know himself from the law. with the prophet he will then confess: "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of god." and, "there is none that doeth good, no, not one." and, "against thee, thee only, have i sinned." having been humbled by the law, and having been brought to a right estimate of himself, a man will repent. he finds out that he is so depraved, that no strength, no works, no merits of his own will ever deliver him from his guilt. he will then understand the meaning of paul's words: "i am sold under sin"; and "they are all under sin." at this state a person begins to lament: "who is going to help me?" in due time comes the word of the gospel, and says: "son, thy sins are forgiven thee. believe in jesus christ who was crucified for your sins. remember, your sins have been imposed upon christ." in this way are we delivered from sin. in this way are we justified and made heirs of everlasting life. in order to have faith you must paint a true portrait of christ. the scholastics caricature christ into a judge and tormentor. but christ is no law giver. he is the lifegiver. he is the forgiver of sins. you must believe that christ might have atoned for the sins of the world with one single drop of his blood. instead, he shed his blood abundantly in order that he might give abundant satisfaction for our sins. here let me say, that these three things, faith, christ, and imputation of righteousness, are to be joined together. faith takes hold of christ. god accounts this faith for righteousness. this imputation of righteousness we need very much, because we are far from perfect. as long as we have this body, sin will dwell in our flesh. then, too, we sometimes drive away the holy spirit; we fall into sin, like peter, david, and other holy men. nevertheless we may always take recourse to this fact, "that our sins are covered," and that "god will not lay them to our charge." sin is not held against us for christ's sake. where christ and faith are lacking, there is no remission or covering of sins, but only condemnation. after we have taught faith in christ, we teach good works. "since you have found christ by faith," we say, "begin now to work and do well. love god and your neighbor. call upon god, give thanks unto him, praise him, confess him. these are good works. let them flow from a cheerful heart, because you have remission of sin in christ." when crosses and afflictions come our way, we bear them patiently. "for christ's yoke is easy, and his burden is light." when sin has been pardoned, and the conscience has been eased of its dreadful load, a christian can endure all things in christ. to give a short definition of a christian: a christian is not somebody who chalks(sp) sin, because of his faith in christ. this doctrine brings comfort to consciences in serious trouble. when a person is a christian he is above law and sin. when the law accuses him, and sin wants to drive the wits out of him, a christian looks to christ. a christian is free. he has no master except christ. a christian is greater than the whole world. verse 16. even we have believed in jesus christ, that we might be justified. the true way of becoming a christian is to be justified by faith in jesus christ, and not by the works of the law. we know that we must also teach good works, but they must be taught in their proper turn, when the discussion is concerning works and not the article of justification. here the question arises by what means are we justified? we answer with paul, "by faith only in christ are we pronounced righteous, and not by works." not that we reject good works. far from it. but we will not allow ourselves to be removed from the anchorage of our salvation. the law is a good thing. but when the discussion is about justification, then is no time to drag in the law. when we discuss justification we ought to speak of christ and the benefits he has brought us. christ is no sheriff. he is "the lamb of god, which taketh away the sin of the world." (john 1:29.) verse 16. that we might be justified by the faith of christ, and not by the works of the law. we do not mean to say that the law is bad. only it is not able to justify us. to be at peace with god, we have need of a far better mediator than moses or the law. we must know that we are nothing. we must understand that we are merely beneficiaries and recipients of the treasures of christ. so far, the words of paul were addressed to peter. now paul turns to the galatians and makes this summary statement: verse 16. for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. by the term "flesh" paul does not understand manifest vices. such sins he usually calls by their proper names, as adultery, fornication, etc. by "flesh" paul understands what jesus meant in the third chapter of john, "that which is born of the flesh is flesh". (john 3:6.) "flesh" here means the whole nature of man, inclusive of reason and instincts. "this flesh," says paul, "is not justified by the works of the law." the papists do not believe this. they say, "a person who performs this good deed or that, deserves the forgiveness of his sins. a person who joins this or that holy order, has the promise of everlasting life." to me it is a miracle that the church, so long surrounded by vicious sects, has been able to survive at all. god must have been able to call a few who in their failure to discover any good in themselves to cite against the wrath and judgment of god, simply took to the suffering and death of christ, and were saved by this simple faith. nevertheless god has punished the contempt of the gospel and of christ on the part of the papists, by turning them over to a reprobate state of mind in which they reject the gospel, and receive with gusto the abominable rules, ordinances, and traditions of men in preference to the word of god, until they went so far as to forbid marriage. god punished them justly, because they blasphemed the only son of god. this is, then, our general conclusion: "by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." verse 17. but if, while we seek to be justified by christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore christ the minister of sin? god forbid. either we are not justified by christ, or we are not justified by the law. the fact is, we are justified by christ. hence, we are not justified by the law. if we observe the law in order to be justified, or after having been justified by christ, we think we must further be justified by the law, we convert christ into a legislator and a minister of sin. "what are these false apostles doing?" paul cries. "they are turning law into grace, and grace into law. they are changing moses into christ, and christ into moses. by teaching that besides christ and his righteousness the performance of the law is necessary unto salvation, they put the law in the place of christ, they attribute to the law the power to save, a power that belongs to christ only." the papists quote the words of christ: "if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." (matt. 19:17.) with his own words they deny christ and abolish faith in him. christ is made to lose his good name, his office, and his glory, and is demoted to the status of a law enforcer, reproving, terrifying, and chasing poor sinners around. the proper office of christ is to raise the sinner, and extricate him from his sins. papists and anabaptists deride us because we so earnestly require faith. "faith," they say, "makes men reckless." what do these law-workers know about faith, when they are so busy calling people back from baptism, from faith, from the promises of christ to the law? with their doctrine these lying sects of perdition deface the benefits of christ to this day. they rob christ of his glory as the justifier of mankind and cast him into the role of a minister of sin. they are like the false apostles. there is not a single one among them who knows the difference between law and grace. we can tell the difference. we do not here and now argue whether we ought to do good works, or whether the law is any good, or whether the law ought to be kept at all. we will discuss these questions some other time. we are now concerned with justification. our opponents refuse to make this distinction. all they can do is to bellow that good works ought to be done. we know that. we know that good works ought to be done, but we will talk about that when the proper time comes. now we are dealing with justification, and here good works should not be so much as mentioned. paul's argument has often comforted me. he argues: "if we who have been justified by christ are counted unrighteous, why seek justification in christ at all? if we are justified by the law, tell me, what has christ achieved by his death, by his preaching, by his victory over sin and death? either we are justified by christ, or we are made worse sinners by him." the sacred scriptures, particularly those of the new testament, make frequent mention of faith in christ. "whosoever believeth in him is saved, shall not perish, shall have everlasting life, is not judged," etc. in open contradiction to the scriptures, our opponents misquote, "he that believeth in christ is condemned, because he has faith without works." our opponents turn everything topsy-turvy. they make christ over into a murderer, and moses into a savior. is not this horrible blasphemy? verse 17. is therefore christ the minister of sin? this is hebrew phraseology, also used by paul in ii corinthians, chapter 3. there paul speaks of two ministers: the minister of the letter, and the minister of the spirit; the minister of the law, and the minister of grace; the minister of death, and the minister of life. "moses," says paul, "is the minister of the law, of sin, wrath, death, and condemnation." whoever teaches that good works are indispensable unto salvation, that to gain heaven a person must suffer afflictions and follow the example of christ and of the saints, is a minister of the law, of sin, wrath, and of death, for the conscience knows how impossible it is for a person to fulfill the law. why, the law makes trouble even for those who have the holy spirit. what will not the law do in the case of the wicked who do not even have the holy spirit? the law requires perfect obedience. it condemns all who do not accomplish the will of god. but show me a person who is able to render perfect obedience. the law cannot justify. it can only condemn according to the passage: "cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them." paul has good reason for calling the minister of the law the minister of sin, for the law reveals our sinfulness. the realization of sin in turn frightens the heart and drives it to despair. therefore all exponents of the law and of works deserve to be called tyrants and oppressors. the purpose of the law is to reveal sin. that this is the purpose of the law can be seen from the account of the giving of the law as reported in the nineteenth and twentieth chapters of exodus. moses brought the people out of their tents to have god speak to them personally from a cloud. but the people trembled with fear, fled, and standing aloof they begged moses: "speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not god speak with us, lest we die." the proper office of the law is to lead us out of our tents, in other words, out of the security of our self-trust, into the presence of god, that we may perceive his anger at our sinfulness. all who say that faith alone in christ does not justify a person, convert christ into a minister of sin, a teacher of the law, and a cruel tyrant who requires the impossible. all merit-seekers take christ for a new lawgiver. in conclusion, if the law is the minister of sin, it is at the same time the minister of wrath and death. as the law reveals sin it fills a person with the fear of death and condemnation. eventually the conscience wakes up to the fact that god is angry. if god is angry with you, he will destroy and condemn you forever. unable to stand the thought of the wrath and judgment of god, many a person commits suicide. verse 17. god forbid. christ is not the minister of sin, but the dispenser of righteousness and the giver of life. christ is lord over law, sin and death. all who believe in him are delivered from law, sin and death. the law drives us away from god, but christ reconciles god unto us, for "he is the lamb of god, that taketh away the sins of the world." now if the sin of the world is taken away, it is taken away from me. if sin is taken away, the wrath of god and his condemnation are also taken away. let us practice this blessed conviction. verse 18. for if i build again the things which i destroyed, i make myself a transgressor. "i have not preached to the end that i build again the things which i destroyed. if i should do so, i would not only be laboring in vain, but i would make myself guilty of a great wrong. by the ministry of the gospel i have destroyed sin, heaviness of heart, wrath, and death. i have abolished the law, so that it should not bother your conscience any more. should i now once again establish the law, and set up the rule of moses? this is exactly what i should be doing, if i would urge circumcision and the performance of the law as necessary unto salvation. instead of righteousness and life, i would restore sin and death." by the grace of god we know that we are justified through faith in christ alone. we do not mingle law and grace, faith and works. we keep them far apart. let every true christian mark the distinction between law and grace, and mark it well. we must not drag good works into the article of justification as the monks do who maintain that not only good works, but also the punishment which evildoers suffer for their wicked deeds, deserve everlasting life. when a criminal is brought to the place of execution, the monks try to comfort him in this manner: "you want to die willingly and patiently, and then you will merit remission of your sins and eternal life." what cruelty is this, that a wretched thief, murderer, robber should be so miserably misguided in his extreme distress, that at the very point of death he should be denied the sweet promises of christ, and directed to hope for pardon of his sins in the willingness and patience with which he is about to suffer death for his crimes? the monks are showing him the paved way to hell. these hypocrites do not know the first thing about grace, the gospel, or christ. they retain the appearance and the name of the gospel and of christ for a decoy only. in their confessional writings faith or the merit of christ are never mentioned. in their writings they play up the merits of man, as can readily be seen from the following form of absolution used among the monks. "god forgive thee, brother. the merit of the passion of our lord jesus christ, and of the blessed saint mary, always a virgin, and of all the saints; the merit of thy order, the strictness of thy religion, the humility of thy profession, the contrition of thy heart, the good works thou hast done and shalt do for the love of our lord jesus christ, be available unto thee for the remission of thy sins, the increase of thy worth and grace, and the reward of everlasting life. amen." true, the merit of christ is mentioned in this formula of absolution. but if you look closer you will notice that christ's merit is belittled, while monkish merits are aggrandized. they confess christ with their lips, and at the same time deny his power to save. i myself was at one time entangled in this error. i thought christ was a judge and had to be pacified by a strict adherence to the rules of my order. but now i give thanks unto god, the father of all mercies, who has called me out of darkness into the light of his glorious gospel, and has granted unto me the saving knowledge of christ jesus, my lord. we conclude with paul, that we are justified by faith in christ, without the law. once a person has been justified by christ, he will not be unproductive of good, but as a good tree he will bring forth good fruit. a believer has the holy spirit, and the holy spirit will not permit a person to remain idle, but will put him to work and stir him up to the love of god, to patient suffering in affliction, to prayer, thanksgiving, to the habit of charity towards all men. verse 19. for i through the law am dead to the law, that i might live unto god. this cheering form of speech is frequently met with in the scriptures, particularly in the writings of st. paul, when the law is set against the law, and sin is made to oppose sin, and death is arrayed against death, and hell is turned loose against hell, as in the following quotations: "thou hast led captivity captive," psalm 68:18. "o death, i will be thy plagues; o grave, i will be thy destruction," hosea 13:14. "and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh," romans 8:3. here paul plays the law against the law, as if to say: "the law of moses condemns me; but i have another law, the law of grace and liberty which condemns the accusing law of moses." on first sight paul seems to be advancing a strange and ugly heresy. he says, "i am dead to the law, that i might live unto god." the false apostles said the very opposite. they said, "if you do not live to the law, you are dead unto god." the doctrine of our opponents is similar to that of the false apostles in paul's day. our opponents teach, "if you want to live unto god, you must live after the law, for it is written, do this and thou shalt live." paul, on the other hand, teaches, "we cannot live unto god unless we are dead unto the law." if we are dead unto the law, the law can have no power over us. paul does not only refer to the ceremonial law, but to the whole law. we are not to think that the law is wiped out. it stays. it continues to operate in the wicked. but a christian is dead to the law. for example, christ by his resurrection became free from the grave, and yet the grave remains. peter was delivered from prison, yet the prison remains. the law is abolished as far as i am concerned, when it has driven me into the arms of christ. yet the law continues to exist and to function. but it no longer exists for me. "i have nothing to do with the law," cries paul. he could not have uttered anything more devastating to the prestige of the law. he declares that he does not care for the law, that he does not intend ever to be justified by the law. to be dead to the law means to be free of the law. what right, then, has the law to accuse me, or to hold anything against me? when you see a person squirming in the clutches of the law, say to him: "brother, get things straight. you let the law talk to your conscience. make it talk to your flesh. wake up, and believe in jesus christ, the conqueror of law and sin. faith in christ will lift you high above the law into the heaven of grace. though law and sin remain, they no longer concern you, because you are dead to the law and dead to sin." blessed is the person who knows how to use this truth in times of distress. he can talk. he can say: "mr. law, go ahead and accuse me as much as you like. i know i have committed many sins, and i continue to sin daily. but that does not bother me. you have got to shout louder, mr. law. i am deaf, you know. talk as much as you like, i am dead to you. if you want to talk to me about my sins, go and talk to my flesh. belabor that, but don't talk to my conscience. my conscience is a lady and a queen, and has nothing to do with the likes of you, because my conscience lives to christ under another law, a new and better law, the law of grace." we have two propositions: to live unto the law, is to die unto god. to die unto the law, is to live unto god. these two propositions go against reason. no law-worker can ever understand them. but see to it that you understand them. the law can never justify and save a sinner. the law can only accuse, terrify, and kill him. therefore to live unto the law is to die unto god. vice versa, to die unto the law is to live unto god. if you want to live unto god, bury the law, and find life through faith in christ jesus. we have enough arguments right here to conclude that justification is by faith alone. how can the law effect our justification, when paul so plainly states that we must be dead to the law if we want to live unto god? if we are dead to the law and the law is dead to us, how can it possibly contribute anything to our justification? there is nothing left for us but to be justified by faith alone. this nineteenth verse is loaded with consolation. it fortifies a person against every danger. it allows you to argue like this: "i confess i have sinned." "then god will punish you." "no, he will not do that." "why not? does not the law say so?" "i have nothing to do with the law." "how so?" "i have another law, the law of liberty." "what do you mean--'liberty'?" "the liberty of christ, for christ has made me free from the law that held me down. that law is now in prison itself, held captive by grace and liberty." by faith in christ a person may gain such sure and sound comfort, that he need not fear the devil, sin, death, or any evil. "sir devil," he may say, "i am not afraid of you. i have a friend whose name is jesus christ, in whom i believe. he has abolished the law, condemned sin, vanquished death, and destroyed hell for me. he is bigger than you, satan. he has licked you, and holds you down. you cannot hurt me." this is the faith that overcomes the devil. paul manhandles the law. he treats the law as if it were a thief and a robber he treats the law as contemptible to the conscience, in order that those who believe in christ may take courage to defy the law, and say: "mr. law, i am a sinner. what are you going to do about it?" or take death. christ is risen from death. why should we now fear the grave? against my death i set another death, or rather life, my life in christ. oh, the sweet names of jesus! he is called my law against the law, my sin against sin, my death against death. translated, it means that he is my righteousness, my life, my everlasting salvation. for this reason was he made the law of the law, the sin of sin, the death of death, that he might redeem me from the curse of the law. he permitted the law to accuse him, sin to condemn him, and death to take him, to abolish the law, to condemn sin, and to destroy death for me. this peculiar form of speech sounds much sweeter than if paul had said: "i through liberty am dead to the law." by putting it in this way, "i through the law am dead to the law," he opposes one law with another law, and has them fight it out. in this masterly fashion paul draws our attention away from the law, sin, death, and every evil, and centers it upon christ. verse 20. i am crucified with christ. christ is lord over the law, because he was crucified unto the law. i also am lord over the law, because by faith i am crucified with christ. paul does not here speak of crucifying the flesh, but he speaks of that higher crucifying wherein sin, devil, and death are crucified in christ and in me. by my faith in christ i am crucified with christ. hence these evils are crucified and dead unto me. verse 20. nevertheless i live. "i do not mean to create the impression as though i did not live before this. but in reality i first live now, now that i have been delivered from the law, from sin, and death. being crucified with christ and dead unto the law, i may now rise unto a new and better life." we must pay close attention to paul's way of speaking. he says that we are crucified and dead unto the law. the fact is, the law is crucified and dead unto us. paul purposely speaks that way in order to increase the portion of our comfort. verse 20. yet not i. paul explains what constitutes true christian righteousness. true christian righteousness is the righteousness of christ who lives in us. we must look away from our own person. christ and my conscience must become one, so that i can see nothing else but christ crucified and raised from the dead for me. if i keep on looking at myself, i am gone. if we lose sight of christ and begin to consider our past, we simply go to pieces. we must turn our eyes to the brazen serpent, christ crucified, and believe with all our heart that he is our righteousness and our life. for christ, on whom our eyes are fixed, in whom we live, who lives in us, is lord over law, sin, death, and all evil. verse 20. but christ liveth in me. "thus i live," the apostle starts out. but presently he corrects himself, saying, "yet not i, but christ liveth in me." he is the form of my perfection. he embellishes my faith. since christ is now living in me, he abolishes the law, condemns sin, and destroys death in me. these foes vanish in his presence. christ abiding in me drives out every evil. this union with christ delivers me from the demands of the law, and separates me from my sinful self. as long as i abide in christ, nothing can hurt me. christ domiciling in me, the old adam has to stay outside and remain subject to the law. think what grace, righteousness, life, peace, and salvation there is in me, thanks to that inseparable conjunction between christ and me through faith! paul has a peculiar style, a celestial way of speaking. "i live," he says, "i live not; i am dead, i am not dead; i am a sinner, i am not a sinner; i have the law, i have no law." when we look at ourselves we find plenty of sin. but when we look at christ, we have no sin. whenever we separate the person of christ from our own person, we live under the law and not in christ; we are condemned by the law, dead before god. faith connects you so intimately with christ, that he and you become as it were one person. as such you may boldly say: "i am now one with christ. therefore christ's righteousness, victory, and life are mine." on the other hand, christ may say: "i am that big sinner. his sins and his death are mine, because he is joined to me, and i to him." whenever remission of sins is freely proclaimed, people misinterpret it according to romans 3:8, "let us do evil, that good may come." as soon as people hear that we are not justified by the law, they reason maliciously: "why, then let us reject the law. if grace abounds, where sin abounds, let us abound in sin, that grace may all the more abound." people who reason thus are reckless. they make sport of the scriptures and slander the sayings of the holy ghost. however, there are others who are not malicious, only weak, who may take offense when told that law and good works are unnecessary for salvation. these must be instructed as to why good works do not justify, and from what motives good works must be done. good works are not the cause, but the fruit of righteousness. when we have become righteous, then first are we able and willing to do good. the tree makes the apple; the apple does not make the tree. verse 20. and the life which i now live in the flesh i live by the faith of the son of god. paul does not deny the fact that he is living in the flesh. he performs the natural functions of the flesh. but he says that this is not his real life. his life in the flesh is not a life after the flesh. "i live by the faith of the son of god," he says. "my speech is no longer directed by the flesh, but by the holy ghost. my sight is no longer governed by the flesh, but by the holy ghost. my hearing is no longer determined by the flesh, but by the holy ghost. i cannot teach, write, pray, or give thanks without the instrumentality of the flesh; yet these activities do not proceed from the flesh, but from god." a christian uses earthly means like any unbeliever. outwardly they look alike. nevertheless there is a great difference between them. i may live in the flesh, but i do not live after the flesh. i do my living now "by the faith of the son of god." paul had the same voice, the same tongue, before and after his conversion. before his conversion his tongue uttered blasphemies. but after his conversion his tongue spoke a spiritual, heavenly language. we may now understand how spiritual life originates. it enters the heart by faith. christ reigns in the heart with his holy spirit, who sees, hears, speaks, works, suffers, and does all things in and through us over the protest and the resistance of the flesh. verse 20. who loved me, and gave himself for me. the sophistical papists assert that a person is able by natural strength to love god long before grace has entered his heart, and to perform works of real merit. they believe they are able to fulfill the commandments of god. they believe they are able to do more than god expects of them, so that they are in a position to sell their superfluous merits to laymen, thereby saving themselves and others. they are saving nobody. on the contrary, they abolish the gospel, they deride, deny, and blaspheme christ, and call upon themselves the wrath of god. this is what they get for living in their own righteousness, and not in the faith of the son of god. the papists will tell you to do the best you can, and god will give you his grace. they have a rhyme for it: "god will no more require of man, than of himself perform he can." this may hold true in ordinary civic life. but the papists apply it to the spiritual realm where a person can perform nothing but sin, because he is sold under sin. our opponents go even further than that. they say, nature is depraved, but the qualities of nature are untainted. again we say: this may hold true in everyday life, but not in the spiritual life. in spiritual matters a person is by nature full of darkness, error, ignorance, malice, and perverseness in will and in mind. in view of this, paul declares that christ began and not we. "he loved me, and gave himself for me. he found in me no right mind and no good will. but the good lord had mercy upon me. out of pure kindness he loved me, loved me so that he gave himself for me, that i should be free from the law, from sin, devil, and death." the words, "the son of god who loved me, and gave himself for me," are so many thunderclaps and lightning bolts of protest from heaven against the righteousness of the law. the wickedness, error, darkness, ignorance in my mind and my will were so great, that it was quite impossible for me to be saved by any other means than by the inestimable price of christ's death. let us count the price. when you hear that such an enormous price was paid for you, will you still come along with your cowl, your shaven pate, your chastity, your obedience, your poverty, your works, your merits? what do you want with all these trappings? what good are the works of all men, and all the pains of the martyrs, in comparison with the pains of the son of god dying on the cross, so that there was not a drop of his precious blood, but it was all shed for your sins. if you could properly evaluate this incomparable price, you would throw all your ceremonies, vows, works, and merits into the ash can. what awful presumption to imagine that there is any work good enough to pacify god, when to pacify god required the invaluable price of the death and blood of his own and only son? verse 20. for me. who is this "me"? i, wretched and damnable sinner, dearly beloved of the son of god. if i could by work or merit love the son of god and come to him, why should he have sacrificed himself for me? this shows how the papists ignore the scriptures, particularly the doctrine of faith. if they had paid any attention at all to these words, that it was absolutely necessary for the son of god to be given into death for me, they would never have invented so many hideous heresies. i always say, there is no remedy against the sects, no power to resist them, except this article of christian righteousness. if we lose this article we shall never be able to combat errors or sects. what business have they to make such a fuss about works or merits? if i, a condemned sinner, could have been purchased and redeemed by any other price, why should the son of god have given himself for me? just because there was no other price in heaven and on earth big and good enough, was it necessary for the son of god to be delivered for me. this he did out of his great love for me, for the apostle says, "who loved me." did the law ever love me? did the law ever sacrifice itself for me? did the law ever die for me? on the contrary, it accuses me, it frightens me, it drives me crazy. somebody else saved me from the law, from sin and death unto eternal life. that somebody is the son of god, to whom be praise and glory forever. hence, christ is no moses, no tyrant, no lawgiver, but the giver of grace, the savior, full of mercy. in short, he is no less than infinite mercy and ineffable goodness, bountifully giving himself for us. visualize christ in these his true colors. i do not say that it is easy. even in the present diffusion of the gospel light, i have much trouble to see christ as paul portrays him. so deeply has the diseased opinion that christ is a lawgiver sunk into my bones. you younger men are a good deal better off than we who are old. you have never become infected with the nefarious errors on which i suckled all my youth, until at the mention of the name of christ i shivered with fear. you, i say, who are young may learn to know christ in all his sweetness. for christ is joy and sweetness to a broken heart. christ is a lover of poor sinners, and such a lover that he gave himself for us. now if this is true, and it is true, then are we never justified by our own righteousness. read the words "me" and "for me" with great emphasis. print this "me" with capital letters in your heart, and do not ever doubt that you belong to the number of those who are meant by this "me." christ did not only love peter and paul. the same love he felt for them he feels for us. if we cannot deny that we are sinners, we cannot deny that christ died for our sins. verse 21. i do not frustrate the grace of god. paul is now getting ready for the second argument of his epistle, to the effect that to seek justification by works of the law, is to reject the grace of god. i ask you, what sin can be more horrible than to reject the grace of god, and to refuse the righteousness of christ? it is bad enough that we are wicked sinners and transgressors of all the commandments of god; on top of that to refuse the grace of god and the remission of sins offered unto us by christ, is the worst sin of all, the sin of sins. that is the limit. there is no sin which paul and the other apostles detested more than when a person despises the grace of god in christ jesus. still there is no sin more common. that is why paul can get so angry at the antichrist, because he snubs christ, rebuffs the grace of god, and refuses the merit of christ. what else would you call it but spitting in christ's face, pushing christ to the side, usurping christ's throne, and to say: "i am going to justify you people; i am going to save you." by what means? by masses, pilgrimages, pardons, merits, etc. for this is antichrist's doctrine: faith is no good, unless it is reinforced by works. by this abominable doctrine antichrist has spoiled, darkened, and buried the benefit of christ, and in place of the grace of christ and his kingdom, he has established the doctrine of works and the kingdom of ceremonies. we despise the grace of god when we observe the law for the purpose of being justified. the law is good, holy, and profitable, but it does not justify. to keep the law in order to be justified means to reject grace, to deny christ, to despise his sacrifice, and to be lost. verse 21. for if righteousness come by the law, then christ is dead in vain. did christ die, or did he not die? was his death worth while, or was it not? if his death was worth while, it follows that righteousness does not come by the law. why was christ born anyway? why was he crucified? why did he suffer? why did he love me and give himself for me? it was all done to no purpose if righteousness is to be had by the law. or do you think that god spared not his son, but delivered him for us all, for the fun of it? before i would admit anything like that, i would consign the holiness of the saints and of the angels to hell. to reject the grace of god is a common sin, of which everybody is guilty who sees any righteousness in himself or in his deeds. and the pope is the sole author of this iniquity. not content to spoil the gospel of christ, he has filled the world with his cursed traditions, e.g., his bulls and indulgences. we will always affirm with paul that either christ died in vain, or else the law cannot justify us. but christ did not suffer and die in vain. hence, the law does not justify. if my salvation was so difficult to accomplish that it necessitated the death of christ, then all my works, all the righteousness of the law, are good for nothing. how can i buy for a penny what cost a million dollars? the law is a penny's worth when you compare it with christ. should i be so stupid as to reject the righteousness of christ which cost me nothing, and slave like a fool to achieve the righteousness of the law which god disdains? man's own righteousness is in the last analysis a despising and rejecting of the grace of god. no combination of words can do justice to such an outrage. it is an insult to say that any man died in vain. but to say that christ died in vain is a deadly insult. to say that christ died in vain is to make his resurrection, his victory, his glory, his kingdom, heaven, earth, god himself, of no purpose and benefit whatever. that is enough to set any person against the righteousness of the law and all the trimmings of men's own righteousness, the orders of monks and friars, and their superstitions. who would not detest his own vows, his cowls, his shaven crown, his bearded traditions, yes, the very law of moses, when he hears that for such things he rejected the grace of god and the death of christ. it seems that such a horrible wickedness could not enter a man's heart, that he should reject the grace of god, and despise the death of christ. and yet this atrocity is all too common. let us be warned. everyone who seeks righteousness without christ, either by works, merits, satisfactions, actions, or by the law, rejects the grace of god, and despises the death of christ. chapter 3 verse 1. 0 foolish galatians. the apostle paul manifests his apostolic care for the galatians. sometimes he entreats them, then again he reproaches them, in accordance with his own advice to timothy: "preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort." in the midst of his discourse on christian righteousness paul breaks off, and turns to address the galatians. "o foolish galatians," he cries. "i have brought you the true gospel, and you received it with eagerness and gratitude. now all of a sudden you drop the gospel. what has got into you?" paul reproves the galatians rather sharply when he calls them "fools, bewitched, and disobedient." whether he is indignant or sorry, i cannot say. he may be both. it is the duty of a christian pastor to reprove the people committed to his charge. of course, his anger must not flow from malice, but from affection and a real zeal for christ. there is no question that paul is disappointed. it hurts him to think that his galatians showed so little stability. we can hear him say: "i am sorry to hear of your troubles, and disappointed in you for the disgraceful part you played." i say rather much on this point to save paul from the charge that he railed upon the churches, contrary to the spirit of the gospel. a certain distance and coolness can be noted in the title with which the apostle addresses the galatians. he does not now address them as his brethren, as he usually does. he addresses them as galatians in order to remind them of their national trait to be foolish. we have here an example of bad traits that often cling to individual christians and entire congregations. grace does not suddenly transform a christian into a new and perfect creature. dregs of the old and natural corruption remain. the spirit of god cannot at once overcome human deficiency. sanctification takes time. although the galatians had been enlightened by the holy spirit through the preaching of faith, something of their national trait of foolishness plus their original depravity clung to them. let no man think that once he has received faith, he can presently be converted into a faultless creature. the leavings of old vices will stick to him, be he ever so good a christian. verse 1. who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth? paul calls the galatians foolish and bewitched. in the fifth chapter he mentions sorcery among the works of the flesh, declaring that witchcraft and sorcery are real manifestations and legitimate activities of the devil. we are all exposed to the influence of the devil, because he is the prince and god of the world in which we live. satan is clever. he does not only bewitch men in a crude manner, but also in a more artful fashion. he bedevils the minds of men with hideous fallacies. not only is he able to deceive the self-assured, but even those who profess the true christian faith. there is not one among us who is not at times seduced by satan into false beliefs. this accounts for the many new battles we have to wage nowadays. but the attacks of the old serpent are not without profit to us, for they confirm our doctrine and strengthen our faith in christ. many a time we were wrestled down in these conflicts with satan, but christ has always triumphed and always will triumph. do not think that the galatians were the only ones to be bewitched by the devil. let us realize that we too may be seduced by satan. verse 1. who hath bewitched you? in this sentence paul excuses the galatians, while he blames the false apostles for the apostasy of the galatians. as if he were saying: "i know your defection was not willful. the devil sent the false apostles to you, and they tallied you into believing that you are justified by the law. with this our epistle we endeavor to undo the damage which the false apostles have inflicted upon you." like paul, we struggle with the word of god against the fanatical anabaptists of our day; and our efforts are not entirely in vain. the trouble is there are many who refuse to be instructed. they will not listen to reason; they will not listen to the scriptures, because they are bewitched by the tricky devil who can make a lie look like the truth. since the devil has this uncanny ability to make us believe a lie until we would swear a thousand times it were the truth, we must not be proud, but walk in fear and humility, and call upon the lord jesus to save us from temptation. although i am a doctor of divinity, and have preached christ and fought his battles for a long time, i know from personal experience how difficult it is to hold fast to the truth. i cannot always shake off satan. i cannot always apprehend christ as the scriptures portray him. sometimes the devil distorts christ to my vision. but thanks be to god, who keeps us in his word, in faith, and in prayer. the spiritual witchery of the devil creates in the heart a wrong idea of christ. those who share the opinion that a person is justified by the works of the law, are simply bewitched. their belief goes against faith and christ. verse 1. that ye should not obey the truth. paul incriminates the galatians in worse failure. "you are so bewitched that you no longer obey the truth. i fear many of you have strayed so far that you will never return to the truth." the apostasy of the galatians is a fine indorsement of the law, all right. you may preach the law ever so fervently; if the preaching of the gospel does not accompany it, the law will never produce true conversion and heartfelt repentance. we do not mean to say that the preaching of the law is without value, but it only serves to bring home to us the wrath of god. the law bows a person down. it takes the gospel and the preaching of faith in christ to raise and save a person. verse 1. before whose eyes jesus christ hath been evidently set forth. paul's increasing severity becomes apparent as he reminds the galatians that they disobeyed the truth in defiance of the vivid description he had given them of christ. so vividly had he described christ to them that they could almost see and handle him. as if paul were to say: "no artist with all his colors could have pictured christ to you as vividly as i have pictured him to you by my preaching. yet you permitted yourselves to be seduced to the extent that you disobeyed the truth of christ." verse 1. crucified among you. "you have not only rejected the grace of god, you have shamefully crucified christ among you." paul employs the same phraseology in hebrews 6:6: "seeing they crucify to themselves the son of god afresh, and put him to an open shame." it should make any person afraid to hear paul say that those who seek to be justified by the law, not only deny christ, but also crucify him anew. if those who seek to be justified by the law and its works are crucifiers of christ, what are they, i like to know, who seek salvation by the filthy rags of their own work-righteousness? can there be anything more horrible than the papacy, an alliance of people who crucify christ in themselves, in the church, and in the hearts of the believers? of all the diseased and vicious doctrines of the papacy the worst is this: "if you want to serve god you must earn your own remission of sins and everlasting life, and in addition help others to obtain salvation by giving them the benefit of your extra work-holiness." monks, friars, and all the rest of them brag that besides the ordinary requirements common to all christians, they do the works of supererogation, i.e., the performance of more than is required. this is certainly a fiendish illusion. no wonder paul employs such sharp language in his effort to recall the galatians from the doctrine of the false apostles. he says to them: "don't you realize what you have done? you have crucified christ anew because you seek salvation by the law." true, christ can no longer be crucified in person, but he is crucified in us when we reject grace, faith, free remission of sins and endeavor to be justified by our own works, or by the works of the law. the apostle is incensed at the presumptuousness of any person who thinks he can perform the law of god to his own salvation. he charges that person with the atrocity of crucifying anew the son of god. verse 2. this only would i learn of you, received ye the spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? there is a touch of irony in these words of the apostle. "come on now, my smart galatians, you who all of a sudden have become doctors, while i seem to be your pupil: received ye the holy ghost by the works of the law, or by the preaching of the gospel?" this question gave them something to think about, because their own experience contradicted them. "you cannot say that you received the holy spirit by the law. as long as you were servants of the law, you never received the holy ghost. nobody ever heard of the holy ghost being given to anybody, be he doctor or dunce, as a result of the preaching of the law. in your own case, you have not only learned the law by heart, you have labored with all your might to perform it. you most of all should have received the holy ghost by the law, if that were possible. you cannot show me that this ever happened. but as soon as the gospel came your way, you received the holy ghost by the simple hearing of faith, before you ever had a chance to do a single good deed." luke verifies this statement of paul in the book of acts: "while peter yet spake these words, the holy ghost fell on all them which heard the word." (acts 10:44.) "and as i began to speak, the holy ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning." (acts 11:15.) try to appreciate the force of paul's argument which is so often repeated in the book of acts. that book was written for the express purpose of verifying paul's assertion, that the holy ghost comes upon men, not in response to the preaching of the law, but in response to the preaching of the gospel. when peter preached christ at the first pentecost, the holy ghost fell upon the hearers, "and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls." cornelius received the holy ghost while peter was speaking of christ. "the holy ghost fell on all of them which heard the word." these are actual experiences that cannot very well be denied. when paul and barnabas returned to jerusalem and reported what they had been able to accomplish among the gentiles, the whole church was astonished, particularly when it heard that the uncircumcised gentiles had received the holy ghost by the preaching of faith in christ. now as god gave the holy ghost to the gentiles without the law by the simple preaching of the gospel, so he gave the holy ghost also to the jews, without the law, through faith alone. if the righteousness of the law were necessary unto salvation, the holy ghost would never have come to the gentiles, because they did not bother about the law. hence the law does not justify, but faith in christ justifies. how was it with cornelius? cornelius and his friends whom he had invited over to his house, do nothing but sit and listen. peter is doing the talking. they just sit and do nothing. the law is far removed from their thoughts. they burn no sacrifices. they are not at all interested in circumcision. all they do is to sit and listen to peter. suddenly the holy ghost enters their hearts. his presence is unmistakable, "for they spoke with tongues and magnified god." right here we have one more difference between the law and the gospel. the law does not bring on the holy ghost. the gospel, however, brings on the gift of the holy ghost, because it is the nature of the gospel to convey good gifts. the law and the gospel are contrary ideas. they have contrary functions and purposes. to endow the law with any capacity to produce righteousness is to plagiarize the gospel. the gospel brings donations. it pleads for open hands to take what is being offered. the law has nothing to give. it demands, and its demands are impossible. our opponents come back at us with cornelius. cornelius, they point out, was "a devout man, and one that feared god with all his house, which gave much alms to the people and prayed god always." because of these qualifications, he merited the forgiveness of sins, and the gift of the holy ghost. so reason our opponents. i answer: cornelius was a gentile. you cannot deny it. as a gentile he was uncircumcised. as a gentile he did not observe the law. he never gave the law any thought. for all that, he was justified and received the holy ghost. how can the law avail anything unto righteousness? our opponents are not satisfied. they reply: "granted that cornelius was a gentile and did not receive the holy ghost by the law, yet the text plainly states that he was a devout man who feared god, gave alms, and prayed. don't you think he deserved the gift of the holy ghost?" i answer: cornelius had the faith of the fathers who were saved by faith in the christ to come. if cornelius had died before christ, he would have been saved because he believed in the christ to come. but because the messiah had already come, cornelius had to be apprized of the fact. since christ has come we cannot be saved by faith in the christ to come, but we must believe that he has come. the object of peter's visit was to acquaint cornelius with the fact that christ was no longer to be looked for, because he is here. as to the contention of our opponents that cornelius deserved grace and the gift of the holy ghost, because he was devout and just, we say that these attributes are the characteristics of a spiritual person who already has faith in christ, and not the characteristics of a gentile or of natural man. luke first praises cornelius for being a devout and god-fearing man, and then luke mentions the good works, the alms and prayers of cornelius. our opponents ignore the sequence of luke's words. they pounce on this one sentence, "which gave much alms to the people," because it serves their assertion that merit precedes grace. the fact is that cornelius gave alms and prayed to god because he had faith. and because of his faith in the christ to come, peter was delegated to preach unto cornelius faith in the christ who had already come. this argument is convincing enough. cornelius was justified without the law, therefore the law cannot justify. take the case of naaman, the syrian, who was a gentile and did not belong to the race of moses. yet his flesh was cleansed, the god of israel was revealed unto him, and he received the holy ghost. naaman confessed his faith: "behold, now i know that there is no god in all the earth, but in israel." (ii kings 5:15.) naaman does not do a thing. he does not busy himself with the law. he was never circumcised. that does not mean that his faith was inactive. he said to the prophet elisha: "thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the lord. in this thing the lord pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the house of rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and i bow myself in the house of rimmon: when i bow down myself in the house of rimmon, the lord pardon thy servant in this thing." what did the prophet tell him? "go in peace." the jews do not like to hear the prophet say this. "what," they exclaim, "should this heathen be justified without the law? should he be made equal to us who are circumcised?" long before the time of moses, god justified men without the law. he justified many kings of egypt and babylonia. he justified job. nineveh, that great city, was justified and received the promise of god that he would not destroy the city. why was nineveh spared? not because it fulfilled the law, but because nineveh believed the word of god. the prophet jonah writes: "so the people of nineveh believed god, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth." they repented. nowhere in the book of jonah do you read that the ninevites received the law of moses, or that they were circumcised, or that they offered sacrifices. all this happened long before christ was born. if the gentiles were justified without the law and quietly received the holy spirit at a time when the law was in full force, why should the law count unto righteousness now, now that christ has fulfilled the law? and yet many devote much time and labor to the law, to the decrees of the fathers, and to the traditions of the pope. many of these specialists have incapacitated themselves for any kind of work, good or bad, by their rigorous attention to rules and laws. all the same, they could not obtain a quiet conscience and peace in christ. but the moment the gospel of christ touches them, certainty comes to them, and joy, and a right judgment. i have good reason for enlarging upon this point. the heart of man finds it difficult to believe that so great a treasure as the holy ghost is gotten by the mere hearing of faith. the hearer likes to reason like this: forgiveness of sins, deliverance from death, the gift of the holy ghost, everlasting life are grand things. if you want to obtain these priceless benefits, you must engage in correspondingly great efforts. and the devil says, "amen." we must learn that forgiveness of sins, christ, and the holy ghost, are freely granted unto us at the preaching of faith, in spite of our sinfulness. we are not to waste time thinking how unworthy we are of the blessings of god. we are to know that it pleased god freely to give us his unspeakable gifts. if he offers his gifts free of charge, why not take them? why worry about our lack of worthiness? why not accept gifts with joy and thanksgiving? right away foolish reason is once more offended. it scolds us. "when you say that a person can do nothing to obtain the grace of god, you foster carnal security. people become shiftless and will do no good at all. better not preach this doctrine of faith. rather urge the people to exert and to exercise themselves in good works, so that the holy ghost will feel like coming to them." what did jesus say to martha when she was very "careful and troubled about many things" and could hardly stand to see her sister mary sitting at the feet of jesus, just listening? "martha, martha," jesus said, "thou art careful and troubled about many things: but one thing is needful; and mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." a person becomes a christian not by working, but by hearing. the first step to being a christian is to hear the gospel. when a person has accepted the gospel, let him first give thanks unto god with a glad heart, and then let him get busy on the good works to strive for, works that really please god, and not man-made and self-chosen works. our opponents regard faith as an easy thing, but i know from personal experience how hard it is to believe. that the holy ghost is received by faith, is quickly said, but not so quickly done. all believers experience this difficulty. they would gladly embrace the word with a full faith, but the flesh deters them. you see, our reason always thinks it is too easy and cheap to have righteousness, the holy spirit, and life everlasting by the mere hearing of the gospel. verse 3. are ye so foolish? having begun in the spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? paul now begins to warn the galatians against a twofold danger. the first danger is: "are ye so foolish, that after ye have begun in the spirit, ye would now end in the flesh?" "flesh" stands for the righteousness of reason which seeks justification by the accomplishment of the law. i am told that i began in the spirit under the papacy, but am ending up in the flesh because i got married. as though single life were a spiritual life, and married life a carnal life. they are silly. all the duties of a christian husband, e.g., to love his wife, to bring up his children, to govern his family, etc., are the very fruits of the spirit. the righteousness of the law which paul also terms the righteousness of the flesh is so far from justifying a person that those who once had the holy spirit and lost him, end up in the law to their complete destruction. verse 4. have ye suffered so many things in vain? the other danger against which the apostle warns the galatians is this: "have ye suffered so many things in vain?" paul wants to say: "consider not only the good start you had and lost, but consider also the many things you have suffered for the sake of the gospel and for the name of christ. you have suffered the loss of your possessions, you have borne reproaches, you have passed through many dangers of body and life. you endured much for the name of christ and you endured it faithfully. but now you have lost everything, the gospel, faith, and the spiritual benefit of your sufferings for christ's sake. what a miserable thing to endure so many afflictions for nothing." verse 4. if it be yet in vain. the apostle adds the afterthought: "if it be yet in vain. i do not despair of all hope for you. but if you continue to look to the law for righteousness, i think you should be told that all your past true worship of god and all the afflictions that you have endured for christ's sake are going to help you not at all. i do not mean to discourage you altogether. i do hope you will repent and amend." verse 5. he therefore that ministereth to you the spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? this argument based on the experience of the galatians, pleased the apostle so well that he returns to it after he had warned them against their twofold danger. "you have not only received the spirit by the preaching of the gospel, but by the same gospel you were enabled to do things." "what things?" we ask. miracles. at least the galatians had manifested the striking fruits of faith which true disciples of the gospel manifested in those days. on one occasion the apostle wrote: "the kingdom of god is not in word, but in power." this "power" revealed itself not only in readiness of speech, but in demonstrations of the supernatural ability of the holy spirit. when the gospel is preached unto faith, hope, love, and patience, god gives his wonder-working spirit. paul reminds the galatians of this. "god had not only brought you to faith by my preaching. he had also sanctified you to bring forth the fruits of faith. and one of the fruits of your faith was that you loved me so devotedly that you were willing to pluck out your eyes for me." to love a fellow-man so devotedly as to be ready to bestow upon him money, goods, eyes in order to secure his salvation, such love is the fruit of the holy spirit. "these products of the spirit you enjoyed before the false apostles misled you," the apostle reminds the galatians. "but you haven't manifested any of these fruits under the regime of the law. how does it come that you do not grow the same fruits now? you no longer teach truly; you do not believe boldly; you do not live well; you do not work hard; you do not bear things patiently. who has spoiled you that you no longer love me; that you are not now ready to pluck out your eyes for me? what has happened to cool your personal interest in me?" the same thing happened to me. when i began to proclaim the gospel, there were many, very many who were delighted with our doctrine and had a good opinion of us. and now? now they have succeeded in making us so odious to those who formerly loved us that they now hate us like poison. paul argues: "your experience ought to teach you that the fruits of love do not grow on the stump of the law. you had not virtue prior to the preaching of the gospel and you have no virtues now under the regime of the false apostles." we, too, may say to those who misname themselves "evangelical" and flout their new-found liberty: have you put down the tyranny of the pope and obtained liberty in christ through the anabaptists and other fanatics? or have you obtained your freedom from us who preach faith in christ jesus? if there is any honesty left in them they will have to confess that their freedom dates from the preaching of the gospel. verse 6. even as abraham believed god, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. the apostle next adduces the example of abraham and reviews the testimony of the scriptures concerning faith. the first passage is taken from genesis 16:6: "and he believed in the lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness." the apostle makes the most of this passage. abraham may have enjoyed a good standing with men for his upright life, but not with god. in the sight of god, abraham was a condemned sinner. that he was justified before god was not due to his own exertions, but due to his faith. the scriptures expressly state: "abraham believed in the lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness." paul places the emphasis upon the two words: abraham believed. faith in god constitutes the highest worship, the prime duty, the first obedience, and the foremost sacrifice. without faith god forfeits his glory, wisdom, truth, and mercy in us. the first duty of man is to believe in god and to honor him with his faith. faith is truly the height of wisdom, the right kind of righteousness, the only real religion. this will give us an idea of the excellence of faith. to believe in god as abraham did is to be right with god because faith honors god. faith says to god: "i believe what you say." when we pay attention to reason, god seems to propose impossible matters in the christian creed. to reason it seems absurd that christ should offer his body and blood in the lord's supper; that baptism should be the washing of regeneration; that the dead shall rise; that christ the son of god was conceived in the womb of the virgin mary, etc. reason shouts that all this is preposterous. are you surprised that reason thinks little of faith? reason thinks it ludicrous that faith should be the foremost service any person can render unto god. let your faith supplant reason. abraham mastered reason by faith in the word of god. not as though reason ever yields meekly. it put up a fight against the faith of abraham. reason protested that it was absurd to think that sarah who was ninety years old and barren by nature, should give birth to a son. but faith won the victory and routed reason, that ugly beast and enemy of god. everyone who by faith slays reason, the world's biggest monster, renders god a real service, a better service than the religions of all races and all the drudgery of meritorious monks can render. men fast, pray, watch, suffer. they intend to appease the wrath of god and to deserve god's grace by their exertions. but there is no glory in it for god, because by their exertions these workers pronounce god an unmerciful slave driver, an unfaithful and angry judge. they despise god, make a liar out of him, snub christ and all his benefits; in short they pull god from his throne and perch themselves on it. faith truly honors god. and because faith honors god, god counts faith for righteousness. christian righteousness is the confidence of the heart in god through christ jesus. such confidence is accounted righteousness for christ's sake. two things make for christian righteousness: faith in christ, which is a gift of god; and god's acceptance of this imperfect faith of ours for perfect righteousness. because of my faith in christ, god overlooks my distrust, the unwillingness of my spirit, my many other sins. because the shadow of christ's wing covers me i have no fear that god will cover all my sins and take my imperfections for perfect righteousness. god "winks" at my sins and covers them up. god says: "because you believe in my son i will forgive your sins until death shall deliver you from the body of sin." learn to understand the constitution of your christian righteousness. faith is weak, but it means enough to god that he will not lay sin to our charge. he will not punish nor condemn us for it. he will forgive our sins as though they amount to nothing at all. he will do it not because we are worthy of such mercy. he will do it for jesus' sake in whom we believe. paradoxically, a christian is both right and wrong, holy and profane, an enemy of god and a child of god. these contradictions no person can harmonize who does not understand the true way of salvation. under the papacy we were told to toil until the feeling of guilt had left us. but the authors of this deranged idea were frequently driven to despair in the hour of death. it would have happened to me, if christ had not mercifully delivered me from this error. we comfort the afflicted sinner in this manner: brother, you can never be perfect in this life, but you can be holy. he will say: "how can i be holy when i feel my sins?" i answer: you feel sin? that is a good sign. to realize that one is ill is a step, and a very necessary step, toward recovery. "but how will i get rid of my sin?" he will ask. i answer: see the heavenly physician, christ, who heals the broken-hearted. do not consult that quackdoctor, reason. believe in christ and your sins will be pardoned. his righteousness will become your righteousness, and your sins will become his sins. on one occasion jesus said to his disciples: "the father loveth you." why? not because the disciples were pharisees, or circumcised, or particularly attentive to the law. jesus said: "the father loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that i came out from god. it pleased you to know that the father sent me into the world. and because you believed it the father loves you." on another occasion jesus called his disciples evil and commanded them to ask for forgiveness. a christian is beloved of god and a sinner. how can these two contradictions be harmonized: i am a sinner and deserve god's wrath and punishment, and yet the father loves me? christ alone can harmonize these contradictions. he is the mediator. do you now see how faith justifies without works? sin lingers in us, and god hates sin. a transfusion of righteousness therefore becomes vitally necessary. this transfusion of righteousness we obtain from christ because we believe in him. verse 7. know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of abraham. this is the main point of paul's argument against the jews: the children of abraham are those who believe and not those who are born of abraham's flesh and blood. this point paul drives home with all his might because the jews attached saving value to the genealogical fact: "we are the seed and children of abraham." let us begin with abraham and learn how this friend of god was justified and saved. not because he left his country, his relatives, his father's house; not because he was circumcised; not because he stood ready to sacrifice his own son isaac in whom he had the promise of posterity. abraham was justified because he believed. paul's argumentation runs like this: "since this is the unmistakable testimony of holy writ, why do you take your stand upon circumcision and the law? was not abraham, your father, of whom you make so much, justified and saved without circumcision and the law by faith alone?" paul therefore concludes: "they which are of faith, the same are the children of abraham." abraham was the father of the faithful. in order to be a child of the believing abraham you must believe as he did. otherwise you are merely the physical offspring of the procreating abraham, i.e., you were conceived and born in sin unto wrath and condemnation. ishmael and isaac were both the natural children of abraham. by rights ishmael should have enjoyed the prerogatives of the firstborn, if physical generation had any special value. nevertheless he was left out in the cold while isaac was called. this goes to prove that the children of faith are the real children of abraham. some find fault with paul for applying the term "faith" in genesis 15:6 to christ. they think paul's use of the term too wide and general. they think its meaning should be restricted to the context. they claim abraham's faith had no more in it than a belief in the promise of god that he should have seed. we reply: faith presupposes the assurance of god's mercy. this assurance takes in the confidence that our sins are forgiven for christ's sake. never will the conscience trust in god unless it can be sure of god's mercy and promises in christ. now all the promises of god lead back to the first promise concerning christ: "and i will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." the faith of the fathers in the old testament era, and our faith in the new testament are one and the same faith in christ jesus, although times and conditions may differ. peter acknowledged this in the words: "which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? but we believe that through the grace of the lord jesus christ we shall be saved, even as they." (acts l5: 10, 11.) and paul writes: "and did all drink the spiritual drink; for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them: and that rock was christ." (i cor. 10:4.) and christ himself declared: "your father abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it and was glad." (john 8:56.) the faith of the fathers was directed at the christ who was to come, while ours rests in the christ who has come. time does not change the object of true faith, or the holy spirit. there has always been and always will be one mind, one impression, one faith concerning christ among true believers whether they live in times past, now, or in times to come. we too believe in the christ to come as the fathers did in the old testament, for we look for christ to come again on the last day to judge the quick and the dead. verse 7. know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of abraham. paul is saying: "you know from the example of abraham and from the plain testimony of the scriptures that they are the children of abraham, who have faith in christ, regardless of their nationality, regardless of the law, regardless of works, regardless of their parentage. the promise was made unto abraham, 'thou shalt be a father of many nations'; again, 'and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.'" to prevent the jews from misinterpreting the word "nations," the scriptures are careful to say "many nations." the true children of abraham are the believers in christ from all nations. verse 8. and the scripture, foreseeing that god would justify the heathen through faith. "your boasting does not get you anywhere," says paul to the galatians, "because the sacred scriptures foresaw and foretold long before the law was ever given, that the heathen should be justified by the blessed 'seed' of abraham and not by the law. this promise was made four hundred and thirty years before the law was given. because the law was given so many years after abraham, it could not abolish the promised blessing." this argument is strong because it is based on the exact factor of time. "why should you boast of the law, my galatians, when the law came four hundred and thirty years after the promise?" the false apostles glorified the law and despised the promise made unto abraham, although it antedated the law by many years. it was after abraham was accounted righteous because of his faith that the scriptures first make mention of circumcision. "the scriptures," says paul, "meant to forestall your infatuation for the righteousness of the law by installing the righteousness of faith before circumcision and the law ever were ordained." verse 8. preached before the gospel unto abraham, saying, in thee shall all nations be blessed. the jews misconstrue this passage. they want the term "to bless" to mean "to praise." they want the passage to read: in thee shall all the nations of the earth be praised. but this is a perversion of the words of holy writ. with the words "abraham believed" paul describes a spiritual abraham, renewed by faith and regenerated by the holy ghost, that he should be the spiritual father of many nations. in that way all the gentiles could be given to him for an inheritance. the scriptures ascribe no righteousness to abraham except through faith. the scriptures speak of abraham as he stands before god, a man justified by faith. because of his faith god extends to him the promise: "in thee shall all nations be blessed." verse 9. so then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful abraham. the emphasis lies on the words "with faithful abraham." paul distinguishes between abraham and abraham. there is a working and there is a believing abraham. with the working abraham we have nothing to do. let the jews glory in the generating abraham; we glory in the believing abraham of whom the scriptures say that he received the blessing of righteousness by faith, not only for himself but for all who believe as he did. the world was promised to abraham because he believed. the whole world is blessed if it believes as abraham believed. the blessing is the promise of the gospel. that all nations are to be blessed means that all nations are to hear the gospel. all nations are to be declared righteous before god through faith in christ jesus. to bless simply means to spread abroad the knowledge of christ's salvation. this is the office of the new testament church which distributes the promised blessing by preaching the gospel, by administering the sacraments, by comforting the broken-hearted, in short, by dispensing the benefits of christ. the jews exhibited a working abraham. the pope exhibits a working christ, or an exemplary christ. the pope quotes christ's saying recorded in john 13:15, "i have given you an example, that ye should do as i have done to you." we do not deny that christians ought to imitate the example of christ; but mere imitation will not satisfy god. and bear in mind that paul is not now discussing the example of christ, but the salvation of christ. that abraham submitted to circumcision at the command of god, that he was endowed with excellent virtues, that he obeyed god in all things, was certainly admirable of him. to follow the example of christ, to love one's neighbor, to do good to them that persecute you, to pray for one's enemies, patiently to bear the ingratitude of those who return evil for good, is certainly praiseworthy. but praiseworthy or not, such virtues do not acquit us before god. it takes more than that to make us righteous before god. we need christ himself, not his example, to save us. we need a redeeming, not an exemplary christ, to save us. paul is here speaking of the redeeming christ and the believing abraham, not of the model christ or the sweating abraham. the believing abraham is not to lie buried in the grave. he is to be dusted off and brought out before the world. he is to be praised to the sky for his faith. heaven and earth ought to know about him and about his faith in christ. the working abraham ought to look pretty small next to the believing abraham. paul's words contain the implication of contrast. when he quotes scripture to the effect that all nations that share the faith of faithful abraham are to be blessed, paul means to imply the contrast that all nations are accursed without faith in christ. verse 10. for as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse. the curse of god is like a flood that swallows everything that is not of faith. to avoid the curse we must hold on to the promise of the blessing in christ. the reader is reminded that all this has no bearing upon civil laws, customs, or political matters. civil laws and ordinances have their place and purpose. let every government enact the best possible laws. but civil righteousness will never deliver a person from the condemnation of god's law. i have good reason for calling your attention to this. people easily mistake civil righteousness for spiritual righteousness. in civil life we must, of course, pay attention to laws and deeds, but in the spiritual life we must not think to be justified by laws and works, but always keep in mind the promise and blessing of christ, our only savior. according to paul everything that is not of faith is sin. when our opponents hear us repeat this statement of paul, they make it appear as if we taught that governments should not be honored, as if we favored rebellion against the constituted authorities, as if we condemned all laws. our opponents do us a great wrong, for we make a clear-cut distinction between civil and spiritual affairs. governmental laws and ordinances are blessings of god for this life only. as for everlasting life, temporal blessings are not good enough. unbelievers enjoy more temporal blessings than the christians. civil or legal righteousness may be good enough for this life but not for the life hereafter. otherwise the infidels would be nearer heaven than the christians, for infidels often excel in civil righteousness. verse 10. for it is written, cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. paul goes on to prove from this quotation out of the book of deuteronomy that all men who are under the law are under the sentence of sin, of the wrath of god, and of everlasting death. paul produces his proof in a roundabout way. he turns the negative statement, "cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them," into a positive statement, "as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse." these two statements, one by paul and the other by moses, appear to conflict. paul declares, "whosoever shall do the works of the law, is accursed." moses declares, "whosoever shall not do the works of the law, is accursed." how can these two contradictory statements be reconciled? how can the one statement prove the other? no person can hope to understand paul unless he understands the article of justification. these two statements are not at all inconsistent. we must bear in mind that to do the works of the law does not mean only to live up to the superficial requirements of the law, but to obey the spirit of the law to perfection. but where will you find the person who can do that? let him step forward and we will praise him. our opponents have their answer ready-made. they quote paul's own statement in romans 2:13, "the doers of the law shall be justified." very well. but let us first find out who the doers of the law are. they call a "doer" of the law one who performs the law in its literal sense. this is not to "do" the law. this is to sin. when our opponents go about to perform the law they sin against the first, the second, and the third commandments, in fact they sin against the whole law. for god requires above all that we worship him in spirit and in faith. in observing the law for the purpose of obtaining righteousness without faith in christ these law-workers go smack against the law and against god. they deny the righteousness of god, his mercy, and his promises. they deny christ and all his benefits. in their ignorance of the true purpose of the law the exponents of the law abuse the law, as paul says, romans 10:3, "for they, being ignorant of god's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of god." in their folly our opponents rush into the scriptures, pick out a sentence here and a sentence there about the law and imagine they know all about it. their work-righteousness is plain idolatry and blasphemy against god. no wonder they abide under the curse of god. because god saw that we could not fulfill the law, he provided a way of salvation long before the law was ever given, a salvation that he promised to abraham, saying, "in thee shall all nations be blessed." the very first thing for us to do is to believe in christ. first, we must receive the holy spirit, who enlightens and sanctifies us so that we can begin to do the law, i.e., to love god and our neighbor. now, the holy ghost is not obtained by the law, but by faith in christ. in the last analysis, to do the law means to believe in jesus christ. the tree comes first, and then come the fruits. the scholastics admit that a mere external and superficial performance of the law without sincerity and good will is plain hypocrisy. judas acted like the other disciples. what was wrong with judas? mark what rome answers, "judas was a reprobate. his motives were perverse, therefore his works were hypocritical and no good." well, well. rome does admit, after all, that works in themselves do not justify unless they issue from a sincere heart. why do our opponents not profess the same truth in spiritual matters? there, above all, faith must precede everything. the heart must be purified by faith before a person can lift a finger to please god. there are two classes of doers of the law, true doers and hypocritical doers. the true doers of the law are those who are moved by faith in christ to do the law. the hypocritical doers of the law are those who seek to obtain righteousness by a mechanical performance of good works while their hearts are far removed from god. they act like the foolish carpenter who starts with the roof when he builds a house. instead of doing the law, these law-conscious hypocrites break the law. they break the very first commandment of god by denying his promise in christ. they do not worship god in faith. they worship themselves. no wonder paul was able to foretell the abominations that antichrist would bring into the church. that antichrists would come, christ himself prophesied, matthew 24:5, "for many shall come in my name, saying, i am christ; and shall deceive many." whoever seeks righteousness by works denies god and makes himself god. he is an antichrist because he ascribes to his own works the omnipotent capability of conquering sin, death, devil, hell, and the wrath of god. an antichrist lays claim to the honor of christ. he is an idolater of himself. the law-righteous person is the worst kind of infidel. those who intend to obtain righteousness by their own efforts do not say in so many words: "i am god; i am christ." but it amounts to that. they usurp the divinity and office of christ. the effect is the same as if they said, "i am christ; i am a savior. i save myself and others." this is the impression the monks give out. the pope is the antichrist, because he is against christ, because he takes liberties with the things of god, because he lords it over the temple of god. i cannot tell you in words how criminal it is to seek righteousness before god without faith in christ, by the works of the law. it is the abomination standing in the holy place. it deposes the creator and deifies the creature. the real doers of the law are the true believers. the holy spirit enables them to love god and their neighbor. but because we have only the first-fruits of the spirit and not the tenth-fruits, we do not observe the law perfectly. this imperfection of ours, however, is not imputed to us, for christ's sake. hence, the statement of moses, "cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them," is not contrary to paul. moses requires perfect doers of the law. but where will you find them? nowhere. moses himself confessed that he was not a perfect doer of the law. he said to the lord: "pardon our iniquity and our sin." christ alone can make us innocent of any transgression. how so? first, by the forgiveness of our sins and the imputation of his righteousness. secondly, by the gift of the holy ghost, who engenders new life and activity in us. objections to the doctrine of faith disproved here we shall take the time to enter upon the objections which our opponents raise against the doctrine of faith. there are many passages in the bible that deal with works and the reward of works which our opponents cite against us in the belief that these will disprove the doctrine of faith which we teach. the scholastics grant that according to the reasonable order of nature being precedes doing. they grant that any act is faulty unless it proceeds from a right motive. they grant that a person must be right before he can do right. why don't they grant that the right inclination of the heart toward god through faith in christ must precede works? in the eleventh chapter of the epistle to the hebrews we find a catalogue of various works and deeds of the saints of the bible. david, who killed a lion and a bear, and defeated goliath, is mentioned. in the heroic deeds of david the scholastic can discover nothing more than outward achievement. but the deeds of david must be evaluated according to the personality of david. when we understand that david was a man of faith, whose heart trusted in the lord, we shall understand why he could do such heroic deeds. david said: "the lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this philistine." again: "thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but i come to thee in the name of the lord of hosts, the god of the armies of israel, whom thou hast defied. this day will the lord deliver thee into mine hand; and i will smite thee, and take thine head from thee." (i samuel 17:37, 45, 46.) before david could achieve a single heroic deed he was already a man beloved of god, strong and constant in faith. of abel it is said in the same epistle: "by faith abel offered unto god a more excellent sacrifice than cain." when the scholastics come upon the parallel passage in genesis 4:4 they get no further than the words: "and the lord had respect unto abel and to his offering." "aha!" they cry. "see, god has respect to offerings. works do justify." with mud in their eyes they cannot see that the text says in genesis that the lord had respect to the person of abel first. abel pleased the lord because of his faith. because the person of abel pleased the lord, the offering of abel pleased the lord also. the epistle to the hebrews expressly states: "by faith abel offered unto god a more excellent sacrifice." in our dealings with god the work is worth nothing without faith, for "without faith it is impossible to please him." (hebrews 11:6.) the sacrifice of abel was better than the sacrifice of cain, because abel had faith. as to cain he had no faith or trust in god's grace, but strutted about in his own fancied worth. when god refused to recognize cain's worth, cain got angry at god and at abel. the holy spirit speaks of faith in different ways in the sacred scriptures. sometimes he speaks of faith independently of other matters. when the scriptures speak of faith in the absolute or abstract, faith refers to justification directly. but when the scripture speaks of rewards and works it speaks of compound or relative faith. we will furnish some examples. galatians 5:6, "faith which worketh by love." leviticus 18:5, "which if a man do, he shall live in them." matthew 19:17, "if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." psalm 37:27, "depart from evil, and do good." in these and other passages where mention is made of doing, the scriptures always speak of a faithful doing, a doing inspired by faith. "do this and thou shalt live," means: first have faith in christ, and christ will enable you to do and to live. in the word of god all things that are attributed to works are attributable to faith. faith is the divinity of works. faith permeates all the deeds of the believer, as christ's divinity permeated his humanity. abraham was accounted righteous because faith pervaded his whole personality and his every action. when you read how the fathers, prophets, and kings accomplished great deeds, remember to explain them as the epistle to the hebrews accounts for them: "who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions." (hebrews 11:33.) in this way will we correctly interpret all those passages that seem to support the righteousness of works. the law is truly observed only through faith. hence, every "holy," "moral" law-worker is accursed. supposing that this explanation will not satisfy the scholastics, supposing that they should completely wrap me up in their arguments (they cannot do it), i would rather be wrong and give all credit to christ alone. here is christ. paul, christ's apostle, declares that "christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us." (gal. 3:13.) i hear with my own ears that i cannot be saved except by the blood and death of christ. i conclude, therefore, that it is up to christ to overcome my sins, and not up to the law, or my own efforts. if he is the price of my redemption, if he was made sin for my justification, i don't give a care if you quote me a thousand scripture passages for the righteousness of works against the righteousness of faith. i have the author and lord of the scriptures on my side. i would rather believe him than all that riffraff of "pious" law-workers. verse 11. but that no man is justified by the law in the sight of god, it is evident: for, the just shall live by faith. the apostle draws into his argument the testimony of the prophet habakkuk: "the just shall live by his faith." this passage carries much weight because it eliminates the law and the deeds of the law as factors in the process of our justification. the scholastics misconstrue this passage by saying: "the just shall live by faith, if it is a working faith, or a faith formed and performed by charitable works." their annotation is a forgery. to speak of formed or unformed faith, a sort of double faith, is contrary to the scriptures. if charitable works can form and perfect faith i am forced to say eventually that charitable deeds constitute the essential factor in the christian religion. christ and his benefits would be lost to us. verse 12. and the law is not of faith. in direct opposition to the scholastics paul declares: "the law is not of faith." what is this charity the scholastics talk so much about? does not the law command charity? the fact is the law commands nothing but charity, as we may gather from the following scripture passages: "thou shalt love the lord thy god with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might" (deut. 6:5.) "strewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments." (exodus 20:6.) "on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (matt. 22:40.) if the law requires charity, charity is part of the law and not of faith. since christ has displaced the law which commands charity, it follows that charity has been abrogated with the law as a factor in our justification, and only faith is left. verse 12. but, the man that doeth them shall live in them. paul undertakes to explain the difference between the righteousness of the law and the righteousness of faith. the righteousness of the law is the fulfillment of the law according to the passage: "the man that doeth them shall live in them." the righteousness of faith is to believe the gospel according to the passage: "the just shall live by faith." the law is a statement of debit, the gospel a statement of credit. by this distinction paul explains why charity which is the commandment of the law cannot justify, because the law contributes nothing to our justification. indeed, works do follow after faith, but faith is not therefore a meritorious work. faith is a gift. the character and limitations of the law must be rigidly maintained. when we believe in christ we live by faith. when we believe in the law we may be active enough but we have no life. the function of the law is not to give life; the function of the law is to kill. true, the law says: "the man that doeth them shall live in them." but where is the person who can do "them," i.e., love god with all his heart, soul, and mind, and his neighbor as himself? paul has nothing against those who are justified by faith and therefore are true doers of the law. he opposes those who think they can fulfill the law when in reality they can only sin against the law by trying to obtain righteousness by the law. the law demands that we fear, love, and worship god with a true faith. the law-workers fail to do this. instead, they invent new modes of worship and new kinds of works which god never commanded. they provoke his anger according to the passage: "but in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." (matthew 15:9.) hence, the law-righteous workers are downright rebels against god, and idolaters who constantly sin against the first commandment. in short, they are no good at-all though outwardly they seem to be extremely solicitous of the honor of god. we who are justified by faith as the saints of old, may be under the law, but we are not under the curse of the law because sin is not imputed to us for christ's sake. if the law cannot be fulfilled by the believers, if sin continues to cling to them despite their love for god, what can you expect of people who are not yet justified by faith, who are still enemies of god and his word, like the unbelieving law-workers? it goes to show how impossible it is for those who have not been justified by faith to fulfill the law. verse 13. christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree. jerome and his present-day followers rack their miserable brains over this comforting passage in an effort to save christ from the fancied insult of being called a curse. they say: "this quotation from moses does not apply to christ. paul is taking liberties with moses by generalizing the statements in deuteronomy 21:23. moses has 'he that is hanged.' paul puts it 'every one that hangeth.' on the other hand, paul omits the words 'of god' in his quotation from moses: 'for he that is hanged is accursed of god.' moses speaks of a criminal who is worthy of death." "how," our opponents ask, "can this passage be applied to the holy christ as if he were accursed of god and worthy to be hanged?" this piece of exegesis may impress the naive as a zealous attempt to defend the honor and glory of christ. let us see what paul has in mind. paul does not say that christ was made a curse for himself. the accent is on the two words "for us." christ is personally innocent. personally, he did not deserve to be hanged for any crime of his own doing. but because christ took the place of others who were sinners, he was hanged like any other transgressor. the law of moses leaves no loopholes. it says that a transgressor should be hanged. who are the other sinners? we are. the sentence of death and everlasting damnation had long been pronounced over us. but christ took all our sins and died for them on the cross. "he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." (isaiah 53:12.) all the prophets of old said that christ should be the greatest transgressor, murderer, adulterer, thief, blasphemer that ever was or ever could be on earth. when he took the sins of the whole world upon himself, christ was no longer an innocent person. he was a sinner burdened with the sins of a paul who was a blasphemer; burdened with the sins of a peter who denied christ; burdened with the sins of a david who committed adultery and murder, and gave the heathen occasion to laugh at the lord. in short, christ was charged with the sins of all men, that he should pay for them with his own blood. the curse struck him. the law found him among sinners. he was not only in the company of sinners. he had gone so far as to invest himself with the flesh and blood of sinners. so the law judged and hanged him for a sinner. in separating christ from us sinners and holding him up as a holy exemplar, errorists rob us of our best comfort. they misrepresent him as a threatening tyrant who is ready to slaughter us at the slightest provocation. i am told that it is preposterous and wicked to call the son of god a cursed sinner. i answer: if you deny that he is a condemned sinner, you are forced to deny that christ died. it is not less preposterous to say, the son of god died, than to say, the son of god was a sinner. john the baptist called him "the lamb of god, which taketh away the sin of the world." being the unspotted lamb of god, christ was personally innocent. but because he took the sins of the world his sinlessness was defiled with the sinfulness of the world. whatever sins i, you, all of us have committed or shall commit, they are christ's sins as if he had committed them himself. our sins have to be christ's sins or we shall perish forever. isaiah declares of christ: "the lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." we have no right to minimize the force of this declaration. god does not amuse himself with words. what a relief for a christian to know that christ is covered all over with my sins, your sins, and the sins of the whole world. the papists invented their own doctrine of faith. they say charity creates and adorns their faith. by stripping christ of our sins, by making him sinless, they cast our sins back at us, and make christ absolutely worthless to us. what sort of charity is this? if that is a sample of their vaunted charity we want none of it. our merciful father in heaven saw how the law oppressed us and how impossible it was for us to get out from under the curse of the law. he therefore sent his only son into the world and said to him: "you are now peter, the liar; paul, the persecutor; david, the adulterer; adam, the disobedient; the thief on the cross. you, my son, must pay the world's iniquity." the law growls: "all right. if your son is taking the sin of the world, i see no sins anywhere else but in him. he shall die on the cross." and the law kills christ. but we go free. the argument of the apostle against the righteousness of the law is impregnable. if christ bears our sins, we do not bear them. but if christ is innocent of our sins and does not bear them, we must bear them, and we shall die in our sins. "but thanks be to god, which giveth us the victory through our lord jesus christ." let us see how christ was able to gain the victory over our enemies. the sins of the whole world, past, present, and future, fastened themselves upon christ and condemned him. but because christ is god he had an everlasting and unconquerable righteousness. these two, the sin of the world and the righteousness of god, met in a death struggle. furiously the sin of the world assailed the righteousness of god. righteousness is immortal and invincible. on the other hand, sin is a mighty tyrant who subdues all men. this tyrant pounces on christ. but christ's righteousness is unconquerable. the result is inevitable. sin is defeated and righteousness triumphs and reigns forever. in the same manner was death defeated. death is emperor of the world. he strikes down kings, princes, all men. he has an idea to destroy all life. but christ has immortal life, and life immortal gained the victory over death. through christ death has lost her sting. christ is the death of death. the curse of god waged a similar battle with the eternal mercy of god in christ. the curse meant to condemn god's mercy. but it could not do it because the mercy of god is everlasting. the curse had to give way. if the mercy of god in christ had lost out, god himself would have lost out, which, of course, is impossible. "christ," says paul, "spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it." (col. 2:15.) they cannot harm those who hide in christ. sin, death, the wrath of god, hell, the devil are mortified in christ. where christ is near the powers of evil must keep their distance. st. john says: "and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." (i john 5:4.) you may now perceive why it is imperative to believe and confess the divinity of christ. to overcome the sin of a whole world, and death, and the wrath of god was no work for any creature. the power of sin and death could be broken only by a greater power. god alone could abolish sin, destroy death, and take away the curse of the law. god alone could bring righteousness, life, and mercy to light. in attributing these achievements to christ the scriptures pronounce christ to be god forever. the article of justification is indeed fundamental. if we remain sound in this one article, we remain sound in all the other articles of the christian faith. when we teach justification by faith in christ we confess at the same time that christ is god. i cannot get over the blindness of the pope's theologians. to imagine that the mighty forces of sin, death, and the curse can be vanquished by the righteousness of man's paltry works, by fasting, pilgrimages, masses, vows, and such gewgaws. these blind leaders of the blind turn the poor people over to the mercy of sin, death, and the devil. what chance has a defenseless human creature against these powers of darkness? they train sinners who are ten times worse than any thief, whore, murderer. the divine power of god alone can destroy sin and death, and create righteousness and life. when we hear that christ was made a curse for us, let us believe it with joy and assurance. by faith christ changes places with us. he gets our sins, we get his holiness. by faith alone can we become righteous, for faith invests us with the sinlessness of christ. the more fully we believe this, the fuller will be our joy. if you believe that sin, death, and the curse are void, why, they are null, zero. whenever sin and death make you nervous write it down as an illusion of the devil. there is no sin now, no curse, no death, no devil because christ has done away with them. this fact is sure. there is nothing wrong with the fact. the defect lies in our lack of faith. in the apostolic creed we confess: "i believe in the holy christian church." that means, i believe that there is no sin, no curse, no evil in the church of god. faith says: "i believe that." but if you want to believe your eyes you will find many shortcomings and offenses in the members of the holy church. you see them succumb to temptation, you see them weak in faith, you see them giving way to anger, envy, and other evil dispositions. "how can the church be holy?" you ask. it is with the christian church as it is with the individual christian. if i examine myself i find enough unholiness to shock me. but when i look at christ in me i find that i am altogether holy. and so it is with the church. holy writ does not say that christ was under the curse. it says directly that christ was made a curse. in ii corinthians 5:21 paul writes: "for he (god) hath made him (christ) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of god in him." although this and similar passages may be properly explained by saying that christ was made a sacrifice for the curse and for sin, yet in my judgment it is better to leave these passages stand as they read: christ was made sin itself; christ was made the curse itself. when a sinner gets wise to himself he does not only feel miserable, he feels like misery personified; he does not only feel like a sinner, he feels like sin itself. to finish with this verse: all evils would have overwhelmed us, as they shall overwhelm the unbelievers forever, if christ had not become the great transgressor and guilty bearer of all our sins. the sins of the world got him down for a moment. they came around him like water. of christ, the old testament prophet complained: "thy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off." (psalm 88 16.) by christ's salvation we have been delivered from the terrors of god to a life of eternal felicity. verse 14. that the blessing of abraham might come, on the gentiles through jesus christ. paul always keeps this text before him: "in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." the blessing promised unto abraham could come upon the gentiles only by christ, the seed of abraham. to become a blessing unto all nations christ had to be made a curse to take away the curse from the nations of the earth. the merit that we plead, and the work that we proffer is christ who was made a curse for us. let us become expert in the art of transferring our sins, our death, and every evil from ourselves to christ; and christ's righteousness and blessing from christ to ourselves. verse 14. that we might receive the promise of the spirit through faith. "the promise of the spirit" is hebrew for "the promised spirit." the spirit spells freedom from the law, sin, death, the curse, hell, and the judgment of god. no merits are mentioned in connection with this promise of the spirit and all the blessings that go with him. this spirit of many blessings is received by faith alone. faith alone builds on the promises of god, as paul says in this verse. long ago the prophets visualized the happy changes christ would effect in all things. despite the fact that the jews had the law of god they never ceased to look longingly for christ. after moses no prophet or king added a single law to the book. any changes or additions were deferred to the time of christ's coming. moses told the people: "the lord thy god will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken." (deut. 18:15.) god's people of old felt that the law of moses could not be improved upon until the messiah would bring better things than the law, i.e., grace and remission of sins. verse 15. brethren, i speak after the manner of men; though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. after the preceding, well-taken argument, paul offers another based on the similarity between a man's testament and god's testament. a man's testament seems too weak a premise for the apostle to argue from in confirmation of so important a matter as justification. we ought to prove earthly things by heavenly things, and not heavenly things by earthly things. but where the earthly thing is an ordinance of god we may use it to prove divine matters. in matthew 7:11 christ himself argued from earthly to heavenly things when he said: "if ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children; how much more shall your father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" to come to paul's argument. civil law, which is god's ordinance, prohibits tampering with any testament of man. any person's last will and testament must be respected. paul asks: "why is it that man's last will is scrupulously respected and not god's testament? you would not think of breaking faith with a man's testament. why do you not keep faith with god's testament?" the apostle says that he is speaking after the manner of men. he means to say: "i will give you an illustration from the customs of men. if a man's last will is respected, and it is, how much more ought the testament of god be honored: 'in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.' when christ died, this testament was sealed by his blood. after his death the testament was opened, it was published to the nations. no man ought to alter god's testament as the false apostles do who substitute the law and traditions of men for the testament of god." as the false prophets tampered with god's testament in the days of paul, so many do in our day. they will observe human laws punctiliously, but the laws of god they transgress without the flicker of an eyelid. but the time will come when they will find out that it is no joke to pervert the testament of god. verse 16. now to abraham and his seed were the promises made. he saith not, and to seeds, as of many; but as of one, and to thy seed, which is christ. the word testament is another name for the promise that god made unto abraham concerning christ. a testament is not a law, but an inheritance. heirs do not look for laws and assessments when they open a last will; they look for grants and favors. the testament which god made out to abraham did not contain laws. it contained promises of great spiritual blessings. the promises were made in view of christ, in one seed, not in many seeds. the jews will not accept this interpretation. they insist that the singular "seed" is put for the plural "seeds." we prefer the interpretation of paul, who makes a fine case for christ and for us out of the singular "seed," and is after all inspired to do so by the holy ghost. verse 17. and this i say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of god in christ, the law which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. the jews assert that god was not satisfied with his promises, but after four hundred and thirty years he gave the law. "god," they say, "must have mistrusted his own promises, and considered them inadequate for salvation. therefore he added to his promises something better, the law. the law," they say, "canceled the promises." paul answers: "the law was given four hundred and thirty years after the promise was made to abraham. the law could not cancel the promise because the promise was the testament of god, confirmed by god in christ many years before the law. what god has once promised he does not take back. every promise of god is a ratified promise." why was the law added to the promise? not to serve as a medium by which the promise might be obtained. the law was added for these reasons: that there might be in the world a special people, rigidly controlled by the law, a people out of which christ should be born in due time; and that men burdened by many laws might sigh and long for him, their redeemer, the seed of abraham. even the ceremonies prescribed by the law foreshadowed christ. therefore the law was never meant to cancel the promise of god. the law was meant to confirm the promise until the time should come when god would open his testament in the gospel of jesus christ. god did well in giving the promise so many years before the law, that it may never be said that righteousness is granted through the law and not through the promise. if god had meant for us to be justified by the law, he would have given the law four hundred and thirty years before the promise, at least he would have given the law at the same time he gave the promise. but he never breathed a word about the law until four hundred years after. the promise is therefore better than the law. the law does not cancel the promise, but faith in the promised christ cancels the law. the apostle is careful to mention the exact number of four hundred and thirty years. the wide divergence in the time between the promise and the law helps to clinch paul's argument that righteousness is not obtained by the law. let me illustrate. a man of great wealth adopts a strange lad for his son. remember, he does not owe the lad anything. in due time he appoints the lad heir to his entire fortune. several years later the old man asks the lad to do something for him. and the young lad does it. can the lad then go around and say that he deserved the inheritance by his obedience to the old man's request? how can anybody say that righteousness is obtained by obedience to the law when the law was given four hundred and thirty years after god's promise of the blessing? one thing is certain, abraham was never justified by the law, for the simple reason that the law was not in his day. if the law was non-existent how could abraham obtain righteousness by the law? abraham had nothing else to go by but the promise. this promise he believed and that was counted unto him for righteousness. if the father obtained righteousness through faith, the children get it the same way. we use the argument of time also. we say our sins were taken away by the death of christ fifteen hundred years ago, long before there were any religious orders, canons, or rules of penance, merits, etc. what did people do about their sins before these new inventions were hatched up? paul finds his arguments for the righteousness of faith everywhere. even the element of time serves to build his case against the false apostles. let us fortify our conscience with similar arguments. they help us in the trials of our faith. they turn our attention from the law to the promises, from sin to righteousness; from death to life. it is not for nothing that paul bears down on this argument. he foresaw this confusion of the promise and the law creeping into the church. accustom yourself to separate law and gospel even in regard to time. when the law comes to pay your conscience a visit, say: "mister law, you come too soon. the four hundred and thirty years aren't up yet. when they are up, you come again. won't you?" verse 18. for if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise. in romans 4:14, the apostle writes: "for if they which are made of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect." it cannot be otherwise. that the law is something entirely different from the promise is plain. the law thunders: "thou shalt, thou shalt not." the promise of the "seed" pleads: "take this gift of god." if the inheritance of the gifts of god were obtained by the law, god would be a liar. we would have the right to ask him: "why did you make this promise in the first place: 'in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed'? why did you not say: 'in thy works thou shalt be blessed'?" verse 18. but god gave it to abraham by promise. so much is certain, before the law ever existed, god gave abraham the inheritance or blessing by the promise. in other words, god granted unto abraham remission of sins, righteousness, salvation, and everlasting life. and not only to abraham but to all believers, because god said: "in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." the blessing was given unconditionally. the law had no chance to butt in because moses was not yet born. "how then can you say that righteousness is obtained by the law?" the apostle now goes to work to explain the province and purpose of the law. verse 19. wherefore then serveth the law? the question naturally arises: if the law was not given for righteousness or salvation, why was it given? why did god give the law in the first place if it cannot justify a person? the jews believed if they kept the law they would be saved. when they heard that the gospel proclaimed a christ who had come into the world to save sinners and not the righteous; when they heard that sinners were to enter the kingdom of heaven before the righteous, the jews were very much put out. they murmured: "these last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day." (matthew 20:12.) they complained that the heathen who at one time had been worshipers of idols obtained grace without the drudgery of the law that was theirs. today we hear the same complaints. "what was the use of our having lived in a cloister, twenty, thirty, forty years; what was the sense of having vowed chastity, poverty, obedience; what good are all the masses and canonical hours that we read; what profit is there in fasting, praying, etc., if any man or woman, any beggar or scour woman is to be made equal to us, or even be considered more acceptable unto god than we?" reason takes offense at the statement of paul: "the law was added because of transgressions." people say that paul abrogated the law, that he is a radical, that he blasphemed god when he said that. people say: "we might as well live like wild people if the law does not count. let us abound in sin that grace may abound. let us do evil that good may come of it." what are we to do? such scoffing distresses us, but we cannot stop it. christ himself was accused of being a blasphemer and rebel. paul and all the other apostles were told the same things. let the scoffers slander us, let them spare us not. but we must not on their account keep silent. we must speak frankly in order that afflicted consciences may find surcease. neither are we to pay any attention to the foolish and ungodly people for abusing our doctrine. they are the kind that would scoff, law or no law. our first consideration must be the comfort of troubled consciences, that they may not perish with the multitudes. when he saw that some were offended at his doctrine, while others found in it encouragement to live after the flesh, paul comforted himself with the thought that it was his duty to preach the gospel to the elect of god, and that for their sake he must endure all things. like paul we also do all these things for the sake of god's elect. as for the scoffers and skeptics, i am so disgusted with them that in all my life i would not open my mouth for them once. i wish that they were back there where they belong under the iron heel of the pope. people foolish but wise in their conceits jump to the conclusion: if the law does not justify, it is good for nothing. how about that? because money does not justify, would you say that money is good for nothing? because the eyes do not justify, would you have them taken out? because the law does not justify it does not follow that the law is without value. we must find and define the proper purpose of the law. we do not offhand condemn the law because we say it does not justify. we say with paul that the law is good if it is used properly. within its proper sphere the law is an excellent thing. but if we ascribe to the law functions for which it was never intended, we pervert not only the law but also the gospel. it is the universal impression that righteousness is obtained through the deeds of the law. this impression is instinctive and therefore doubly dangerous. gross sins and vices may be recognized or else repressed by the threat of punishment. but this sin, this opinion of man's own righteousness refuses to be classified as sin. it wants to be esteemed as high-class religion. hence, it constitutes the mighty influence of the devil over the entire world. in order to point out the true office of the law, and thus to stamp out that false impression of the righteousness of the law, paul answers the question: "wherefore then serveth the law?" with the words: verse 19. it was added because of transgressions. all things differ. let everything serve its unique purpose. let the sun shine by day, the moon and the stars by night. let the sea furnish fish, the earth grain, the woods trees, etc. let the law also serve its unique purpose. it must not step out of character and take the place of anything else. what is the function of the law? "transgression," answers the apostle. the twofold purpose of the law the law has a twofold purpose. one purpose is civil. god has ordained civil laws to punish crime. every law is given to restrain sin. does it not then make men righteous? no. in refraining from murder, adultery, theft, or other sins, i do so under compulsion because i fear the jail, the noose, the electric chair. these restrain me as iron bars restrain a lion and a bear. otherwise they would tear everything to pieces. such forceful restraint cannot be regarded as righteousness, rather as an indication of unrighteousness. as a wild beast is tied to keep it from running amuck, so the law bridles mad and furious man to keep him from running wild. the need for restraint shows plainly enough that those who need the law are not righteous, but wicked men who are fit to be tied. no, the law does not justify. the first purpose of the law, accordingly, is to restrain the wicked. the devil gets people into all kinds of scrapes. therefore god instituted governments, parents, laws, restrictions, and civil ordinances. at least they help to tie the devil's hands so that he does not rage up and down the earth. this civil restraint by the law is intended by god for the preservation of all things, particularly for the good of the gospel that it should not be hindered too much by the tumult of the wicked. but paul is not now treating of this civil use and function of the law. the second purpose of the law is spiritual and divine. paul describes this spiritual purpose of the law in the words, "because of transgressions," i.e., to reveal to a person his sin, blindness, misery, his ignorance, hatred, and contempt of god, his death, hell, and condemnation. this is the principal purpose of the law and its most valuable contribution. as long as a person is not a murderer, adulterer, thief, he would swear that he is righteous. how is god going to humble such a person except by the law? the law is the hammer of death, the thunder of hell, and the lightning of god's wrath to bring down the proud and shameless hypocrites. when the law was instituted on mount sinai it was accompanied by lightning, by storms, by the sound of trumpets, to tear to pieces that monster called self-righteousness. as long as a person thinks he is right he is going to be incomprehensibly proud and presumptuous. he is going to hate god, despise his grace and mercy, and ignore the promises in christ. the gospel of the free forgiveness of sins through christ will never appeal to the self-righteous. this monster of self-righteousness, this stiff-necked beast, needs a big axe. and that is what the law is, a big axe. accordingly, the proper use and function of the law is to threaten until the conscience is scared stiff. the awful spectacle at mount sinai portrayed the proper use of the law. when the children of israel came out of egypt a feeling of singular holiness possessed them. they boasted: "we are the people of god. all that the lord hath spoken we will do." (ex. 19:8) this feeling of holiness was heightened when moses ordered them to wash their clothes, to refrain from their wives, and to prepare themselves all around. the third day came and moses led the people out of their tents to the foot of the mountain into the presence of the lord. what happened? when the children of israel saw the whole mountain burning and smoking, the black clouds rent by fierce lightning flashing up and down in the inky darkness, when they heard the sound of the trumpet blowing louder and longer, shattered by the roll of thunder, they were so frightened that they begged moses: "speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not god speak with us, lest we die." (ex. 20:19.) i ask you, what good did their scrubbing, their snow-white clothes, and their continence do them? no good at all. not a single one could stand in the presence of the glorious lord. stricken by the terror of god, they fled back into their tents, as if the devil were after them. the law is meant to produce the same effect today which it produced at mount sinai long ago. i want to encourage all who fear god, especially those who intend to become ministers of the gospel, to learn from the apostle the proper use of the law. i fear that after our time the right handling of the law will become a lost art. even now, although we continually explain the separate functions of the law and the gospel, we have those among us who do not understand how the law should be used. what will it be like when we are dead and gone? we want it understood that we do not reject the law as our opponents claim. on the contrary, we uphold the law. we say the law is good if it is used for the purposes for which it was designed, to check civil transgression, and to magnify spiritual transgressions. the law is also a light like the gospel. but instead of revealing the grace of god, righteousness, and life, the law brings sin, death, and the wrath of god to light. this is the business of the law, and here the business of the law ends, and should go no further. the business of the gospel, on the other hand, is to quicken, to comfort, to raise the fallen. the gospel carries the news that god for christ's sake is merciful to the most unworthy sinners, if they will only believe that christ by his death has delivered them from sin and everlasting death unto grace, forgiveness, and everlasting life. by keeping in mind the difference between the law and the gospel we let each perform its special task. of this difference between the law and the gospel nothing can be discovered in the writings of the monks or scholastics, nor for that matter in the writings of the ancient fathers. augustine understood the difference somewhat. jerome and others knew nothing of it. the silence in the church concerning the difference between the law and the gospel has resulted in untold harm. unless a sharp distinction is maintained between the purpose and function of the law and the gospel, the christian doctrine cannot be kept free from error. verse 19. it was added because of transgressions. in other words, that transgressions might be recognized as such and thus increased. when sin, death, and the wrath of god are revealed to a person by the law, he grows impatient, complains against god, and rebels. before that he was a very holy man; he worshipped and praised god; he bowed his knees before god and gave thanks, like the pharisee. but now that sin and death are revealed to him by the law he wishes there were no god. the law inspires hatred of god. thus sin is not only revealed by the law; sin is actually increased and magnified by the law. the law is a mirror to show a person what he is like, a sinner who is guilty of death, and worthy of everlasting punishment. what is this bruising and beating by the hand of the law to accomplish? this, that we may find the way to grace. the law is an usher to lead the way to grace. god is the god of the humble, the miserable, the afflicted. it is his nature to exalt the humble, to comfort the sorrowing, to heal the broken-hearted, to justify the sinners, and to save the condemned. the fatuous idea that a person can be holy by himself denies god the pleasure of saving sinners. god must therefore first take the sledge-hammer of the law in his fists and smash the beast of self-righteousness and its brood of self-confidence, self-wisdom, self-righteousness, and self-help. when the conscience has been thoroughly frightened by the law it welcomes the gospel of grace with its message of a savior who came into the world, not to break the bruised reed, nor to quench the smoking flax, but to preach glad tidings to the poor, to heal the broken-hearted, and to grant forgiveness of sins to all the captives. man's folly, however, is so prodigious that instead of embracing the message of grace with its guarantee of the forgiveness of sin for christ's sake, man finds himself more laws to satisfy his conscience. "if i live," says he, "i will mend my life. i will do this, i will do that." man, if you don't do the very opposite, if you don't send moses with the law back to mount sinai and take the hand of christ, pierced for your sins, you will never be saved. when the law drives you to the point of despair, let it drive you a little farther, let it drive you straight into the arms of jesus who says: "come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and i will give you rest." verse 19. till the seed should come to whom the promise was made. the law is not to have its say indefinitely. we must know how long the law is to put in its licks. if it hammers away too long, no person would and could be saved. the law has a boundary beyond which it must not go. how long ought the law to hold sway? "till the seed should come to whom the promise was made." that may be taken literally to mean until the time of the gospel. "from the days of john the baptist," says jesus, "until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. for all the prophets and the law prophesied until john." (matthew 11:12, 13.) when christ came the law and the ceremonies of moses ceased. spiritually, it means that the law is not to operate on a person after he has been humbled and frightened by the exposure of his sins and the wrath of god. we must then say to the law: "mister law, lay off him. he has had enough. you scared him good and proper." now it is the gospel's turn. now let christ with his gracious lips talk to him of better things, grace, peace, forgiveness of sins, and eternal life. verse 19. and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. the apostle digresses a little from his immediate theme. something occurred to him and he throws it in by the way. it occurred to him that the law differs from the gospel in another respect, in respect to authorship. the law was delivered by the angels, but the gospel by the lord himself. hence, the gospel is superior to the law, as the word of a lord is superior to the word of his servant. the law was handed down by a being even inferior to the angels, by a middleman named moses. paul wants us to understand that christ is the mediator of a better testament than mediator moses of the law. moses led the people out of their tents to meet god. but they ran away. that is how good a mediator moses was. paul says: "how can the law justify when that whole sanctified people of israel and even mediator moses trembled at the voice of god? what kind of righteousness do you call that when people run away from it and hate it the worst way? if the law could justify, people would love the law. but look at the children of israel running away from it." the flight of the children of israel from mount sinai indicates how people feel about the law. they don't like it. if this were the only argument to prove that salvation is not by the law, this one bible history would do the work. what kind of righteousness is this law-righteousness when at the commencement exercises of the law moses and the scrubbed people run away from it so fast that an iron mountain, the red sea even, could not have stopped them until they were back in egypt once again? if they could not hear the law, how could they ever hope to perform the law? if all the world had stood at the mountain, all the world would have hated the law and fled from it as the children of israel did. the whole world is an enemy of the law. how, then, can anyone be justified by the law when everybody hates the law and its divine author? all this goes to show how little the scholastics know about the law. they do not consider its spiritual effect and purpose, which is not to justify or to pacify afflicted consciences, but to increase sin, to terrify the conscience, and to produce wrath. in their ignorance the papists spout about man's good will and right judgment, and man's capacity to perform the law of god. ask the people of israel who were present at the presentation of the law on mount sinai whether what the scholastics say is true. ask david, who often complains in the psalms that he was cast away from god and in hell, that he was frantic about his sin, and sick at the thought of the wrath and judgment of god. no, the law does not justify. verse 20. now a mediator is not a mediator of one. here the apostle briefly compares the two mediators: moses and christ. "a mediator," says paul, "is not a mediator of one." he is necessarily a mediator of two: the offender and the offended. moses was such a mediator between the law and the people who were offended at the law. they were offended at the law because they did not understand its purpose. that was the veil which moses put over his face. the people were also offended at the law because they could not look at the bare face of moses. it shone with the glory of god. when moses addressed the people he had to cover his face with that veil of his. they could not listen to their mediator moses without another mediator, the veil. the law had to change its face and voice. in other words, the law had to be made tolerable to the people. thus covered, the law no longer spoke to the people in its undisguised majesty. it became more tolerable to the conscience. this explains why men fail to understand the law properly, with the result that they become secure and presumptuous hypocrites. one of two things has to be done: either the law must be covered with a veil and then it loses its full effectiveness, or it must be unveiled and then the full blast of its force kills. man cannot stand the law without a veil over it. hence, we are forced either to look beyond the law to christ, or we go through life as shameless hypocrites and secure sinners. paul says: "a mediator is not a mediator of one." moses could not be a mediator of god only, for god needs no mediator. again, moses could not be a mediator of the people only. he was a mediator between god and the people. it is the office of a mediator to conciliate the party that is offended and to placate the party that is the offender. however, moses' mediation consisted only in changing the tone of the law to make it more tolerable to the people. moses was merely a mediator of the veil. he could not supply the ability to perform the law. what do you suppose would have happened if the law had been given without a mediator and the people had been denied the services of a go-between? the people would have perished, or in case they had escaped they would have required the services of another mediator to preserve them alive and to keep the law in force. moses came along and he was made the mediator. he covered his face with a veil. but that is as much as he could do. he could not deliver men's consciences from the terror of the law. the sinner needs a better mediator. that better mediator is jesus christ. he does not change the voice of the law, nor does he hide the law with a veil. he takes the full blast of the wrath of the law and fulfills its demands most meticulously. of this better mediator paul says: "a mediator is not a mediator of one." we are the offending party; god is the party offended. the offense is of such a nature that god cannot pardon it. neither can we render adequate satisfaction for our offenses. there is discord between god and us. could not god revoke his law? no. how about running away from god? it cannot be done. it took christ to come between us and god and to reconcile god to us. how did christ do it? "blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross." (col. 2:14.) this one word, "mediator," is proof enough that the law cannot justify. otherwise we should not need a mediator. in christian theology the law does not justify. in fact it has the contrary effect. the law alarms us, it magnifies our sins until we begin to hate the law and its divine author. would you call this being justified by the law? can you imagine a more arrant outrage than to hate god and to abhor his law? what an excellent law it is. listen: "i am the lord thy god, which have brought thee out of the land of egypt, out of the house of bondage. thou shalt have no other gods...showing mercy unto thousands... honor thy father and thy mother; that thy days may be long upon the land..." (ex. 20:2, 3, 6, 12.) are these not excellent laws, perfect wisdom? "let not god speak with us, lest we die," cried the children of israel. is it not amazing that a person should refuse to hear things that are good for him? any person would be glad to hear, i should think, that he has a gracious god who shows mercy unto thousands. is it not amazing that people hate the law that promotes their safety and welfare, e.g., "thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not commit adultery; thou shalt not steal"? the law can do nothing for us except to arouse the conscience. before the law comes to me i feel no sin. but when the law comes, sin, death, and hell are revealed to me. you would not call this being made righteous. you would call it being condemned to death and hell-fire. verse 20. but god is one. god does not offend anybody, therefore he needs no mediator. but we offend god, therefore we need a mediator. and we need a better mediator than moses. we need christ. verse 21. is the law then against the promises of god? before he digressed paul stated that the law does not justify. shall we then discard the law? no, no. it supplies a certain need. it supplies men with a needed realization of their sinfulness. now arises another question: if the law does no more than to reveal sin, does it not oppose the promises of god? the jews believed that by the restraint and discipline of the law the promises of god would be hastened, in fact earned by them. paul answers: "not so. on the contrary, if we pay too much attention to the law the promises of god will be slowed up. how can god fulfill his promises to a people that hates the law?" verse 21. god forbid. god never said to abraham: "in thee shall all the nations of the earth be blessed because thou hast kept the law." when abraham was still uncircumcised and without the law or any law, indeed, when he was still an idol worshiper, god said to him: "get thee out of thy country, etc.; i am thy shield, etc.; in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." these are unconditional promises which god freely made to abraham without respect to works. this is aimed especially at the jews who think that the promises of god are impeded by their sins. paul says: "the lord is not slack concerning his promises because of our sins, or hastens his promises because of any merit on our part." god's promises are not influenced by our attitudes. they rest in his goodness and mercy. just because the law increases sin, it does not therefore obstruct the promises of god. the law confirms the promises, in that it prepares a person to look for the fulfillment of the promises of god in christ. the proverb has it that hunger is the best cook. the law makes afflicted consciences hungry for christ. christ tastes good to them. hungry hearts appreciate christ. thirsty souls are what christ wants. he invites them: "come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and i will give you rest." christ's benefits are so precious that he will dispense them only to those who need them and really desire them. verse 21. for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. the law cannot give life. it kills. the law does not justify a person before god; it increases sin. the law does not secure righteousness; it hinders righteousness. the apostle declares emphatically that the law of itself cannot save. despite the intelligibility of paul's statement, our enemies fail to grasp it. otherwise they would not emphasize free will, natural strength, the works of supererogation, etc. to escape the charge of forgery they always have their convenient annotation handy, that paul is referring only to the ceremonial and not to the moral law. but paul includes all laws. he expressly says: "if there had been a law given." there is no law by which righteousness may be obtained, not a single one. why not? verse 22. but the scripture hath concluded all under sin. where? first in the promises concerning christ in genesis 3:15 and in genesis 22:18, which speak of the seed of the woman and the seed of abraham. the fact that these promises were made unto the fathers concerning christ implies that the fathers were subject to the curse of sin and eternal death. otherwise why the need of promises? next, holy writ "concludes" all under sin in this passage from paul: "for as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse." again, in the passage which the apostle quotes from deuteronomy 27:26, "cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them." this passage clearly submits all men to the curse, not only those who sin openly against the law, but also those who sincerely endeavor to perform the law, inclusive of monks, friars, hermits, etc. the conclusion is inevitable: faith alone justified without works. if the law itself cannot justify, much less can imperfect performance of the law or the works of the law, justify. verse 22. that the promise by faith of jesus christ might be given to them that believe. the apostle stated before that "the scripture hath concluded all under sin." forever? no, only until the promise should be fulfilled. the promise, you will recall, is the inheritance itself or the blessing promised to abraham, deliverance from the law, sin, death, and the devil, and the free gift of grace, righteousness, salvation, and eternal life. this promise, says paul, is not obtained by any merit, by any law, or by any work. this promise is given. to whom? to those who believe. in whom? in jesus christ. verse 23. but before faith came. the apostle proceeds to explain the service which the law is to render. previously paul had said that the law was given to reveal the wrath and death of god upon all sinners. although the law kills, god brings good out of evil. he uses the law to bring life. god saw that the universal illusion of self-righteousness could not be put down in any other way but by the law. the law dispels all self-illusions. it puts the fear of god in a man. without this fear there can be no thirst for god's mercy. god accordingly uses the law for a hammer to break up the illusion of self-righteousness, that we should despair of our own strength and efforts at self-justification. verse 23. but before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. the law is a prison to those who have not as yet obtained grace. no prisoner enjoys the confinement. he hates it. if he could he would smash the prison and find his freedom at all cost. as long as he stays in prison he refrains from evil deeds. not because he wants to, but because he has to. the bars and the chains restrain him. he does not regret the crime that put him in jail. on the contrary, he is mighty sore that he cannot rob and kill as before. if he could escape he would go right back to robbing and killing. the law enforces good behavior, at least outwardly. we obey the law because if we don't we will be punished. our obedience is inspired by fear. we obey under duress and we do it resentfully. now what kind of righteousness is this when we refrain from evil out of fear of punishment? hence, the righteousness of the law is at bottom nothing but love of sin and hatred of righteousness. all the same, the law accomplishes this much, that it will outwardly at least and to a certain extent repress vice and crime. but the law is also a spiritual prison, a veritable hell. when the law begins to threaten a person with death and the eternal wrath of god, a man just cannot find any comfort at all. he cannot shake off at will the nightmare of terror which the law stirs up in his conscience. of this terror of the law the psalms furnish many glimpses. the law is a civil and a spiritual prison. and such it should be. for that the law is intended. only the confinement in the prison of the law must not be unduly prolonged. it must come to an end. the freedom of faith must succeed the imprisonment of the law. happy the person who knows how to utilize the law so that it serves the purposes of grace and of faith. unbelievers are ignorant of this happy knowledge. when cain was first shut up in the prison of the law he felt no pang at the fratricide he had committed. he thought he could pass it off as an incident with a shrug of the shoulder. "am i my brother's keeper?" he answered god flippantly. but when he heard the ominous words, "what hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground," cain began to feel his imprisonment. did he know how to get out of prison? no. he failed to call the gospel to his aid. he said: "my punishment is greater than i can bear." he could only think of the prison. he forgot that he was brought face to face with his crime so that he should hurry to god for mercy and for pardon. cain remained in the prison of the law and despaired. as a stone prison proves a physical handicap, so the spiritual prison of the law proves a chamber of torture. but this it should only be until faith be revealed. the silly conscience must be educated to this. talk to your conscience. say: "sister, you are now in jail all right. but you don't have to stay there forever. it is written that we are 'shut up unto faith which should afterwards be revealed.' christ will lead you to freedom. do not despair like cain, saul, or judas. they might have gone free if they had called christ to their aid. just take it easy, sister conscience. it's good for you to be locked up for a while. it will teach you to appreciate christ." how anybody can say that he by nature loves the law is beyond me. the law is a prison to be feared and hated. any unconverted person who says he loves the law is a liar. he does not know what he is talking about. we love the law about as well as a murderer loves his gloomy cell, his straight-jacket, and the iron bars in front of him. how then can the law justify us? verse 23. shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. we know that paul has reference to the time of christ's coming. it was then that faith and the object of faith were fully revealed. but we may apply the historical fact to our inner life. when christ came he abolished the law and brought liberty and life to light. this he continues to do in the hearts of the believers. the christian has a body in whose members, as paul says, sin dwells and wars. i take sin to mean not only the deed but root, tree, fruit, and all. a christian may perhaps not fall into the gross sins of murder, adultery, theft, but he is not free from impatience, complaints, hatreds, and blasphemy of god. as carnal lust is strong in a young man, in a man of full age the desire for glory, and in an old man covetousness, so impatience, doubt, and hatred of god often prevail in the hearts of sincere christians. examples of these sins may be garnered from the psalms, job, jeremiah, and all the sacred scriptures. accordingly each christian continues to experience in his heart times of the law and times of the gospel. the times of the law are discernible by heaviness of heart, by a lively sense of sin, and a feeling of despair brought on by the law. these periods of the law will come again and again as long as we live. to mention my own case. there are many times when i find fault with god and am impatient with him. the wrath and the judgment of god displease me, my wrath and impatience displease him. then is the season of the law, when "the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh." the time of grace returns when the heart is enlivened by the promise of god's mercy. it soliloquizes: "why art thou cast down, o my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? can you see nothing but law, sin, death, and hell? is there no grace, no forgiveness, no joy, peace, life, heaven, no christ and god? trouble me no more, my soul. hope in god who has not spared his own dear son but has given him into death for thy sins." when the law carries things too far, say: "mister law, you are not the whole show. there are other and better things than you. they tell me to trust in the lord." there is a time for the law and a time for grace. let us study to be good timekeepers. it is not easy. law and grace may be miles apart in essence, but in the heart, they are pretty close together. in the heart fear and trust, sin and grace, law and gospel cross paths continually. whether reason hears that justification before god is obtained by grace alone, it draws the inference that the law is without value. the doctrine of the law must therefore be studied carefully lest we either reject the law altogether, or are tempted to attribute to the law a capacity to save. there are three ways in which the law may be abused. first, by the self-righteous hypocrites who fancy that they can be justified by the law. secondly, by those who claim that christian liberty exempts a christian from the observance of the law. "these," says peter, "use their liberty for a cloak of maliciousness," and bring the name and the gospel of christ into ill repute. thirdly, the law is abused by those who do not understand that the law is meant to drive us to christ. when the law is properly used its value cannot be too highly appraised. it will take me to christ every time. verse 24. wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto christ. this simile of the schoolmaster is striking. schoolmasters are indispensable. but show me a pupil who loves his schoolmaster. how little love is lost upon them the jews showed by their attitude toward moses. they would have been glad to stone moses to death. (ex. 17:4.) you cannot expect anything else. how can a pupil love a teacher who frustrates his desires? and if the pupil disobeys, the schoolmaster whips him, and the pupil has to like it and even kiss the rod with which he was beaten. do you think the schoolboy feels good about it? as soon as the teacher turns his back, the pupil breaks the rod and throws it into the fire. and if he were stronger than the teacher he would not take the beatings, but beat up the teacher. all the same, teachers are indispensable, otherwise the children would grow up without discipline, instruction, and training. but how long are the scolding and the whippings of the schoolmaster to continue? only for a time, until the boy has been trained to be a worthy heir of his father. no father wants his son to be whipped all the time. the discipline is to last until the boy has been trained to be his father's worthy successor. the law is such a schoolmaster. not for always, but until we have been brought to christ. the law is not just another schoolmaster. the law is a specialist to bring us to christ. what would you think of a schoolmaster who could only torment and beat a child? yet of such schoolmasters there were plenty in former times, regular bruisers. the law is not that kind of a schoolmaster. it is not to torment us always. with its lashings it is only too anxious to drive us to christ. the law is like the good schoolmaster who trains his children to find pleasure in doing things they formerly detested. verse 24. that we might be justified by faith. the law is not to teach us another law. when a person feels the full force of the law he is likely to think: i have transgressed all the commandments of god; i am guilty of eternal death. if god will spare me i will change and live right from now on. this natural but entirely wrong reaction to the law has bred the many ceremonies and works devised to earn grace and remission of sins. the law means to enlarge my sins, to make me small, so that i may be justified by faith in christ. faith is neither law nor word; but confidence in christ "who is the end of the law." how so is christ the end of the law? not in this way that he replaced the old law with new laws. nor is christ the end of the law in a way that makes him a hard judge who has to be bribed by works as the papists teach. christ is the end or finish of the law to all who believe in him. the law can no longer accuse or condemn them. but what does the law accomplish for those who have been justified by christ? paul answers this question next. verse 25. but after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. the apostle declares that we are free from the law. christ fulfilled the law for us. we may live in joy and safety under christ. the trouble is, our flesh will not let us believe in christ with all our heart. the fault lies not with christ, but with us. sin clings to us as long as we live and spoils our happiness in christ. hence, we are only partly free from the law. "with the mind i myself serve the law of god; but with the flesh the law of sin." (romans 7:25.) as far as the conscience is concerned it may cheerfully ignore the law. but because sin continues to dwell in the flesh, the law waits around to molest our conscience. more and more, however, christ increases our faith and in the measure in which our faith is increased, sin, law, and flesh subside. if anybody objects to the gospel and the sacraments on the ground that christ has taken away our sins once and for always, you will know what to answer. you will answer: indeed, christ has taken away my sins. but my flesh, the world, and the devil interfere with my faith. the little light of faith in my heart does not shine all over me at once. it is a gradual diffusion. in the meanwhile i console myself with the thought that eventually my flesh will be made perfect in the resurrection. verse 26. for we are all the children of god by faith in christ jesus. paul as a true apostle of faith always has the word "faith" on the tip of his tongue. by faith, says he, we are the children of god. the law cannot beget children of god. it cannot regenerate us. it can only remind us of the old birth by which we were born into the kingdom of the devil. the best the law can do for us is to prepare us for a new birth through faith in christ jesus. faith in christ regenerates us into the children of god. st. john bears witness to this in his gospel: "as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of god, even to them that believe on his name." (john 1:12.) what tongue of man or angel can adequately extol the mercy of god toward us miserable sinners in that he adopted us for his own children and fellow-heirs with his son by the simple means of faith in christ jesus! verse 27. for as many of you as have been baptized into christ have put on christ. to "put on christ" may be understood in two ways, according to the law and according to the gospel. according to the law as in romans 13:14, "put ye on the lord jesus christ," which means to follow the example of christ. to put on christ according to the gospel means to clothe oneself with the righteousness, wisdom, power, life, and spirit of christ. by nature we are clad in the garb of adam. this garb paul likes to call "the old man." before we can become the children of god this old man must be put off, as paul says, ephesians 4:29. the garment of adam must come off like soiled clothes. of course, it is not as simple as changing one's clothes. but god makes it simple. he clothes us with the righteousness of christ by means of baptism, as the apostle says in this verse: "as many of you as have been baptized into christ have put on christ." with this change of garments a new birth, a new life stirs in us. new affections toward god spring up in the heart. new determinations affect our will. all this is to put on christ according to the gospel. needless to say, when we have put on the robe of the righteousness of christ we must not forget to put on also the mantle of the imitation of christ. verse 28. there is neither jew nor greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in christ jesus. the list might be extended indefinitely: there is neither preacher nor hearer, neither teacher nor scholar, neither master nor servant, etc. in the matter of salvation, rank, learning, righteousness, influence count for nothing. with this statement paul deals a death blow to the law. when a person has put on christ nothing else matters. whether a person is a jew, a punctilious and circumcised observer of the law of moses, or whether a person is a noble and wise greek does not matter. circumstances, personal worth, character, achievements have no bearing upon justification. before god they count for nothing. what counts is that we put on christ. whether a servant performs his duties well; whether those who are in authority govern wisely; whether a man marries, provides for his family, and is an honest citizen; whether a woman is chaste, obedient to her husband, and a good mother: all these advantages do not qualify a person for salvation. these virtues are commendable, of course; but they do not count points for justification. all the best laws, ceremonies, religions, and deeds of the world cannot take away sin guilt, cannot dispatch death, cannot purchase life. there is much disparity among men in the world, but there is no such disparity before god. "for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of god." (romans 3:23.) let the jews, let the greeks, let the whole world keep silent in the presence of god. those who are justified are justified by christ. without faith in christ the jew with his laws, the monk with his holy orders, the greek with his wisdom, the servant with his obedience, shall perish forever. verse 28. for ye are all one in christ jesus. there is much imparity among men in the world. and it is a good thing. if the woman would change places with the man, if the son would change places with the father, the servant with the master, nothing but confusion would result. in christ, however, all are equal. we all have one and the same gospel, "one faith, one baptism, one god and father of all," one christ and savior of all. the christ of peter, paul, and all the saints is our christ. paul can always be depended on to add the conditional clause, "in christ jesus." if we lose sight of christ, we lose out. verse 29. and if ye be christ's, then are ye abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. "if ye be christ's" means, if you believe in christ. if you believe in christ, then are you the children of abraham indeed. through our faith in christ abraham gains paternity over us and over the nations of the earth according to the promise: "in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." through faith we belong to christ and christ to us. chapter 4 verse 1. now i say, that the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; verse 2. but is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. the apostle had apparently finished his discourse on justification when this illustration of the youthful heir occurred to him. he throws it in for good measure. he knows that plain people are sooner impressed by an apt illustration than by learned discussion. "i want to give you another illustration from everyday life," he writes to the galatians. "as long as an heir is under age he is treated very much like a servant. he is not permitted to order his own affairs. he is kept under constant surveillance. such discipline is good for him, otherwise he would waste his inheritance in no time. this discipline, however, is not to last forever. it is to last only until 'the time appointed of the father.'" verse 3. even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. as children of the law we were treated like servants and prisoners. we were oppressed and condemned by the law. but the tyranny of the law is not to last forever. it is to last only until "the time appointed of the father," until christ came and redeemed us. verse 3. under the elements of the world. by the elements of the world the apostle does not understand the physical elements, as some have thought. in calling the law "the elements of the world" paul means to say that the law is something material, mundane, earthly. it may restrain evil, but it does not deliver from sin. the law does not justify; it does not bring a person to heaven. i do not obtain eternal life because i do not kill, commit adultery, steal, etc. such mere outward decency does not constitute christianity. the heathen observe the same restraints to avoid punishment or to secure the advantages of a good reputation. in the last analysis such restraint is simple hypocrisy. when the law exercises its higher function it accuses and condemns the conscience. all these effects of the law cannot be called divine or heavenly. these effects are elements of the world. in calling the law the elements of the world paul refers to the whole law, principally to the ceremonial law which dealt with external matters, as meat, drink, dress, places, times, feasts, cleansings, sacrifices, etc. these are mundane matters which cannot save the sinner. ceremonial laws are like the statutes of governments dealing with purely civil matters, as commerce, inheritance, etc. as for the pope's church laws forbidding marriage and meats, paul calls them elsewhere the doctrines of devils. you would not call such laws elements of heaven. the law of moses deals with mundane matters. it holds the mirror to the evil which is in the world. by revealing the evil that is in us it creates a longing in the heart for the better things of god. the law forces us into the arms of christ, "who is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." (romans 1:4.) christ relieves the conscience of the law. in so far as the law impels us to christ it renders excellent service. i do not mean to give the impression that the law should be despised. neither does paul intend to leave that impression. the law ought to be honored. but when it is a matter of justification before god, paul had to speak disparagingly of the law, because the law has nothing to do with justification. if it thrusts its nose into the business of justification we must talk harshly to the law to keep it in its place. the conscience ought not to be on speaking terms with the law. the conscience ought to know only christ. to say this is easy, but in times of trial, when the conscience writhes in the presence of god, it is not so easy to do. as such times we are to believe in christ as if there were no law or sin anywhere, but only christ. we ought to say to the law: "mister law, i do not get you. you stutter so much. i don't think that you have anything to say to me." when it is not a question of salvation or justification with us, we are to think highly of the law and call it "holy, just, and good." (romans 7:12) the law is of no comfort to a stricken conscience. therefore it should not be allowed to rule in our conscience, particularly in view of the fact that christ paid so great a price to deliver the conscience from the tyranny of the law. let us understand that the law and christ are impossible bedfellows. the law must leave the bed of the conscience, which is so narrow that it cannot hold two, as isaiah says, chapter 28, verse 20. only paul among the apostles calls the law "the elements of the world, weak and beggarly elements, the strength of sin, the letter that killeth," etc. the other apostles do not speak so slightingly of the law. those who want to be first-class scholars in the school of christ want to pick up the language of paul. christ called him a chosen vessel and equipped with a facility of expression far above that of the other apostles, that he as the chosen vessel should establish the doctrine of justification in clear-cut words. verses 4, 5. but when the fullness of the time was come, god sent forth his son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law. "the fullness of the time" means when the time of the law was fulfilled and christ was revealed. note how paul explains christ. "christ," says he, "is the son of god and the son of a woman. he submitted himself under the law to redeem us who were under the law." in these words the apostle explains the person and office of christ. his person is divine and human. "god sent forth his son, made of a woman." christ therefore is true god and true man. christ's office the apostle describes in the words: "made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law." paul calls the virgin mary a woman. this has been frequently deplored even by some of the ancient fathers who felt that paul should have written "virgin" instead of woman. but paul is now treating of faith and christian righteousness, of the person and office of christ, not of the virginity of mary. the inestimable mercy of god is sufficiently set forth by the fact that his son was born of a woman. the more general term "woman" indicates that christ was born a true man. paul does not say that christ was born of man and woman, but only of woman. that he has a virgin in mind is obvious. this passage furthermore declares that christ's purpose in coming was the abolition of the law, not with the intention of laying down new laws, but "to redeem them that were under the law." christ himself declared: "i judge no man." (john 8:15.) again, "i came not to judge the world, but to save the world." (john 12:47.) in other words: "i came not to bring more laws, or to judge men according to the existing law. i have a higher and better office. i came to judge and to condemn the law, so that it may no more judge and condemn the world." how did christ manage to redeem us? "he was made under the law." when christ came he found us all in prison. what did he do about it? although he was the lord of the law, he voluntarily placed himself under the law and permitted it to exercise dominion over him, indeed to accuse and to condemn him. when the law takes us into judgment it has a perfect right to do so. "for we are by nature the children of wrath, even as others." (eph. 2:3.) christ, however, "did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth." (i pet. 2:22.) hence the law had no jurisdiction over him. yet the law treated this innocent, just, and blessed lamb of god as cruelly as it treated us. it accused him of blasphemy and treason. it made him guilty of the sins of the whole world. it overwhelmed him with such anguish of soul that his sweat was as blood. the law condemned him to the shameful death on the cross. it is truly amazing that the law had the effrontery to turn upon its divine author, and that without a show of right. for its insolence the law in turn was arraigned before the judgment seat of god and condemned. christ might have overcome the law by an exercise of his omnipotent authority over the law. instead, he humbled himself under the law for and together with them that were under the law. he gave the law license to accuse and condemn him. his present mastery over the law was obtained by virtue of his sonship and his substitutionary victory. thus christ banished the law from the conscience. it dare no longer banish us from god. for that matter,--the law continues to reveal sin. it still raises its voice in condemnation. but the conscience finds quick relief in the words of the apostle: "christ has redeemed us from the law." the conscience can now hold its head high and say to the law: "you are not so holy yourself. you crucified the son of god. that was an awful thing for you to do. you have lost your influence forever." the words, "christ was made under the law," are worth all the attention we can bestow on them. they declare that the son of god did not only fulfill one or two easy requirements of the law, but that he endured all the tortures of the law. the law brought all its fright to bear upon christ until he experienced anguish and terror such as nobody else ever experienced. his bloody sweat. his need of angelic comfort, his tremulous prayer in the garden, his lamentation on the cross, "my god, my god, why hast thou forsaken me?" bear eloquent witness to the sting of the law. he suffered "to redeem them that were under the law." the roman conception of christ as a mere lawgiver more stringent than moses, is quite contrary to paul's teaching. christ, according to paul, was not an agent of the law but a patient of the law. he was not a law-giver, but a law-taker. true enough, christ also taught and expounded the law. but it was incidental. it was a sideline with him. he did not come into the world for the purpose of teaching the law, as little as it was the purpose of his coming to perform miracles. teaching the law and performing miracles did not constitute his unique mission to the world. the prophets also taught the law and performed miracles. in fact, according to the promise of christ, the apostles performed greater miracles than christ himself. (john 14:12.) the true purpose of christ's coming was the abolition of the law, of sin, and of death. if we think of christ as paul here depicts him, we shall never go wrong. we shall never be in danger of misconstruing the meaning of the law. we shall understand that the law does not justify. we shall understand why a christian observes laws: for the peace of the world, out of gratitude to god, and for a good example that others may be attracted to the gospel. verse 5. that we might receive the adoption of sons. paul still has for his text genesis 22:18, "in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." in the course of his epistle he calls this promise of the blessing righteousness, life, deliverance from the law, the testament, etc. now he also calls the promise of blessing "the adoption of sons," the inheritance of everlasting life. what ever induced god to adopt us for his children and heirs? what claim can men who are subservient to sin, subject to the curse of the law, and worthy of everlasting death, have on god and eternal life? that god adopted us is due to the merit of jesus christ, the son of god, who humbled himself under the law and redeemed us law-ridden sinners. verse 6. and because ye are sons, god hath sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts. in the early church the holy spirit was sent forth in visible form. he descended upon christ in the form of a dove (matt. 3:16), and in the likeness of fire upon the apostles and other believers. (acts 2:3.) this visible outpouring of the holy spirit was necessary to the establishment of the early church, as were also the miracles that accompanied the gift of the holy ghost. paul explained the purpose of these miraculous gifts of the spirit in i corinthians 14:22, "tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not." once the church had been established and properly advertised by these miracles, the visible appearance of the holy ghost ceased. next, the holy ghost is sent forth into the hearts of the believers, as here stated, "god sent the spirit of his son into your hearts." this sending is accomplished by the preaching of the gospel through which the holy spirit inspires us with fervor and light, with new judgment, new desires, and new motives. this happy innovation is not a derivative of reason or personal development, but solely the gift and operation of the holy ghost. this renewal by the holy spirit may not be conspicuous to the world, but it is patent to us by our better judgment, our improved speech, and our unashamed confession of christ. formerly we did not confess christ to be our only merit, as we do now in the light of the gospel. why, then, should we feel bad if the world looks upon us as ravagers of religion and insurgents against constituted authority? we confess christ and our conscience approves of it. then, too, we live in the fear of god. if we sin, we sin not on purpose, but unwittingly, and we are sorry for it. sin sticks in our flesh, and the flesh gets us into sin even after we have been imbued by the holy ghost. outwardly there is no great difference between a christian and any honest man. the activities of a christian are not sensational. he performs his duty according to his vocation. he takes good care of his family, and is kind and helpful to others. such homely, everyday performances are not much admired. but the setting-up exercises of the monks draw great applause. holy works, you know. only the acts of a christian are truly good and acceptable to god, because they are done in faith, with a cheerful heart, out of gratitude to christ. we ought to have no misgivings about whether the holy ghost dwells in us. we are "the temple of the holy ghost." (i cor. 3:16.) when we have a love for the word of god, and gladly hear, talk, write, and think of christ, we are to know that this inclination toward christ is the gift and work of the holy ghost. where you come across contempt for the word of god, there is the devil. we meet with such contempt for the word of god mostly among the common people. they act as though the word of god does not concern them. wherever you find a love for the word, thank god for the holy spirit who infuses this love into the hearts of men. we never come by this love naturally, neither can it be enforced by laws. it is the gift of the holy spirit. the roman theologians teach that no man can know for a certainty whether he stands in the favor of god or not. this teaching forms one of the chief articles of their faith. with this teaching they tormented men's consciences, excommunicated christ from the church, and limited the operations of the holy ghost. st. augustine observed that "every man is certain of his faith, if he has faith." this the romanists deny. "god forbid," they exclaim piously, "that i should ever be so arrogant as to think that i stand in grace, that i am holy, or that i have the holy ghost." we ought to feel sure that we stand in the grace of god, not in view of our own worthiness, but through the good services of christ. as certain as we are that christ pleases god, so sure ought we to be that we also please god, because christ is in us. and although we daily offend god by our sins, yet as often as we sin, god's mercy bends over us. therefore sin cannot get us to doubt the grace of god. our certainty is of christ, that mighty hero who overcame the law, sin, death, and all evils. so long as he sits at the right hand of god to intercede for us, we have nothing to fear from the anger of god. this inner assurance of the grace of god is accompanied by outward indications such as gladly to hear, preach, praise, and to confess christ, to do one's duty in the station in which god has placed us, to aid the needy, and to comfort the sorrowing. these are the affidavits of the holy spirit testifying to our favorable standing with god. if we could be fully persuaded that we are in the good grace of god, that our sins are forgiven, that we have the spirit of christ, that we are the beloved children of god, we would be ever so happy and grateful to god. but because we often feel fear and doubt we cannot come to that happy certainty. train your conscience to believe that god approves of you. fight it out with doubt. gain assurance through the word of god. say: "i am all right with god. i have the holy ghost. christ, in whom i do believe, makes me worthy. i gladly hear, read, sing, and write of him. i would like nothing better than that christ's gospel be known throughout the world and that many, many be brought to faith in him." verse 6. crying, abba, father. paul might have written, "god sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts, calling abba, father." instead, he wrote, "crying, abba, father." in the eighth chapter of the epistle to the romans the apostle describes this crying of the spirit as "groanings which cannot be uttered." he writes in the 26th verse: "likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." the fact that the spirit of christ in our hearts cries unto god and makes intercession for us with groanings should reassure us greatly. however, there are many factors that prevent such full reassurance on our part. we are born in sin. to doubt the good will of god is an inborn suspicion of god with all of us. besides, the devil, our adversary, goeth about seeking to devour us by roaring: "god is angry at you and is going to destroy you forever." in all these difficulties we have only one support, the gospel of christ. to hold on to it, that is the trick. christ cannot be perceived with the senses. we cannot see him. the heart does not feel his helpful presence. especially in times of trials a christian feels the power of sin, the infirmity of his flesh, the goading darts of the devil, the agues of death, the scowl and judgment of god. all these things cry out against us. the law scolds us, sin screams at us, death thunders at us, the devil roars at us. in the midst of the clamor the spirit of christ cries in our hearts: "abba, father." and this little cry of the spirit transcends the hullabaloo of the law, sin, death, and the devil, and finds a hearing with god. the spirit cries in us because of our weakness. because of our infirmity the holy ghost is sent forth into our hearts to pray for us according to the will of god and to assure us of the grace of god. let the law, sin, and the devil cry out against us until their outcry fills heaven and earth. the spirit of god outcries them all. our feeble groans, "abba, father," will be heard of god sooner than the combined racket of hell, sin, and the law. we do not think of our groanings as a crying. it is so faint we do not know we are groaning. "but he," says paul, "that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the spirit." (romans 8:27.) to this searcher of hearts our feeble groaning, as it seems to us, is a loud shout for help in comparison with which the howls of hell, the din of the devil, the yells of the law, the shouts of sin are like so many whispers. in the fourteenth chapter of exodus the lord addresses moses at the red sea: "wherefore criest thou unto me?" moses had not cried unto the lord. he trembled so he could hardly talk. his faith was at low ebb. he saw the people of israel wedged between the sea and the approaching armies of pharaoh. how were they to escape? moses did not know what to say. how then could god say that moses was crying to him? god heard the groaning heart of moses and the groans to him sounded like loud shouts for help. god is quick to catch the sigh of the heart. some have claimed that the saints are without infirmities. but paul says: "the spirit helpeth our infirmities, and maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." we need the help of the holy spirit because we are weak and infirm. and the holy spirit never disappoints us. confronted by the armies of pharaoh, retreat cut off by the waters of the red sea, moses was in a bad spot. he felt himself to blame. the devil accused him: "these people will all perish, for they cannot escape. and you are to blame because you led the people out of egypt. you started all this." and then the people started in on moses. "because there were no graves in egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? for it had been better for us to serve the egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness." (ex. 14:11, 12.) but the holy ghost was in moses and made intercession for him with unutterable groanings, sighings unto the lord: "o lord, at thy commandment have i led forth this people. so help me now." the spirit intercedes for us not in many words or long prayers, but with groanings, with little sounds like "abba." small as this word is, it says ever so much. it says: "my father, i am in great trouble and you seem so far away. but i know i am your child, because you are my father for christ's sake. i am loved by you because of the beloved." this one little word "abba" surpasses the eloquence of a demosthenes and a cicero. i have spent much time on this verse in order to combat the cruel teaching of the roman church, that a person ought to be kept in a state of uncertainty concerning his status with god. the monasteries recruit the youth on the plea that their "holy" orders will assuredly recruit them for heaven. but once inside the monastery the recruits are told to doubt the promises of god. in support of their error the papists quote the saying of solomon: "the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of god: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them." (eccles. 9:1.) they take this hatred to mean the wrath of god to come. others take it to mean god's present anger. none of them seem to understand this passage from solomon. on every page the scriptures urge us to believe that god is merciful, loving, and patient; that he is faithful and true, and that he keeps his promises. all the promises of god were fulfilled in the gift of his only-begotten son, that "whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." the gospel is reassurance for sinners. yet this one saying from solomon, misinterpreted at that, is made to count for more than all the many promises of all the scriptures. if our opponents are so uncertain about their status with god, and even go so far as to say that the conscience ought to be kept in a state of doubt, why is it that they persecute us as vile heretics? when it comes to persecuting us they do not seem to be in doubt and uncertainty one minute. let us not fail to thank god for delivering us from the doctrine of doubt. the gospel commands us to look away from our own good works to the promises of god in christ, the mediator. the pope commands us to look away from the promises of god in christ to our own merit. no wonder they are the eternal prey of doubt and despair. we depend upon god for salvation. no wonder that our doctrine is certified, because it does not rest in our own strength, our own conscience, our own feelings, our own person, our own works. it is built on a better foundation. it is built on the promises and truth of god. besides, the passage from solomon does not treat of the hatred and love of god towards men. it merely rebukes the ingratitude of men. the more deserving a person is, the less he is appreciated. often those who should be his best friends, are his worst enemies. those who least deserve the praise of the world, get most. david was a holy man and a good king. nevertheless he was chased from his own country. the prophets, christ, the apostles, were slain. solomon in this passage does not speak of the love and hatred of god, but of love and hatred among men. as though solomon wanted to say: "there are many good and wise men whom god uses for the advancement of mankind. seldom, if ever, are their efforts crowned with gratitude. they are usually repaid with hatred and ingratitude." we are being treated that way. we thought we would find favor with men for bringing them the gospel of peace, life, and eternal salvation. instead of favor, we found fury. at first, yes, many were delighted with our doctrine and received it gladly. we counted them as our friends and brethren, and were happy to think that they would help us in sowing the seed of the gospel. but they revealed themselves as false brethren and deadly enemies of the gospel. if you experience the ingratitude of men, don't let it get you down. say with christ: "they hated me without cause." and, "for my love they are my adversaries; but i give myself unto prayer." (ps. 109:4.) let us never doubt the mercy of god in christ jesus, but make up our minds that god is pleased with us, that he looks after us, and that we have the holy spirit who prays for us. verse 7. wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son. this sentence clinches paul's argument. he says: "with the holy spirit in our hearts crying, 'abba, father,' there can be no doubt that god has adopted us for his children and that our subjection to the law has come to an end." we are now the free children of god. we may now say to the law: "mister law, you have lost your throne to christ. i am free now and a son of god. you cannot curse me any more." do not permit the law to lie in your conscience. your conscience belongs to christ. let christ be in it and not the law. as the children of god we are the heirs of his eternal heaven. what a wonderful gift heaven is, man's heart cannot conceive, much less describe. until we enter upon our heavenly inheritance we are only to have our little faith to go by. to man's reason our faith looks rather forlorn. but because our faith rests on the promises of the infinite god, his promises are also infinite, so much so that nothing can accuse or condemn us. verse 7. and if a son, then an heir of god through christ. a son is an heir, not by virtue of high accomplishments, but by virtue of his birth. he is a mere recipient. his birth makes him an heir, not his labors. in exactly the same way we obtain the eternal gifts of righteousness, resurrection, and everlasting life. we obtain them not as agents, but as beneficiaries. we are the children and heirs of god through faith in christ. we have christ to thank for everything. we are not the heirs of some rich and mighty man, but heirs of god, the almighty creator of all things. if a person could fully appreciate what it means to be a son and heir of god, he would rate the might and wealth of nations small change in comparison with his heavenly inheritance. what is the world to him who has heaven? no wonder paul greatly desired to depart and to be with christ. nothing would be more welcome to us than early death, knowing that it would spell the end of all our miseries and the beginning of all our happiness. yes, if a person could perfectly believe this he would not long remain alive. the anticipation of his joy would kill him. but the law of the members strives against the law of the mind, and makes perfect joy and faith impossible. we need the continued help and comfort of the holy spirit. we need his prayers. paul himself cried out: "o wretched man that i am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" the body of this death spoiled the joy of his spirit. he did not always entertain the sweet and glad expectation of his heavenly inheritance. he often felt miserable. this goes to show how hard it is to believe. faith is feeble, because the flesh wars against the spirit. if we could have perfect faith, our loathing for this life in the world would be complete. we would not be so careful about this life. we would not be so attached to the world and the things of the world. we would not feel so good when we have them; we would not feel so bad when we lose them. we would be far more humble and patient and kind. but our faith is weak, because our spirit is weak. in this life we can have only the first-fruits of the spirit, as paul says. verse 7. through christ. the apostle always has christ on the tip of his tongue. he foresaw that nothing would be less known in the world some day than the gospel of christ. therefore he talks of christ continually. as often as he speaks of righteousness, grace, the promise, the adoption, and the inheritance of heaven, he adds the words, "in christ," or "through christ," to show that these blessings are not to be had by the law, or the deeds of the law, much less by our own exertions, or by the observance of human traditions, but only by and through and in christ. verses 8 and 9. howbeit then, when ye knew not god, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. but now, after that ye have known god, or rather are known of god, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? this concludes paul's discourse on justification. from now to the end of the epistle the apostle writes mostly of christian conduct. but before he follows up his doctrinal discourse with practical precepts he once more reproves the galatians. he is deeply displeased with them for relinquishing their divine doctrine. he tells them: "you have taken on teachers who intend to recommit you to the law. by my doctrine i called you out of the darkness of ignorance into the wonderful light of the knowledge of god. i led you out of bondage into the freedom of the sons of god, not by the prescription of laws, but by the gift of heavenly and eternal blessings through christ jesus. how could you so soon forsake the light and return to darkness? how could you so quickly stray from grace into the law, from freedom into bondage?" the example of the galatians, of anabaptists, and other sectarians in our day bears testimony to the ease with which faith may be lost. we take great pains in setting forth the doctrine of faith by preaching and by writing. we are careful to apply the gospel and the law in their proper turn. yet we make little headway because the devil seduces people into misbelief by taking christ out of their sight and focusing their eyes upon the law. but why does paul accuse the galatians of reverting to the weak and beggarly elements of the law when they never had the law? why does he not say to them: "at one time you galatians did not know god. you then served idols that were no gods. but now that you have come to know the true god, why do you go back to the worship of idols?" paul seems to identify their defection from the gospel to the law with their former idolatry. indeed he does. whoever gives up the article of justification does not know the true god. it is one and the same thing whether a person reverts to the law or to the worship of idols. when the article of justification is lost, nothing remains except error, hypocrisy, godlessness, and idolatry. god will and can be known in no other way than in and through christ according to the statement of john 1:18, "the only begotten son, which is in the bosom of the father, he hath declared him." christ is the only means whereby we can know god and his will. in christ we perceive that god is not a cruel judge, but a most loving and merciful father who to bless and to save us "spared not his own son, but gave him up for us all." this is truly to know god. those who do not know god in christ arrive at this erroneous conclusion: "i will serve god in such and such a way. i will join this or that order. i will be active in this or that charitable endeavor. god will sanction my good intentions and reward me with everlasting life. for is he not a merciful and generous father who gives good things even to the unworthy and ungrateful? how much more will he grant unto me everlasting life as a due payment in return for my many good deeds and merits." this is the religion of reason. this is the natural religion of the world. "the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of god." (i cor. 2:14.) "there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after god." (romans 3:11.) hence, there is really no difference between a jew, a mohammedan, and any other old or new heretic. there may be a difference of persons, places, rites, religions, ceremonies, but as far as their fundamental beliefs are concerned they are all alike. is it therefore not extreme folly for rome and the mohammedans to fight each other about religion? how about the monks? why should one monk want to be accounted more holy than another monk because of some silly ceremony, when all the time their basic beliefs are asnmuch alike as one egg is like the other? they all imagine, if we do this or that work, god will have mercy on us; if not, god will be angry. god never promised to save anybody for his religious observance of ceremonies and ordinances. those who rely upon such things do serve a god, but it is their own invention of a god, and not the true god. the true god has this to say: no religion pleases me whereby the father is not glorified through his son jesus. all who give their faith to this son of mine, to them i am god and father. i accept, justify, and save them. all others abide under my curse because they worship creatures instead of me. without the doctrine of justification there can be only ignorance of god. those who refuse to be justified by christ are idolaters. they remain under the law, sin, death, and the power of the devil. everything they do is wrong. nowadays there are many such idolaters who want to be counted among the true confessors of the gospel. they may even teach that men are delivered from their sins by the death of christ. but because they attach more importance to charity than to faith in christ they dishonor him and pervert his word. they do not serve the true god, but an idol of their own invention. the true god has never yet smiled upon a person for his charity or virtues, but only for the sake of christ's merits. the objection is frequently raised that the bible commands that we should love god with all our heart. true enough. but because god commands it, it does not follow that we do it. if we could love god with all our heart we should undoubtedly be justified by our obedience, for it is written, "which if a man do, he shall live in them." (lev. 18:5.) but now comes the gospel and says: "because you do not do these things, you cannot live in them." the words, "thou shalt love the lord, thy god," require perfect obedience, perfect fear, perfect trust, and perfect love. but where are the people who can render perfection? hence, this commandment, instead of justifying men, only accuses and condemns them. "christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth" (romans 10:1.) how may these two contradictory statements of the apostle, "ye knew not god," and "ye worshipped god," be reconciled? i answer: by nature all men know that there is a god, "because that which may be known of god is manifest in them, for god hath showed it unto them. for the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen." (romans 1:19, 20.) furthermore, the different religions to be found among all nations at all times bear witness to the fact that all men have a certain intuitive knowledge of god. if all men know god how can paul say that the galatians did not know god prior to the hearing of the gospel? i answer: there is a twofold knowledge of god, general and particular. all men have the general and instinctive recognition that there is a god who created heaven and earth, who is just and holy, and who punishes the wicked. how god feels about us, what his intentions are, what he will do for us, or how he will save us, that men cannot know instinctively. it must be revealed to them. i may know a person by sight, and still not know him, because i do not know how he feels about me. men know instinctively that there is a god. but what his will is toward them, they do not know. it is written: "there is none that understandeth god." (romans 3:11.) again, "no man hath seen god." (john 1:18.) now, what good does it do you if you know that there is a god, if you do not know how he feels about you, or what he wants of you? people have done a good deal of guessing. the jew imagines he is doing the will of god if he concentrates on the law of moses. the mohammedan thinks his koran is the will of god. the monk fancies he is doing the will of god if he performs his vows. but they deceive themselves and become "vain in their imaginations," as paul says, romans 1:21. instead of worshipping the true god, they worship the vain imaginations of their foolish hearts. what paul means by saying to the galatians, "when ye knew not god," is simply this: "there was a time when you did not know the will of god in christ, but you worshipped gods of your own invention, thinking that you had to perform this or that labor." whether you understand the "elements of the world" to mean the law of moses, or the religions of the heathen nations, it makes no difference. those who lapse from the gospel to the law are no better off than those who lapse from grace into idolatry. without christ all religion is idolatry. without christ men will entertain false ideas about god, call their ideas what you like, the laws of moses, the ordinances of the pope, the koran of the mohammedans, or what have you. verse 9. but now, after that ye have known god. "is it not amazing," cries paul, "that you galatians who knew god intimately by the hearing of the gospel, should all of a sudden revert from the true knowledge of his will in which i thought you were confirmed, to the weak and beggarly elements of the law which can only enslave you again?" verse 9. or rather are known of god. the apostle turns the foregoing sentence around. he fears the galatians have lost god altogether. "alas," he cries, "have you come to this, that you no longer know god? what else am i to think? nevertheless, god knows you." our knowledge of god is rather passive than active. god knows us better than we know god. "ye are known of god" means that god brings his gospel to our attention, and endows us with faith and the holy spirit. even in these words the apostle denies the possibility of our knowing god by the performance of the law. "no man knoweth who the father is, but the son, and he to whom the son will reveal him." (luke 10:22.) "by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities." (isaiah 53:11.) the apostle frankly expresses his surprise to the galatians that they who had known god intimately through the gospel, should so easily be persuaded by the false apostles to return to the weak and beggarly elements of the law. i would not be surprised to see my church perverted by some fanatic through one or two sermons. we are no better than the apostles who had to witness the subversion of the churches which they had planted with their own hands. nevertheless, christ will reign to the end of the world, and that miraculously, as he did during the dark ages. paul seems to think rather ill of the law. he calls it the elements of the world, the weak and beggarly elements of the world. was it not irreverent for him to speak that way about the holy law of god? the law ought to prepare the way of christ into the hearts of men. that is the true purpose and function of the law. but if the law presumes to usurp the place and function of the gospel, it is no longer the holy law of god, but a pseudo-gospel. if you care to amplify this matter you may add the observation that the law is a weak and beggarly element because it makes people weak and beggarly. the law has no power and affluence to make men strong and rich before god. to seek to be justified by the law amounts to the same thing as if a person who is already weak and feeble should try to find strength in weakness, or as if a person with the dropsy should seek a cure by exposing himself to the pestilence, or as if a leper should go to a leper, and a beggar to a beggar to find health and wealth. those who seek to be justified by the law grow weaker and more destitute right along. they are weak and bankrupt to begin with. they are by nature the children of wrath. yet for salvation they grasp at the straw of the law. the law can only aggravate their weakness and poverty. the law makes them ten times weaker and poorer than they were before. i and many others have experienced the truth of this. i have known monks who zealously labored to please god for salvation, but the more they labored the more impatient, miserable, uncertain, and fearful they became. what else can you expect? you cannot grow strong through weakness and rich through poverty. people who prefer the law to the gospel are like aesop's dog who let go of the meat to snatch at the shadow of the water. there is no satisfaction in the law. what satisfaction can there be in collecting laws with which to torment oneself and others? one law breeds ten more until their number is legion. who would have thought it possible that the galatians, taught as they were by that efficient apostle and teacher, paul, could so quickly be led astray by the false apostles? to fall away from the gospel is an easy matter because few people appreciate what an excellent treasure the knowledge of christ really is. people are not sufficiently exercised in their faith by afflictions. they do not wrestle against sin. they live in security without conflict. because they have never been tried in the furnace of affliction they are not properly equipped with the armor of god and know not how to use the sword of the spirit. as long as they are being shepherded by faithful pastors, all is well. but when their faithful shepherds are gone and wolves disguised as sheep break into the fold, back they go to the weak and beggarly elements of the law. whoever goes back to the law loses the knowledge of the truth, fails in the recognition of his sinfulness, does not know god, nor the devil, nor himself, and does not understand the meaning and purpose of the law. without the knowledge of christ a man will always argue that the law is necessary for salvation, that it will strengthen the weak and enrich the poor. wherever this opinion holds sway the promises of god are denied, christ is demoted, hypocrisy and idolatry are established. verse 9. whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage. the apostle pointedly asks the galatians whether they desire to be in bondage again to the law. the law is weak and poor, the sinner is weak and poor--two feeble beggars trying to help each other. they cannot do it. they only wear each other out. but through christ a weak and poor sinner is revived and enriched unto eternal life. verse 10. ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. the apostle paul knew what the false apostles were teaching the galatians: the observance of days, and months, and times, and years. the jews had been obliged to keep holy the sabbath day, the new moons, the feast of the passover, the feast of tabernacles, and other feasts. the false apostles constrained the galatians to observe these jewish feasts under threat of damnation. paul hastens to tell the galatians that they were exchanging their christian liberty for the weak and beggarly elements of the world. verse 11. i am afraid of you, lest i have bestowed upon you labor in vain. it grieves the apostle to think that he might have preached the gospel to the galatians in vain. but this statement expresses more than grief. behind his apparent disappointment at their failure lurks the sharp reprimand that they had forsaken christ and that they were proving themselves to be obstinate unbelievers. but he does not openly condemn them for fear that oversharp criticism might alienate them altogether. he therefore changes the tone of his voice and speaks kindly to them. verse 12. be as i am; for i am as ye are. up to this point paul has been occupied with the doctrinal aspect of the apostasy of the galatians. he did not conceal his disappointment at their lack of stability. he had rebuked them. he had called them fools, crucifiers of christ, etc. now that the more important part of his epistle has been finished, he realizes that he has handled the galatians too roughly. anxious lest he should do more harm than good, he is careful to let them see that his criticism proceeds from affection and a true apostolic concern for their welfare. he is eager to mitigate his sharp words with gentle sentiments in order to win them again. like paul, all pastors and ministers ought to have much sympathy for their poor straying sheep, and instruct them in the spirit of meekness. they cannot be straightened out in any other way. oversharp criticism provokes anger and despair, but no repentance. and here let us note, by the way, that true doctrine always produces concord. when men embrace errors, the tie of christian love is broken. at the beginning of the reformation we were honored as the true ministers of christ. suddenly certain false brethren began to hate us. we had given them no offense, no occasion to hate us. they knew then as they know now that ours is the singular desire to publish the gospel of christ everywhere. what changed their attitude toward us? false doctrine. seduced into error by the false apostles, the galatians refused to acknowledge st. paul as their pastor. the name and doctrine of paul became obnoxious to them. i fear this epistle recalled very few from their error. paul knew that the false apostles would misconstrue his censure of the galatians to their own advantage and say: "so this is your paul whom you praise so much. what sweet names he is calling you in his letter. when he was with you he acted like a father, but now he acts like a dictator." paul knew what to expect of the false apostles and therefore he is worried. he does not know what to say. it is hard for a man to defend his cause at a distance, especially when he has reason to think that he personally has fallen into disfavor. verse 12. be as i am; for i am as ye are. in beseeching the galatians to be as he is, paul expresses the hope that they might hold the same affection for him that he holds for them. "perhaps i have been a little hard with you. forgive it. do not judge my heart according to my words." we request the same consideration for ourselves. our way of writing is incisive and straightforward. but there is no bitterness in our heart. we seek the honor of christ and the welfare of men. we do not hate the pope as to wish him ill. we do not desire the death of our false brethren. we desire that they may turn from their evil ways to christ and be saved with us. a teacher chastises the pupil to reform him. the rod hurts, but correction is necessary. a father punishes his son because he loves his son. if he did not love the lad he would not punish him but let him have his own way in everything until he comes to harm. paul beseeches the galatians to look upon his correction as a sign that he really cared for them. "now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous; nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby." (heb. 12:11.) although paul seeks to soften the effect of his reproachful words, he does not take them back. when a physician administers a bitter potion to a patient, he does it to cure the patient. the fact that the medicine is bitter is no fault of the physician. the malady calls for a bitter medicine. paul wants the galatians to judge his words according to the situation that made them necessary. verse 12. brethren, i beseech you...ye have not injured me at all. would you call it beseeching the galatians to call them "bewitched," "disobedient," "crucifiers of christ"? the apostle calls it an earnest beseeching. and so it is. when a father corrects his son it means as if he were saying, "my son, i beseech you, be a good boy." verse 12. ye have not injured me at all. "i am not angry with you," says paul. "why should i be angry with you, since you have done me no injury at all?" to this the galatians reply: "why, then, do you say that we are perverted, that we have forsaken the true doctrine, that we are foolish, bewitched, etc., if you are not angry? we must have offended you somehow." paul answers: "you galatians have not injured me. you have injured yourselves. i chide you not because i wish you ill. i have no reason to wish you ill. god is my witness, you have done me no wrong. on the contrary, you have been very good to me. the reason i write to you is because i love you." the bitter potion must be sweetened with honey and sugar to make it palatable. when parents have punished their children they give them apples, pears, and other good things to show them that they mean well. verses 13, 14. ye know how through infirmity of the flesh i preached the gospel unto you at the first. and my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of god, even as christ jesus. "you galatians were very good to me. when i began to preach the gospel to you in the infirmity of my flesh and in great temptation you were not at all offended. on the contrary, you were so loving, so kind, so friendly towards me, you received me like an angel, like jesus himself." indeed, the galatians are to be commended for receiving the gospel from a man as unimposing and afflicted all around as paul was. wherever he preached the gospel, jews and gentiles raved against him. all the influential and religious people of his day denounced him. but the galatians did not mind it. that was greatly to their honor. and paul does not neglect to praise them for it. this praise paul bestows on none of the other churches to which he wrote. st. jerome and others of the ancient fathers allege this infirmity of paul's to have been some physical defect, or concupiscence. jerome and the other diagnosticians lived at a time when the church enjoyed peace and prosperity, when the bishops increased in wealth and standing, when pastors and bishops no longer sat over the word of god. no wonder they failed to understand paul. when paul speaks of the infirmity of his flesh he does not mean some physical defect or carnal lust, but the sufferings and afflictions which he endured in his body. what these infirmities were he himself explains in ii corinthians 12:9, 10: "most gladly therefore will i rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of christ may rest upon me. therefore i take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for christ's sake: for when i am weak, then am i strong." and in the eleventh chapter of the same epistle the apostle writes: "in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. of the jews five times received i forty stripes save one. thrice was i beaten with rods, once was i stoned, thrice i suffered shipwreck," etc. (ii cor. 11:23-25.) by the infirmity of his flesh paul meant these afflictions and not some chronic disease. he reminds the galatians how he was always in peril at the hands of the jews, gentiles, and false brethren, how he suffered hunger and want. now, the afflictions of the believers always offend people. paul knew it and therefore has high praise for the galatians because they overlooked his afflictions and received him like an angel. christ forewarned the faithful against the offense of the cross, saying: "blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me." (matt. 11:6.) surely it is no easy thing to confess him lord of all and savior of the world who was a reproach of men, and despised of the people, and the laughing stock of the world. (ps. 22:7.) i say, to value this poor christ, so spitefully scorned, spit upon, scourged, and crucified, more than the riches of the richest, the strength of the strongest, the wisdom of the wisest, is something. it is worth being called blessed. paul not only had outward afflictions but also inner, spiritual afflictions. he refers to these in ii corinthians 7:6, "without were fightings, within were fears." in his letter to the philippians paul makes mention of the restoration of epaphroditus as a special act of mercy on the part of god, "lest i should have sorrow upon sorrow." considering the many afflictions of paul, we are not surprised to hear him loudly praising the galatians for not being offended at him as others were. the world thinks us mad because we go about to comfort, to help, to save others while we ourselves are in distress. people tell us: "physician, heal thyself." (luke 4:23.) the apostle tells the galatians that he will keep their kindness in perpetual remembrance. indirectly, he also reminds them how much they had loved him before the invasion of the false apostles, and gives them a hint that they should return to their first love for him. verse 15. where is then the blessedness ye spake of? "how much happier you used to be. and how you galatians used to tell me that you were blessed. and how much did i not praise and commend you formerly." paul reminds them of former and better times in an effort to mitigate his sharp reproaches, lest the false apostles should slander him and misconstrue his letter to his disadvantage and to their own advantage. such snakes in the grass are equal to anything. they will pervert words spoken from a sincere heart and twist them to mean just the opposite of what they were intended to convey. they are like spiders that suck venom out of sweet and fragrant flowers. the poison is not in the flowers, but it is the nature of the spider to turn what is good and wholesome into poison. verse 15. for i bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me. the apostle continues his praise of the galatians. "you did not only treat me very courteously. if it had been necessary you would have plucked out your eyes and sacrificed your lives for me." and in very fact the galatians sacrificed their lives for paul. by receiving and maintaining paul they called upon their own heads the hatred and malice of all the jews and gentiles. nowadays the name of luther carries the same stigma. whoever praises luther is a worse sinner than an idolater, perjurer, or thief. verse 16. am i therefore become your enemy, because i tell you the truth? paul's reason for praising the galatians is to avoid giving them the impression as if he were their enemy because he had reprimanded them. a true friend will admonish his erring brother, and if the erring brother has any sense at all he will thank his friend. in the world truth produces hatred. whoever speaks the truth is counted an enemy. but among friends it is not so, much less among christians. the apostle wants his galatians to know that just because he had told them the truth they are not to think that he dislikes them. "i told you the truth because i love you." verse 17. they zealously affect you, but not well. paul takes the false apostles to task for their flattery. satan's satellites softsoap the people. paul calls it "by good words and fair speeches to deceive the hearts of the simple." (romans 16:18.) they tell me that by my stubbornness in this doctrine of the sacrament i am destroying the harmony of the church. they say it would be better if we would make some slight concession rather than cause such commotion and controversy in the church regarding an article which is not even one of the fundamental doctrines. my reply is, cursed be any love or harmony which demands for its preservation that we place the word of god in jeopardy! verse 17. yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them. "do you galatians know why the false apostles are so zealous about you? they expect you to reciprocate. and that would leave me out. if their zeal were right they would not mind your loving me. but they hate my doctrine and want to stamp it out. in order to bring this to pass they go about to alienate your hearts from me and to make me obnoxious to you." in this way paul brings the false apostles into suspicion. he questions their motives. he maintains that their zeal is mere pretense to deceive the galatians. our savior christ also warned us, saying: "beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing." (matt. 7:15.) paul was considerably disturbed by the commissions and changes that followed in the wake of his preaching. he was accused of being "a pestilent fellow, a mover of sedition among all the jews throughout the world." (acts 24:5.) in philippi the townspeople cried that he troubled their city and taught customs which were not lawful for them to receive. (acts 16:20, 21.) all troubles, calamities, famines, wars were laid to the charge of the gospel of the apostles. however, the apostles were not deterred by such calumnies from preaching the gospel. they knew that they "ought to obey god rather than men," and that it was better for the world to be upset than to be ignorant of christ. do you think for a moment that these reactions did not worry the apostles? they were not made of iron. they foresaw the revolutionary character of the gospel. they also foresaw the dissensions that would creep into the church. it was bad news for paul when he heard that the corinthians were denying the resurrection of the dead, that the churches he had planted were experiencing all kinds of difficulties, and that the gospel was being supplanted by false doctrines. but paul also knew that the gospel was not to blame. he did not resign his office because he knew that the gospel he preached was the power of god unto salvation to every one that believes. the same criticism which was leveled at the apostles is leveled at us. the doctrine of the gospel, we are told, is the cause of all the present unrest in the world. there is no wrong that is not laid to our charge. but why? we do not spread wicked lies. we preach the glad tidings of christ. our opponents will bear us out when we say that we never fail to urge respect for the constituted authorities, because that is the will of god. all of these vilifications cannot discourage us. we know that there is nothing the devil hates worse than the gospel. it is one of his little tricks to blame the gospel for every evil in the world. formerly, when the traditions of the fathers were taught in the church, the devil was not excited as he is now. it goes to show that our doctrine is of god, else "behemoth would lie under shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens." the fact that he is again walking about as a roaring lion to stir up riots and disorders is a sure sign that he has begun to feel the effect of our preaching. verse 18. but it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when i am present with you. "when i was present with you, you loved me, although i preached the gospel to you in the infirmity of my flesh. the fact that i am now absent from you ought not to change your attitude towards me. although i am absent in the flesh, i am with you in spirit and in my doctrine which you ought to retain by all means because through it you received the holy spirit." verse 19. my little children, of whom i travail in birth again until christ be formed in you. with every single word the apostle seeks to regain the confidence of the galatians. he now calls them lovingly his little children. he adds the simile: "of whom i travail in birth again." as parents reproduce their physical characteristics in their children, so the apostles reproduced their faith in the hearts of the hearers, until christ was formed in them. a person has the form of christ when he believes in christ to the exclusion of everything else. this faith in christ is engendered by the gospel as the apostle declares in i corinthians 4:15: "in christ jesus i have begotten you through the gospel"; and in ii corinthians 3:3, "ye are the epistle of christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the spirit of the living god." the word of god falling from the lips of the apostle or minister enters into the heart of the hearer. the holy ghost impregnates the word so that it brings forth the fruit of faith. in this manner every christian pastor is a spiritual father who forms christ in the hearts of his hearers. at the same time paul indicts the false apostles. he says: "i have begotten you galatians through the gospel, giving you the form of christ. but these false apostles are giving you a new form, the form of moses." note the apostle does not say, "of whom i travail in birth again until i be formed in you," but "until christ be formed in you." the false apostles had torn the form of christ out of the hearts of the galatians and substituted their own form. paul endeavors to reform them, or rather reform christ in them. verse 20. i desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice. a common saying has it that a letter is a dead messenger. something is lacking in all writing. you can never be sure how the written page will affect the reader, because his mood, his circumstances, his affections are so changeable. it is different with the spoken word. if it is harsh and ill-timed it can always be remodeled. no wonder the apostle expresses the wish that he could speak to the galatians in person. he could change his voice according to their attitude. if he saw that they were repentant he could soften the tone of his voice. if he saw that they were stubborn he could speak to them more earnestly. this way he did not know how to deal with them by letter. if his epistle is too severe it will do more damage than good. if it is too gentle, it will not correct conditions. but if he could be with them in person he could change his voice as the occasion demanded. verse 20. for i stand in doubt of you. "i do not know how to take you. i do not know how to approach you by letter." in order to make sure that he leaves no stone unturned in his effort to recall them to the gospel of christ, he chides, entreats, praises, and blames the galatians, trying every way to hit the right note and tone of voice. verse 21. tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? here paul would have closed his epistle because he did not know what else to say. he wishes he could see the galatians in person and straighten out their difficulties. but he is not sure whether the galatians have fully understood the difference between the gospel and the law. to make sure, he introduces another illustration. he knows people like illustrations and stories. he knows that christ himself made ample use of parables. paul is an expert at allegories. they are dangerous things. unless a person has a thorough knowledge of christian doctrine he had better leave allegories alone. the allegory which paul is about to bring is taken from the book of genesis which he calls the law. true, that book contains no mention of the law. paul simply follows the custom of the jews who included the first book of moses in the collective term, "law." jesus even included the psalms. verses 22, 23. for it is written, that abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. but he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. this is paul's allegory. abraham had two sons: ishmael by hagar, and isaac by sarah. they were both the true sons of abraham, with this difference, that ishmael was born after the flesh, i.e., without the commandment and promise of god, while isaac was born according to the promise. with the permission of sarah, abraham took hagar, sarah's bondwoman, to wife. sarah knew that god had promised to make her husband abraham the father of a nation, and she hoped that she would be the mother of this promised nation. but with the passage of the years her hope died out. in order that the promise of god should not be annulled by her barrenness this holy woman resigned her right and honor to her maid. this was no easy thing for her to do. she abased herself. she thought: "god is no liar. what he has promised he will perform. but perhaps god does not want me to be the mother of abraham's posterity. perhaps he prefers hagar for the honor." ishmael was thus born without a special word or promise of god, at the mere request of sarah. god did not command abraham to take hagar, nor did god promise to bless the coalition. it is evident that ishmael was the son of abraham after the flesh, and not after the promise. in the ninth chapter of the epistle to the romans st. paul advances the same argument which he amplifies into an allegory in writing to the galatians. there he argues that all the children of abraham are not the children of god. for abraham had two kinds of children, children born of the promise, like isaac, and other children born without the promise, as ishmael. with this argument paul squelched the proud jews who gloried that they were the children of god because they were the seed and the children of abraham. paul makes it clear enough that it takes more than an abrahamic pedigree to be a child of god. to be a child of god requires faith in christ. verse 24. which things are an allegory. allegories are not very convincing, but like pictures they visualize a matter. if paul had not brought in advance indisputable arguments for the righteousness of faith over against the righteousness of works this allegory would do little good. having first fortified his case with invincible arguments, he can afford to inject this allegory to add impressiveness and beauty to his presentation. verses 24, 25. for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is agar. for this agar is mount sinai in arabia. in this allegory abraham represents god. abraham had two sons, born respectively of hagar and sarah. the two women represent the two testaments. the old testament is mount sinai, the bondwoman, hagar. the arabians call mount sinai agar. it may be that the similarity of these two names gave paul his idea for this allegory. as hagar bore abraham a son who was not an heir but a servant, so sinai, the law, the allegorical hagar, bore god a carnal and servile people of the law without promise. the law has a promise but it is a conditional promise, depending upon whether people fulfill the law. the jews regarded the conditional promises of the law as if they were unconditional. when the prophets foretold the destruction of jerusalem, the jews stoned them as blasphemers of god. they never gave it any thought that there was a condition attached to the law which reads: "if you keep the commandments it shall be well with thee." verse 25. and answereth to jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. a little while ago paul called mount sinai, hagar. he would now gladly make jerusalem the sarah of the new testament, but he cannot. the earthly jerusalem is not sarah, but a part of hagar. hagar lives there in the home of the law, the temple, the priesthood, the ceremonies, and whatever else was ordained in the law at mount sinai. i would have been tempted to call jerusalem, sarah, or the new testament. i would have been pleased with this turn of the allegory. it goes to show that not everybody has the gift of allegory. would you not think it perfectly proper to call sinai hagar and jerusalem sarah? true, paul does call sarah jerusalem. but he has the spiritual and heavenly jerusalem in mind, not the earthly jerusalem. sarah represents that spiritual jerusalem where there is no law but only the promise, and where the inhabitants are free. to show that the law has been quite abolished, the earthly jerusalem was completely destroyed with all her ornaments, temples, and ceremonies. verse 26. but jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. the earthly jerusalem with its ordinances and laws represents hagar and her offspring. they are slaves to the law, sin and death. but the heavenly jerusalem is sarah, the free woman. this heavenly jerusalem is the church, that is to say the number of all believers throughout the world, having one and the same gospel, one and the same faith in christ, one and the same holy ghost, and the same sacraments. do not mistake this one word "above" to refer to the triumphant church in heaven, but to the militant church on earth. in philippians 3:20, the apostle uses the phrase: "our conversation is in heaven," not locally in heaven, but in spirit. when a believer accepts the heavenly gifts of the gospel he is in heaven. so also in ephesians 1:3, "who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in christ." jerusalem here means the universal christian church on earth. sarah, the church, as the bride of christ bears free children who are not subject to the law. verse 27. for it is written, rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. paul quotes the allegorical prophecy of isaiah to the effect that the mother of many children must die desolately, while the barren woman shall have an abundance of children. (isaiah 54:1.) he applies this prophecy to hagar and sarah, to the law and the gospel. the law as the husband of the fruitful woman procreates many children. for men of all ages have had the idea that they are right when they follow after the law and outwardly perform its requirements. although the law has many children, they are not free. they are slaves. as servants they cannot have a share in the inheritance, but are driven from the house as ishmael was cast out of the house of abraham. in fact the servants of the law are even now barred from the kingdom of light and liberty, for "he that believeth not, is condemned already." (john 3:18.) as the servants of the law they remain under the curse of the law, under sin and death, under the power of the devil, and under the wrath and judgment of god. on the other hand, sarah, the free church, seems barren. the gospel of the cross which the church proclaims does not have the appeal that the law has for men, and therefore it does not find many adherents. the church does not look prosperous. unbelievers have always predicted the death of the church. the jews were quite certain that the church would not long endure. they said to paul: "as concerning this sect, we know that everywhere it is spoken against." (acts 28:22.) no matter how barren and forsaken, how weak and desolate the church may seem, she alone is really fruitful before god. by the gospel she procreates an infinite number of children that are free heirs of everlasting life. the law, "the old husband," is really dead. but not all people know it, or want to know it. they labor and bear the burden and the heat of the day, and bring forth many children, children that are bastards like themselves, children born to be put out of the house like ishmael to perish forever. accursed be that doctrine, life, and religion which endeavors to obtain righteousness before god by the law and its creeds. the scholastics think that the judicial and ceremonial laws of moses were abolished by the coming of christ, but not the moral law. they are blind. when paul declares that we are delivered from the curse of the law he means the whole law, particularly the moral law which more than the other laws accuses, curses, and condemns the conscience. the ten commandments have no right to condemn that conscience in which jesus dwells, for jesus has taken from the ten commandments the right and power to curse us. not as if the conscience is now insensitive to the terrors of the law, but the law cannot drive the conscience to despair. "there is now no condemnation to them which are in christ jesus." (romans 8:1.) "if the son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." (john 8:36.) you will complain: "but i am not doing anything." that is right. you cannot do a thing to be delivered from the tyranny of the law. but listen to the glad tidings which the holy ghost brings to you in the words of the prophet: "rejoice, thou barren." as christ is greater than the law, so much more excellent is the righteousness of christ than the righteousness of the law. in one more respect the law has been abolished. the civil laws of moses do not concern us, and should not be put back in force. that does not mean that we are exempt from obedience to the civil laws under which we live. on the contrary, the gospel commands christians to obey government "not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake." (romans 13:5.) neither do the ordinances of moses or those of the pope concern us. but because life cannot go on without some ordinances, the gospel permits regulations to be made in the church in regard to special days, times, places, etc., in order that the people may know upon what day, at what hour, and in what place to assemble for the word of god. such directions are desirable that "all things be done decently and in order." (i cor. 14:40.) these directions may be changed or omitted altogether, as long as no offense is given to the weak. paul, however, refers particularly to the abolition of the moral law. if faith alone in christ justifies, then the whole law is abolished without exception. and this the apostle proves by the testimony of isaiah, who bids the barren to rejoice because she will have many children, whereas she that has a husband and many children will be forsaken. isaiah calls the church barren because her children are born without effort by the word of faith through the spirit of god. it is a matter of birth, not of exertion. the believer too works, but not in an effort to become a son and an heir of god. he is that before he goes to work. he is born a son and an heir. he works for the glory of god and the welfare of his fellowmen. verse 28. now we, brethren, as isaac was, are the children of promise. the jews claimed to be the children of god because they were the children of abraham. jesus answered them, john 8:39, 40, "if ye were abraham's children, ye would do the works of abraham. but now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth." and in verse 42: "if god were your father, ye would love me." in other words: "you are not the children of god. if you were, you would know and love me. brothers born and living together in the same house recognize each other. you do not recognize me. you are of your father, the devil." we are not like these jews, the children of the bondwoman, the law, who were cast out of the house by jesus. we are children of the promise like isaac, born of grace and faith unto an everlasting inheritance. verse 29. but as that he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit, even so it is now. this is a cheering thought. we who are born of the gospel, and live in christ, and rejoice in our inheritance, have ishmael for our enemy. the children of the law will always persecute the children of the gospel. this is our daily experience. our opponents tell us that everything was at peace before the gospel was revived by us. since then the whole world has been upset. people blame us and the gospel for everything, for the disobedience of subjects to their rulers, for wars, plagues, and famines, for revolutions, and every other evil that can be imagined. no wonder our opponents think they are doing god a favor by hating and persecuting us. ishmael will persecute isaac. we invite our opponents to tell us what good things attended the preaching of the gospel by the apostles. did not the destruction of jerusalem follow on the heels of the gospel? and how about the overthrow of the roman empire? did not the whole world seethe with unrest as the gospel was preached in the whole world? we do not say that the gospel instigated these upheavals. the iniquity of man did it. our opponents blame our doctrine for the present turmoil. but ours is a doctrine of grace and peace. it does not stir up trouble. trouble starts when the people, the nations and their rulers of the earth rage and take counsel together against the lord, and against his anointed. (psalm 2.) but all their counsels shall be brought to naught. "he that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the lord shall have them in derision." (psalm 2:4.) let them cry out against us as much as they like. we know that they are the cause of all their own troubles. as long as we preach christ and confess him to be our savior, we must be content to be called vicious trouble makers. "these that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; and these all do contrary to the decrees of caesar," so said the jews of paul and silas. (acts 17:6, 7.) of paul they said: "we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the nazarenes." the gentiles uttered similar complaints: "these men do exceedingly trouble our city." this man luther is also accused of being a pestilent fellow who troubles the papacy and the roman empire. if i would keep silent, all would be well, and the pope would no more persecute me. the moment i open my mouth the pope begins to fume and to rage. it seems we must choose between christ and the pope. let the pope perish. christ foresaw the reaction of the world to the gospel. he said: "i am come to send fire on the earth, and what will i, if it be already kindled?" (luke 12:49.) do not take the statement of our opponents seriously, that no good can come of the preaching of the gospel. what do they know? they would not recognize the fruits of the gospel if they saw them. at any rate, our opponents cannot accuse us of adultery, murder, theft, and such crimes. the worst they can say about us is that we have the gospel. what is wrong with the gospel? we teach that christ, the son of god, has redeemed us from sin and everlasting death. this is not our doctrine. it belongs to christ. if there is anything wrong with it, it is not our fault. if they want to condemn christ for being our savior and redeemer, that is their lookout. we are mere onlookers, watching to see who will win the victory, christ or his opponents. on one occasion jesus remarked: "if ye were of the world, the world would love his own, but because ye are not of the world, but i have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." (john 15:19.) in other words: "i am the cause of all your troubles. i am the one for whose sake you are killed. if you did not confess my name, the world would not hate you. the servant is not greater than his lord. if they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you." christ takes all the blame. he says: "you have not incurred the hatred and persecutions of the world. i have. but be of good cheer; i have overcome the world." verse 30. nevertheless what saith the scripture? cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman. sarah's demand that the bondwoman and her son be cast out of the house was undoubtedly a blow to abraham. he felt sorry for his son ishmael. the scripture explicitly states abraham's grief in the words: "and the thing was very grievous in abraham's sight, because of his son." (gen. 21:11.) but god approved sarah's action and said to abraham: "let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in isaac shall thy seed be called." (gen. 21:12.) the holy ghost contemptuously calls the admirers of the law the children of the bondwoman. "if you do not know your mother, i will tell you what kind of a woman she is. she is a slave. and you are slaves. you are slaves of the law and therefore slaves of sin, death, and everlasting damnation. you are not fit to be heirs. you are put out of the house." this is the sentence which god pronounces upon the ishmaelites, the papists, and all others who trust in their own merits, and persecute the church of christ. because they are slaves and persecutors of the children of the free woman, they shall be cast out of the house of god forever. they shall have no inheritance with the children of the promise. this sentence stands forever. this sentence affects not only those popes, cardinals bishops, and monks who were notoriously wicked and made their bellies their gods. it strikes, also, those who lived in all sincerity to please god and to merit the forgiveness of their sins through a life of self-denial. even these will be cast out, because they are children of the bondwoman. our opponents do not defend their own moral delinquency. the better ones deplore and abhor it. but they defend and uphold their doctrine of works which is of the devil. our quarrel is not with those who live in manifest sins. our quarrel is with those among them who think they live like angels, claiming that they do not only perform the ten commandments of god, but also the sayings of christ, and many good works that god does not expect of them. we quarrel with them because they refuse to have jesus' merit count alone for righteousness. st. bernard was one of the best of the medieval saints. he lived a chaste and holy life. but when it came to dying he did not trust in his chaste life for salvation. he prayed: "i have lived a wicked life. but thou, lord jesus, hast a heaven to give unto me. first, because thou art the son of god. secondly, because thou hast purchased heaven for me by thy suffering and death. thou givest heaven to me, not because i earned it, but because thou hast earned it for me." if any of the romanists are saved it is because they forget their good deeds and merits and feel like paul: "not having mine own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of christ." (phil. 3:9.) verse 31. so then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free. with this sentence the apostle paul concludes his allegory of the barren church. this sentence forms a clear rejection of the righteousness of the law and a confirmation of the doctrine of justification. in the next chapter paul lays special stress upon the freedom which the children of the free woman enjoy. he treats of christian liberty, the knowledge of which is very necessary. the liberty which christ purchased for us is a bulwark to us in our battle against spiritual tyranny. therefore we must carefully study this doctrine of christian liberty, not only for the confirmation of the doctrine of justification, but also for the comfort and encouragement of those who are weak in faith. chapter 5 in this chapter the apostle paul presents the doctrine of christian liberty in a final effort to persuade the galatians to give up the nefarious doctrine of the false apostles. to accomplish his purpose he adduces threats and promises, trying in every way possible to keep them in the liberty which christ purchased for them. verse 1. stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith christ hath made us free. "be steadfast, not careless. lie not down and sleep, but stand up. be watchful. hold fast the liberty wherewith christ hath made you free." those who loll cannot keep this liberty. satan hates the light of the gospel. when it begins to shine a little he fights against it with might and main. what liberty does paul mean? not civil liberty (for which we have the government to thank), but the liberty which christ has procured for us. at one time the emperor was compelled to grant to the bishop of rome certain immunities and privileges. this is civil liberty. that liberty exempts the clergy from certain public charges. then there is also another kind of "liberty," when people obey neither the laws of god nor the laws of men, but do as they please. this carnal liberty the people want in our day. we are not now speaking of this liberty. neither are we speaking of civil liberty. paul is speaking of a far better liberty, the liberty "wherewith christ hath made us free," not from material bonds, not from the babylonian captivity, not from the tyranny of the turks, but from the eternal wrath of god. where is this liberty? in the conscience. our conscience is free and quiet because it no longer has to fear the wrath of god. this is real liberty, compared with which every other kind of liberty is not worth mentioning. who can adequately express the boon that comes to a person when he has the heart-assurance that god will nevermore be angry with him, but will forever be merciful to him for christ's sake? this is indeed a marvelous liberty, to have the sovereign god for our friend and father who will defend, maintain, and save us in this life and in the life to come. as an outgrowth of this liberty, we are at the same time free from the law, sin, death, the power of the devil, hell, etc. since the wrath of god has been assuaged by christ no law, sin, or death may now accuse and condemn us. these foes of ours will continue to frighten us, but not too much. the worth of our christian liberty cannot be exaggerated. our conscience must be trained to fall back on the freedom purchased for us by christ. though the fears of the law, the terrors of sin, the horror of death assail us occasionally, we know that these feelings shall not endure, because the prophet quotes god as saying: "in a little wrath i hid my face from thee for a moment: but with everlasting kindness will i have mercy on thee." (isa. 54:8.) we shall appreciate this liberty all the more when we bear in mind that it was jesus christ, the son of god, who purchased it with his own blood. hence, christ's liberty is given us not by the law, or for our own righteousness, but freely for christ's sake. in the eighth chapter of the gospel of st. john, jesus declares: "if the son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." he only stands between us and the evils which trouble and afflict us and which he has overcome for us. reason cannot properly evaluate this gift. who can fully appreciate the blessing of the forgiveness of sins and of everlasting life? our opponents claim that they also possess this liberty. but they do not. when they are put to the test all their self-confidence slips from them. what else can they expect when they trust in works and not in the word of god? our liberty is founded on christ himself, who sits at the right hand of god and intercedes for us. therefore our liberty is sure and valid as long as we believe in christ. as long as we cling to him with a steadfast faith we possess his priceless gifts. but if we are careless and indifferent we shall lose them. it is not without good reason that paul urges us to watch and to stand fast. he knew that the devil delights in taking this liberty away from us. verse 1. and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. because reason prefers the righteousness of the law to the righteousness of faith, paul calls the law a yoke, a yoke of bondage. peter also calls it a yoke. "why tempt ye god, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?" (acts 15:10.) in this passage paul again disparages the pernicious notion that the law is able to make men righteous before god, a notion deeply rooted in man's reason. all mankind is so wrapped up in this idea that it is hard to drag it out of people. paul compares those who seek to be justified by the law to oxen that are hitched to the yoke. like oxen that toil in the yoke all day, and in the evening are turned out to graze along the dusty road, and at last are marked for slaughter when they no longer can draw the burden, so those who seek to be justified by the law are "entangled with the yoke of bondage," and when they have grown old and broken-down in the service of the law they have earned for their perpetual reward god's wrath and everlasting torment. we are not now treating of an unimportant matter. it is a matter that involves everlasting liberty or everlasting slavery. for as a liberation from god's wrath through the kind office of christ is not a passing boon, but a permanent blessing, so also the yoke of the law is not a temporary but an everlasting affliction. rightly are the doers of the law called devil's martyrs. they take more pains to earn hell than the martyrs of christ to obtain heaven. theirs is a double misfortune. first they torture themselves on earth with self-inflicted penances and finally when they die they gain the reward of eternal damnation. verse 2. behold, i paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, christ shall profit you nothing. paul is incensed at the thought of the tyranny of the law. his antagonism to the law is a personal matter with him. "behold, i, paul," he says, "i who have received the gospel not from men, but by the revelation of jesus christ: i who have been commissioned from above to preach the gospel to you: i paul say to you, if you submit to circumcision christ will profit you nothing." paul emphatically declares that for the galatians to be circumcised would mean for them to lose the benefits of christ's suffering and death. this passage may well serve as a criterion for all the religions. to teach that besides faith in christ other devices like works, or the observance of rules, traditions, or ceremonies are necessary for the attainment of righteousness and everlasting life, is to make christ and his salvation of no benefit to anybody. this passage is an indictment of the whole papacy. all priests, monks, and nuns--and i am now speaking of the best of them--who repose their hope for salvation in their own works, and not in christ, whom they imagine to be an angry judge, hear this sentence pronounced against them that christ shall profit them nothing. if one can earn the forgiveness of sins and everlasting life through one's own efforts to what purpose was christ born? what was the purpose of his suffering and death, his resurrection, his victory over sin, death, and the devil, if men may overcome these evils by their own endeavor? tongue cannot express, nor heart conceive what a terrible thing it is to make christ worthless. the person who is not moved by these considerations to leave the law and the confidence in his own righteousness for the liberty in christ, has a heart that is harder than stone and iron. paul does not condemn circumcision in itself. circumcision is not injurious to the person who does not ascribe any particular importance to it. neither are works injurious provided a person does not attach any saving value to them. the apostle does not say that works are objectionable, but to build one's hopes for righteousness on works is disastrous, for that makes christ good for nothing. let us bear this in mind when the devil accuses our conscience. when that dragon accuses us of having done no good at all, but only evil, say to him: "you trouble me with the remembrance of my past sins; you remind me that i have done no good. but this does not bother me, because if i were to trust in my own good deeds, or despair because i have done no good deeds, christ would profit me neither way. i am not going to make him unprofitable to me. this i would do, if i should presume to purchase for myself the favor of god and everlasting life by my good deeds, or if i should despair of my salvation because of my sins." verse 3. for i testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. the first fault with circumcision is that it makes christ unprofitable. the second fault is that it obligates those who are circumcised to observe the whole law. paul is so very much in earnest about this matter that he confirms it with an oath. "i testify," he says, "i swear by the living god." paul's statement may be explained negatively to mean: "i testify to every man who is being circumcised that he cannot perform the law in any point. in the very act of circumcision he is not being circumcised, and in the very act of fulfilling the law he fulfills it not." this seems to be the simple meaning of paul's statement. later on in the sixth chapter he explicitly states, "they themselves which are circumcised keep not the law. the fact that you are circumcised does not mean you are righteous and free from the law. the truth is that by circumcision you have become debtors and servants of the law. the more you endeavor to perform the law, the more you will become tangled up in the yoke of the law." the truth of this i have experienced in myself and in others. i have seen many work themselves down to the bones in their hungry effort to obtain peace of conscience. but the harder they tried the more they worried. especially in the presence of death they were so uneasy that i have seen murderers die with better grace and courage. this holds true also in regard to the church regulations. when i was a monk i tried ever so hard to live up to the strict rules of my order. i used to make a list of my sins, and i was always on the way to confession, and whatever penances were enjoined upon me i performed religiously. in spite of it all, my conscience was always in a fever of doubt. the more i sought to help my poor stricken conscience the worse it got. the more i paid attention to the regulations the more i transgressed them. hence those that seek to be justified by the law are much further away from the righteousness of life than the publicans, sinners, and harlots. they know better than to trust in their own works. they know that they cannot ever hope to obtain forgiveness by their sins. paul's statement in this verse may be taken to mean that those who submit to circumcision are thereby submitting to the whole law. to obey moses in one point requires obedience to him in all points. it does no good to say that only circumcision is necessary, and not the rest of moses' laws. the same reasons that obligate a person to accept circumcision also obligate a person to accept the whole law. thus to acknowledge the law is tantamount to declaring that christ is not yet come. and if christ is not yet come, then all the jewish ceremonies and laws concerning meats, places, and times are still in force, and christ must be awaited as one who is still to come. the whole scripture, however, testifies that christ has come, that by his death he has abolished the law, and that he has fulfilled all things which the prophets have foretold about him. some would like to subjugate us to certain parts of the mosaic law. but this is not to be permitted under any circumstances. if we permit moses to rule over us in one thing, we must obey him in all things. verse 4. christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. paul in this verse discloses that he is not speaking so much of circumcision as the trust which men repose in the outward act. we can hear him say: "i do not condemn the law in itself; what i condemn is that men seek to be justified by the law, as if christ were still to come, or as if he alone were unable to justify sinners. it is this that i condemn, because it makes christ of no effect. it makes you void of christ so that christ is not in you, nor can you be partakers of the knowledge, the spirit, the fellowship, the liberty, the life, or the achievements of christ. you are completely separated from him, so much so that he has nothing to do with you any more, or for that matter you with him." can anything worse be said against the law? if you think christ and the law can dwell together in your heart, you may be sure that christ dwells not in your heart. for if christ is in your heart he neither condemns you, nor does he ever bid you to trust in your own good works. if you know christ at all, you know that good works do not serve unto righteousness, nor evil works unto condemnation. i do not want to withhold from good works their due praise, nor do i wish to encourage evil works. but when it comes to justification, i say, we must concentrate upon christ alone, or else we make him non-effective. you must choose between christ and the righteousness of the law. if you choose christ you are righteous before god. if you stick to the law, christ is of no use to you. verse 4. ye are fallen from grace. that means you are no longer in the kingdom or condition of grace. when a person on board ship falls into the sea and is drowned it makes no difference from which end or side of the ship he falls into the water. those who fall from grace perish no matter how they go about it. those who seek to be justified by the law are fallen from grace and are in grave danger of eternal death. if this holds true in the case of those who seek to be justified by the moral law, what will become of those, i should like to know, who endeavor to be justified by their own regulations and vows? they will fall to the very bottom of hell. "oh, no," they say, "we will fly straight into heaven. if you live according to the rules of saint francis, saint dominick, saint benedict, you will obtain the peace and mercy of god. if you perform the vows of chastity, obedience, etc., you will be rewarded with everlasting life." let these playthings of the devil go to the place where they came from and listen to what paul has to say in this verse in accordance with christ's own teaching: "he that believeth in the son of god, hath everlasting life; but he that believeth not in the son shall not see life, but the wrath of god abideth in him." the words, "ye are fallen from grace," must not be taken lightly. they are important. to fall from grace means to lose the atonement, the forgiveness of sins, the righteousness, liberty, and life which jesus has merited for us by his death and resurrection. to lose the grace of god means to gain the wrath and judgment of god, death, the bondage of the devil, and everlasting condemnation. verse 6. for we through the spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. paul concludes the whole matter with the above statement. "you want to be justified by the law, by circumcision, and by works. we cannot see it. to be justified by such means would make christ of no value to us. we would be obliged to perform the whole law. we rather through the spirit wait for the hope of righteousness." the apostle is not satisfied to say "justified by faith." he adds hope to faith. holy writ speaks of hope in two ways: as the object of the emotion, and hope as the emotion itself. in the first chapter of the epistle to the colossians we have an instance of its first use: "for the hope which is laid up for you in heaven," i.e., the thing hoped for. in the sense of emotion we quote the passage from the eighth chapter of the epistle to the romans: "for we are saved by hope." as paul uses the term "hope" here in writing to the galatians, we may take it in either of its two meanings. we may understand paul to say, "we wait in spirit, through faith, for the righteousness that we hope for, which in due time will be revealed to us." or we may understand paul to say: "we wait in spirit, by faith for righteousness with great hope and desire." true, we are righteous, but our righteousness is not yet revealed; as long as we live here sin stays with us, not to forget the law in our members striving against the law of our mind. when sin rages in our body and we through the spirit wrestle against it, then we have cause for hope. we are not yet perfectly righteous. perfect righteousness is still to be attained. hence we hope for it. this is sweet comfort for us. and we are to make use of it in comforting the afflicted. we are to say to them: "brother, you would like to feel god's favor as you feel your sin. but you are asking too much. your righteousness rests on something much better than feelings. wait and hope until it will be revealed to you in the lord's own time. don't go by your feelings, but go by the doctrine of faith, which pledges christ to you." the question occurs to us, what difference is there between faith and hope? we find it difficult to see any difference. faith and hope are so closely linked that they cannot be separated. still there is a difference between them. first, hope and faith differ in regard to their sources. faith originates in the understanding, while hope rises in the will. secondly, they differ in regard to their functions. faith says what is to be done. faith teaches, describes, directs. hope exhorts the mind to be strong and courageous. thirdly, they differ in regard to their objectives. faith concentrates on the truth. hope looks to the goodness of god. fourthly, they differ in sequence. faith is the beginning of life before tribulation. (hebrews 11.) hope comes later and is born of tribulation. (romans 5.) fifthly, they differ in regard to their effects. faith is a judge. it judges errors. hope is a soldier. it fights against tribulations, the cross, despondency, despair, and waits for better things to come in the midst of evil. without hope faith cannot endure. on the other hand, hope without faith is blind rashness and arrogance because it lacks knowledge. before anything else a christian must have the insight of faith, so that the intellect may know its directions in the day of trouble and the heart may hope for better things. by faith we begin, by hope we continue. this passage contains excellent doctrine and much comfort. it declares that we are justified not by works, sacrifices, or ceremonies, but by christ alone. the world may judge certain things to be ever so good; without christ they are all wrong. circumcision and the law and good works are carnal. "we," says paul, "are above such things. we possess christ by faith and in the midst of our afflictions we hopefully wait for the consummation of our righteousness." you may say, "the trouble is i don't feel as if i am righteous." you must not feel, but believe. unless you believe that you are righteous, you do christ a great wrong, for he has cleansed you by the washing of regeneration, he died for you so that through him you may obtain righteousness and everlasting life. verse 6. for in jesus christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love. faith must of course be sincere. it must be a faith that performs good works through love. if faith lacks love it is not true faith. thus the apostle bars the way of hypocrites to the kingdom of christ on all sides. he declares on the one hand, "in christ jesus circumcision availeth nothing," i.e., works avail nothing, but faith alone, and that without any merit whatever, avails before god. on the other hand, the apostle declares that without fruits faith serves no purpose. to think, "if faith justifies without works, let us work nothing," is to despise the grace of god. idle faith is not justifying faith. in this terse manner paul presents the whole life of a christian. inwardly it consists in faith towards god, outwardly in love towards our fellow-men. verse 7. ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? this is plain speaking. paul asserts that he teaches the same truth now which he has always taught, and that the galatians ran well as long as they obeyed the truth. but now, misled by the false apostles, they no longer run. he compares the christian life to a race. when everything runs along smoothly the hebrews spoke of it as a race. "ye did run well," means that everything went along smoothly and happily with the galatians. they lived a christian life and were on the right way to everlasting life. the words, "ye did run well," are encouraging indeed. often our lives seem to creep rather than to run. but if we abide in the true doctrine and walk in the spirit, we have nothing to worry about. god judges our lives differently. what may seem to us a life slow in christian development may seem to god a life of rapid progression in grace. verse 7. who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? the galatians were hindered in the christian life when they turned from faith and grace to the law. covertly the apostle blames the false apostles for impeding the christian progress of the galatians. the false apostles persuaded the galatians to believe that they were in error and that they had made little or no progress under the influence of paul. under the baneful influence of the false apostles the galatians thought they were well off and advancing rapidly in christian knowledge and living. verse 8. this persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. paul explains how those who had been deceived by false teachers may be restored to spiritual health. the false apostles were amiable fellows. apparently they surpassed paul in learning and godliness. the galatians were easily deceived by outward appearances. they supposed they were being taught by christ himself. paul proved to them that their new doctrine was not of christ, but of the devil. in this way he succeeded in regaining many. we also are able to win back many from the errors into which they were seduced by showing that their beliefs are imaginary, wicked, and contrary to the word of god. the devil is a cunning persuader. he knows how to enlarge the smallest sin into a mountain until we think we have committed the worst crime ever committed on earth. such stricken consciences must be comforted and set straight as paul corrected the galatians by showing them that their opinion is not of christ because it runs counter to the gospel, which describes christ as a meek and merciful savior. satan will circumvent the gospel and explain christ in this his own diabolical way: "indeed christ is meek, gentle, and merciful, but only to those who are holy and righteous. if you are a sinner you stand no chance. did not christ say that unbelievers are already damned? and did not christ perform many good deeds, and suffer many evils patiently, bidding us to follow his example? you do not mean to say that your life is in accord with christ's precepts or example? you are a sinner. you are no good at all." satan is to be answered in this way: the scriptures present christ in a twofold aspect. first, as a gift. "he of god is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification and redemption." (i cor. 1:30.) hence my many and grievous sins are nullified if i believe in him. secondly, the scriptures present christ for our example. as an exemplar he is to be placed before me only at certain times. in times of joy and gladness that i may have him as a mirror to reflect upon my shortcomings. but in the day of trouble i will have christ only as a gift. i will not listen to anything else, except that christ died for my sins. to those that are cast down on account of their sins christ must be introduced as a savior and gift, and not as an example. but to sinners who live in a false assurance, christ must be introduced as an example. the hard sayings of scripture and the awful judgments of god upon sin must be impressed upon them. defy satan in times of despair. say: "o cursed satan, you choose a nice time to talk to me about doing and working when you know very well that i am in trouble over my sins. i will not listen to you. i will listen to christ, who says that he came into the world to save sinners. this is the true christ and there is none other. i can find plenty of examples for a holy life in abraham, isaiah, john the baptist, paul, and other saints. but they cannot forgive my sins. they cannot save me. they cannot procure for me everlasting life. therefore i will not have you for my teacher, o satan." verse 9. a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. paul's concern for them meant nothing to some of the galatians. many had disowned him as their teacher and gone over to the false apostles. no doubt the false apostles took every occasion to defame paul as a stubborn and contemptuous fellow who thought nothing of disrupting the unity of the churches for no other reason than his selfish pride and jealousy. others of the galatians perhaps saw no harm in deviating a trifle from the doctrine of justification and faith. when they noticed that paul made so much ado about a matter that seemed of no particular importance to them they raised their eyebrows and thought within themselves: "what if we did deviate a little from the doctrine of paul? what if we are a little to blame? he ought to overlook the whole matter, and not make such an issue out of it, lest the unity of the churches be disturbed." to this paul replies: "a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." our opponents record the same complaints about us. they put us down as contentious, ill-tempered faultfinders. but these are the crafty passes of the devil, with which he seeks to overthrow our faith. we answer with paul: "a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." small faults grow into big faults. to tolerate a trifling error inevitably leads to crass heresy. the doctrine of the bible is not ours to take or to allow liberties with. we have no right to change even a tittle of it. when it comes to life we are ready to do, to suffer, to forgive anything our opponents demand as long as faith and doctrine remain pure and uncorrupt. the apostle james says, "for whosoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." this passage supports us over against our critics who claim that we disregard all charity to the great injury of the churches. we protest we desire nothing more than peace with all men. if they would only permit us to keep our doctrine of faith! the pure doctrine takes precedence before charity, apostles, or an angel from heaven. let others praise charity and concord to the skies; we magnify the authority of the word and faith. charity may be neglected at times without peril, but not the word and faith. charity suffers all things, it gives in. faith suffers nothing; it never yields. charity is often deceived but is never put out because it has nothing to lose; it continues to do well even to the ungrateful. when it comes to faith and salvation in the midst of lies and errors that parade as truth and deceive many, charity has no voice or vote. let us not be influenced by the popular cry for charity and unity. if we do not love god and his word what difference does it make if we love anything at all? paul, therefore, admonishes both teachers and hearers not to esteem lightly the doctrine of faith as if it were a toy with which to amuse oneself in idle hours. verse 10. l have confidence in you through the lord. "i have taught, admonished, and reproved you enough. i hope the best for you." the question occurs to us whether paul did well to trust the galatians. does not holy writ forbid us to trust in men? faith trusts in god and is never wrong. charity trusts in men and is often wrong. this charitable trust in man is necessary to life. without it life would be impossible in the world. what kind of life would ours be if nobody could trust anybody else? true christians are more ready to believe in men than the children of this world. such charitable confidence is the fruit of the spirit. paul had such trust in the galatians although they had forsaken his doctrine. he trusts them "through the lord," insofar as they were in christ and christ in them. once they had forsaken christ altogether, the apostle will trust the galatians no longer. verse 10. that ye will be none otherwise minded. "not minded otherwise than i have taught you. in other words, i have confidence that you will accept no doctrine that is contrary to the one you have learned from me." verse 10. but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be. paul assumes the role of a judge and condemns the false apostles as troublers of the galatians. he wants to frighten the galatians with his severe judgments of the false apostles into avoiding false doctrine like a contagious disease. we can hear him say to the galatians: "why do you give these pestilent fellows a hearing in the first place? they only trouble you. the doctrine they bring causes your conscience only trouble." the clause, "whosoever he be," seems to indicate that the false apostles in outward appearance at least were very good and devout men. it may be that among them was some outstanding disciple of the apostles, a man of fame and authority. the apostle must have been faced by this very situation, otherwise his vehemence would have been uncalled for. no doubt many of the galatians were taken back with the vehemency of the apostle. they perhaps thought: why should he be so stubborn in such small matters? why is he so quick to pronounce damnation upon his brethren in the ministry? i cannot say it often enough, that we must carefully differentiate between doctrine and life. doctrine is a piece of heaven, life is a piece of earth. life is sin, error, uncleanness, misery, and charity must forbear, believe, hope, and suffer all things. forgiveness of sins must be continuous so that sin and error may not be defended and sustained. but with doctrine there must be no error, no need of pardon. there can be no comparison between doctrine and life. the least little point of doctrine is of greater importance than heaven and earth. therefore we cannot allow the least jot of doctrine to be corrupted. we may overlook the offenses and errors of life, for we daily sin much. even the saints sin, as they themselves confess in the lord's prayer and in the creed. but our doctrine, god be praised, is pure, because all the articles of our faith are grounded on the holy scriptures. verse 11. and i, brethren, if i yet preach circumcision, why do i yet suffer persecution? then is the offense of the cross ceased. in his great desire to recall the galatians, paul draws himself into the argument. he says: "because i refuse to recognize circumcision as a factor in our salvation, i have brought upon myself the hatred and persecution of my whole nation. if i were to acknowledge circumcision the jews would cease to persecute me; in fact they would love and praise me. but because i preach the gospel of christ and the righteousness of faith i must suffer persecution. the false apostles know how to avoid the cross and the deadly hatred of the jewish nation. they preach circumcision and thus retain the favor of the jews. if they had their way they would ignore all differences in doctrine and preserve unity at all cost. but their unionistic dreams cannot be realized without loss to the pure doctrine of the cross. it would be too bad if the offense of the cross were to cease." to the corinthians he expressed the same conviction: "christ sent me...to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of christ should be made of none effect." (i cor. 1:17.) here someone may be tempted to call the christians crazy. deliberately to court danger by preaching and confessing the truth, and thus to bring upon ourselves the hatred and enmity of the whole world, is this not madness? but paul does not mind the enmity of the world. it made him all the bolder to confess christ. the enmity of the world in his estimation augurs well for the success and growth of the church, which fares best in times of persecution. when the offense of the cross ceases, when the rage of the enemies of the cross abates, when everything is quiet, it is a sign that the devil is the door-keeper of the church and that the pure doctrine of god's word has been lost. saint bernard observed that the church is in best shape when satan assaults it on every side by trickery and violence; and in worst shape when it is at peace. in support of his statement he quotes the passage from the song of hezekiah: "behold, for peace i had great bitterness." paul looks with suspicion upon any doctrine that does not provoke antagonism. persecution always follows on the heels of the word of god as the psalmist experienced. "i believe, therefore have i spoken: i was greatly afflicted." (ps. 116:10.) the christians are accused and slandered without mercy. murderers and thieves receive better treatment than christians. the world regards true christians as the worst offenders, for whom no punishment can be too severe. the world hates the christians with amazing brutality, and without compunction commits them to the most shameful death, congratulating itself that it has rendered god and the cause of peace a distinct service by ridding the world of the undesired presence of these christians. we are not to let such treatment cause us to falter in our adherence to christ. as long as we experience such persecutions we know all is well with the gospel. jesus held out the same comfort to his disciples in the fifth chapter of st. matthew. "blessed are ye, when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. rejoice, and be exceeding glad; for great is your reward in heaven." the church must not come short of this joy. i would not want to be at peace with the pope, the bishops, the princes, and the sectarians, unless they consent to our doctrine. unity with them would be an unmistakable sign that we have lost the true doctrine. briefly, as long as the church proclaims the doctrine she must suffer persecution, because the gospel declares the mercy and glory of god. this in turn stirs up the devil, because the gospel shows him up for what he is, the devil, and not god. therefore as long as the gospel holds sway persecution plays the accompaniment, or else there is something the matter with the devil. when he is hit you will know it by the havoc he raises everywhere. so do not be surprised or offended when hell breaks loose. look upon it as a happy indication that all is well with the gospel of the cross. god forbid that the offense of the cross should ever be removed. this would be the case if we were to preach what the prince of this world and his followers would be only too glad to hear, the righteousness of works. you would never know the devil could be so gentle, the world so sweet, the pope so gracious, and the princes so charming. but because we seek the advantage and honor of christ, they persecute us all around. verse 12. i would they were even cut off which trouble you. it hardly seems befitting an apostle, not only to denounce the false apostles as troublers of the church, and to consign them to the devil, but also to wish that they were utterly cut off--what else would you call it but plain cursing? paul, i suppose, is alluding to the rite of circumcision. as if he were saying to the galatians: "the false apostles compel you to cut off the foreskin of your flesh. well, i wish they themselves were utterly cut off by the roots." we had better answer at once the question, whether it is right for christians to curse. certainly not always, nor for every little cause. but when things have come to such a pass that god and his word are openly blasphemed, then we must say: "blessed be god and his word, and cursed be everything that is contrary to god and his word, even though it should be an apostle, or an angel from heaven." this goes to show again how much importance paul attached to the least points of christian doctrine, that he dared to curse the false apostles, evidently men of great popularity and influence. what right, then, have we to make little of doctrine? no matter how nonessential a point of doctrine may seem, if slighted it may prove the gradual disintegration of the truths of our salvation. let us do everything to advance the glory and authority of god's word. every tittle of it is greater than heaven and earth. christian charity and unity have nothing to do with the word of god. we are bold to curse and condemn all men who in the least point corrupt the word of god, "for a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." paul does right to curse these troublers of the galatians, wishing that they were cut off and rooted out of the church of god and that their doctrine might perish forever. such cursing is the gift of the holy ghost. thus peter cursed simon the sorcerer, "thy money perish with thee." many instances of this holy cursing are recorded in the sacred scriptures, especially in the psalms, e.g., "let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell." (ps. 55:15.) the doctrine of good works now come all kinds of admonitions and precepts. it was the custom of the apostles that after they had taught faith and instructed the conscience they followed it up with admonitions unto good works, that the believers might manifest the duties of love toward each other. in order to avoid the appearance as if christianity militated against good works or opposed civil government, the apostle also urges us to give ourselves unto good works, to lead an honest life, and to keep faith and love with one another. this will give the lie to the accusations of the world that we christians are the enemies of decency and of public peace. the fact is we christians know better what constitutes a truly good work than all the philosophers and legislators of the world because we link believing with doing. verse 13. for, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. in other words: "you have gained liberty through christ, i.e., you are above all laws as far as conscience is concerned. you are saved. christ is your liberty and life. therefore law, sin, and death may not hurt you or drive you to despair. this is the constitution of your priceless liberty. now take care that you do not use your wonderful liberty for an occasion of the flesh." satan likes to turn this liberty which christ has gotten for us into licentiousness. already the apostle jude complained in his day: "there are certain men crept in unawares...turning the grace of our god into lasciviousness." (jude 4.) the flesh reasons: "if we are without the law, we may as well indulge ourselves. why do good, why give alms, why suffer evil when there is no law to force us to do so?" this attitude is common enough. people talk about christian liberty and then go and cater to the desires of covetousness, pleasure, pride, envy, and other vices. nobody wants to fulfill his duties. nobody wants to help out a brother in distress. this sort of thing makes me so impatient at times that i wish the swine who trampled precious pearls under foot were back once again under the tyranny of the pope. you cannot wake up the people of gomorrah with the gospel of peace. even we creatures of the world do not perform our duties as zealously in the light of the gospel as we did before in the darkness of ignorance, because the surer we are of the liberty purchased for us by christ, the more we neglect the word, prayer, well-doing, and suffering. if satan were not continually molesting us with trials, with the persecution of our enemies, and the ingratitude of our brethren, we would become so careless and indifferent to all good works that in time we would lose our faith in christ, resign the ministry of the word, and look for an easier life. many of our ministers are beginning to do that very thing. they complain about the ministry, they maintain they cannot live on their salaries, they whimper about the miserable treatment they receive at the hand of those whom they delivered from the servitude of the law by the preaching of the gospel. these ministers desert our poor and maligned christ, involve themselves in the affairs of the world, seek advantages for themselves and not for christ. with what results they shall presently find out. since the devil lies in ambush for those in particular who hate the world, and seeks to deprive us of our liberty of the spirit or to brutalize it into the liberty of the flesh, we plead with our brethren after the manner of paul, that they may never use this liberty of the spirit purchased for us by christ as an excuse for carnal living, or as peter expresses it, i peter 2:16, "for a cloak of maliciousness." in order that christians may not abuse their liberty the apostle encumbers them with the rule of mutual love that they should serve each other in love. let everybody perform the duties of his station and vocation diligently and help his neighbor to the limit of his capacity. christians are glad to hear and obey this teaching of love. when others hear about this christian liberty of ours they at once infer, "if i am free, i may do what i like. if salvation is not a matter of doing why should we do anything for the poor?" in this crude manner they turn the liberty of the spirit into wantonness and licentiousness. we want them to know, however, that if they use their lives and possessions after their own pleasure, if they do not help the poor, if they cheat their fellow-men in business and snatch and scrape by hook and by crook everything they can lay their hands on, we want to tell them that they are not free, no matter how much they think they are, but they are the dirty slaves of the devil, and are seven times worse than they ever were as the slaves of the pope. as for us, we are obliged to preach the gospel which offers to all men liberty from the law, sin, death, and god's wrath. we have no right to conceal or revoke this liberty proclaimed by the gospel. and so we cannot do anything with the swine who dive headlong into the filth of licentiousness. we do what we can, we diligently admonish them to love and to help their fellow-men. if our admonitions bear no fruit, we leave them to god, who will in his own good time take care of these disrespecters of his goodness. in the meanwhile we comfort ourselves with the thought that our labors are not lost upon the true believers. they appreciate this spiritual liberty and stand ready to serve others in love and, though their number is small, the satisfaction they give us far outweighs the discouragement which we receive at the hands of the large number of those who misuse this liberty. paul cannot possibly be misunderstood for he says: "brethren, ye have been called unto liberty." in order that nobody might mistake the liberty of which he speaks for the liberty of the flesh, the apostle adds the explanatory note, "only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another." paul now explains at the hand of the ten commandments what it means to serve one another in love. verse 14. for all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. it is customary with paul to lay the doctrinal foundation first and then to build on it the gold, silver, and gems of good deeds. now there is no other foundation than jesus christ. upon this foundation the apostle erects the structure of good works which he defines in this one sentence: "thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." in adding such precepts of love the apostle embarrasses the false apostles very much, as if he were saying to the galatians: "i have described to you what spiritual life is. now i will also teach you what truly good works are. i am doing this in order that you may understand that the silly ceremonies of which the false apostles make so much are far inferior to the works of christian love." this is the hall-mark of all false teachers, that they not only pervert the pure doctrine but also fail in doing good. their foundation vitiated, they can only build wood, hay, and stubble. oddly enough, the false apostles who were such earnest champions of good works never required the work of charity, such as christian love and the practical charity of a helpful tongue, hand, and heart. their only requirement was that circumcision, days, months, years, and times should be observed. they could not think of any other good works. the apostle exhorts all christians to practice good works after they have embraced the pure doctrine of faith, because even though they have been justified they still have the old flesh to refrain them from doing good. therefore it becomes necessary that sincere preachers cultivate the doctrine of good works as diligently as the doctrine of faith, for satan is a deadly enemy of both. nevertheless faith must come first because without faith it is impossible to know what a god-pleasing deed is. let nobody think that he knows all about this commandment, "thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." it sounds short and easy, but show me the man who can teach, learn, and do this commandment perfectly. none of us heed, or urge, or practice this commandment properly. though the conscience hurts when we fail to fulfill this commandment in every respect we are not overwhelmed by our failure to bear our neighbor sincere and brotherly love. the words, "for all the law is fulfilled in one word," entail a criticism of the galatians. "you are so taken up by your superstitions and ceremonies that serve no good purpose, that you neglect the most important thing, love." st. jerome says: "we wear our bodies out with watching, fasting, and labor and neglect charity, the queen of all good works." look at the monks, who meticulously fast, watch, etc. to skip the least requirement of their order would be a crime of the first magnitude. at the same time they blithely ignored the duties of charity and hated each other to death. that is no sin, they think. the old testament is replete with examples that indicate how much god prizes charity. when david and his companions had no food with which to still their hunger they ate the showbread which lay-people were forbidden to eat. christ's disciples broke the sabbath law when they plucked the ears of corn. christ himself broke the sabbath (as the jews claimed) by healing the sick on the sabbath. these incidents indicate that love ought to be given consideration above all laws and ceremonies. verse 14. for all the law is fulfilled in one word. we can imagine the apostle saying to the galatians: "why do you get so worked up over ceremonies, meats, days, places, and such things? leave off this foolishness and listen to me. the whole law is comprehended in this one sentence, 'thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.' god is not particularly interested in ceremonies, nor has he any use for them. the one thing he requires of you is that you believe in christ whom he hath sent. if in addition to faith, which comes first as the most acceptable service unto god, you want to add laws, then you want to know that all laws are comprehended in this short commandment, 'thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.'" paul knows how to explain the law of god. he condenses all the laws of moses into one brief sentence. reason takes offense at the brevity with which paul treats the law. therefore reason looks down upon the doctrine of faith and its truly good works. to serve one another in love, i.e., to instruct the erring, to comfort the afflicted, to raise the fallen, to help one's neighbor in every possible way, to bear with his infirmities, to endure hardships, toil, ingratitude in the church and in the world, and on the other hand to obey government, to honor one's parents, to be patient at home with a nagging wife and an unruly family, these things are not at all regarded as good works. the fact is, they are such excellent works that the world cannot possibly estimate them at their true value. it is tersely spoken: "love thy neighbour as thyself." but what more needs to be said? you cannot find a better or nearer example than your own. if you want to know how you ought to love your neighbor, ask yourself how much you love yourself. if you were to get into trouble or danger, you would be glad to have the love and help of all men. you do not need any book of instructions to teach you how to love your neighbor. all you have to do is to look into your own heart, and it will tell you how you ought to love your neighbor as yourself. my neighbor is every person, especially those who need my help, as christ explained in the tenth chapter of luke. even if a person has done me some wrong, or has hurt me in any way, he is still a human being with flesh and blood. as long as a person remains a human being, so long is he to be an object of our love. paul therefore urges his galatians and, incidentally, all believers to serve each other in love. "you galatians do not have to accept circumcision. if you are so anxious to do good works, i will tell you in one word how you can fulfill all laws. 'by love serve one another.' you will never lack people to whom you may do good. the world is full of people who need your help." verse 15. but if ye bite and devour one another take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. when faith in christ is overthrown peace and unity come to an end in the church. diverse opinions and dissensions about doctrine and life spring up, and one member bites and devours the other, i.e., they condemn each other until they are consumed. to this the scriptures and the experience of all times bear witness. the many sects at present have come into being because one sect condemns the other. when the unity of the spirit has been lost there can be no agreement in doctrine or life. new errors must appear without measure and without end. for the avoidance of discord paul lays down the principle: "let every person do his duty in the station of life into which god has called him. no person is to vaunt himself above others or find fault with the efforts of others while lauding his own. let everybody serve in love." it is not an easy matter to teach faith without works, and still to require works. unless the ministers of christ are wise in handling the mysteries of god and rightly divide the word, faith and good works may easily be confused. both the doctrine of faith and the doctrine of good works must be diligently taught, and yet in such a way that both the doctrines stay within their god-given sphere. if we only teach works, as our opponents do, we shall lose the faith. if we only teach faith people will come to think that good works are superfluous. verse 16. this i say then, walk in the spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. "i have not forgotten what i told you about faith in the first part of my letter. because i exhort you to mutual love you are not to think that i have gone back on my teaching of justification by faith alone. i am still of the same opinion. to remove every possibility for misunderstanding i have added this explanatory note: 'walk in the spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.'" with this verse paul explains how he wants this sentence to be understood: "by love serve one another. when i bid you to love one another, this is what i mean and require, 'walk in the spirit.' i know very well you will not fulfill the law, because you are sinners as long as you live. nevertheless, you should endeavor to walk in the spirit," i.e., fight against the flesh and follow the lead of the holy ghost. it is quite apparent that paul had not forgotten the doctrine of justification, for in bidding the galatians to walk in the spirit he at the same time denies that good works can justify. "when i speak of the fulfilling of the law i do not mean to say that you are justified by the law. all i mean to say is that you should take the spirit for your guide and resist the flesh. that is the most you shall ever be able to do. obey the spirit and fight against the flesh." verse 16. and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. the lust of the flesh is not altogether extinct in us. it rises up again and again and wrestles with the spirit. no flesh, not even that of the true believer, is so completely under the influence of the spirit that it will not bite or devour, or at least neglect, the commandment of love. at the slightest provocation it flares up, demands to be revenged, and hates a neighbor like an enemy, or at least does not love him as much as he ought to be loved. therefore the apostle establishes this rule of love for the believers. serve one another in love. bear the infirmities of your brother. forgive one another. without such bearing and forbearing, giving and forgiving, there can be no unity because to give and to take offense are unavoidably human. whenever you are angry with your brother for any cause, repress your violent emotions through the spirit. bear with his weakness and love him. he does not cease to be your neighbor or brother because he offended you. on the contrary, he now more than ever before requires your loving attention. the scholastics take the lust of the flesh to mean carnal lust. true, believers too are tempted with carnal lust. even the married are not immune to carnal lusts. men set little value upon that which they have and covet what they have not, as the poet says: "the things most forbidden we always desire, and things most denied we seek to acquire." i do not deny that the lust of the flesh includes carnal lust. but it takes in more. it takes in all the corrupt desires with which the believers are more or less infected, as pride, hatred, covetousness, impatience. later on paul enumerates among the works of the flesh even idolatry and heresy. the apostle's meaning is clear. "i want you to love one another. but you do not do it. in fact you cannot do it, because of your flesh. hence we cannot be justified by deeds of love. do not for a moment think that i am reversing myself on my stand concerning faith. faith and hope must continue. by faith we are justified, by hope we endure to the end. in addition we serve each other in love because true faith is not idle. our love, however, is faulty. in bidding you to walk in the spirit i indicate to you that our love is not sufficient to justify us. neither do i demand that you should get rid of the flesh, but that you should control and subdue it." verse 17. for the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh. when paul declares that "the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh," he means to say that we are not to think, speak or do the things to which the flesh incites us. "i know," he says, "that the flesh courts sin. the thing for you to do is to resist the flesh by the spirit. but if you abandon the leadership of the spirit for that of the flesh, you are going to fulfill the lust of the flesh and die in your sins." verse 17. and these are contrary the one to the other; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. these two leaders, the flesh and the spirit, are bitter opponents. of this opposition the apostle writes in the seventh chapter of the epistle to the romans: "i see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into the captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. o wretched man that i am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" the scholastics are at a loss to understand this confession of paul and feel obliged to save his honor. that the chosen vessel of christ should have had the law of sin in his members seems to them incredible and absurd. they circumvent the plain-spoken statement of the apostle by saying that he was speaking for the wicked. but the wicked never complain of inner conflicts, or of the captivity of sin. sin has its unrestricted way with them. this is paul's very own complaint and the identical complaint of all believers. paul never denied that he felt the lust of the flesh. it is likely that at times he felt even the stirrings of carnal lust, but there is no doubt that he quickly suppressed them. and if at any time he felt angry or impatient, he resisted these feelings by the spirit. we are not going to stand by idly and see such a comforting statement as this explained away. the scholastics, monks, and others of their ilk fought only against carnal lust and were proud of a victory which they never obtained. in the meanwhile they harbored within their breasts pride, hatred, disdain, self-trust, contempt of the word of god, disloyalty, blasphemy, and other lusts of the flesh. against these sins they never fought because they never took them for sins. christ alone can supply us with perfect righteousness. therefore we must always believe and always hope in christ. "whosoever believeth shall not be ashamed." (rom. 9:33.) do not despair if you feel the flesh battling against the spirit or if you cannot make it behave. for you to follow the guidance of the spirit in all things without interference on the part of the flesh is impossible. you are doing all you can if you resist the flesh and do not fulfill its demands. when i was a monk i thought i was lost forever whenever i felt an evil emotion, carnal lust, wrath, hatred, or envy. i tried to quiet my conscience in many ways, but it did not work, because lust would always come back and give me no rest. i told myself: "you have permitted this and that sin, envy, impatience, and the like. your joining this holy order has been in vain, and all your good works are good for nothing." if at that time i had understood this passage, "the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh," i could have spared myself many a day of self-torment. i would have said to myself: "martin, you will never be without sin, for you have flesh. despair not, but resist the flesh." i remember how doctor staupitz used to say to me: "i have promised god a thousand times that i would become a better man, but i never kept my promise. from now on i am not going to make any more vows. experience has taught me that i cannot keep them. unless god is merciful to me for christ's sake and grants unto me a blessed departure, i shall not be able to stand before him." his was a god-pleasing despair. no true believer trusts in his own righteousness, but says with david, "enter not into judgment with thy servant; for in thy sight shall no man living be justified." (ps. 143:2) again, "if thou, lord, shouldest mark iniquities, o lord, who shall stand?" (ps. 130:3.) no man is to despair of salvation just because he is aware of the lust of the flesh. let him be aware of it so long as he does not yield to it. the passion of lust, wrath, and other vices may shake him, but they are not to get him down. sin may assail him, but he is not to welcome it. yes, the better christian a man is, the more he will experience the heat of the conflict. this explains the many expressions of regret in the psalms and in the entire bible. everybody is to determine his peculiar weakness and guard against it. watch and wrestle in spirit against your weakness. even if you cannot completely overcome it, at least you ought to fight against it. according to this description a saint is not one who is made of wood and never feels any lusts or desires of the flesh. a true saint confesses his righteousness and prays that his sins may be forgiven. the whole church prays for the forgiveness of sins and confesses that it believes in the forgiveness of sins. if our antagonists would read the scriptures they would soon discover that they cannot judge rightly of anything, either of sin or of holiness. verse 18. but if ye be led of the spirit, ye are not under the law. here someone may object: "how come we are not under the law? you yourself say, paul, that we have the flesh which wars against the spirit, and brings us into subjection." but paul says not to let it trouble us. as long as we are led by the spirit, and are willing to obey the spirit who resists the flesh, we are not under the law. true believers are not under the law. the law cannot condemn them although they feel sin and confess it. great then is the power of the spirit. led by the spirit, the law cannot condemn the believer though he commits real sin. for christ in whom we believe is our righteousness. he is without sin, and the law cannot accuse him. as long as we cling to him we are led by the spirit and are free from the law. even as he teaches good works, the apostle does not lose sight of the doctrine of justification, but shows at every turn that it is impossible for us to be justified by works. the words, "if ye be led of the spirit, ye are not under the law," are replete with comfort. it happens at times that anger, hatred, impatience, carnal desire, fear, sorrow, or some other lust of the flesh so overwhelms a man that he cannot shake them off, though he try ever so hard. what should he do? should he despair? god forbid. let him say to himself: "my flesh seems to be on a warpath against the spirit again. go to it, flesh, and rage all you want to. but you are not going to have your way. i follow the leading of the spirit." when the flesh begins to cut up the only remedy is to take the sword of the spirit, the word of salvation, and fight against the flesh. if you set the word out of sight, you are helpless against the flesh. i know this to be a fact. i have been assailed by many violent passions, but as soon as i took hold of some scripture passage, my temptations left me. without the word i could not have helped myself against the flesh. verse 19. now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these. paul is saying: "that none of you may hide behind the plea of ignorance i will enumerate first the works of the flesh, and then also the works of the spirit." there were many hypocrites among the galatians, as there are also among us, who pretend to be christians and talk much about the spirit, but they walk not according to the spirit; rather according to the flesh. paul is out to show them that they are not as holy as they like to have others think they are. every period of life has its own peculiar temptations. not one true believer whom the flesh does not again and again incite to impatience, anger, pride. but it is one thing to be tempted by the flesh, and another thing to yield to the flesh, to do its bidding without fear or remorse, and to continue in sin. christians also fall and perform the lusts of the flesh. david fell horribly into adultery. peter also fell grievously when he denied christ. however great these sins were, they were not committed to spite god, but from weakness. when their sins were brought to their attention these men did not obstinately continue in their sin, but repented. those who sin through weakness are not denied pardon as long as they rise again and cease to sin. there is nothing worse than to continue in sin. if they do not repent, but obstinately continue to fulfill the desires of the flesh, it is a sure sign that they are not sincere. no person is free from temptations. some are tempted in one way, others in another way. one person is more easily tempted to bitterness and sorrow of spirit, blasphemy, distrust, and despair. another is more easily tempted to carnal lust, anger, envy, covetousness. but no matter to which sins we are disposed, we are to walk in the spirit and resist the flesh. those who are christ's own crucify their flesh. some of the old saints labored so hard to attain perfection that they lost the capacity to feel anything. when i was a monk i often wished i could see a saint. i pictured him as living in the wilderness, abstaining from meat and drink and living on roots and herbs and cold water. this weird conception of those awesome saints i had gained out of the books of the scholastics and church fathers. but we know now from the scriptures who the true saints are. not those who live a single life, or make a fetish of days, meats, clothes, and such things. the true saints are those who believe that they are justified by the death of christ. whenever paul writes to the christians here and there he calls them the holy children and heirs of god. all who believe in christ, whether male or female, bond or free, are saints; not in view of their own works, but in view of the merits of god which they appropriate by faith. their holiness is a gift and not their own personal achievement. ministers of the gospel, public officials, parents, children, masters, servants, etc., are true saints when they take christ for their wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, and when they fulfill the duties of their several vocations according to the standard of god's word and repress the lust and desires of the flesh by the spirit. not everybody can resist temptations with equal facility. imperfections are bound to show up. but this does not prevent them from being holy. their unintentional lapses are forgiven if they pull themselves together by faith in christ. god forbid that we should sit in hasty judgment on those who are weak in faith and life, as long as they love the word of god and make use of the supper of the lord. i thank god that he has permitted me to see (what as a monk i so earnestly desired to see) not one but many saints, whole multitudes of true saints. not the kind of saints the papists admire, but the kind of saints christ wants. i am sure i am one of christ's true saints. i am baptized. i believe that christ my lord has redeemed me from all my sins, and invested me with his own eternal righteousness and holiness. to hide in caves and dens, to have a bony body, to wear the hair long in the mistaken idea that such departures from normalcy will obtain some special regard in heaven is not the holy life. a holy life is to be baptized and to believe in christ, and to subdue the flesh with the spirit. to feel the lusts of the flesh is not without profit to us. it prevents us from being vain and from being puffed up with the wicked opinion of our own work-righteousness. the monks were so inflated with the opinion of their own righteousness, they thought they had so much holiness that they could afford to sell some of it to others, although their own hearts convinced them of unholiness. the christian feels the unholy condition of his heart, and it makes him feel so low that he cannot trust in his good works. he therefore goes to christ to find perfect righteousness. this keeps a christian humble. verses 19, 20. now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft... paul does not enumerate all the works of the flesh, but only certain ones. first, he mentions various kinds of carnal lusts, as adultery, fornication, wantonness, etc. but carnal lust is not the only work of the flesh, and so he counts among the works of the flesh also idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, and the like. these terms are so familiar that they do not require lengthy explanations. idolatry the best religion, the most fervent devotion without christ is plain idolatry. it has been considered a holy act when the monks in their cells meditate upon god and his works, and in a religious frenzy kneel down to pray and to weep for joy. yet paul calls it simply idolatry. every religion which worships god in ignorance or neglect of his word and will is idolatry. they may think about god, christ, and heavenly things, but they do it after their own fashion and not after the word of god. they have an idea that their clothing, their mode of living, and their conduct are holy and pleasing to christ. they not only expect to pacify christ by the strictness of their life, but also expect to be rewarded by him for their good deeds. hence their best "spiritual" thoughts are wicked thoughts. any worship of god, any religion without christ is idolatry. in christ alone is god well pleased. i have said before that the works of the flesh are manifest. but idolatry puts on such a good front and acts so spiritual that the sham of it is recognized only by true believers. witchcraft this sin was very common before the light of the gospel appeared. when i was a child there were many witches and sorcerers around who "bewitched" cattle, and people, particularly children, and did much harm. but now that the gospel is here you do not hear so much about it because the gospel drives the devil away. now he bewitches people in a worse way with spiritual sorcery. witchcraft is a brand of idolatry. as witches used to bewitch cattle and men, so idolaters, i.e., all the self-righteous, go around to bewitch god and to make him out as one who justifies men not by grace through faith in christ but by the works of men's own choosing. they bewitch and deceive themselves. if they continue in their wicked thoughts of god they will die in their idolatry. sects under sects paul here understands heresies. heresies have always been found in the church. what unity of faith can exist among all the different monks and the different orders? none whatever. there is no unity of spirit, no agreement of minds, but great dissension in the papacy. there is no conformity in doctrine, faith, and life. on the other hand, among evangelical christians the word, faith, religion, sacraments, service, christ, god, heart, and mind are common to all. this unity is not disturbed by outward differences of station or of occupation. drunkenness, gluttony paul does not say that eating and drinking are works of the flesh, but intemperance in eating and drinking, which is a common vice nowadays, is a work of the flesh. those who are given to excess are to know that they are not spiritual but carnal. sentence is pronounced upon them that they shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven. paul desires that christians avoid drunkenness and gluttony, that they live temperate and sober lives, in order that the body may not grow soft and sensual. verse 21. of the which i tell you before, as i have also told you in the past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of god. this is a hard saying, but very necessary for those false christians and hypocrites who speak much about the gospel, about faith, and the spirit, yet live after the flesh. but this hard sentence is directed chiefly at the heretics who are large with their own self-importance, that they may be frightened into taking up the fight of the spirit against the flesh. verses 22, 23. but the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. the apostle does not speak of the works of the spirit as he spoke of the works of the flesh, but he attaches to these christian virtues a better name. he calls them the fruits of the spirit. love it would have been enough to mention only the single fruit of love, for love embraces all the fruits of the spirit. in i corinthians 13, paul attributes to love all the fruits of the spirit: "charity suffereth long, and is kind," etc. here he lets love stand by itself among other fruits of the spirit to remind the christians to love one another, "in honor preferring one another," to esteem others more than themselves because they have christ and the holy ghost within them. joy joy means sweet thoughts of christ, melodious hymns and psalms, praises and thanksgiving, with which christians instruct, inspire, and refresh themselves. god does not like doubt and dejection. he hates dreary doctrine, gloomy and melancholy thought. god likes cheerful hearts. he did not send his son to fill us with sadness, but to gladden our hearts. for this reason the prophets, apostles, and christ himself urge, yes, command us to rejoice and be glad. "rejoice greatly, o daughter of zion; shout, o daughter of jerusalem; behold, thy king cometh unto thee." (zech. 9:9.) in the psalms we are repeatedly told to be "joyful in the lord." paul says: "rejoice in the lord always." christ says: "rejoice, for your names are written in heaven." peace peace towards god and men. christians are to be peaceful and quiet. not argumentative, not hateful, but thoughtful and patient. there can be no peace without longsuffering, and therefore paul lists this virtue next. longsuffering longsuffering is that quality which enables a person to bear adversity, injury, reproach, and makes them patient to wait for the improvement of those who have done him wrong. when the devil finds that he cannot overcome certain persons by force he tries to overcome them in the long run. he knows that we are weak and cannot stand anything long. therefore he repeats his temptation time and again until he succeeds. to withstand his continued assaults we must be longsuffering and patiently wait for the devil to get tired of his game. gentleness gentleness in conduct and life. true followers of the gospel must not be sharp and bitter, but gentle, mild, courteous, and soft-spoken, which should encourage others to seek their company. gentleness can overlook other people's faults and cover them up. gentleness is always glad to give in to others. gentleness can get along with forward and difficult persons, according to the old pagan saying: "you must know the manners of your friends, but you must not hate them." such a gentle person was our savior jesus christ, as the gospel portrays him. of peter it is recorded that he wept whenever he remembered the sweet gentleness of christ in his daily contact with people. gentleness is an excellent virtue and very useful in every walk of life. goodness a person is good when he is willing to help others in their need. faith in listing faith among the fruits of the spirit, paul obviously does not mean faith in christ, but faith in men. such faith is not suspicious of people but believes the best. naturally the possessor of such faith will be deceived, but he lets it pass. he is ready to believe all men, but he will not trust all men. where this virtue is lacking men are suspicious, forward, and wayward and will believe nothing nor yield to anybody. no matter how well a person says or does anything, they will find fault with it, and if you do not humor them you can never please them. it is quite impossible to get along with them. such faith in people therefore, is quite necessary. what kind of life would this be if one person could not believe another person? meekness a person is meek when he is not quick to get angry. many things occur in daily life to provoke a person's anger, but the christian gets over his anger by meekness. temperance christians are to lead sober and chaste lives. they should not be adulterers, fornicators, or sensualists. they should not be quarrelers or drunkards. in the first and second chapters of the epistle to titus, the apostle admonishes bishops, young women, and married folks to be chaste and pure. verse 23. against such there is no law. there is a law, of course, but it does not apply to those who bear these fruits of the spirit. the law is not given for the righteous man. a true christian conducts himself in such a way that he does not need any law to warn or to restrain him. he obeys the law without compulsion. the law does not concern him. as far as he is concerned there would not have to be any law. verse 24. and they that are christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. true believers are no hypocrites. they crucify the flesh with its evil desires and lusts. inasmuch as they have not altogether put off the sinful flesh they are inclined to sin. they do not fear or love god as they should. they are likely to be provoked to anger, to envy, to impatience, to carnal lust, and other emotions. but they will not do the things to which the flesh incites them. they crucify the flesh with its evil desires and lusts by fasting and exercise and, above all, by a walk in the spirit. to resist the flesh in this manner is to nail it to the cross. although the flesh is still alive it cannot very well act upon its desires because it is bound and nailed to the cross. verse 25. if we live in the spirit, let us also walk in the spirit. a little while ago the apostle had condemned those who are envious and start heresies and schisms. as if he had forgotten that he had already berated them, the apostle once more reproves those who provoke and envy others. was not one reference to them sufficient? he repeats his admonition in order to emphasize the viciousness of pride that had caused all the trouble in the churches of galatia, and has always caused the church of christ no end of difficulties. in his epistle to titus the apostle states that a vainglorious man should not be ordained as a minister, for pride, as st. augustine points out, is the mother of all heresies. now vainglory has always been a common poison in the world. there is no village too small to contain someone who wants to be considered wiser or better than the rest. those who have been bitten by pride usually stand upon the reputation for learning and wisdom. vainglory is not nearly so bad in a private person or even in an official as it is in a minister. when the poison of vainglory gets into the church you have no idea what havoc it can cause. you may argue about knowledge, art, money, countries, and the like without doing particular harm. but you cannot quarrel about salvation or damnation, about eternal life and eternal death without grave damage to the church. no wonder paul exhorts all ministers of the word to guard against this poison. he writes: "if we live in the spirit." where the spirit is, men gain new attitudes. where formerly they were vainglorious, spiteful and envious, they now become humble, gentle and patient. such men seek not their own glory, but the glory of god. they do not provoke each other to wrath or envy, but prefer others to themselves. as dangerous to the church as this abominable pride is, yet there is nothing more common. the trouble with the ministers of satan is that they look upon the ministry as a stepping-stone to fame and glory, and right there you have the seed for all sorts of dissensions. because paul knew that the vainglory of the false apostles had caused the churches of galatia endless trouble, he makes it his business to suppress this abominable vice. in his absence the false apostles went to work in galatia. they pretended that they had been on intimate terms with the apostles, while paul had never seen christ in person or had much contact with the rest of the apostles. because of this they delivered him, rejected his doctrine, and boosted their own. in this way they troubled the galatians and caused quarrels among them until they provoked and envied each other; which goes to show that neither the false apostles nor the galatians walked after the spirit, but after the flesh. the gospel is not there for us to aggrandize ourselves. the gospel is to aggrandize christ and the mercy of god. it holds out to men eternal gifts that are not gifts of our own manufacture. what right have we to receive praise and glory for gifts that are not of our own making? no wonder that god in his special grace subjects the ministers of the gospel to all kinds of afflictions, otherwise they could not cope with this ugly beast called vainglory. if no persecution, no cross, or reproach trailed the doctrine of the gospel, but only praise and reputation, the ministers of the gospel would choke with pride. paul had the spirit of christ. nevertheless there was given unto him the messenger of satan to buffet him in order that he should not come to exalt himself, because of the grandeur of his revelations. st. augustine's opinion is well taken: "if a minister of the gospel is praised, he is in danger; if he is despised, he is also in danger." the ministers of the gospel should be men who are not too easily affected by praise or criticism, but simply speak out the benefit and the glory of christ and seek the salvation of souls. whenever you are being praised, remember it is not you who is being praised but christ, to whom all praise belongs. when you preach the word of god in its purity and also live accordingly, it is not your own doing, but god's doing. and when people praise you, they really mean to praise god in you. when you understand this--and you should because "what hast thou that thou didst not receive?"--you will not flatter yourself on the one hand and on the other hand you will not carry yourself with the thought of resigning from the ministry when you are insulted, reproached, or persecuted. it is really kind of god to send so much infamy, reproach, hatred, and cursing our way to keep us from getting proud of the gifts of god in us. we need a millstone around our neck to keep us humble. there are a few on our side who love and revere us for the ministry of the word, but for every one of these there are a hundred on the other side who hate and persecute us. the lord is our glory. such gifts as we possess we acknowledge to be the gifts of god, given to us for the good of the church of christ. therefore we are not proud because of them. we know that more is required of them to whom much is given, than of such to whom little is given. we also know that god is no respecter of persons. a plain factory hand who does his work faithfully pleases god just as much as a minister of the word. verse 26. let us not be desirous of vain glory. to desire vainglory is to desire lies, because when one person praises another he tells lies. what is there in anybody to praise? but it is different when the ministry is praised. we should not only desire people to praise the ministry of the gospel but also do our utmost to make the ministry worthy of praise because this will make the ministry more effective. paul warns the romans not to bring christianity into disrepute. "let not then your good be evil spoken of." (rom. 14:16.) he also begged the corinthians to "give no offense in anything, that the ministry be not blamed." (i cor. 6:3.) when people praise our ministry they are not praising our persons, but god. verse 26. provoking one another, envying one another. such is the ill effect of vainglory. those who teach errors provoke others. when others disapprove and reject the doctrine the teachers of errors get angry in turn, and then you have strife and trouble. the sectarians hate us furiously because we will not approve their errors. we did not attack them directly. we merely called attention to certain abuses in the church. they did not like it and became sore at us, because it hurt their pride. they wish to be the lone rulers of the church. chapter 6 verse 1. brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness. if we carefully weigh the words of the apostle we perceive that he does not speak of doctrinal faults and errors, but of much lesser faults by which a person is overtaken through the weakness of his flesh. this explains why the apostle chooses the softer term "fault." to minimize the offense still more, as if he meant to excuse it altogether and to take the whole blame away from the person who has committed the fault, he speaks of him as having been "overtaken," seduced by the devil and of the flesh. as if he meant to say, "what is more human than for a human being to fall, to be deceived and to err?" this comforting sentence at one time saved my life. because satan always assails both the purity of doctrine which he endeavors to take away by schisms and the purity of life which he spoils with his continual temptations to sin, paul explains how the fallen should be treated. those who are strong are to raise up the fallen in the spirit of meekness. this ought to be borne in mind particularly by the ministers of the word in order that they may not forget the parental attitude which paul here requires of those who have the keeping of souls. pastors and ministers must, of course, rebuke the fallen, but when they see that the fallen are sorry they are to comfort them by excusing the fault as well as they can. as unyielding as the holy spirit is in the matter of maintaining and defending the doctrine of faith, so mild and merciful is he toward men for their sins as long as sinners repent. the pope's synagogue teaches the exact opposite of what the apostle commands. the clerics are tyrants and butchers of men's conscience. every small offense is closely scrutinized. to justify the cruel inquisitiveness they quote the statement of pope gregory: "it is the property of good lives to be afraid of a fault where there is no fault." "our censors must be feared, even if they are unjust and wrong." on these pronouncements the papists base their doctrine of excommunication. rather than terrify and condemn men's consciences, they ought to raise them up and comfort them with the truth. let the ministers of the gospel learn from paul how to deal with those who have sinned. "brethren," he says, "if any man be overtaken with a fault, do not aggravate his grief, do not scold him, do not condemn him, but lift him up and gently restore his faith. if you see a brother despondent over a sin he has committed, run up to him, reach out your hand to him, comfort him with the gospel and embrace him like a mother. when you meet a willful sinner who does not care, go after him and rebuke him sharply." but this is not the treatment for one who has been overtaken by a sin and is sorry. he must be dealt with in the spirit of meekness and not in the spirit of severity. a repentant sinner is not to be given gall and vinegar to drink. verse 1. considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. this consideration is very much needed to put a stop to the severity of some pastors who show the fallen no mercy. st. augustine says: "there is no sin which one person has committed, that another person may not commit it also." we stand in slippery places. if we become overbearing and neglect our duty, it is easy enough to fall into sin. in the book entitled "the lives of our fathers," one of the fathers is reported to have said when informed that a brother had fallen into adultery: "he fell yesterday; i may fall today." paul therefore warns the pastors not to be too rigorous and unmerciful towards offenders, but to show them every affection, always remembering: "this man fell into sin; i may fall into worse sin. if those who are always so eager to condemn others would investigate themselves they would find that the sins of others are motes in comparison to their own." "wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." (i cor. 10:12.) if david who was a hero of faith and did so many great things for the lord, could fall so badly that in spite of his advanced age he was overcome by youthful lust after he had withstood so many different temptations with which the lord had tested his faith, who are we to think that we are more stable? these object lessons of god should convince us that of all things god hates pride. verse 2. bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of christ. the law of christ is the law of love. christ gave us no other law than this law of mutual love: "a new commandment i give unto you, that ye love one another." to love means to bear another's burdens. christians must have strong shoulders to bear the burdens of their fellow christians. faithful pastors recognize many errors and offenses in the church, which they oversee. in civil affairs an official has to overlook much if he is fit to rule. if we can overlook our own shortcomings and wrong-doings, we ought to overlook the shortcomings of others in accordance with the words, "bear ye one another's burdens." those who fail to do so expose their lack of understanding of the law of christ. love, according to paul, "believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." this commandment is not meant for those who deny christ; neither is it meant for those who continue to live in sin. only those who are willing to hear the word of god and then inadvertently fall into sin to their own great sorrow and regret, carry the burdens which the apostle encourages us to bear. let us not be hard on them. if christ did not punish them, what right have we to do it? verse 3. for if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. again the apostle takes the authors of sects to task for being hard-hearted tyrants. they despise the weak and demand that everything be just so. nothing suits them except what they do. unless you eulogize whatever they say or do, unless you adapt yourself to their slightest whim, they become angry with you. they are that way because, as st. paul says, they "think themselves to be something," they think they know all about the scriptures. paul has their number when he calls them zeros. they deceive themselves with their self-suggested wisdom and holiness. they have no understanding of christ or the law of christ. by insisting that everything be perfect they not only fail to bear the burdens of the weak, they actually offend the weak by their severity. people begin to hate and shun them and refuse to accept counsel or comfort from them. paul describes these stiff and ungracious saints accurately when he says of them, "they think themselves to be something." bloated by their own silly ideas and schemes they entertain a pretty fair opinion of themselves, when in reality they amount to nothing. verse 4. but let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. in this verse the apostle continues his attack upon the vainglorious sectarians. although this passage may be applied to any work, the apostle has in mind particularly the work of the ministry. the trouble with these seekers after glory is that they never stop to consider whether their ministry is straightforward and faithful. all they think about is whether people will like and praise them. theirs is a threefold sin. first, they are greedy of praise. secondly, they are very sly and wily in suggesting that the ministry of other pastors is not what it should be. by way of contrast they hope to rise in the estimation of the people. thirdly, once they have established a reputation for themselves they become so chesty that they stop short of nothing. when they have won the praise of men, pride leads them on to belittle the work of other men and to applaud their own. in this artful manner they hoodwink the people who rather enjoy to see their former pastors taken down a few notches by such upstarts. "let a minister be faithful in his office," is the apostolic injunction. "let him not seek his own glory or look for praise. let him desire to do good work and to preach the gospel in all its purity. whether an ungrateful world appreciates his efforts is to give him no concern because, after all, he is in the ministry not for his own glory but for the glory of christ." a faithful minister cares little what people think of him, as long as his conscience approves of him. the approval of his own good conscience is the best praise a minister can have. to know that we have taught the word of god and administered the sacraments rightly is to have a glory that cannot be taken away. the glory which the sectarians seek is quite unstable, because it rests in the whim of people. if paul had had to depend on this kind of glory for his ministry he would have despaired when he saw the many offenses and evils following in the wake of his preaching. if we had to feel that the success of our ministry depended upon our popularity with men we would die, because we are not popular. on the contrary, we are hated by the whole world with rare bitterness. nobody praises us. everybody finds fault with us. but we can glory in the lord and attend to our work cheerfully. who cares whether our efforts please or displease the devil? who cares whether the world praises or hates us? we go ahead "by honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report." (ii cor. 6:8.) the gospel entails persecution. the gospel is that kind of a doctrine. furthermore, the disciples of the gospel are not all dependable. many embrace the gospel today and tomorrow discard it. to preach the gospel for praise is bad business especially when people stop praising you. find your praise in the testimony of a good conscience. this passage may also be applied to other work besides the ministry. when an official, a servant, a teacher minds his business and performs his duty faithfully without concerning himself about matters that are not in his line he may rejoice in himself. the best commendation of any work is to know that one has done the work that god has given him well and that god is pleased with his effort. verse 5. every man shall bear his own burden. that means: for anybody to covet praise is foolish because the praise of men will be of no help to you in the hour of death. before the judgment throne of christ everybody will have to bear his own burden. as it is the praise of men stops when we die. before the eternal judge it is not praise that counts but your own conscience. true, the consciousness of work well done cannot quiet the conscience. but it is well to have the testimony of a good conscience in the last judgment that we have performed our duty faithfully in accordance with god's will. for the suppression of pride we need the strength of prayer. what man even if he is a christian is not delighted with his own praise? only the holy spirit can preserve us from the misfortune of pride. verse 6. let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. now the apostle also addresses the hearers of the word requesting them to bestow "all good things" upon those who have taught them the gospel. i have often wondered why all the apostles reiterated this request with such embarrassing frequency. in the papacy i saw the people give generously for the erection and maintenance of luxurious church buildings and for the sustenance of men appointed to the idolatrous service of rome. i saw bishops and priests grow rich until they possessed the choicest real estate. i thought then that paul's admonitions were overdone. i thought he should have requested the people to curtail their contributions. i saw how the generosity of the people of the church was encouraging covetousness on the part of the clergy. i know better now. as often as i read the admonitions of the apostle to the effect that the churches should support their pastors and raise funds for the relief of impoverished christians i am half ashamed to think that the great apostle paul had to touch upon this subject so frequently. in writing to the corinthians he needed two chapters to impress this matter upon them. i would not want to discredit wittenberg as paul discredited the corinthians by urging them at such length to contribute to the relief of the poor. it seems to be a by-product of the gospel that nobody wants to contribute to the maintenance of the gospel ministry. when the doctrine of the devil is preached people are prodigal in their willing support of those who deceive them. we have come to understand why it is so necessary to repeat the admonition of this verse. when satan cannot suppress the preaching of the gospel by force he tries to accomplish his purpose by striking the ministers of the gospel with poverty. he curtails their income to such an extent that they are forced out of the ministry because they cannot live by the gospel. without ministers to proclaim the word of god the people go wild like savage beasts. paul's admonition that the hearers of the gospel share all good things with their pastors and teachers is certainly in order. to the corinthians he wrote: "if we have sown unto you spiritual things is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?" (i cor. 9:11.) in the old days when the pope reigned supreme everybody paid plenty for masses. the begging friars brought in their share. commercial priests counted the daily offerings. from these extortions our countrymen are now delivered by the gospel. you would think they would be grateful for their emancipation and give generously for the support of the ministry of the gospel and the relief of impoverished christians. instead, they rob christ. when the members of a christian congregation permit their pastor to struggle along in penury, they are worse than heathen. before very long they are going to suffer for their ingratitude. they will lose their temporal and spiritual possessions. this sin merits the severest punishment. the reason why the churches of galatia, corinth, and other places were troubled by false apostles was this, that they had so little regard for their faithful ministers. you cannot refuse to give a penny who gives you all good things, even life eternal, and turn around and give the devil, the giver of all evil and death eternal, pieces of gold, and not be punished for it. the words "in all good things": are not to be understood to mean that people are to give all they have to their ministers, but that they should support them liberally and give them enough to live well. verse 7. be not deceived; god is not mocked. the apostle is so worked up over this matter that he is not content with a mere admonition. he utters the threatening words, "god is not mocked." our countrymen think it good sport to despise the ministry. they like to treat the ministers like servants and slaves. "be not deceived," warns the apostle, "god is not mocked." god will not be mocked in his ministers. christ said: "he that despiseth you, despiseth me." (luke 10:16.) to samuel god said: "they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me." (i sam. 8:7.) be careful, you scoffers. god may postpone his punishment for a time, but he will find you out in time, and punish you for despising his servants. you cannot laugh at god. maybe the people are little impressed by the threats of god, but in the hour of their death they shall know whom they have mocked. god is not ever going to let his ministers starve. when the rich suffer the pangs of hunger god will feed his own servants. "in the days of famine they shall be satisfied." (ps. 37:19.) verse 7. for whatever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. these passages are all meant to benefit us ministers. i must say i do not find much pleasure in explaining these verses. i am made to appear as if i am speaking for my own benefit. if a minister preaches on money he is likely to be accused of covetousness. still people must be told these things that they may know their duty over against their pastors. our savior says: "eating and drinking such things as they give; for the laborer is worthy of his hire." (luke 10:7.) and paul says elsewhere: "do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? even so hath the lord ordained, that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel." (i cor. 9:13, 14.) verse 8. for he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap everlasting life. this simile of sowing and reaping also refers to the proper support of ministers. "he that soweth to the spirit," i.e., he that honors the ministers of god is doing a spiritual thing and will reap everlasting life. "he that soweth to the flesh," i.e., he that has nothing left for the ministers of god, but only thinks of himself, that person will reap of the flesh corruption, not only in this life but also in the life to come. the apostle wants to stir up his readers to be generous to their pastors. that the ministers of the church need support any man with common sense can see. though this support is something physical the apostle does not hesitate to call it sowing to the spirit. when people scrape up everything they can lay their hands on and keep everything for themselves the apostle calls it a sowing to the flesh. he pronounces those who sow to the spirit blessed for this life and the life to come, while those who sow to the flesh are accursed now and forever. verse 9. and let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. the apostle intends soon to close his epistle and therefore repeats once more the general exhortation unto good deeds. he means to say "let us do good not only to the ministers of the gospel, but to everybody, and let us do it without weariness." it is easy enough to do good once or twice, but to keep on doing good without getting disgusted with the ingratitude of those whom we have benefited, that is not so easy. therefore the apostle does not only admonish us to do good, but to do good untiringly. for our encouragement he adds the promise: "for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." "wait for the harvest and then you will reap the reward of your sowing to the spirit. think of that when you do good and the ingratitude of men will not stop you from doing good." verse 10. as we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. in this verse the apostle summarizes his instructions on the proper support of the ministers and of the poor. he paraphrases the words of christ: "i must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work." (john 9:4.) our good deeds are to be directed primarily at those who share the christian faith with us, "the household of faith," as paul calls them, among whom the ministers rank first as objects of our well doing. verse 11. ye see how large a letter i have written unto you with mine own hand. with these words the apostle intends to draw the galatians on. "i never," he says, "wrote such a long letter with my own hand to any of the other churches." his other epistles he dictated, and only subscribed his greetings and his signature with his own hand. verse 12. as many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of christ. paul once more scores the false apostles in an effort to draw the galatians away from their false doctrine. "the teachers you have now do not seek the glory of christ and the salvation of your souls, but only their own glory. they avoid the cross. they do not understand what they teach." these three counts against the false apostles are of so serious a nature that no christian could have fellowship with them. but not all the galatians obeyed the warning of paul. the apostle's attack upon the false apostles was not unjustified. neither are our attacks upon the papacy. when we call the pope the antichrist and his minions an evil brood, we do not slander them. we merely judge them by the touchstone of god's word recorded in the first chapter of this epistle: "though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." verse 13. for neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh. in other words: "i shall tell you what kind of teachers you have now. they avoid the cross, they teach no certain truths. they think they are performing the law, but they are not. they have not the holy spirit and without him nobody can keep the law." where the holy ghost does not dwell in men there dwells an unclean spirit, a spirit that despises god and turns every effort at keeping the law into a double sin. mark what the apostle is saying: those who are circumcised do not fulfill the law. no self-righteous person ever does. to work, pray, or suffer apart from christ is to work, pray, and to suffer in vain, "for whatsoever is not of faith is sin." it does a person no good to be circumcised, to fast, to pray, or to do anything, if in his heart he despises christ. "why do the false apostles insist that you should be circumcised? not for the sake of your righteousness," although they give that impression, but "that they may glory in your flesh." now what sort of an ambition is that? worst of all, they force circumcision upon you for no other reason than the satisfaction they get out of your submission. verse 14. but god forbid that i should glory, save in the cross of our lord jesus christ. "god forbid," says the apostle, "that i should glory in anything as dangerous as the false apostles glory in because what they glory in is a poison that destroys many souls, and i wish it were buried in hell. let them glory in the flesh if they wish and let them perish in their glory. as for me i glory in the cross of our lord jesus christ." he expresses the same sentiment in the fifth chapter of the epistle to the romans, where he says: "we glory in tribulations"; and in the twelfth chapter of the second epistle to the corinthians: "most gladly, therefore, will l rather glory in my infirmities." according to these expressions the glory of a christian consists in tribulations, reproaches, and infirmities. and this is our glory today with the pope and the whole world persecuting us and trying to kill us. we know that we suffer these things not because we are thieves and murderers, but for christ's sake whose gospel we proclaim. we have no reason to complain. the world, of course, looks upon us as unhappy and accursed creatures, but christ for whose sake we suffer pronounces us blessed and bids us to rejoice. "blessed are ye," says he, "when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. rejoice, and be exceeding glad." (matt. 5:11, 12.) by the cross of christ is not to be understood here the two pieces of wood to which he was nailed, but all the afflictions of the believers whose sufferings are christ's sufferings. elsewhere paul writes: "who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church." (col. 1:24.) it is good for us to know this lest we sink into despair when our opponents persecute us. let us bear the cross for christ's sake. it will ease our sufferings and make them light as christ says, matthew 11:30, "my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." verse 14. by whom the world is crucified unto me, and i unto the world. "the world is crucified unto me," means that i condemn the world. "i am crucified unto the world," means that the world in turn condemns me. i detest the doctrine, the self-righteousness, and the works of the world. the world in turn detests my doctrine and condemns me as a revolutionary heretic. thus the world is crucified unto us and we unto the world. the monks imagined the world was crucified unto them when they entered the monastery. not the world, but christ, is crucified in the monasteries. in this verse paul expresses his hatred of the world. the hatred was mutual. as paul, so we are to despise the world and the devil. with christ on our side we can defy him and say: "satan, the more you hurt me, the more i oppose you." verse 15. for in christ jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. since circumcision and uncircumcision are contrary matters we would expect the apostle to say that one or the other might accomplish some good. but he denies that either of them do any good. both are of no value because in christ jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avail anything. reason fails to understand this, "for the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of god." (i cor. 2:14.) it therefore seeks righteousness in externals. however, we learn from the word of god that there is nothing under the sun that can make us righteous before god and a new creature except christ jesus. a new creature is one in whom the image of god has been renewed. such a creature cannot be brought into life by good works, but by christ alone. good works may improve the outward appearance, but they cannot produce a new creature. a new creature is the work of the holy ghost, who imbues our hearts with faith, love, and other christian virtues, grants us the strength to subdue the flesh and to reject the righteousness of the world. verse 16. and as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy. this is the rule by which we ought to live, "that ye put on the new man, which after god is created in righteousness and true holiness." (eph. 4:24.) those who walk after this rule enjoy the favor of god, the forgiveness of their sins, and peace of conscience. should they ever be overtaken by any sin, the mercy of god supports them. verse 17. from henceforth let no man trouble me. the apostle speaks these words with a certain amount of indignation. "i have preached the gospel to you in conformity with the revelation which i received from jesus christ. if you do not care for it, very well. trouble me no more. trouble me no more." verse 17. for i bear in my body the marks of the lord jesus. "the marks on my body indicate whose servant i am. if i was anxious to please men, if i approved of circumcision and good works as factors in our salvation, if i would take delight in your flesh as the false apostles do, i would not have these marks on my body. but because i am the servant of jesus christ and publicly declare that no person can obtain the salvation of his soul outside of christ, i must bear the badge of my lord. these marks were given to me against my will as decorations from the devil and for no other merit but that i made known jesus." of the marks of suffering which he bore in his body the apostle makes frequent mention in his epistles. "i think," he says, "that god hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men." (i cor. 4:9.) again, "unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling-place; and labour, working with our hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it; being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day." (i cor. 4:11-13.) verse 18. brethren, the grace of our lord jesus christ be with your spirit. amen. this is the apostle's farewell. he ends his epistle as he began it by wishing the galatians the grace of god. we can hear him say: "i have presented christ to you, i have pleaded with you, i have reproved you, i have overlooked nothing that i thought might be of benefit to you. all i can do now is to pray that our lord jesus christ would bless my epistle and grant you the guidance of the holy ghost." the lord jesus christ, our savior, who gave me the strength and the grace to explain this epistle and granted you the grace to hear it, preserve and strengthen us in faith unto the day of our redemption. to him, the father and the son and the holy spirit, be glory, world without end. amen. this text was converted to ascii format for project wittenberg by laura j. hoelter and is in the public domain. you may freely distribute, copy or print this text. please direct any comments or suggestions to: rev. robert e. smith walther library concordia theological seminary generously made available by the internet archive/american libraries) the epistles of st. peter and st. jude preached and explained by martin luther. wittemberg, 1523-4. translated, with preface and notes, by e. h. gillett. new york: anson d. f. randolph, no. 683 broadway. 1859. entered according to act of congress, in the year 1859, by e. h. gillett, in the clerk's office of the district court for the southern district of new york. edward o. jenkins, printer & stereotyper, no. 26 frankfort street. preface by the translator. several years ago, among the dusty piles of old pamphlets stored away upon the upper shelves of the union theological seminary library, i met with several works of luther, in the original editions, as they were issued during his lifetime from his press at wittemberg. among them were his commentaries, or rather lectures, on the epistles of peter and jude.[1] the forbidding aspect of the page, with the obsolete spelling of its words, and its somewhat coarse typography, was rather an incitement to master it; for here was luther, presenting himself to the eye of the reader just as, more than three hundred years ago, he presented himself to the eyes of thousands of his countrymen. upon a partial perusal of the commentary, i became satisfied that it would repay a more attentive study; and finding, upon investigation, that it had never been translated into english, i set myself to the task which had been so long neglected. the pleasing labor was accomplished, and the manuscript laid aside for several years. the conviction, confirmed by a re-perusal of it, that others besides myself would be interested in the work, has led me to determine on its publication. [footnote 1: another copy of this same edition of luther on peter, belonging to a clergyman's library which was sold at auction in this city, four or five years since, brought an almost fabulous price.] luther's commentary on the galatians, excellent as it is, is too voluminous and expensive to be very extensively circulated, while the phraseology of the early translation, which has not been modified, prevents its proper appreciation by modern readers. and yet any one that would truly know the man, and the secret of his power, must study these in his writings. the commentary on the epistles of peter and jude, presented in a literal but more modern style to the english reader, is not liable to these objections; and yet, in the variety of its themes, the clearness of its exposition, the stinging force of its rebukes, the simplicity and directness of its language, it is scarcely surpassed by any of luther's other writings. on the great subject of justification by faith alone, he is here, as in his commentary on the epistle to the galatians, full and emphatic. the relation of faith to works is clearly and carefully defined, while the subjects presented in the text afford full opportunity for discussing the great questions that concern the relative duties of civil and social life. the volume thus becomes at once a manual of doctrine and of duty. on the foundation of faith is reared the superstructure of a christian life. luther is seen to have fully apprehended the force of all the objections that could be urged against his teachings, and with convincing ability he vindicates them from every charge. throughout the volume we have ever before us the earnest, devout spirit of the reformer, for the most part unfolding in the simplest manner the great doctrines of the gospel, but occasionally indulging in volcanic outbursts of indignation against the hierarchical corruptions of his day, and pouring out upon them the lava-tides of withering rebuke. it may seem strange that this work of luther's has never before been translated. but, unlike his commentary on the epistle to the galatians, which he himself translated into latin, that it might have a wider circulation among the learned of europe, this was published by him only in the german language, which was little known in england, and hence it was deprived of that notoriety which would have drawn special attention to it, as well as of that latin dress which would have facilitated an english translation. it is well known, moreover, that luther formed a most humble estimate of his own writings, and was uniformly reluctant to collect his works in volumes, or bestow upon them any editorial care. he seemed perfectly willing to have them sink to oblivion, and could not be persuaded by the most urgent representations to do anything which might rescue them from such a fate. besides, it is to be noted that a perusal of this volume especially would soon satisfy the reader, that after the accession of queen elizabeth to the throne, it stood little chance of securing the necessary approval or _imprimatur_ of an english bishop. yet the work is one of no little historical as well as antiquarian interest. it has done its part in one of the greatest intellectual and religious conflicts of the world. it is the sword that a giant wielded, and that has done execution on a broad field. in the great armory of the reformation-writings, scarcely another deserves a more conspicuous place. it presents those views of the relative spheres of divine and human authority which became prevalent wherever the cause of reform advanced. it unmasked popular errors, rebuked ecclesiastical corruption, and vindicated most effectively the simple doctrines of faith. here, moreover, we see luther clad in the armor with which he boldly challenged the papacy to a lifelong combat. the man is before us, girded for the battle, and we see the weapons upon which he relies. if one of those cannon balls with which english valor won the battle of cressy,--the first in which the efficiency of the new invention was tested,--could be picked up there now, and it could be ascertained that it did service in that famous battle, it would be an object of no small interest, at least to the antiquary; but in regard to this treatise of luther, we know full well that rome felt its visitation as something more terrible than a bombshell exploding beneath the dome of st. peter's. under the authority of peter himself it demolished the very foundations of the throne upon which his pretended successors were seated, and gave a most effective impulse to the onward movement of reform. nor is this all. it is still capable of doing effective service. after all the rust and tarnish of three centuries, these words of luther are remarkably fresh, and seem almost like a living utterance of to-day. their critical value is not indeed great, although by no means contemptible, for the quick sagacity of the reformer in detecting the meaning and the force of the scriptural argument, is evident on every page, and is rarely at fault; but his clear views of the gospel, his untrammeled freedom of thought, his strong good sense, and his most effective energy of application are everywhere conspicuous. his language is uniformly simple and direct. the exposition contained in this volume was first delivered from the pulpit. according to the title-page, it is scripture "preached and explained," and in addressing it to the people, luther did not fail to keep in view the object upon which he set so high an estimate, when he said, "i preach as simply as possible. i want the common people, and children, and servants, to understand me." the care with which he fortifies his positions with scriptural citations is likewise obvious. he rarely presents views upon any theme from which one who acknowledges the authority of scripture will feel forced to dissent, unless, with some, the subject of baptism should an exception. in regard to this, he speaks like one who as yet sees "men as trees walking." considerable space is given up to an exposure of the errors and abuses of the papacy, but the exposure is made uniformly by the light of scripture. vehement as are luther's occasional bursts of indignation, he never wanders from the subject, and never ventures beyond where he is sustained by the clear warrant of the word of god. in the purpose of presenting this translation to english readers, i have been encouraged by the prospect of affording to others the same opportunity of acquaintance with luther's modes of thought and feeling which i have myself enjoyed. i believe, moreover, that his exposition has a high value, apart from the interest which attaches to it as the production of the great hero of the reformation. occasionally, the views presented have seemed to be such as required some explanatory note or correction, and in a few instances this has been appended, but the necessity has rarely occurred, and luther is left throughout to speak for himself. the translation is strictly literal, and almost the only variations from the original are so marked, by being inclosed in parentheses. these will readily be distinguished from the passages or words included in parentheses of the original text, by their explanatory character. it would have been a far easier task to have given a more liberal and polished rendering of luther's language. but i think most readers would prefer to have me give them luther, rather than--the translator. there are occasional roughnesses of expression, and some sentences which were evidently not very lucidly reported, but they are features of the book which presents luther to us, and even the wart on the face must appear in the faithful portrait. for assistance in the labor of revising some of the more difficult passages, i am indebted to prof. robinson, of the union theological seminary, and to rev. m. bushe, pastor of a german church in this city. by their aid, which i take this occasion gratefully to acknowledge, i feel confident that nearly every passage, in which the text of the original is not in fault, has been correctly rendered. i had hoped, in this connection, to present an estimate of luther's writings, from the pen of one of the most eminent german scholars which our country can boast. the permission to do so was kindly granted, but the limited space allowed for prefatory remark forbids it. i will only add the expression of my own conviction, that from the exceedingly voluminous works of luther, other selections of high merit might be made, the translation and publication of which would be welcomed with grateful acknowledgment by a large class of american and english readers. i should be highly gratified if the encouragement afforded by my words or example should induce any one more competent than myself, or who can command more leisure for it, to prosecute the work which i have only just begun. e. h. gillett. harlem, march 8th, 1859. the first epistle general of st. peter introduction. before we enter upon this epistle of st. peter, it is necessary to present a brief introduction,[1] that it may be understood how this epistle is to be ranked, and in order that a right apprehension of it may be attained. [footnote 1: literally, _instruction_.] in the first place, it must be understood that all the apostles present one and the same doctrine; and it is not correct to speak of[2] four evangelists and four gospels for all which the apostles wrote is one gospel. but _gospel_ means nothing but a proclamation and heralding of the grace and mercy of god through jesus christ, merited and procured through his death. and it is not properly that which is contained in books, and is comprehended in the letter, but rather an oral proclamation and living word, and a voice which echoes through the whole world, and is publicly uttered that it may universally be heard. neither is it a book of laws, containing in itself many excellent doctrines, as has hitherto been held. for it does not bid us do works whereby we may become righteous, but proclaims to us the grace of god, bestowed freely, and apart from any merit of our own; and it tells how christ has taken our place, and rendered satisfaction for our sins, and canceled them, and by his own works justifies and saves us. [footnote 2: count.] whoever sets forth this, by preaching or writing, _he_ teaches the true gospel, as all the apostles did, especially st. paul and st. peter, in their epistles. so that all, whatever it be, that sets forth christ, is one and the same gospel, although one may use a different method, and speak of it in different language from another, for it may perhaps be a brief or extended address, or a brief or extended writing. but yet, if it tends to this point, that christ is our saviour, and we through faith on him, apart from works of our own, are justified and saved, it is still the same word, and but one gospel, just as there is also but one faith and one baptism in the whole christian world. so, also, one apostle has written the same [gospel] that is contained in another's writings; but they who insist most largely and emphatically on this, that faith on christ alone justifies, are the best evangelists. therefore st. paul's epistles are more a gospel than matthew, mark and luke, for the latter give little more than the history of the works and miracles of christ; but of the grace which we have through christ, none write so emphatically as st. paul, especially in his epistle to the romans. and yet, since more importance by far belongs to the word than to the works and deeds of christ, and where we are to be deprived of one it were better that we should want the works and the history than the word and the doctrine; those books are to be most highly esteemed which most largely treat of the doctrine and words of the lord christ; for though the miracles of christ had never been, and we had no knowledge of them, we should yet have had enough in the _word_, without which we could not have had life. thus this epistle of st. peter is one of the noblest books in the new testament, and contains indeed the pure gospel; for he takes the same course as st. paul and all the evangelists, in inculcating the true doctrine of faith,--as that christ has been given us, who takes away our sin and saves us, as we shall hear. hence you may judge of all books and doctrines, what is gospel or not; for what is not set forth or written of in this manner, you may safely decide to be false, however excellent in appearance. this power to decide is one that all christians possess,--not the pope or councils, who boast that they only have the power to determine.--this is sufficient introduction and preface. let us now listen to the epistle. the first epistle general of st. peter. chapter i. v. 1, 2. _peter an apostle of jesus christ, to the strangers scattered abroad in pontus, galatia, capadocia, asia and bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of god the father, through sanctification of the spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of jesus christ._ that is the superscription and subscription. here you quickly perceive that it is the gospel. he calls himself an apostle--that is, one sent to declare a message; therefore it is correctly rendered in dutch, a messenger, or a twelfth-messenger,[1] because they were twelve. but since it is generally understood what apostle (the greek word) means, i have not rendered it in dutch. but its peculiar meaning is, one who bears a message by word of mouth; not one who carries letters, but a capable man who presents a matter orally, and advocates it,--of the class that in the latin are called _oratores_. so he would now say, i am an apostle of jesus christ,--that is, i have a command from jesus christ that i, from christ, am to proclaim. [footnote 1: _tswolffbott_ in the original, for which we have no equivalent english word.] observe, here, how promptly all those who teach human doctrine are excluded. for _he_ is a messenger of jesus christ who presents that which christ has commanded; should he preach otherwise, he is not a messenger of christ, and therefore should not be listened to. but if he does this, it is just as important as though you heard christ himself present. _to the strangers scattered abroad._ this epistle was written to lands which were formerly christian but are now subject to the turk, yet it is possible some christians might be found there even at this day. pontus is a large, broad region, lying on the sea. capadocia is in the same neighborhood, and borders on it. galatia lies back of them. asia and bithynia border on the sea--extending eastward--and are extensive regions. paul also preached in galatia, and in asia; whether in bithynia also, i do not know. in the other two he did not preach. _strangers_ are such as we call foreigners. he names them so because they were gentiles; and it is a thing to surprise us, that st. peter, inasmuch as he was an apostle to the jews, should still write to the gentiles. the jews called these (of whom we speak) proselytes,--that is, associated jews, such as adopted their law, but were not of a jewish family or the blood of abraham. thus he writes to those who had previously been heathen (of the gentiles), but were now converted to the faith, and had joined the believing jews, and he calls them _elect strangers_, who certainly are christians, to whom alone he writes. this is a point worthy of observation, as we shall hear. _according to the foreknowledge of god the father._ they are elect, he says. how? not of themselves, but according to god's purpose: for we should be unable to raise ourselves to heaven, or create faith within ourselves. god will not permit all men to enter heaven; those who are his own he will receive with all readiness. the human doctrine of free-will, and of our own ability, is futile. the matter does not lie in our wills, but in the will and election of god. _through sanctification of the spirit._ god has predestinated us that we should be holy, and, moreover, that we should be spiritually holy. those precious words, holy and spiritual, have been perverted for us through the greed of the preachers, in that they have denominated the state of priests and monks holy and spiritual, and have thus scandalously robbed us of these noble, precious words, as also of the word church, since with _them_ the pope and bishops are the church, while they do according to their own pleasure whatever they choose, in virtue of the declaration, "the church has forbidden it." holiness is not that which consists in the estate of monks, priests and nuns,--the wearing of the tonsure and cowl; it is a spiritual word, meaning that there is an inward holiness in the spirit before god. and this is the reason specially why he said this, in order to show that there is nothing holy but that holiness which god produces within us. for although the jews had much outward or ceremonial holiness, there was yet in this no genuine holiness. peter would say here, god has predestinated you to this end, that ye should be truly holy; as paul also says, in eph. iv., "in righteousness and true holiness"--that is, in a genuine and well-founded holiness,--for outward holiness, such as the jews had, is of no value before god. thus the scripture calls us holy, while we yet live on earth, if we believe. but the papists have taken the name from us, and say, we are not to be holy; the saints in heaven alone are holy. thus we are compelled to reclaim the noble name. you must be holy, but you must also beware against imagining that you are holy through yourself or by your own merit, but only that you have god's word, that heaven is yours, that you are truly pious and made holy by christ. this you must confess if you would be a christian. for it would be the greatest affront and reviling of the name of christ, if we took from the honor due to christ's blood, in that it is this that washes away our sins, or from the faith that this blood sanctifies us. therefore, you must believe and confess if you would be holy; but by this blood, not by your own excellence must it be, insomuch that for it you would be willing to give up life and all that you possess, and endure whatever might come upon you. _to obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of christ._ hereby, he says, are we made holy, if we are obedient, and believe the word of christ, and are sprinkled with his blood. and here st. peter speaks in a somewhat different manner from st. paul. but it is in substance the same as when paul says that we are saved through faith in christ; for faith makes us obedient and submissive to christ and his word. for to obey the word of god and the word of christ is the same thing, and to be sprinkled by his blood is the same as to believe. for it is difficult to nature, hostile to it, and exceedingly humbling, to submit to christ, give up all its own possessions, and account them contemptible and sinful. but yet it must be brought into subjection. of sprinkling, the psalm _miserere domine_ (li.) also speaks: "sprinkle me with hyssop, and i shall be clean." it refers to the law of moses, from which st. peter has derived it, and he discloses moses to our view, while he brings in the scripture. when moses had built the tabernacle, he took the blood of bullocks and sprinkled it over all the people. but _this_ sprinkling sanctifies not in the spirit, but only outwardly. therefore there must be a spiritual purification, since an outward holiness, and one that pertains to the flesh, is of no avail before god. and so god, by this sprinkling, has typified the spiritual sprinkling. as though peter had said, the jews who were in that holiness which was outward were held as righteous, and persons of a pure life. but you are reputed base, yet you have a better sprinkling; you are sprinkled in the spirit, that you may be pure from within. the jews were sprinkled outwardly with the blood of bullocks, but we are sprinkled inwardly in the conscience, so that the heart is made pure and joyful. thus the gentiles are gentiles no longer. the righteous jews, with their sprinkling, are no more righteous, but all is reversed. there must be a sprinkling which converts us and makes us spiritually minded. to preach sprinkling is to preach that christ has shed his blood, and for us has ascended to his father, and intercedes, saying, "beloved father! behold my blood which i have shed for these sinners." if you believe this, you are sprinkled. thus you see the right method of preaching. if all the popes, monks and priests were to fuse all the matter of their preaching into one mass, they would not even then teach and present as much as st. peter here does in these few words. thus you have the subscription of the epistle, wherein he manifests his office and what he preaches, as you have now heard. for this alone is the gospel, and all else that does not accord with it is to be trodden under foot, and all other books are to be avoided in which you find some fine pretence of works and prayers and indulgence that does not teach similar doctrine, and is not confessedly grounded thereon. all papal books have not a letter of this obedience, of this blood and sprinkling. now follows the greeting to those to whom he writes. _grace and peace be multiplied._ here st. peter adopts the apostle paul's mode of greeting, although not to the same extent, and it is as much as though he had said, ye have now peace and grace, but yet not in perfection; therefore must ye continue to increase in them till the old adam die. grace is god's favor, which now begins in us, but which must continue to advance and grow even till death. whoever confesses and believes that he has a gracious god, possesses it, while his heart gains peace also, and he is afraid neither of the world nor of the devil; for he knows that god, who controls all things, is his friend, and will deliver him from death, hell and all evil,--therefore his conscience has peace and joy. such is the desire of st. peter for those that believed, and it is a true christian greeting with which all christians might well greet one another. thus we have the superscription, with the greeting; now he begins the epistle, and says: v. 3-9. _blessed be god and the father of our lord jesus christ, who, according to his abundant mercy, has begotten us again to a lively hope, through the resurrection of jesus christ from the dead, to an inheritance imperishable, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of god through faith to salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time, wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a little time (if need be) ye are sad through manifold temptations; that the trial of your faith might be found more precious than the perishable gold (that is tried by fire), to praise, honor, and glory, when jesus christ shall be revealed, whom ye have not seen and yet love, in whom through ye believe and see him not, yet for your faith's sake ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your soul._ in this preface you perceive a truly apostolic address and introduction to the matters in hand, and as i have said already, this is the model of a noble epistle. for he has already exhibited and made manifest what christ is, and what we have attained through him, when he says, that god hath begotten us again to a lively hope through the resurrection of christ. thus all good things are bestowed upon us by the father, not for any desert of ours, but of pure mercy. these are true gospel words which are to be preached, but how little--god save us--of this kind of preaching is to be met with in all sorts of books, even those that must be considered the best; how little agreement is there, as st. jerome and st. augustine have written, in this position,--that jesus christ is to be preached, that he died and rose again, and that he died and rose again that through such preaching men might believe on him and be saved. that is preaching the true gospel. whatever is not preached in this wise is not the gospel, do it who will. this is now the _summa summarum_ of these words. christ, through his resurrection, has brought us to the father; and so, too, st. peter would bring us to the father by the lord christ, and he sets him forth as mediator between god and us. hitherto we have been taught that we should call upon the saints; that they are our intercessors with god, while, moreover, we have had recourse to our dear virgin, and have set her up as mediatress, and have let christ go as an angry judge. this the scripture does not do; it goes further, and exalts christ; teaching that he is our mediator, by whom we come to the father. oh! it is a blessing infinitely vast that is bestowed upon us through christ, that we may go into the presence of the father and claim the inheritance of which st. peter here speaks. these words also well exhibit the feelings which the apostle had, as with the deepest reverence he begins to praise the father, and would have us adore and bless him for the sake of the infinite riches which he has bestowed upon us, in that he has begotten us again, and this, too, before we had desired or sought it; so that nothing is to be praised but pure mercy, in order that we may not make our boast of any works, but confess that we hold all that we have of god's compassion. there is no more the law and vengeance before us, as heretofore, when he affrighted the jews so that they were forced to flee, but dared not go toward the mount. he vexes and chastises us no more, but shows us the greatest friendship, creates us anew, and appoints us, not to do some work or works, but produces within us an entirely new birth and new being, that we should be something different from what we were before, when we were adam's children,--namely, such as are transplanted from adam's heritage into the heritage of god; so that god is our father, we are his children, and thus also heirs of all the good which he possesses. observe with what emphasis the scriptures present this matter; it is all a living, not a vain, matter in which we are concerned. since we are thus begotten again the children and heirs of god, we are equal in honor and dignity with st. paul, st. peter, our blessed virgin, and all the saints. for we have the treasure and all good things from god just as richly as they; for it is just as necessary for them to be begotten again as for us,--therefore they have nothing more than all other christians. _to a living hope._ that we continue to live on earth is mainly to this end, that we should be of service to others. otherwise, it were better that god should have taken away our breath and let us die as soon as we were baptized and had begun to believe. but he suffers us to live here in order that we may bring others also to believe, doing to them as he has done toward us. but while we remain on earth, we must live in hope; for although we are assured that through faith we have all the good things of god, (for faith brings along with it assuredly the new birth, the adoption, the inheritance, and makes them yours,) still you do not as yet behold them; but the matter exists in hope, while it is of but small importance that we may not see it with our eyes. this he calls _the hope of life_; that is, by a hebrew phrase, as though for sinful man we should say, a man of sin. we call it a living hope; that is, one in which we certainly expect, and may be assured of, eternal life. but it is concealed, and a veil is drawn over it, that we see it not. it can only be apprehended in the heart and by faith, as st. john writes in his epistle, 1 john v.: "we are now the children of god, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that when it shall appear that we are like him, we shall behold him as he is." for _this_ life, and _that_, cannot be commingled, cannot consist with one another, so that we should eat, drink, sleep, watch, and do other works of the flesh which this life renders necessary, and at the same time have our full salvation. therefore we can never arrive at eternal life unless we die, and this present life passes away. thus, as long as we are here we must stand in hope, until it be god's pleasure that we should behold the blessings that are ours. but how do we attain to this living hope? by the resurrection of christ from the dead, he says. i have often asserted that no one can believe on god except through a mediation, since we can none of us treat for ourselves before god, inasmuch as we are all children of wrath; but we must have another by whom we may come before god, who shall intercede for us and reconcile us to god. but there is no other mediator than the lord christ, who is the son of god. therefore that is not a true faith which is held by the turks and jews,--i believe that god has created heaven and earth. just so does the devil, too, believe, but it does not help him. they venture to present themselves before god without having christ as mediator. so st. paul speaks in the fifth of romans, "we have access to god by faith, not through ourselves, but through christ." therefore we must bring christ with us, must come with him, must satisfy god by him, and do all that we have to transact with god through him, and in his name. that is the thought implied here by st. peter, and he would also say, we surely expect this life, although we are still on earth. but all comes in no other way than through the resurrection of christ, since he has arisen and ascended to heaven, and is seated at the right hand of god. for on this account he ascended, in order to bestow upon us his spirit, that we might be born again, and now through him might come to the father and say, "behold, i come before thee and pray, not because i rely on my own request, but because my lord christ has gone before me and is become my intercessor." these are all glowing words wherever there is a heart that believes; where there is not, all is cold and unimpressive. hence we may determine what genuine christian doctrine or preaching is. if the gospel is to be preached, it must concern the resurrection of christ. whoever does not preach this is no apostle; for it is the head article of our faith. and those books are truly the noblest which teach and enforce such doctrine, as was said above. so that we may easily discover that the epistle of james is no true apostolic epistle[2] for it contains scarcely a letter of these things in it, while the greatest importance belongs to this article of faith. for were there no such thing as the resurrection, we should have neither comfort nor hope, and all beside that christ has endured or suffered would have been in vain. [footnote 2: the well-known views of luther in regard to the epistle of james, and the grounds upon which he rejected it from the canon of the new testament, are presented in this passage. he was too impatient of the _seeming_ contradiction between paul and james upon the subject of faith, and too hastily concluded that they were irreconcilable. a careful consideration of the scope of the argument in the epistle of james, removes the difficulty, as may be seen at large in later commentators. there is no historical reason for casting discredit upon the epistle of james. the early christian writers furnish very decided testimony in its favor. clement of rome has alluded to it twice. hermas has not less than seven allusions to it, according to lardner fully sufficient to prove its antiquity. origen, jerome, athanasius, and most of the subsequent ecclesiastical writers quote from it, and it is found in all the catalogues of canonical books published by the general and provincial councils. but an argument of still greater weight is, the fact that it is inserted in the syriac version of the new testament, executed at the close of the first, or early in the second century. none certainly would question that the jewish believers to whom it was addressed would be the best judges of its genuineness and authenticity, and by them it was unhesitatingly accepted.] therefore one should teach after this manner: you perceive that christ has died for you, has taken upon himself sin, death, and hell, and bowed himself under them. but in no respect were they able to crush him, for he was too strong for them; but he has risen up from beneath them, and has vanquished all, and brought them in subjection to himself; and to this end, that you might be relieved from them, and made to triumph over them. if you believe, you possess this. all these things, by our own power, we could not effect; hence it was necessary that christ should do it, otherwise he had never needed to come down from heaven. we can only conclude that if one preaches of our own works, _that_ preaching does not agree and cannot consist with this. oh, so thoroughly as we christians should know this! so clear should the epistle be to us! v. 4. _to an imperishable and undefiled and unfading inheritance._ that is, we hope not for a blessing or an inheritance that is far off. but we live in the hope of an inheritance that is just at hand, and that is imperishable as well as undefiled and unfading. this blessing is ours henceforth and forever, although we do not now behold it. these are powerful and excellent words; into whosesoever mind they enter, he will, i imagine, not be greatly anxious after worldly good and pleasure. how can it be possible that one who assuredly believes this, should yet cleave to perishable possessions and lusts? if worldly good is presented in contrast with this, it is at once seen how it all passes away and endures but for a time; but this alone lasts forever and will never consume away. besides, _that_ is all impure, and defiles us, for there is no man so devoted that worldly prosperity will not soil his purity. but _this_ inheritance alone is pure; whoever has it is ever undefiled; it will not fade; it endures and does not corrupt. all that is on earth, however hard it be, is yet changeable and has no permanence. man, as soon as he grows old, becomes deformed: but this does not change, but abides forever, fresh and green. on earth there is no pleasure that will not at length become irksome, as we see that men grow weary of all things; but with this blessing such is not the case. this do we possess only in christ, through the mercy of god, if we believe, and it is freely bestowed upon us. for how is it possible that we poor wretches should be able to deserve such good through our own works as no human reason or sense can conceive? _that is reserved in heaven._ certain it is that our inheritance is imperishable, undefiled and unfading. it is only for a little while concealed from us, until we close our eyes and are buried, when, if we believe, we shall surely find and behold it. v. 5. _who are kept by the power of god through faith unto salvation._ we wait for this priceless inheritance, he says, in the hope to which we have attained through faith; for this is their order of succession: from the word follows faith, from faith is the new birth, from the new birth we pass to hope, so that we certainly expect and are assured of the blessing. so that peter has here asserted, in a truly christian manner, that it must take place by faith, not by our own works. but st. peter says here, more particularly, _ye are kept by the power of god--to salvation_. but there are many people who, if they hear the gospel,--namely, that faith alone, irrespective of works, justifies,--break in at once and say, "yes! i believe too!" to think their thoughts which they themselves conceive, is faith. yet we have also been taught from scripture that we cannot do the least work without god's spirit; how then by our own power should we be able to do the highest work,--namely, believe? wherefore such thoughts are nothing else but a dream and a fiction. god's power must be present and work within us, in order that we may believe; as paul also says, eph. i., "god grant you the spirit of wisdom that ye may know what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who have believed, according to the working of his mighty power," &c. not only is it god's will, but a power of god that is far from unimportant. for if god produces faith in men, it is certainly as great a work as though he recreated heaven and earth. therefore those fools know not what they say, who ask, how can faith alone answer, while many an one believes who yet performs no good work? for they imagine their own vain dream is faith, and that faith may exist without good works. but we say, just as peter says, that faith is a divine power; when god produces faith, man must be born again and become a new creature; good works, flowing from a purified nature, must follow faith. so that we must not say to a christian who has faith, do this or that work,--for he performs of himself and unbidden, mere good works. but this must be said to him, that he is not to deceive himself with a false, imaginary faith. wherefore let those rude babblers go, who can say a great deal on the subject that is nothing after all but mere scum and vain prating. of whom paul also speaks, 1 cor. iv., "i will come to you and will seek out not the speech of those that are puffed up, but the power; for the kingdom of god does not stand in word, but in power." wherever this power of god is wanting, there is neither genuine faith nor good works. so that they are mere liars, who pride themselves on their christian name and faith and yet lead a wicked life. for if it were of god's power, they would certainly be otherwise. but what does st. peter mean when he says, _ye are kept by the power of god to salvation_? this is his meaning: so tender and precious a matter is that which pertains to the faith which the power of god (that is with us and with which we are filled) produces in us, that he gives us a correct, clear understanding of all things that respect salvation, so that we may judge all that is on earth, and say, this doctrine is true, that is false; this conduct is right, that is not; this work is good and acceptable, that is evil. and whatever such a man determines is just and true, for he cannot be deceived; but he will be kept, and preserved, and remains, a judge of all doctrines. on the other hand, wherever faith and this power of god are wanting, there is nothing but error and blindness; there reason suffers itself to be led hither and thither, from one work to another, for it would gladly reach heaven by its own works, and is ever imagining after this sort, "yes! this work will bring you to heaven: do it and you shall be saved." hence there are so many chapters, cloisters, altars, popes, monks and nuns in the world. into such blindness does god permit the unbelieving to fall. but he keeps us, who believe, in a just apprehension, so that we may not fall into condemnation, but attain to salvation. _which is ready to be revealed in the last time._ that is, the inheritance that is appointed for them was long ago acquired, and prepared from the foundation of the world, but now is hidden, as yet covered up, reserved and sealed. but this is only for a little while, when in a moment it shall be opened and revealed, so that we shall behold it. v. 6. _in which ye rejoice greatly, though now for a season (if need be), ye are in heaviness through manifold temptation._ are you a christian, and do you look for this inheritance or this salvation? then must you cleave to this alone, and despise all that is upon earth, and confess that all worldly reason, wisdom and glory are nothing--a thing the world will not be able to bear; wherefore you are to expect that men shall condemn you and persecute you. thus st. peter joins faith, hope, and the holy cross together, for one follows upon the other. and here he gives us a source of consolation if we suffer and are persecuted. this sadness shall last a little while; afterward ye shall be exceeding glad, for this salvation is already prepared for you; wherefore be patient under your sufferings. this is moreover a truly christian consolation,--not such comfort as human doctrines give, which attempt nothing more than to find relief from outward ill. i speak not of bodily comfort (he seems to say); it is no real injury that ye have to endure outward ill, only go onward vigorously and be steadfast; inquire not how you may be free from the trouble, but think with yourself, my inheritance is prepared and held out to me; it is only a short time before my suffering must cease. thus we should lay aside temporal consolations, and over against them place that eternal consolation which we have in god. besides, it is here to be observed that the apostle continues and tells us in what circumstances all this will be, as he will hereafter say in the third chapter, _if it be god's will_. there are many people who would storm heaven and enter it at once, wherefore they impose a cross upon themselves for their own fancied good; for reason will do nothing but propose for ever its own works, that god will reject. they should not be our own works which we select, but we should wait for whatever god imposes upon us and ordains for us, that we may go on and follow wherever he leads us; so that you are not to run after your own pleasure, in case it should be (that is, by god's appointment) that you are to suffer, but accept it and comfort yourself with the salvation which is not temporal but eternal. v. 7, 8. _that the trial of your faith (or that your tried faith) be found much more precious than the perishable gold, (that is tried in the fire), to praise, honor, and glory, when jesus christ shall be revealed, whom ye have not seen, yet love, in whom ye also believe though ye see him not._ this should be the end of the cross and all kinds of reverses,--to enable us to distinguish between false and real faith. god lays his hand upon us, therefore, to try our faith and reveal it to the world, so that others may be induced to believe, and we also be praised and honored. for just as we exalt god, so will he in return exalt, esteem and honor us, insomuch that the false hypocrites, who do not walk in the right way, shall be put to shame. scripture throughout likens temptation to fire. thus st. peter here compares the gold that is tried by fire to the trial of faith by temptation and suffering. the fire does not take away from the gold, but it makes it pure and bright, so that all dross is removed. so god has imposed the cross upon all christians, that they might thereby be purified. and it has been well said, let faith remain pure as the word is pure, so that we shall depend on the word alone, and trust to nothing else: for we need such fire and cross as this daily, because of the old corrupt adam. thus, it is characteristic of a christian life that it should continually grow and become more holy; for if we are led to faith through the preaching of the gospel, then shall we be justified and grow in holiness; but while we remain in the flesh we can never be fully purified. therefore god throws us into the midst of the fire,--that is, into suffering, shame and calamity,--so that we may become more and more purified, until we die--a point we can attain by no works of our own. for how can an outward work make the heart inwardly clean? moreover, if faith is to be tried (purified), all that is additional and false must be separated and removed. thence will result a noble reward,--praise and glory when christ shall be revealed. on this it follows: v. 8, 9. _but because of your faith, rejoice with joy unspeakable and glorious, and attain also the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls._ an unspeakably glorious joy shall that be, says st. peter, whereof we have honor and praise. the world has such a joy that we receive nothing from it but shame, and of which we are compelled to be ashamed. here st. peter has evidently spoken of future joy,--and there is scarcely so clear a passage on the subject of the future joy as the one in this place,--and still he finds himself unable to express it. this is one point of the introduction, in which the apostle has shown what faith in christ is, and how we must be tried and purified by reverse and suffering when god appoints it for us.--now follows further how this faith is in scripture constituted and denominated. v. 10, 11, 12. _of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who have prophesied of the grace that should come unto you; searching what or as to what time, the spirit of christ which was in them, designated and testified beforehand the sufferings of christ and the glory that should follow; to whom it was revealed, that not for their own sake, but for ours, did they minister that which is now preached to you, by those who have preached the gospel, through the holy ghost sent down from heaven; into which also the angels desired to look._ here st. peter directs us back to the holy scriptures, that we may therein see that god keeps whomsoever he has called of us, for no merit of ours, but of mere grace; for the whole of scripture is directed to this end, that it may draw us away from our own works and bring us to faith. and it is necessary that we should study the scriptures carefully that we may be well assured of our faith. paul also teaches us the same thing in the epistle to the romans, chap. i., where he says that god promised the gospel before by his prophets in the holy scriptures. so rom. iii.: that the faith whereby we are justified, is testified of through the law and the prophets. so we read also in acts xvii. how paul preached faith to the thessalonians, leading them to the scripture and explaining it to them, and how day by day they had recourse to the scripture, and examined whether those things which paul had taught them were so. so likewise ought we to do, going back, and from the old testament learning on what to base the new. besides, we shall there discover the promise of christ, as christ himself also says, john v.: "search the scriptures, for it is they that testify of me." and "if ye believe moses, ye must also believe me, for he wrote of me." therefore we should let vain babblers go who despise the old testament, and say it is of no further use,--since from thence alone must we derive the ground of our faith; for god sent the prophets to the jews to this end, that they should bear witness of the christ that was to come. therefore it is that the apostles throughout convicted and convinced the jews out of their own scriptures that this was the christ. thus the books of moses and the prophets are the gospel, since they have first preached and written of christ that which the apostles afterward preached and wrote. yet there is a distinction between them. for although both, as to the letter, have been written out on paper, yet the gospel, or the new testament, cannot be said so properly to be written, but to have consisted in the living voice which published it, and was heard generally throughout the world. but that it should also have been written, is an extraneous matter. but the old testament was composed only in writing, and is therefore called the letter; and the apostles give scripture this same name also, as it only pointed to the christ that was to come. but the gospel is a living proclamation of christ who has already come. besides, there is also a distinction among the books of the old testament. in the first place, there are the five books of moses, the foundation of the scriptures, and which are especially called the old testament. then come both histories and books of narration, wherein examples of all kinds are recorded, whether of those who held or rejected the law of moses. in the third place, there are the prophets that are based on moses, and what he has written they have in clear language more fully explained and elucidated. but the bearing of all the prophets and of moses is one and the same. but you ought to understand also about that which men say, that the old testament is given up and laid by. in the first place, there is that distinction between the old and new testament, as we have said above, that the old prefigured christ, but that the new gives us that which was promised first in the old, and pointed out to us by types. but these types have now ceased, because the end which they were to subserve has been answered and attained, and that which was prefigured by them has been fulfilled. so that now there should be no further distinctions of food, clothing, place and time. all are alike in christ, in whom all has been fulfilled. the jews have not been saved by this, for it was not given them to this end that it should make them holy, but to foreshadow to them the christ who was to come. besides, in the old testament god introduced a twofold government,--an external and an internal. there he undertook to rule his people, both inwardly in the heart, and outwardly in person and in property. therefore he gave them such a variety of laws, commingled one kind with the other. so it was under the government that pertained to the person, that a man might give his wife a bill of divorce and put her away. but to the spiritual government pertained the command, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. but now he rules in us only spiritually, by christ; while the government that pertains to the body and the outward state, he exercises through the instrumentality of civil magistracy. so that when christ came the external ceased, and god gives us direction no more as to the _outward_ person, time and place. but he rules us only spiritually through the word, so that we may direct as to all that is outward, and be bound in nothing that pertains to the body. but what pertains to his spiritual government has not been abandoned, but stands forever, now as then,--the law of love to god and our neighbor, contained in the books of moses, which god will still have sustained, and by which he will condemn all the unbelieving. besides, the figures, as to their _spiritual_ import, remain; that is, whatever is signified by the outward figures, although the outward part has been done away. thus that a man should separate from his wife and send her away, because of adultery, is a figure and type which even now is spiritually fulfilled; for thus also has god rejected the jews when they would not believe on christ, and has chosen out the gentiles. so, also, he does still; if any one will not walk in the faith, he suffers him to be excluded from the christian church, that he may be led to reform. of a similar import also is this, that a woman after her husband's death must take her husband's brother, and bear him children, and he must suffer himself to be called by his name, and must enter on his possessions. this, although it has now ceased, or rather become invalid, so that it may be done or neglected without sin, is a figure which even now has a significance in respect to christ. for he is our brother, for us has died and ascended to heaven, and has commanded us that we, through the gospel, should plant the seed in our souls and make them fruitful, be named after him, and enter on his possessions. therefore i must not boast that i convert men, but it must all be ascribed to the lord christ. it is the same also with all the other figures of the old testament, which it would be too tedious to specify. but all in the old testament which is not external, is still in force, as all those passages in the prophets concerning faith and love. wherefore christ also confirms it in mat. vii.: "all things whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so to them; for this is the law and the prophets." besides, moses and the prophets testify of the christ that was to come. as, when i preach of christ that he is the only saviour by whom all must be saved, i may quote to sustain me the passage in gen. xxii.: "in thy seed shall all nations be blessed." thence i draw a living voice and language. through christ, who is abraham's seed, must all men be blessed. from that it follows, that we were all cursed and condemned in adam; wherefore it is necessary that we should believe on the seed, if we would escape condemnation. out of such passages may we lay down the ground of our faith, and let it remain, that we may therein see how they bear witness of christ, so that our faith may be strengthened thereby. that is what st. peter intends now by these words, in which he says: v. 10. _of which salvation the prophets have searched and inquired diligently, who have prophesied of the grace that should come to you._ in this same manner paul also speaks, toward the close of the epistle to the romans, of the revelation of the mystery which was hidden from all ages of the world, but is now revealed and made known through the writings of the prophets. and so you find in the new testament many passages quoted from the prophets, by which the apostles show that all has been fulfilled just as the prophets foretold. this christ himself proves from the prophet isaiah, mat. xi.: "the blind see, the lame walk," &c. as though he had said, just as it was written there it is taking place now; so also we read in acts ix., of paul, and in the xviii., of apollos, how they confounded the jews, and convinced them out of scripture that this was the christ. for whatever the prophets had foretold, all had now come to pass in christ. so (acts xv.) the apostles show how the gospel must be preached to the heathen that they might believe. this has also come to pass, and been put in train, so that the jews might be convinced and compelled to confess, that all had taken place just as scripture had foretold. v. 11. _and have investigated what or at what time the spirit of christ which was in them;_ st. peter would say, although the prophets have not particularly known of a set and definite time, yet have they in general testified to all the circumstances of time and place;--as, that christ should suffer, and what death he should die, and that the gentiles should believe on him: so that one might certainly know by these signs when the time had come. the prophet daniel has approached still nearer, but yet speaks somewhat darkly thereof, as to when christ should suffer and die--when that or this should take place. so, also, they had a sure prophecy that the kingdom of the jews should cease before christ came. but the day and exact time when this should come to pass was not fixed. for it was enough when this time came, that they should thereby know for a surety that christ was not far off. the prophet joel also prophesied of the time when the holy spirit should come, where he says, "i will in the last days pour out my spirit upon all flesh," &c., which passage st. peter quotes in acts ii., and shows that he speaks of that very time and of the particular persons. from all which you perceive how, with great diligence, the apostles exhibit throughout the ground and confirmation of their preaching and doctrine. the councils and the popes now reverse this course, and would deal with us apart from scripture, commanding us, by obedience to the church and the terrors of excommunication, that we should believe on them. the apostles were filled with the holy spirit, and were certain that they were sent by christ, and preached the true gospel; yet they did not exalt themselves, and did not ask men to believe them, unless they conclusively proved from scripture that it was just as they said, so that the mouth of the unbelieving was stopped, insomuch that they could object nothing further. and shall we believe those grossly unlearned heads who do not preach god's word at all, and can do nothing else but cry out continually, "surely the fathers cannot have been in error, and this has been decided now for a long time, so that it must no more be a question?" but this we can clearly prove from the scriptures, that no one can be saved but he who believes on christ, so that against this they can say nothing. but on their side they will never be able to prove to us from scripture that he is to be condemned who does not fast on this or that day. therefore we ought not and shall not believe them. now st. peter says further: v. 11. _which spirit testified beforehand the sufferings of christ, and the glory that should thereafter be revealed._ this may be understood of both kinds of suffering,--that which christ, and we also, suffer. st. paul calls the sufferings of all christians the suffering of christ. for just as the faith, the name, the word and work of christ are mine, inasmuch as i believe on him, so his suffering is also mine, since i suffer also for his sake. thus will the sufferings of christ be daily fulfilled in christians, until the end of the world. this is then our consolation in all the sufferings that we experience, that all that we suffer christ shares with us, that he accounts it all as his own suffering. and of this we are assured, that speedily after suffering glory shall follow. but this we must also understand, that christ was not glorified before he suffered, so that we are to bear our cross with him first, that afterward we may share his joy. all that we now preach, he says, the prophets previously foretold and described in the most explicit manner, just as the holy spirit revealed it to them. that we so imperfectly understand the prophets is, because we do not understand their language, since they have spoken clearly enough. therefore they that are acquainted with the language, and have the spirit of god, which all believers have, to them it is not difficult of apprehension since they know the scope of all scripture. but if any one does not understand their language, and has not the spirit, or a christian apprehension, it might seem to him as though the prophets were drunken and full of new wine; although where we must want one, the spirit without the language is better than the language without the spirit. the prophets have a peculiar phraseology, but the sentiment is the same which the apostles preach, for both have spoken largely of the suffering and of the glory of christ, as well as of those things that relate to faith. as when david speaks of christ (ps. xxi.), "i am a worm and no man," whereby he shows how deeply he is cast down and despondent in his suffering. likewise, also, he writes of his people and of the affliction of christians, in psalm xlv.: "we are despised, and accounted as sheep for the slaughter." v. 12. _that not for their own sakes but for ours did they minister that which is now preached unto you, by those who have preached the gospel to you, through the holy ghost sent down from heaven;_ that is, the prophets possessed enough thereof to know the fact. but that they should have left it behind them (on record) calls for our gratitude; they have become our servants, and have so ministered to us, that we, through them, might go to school and learn the same lesson. there we have an argument to show that our faith should grow stronger, and we be enabled to arm and sustain ourselves against all false doctrine. _into which also the angels desired to look._ so great things have the apostles declared to us, through the holy spirit, which descended upon them from heaven, as even the angels would gladly look into. when this spirit opens our eyes and makes us see what the gospel is, we shall have an appetite for it and a joy in it, although we cannot behold it with bodily eyes, but must believe that we are partakers and fellow-heirs of the righteousness, truth, salvation and all the blessings which god has to bestow. for since he has given us his only son, that highest good, he will also, through him, give us all good things, riches and treasures, whereof the angels in heaven have all their joy, and of which they are most desirous. all this is offered to us through the gospel, and if we believe we shall also have a like desire for them. but our desire for them cannot be as perfect as that of the angels, so long as we live on earth; but it is a good beginning in us, if we experience, through faith, something of it. but in heaven it is so great that no human heart can conceive it; but if we reach that place we shall ourselves feel it. thus you see how st. peter teaches us to arm and equip ourselves with scripture. for hitherto he has described what it is to preach the gospel, and shown that as it heretofore has been preached by the prophets, so it should still be, and should be preached in like manner. now he proceeds farther, and admonishes us in this chapter that we should cleave to the same preaching of the gospel by faith, and follow after it by love, and therefore says,-v. 13-16. _gird up therefore the loins of your mind; be sober, and fix your hope firmly on the grace which is offered you through the revelation of jesus christ, as obedient children, not conformable to the previous lusts of your ignorance; but as he who has called you is holy, be ye also holy in all your conduct, as it is written, be ye holy for i am holy._ this is an admonition to faith, and the sense is this: while such things are preached to you and bestowed upon you through the gospel as the angels would rejoice and be desirous to behold, rely on them, and fix your confidence thereon with all firmness, so that it shall be a real faith, and not a painted or fictitious fancy or dream. _gird up the loins of your mind._ here peter speaks of a spiritual girding of the mind, just as one girds his sword to the loins of his body. this girding has christ also enforced, luke xii., where he says, "let your loins be girt about." in some places the scriptures speak of the loins with reference to bodily lust; but here st. peter speaks of the loins of the spirit. as to the body, scripture speaks of the loins with reference to natural generation from the father; as we read, genesis xlix., that from the loins of judah christ should come. likewise the bodily girding of the loins is the same with chastity, as isaiah says, chapter xi., "righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faith the girdle of his reins." that is, only by faith is wicked lust subdued and restrained. but this spiritual girding, whereof the apostle speaks, means more. as a virgin is pure and inviolate in body, so is the soul spiritually inviolate through faith, by which it becomes christ's bride. but if it falls from faith into false doctrine, it must be brought to shame. hence scripture uniformly calls impiety and unbelief, adultery and whoredom,--that is, when the soul relies on human doctrines, and thus lets go its hold on faith and christ. this st. peter here forbids, when he calls on us to gird up the loins of our mind; as though he would say, ye have now heard the gospel and have come to believe, therefore see to it that ye abide therein, and do not suffer yourselves to be drawn away with false doctrine, so that ye shall not waver and run hither and thither with works. and here he adopts a peculiar mode of speech, not after the manner of st. paul, where he speaks of "the loins of your mind." he calls _that_ mind here which we speak of as disposition; as when i say, "this seems to me right and as paul speaks, so we understand it, so we are _disposed_." in this he refers especially to faith, and would say: ye have attained a correct apprehension that we must be justified through faith; abide in that mind; gird it up well, hold fast thereon, and suffer not yourselves to be torn from it; then shall ye stand well. for many false teachers shall come in and set up human doctrines that they may pervert your understanding and loose the girdle of your faith; wherefore be admonished, and bind it well to your mind. the hypocrites who rest on their own works, and hence pass a carefully abstemious life, are thus minded, that god must bring them to heaven for their works' sake; they are puffed up, become proud, abiding in their own opinion and blindness, like the pharisees, luke xviii. of whom also mary speaks, in the _magnificat_, where she uses the same word that stands here in peter, he hath scattered the proud in the disposition of their hearts,--that is, in their own minds. _be sober._ to be sober is of service outwardly to the body, and is the chief work of faith. for though a man has been justified, he still is not secured from evil lusts; faith has indeed begun to subdue the flesh, but this is ever bestirring itself, and likewise running riot in all sorts of lusts, which would gladly break forth again and act after their own will. therefore the spirit must daily work to restrain and subdue it, and must charge itself therewith, without intermission, and have a care of the flesh that it do not destroy faith. therefore those persons deceive themselves, who indeed say they have faith, and imagining that this is enough, live thenceforth according to their own caprice. where the faith is genuine it must control the body and hold it in check, so that it shall not do what it lusts after. therefore st. peter says that we should be sober. yet he would not have us destroy the body or weaken it too much, as we find many do who have fasted and tortured themselves to death. st. bernard, even, continued for a long time in this folly, although he was truly a holy man, for he mortified his body to such an extent that his breath was offensive and could not be endured. yet he afterwards forsook it, and charged his brethren that they should not inflict injury upon the body; for he saw very well that he had rendered himself unfit to be of service to his brethren. therefore st. peter requires nothing more than that we should be sober,--that is, mortify the body to such an extent as to prevent its being in our apprehension too wanton; for he fixes no definite time how long we should fast, as the pope has done, but leaves it to each, individually, to fast so that he remain sober and do not burden the body with gluttony, to the end that he remain in possession of reason and reflection, and consider how far it is necessary for him to hold the body in check. for it is utterly idle to impose one and the same command upon a whole congregation and church, since we are so unlike one to the other; one strong, another weak in body,--so that one must mortify it more, another less, provided the body is to remain sound and in the best state for exertion. but another multitude mistake here, determined that they will not fast, and that they may eat flesh, and herein are wrong. for these persons reject the gospel also, and are unprofitable as well as the others; doing no more than contemn the pope's command, unwilling to gird up their mind and spirit, as peter says, leaving the body to its own caprice, that it may become corrupt and wanton. it is well to fast; but that only can be called true fasting, when we give the body no more food than is needful for it that it may retain its health and endure labor and watchfulness--that the old ass do not become too obstinate, and going on the ice to dance, break a bone; but go on subject to control, and following the spirit; not after the manner of those who, whenever they fast, fill themselves so full of fish and the best wine, that their bellies are puffed out. thus st. peter directs us to be sober, and now says further: _and fix your hope firmly (or with all deliberation) on the grace which is offered you._ the christian faith is of such a nature that it plants itself freely on the word of god with entire confidence, ventures freely thereupon, and goes joyfully onward. therefore peter would say: the loins of your mind are girt about, and your faith is genuine, when you venture it thus on that word, let it cost what it will,--property, honor, limb, or life. thus has he with these words in truth well described a genuine and unfeigned faith. it must not be a corrupt and sleepy faith, becoming thus only a dream, but a living and active reality, that we may with all deliberation devote ourselves to it and cleave to the word, so that, let god permit it to go with us as it will, we will yet press onward through good and ill. thus when i come to die i must venture promptly on christ, lift my head boldly, and rely upon the word of god which cannot deceive me. thus must faith go straight forward, in nothing permit itself to be led astray, and subject to scrutiny all that it sees, hears and feels. such faith st. peter requires as consists, not in thought or word, but in such power as this. again, st. peter says: set your hope on the grace which is offered you. that is, ye have not deserved this great grace, but yet it is freely offered you; for the gospel, which reveals this grace, is no invention or discovery of our own, but the holy spirit has sent it down from heaven into the world. but what is it that is offered to us? this, that we have already heard, that whosoever believes on christ and cleaves to the word possesses _him_, with all the blessings he has to give, so that he is lord over sin, death, the devil and hell, and is assured of eternal life. this treasure is brought to our doors and laid in our bosom without our help or desert, yes, beyond our expectation and without our knowledge or thought. therefore the apostle would have us venture thereon cheerfully, for god, who offers us such grace, will surely not deceive us. _through the revelation of jesus christ._ god permits none to make the offer of his grace except through christ. therefore no man should attempt to approach him apart from this mediator, as we have already above heard sufficiently. for he will hear no one but him who brings his dear son with him, whom he alone regards, and for his sake those that depend upon him. therefore he would have us confess the son, that we are reconciled through his blood to the father, so that we may approach before him. for to this end did christ come into the world, assume flesh and blood, and joined himself to us, that he might obtain such grace for us with the father. so, too, all the prophets and patriarchs have been kept and saved, through such faith on christ. for they all have exercised faith in the promise which god made to abraham, "through thy seed shall all nations be blest." therefore, as we have said, to the jews and to the turks, faith is of no avail, neither to any that rest upon their own works and would thereby reach heaven. so peter says, this grace is offered you, but it is through the revelation of jesus christ (or to render it more clearly into our language), because that jesus christ has been revealed to you. through the gospel it is made known to us what christ is, that we may learn of him, moreover, that he is our saviour. he rescues us from sin and death, and helps us out of every evil, reconciles us to the father, and, apart from our own works, justifies and saves us. whoever then does not thus confess christ must be lost; for although you may know that he is the son of god, that he died and has risen, and sits at the right hand of the father,--still you have not yet truly known christ, it is all of no avail to you; but you must know and believe that he has done it all for your sake, if your faith is to help you. therefore that is a vain, senseless doctrine that has been hitherto preached and taught in the great schools, which have had no experience of this knowledge, and have only attained to imagine how the curse afflicted christ our lord, and how he sits above in heaven unemployed, and possesses a joy with himself; and thus their hearts remain barren, so that faith cannot live in them. but christ does not stand there for himself, but he is to be preached that he is ours. for what necessity could there then have been that he should have come down to earth and have shed his blood? but since he has been sent into the world, as he says, john iii., "that the world through him might be saved." he certainly must have fulfilled this mission, because he was sent from the father. for this sending forth and proceeding from the father is to be understood not only of the divine nature, but also of the human nature and of his ministry. as soon as he was baptized this began, and he has fulfilled it, for which end he was sent and came into the world, to wit, that he might preach the truth and obtain it for us, that all who believe on him shall be saved. thus has he revealed himself, and presented himself to our knowledge, and offered us grace. v. 14. _as obedient children._ that is, conduct yourselves as obedient children. obedience in scripture means faith. but the pope, with his high schools and cloisters, has even wrested the word from us, and falsely rendered what is recorded in scripture concerning this obedience, as the passage in i. kings xv.: "obedience is better than sacrifice." for while they perceive that obedience is highly praised in scripture, they have usurped the claim of it to themselves, so that they might blind the people, and that men should think it was obedience to their stuff of which the scripture speaks. thus they would bring us away from god's word to their lies, and to the obedience of the devil. whoever hears the word of god and believes thereon, is an obedient child of god. therefore, whatever is not the word of god, tread it under your feet and pay no attention to it. _not conformed to the former lusts of your ignorance._ that is, that you should not exhibit such ostentation and lead such a course of life as before, and that you be not found in the same condition in which you formerly were. once you were godless, and lived in lewdness, gluttony, drunkenness, avarice, pride, anger, envy and hate, which was an evil, heathen-like state, and one of unbelief, and when you had gone into such a state like the blind, you have not known what you have done. avoid now those same evil lusts. here you perceive how he makes the charge against ignorance, that all evil proceeds therefrom. for where faith and the knowledge of christ are wanting, there remains mere error and blindness, so that men are ignorant of what is right and wrong, insomuch that the people fall into every kind of vice. thus has it been hitherto: where christ has been kept out of sight and eclipsed, there error has begun to prevail; and throughout the world the question has torn its way, how man may be saved. this is at once a sign of blindness or ignorance, that the true apprehension of faith is lost, and no one knows anything more about it. hence the world is so full of such various sects, and all are divided, for every one will devise for himself a way to heaven of his own. in our misfortune we must be continually falling deeper in our blindness, since we cannot help ourselves. therefore st. peter would say: ye have already befooled yourselves enough; now desist therefrom, since ye have been instructed and have attained to a correct understanding. v. 15, 16. _but according as he that hath called you is holy, so be ye also holy in all your conduct, as it is written, be ye holy for i am holy._ here st. peter quotes a passage from the old testament, lev. xix., where god says: "be ye holy for i am holy;" that is, since i am your lord and god, and ye are my people, ye too must be as i am. for a faithful master secures that his people shall be like him, and walk in obedience, and be conformed to the master's will. as then god our master is holy, so are his people holy also, and we are all holy if we walk in faith. scripture says not much of the saints that have died, but of those who live on the earth. so david puts forth his claim in ps. lxxxv.: "lord, preserve my soul, for i am holy." but here our learned men have for once perverted the passage, and they say: the prophet had a particular revelation, in that he called himself holy; whereby they themselves confess that they do violence to faith, and have not the revelation of jesus christ, otherwise they would surely be sensible of it. for whoever is a christian experiences within himself such a revelation; but they who do not experience it are not christians. for whoever is a christian enters into a participation with christ our lord, of all his good things. since, then, christ is holy, he must also be holy, or deny that christ is holy. hast thou been baptized? then thou hast put on the holy garment, which is christ, as paul says. the word holy means that which is god's own, and which belongs to him alone, or as we render it in dutch (_geweiht_), consecrated. thus, peter here says: you are merely required to give god his own; therefore beware that ye do not suffer yourselves to be led back again to worldly lusts, but let god alone rule, live and work within you; then shall ye be holy, even as he is holy. thus he has hitherto described the grace which is extended to us through the gospel and the preaching of jesus christ, and has taught us how we should therefore conduct ourselves, namely: that we abide in a pure, inviolate mind of faith, since we know that no work that we can do or imagine, can at all help us: when such doctrine as this is preached, reason objects, and says, ah! if that is true, i need not do any good work. and then the great heads fall foul of it, and from a christian condition, educe a freedom of the flesh, imagining they may do what they will. these st. peter here meets, and anticipates them, and teaches how we are to use our christian freedom only towards god. for nothing more is needed but faith, to the end that i should give god the honor due him, and embrace him as my god, confessing that he is just, true and merciful; such faith sets us free from sin and all evil. if now i have made such a return to god, whatever time i yet live i am to live for my neighbor, so as to serve and help him. the greatest work that follows from faith is this: that with my mouth i should confess christ, sealing that confession with my blood, and laying down my life for it, if so it be. yet god does not need this work; only i am to perform it, that my faith may thereby be tried and known, so that others also may be brought to believe. thereafter follow also other works, which must all be directed to this end, that i may thereby serve my neighbor,--all of which god must work in us; for it profits not that we should lead a carnal life and do whatever we please. therefore st. peter now says: v. 17-21. _and since ye call on the father, who judgeth without respect of persons, according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear; and be aware that ye are not redeemed with corruptible silver or gold, from your vain conduct in the traditions of your fathers, but with the precious blood of christ, as of an innocent and unspotted lamb, who indeed was provided previously before the world began, but is revealed in these last times for you, who through him believe on god, who raised him from the dead, and hath given him dominion, that your faith and hope might be in god._ so says st. peter: ye have through faith hereunto attained, that ye are the children of god, and he is your father. and ye have obtained an incorruptible inheritance in heaven, (as has been already said.) thus nothing more now remains, except that the veil be taken away, and that be uncovered which is now concealed, for which ye are still to wait until ye shall behold it. though ye are now arrived at that state in which ye may joyfully call god your father, yet is he so righteous that he will reward every man according to his works, and respect not persons. wherefore thou art not to imagine, although thou hast that great name so that thou art called a christian or a child of god, that he will therefore continue thine if thou livest without fear, and thinkest that it is enough that thou dost glory in such a name. the world indeed judges by the person, since it does not punish all alike, and respects those who are friendly, rich, reputable, learned, wise, and powerful. but god regards nothing of this kind; it is all alike to him, be the person as great as he may. thus in egypt he struck the son of king pharaoh dead, as well as the son of the poor miller. therefore the apostle would have us expect such judgment from god, and stand in fear, so that we do not glory in our title that we are christian, and thereupon become negligent, as though he would for this reason pass us over more readily than others. for in this the jews were formerly deceived, who boasted that they were abraham's seed and god's people. scripture makes no difference in respect to the flesh, but in respect to the spirit. it is true that christ was to be born of abraham's seed and that a holy people should spring from him, but it does not therefore follow that all who are born of abraham are the children of god. he also promised that the gentiles should be saved, but he has not said that he would save _all_ the gentiles. but here now a question arises: when we say that god saves us alone by faith, without regard to works, why does st. peter say that he judges not according to the person, but according to works? answer. what we have taught as to faith alone justifying before god, is true beyond doubt, since it is so clear from scripture that it cannot be denied. that which the apostle here says, that god judges according to the works, is also true; but we must certainly hold, therefore, that where there is no faith, there can be no good work; and on the other hand, that there is no faith where there are no good works. therefore join together faith and good works, since it is in both that the sum of the whole christian life consists. as you now live, so will it be with you, for thereafter god will judge you. therefore, although god judges us according to our works, still it remains true that works are only the fruits of faith, by which we perceive when there is faith or unbelief; therefore god will sentence you from your works and convict you, either that you have or have not believed. so it is that no one can convict and judge a liar, except from his words. yet it is evident that he is not made a liar by the word, but became a liar before he spoke the lie, for the lie must come from the heart into the mouth. therefore, understand this passage thus, in the plainest way: that works are fruits and signs of faith, and that god judges men according to such fruits which must certainly follow it, so that it shall be openly seen whether there is faith or unbelief in the heart. god will not judge by this whether you are _called_ a christian, or have been baptized, but will ask you, "_art_ thou a christian? then tell me where are the fruits by which you can evidence your faith." therefore st. peter goes on to say: since ye have such a father, who judges not after the person, pass the time of your pilgrimage in fear; that is, stand in fear before the father, not of pain and punishment,--as the christless, and even the devil, is afraid,--but lest he forsake you and withdraw his hand; just as a dutiful child is afraid lest he provoke his father, and do something that might not please him. such a fear would god have within us, that we guard ourselves against sin, and serve our neighbor, while we live here upon the earth. a christian, if he truly believes, possesses all the good things of god, and is god's child, as we have heard. but the time which he yet lives is only a pilgrimage: for the spirit is already in heaven by faith, through which he becomes lord over all things. but to this end god permits him yet to live in the flesh, and his body to remain on earth, that he may help others and bring them also to heaven. therefore we are to use all things on earth as a guest, who goes on wearily and arrives at an inn where he must tarry over night, and can receive nothing from it but food and lodging; yet does not say that the property of the inn is his. so must we also proceed in regard to our temporal possessions, as though they were not ours, and we enjoyed only so much of them as is needful to sustain the body, and with the rest we are to help our neighbor. thus the christian life is only a night's sojourning; for we have here no abiding city, but must find it, where our father is, in heaven. therefore we should not here live in wantonness, but stand in fear, says st. peter. v. 18. _and be aware that ye are not redeemed with corruptible silver or gold, from your vain conduct in the traditions of your fathers, but with the precious blood of christ._ this should draw you, he would say, to the fear of god, wherein ye should stand, that ye should remember how much it has cost that ye might be redeemed. before, ye were citizens of the world, and were held in subjection to the devil, but now, god has rescued you from such a state, and set you firm in another, so that your citizenship is in heaven; but ye are strangers and guests upon earth. and see at how great a cost god has reclaimed you, and how great the treasure is, wherewith ye are purchased, and brought into this state, to become the children of god. wherefore pass your sojourning in fear, and see to it that ye do not despise such redemption, and lose the noble, precious treasure. what now is the treasure wherewith ye are ransomed? not corruptible gold or silver, but the precious blood of christ the son of god: the treasure is so costly and noble, that no human sense or reason can conceive it, insomuch that only one drop of this innocent blood were more than enough for the sin of all the world: yet has the father been willing to dispense his grace so richly upon us, and denied himself so much as to suffer christ his son to shed all his blood for us, and has bestowed upon us the whole treasure. therefore he would not have us disregard such great grace, and count it as a small matter, but continue on our guard, so as to live in fear, that this treasure be not taken away from us. and here it is well to remark, that st. peter says, ye are ransomed from your vain conversation in the traditions of your fathers; for he thereby strikes to the ground all the supports whereon we lean when we imagine our view must be right because it has thus been preserved from of old, and our forefathers all of them have so held it, among whom there were certainly wise and pious people. it is as much as to say, all which our fathers have ordained and done, was evil; what from them has been taught you of the worship of god, is also evil; for it has cost the son of god his blood to redeem the people therefrom; whatever, therefore, has not been washed in this blood, is all poisoned and cursed by reason of the flesh. thence it follows, the more a man undertakes to make himself righteous and has not christ, the more only he confounds himself, and sinks deeper in blindness and wickedness, and condemns himself in respect to this precious blood. external matters, important in themselves, are even trifling in comparison with this, that a man should teach how we may be justified by works, and devise a worship of god according to our reason; for thereby the innocent blood is most deeply dishonored and reviled. the heathen have committed many great sins, in that they have prayed to the sun and moon, which they held for the true worship of god, though this was joined with other sins. but human justification (justification by human works) is mere reviling of god, and the greatest of all sins that a man commits. so, also, that mode of life wherewith the world is now busied and which it holds as the worship of god, and piety, is in god's sight more provoking than any other sin, as is the priestly and monkish order, and which while it appears fair before the world, is yet without faith. therefore whoever will not obtain favor before god through this blood, it were better for him that he should never come into god's presence, for he thereby only the more and more dishonors his majesty. v. 19. _as of an innocent and unspotted lamb._ but here st. peter explains the scripture,--for this though so short is an exceedingly rich epistle,--since as soon as he had spoken of their vain course in the traditions of the fathers, he finds much instruction for us in the prophets--as in the prophet jer. xvi.: "the heathen shall come to you from the end of the world, and say, our fathers have gone astray with lies," as though st. peter had said, there the prophets foretold that ye should be redeemed from the tradition of your fathers. so when he says here, ye are redeemed by the blood of christ, as of an innocent and unspotted lamb, he would again refer to the scripture, and explain that which is contained in the prophets and moses--as is. liii.: "like a lamb he is led to the slaughter." so as to the type, ex. xii., of the paschal lamb, all this he here explains, and says, this lamb is christ; and as the one of old was to be unspotted, so must this, also, whose blood is shed for us, be unspotted and innocent. v. 20. _which indeed was provided previously, before the world began, but is revealed in these last times for you._ that is, we have not deserved nor even prayed this of god, that the precious blood of christ should be shed for us, therefore we can glory in no respect; the glory belongs to none but god alone. god has promised and revealed or made known to us, not for any merit of ours, that which he from all eternity had provided and foreordained, before the world was made. in the prophets it is indeed promised, yet dimly and not openly; but now, since christ's resurrection and the sending of the holy spirit, it is publicly preached and disseminated throughout the whole world. this is now the latter age (the last time), as st. peter says, wherein we live--now--from the ascension of christ until the last day. so the apostles and prophets, and christ himself, also, call it the last hour; not that the last day was to come immediately after christ's ascension, but because after this preaching of the gospel of christ no other should ever come; and there will be no further revelation or manifestation, except as this is explained and revealed. one revelation after another has indeed gone forth. therefore god says, ex. vi., "by my name jehovah was i not known to them." for the patriarchs, although they knew god, yet at that time had not so clear a manifestation of him as was afterwards put forth through moses and the prophets; but now there has no more glorious or clear manifestation of him come into the world than the gospel. therefore it is the last; all dispensations have run their course, but the present,--the last,--which is revealed to us. besides, the time hereafter is not long to the end of the world, as st. peter shows, ii. pet. iii., where he says: "one day is with the lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." and so he would lead us by this reckoning of time, to conclude, after god's method, that it is the last time, and that the end approaches, but the time which still remains is nothing in the sight of god. the salvation is already revealed and completed: god permits the world to stand yet longer, merely that his name may be more widely honored and praised, although he for himself is now fully revealed. v. 21. _for you, who through him believe on god, who raised him from the dead, and hath given him dominion that your faith and hope might be in god._ for our sakes, he says, is the gospel revealed. for god and the lord christ have not needed it, but have done it for our profit, that we might believe on them; and that, not through ourselves, but through christ, who intercedes for us with the father, whom he has raised from the dead, that he might be lord over all things; so that whoever believes on him possesses all his good things, and through him has access to the father. thus we have faith in god, and a hope through the same faith. faith alone must save us, but it must be a faith in god; for if god does not help us, then we are not holpen; so that it is not enough, although you had all men's friendship, but you must have the friendship of god, that you may boast that he is your father, and that you are his child, and confide in him even more than in your beloved father and mother, that he will help you in all your troubles, and this only through the one mediator and saviour, the lord christ. such faith comes not (he says) from human power, but god creates it in us, because christ has merited it by his blood; to whom he has given glory, and whom he has seated at his right hand, that he, by god's power, should produce faith in us. hitherto we have heard st. peter admonishing us that we should gird up the loins of our mind, that we may remain undefiled and live in faith; then, also, that which meanwhile is so important, that we should walk in fear and never forget that we are called christians, since god is a judge who respects none, but judges one like the other, without distinction of persons. v. 22-25. _and purify your souls, through obedience of the truth in the spirit, to unfeigned love of the brethren, and have fervent love toward one another, out of pure hearts, as those who have been born again, not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible, namely, of the living word of god, which endures forever. for all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man like the flower of grass. the grass withereth and the flower thereof falleth away, but the word of the lord endureth forever; and this is the word which is preached unto you._ paul, in gal. v., points out the fruits which follow faith. the fruits of the spirit, he says, are joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. so st. peter speaks here of the fruit of faith,--to wit, that we should purify our souls, through obedience to the truth in the spirit. for where there is real faith it brings the body in subjection to itself, and controls the fleshly lust; and although it does not entirely destroy it, yet it makes it subject and obedient to the spirit, and holds it in check. st. paul implies the same thing when he speaks of the fruits of the spirit. it is a great achievement that the spirit should attain control over the flesh, and restrain the evil lust which descends to us from our parents: for it is not possible that we should succeed without grace in leading a chaste life in the married state, to say nothing of the unmarried. but why does he say then, purify your souls? he is well aware that the desires of the flesh remain with us after baptism, even to the grave. therefore it is not enough that a person should refrain from works and remain pure outwardly, while he permits evil lusts to cleave to his heart, but must thereafter beware that the soul be pure, as well as whatever proceeds out of the heart, and that the soul be opposed to these wicked lusts and desires, and continually contend therewith, until it is free from their power. and here he adjoins an excellent provision: that we should purify our souls,[3] _through obedience to the truth in the spirit_. much has been preached on chastity, and many books have been composed on the subject. they have said, we should fast for so long a time, we should not eat flesh, we should not drink wine, etc., that we may be free from temptation. these things may perhaps have aided somewhat to that end, but it has not been enough, it has not subdued lust. [footnote 3: make them chaste.] so st. jerome writes of himself, that he had mortified his body to such an extent that he had become like a moor; still it had been of no avail, and he had dreamed of being at rome at a revelry among harlots. st. bernard also subjected himself to such austerities, and so mortified his body that it became offensive, as i said above. they endured severe temptation, and purposed thus to subdue it by external methods. but since it is external, it is only an outward plaster, with no inward application. so that it does not suffice to subdue lust. but here st. peter has prescribed an appropriate remedy,--namely, obedience to truth in the spirit, as scripture also has done in other places,--as isaiah xi.: "faith shall be the girdle of his reins." this is the true plaster that girds the reins, for it must proceed from within outward, not from without inward. for it has penetrated into the flesh and blood, the marrow and other parts of the living system; it is not outward in the dress or clothing. therefore it is not to be expected that we should subdue lust with outward things; we may weaken the body and destroy it with fastings and labors, but the evil lusts are not thereby banished; yet faith can subdue them, and guard them, that they shall be compelled to give the spirit place. so likewise speaks the prophet zachariah, ix., of the wine which christ has, whereby the pure grow, and of which he gives them to drink. other wine usually invites to wicked lust, but this wine,--that is, the gospel,--subdues it, and makes the heart chaste. this is what st. peter speaks of when any one heartily embraces the truth, and is obedient to it in spirit. this is the true help and the most powerful remedy for it, since you will find none which can still all evil thoughts like it; for if this enters our hearts, evil inclinations quickly leave; let whoever will try it, he shall find it true, and whoever has tried it, knows it well; but the devil lets no one easily attain it, and comprehend the word of god so as to delight in it; for he well knows how powerful it is to subdue evil lusts and thoughts. st. peter, therefore, would here say, if you would remain chaste, then must you render obedience to the truth in the spirit, that is,--we must not only read and hear the word of god, but apprehend it in our hearts. therefore it is not enough that a man should preach or hear the gospel once, but he must ever press after it and persevere; for such grace does the word possess, that the more we taste it the more delightful it is; although there is, throughout, one and the same doctrine of faith, yet it cannot be listened to too much where the heart is not wanton and untamed. _to unfeigned love of the brethren._ to what end, then, are we to live a chastely holy life? in order that we may be saved thereby? no! but in order that we may be useful to our neighbor. what am i to do that i may restrain my sin? i am to have obedience to the truth in the spirit. but why am i to restrain it? in order that i may be of service to others, for i must first control my body and the flesh by the spirit, and thus i can afterward be of service to others.--it follows further: _and have fervent love toward one another out of pure hearts._ the apostles peter and paul distinguish brotherly love, and love in general, from one another. brotherhood is, that christians should dwell altogether as brethren, and make no distinctions between themselves. for since we all have a common christ, one baptism, one faith, one treasure, i am no better than thou; that which thou hast, i have also, and i am just as rich as thou. the treasure is the same, except that i may have it in a better shape than thou, since i may have it lying in gold, but thou in a poor garment. therefore as we have the grace of christ and all spiritual blessings in common, so should we also hold body and life, property and honor, in common, that one should be of service to another in all things. here he speaks plainly: _in unfeigned brotherly love_. the apostles love to make use of the word, but have clearly perceived that were we called christians and brethren universally one with another, it would be false, a feigned or imagined thing, and would be only hypocrisy. we have many brotherhoods set up in the world, but they are vain deceptions and corruptions, which the devil has devised and brought into the world, which are only antagonist to the true faith and to genuine brotherly love. christ is mine as well as st. bernard's; thine as well as st. francis'; if one therefore should come to you and say, i shall go to heaven if i belong to this or that brotherhood, then tell him that he is deceived; for christ cannot suffer, and will not allow any other than the common brotherhood, which we all have one with another; yet you come here, you fool, and will set up one of your own. this i will readily permit, that they be set up, not to help the soul, but as some one's endowment, and thus serve as a fund from which they who need shall be helped. thus we all of us, as christians, have attained a brotherhood in baptism, whereof no saint possesses more than i or you. for just as costly as that one was purchased, at the same price was i also purchased. god has devoted as much toward me as to the greatest saint, except that _he_ may have employed the treasure better, and may have a stronger faith than i. but love is greater than brotherhood, for it extends even to our enemies, and especially to those who are not worthy of love. for as faith performs its work where it sees nothing, so also should love see nothing, and there especially exercise its office where there appears nothing lovely, but only disaffection and hostility. where there is nothing that pleases me i should the more seek to be pleased. and this spirit should go forth fervently, says st. peter, from the whole heart, just as god loved us when we were not worthy of love.--now follows further: _as those who have been born again._ again we should do this, because we are not what we were before (he says), but have become new creatures. this has not come to pass through works, but is a consequence of the new birth. for thou canst not make the new man, but he must grow, or be born; as a husbandman cannot make a tree, but it must grow, itself, out of the earth, and as we certainly do not become the children of adam, except as we are born and derive sin from our parents. so here it cannot come to pass through works that we should become the children of god, but we must also experience the new birth. this, therefore, is what the apostle would say: since ye then have become new creatures, ye should conduct yourselves otherwise than ye did, and lead a new life. as ye before lived in hate, ye are now to walk in love--in all respects the reverse. but how has the new birth taken place? this, also, follows: v. 23. _not of corruptible, but of incorruptible seed, even of the living word of god which endures for ever._ through a seed are we born again, for nothing grows as we see otherwise than through seed. did the old birth spring from a seed? then must the new birth also spring from a seed. but what is this seed? not flesh and blood! what then? it is not corruptible, but an eternal word. it is, moreover, that whereon we live,--food and nourishment. but especially is it the seed whereby we are born again, as he here says. but how does this take place? after this manner: god lets the word--the gospel--go forth, and the seed falls in the hearts of men, and wherever it fastens on the heart the holy spirit is present, and makes a new man; then the man becomes another, of other thoughts, of other words and works. thus you are entirely changed. all that you before avoided you now seek out, and what you before sought after that you fly from. in respect to the birth of the body, it is the case that when conception takes place the seed is changed, so that it is seed no longer. but this is a seed which cannot be changed; it remains for ever; it changes me, so that i am transformed in it, and whatever is evil in me passes away from my nature. therefore it is indeed a wonderful birth, and of extraordinary seed.--now st. peter says, further: v. 24, 25. _for all flesh is grass, and all the glory of man like the flower of grass; the grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away, but the word of the lord endureth for ever._ this passage is taken from the prophet isaiah, xl., where the prophet speaks in this manner: "cry! what shall i cry? cry thus: all flesh is grass, and all its glory like a flower of the field; the grass withereth and the flower falleth away, but the word of god endureth for ever." these words st. peter introduces here; for this is, as i have said, a rich epistle, and well spiced with scripture. thus speaks the scripture, then: _the word of god endures for ever._ what is flesh and blood is corruptible, like the grass which is yet green, so that it blooms; so whatever is rich, strong, wise and fair, and thus is flourishing (which all belongs to the bloom), yet you observe its bloom wither; what was young and vigorous will become old and ugly; what is rich will become poor, and the like. and all must fall by the word of god. but this seed cannot perish.--now peter concludes: _this is the word which is preached unto you._ as though he would say, ye are not to look far in order to reach the word of god; ye have it before your eyes; the word is that which we preach; therewith may you subdue all evil lusts. you are not to seek it from afar; you have nothing more to do than fully to apprehend it when it is preached. for it is so near us that we may hear it, as moses also says, in deut. xxx.: "the word that i command you is not far from thee, that thou must go therefor far away; ascend into heaven or go beyond the sea, but it is near thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart." it is indeed soon spoken and heard. but if it enters our hearts it cannot die or perish, and will not suffer you to perish; as long as you cleave to it, it will cleave to you. as when i hear that jesus christ died to take away my sins, and has purchased heaven for me, and bestows upon me all that he has, then i hear the gospel; the word quickly is gone if some one preaches it, but if it falls into the heart and is apprehended by faith, it can never pass away. this truth no creature can overthrow; the clearest reasoning avails nothing against it; and if i too would strike the devil while i am in his jaws, and am able to lay hold on this, i must oppose him from this and abide fast by the word. therefore he well says, ye must look for no other gospel than that which we have preached to you. so st. paul also says, in the first part of the epistle to the romans: "i am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of god which saves all that believe in it." the word is a divine and eternal power; for although the voice or speech is soon gone, yet the substance remains,--that is, the sense, the truth, which is conveyed by the voice. as when i put a cup to my mouth in which wine is contained, i swallow the wine, although i do not thrust the cup down my throat. so likewise is the word which the voice conveys; it falls into our hearts and lives, while the voice remains without and passes away. therefore it is indeed a divine power; yea, it is god himself. for thus he speaks to moses, exodus iv.: "i will be in thy mouth;" and ps. lxxx.: "open thy mouth wide, proclaim glad tidings; say thou art hungry, i will satisfy thee, i will presently speak to thee comfortable things." so, also, in john xiv., christ says: "i am the way, the truth, and the life." whoever confides in this is born of god; so that this seed of our lord is itself divine. all this goes to teach us that we cannot be helped by works. although the word is a small matter, and seems as nothing while it proceeds out of the mouth, yet is there such an immense power in it that it makes those who confide in it the children of god. john i. thus does our salvation raise us to an exalted blessedness. this is the first chapter of this epistle, wherein you perceive in what a masterly manner st. peter preaches and treats of faith, whence we easily see that this epistle is true gospel. now comes the second chapter, that will instruct us in matter of works, how we should conduct ourselves toward our neighbor. chapter ii. v. 1-5. _wherefore lay aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and hatred, and all evil speakings, and desire the sincere milk of the word, as new-born babes, that ye may grow thereby, if ye have besides tasted that the lord is gracious, to whom ye are come as to a living stone, which indeed is rejected by men, but before god is elect and precious. and be ye also as living stones built up into a spiritual house, and a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to god by jesus christ._ here he begins to show what the characteristic and fruit of a christian life should be. for we have said often enough that a christian life consists in two things,--faith toward god and love toward our neighbor. besides, although christian faith has been given us, yet as long as we live many evil lusts remain in the flesh, since every saint must be in the flesh, but what is in the flesh cannot be entirely pure. therefore st. peter says, be ye armed, that ye may guard yourselves against the sins which still cleave to you, and strive continually against them. for the worst enemies that we have hide themselves in our bosoms, and in our very flesh and blood, wake, sleep, and live with us, like a wicked spirit which we have brought home with us and cannot send off. wherefore, since through faith jesus christ is entirely yours, and ye have obtained salvation and all his blessings, let it be your aim henceforth to lay aside all wickedness, or all that is evil, and all guile, so that no one act toward another deceitfully or falsely; as with the world it has become a common expression to say, the world is full of falsehood, which is indeed so. but we christians should not act with such deceit, but uprightly and with pure hearts, toward men as toward god, fairly and justly, so that none take the advantage of another in sale, purchase or promise, and the like. likewise also st. paul says to the ephesians, ch. iv., "lay aside lying, and speak truth every one with his neighbor." truth is, that yea be yea, and nay, nay,--but hypocrisy, when any one represents himself by his outward mien as being what he is not in his thoughts. for solemn is the obligation that we should show ourselves to be what we are at heart. a christian should so act that he could permit all men to see and know what he thinks in his heart. let him, then, in all his walk and conduct, be anxious only to praise god, and serve his neighbor, and be afraid of no one; and let every one be in heart what he is in appearance, and not act a feigned part, whereby he shall make others gape with wonder. furthermore, st. peter says that we should lay aside hatred and evil speaking. here he fitly takes up the common vices among men, in their intercourse with one another. this evil speaking is exceedingly common and injurious,--is soon done, insomuch that none of us is aware of it. therefore he says, be on your guard, if ye already have a christian spirit, that ye may know what are the fruits of this spirit. v. 2. _and desire the sincere milk of the word, as new-born babes._ here he institutes a comparison, and would say,--ye are like those new-born babes who seek nothing but the milk: like them, striving for the breasts and milk, so be ye also eager for the word; endeavor for it, have an appetite for it, that ye may suck in the intelligible, sincere milk. these words are, indeed, figurative; for he did not mean literal milk, or literal sucking, as he does not speak of a literal birth. but he speaks of another milk which belongs to the mind, which is spiritual, which is procured by the soul, which the heart must draw in. it must be, moreover, sincere (or unfalsified), not as the custom is, to sell false wares; since there is truly strong obligation, and great necessity, that to the new-born and young christian, the milk should be given pure, and not corrupted. but this milk is nothing but the gospel, which is also the same with seed, whereby we are conceived and born, as we have heard above. yet it is also the food which nourishes us when we arrive at maturity; it is also the harness wherewith we equip and clothe ourselves,--yea, it is all these in common. but whatever is appended to it is human doctrine, whereby the word of god is falsified; therefore the holy spirit would have it so that every christian shall see to it, what he sucks for milk, and shall himself learn to decide in regard to all doctrines. but the breasts which yield this milk, and which the babes suck, are the preachers in the christian church. as the bridegroom says to the bride, in cant. iii., "thou hast two breasts like two young roes; they are as though they were hung with a bundle of myrrh;" as the bride says, cant. i., "my beloved is like a bundle of myrrh that lies continually between my breasts." that is, we should ever _preach_ christ. the bridegroom must resort to the breasts; so that it is unjust, and the milk will be corrupt, if we do not preach christ alone. there is this, besides: when it is preached that christ died for us, and rescued us from sin, death, and hell,--this is delightful and sweet, like milk; but after this, the cross also must be preached, that we are to suffer, as we have done; and this is a strong draught, it is strong wine. therefore, christians should have at first given them the weakest drink,--that is, milk. for it cannot be preached in its simplicity, except christ be preached first of all; which is not bitter, but is mere sweet, rich grace, from which you receive yet no smart. this is the sincere milk of the word. but here st. peter has supported himself by scripture, as he is throughout rich from the scriptures. in the old testament it is written, both in exodus xxiii., and deuteronomy xiv., "thou shalt not seethe the kid in its mother's milk." for what reason did god permit that to be written? of what concern to him was it that no suckling should be killed while as yet it sucks milk? because he would thereby give us to understand that which st. peter here teaches; and it is as much as if he had said, preach gently to the young and weak christians; let them be carefully fed, and thrive in the knowledge of christ; burden them not with strong doctrine, for they are as yet too young, but after they have become strong, let them then be slaughtered and sacrificed on the cross. so, also, we read in deut. xxiv., "if any one have recently taken a wife, then he need not go out to war for the first year, lest he should be slain,--but abide at home cheerfully with his wife." all goes to this point, that we should bear for a time with them that are young christians, and proceed tenderly with them. but when they have grown, god brings them to the holy cross, lets them even die like other christians, so that then the kid is slain.--now follows further: v. 2, 3. _that ye may grow thereby, if ye have besides tasted that the lord is gracious._ it is not enough that we should hear the gospel once; we must ever be anxious for it, that we may grow. after faith has become strong, we may provide and eat each kind of food. but to those who have not heard the gospel, this is not said; they know neither what is milk or what is wine. therefore he adds, if ye have besides tasted that the lord is gracious; as though he had said, whoever has not tasted it, to him it is not a thing of the heart, to him it is not sweet; but they who have tried it, who grow by the food and by the word, to them it tastes pleasant and is sweet. but it is said to be _tasted_, when i believe with my heart that christ has given himself for me, and has become my own, and my sin and misery are his, and his life also is mine. when this reaches my heart, then it _tastes_; for how can i but receive joy and gladness therefrom? i am heartily glad, as though some good friend should bestow on me a hundred florins. but as to him whose heart it does not reach, he cannot rejoice himself therewith. but they taste it best who lie in the straits of death, or whom an evil conscience oppresses; for in that case hunger is a good cook, as we say, that makes the food have a good relish. for the heart and conscience can hear nothing more soothing, when they feel their misery; after _this_ they are anxious, they smell the provision afar off and cannot be satisfied. so also speaks mary, in the _magnificat_: "the hungry also has he filled with good things." but that hardened class who live in their own holiness, build on their own works, and feel not their sin and misery, they taste this not. whoever sits at table and is hungry, he relishes all, readily; but to him who is previously full, nothing relishes, but he can only murmur at the most excellent food. therefore the apostle says, if ye have besides tasted that the lord is gracious. but it is as though he had said, if ye have not tasted it, then i preach to you in vain.--he further says: v. 4. _to whom ye art come as to a living stone._ here he falls back again upon the scripture, and quotes the prophet isaiah, chap. xxviii., where he also says: "hear now what god says to you, scorners: ye say, we have made a league with death and with hell, and have made lies our trust. therefore thus saith the lord, i lay in the foundation of zion an elect, precious corner stone, a sure foundation," etc. this passage paul has also quoted, and it is an important passage of scripture, for christ is the precious head-stone which god has laid, on which we must be built. and observe how st. peter quotes the expression, and shows the stone to signify christ. just as isaiah had spoken of setting confidence upon him, st. peter likewise says, it is as much as trusting in him; thus is scripture truly explained. the builders lay the foundation stone where it may stand sure and firm, that it may bear up the whole building. so christ, the living stone, bears up the whole building; and it is called the building, in order that we, bound one to another, may set our confidence and security on him. v. 4. _which indeed is rejected of men, but before god is elect and precious._ here he brings forward a passage of the prophet david, in ps. cxvii.: "the stone which the builders rejected has become the corner stone, and it is wonderful in our eyes." which passage christ also refers to in mat. xxi. so peter, in acts iv., where he says: "this is the stone which ye builders rejected." ye are builders, he says: for they taught the people, went about with great speeches, laid down many laws, but made mere work-saints and hypocrites. then christ comes and tells them, ye are hypocrites and broods of vipers; pronounces upon them many terrible judgments; judges them as sinners, and not as great saints, so that they could not endure it; they even reject him--say to him, "you are a heretic; do you caution that a man should not do good works? ay! you must die." therefore peter says, here, this is the corner stone which indeed was rejected of men, whereon ye must be built by faith. this is now wonderful in our eyes, as the prophet says; it seems strange to us, and where the spirit does not teach it, it is utterly incomprehensible. therefore he says, in god's eyes the stone is elect, and an extremely precious stone; it is of great importance also that it takes away death, satisfies for sin, and rescues from hell, besides that it freely bestows heaven. v. 5. _and be ye also as living stones, built up into a spiritual house._ how can we build ourselves up? by the gospel and that which is preached. the builders are the preachers; the christians who hear the gospel are they who are built, and the stones which are to be fitted on this corner stone; so that we are to repose our confidence on him, and let our hearts stand and rest upon him. i must therefore take heed to myself that i have the form which this stone has, for if i am laid upon him by faith, then i must also bear such marks and fashioning as he had, and every one else with me. it is the fruit of faith and a mark of love, that we all be fitted one to another, and all thus become one building. to the same end, also, st. paul speaks on this subject, although in a different manner, i. cor. iii.: "ye are the temple of god." the house of stone or wood is not his house: he will have a spiritual house,--that is, the christian congregation, wherein we are all alike, in one faith, one like the other, and all laid and fitted one to the other, and locked into one another by love, without any wickedness, deceit, hypocrisy, hatred and slanders, as he has said. _and a holy priesthood._ there he casts down the outward and bodily priesthood, which had existed before under the old dispensation, as also the outward church, which he takes entirely away, as though he had said, "that outward institution with the priesthood has all ceased, wherefore another priesthood now begins, and another sacrifice is offered, even one that is entirely spiritual." we have had much disputing on this point, maintaining that those who are now called the clergy are not priests in the sight of god; and this is confirmed out of this passage of st. peter. therefore apprehend it well, and if one should meet you with the objection, and attempt to show, as some have done, that he speaks of a twofold priesthood,--of outward and spiritual priests,--then bid him lay aside his vain speeches that he may see clearly, and take nieswort[1] that he may clear his brains. st. peter says, also, ye are to build yourselves up into a spiritual or holy priesthood. ask now those priests whether they are holy: their life clearly shows, as we see, that this wretched set is plunged into avarice, fornication, and all manner of vice. whoever has this priesthood must certainly be holy. whoever is not holy, he does not possess it. therefore st. peter speaks here only of one kind of priesthood. [footnote 1: aromatic snuff.] we ask further, whether he makes a distinction between spiritual and worldly, since the clergy are now called spiritual, and other christians worldly? yet they must confess, no thanks to them, that st. peter here speaks to all those that are christians, even to those who lay aside all wickedness, deceit, hypocrisy and malice, etc., and are like new-born children, and drink the pure milk: so that their lie must bite itself in their mouth, since it stands forth a thing not to be gainsaid, that st. peter speaks to all that are christians; whence it is clear that they lie, and that st. peter says nothing of their priesthood, which they have fancied and arrogate to themselves alone; wherefore our bishops are nothing but nicholas-bishops, and as is their priesthood so are also their laws, sacrifices and works. it might be an excellent play to act out in the deep night, except that under the mask the divine name is reviled. therefore those alone are the holy and spiritual priesthood, who are true christians and built upon this stone. for since christ is the bridegroom, and we all of us are the bride, so then the bride has all which the bridegroom has, even his own body; for if he gives himself to the bride, he gives himself for what he is, and on the other hand the bride gives herself to him. now christ has been anointed the high and most exalted priest by god himself; has also sacrificed his own body for us, which is the office of the high priest; besides, he prayed on the cross for us. again, he has also preached the gospel, and taught all men to know god and himself. these three offices has he also given to all of us: therefore, since he is a priest and we are his brethren, so all christians have it in their power and charge, and an obligation rests upon them, to preach and to come before god, and that one should entreat for another and offer himself up to god; and provided that any one begin to preach the word of god or address it to others, he is then a priest. _to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to god through jesus christ._ as to spiritual offerings, it is not necessary that we should present them to the pope; neither is sacrifice such as it was in the old testament, when men were required to sacrifice the tenth of all they had. such outward sacrifices and priesthood have all now ceased, and all has become new and spiritual. the priest is christ; and we all, since he has sacrificed his own body, must offer up ourselves. here is now fulfilled all that was typified by outward sacrifices in the old testament, since they have all passed away, and all of them may be said compendiously to preach the gospel. whoever preaches this exercises and carries out all that former--strikes the calf dead,--that is, kills the carnal mind and the old adam. for this stubborn nature in flesh and blood must be slain by the gospel; thus do we permit ourselves to be offered upon the cross and to die. herein is exercised the true priest's office, in that we sacrifice to god that wicked rogue, the corrupt old dolt (of our nature); if the world does it not, we must do it ourselves; but it must in the end be all removed, whatever we have of the old adam, as we heard above in the first chapter. this is the only sacrifice that pleases and is acceptable to god. from this you may perceive whereto our foolish and blind leaders have brought us, and how this text has been kept under the bench. now you may say, if that is true, that we are all priests and ought to preach, what sort of an institution is there? must there then be no distinction among the people, and are the women, also, to be priests? answer. in the old testament it is permitted to no priest to wear the tonsure. not that it is wrong in itself; a person might very well suffer himself to be shorn if he chose, but it is reason that none make a distinction between himself and common christians,--a thing which faith will not permit. so that they who are now called priests are all laymen like the others, and only some, for the office' sake, are selected out of the church to preach. thus there is only an outward distinction for the office' sake, inasmuch as one is called of the church; but before god there is no difference, and some individuals are selected from the multitude, in order that they may bear and exercise the office which they all have; not that one is more elect than another. therefore, no one should rise up of himself and preach in the church, but one is to be selected and instituted out of the congregation, who may be removed when it is desirable. yet have these men assumed a position of their own; as though directed by god, they have arrogated to themselves such license, that almost in the heart of christendom there is a greater distinction than that which exists between us and the turks. when you look upon christians you must observe no distinction, and you are not to say, this is a man or a woman, a servant or a master, old or young; as paul tells us, gal. iii.: they are all one and a purely spiritual people. so that all alike are priests, all alike may proclaim god's word, except that a woman is not to speak in the church; but let the men preach, because of the command that they are to be subject to their husbands--as st. paul teaches us, i. cor. xiv.: such order god permits to remain, but makes no distinction of the election. but where there are no men, but women only, as in the nun's cloisters, there a woman may be selected to preach. this is now the true priesthood, which consists in those three points as we have heard,--namely, that we sacrifice spiritually; that we pray for the church; that we preach. whoever will do this, he is a priest, as all are bound to be, inasmuch as they should preach the word, pray for the church, and offer themselves up before god. let those fools then go who call the institution of the priests spiritual, who yet bear no other office but just to wear the tonsure and to be anointed. if the being shorn and anointed makes a priest, then might i easily shear an ass and anoint him, so that he should be a priest also. finally, st. peter says, that we are to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to god through jesus christ. since christ is the corner stone whereon we are laid, it must be only through him that we are to treat with god, as we have heard sufficiently above; for god does not look upon my cross even though i torture myself to death, but he looks upon christ through whom my works are acceptable before god, which otherwise would not be worth an alms of a straw's value. therefore scripture calls christ properly a precious corner stone which imparts its virtue to all who through faith are built upon it. so, also, st. peter teaches us in this passage how christ is the living stone--what christ is; and the figure is a fine one, since it is easy to understand by it how we are to believe on christ.--it follows, now, further: v. 6-10. _therefore it is contained in scripture, behold i lay in zion an elect precious corner stone, and whoever believeth on him shall not be put to shame. to you therefore who believe, he is precious, but to the unbelieving, the stone which the builders rejected is made a corner stone, and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence, even to those that stumble at the word and believe not thereon, whereunto they were appointed. but ye are the chosen generation, the royal priesthood, the holy nation, the peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praise of him who has called you out of darkness into his wonderful light: who once were not a people, but are now the people of god, to whom god did not show mercy, but (now have obtained mercy) to whom he is now merciful._ i have before said, that st. peter has enriched and fortified his epistle well with scripture, just as all preachers should do, in order that their foundation may rest entirely on the word of god. here also he introduces four or five texts, one upon another. the first he has taken from the prophet isaiah, word for word, that christ is a precious corner stone or foundation, and is the very passage which we have just treated of and somewhat explained. it is truly an eminent proof text of the doctrine of faith, which is to be laid down as a foundation when we are to preach in a place where christ has not been preached before. for it must be confessed that christ is the stone on which faith should be built and should stand. but that the prophet does not speak in this place of a material stone is evident from this, that it afterward follows, "whoever believes on him shall not be made ashamed." if i am to _believe_ on him, it must be a stone in a spiritual sense. for how am i to believe on stone and wood? besides, he must be truly god, since, in the first commandment, god has forbidden that we should believe on anything else, but on him only. since then this stone is laid as a foundation on which we are to trust, it must be god himself. on the other hand, he cannot be god alone, but must also therewith be like man, because he must be a part of the building, and not merely a part, but the head. if a man then erects a building, one stone must be like the other, that each have the complexion, nature, and form of the other: therefore, since we are built on christ, he also must be like us, and of the same nature with the other stones that rest upon him, even a real humanity as we all have. thus does the scripture, by simple and few words, express so great a matter, even the entire _summa_ of our faith, and in such brief words comprises more than any man can express. now what this that builds us up is, i have already said--namely, faith, whereby we are laid on christ, and repose our trust upon this stone, and thus become like him; and then this also must follow, that the building must be fitted one part to the other, for the other stones must all be laid and placed upon this stone. that is, of course, that love is a fruit of faith. but why does the prophet call him a foundation stone? for this reason: that no man can build a house except he lay one stone first as a foundation, for the other stones in the building cannot stand except on the foundation stone. so we must all of us rest on christ, and confess him for a foundation stone. therefore we are not to pride ourselves that the stone must receive something from us, but we must receive blessing from it alone; for we do not bear it up, but it bears us up, and upon him lies sin, death, hell, and all that we have to bear. so that all this--and whatever jars against us--cannot injure us if we have been placed on this foundation. for if we remain resting on him, and leave ourselves upon him, we must then remain where he is; just as natural stones must be left on their foundation stone. besides, the prophet calls him a corner stone. the holy spirit has a way of his own of saying much in few words. christ is a corner stone because he has brought gentiles and jews together who were at dead enmity one with another, and thus the christian church has been gathered of both classes, whereof the apostle paul writes largely. the jews gloried in the law of god, and that they were god's people, and so despised the heathen. but now christ has come, has taken away their boasting from the jews, and called us who were gentiles; and thus he has made us both one, by one faith, and he has so dealt with us that we both must confess that we have nothing of ourselves, but are all sinners, and only must expect righteousness and heaven from him, and that we gentiles may as justly claim that christ has come to help us, as the jews; wherefore he is the corner stone that joins both together in one, so that it becomes one building and one house. this, now, is the conclusion to which the prophet comes: whoever believes on him shall not be put to shame. when the holy spirit says, that they shall not be ashamed who believe on christ, he gives us to understand what he has in view,--to wit, that he has already published and confirmed the sentence, that the whole world must be confounded and put to shame. yet he would draw forth some out of the multitude, so that no one may escape the shame but he who believes on christ. so christ explains himself in the last of mark: "whoever believes and is baptised shall be saved; but he who believes not shall be damned;" in which words, moreover, he accords with the prophets. so that peter said well in the first chapter, that the prophets sought out the time, and diligently inquired after the salvation and concerning the future grace that was previously promised. so now christ is to be preached, that he it is who has rescued us from this shame into which we were all plunged. now let any one come forward who chooses, and exalt free-will, and defend human ability. though you should commingle together all human works and doctrines, and whatever springs from man, you have enough in this single passage to overthrow it all, so that it must all fall like dry leaves from the tree. for it is doomed that whatever does not rest upon this stone, _that_ is already lost. he does not suffer that you should attain anything by works. with such simplicity speaks forth the spirit and the divine majesty, that it despises no one, yet with such authority that it overcomes all things. who, then, will set himself against it, or who will not be terrified by it? therefore god would have us entirely despair as it regards ourselves, and appropriate to ourselves only the blessings which _he_ has, and build on that foundation which no creature can overthrow; so that no one should trust in his own righteousness, but on christ's righteousness, and on all that christ has. but what is it to rest upon his righteousness? nothing else but that i should despond in regard to myself, and think with myself,--my righteousness, my truth, must go to pieces, and what is built thereon; while his righteousness, his truth, his life, and all the blessings which he has, are eternal. there lies the foundation on which i stand; whatever stands not on this foundation, will all necessarily fall. but he who lets himself fall back on this, he alone shall not be put to shame, and shall rest safe, so that no violence shall ever injure him at all. therefore christ must be not only a stone, but god will lay him also as a foundation on which we should confide. god has said this, who cannot lie. now this stone is not subservient to itself, but suffers itself to be trodden on, and buried in the earth so that it cannot be seen, and the other stones lie upon it and can be seen. wherefore, it is given to us that we should partake of him, and rest upon him, and believe that what he has shall all be ours, as what he has procured; that he has done it for us; so that i may say,--this is my own property and treasure, over which my conscience can exult.--but st. peter says further: v. 7, 8. _to you, therefore, who believe, he is precious; but to the unbelieving, the stone which the builders rejected has become a corner stone, and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence._ this exceedingly precious stone, says peter, is indeed, to some, precious and honorable. but on the other hand, it is also to many not precious, but despised, and a stone of stumbling. how is this? the scripture ascribes to it a twofold aspect, inasmuch as there are some that believe thereon, and, on the other hand, many who do not believe thereon. to them who believe, is he precious; so that my heart must be glad if i repose my confidence and trust upon him. therefore he says,--to you that believe, he is precious; that is, ye are greatly dependent on him; for although he in himself is precious and excellent, yet this may be of no service or help to me. therefore he must be precious to us for this reason, because he gives us so many precious blessings; as an excellently precious stone, which does not retain its virtue in itself, but breaks forth and imparts all its powers, so that i have all that _it_ is. but the unbelieving hold him not as such a precious stone, but reject him, and stumble upon him, because he is not pleasing to them, but obnoxious and hateful; although he is yet delightful in himself. these are not only the great, openly avowed sinners, but much more those great saints who rest on their free-will, on their own works and righteousness, who must stumble on this stone and run upon it. now god pronounces the sentence, that they who rest thereon, without works, come to be justified through faith alone; but these do not attain thereto, for they would be justified by their own righteousness, as st. paul says, rom. x. therefore this has become the stone, says st. peter, which the builders rejected. and here he dovetails the scriptures into one another, but explains the passage which he quoted above from the cxvii. psalm, "the stone which the builders rejected, has become the corner stone." who the builders are, i have sufficiently shown: even those who taught, preached the law, and would justify men by works; who agree with christians, as summer and winter with each other; therefore those preachers who preach of works, reject this stone. besides this, he quotes another passage still, from the prophet isaiah, chap. viii. the prophet has there described that which was to take place, as st. peter here does, and speaks thus: "the lord shall be your fear, who shall be to you for holiness; but for a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence shall he be, to both houses of israel." this is the sense of the prophet: the lord shall be to you for holiness,--that is, he shall be hallowed in your hearts; ye are to have no other sanctification, neither this nor that, except as ye believe. to the others, he shall be a stone whereon they shall stumble and be offended. but what, now, is this offence and perplexity, or stumbling? this is it: when we preach christ, and say, see why this stone is laid for a foundation, that you, wholly desponding and despairing in yourself, might hold your works and your own righteousness as a merely condemned thing, and might place your confidence upon him alone, and believe, that christ's righteousness may become your righteousness; when those men hear this, they revolt at it, stumble and vex themselves, and say, "how? do you mean to say that virginity, and masses, and the like good works, amount to nothing? it is the devil that bids you say that!" for they cannot understand, in this matter, that their claims are not good; they think they have done well in the sight of god; quote passages to prove it from the scriptures, and say, god has commanded that we should perform good works. if we dispute this, they begin and cry out, "heretic! heretic!" "fire! fire!" so that they cannot endure this stone, and they stumble against it. so inconsistent are they one with another, that upon this stone they must stumble; as christ says, matt. xxi., "have ye not read in scripture,--the stone which the builders rejected is become the corner stone? (and it follows) and whosoever shall fall upon this stone shall be dashed in pieces, and on whom it shall fall, it shall grind him to powder." therefore, do as ye will, ye cannot dishonor the stone; it is laid, and it will continue to lie. whoever, then, will run upon it and dash himself thereon, must necessarily be broken. that is the stumbling and the vexation whereof scripture has much to say. thus the jews stumble to this day against this stone,--and this will not cease until the last day shall come; then shall this stone fall upon all the unbelieving and grind them to powder. wherefore, although christ is such an elect, precious stone, he must yet be called a stone of offence and stumbling, by no fault of his. and just as the jews did, we continue to do at the present day; for as they gloried in the name of god, that they were god's people, so it is the case now, that men, under the name of christ and the christian church, deny christ, and reject the precious stone. he has come that they might reject their works; but this is a thing they cannot suffer, and they reject him. therefore it follows: _who stumble at the word and believe not thereon, whereunto they were appointed._ if they are told that their works are not good and are of no avail before god, they cannot and will not hear it. now god has laid down christ as a foundation, whereon they should have been placed, and through him have obtained complete salvation; and he has caused him to be preached throughout the whole world, that they, through the proclamation of the gospel, might be grounded on him. yet would they not receive him, but rejected him, and remain in their own nature and works; for if they suffered themselves to rest upon him, then would their own honor, riches, and power fall, insomuch that they would never rise again.--st. peter says further: v. 9. _but ye are the chosen generation, the royal priesthood, the holy nation, the peculiar people._ there he gives christians a true title, and has quoted this passage from moses, deut. vii., where he says to the jews, "ye are a holy people to the lord your god, and the lord your god has chosen you as his peculiar people out of all the nations that are on the earth." so, ex. xix., he says: "ye shall be my possession before all peoples, and shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy people." there you see where peter's words are from. as i have said before, so i say again, that it should be understood how scripture is wont to speak of priests. let no one be troubled as to those whom the people _call_ priests; let every one call them as he pleases, but abide thou by the pure word of god, and what _this_ calls priests do thou call priests also. we could well endure it that those should call themselves priests whom the bishops and the pope consecrate, and let them call themselves as they will, only see to it that they do not call themselves priests of god, for they cannot quote a word from scripture in proof of it. but should they claim that in this passage he speaks of them, answer them as i have instructed you above, and ask them to whom st. peter is here speaking,--so shall they of necessity be made ashamed; for it is certainly clear and plain enough that he speaks to the whole congregation, to all christians, in that he says, ye are the chosen generation and the holy people, since he has hitherto spoken of none but of those who are built upon this stone and believe. therefore it must follow, that whoever does not believe is no priest. if they say, then, "ah! we must explain the passage just as the holy fathers have interpreted it;" then do you say, let the fathers and teachers, whoever they may be, explain as they will, yet st. peter, who has received greater testimony from god than they, besides being more ancient, tells me so and so, therefore i will hold with him. the passage, moreover, needs no gloss, for he speaks in express words of those that believe. now those are not the only believers who are anointed and wear the tonsure; therefore we will readily grant them that they call themselves by this name, for the question is not what they permit themselves to do; but the dispute is here,--whether they are styled priests in scripture, and whether god calls them by this name. there may be some selected out of the church, who are its officers and ministers, and appointed to this end, that they should preach in the church and administer the sacraments; but we are all priests before god if we are christians. for since we are built upon this stone, which is our high priest before god, we must also possess all that he has. therefore i would be glad to find this word priests becoming as common as it is for us to be called christians. for it is all the same,--priest, baptized, christian. as little as i would suffer that those who are anointed and shorn should call christians un-baptized, so little would i endure that they only should be regarded as priests. yet have they arrogated it entirely to themselves. so too they have named _that_ the church which the pope and his cardinals rule over, but scripture refutes this. therefore mark this well, that you may know how to establish the distinction as to how god names us priests, and how men call themselves such. for we must yet again state that this word _priest_ should become as common as the word christian. for to be a priest belongs not to an office that is external, it is only such a service as has to do with god's presence. so we conclude that we are all kings. priests and kings are all spiritual names, as christians, saints, the church. and just as you are not called a christian because you have much gold or wealth, but because you are built upon this stone and believe on christ, so you are not called a priest because you wear a tonsure or long robe, but for this reason, that you come into god's presence. likewise you are not a king because you wear a gold crown, and have many lands and people subject to you, but because you are lord over all things, death, sin, and hell. for you are as really a king as christ is a king, if you believe on him. still he is not a king as the kings of this world are, wears no crown of gold, rides forth with no great splendor and large equipage. but he is a king over all kings,--one who has authority over all things, and at whose feet all must lie. as he is a lord, so also am i a lord; for what he possesses that have i also. but perhaps some one may object. st. peter says here, also, that christians are kings, while we have it before our eyes that they are not all kings, so that this passage is not to be understood as though he spoke of all in the church. for whoever may be a christian, he certainly is not a king in france or a priest at rome. but when i ask whether the king of france is also a king in the sight of god, this he passes over, for god will not judge by the crown. on earth, indeed, and before the world, he is indeed a king, but when death comes then his kingdom is gone, for then he must lie at the feet of those that believe. we are speaking of an eternal kingdom and priesthood, inasmuch as every one who believes is in truth a king before god; but who does not know that we are not all shorn and anointed priests? but because those men have been anointed, they are not therefore priests in the sight of god, just as they are not kings before god because they have been crowned. crowned kings and anointed priests are of the world, and are made by men; the pope may make as many such priests as he chooses, but far be it that he should make one a priest before god, for these god himself will make. therefore, when st. peter says here, "ye are the royal priesthood," it is as much as though he had said, "ye are christians." would you now know what sort of a title, and authority, and glory, christians have: you learn it here, that they are kings and priests, and a chosen people.--but what this priest's office is, follows after: _that ye should show forth the praises[2] of him that hath called you out of darkness into his wonderful light._ this belongs to the office of a priest, that he be a messenger of god, and receive from god himself the command to preach his word. the praises, (says st. peter,) that is, the wonderful work that god has performed in you, in that he brought you out of darkness into light, you are to proclaim,--which is the office of the high priest. and this is the way in which your preaching is to be discharged, that one brother proclaim to another the powerful work of god: how ye have been ransomed from sin, death, hell, and all evil, by him, and have been called to eternal life. thus shall you also instruct others how they may come also to the same light. for your whole duty is discharged in this, that you confess what god has done for you; and then let this be your chief aim, that you may make this known openly, and call every one to the light, whereto ye have been called. where you see people who are ignorant, you are to direct and teach them as you have learned, namely, how a man may be saved through the virtue and power of god, and pass from darkness to light. [footnote 2: in the german, _tugend_ or virtue.] and here you observe that st. peter plainly says, that there is only one single light, and concludes that all our reason, however sharp-sighted it is, is mere darkness; for although reason may count one, two, three, and also discern what is black or white, great or small, and judge outwardly of other matters, still it cannot understand what faith is. herein it is stark blind, and if all men should put their shrewdness together, they could not understand a letter of this divine wisdom. therefore st. peter speaks here of another light, that is truly wonderful; and tells us earnestly, all alike, that we are all in darkness and blindness if god hath not called us to his true light. experience teaches us this, also. for when it is preached that we cannot come before god by our works, but must have a mediator, who may come into god's presence and may reconcile us to him, reason must confess that she never could have known such a thing; so that if she would understand it she must have another light and knowledge. therefore all that is not of god's word and faith is darkness. for here reason gropes like a blind man,--is ever changing from this to that, and knows not what it does. but if we speak in this manner to the worldly, learned, or wise, they begin to cry out and bluster against it. therefore st. peter is a bold apostle indeed, in that he dares make that darkness that all the world calls light. so we see that the first and most eminent office which we as christians are to discharge is, that we should make known the praise of god. what then are the praiseworthy things and the noble deeds which god has put forth? they are, as we have often said, that christ, through the power of god, has wounded death, chained hell, subdued sin and brought us to eternal life: these are praises so great that by no man are they possibly to be conceived; we can only be silent. therefore it is of no avail that to us christians human doctrines should be preached, but we should be taught of such a power as subdues the devil, sin and death. and here st. peter has once more brought together many proof-texts, and it is throughout common with him thus to heap passage on passage, for all the prophets speak of this, that god's name and honor, and his arm or power should be honored and extolled, and that he would perform such a work that the whole world would sing and speak of it. of this are the prophets in all places full. on this same st. peter here expatiates. besides, they have spoken much of light and darkness, that we must be enlightened with god's light, thereby showing that all human reason is darkness.--st. peter says, further: v. 10. _ye who once were not a people, but are now a people of god, to whom god did not show mercy, but to whom he is now merciful._ this passage is found written in the prophet hosea, chap. ii., and st. paul has also quoted it in rom. ix.: "i will make those to be called my people, who were not my people." the import of all is this: almighty god chose his people israel as a peculiar people, and manifested his great power in their behalf, and gave them many prophets, and performed many wonderful works toward them, that he from that people might permit christ to become man; and for the children's sake has it all taken place. therefore they are called in scripture the people of god. but the prophets have extended this further, and said that this election should be more comprehensive, and should even include the gentiles. therefore st. peter says here, ye are now the people of god, who once were not the people of god. hence it is evident that he wrote the epistle to the gentiles and not to the jews. thereby he shows that the passage out of the prophet has been now fulfilled--that they are now a holy people--they have the property, priesthood, kingdom, and all which christ has, if they believe.--it follows further, in peter: v. 11-12. _dearly beloved, i admonish you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, and lead an honest life among the gentiles, so that they, if they slander you as evildoers, may see your good works, and praise god when it shall come to that day._ st. peter here uses a somewhat different mode of speech from st. paul, who would not speak in the same manner, as we shall hear: for every apostle has his own way of speaking, just as each prophet has also. he has hitherto been firmly laying down his foundation of the christian faith, which may serve as his text. now he proceeds and teaches how we should conduct ourselves toward all men. this is the true method of preaching, that faith should be first set forth,--what it does, and what its power and nature are, even that it gives fully to us everything that is necessary to holiness and salvation,--that we can do nothing except by faith, and through this we have all which god has. god has thus proceeded with us and given to us all that is his, and has himself become our own, so that we have, through faith, all things that are good and needful for us. what then are we to do? are we to live in indolence? it were far better that we should die, though we had all. but while we live here we should act in our neighbor's behalf, and give ourselves to him for his own, as god hath given himself to us. thus faith saves us, but love leads us to give to our neighbor whenever we have enough to give. that is, faith receives from god; love gives to our neighbor. this matter is spoken of in few words, yet much may easily be preached thereon, and it may be further extended than it has here been by st. peter. this is now the sense of the apostle, when he says, dear brethren, i admonish you as strangers and as pilgrims. since, then, you are one with christ, form one household, and his goods are yours, your injury is his injury, and he takes as his own all that you possess; therefore you are to follow after him, and conduct yourselves as those who are no more citizens of the world. for your possessions lie not upon the earth, but in heaven; and though you have already lost all temporal good, you still have christ, who is more than all else. the devil is the prince of this world and rules it; his citizens are the people of this world; therefore, since you are not of the world, act as a stranger in an inn, who has not his possessions with him, but procures food, and gives his gold for it. for here it is only a sojourning, where we cannot tarry, but must travel further. therefore we should use worldly blessings no more than is needful for health and appetite, and therewith leave and go to another land. we are citizens in heaven; on earth we are pilgrims and guests. _abstain from fleshly lusts that war against the soul._ i will not determine, here, whether st. peter speaks of outward impurity,--or as st. paul's language is, all that is called carnal,--whatever man does without faith, while he is in the body and a carnal life. i hold, indeed, that st. peter had a somewhat different mode of speech, yet do not think that he uses the word soul, as st. paul does, for spirit; but st. peter has given in more to the common greek word, than st. paul. yet much stress is not to be laid upon this: let it be understood of all kinds of lusts, or all kinds of carnal desire or impurity. but this at least he would teach us, that no saint on earth can be fully perfect and holy. yet the high schools have even trodden the passage under their feet, nor do they understand it; they think it is said only of sinners, as though the saints had no more wicked lusts remaining. but whoever will study carefully into the scriptures, must note a distinction, because the prophets sometimes speak of the saints in an obvious way, as though they were perfectly holy in every respect; while on the other hand they speak also of them as having evil lusts and being troubled with sins. in regard to those two positions, those persons cannot see their way. understand, then, that christians are divided into two parts,--into an inward nature which is faith, and an outward which is the flesh. if we look upon a christian as it respects faith, then he is pure and entirely holy; for the word of god has nothing impure in it, and wherever it enters the heart that depends upon it, it will make that also pure. because, in respect to faith all things are perfect: according to that, we are kings and priests and the people of god, as was said above. but since faith exists in the flesh, and while we yet live on earth we feel at times evil dispositions, as impatience and fear of death, &c. these are all the fault of the old man, for faith is not yet mature, has not attained full control over the flesh. this you may understand from the parable in the gospel, luke x., of the man who went down from jerusalem to jericho and fell among thieves, who beat him and left him lying half dead, whom the samaritan afterward took up, and bound up his wounds, and took care of him, and saw to it that he should be nursed. there you perceive that this man, since he is to be attended upon, is not sick unto death,--his life is safe; all that is wanting is, that he should be restored to health. life is there, but he is not completely restored, for he lies yet in the hands of the physicians and must yet give himself up to be healed. so it is with us as respects the lord jesus christ; we are assured of eternal life, yet we have not complete health; something of the old adam still remains in the flesh. similar also is the parable in the xiii. of matthew, where christ says, the kingdom of heaven is like leaven which a woman takes and mingles in the meal until it is leavened throughout. when the meal is made into dough, the leaven is all in it, but it has not penetrated and worked through it, but the meal lies working, until it is leavened throughout, and no more leaven need be added. thus though you have what you should have, through faith, whereby you apprehend the word of god, yet it has not penetrated throughout, wherefore it must continue to work till you are entirely renewed. in this way you are to discriminate in regard to the scriptures, and not mangle them as the papists do. therefore i say, when you read in scripture of the saints, that they were perfect, understand it thus: that they as to faith were entirely pure and without sin, but the flesh still remained, that could not have been entirely holy. therefore christians desire and pray that the body or the flesh be mortified, that it may be entirely pure. this those who teach otherwise have neither experienced nor relished, which leads them to speak just as they imagine and conceive by reason; wherefore they must err. in regard to this, those great saints who have written and taught much, have greatly stumbled. origen has not a word of it in his books. jerome never understood it. augustine, had he not been driven to contend with the pelagians, would have understood it as little. when they speak of the saints, they extol them as highly as if they were something different from, and better than, other christians: certainly as though they had not felt the power of the flesh and complained thereof as well as we. therefore st. peter says here, as ye would be pure and have complete sanctification, continue to contend with your evil lusts. so also christ says in the gospel of john xiii.: "whoever is washed, must also wash his feet;" it is not enough that his head and hands be clean, therefore he would yet have them wash their feet. but what does st. peter mean, in that he says, refrain from the lusts that war against the soul? this is what he would say: you are not to imagine that you can succeed by sports and sleep. sin is indeed taken away by faith, but you have still the flesh which is impulsive and inconsiderate; therefore take good care, that ye overcome it. by strong effort must it be; you are to constrain and subdue lust, and the greater your faith is, the greater will the conflict be. therefore you should be prepared and armed, and should contend therewith without intermission. for they will assault you in multitudes, and would take you captive. hence st. paul says, also, rom. vii.: "i have a desire toward the law of god after the inward man; but i find another law in my members, which opposes itself to the law in my spirit, and takes me captive, that i cannot do as i would,"--as though he had said, i fight indeed against it, but it will not finally yield. therefore i would gladly be free, but in spite of my wishing it, it may not come to pass. what then am i to do? "wretched man that i am, (says he,) who shall deliver me from the body of this death." in this same manner, also, all the saints cry out. but those people who are without faith, the devil leads in such a way that he permits them only to enter on sinful courses, to follow him and make no opposition. but as to the others, he thinks, i have already taken them captive by unbelief. i will permit them then to go so far only, as to do no great sin and have no great assault and be kept from swearing and knavery. but believers have always opposition enough,--they must ever stand in the (attitude of) struggle. those who are without faith and have not the spirit, do not feel this, nor do they have such an experience; they break away and follow their wicked lusts; but as soon as the spirit and faith enter our hearts, we become so weak that we think we cannot beat down the least imaginations and sparks (of temptation), and see nothing but sin in ourselves, from the crown of the head, even to the foot. for before we believed, we walked according to our own lusts, but now the spirit has come and would purify us, and there arises a conflict. here the devil, the flesh, and the world, oppose themselves to faith; whereof the prophets complain, here and there, in the scriptures. wherefore st. peter here means, that the strife does not take place in sinners, but in believers, and gives us an encouragement, inasmuch as when we are on our guard against wicked lusts, we are repelling them. if thou, then, hast wicked thoughts, thou shouldest not on this account despair; only be on thy guard, that thou be not taken prisoner of them. our teachers have proposed to relieve the matter in this way (by directing,) that men should torture themselves until they had no more evil thoughts, that they might be at last bold and free. but you are to understand, if you are a christian, that you must experience all kinds of opposition and wicked dispositions in the flesh. for wherever there is faith, there come a hundred evil thoughts, a hundred strugglings more than before; only see to it that you act the man, and not suffer yourself to be taken captive; and continue to resist, and say, i will not, i will not. for we must here confess, that the case is much like that of an ill-matched couple, who are continually complaining of one another, and what one will do the other will not. that may yet be called a truly christian life that is never at perfect rest, and has not so far attained as to feel no sin, provided that sin be felt, indeed, but not favored. thus we are to fast, pray, labor, to subdue and suppress lust. so that you are not to imagine that you are to become such a saint as these fools speak of. while flesh and blood continue, so long sin remains; wherefore it is ever to be struggled against. whoever has not learned this by his own experience, must not boast that he is a christian. hitherto we have been taught, that when we made confession, or joined ourselves to some spiritual institution, we were at once pure and needed no longer to contend with sin. they have said, moreover, that baptism purifies and makes holy, so that nothing evil remains in the person. then they have thought, "now will i have a pleasing rest," but the devil has come and assaulted them worse than before. therefore understand the thing well, though you confess and permit yourselves to receive absolution, you must do even as the soldier, who in battle runs upon the points (of the javelins); whenever the critical moment approaches, and the conflict rages, compelling him to strike right bravely, as if to repel outrage, then he must draw out his sword and lay about him; but while the strife threatens only, so long must there be untiring vigilance. so, although you have been baptized, be on your guard, inasmuch as you are not safe for an hour from the devil and from sin, even though you think you will have no more assaults. therefore a christian life is nothing else but a conflict and encampment, as the scripture says; and therefore the lord our god is called the lord of sabaoth,--that is, a lord over the hosts. so also, _dominus potens in prã¦lio_--the lord mighty in battle. and thereby he shows how powerful he is, that he permits his people to be exposed in the conflict and rush upon the points (of the javelins). yet so that while the trumpets are ever sounding he is ever observant, (saying) beware here, beware there; thrust here, strike there. besides, it is a lasting conflict, in which you are to do all that you can, so that you may strike down the devil by the word of god. we must therefore ever make resistance, and call on god for help, and despond of all human powers.--now follows further: v. 12. _and lead an honest life, that those who have slandered you, as evil-doers, may see your good works and praise god._ mark now what an excellent order st. peter has observed. he has already taught us what we should do in order to subdue the flesh with all its lusts. now he teaches us again why this should be. why should i subdue my flesh? that i may be saved? no, but that i may lead an honest life before the world. for this honest life does not justify us, but we must first be justified and believe before we attempt to lead an honest (pious) life. but as to outward conduct, this i am not to direct to my own profit, but that the unbelieving may thereby be reformed and attracted, that they through us may come to christ; which is a true mark of love, though they slander and asperse us, and hold us as the worst wretches. therefore we should exhibit such an excellent course of action, that men shall be compelled to say, certainly they cannot be blamed. we read that when the emperors reigned, and persecuted the christians, no fault could be found with the latter, except that they called on christ and considered him as god. so pliny writes in his letter to trajan, the emperor, that he knew of no wrong that the christians did, except that they came together every morning, early, and sang songs of praise in order that they might honor their christ and receive the sacrament; besides this, none could bring any charge against them. therefore st. peter says: ye must endure to have men asperse you as evil-doers, and for this reason you are to lead such a life that you shall do no man injury, and in this manner you shall bring about their reformation. _till that day arrive;_ that is, ye must endure it as long as men reproach you, till all shall be set forth and revealed, so that it shall be seen how unjust they have been toward you, and that they must glorify god on your account. so st. peter continues: v. 13-17. _submit yourself to every ordinance of man for the lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as those that are sent by him for the punishment of evil-doers and to the praise of those that do well. for this is the will of god, that by well-doing ye may silence the ignorance of foolish men. as free, and not as though ye had your freedom as a cover of wickedness, but as the servants of god. be respectful toward every man. love the brotherhood; fear god; honor the king._ in such a beautiful order does st. peter proceed, and teaches us how we should conduct ourselves in all things. hitherto he has spoken in a general manner of the conduct that belongs to every condition. now he begins to teach how we should act toward civil magistracy. for since he had said enough as to the first matter, of our duty to god and ourselves, he now adds how we are to conduct toward all men. and now he would say, in the first place, and before all else, since ye have done all that was necessary that ye might attain to a true faith and hold your body in subjection, let this now be your first business, to obey the magistracy. this, which i have here rendered in the dutch, every _ordinance_ of man, is in the greek [greek: ktiois], and in latin _creatura_. this thing has not been understood by our learned men. the dutch language well expresses what the word means, where it is said, we are to obey what the ruler enacts (creates). so he uses the word here as though he said, what the magistracy enacts (creates) yield obedience to. for to enact (create) is to lay down a command and ordinance; it is a human creation. but they have hence inferred that _creatura_ means an ox or an ass, as the pope also speaks of it. if this were peter's meaning, then we should need to become subject even to a slave. but he here means a human ordinance, law or command,--and what they enact we are to do. what god makes, authorizes, and requires,--that is his ordinance, as that we should believe. so, also, that is a human and secular creation which is constituted by commands, as external government must be. to this we are to be subject. therefore understand the expression as meaning, _creatura humana, quod creat et condit homo_ (what man makes and constructs). _for the lord's sake._ we are not bound to obedience to the sovereign power for its own sake, he says, but for god's sake, whose children we are; and we should be drawn to this, not that we may thereby acquire a merit,--for what i do for god's sake, i must freely do as an act of service: moreover, i would do from mere cheerfulness, what his heart desires. but why should we be obedient to the magistracy for god's sake? because it is god's will that evil-doers should be punished, and those that do well should be protected, that there may be concord in the world. so we should demand that there be civil peace, which god requires; but the majority are unbelieving, so that he has enacted and ordained, in order that the world might not go to anarchy, that the magistracy should bear the sword and restrain the wicked, in order that if they are not disposed to be at peace, they may be compelled to it. this he executes through the magistracy, so that the world may be ruled to the good of all. whence you see that if there were none wicked, there would be no need of magistracy; wherefore he says, _to the punishment of evil-doers, and to the praise of those that do well_. the just should have the honor of it when they do right, since they exalt and crown worldly magistracy, insomuch that others may take example from them,--not that any one may thereby merit any thing before god. such is paul's language, also, in rom. xiii.: "the power is not established to the fear of those that do well, but for the evil; therefore, if thou wouldst not be afraid of the power, do well." v. 15. _for this is the will of god, that by well-doing ye should silence the ignorance of foolish men._ in these words st. peter silences those vain babblers who glory in their christian name, and prevents them from coming forward and saying, since faith is sufficient for a christian, and works do not justify, what is then the necessity of being subject to the civil power, and paying tribute and taxes? and he tells them thus, that although we have no need of it, we ought readily to do it to please god, so that the mouth of those enemies of god who asperse us may be stopped, and they be able to bring up nothing against us, and be compelled to say that we are honest, obedient people. so we read of many saints, that they were summoned to war, under heathen rulers, and slew the enemy, yet were subject and obedient (to those that summoned them), as we christians are bound to be to the magistracies, although it is now maintained that we could not be christians if we lived among the turks. now you may perhaps say here, but still christ has commanded that we should not resist evil, but if any one strike us on one cheek we are to turn the other also; how, then, can we strike and execute others? answer: the heathen formerly objected in like manner to the christians, and said, if such and such should come to pass, your government must be suppressed. but we reply, it is true that christians for themselves should not resist the evil, neither should they revenge themselves when they are injured, but endure injustice and violence, so that they cannot be severe even toward those who do not believe. but the magistracy of the sword is not thereby forbidden; for although honest christians have no need of the sword and law (since they live so that none can complain of them, do no man wrong, but treat every one kindly and cheerfully, endure all that is done to them), yet the sword must be borne on account of the unchristian, that these, when they injure others, may be punished, so that the general peace shall be preserved and the just be protected. thus god has provided another rule, that they who would not of themselves be restrained from evil, might be so compelled by the power that they should do no injury. therefore god has established magistracy for the sake of the unbelieving, insomuch that even christian men might exercise the power of the sword, and come under obligation thereby to serve their neighbor and restrain the bad, so that the good might remain in peace among them. and still the command of christ abides in force, that we are not to resist evil. so that a christian, although he bears the sword, does not use it for his own sake nor to revenge himself, but only for others; and, moreover, this is a mark of christian love, that with the sword we support and defend the whole church, and not suffer it to be injured. christ teaches those only who, while they believe and love, obey also. but the greater multitude in the world, as it does not believe, obeys not the command. therefore they must be ruled as unchristian, and their caprice be put under restraint; for if their power was suffered to obtain the upper hand, no one could stand before them. thus there are two kinds of government in the world, as there are also two kinds of people,--namely, believers and unbelievers. christians yield themselves to the control of god's word; they have no need of civil government for their own sake. but the unchristian portion require another government, even the civil sword, since they will not be controlled by the word of god. yet if all were christians and followed the gospel, there would be no more necessity or use for the civil sword and the exercising of authority; for if there were no evil-doers there certainly could be no punishment. but since it is not to be expected that all of us should be righteous, christ has ordained magistracy for the wicked, that they may rule as they must be ruled. but the righteous he keeps for himself, and rules them by his mere word. therefore christian government is not opposed to the civil, nor is civil magistracy opposed to christ. civil government does not cease by christ's ministry; but it is an outward thing, like all other offices and institutions. and as these exist distinct from christ's office, so that an unbeliever may exercise them just as well as a christian, so it is also with the exercise of the civil sword, since it neither makes men christian or unchristian. but of this i have spoken often enough elsewhere.--it follows, further: v. 16. _as free, and not as though ye had your freedom as a cover for wickedness, but as the servants of god._ this is said especially for us, who have heard of christian freedom, that we may not go on and abuse this freedom; that is to say, under the name and show of christian freedom do all that we lust after, so that from this freedom shall spring up a shamelessness and carnal recklessness, as we see even now takes place, and had begun even in the apostle's times, as is easily discovered from the epistles of st. peter and st. paul, when men did what the great multitude do now. we have now, again, through the grace of god, come to the knowledge of the truth, and we know that that is mere deception which popes, bishops, priests and monks have hitherto taught, laid down and enforced; and our conscience is enlightened and has become free from human ordinances and from all the control which they have had over us, so that we are no longer obliged to do what they have commanded under peril of our salvation. to this freedom we must now hold fast, and never suffer ourselves to be robbed of it; but for this very reason we should be carefully on our guard not to make this freedom a cloak of our shame. the pope has here proceeded unrighteously in aiming to force and oppress men by his laws. for among a christian people there should and can be no compulsion, and if the attempt is made to bind the conscience by outward laws, faith and the christian life are soon suppressed; for christ's are only to be led and ruled in the spirit, since they know that they, through faith, already have all whereby they are to be saved, and stand in need of nothing more to this end, and henceforth are under obligation to do nothing more than good to their neighbor, helping him with all they have, as christ has helped them, and moreover that all the works which they do should be done freely and without constraint, and flow forth from willing and happy hearts; this is grateful to god, exalts and praises him for the blessings that have been received. so st. paul writes (i. tim. i.), that for the righteous no law is made, for they do freely of themselves, and unsummoned, all that god requires. since now such enforcement of human doctrines is rejected and christian freedom is preached, the reckless spirits that are without faith coã¯ncide with it, and thereby would become good christians, inasmuch as they keep not the law of the pope, claiming this freedom which relieves them from obligation to it; and yet they observe not that which true christian freedom requires,--namely, to do good to their neighbor with cheerfulness, and irrespective of its being commanded, as real christians do. thus they make christian freedom just a cloak, under which they work only their shame, and disgrace the noble name and title of that freedom which christians have. this st. peter here forbids, for this is what he would say: although ye are free in all external matters (if ye are christians), and should not be forced by laws to subject yourselves to the control of worldly rule, since for the righteous no law is given (as we have said), yet ye should do it of yourselves, voluntarily and without compulsion,--not that ye must be held in obedience by necessity, but in order to please god, and for the advantage of your neighbor. this also christ did himself, as we read in matt. xvii., that he paid tribute when he need not have done it, but was free, and lord over all things. so likewise he subjected himself to pilate and permitted himself to be judged, while as yet he said to him, "you could have had no power or authority over me except it had been given you from above," in which words he gave confirmation to the authority to which he meanwhile subjected himself, that he might please his father. whence you see that that multitude has no claim to christian freedom who will do nothing, neither what the world nor what god requires, but abide in their insubordinate disposition, although they make their boast of the gospel. though we be free from all laws, we must yet have respect to weak and ignorant christians, since this is a work of love. hence paul says, rom. xiii.: "owe no man anything, but to love one another." therefore let him who would glory in his freedom, do first what a christian should do: let him first do good to his neighbor, and thereafter make use of his freedom in such a way as this. when the pope, or even any one, imposes his authority upon him, and would force him to obey it, let him say, "my good fellow, pope, i will not do it, for this reason, because you choose to make a command of it, and invade my freedom."[3] for we are to live in freedom as the servants of god, (so st. peter here says,) not as servants of man. yet in case any one desires that of me in which i can be of service to him, i will cheerfully do it out of good will, not scrupulous whether it have been commanded or not, but for the sake of brotherly love, and because god also requires that i should do good to my neighbor. thus i will not be forced to become subject to worldly princes and lords, but what i do i will do of my own self,--not because they command me, but for service to my neighbor. of this kind should all our works be, springing forth from affection and love, and all having respect to our neighbor, since we have no need on our own account to do good works. it further follows: [footnote 3: in the views presented by luther, in this connection, we have a distinct enunciation of the noble principles of the non-conformists of england--principles which were familiar to the great reformers and to the early puritans. they could not admit any human authority to invade the domain of divine legislation. to a conformity in externals which did not require them to admit the right of the civil magistracy to enact laws for the church, they were willing to yield as far as was necessary to edification. but when the command issued from the ruling power, in usurpation of the prerogative of the great and only head of the church, and obedience was to be construed as acquiescence in such usurpation, their reply was kindred in tone and spirit to that which luther here puts into the lips of a christian man in answer to papal arrogance.] v. 17. _be respectful toward every man._ this is not a command, but a faithful admonition. we are each of us assuredly under obligation, although we are free; for this freedom does not extend to evil-doing, but merely to well-doing. now we have repeatedly said, that every christian, through faith, attains to all that christ has himself, and is, moreover, his brother. therefore, as i give all honor to the lord christ, so also should i do toward my neighbor. this consists, not merely in outward behavior, that i should bow to him, and things of that sort, but much more: that inwardly in my heart i should highly regard him, as i also highly regard christ. we are the temple of god; as st. paul says, i. cor. iii., for the spirit of god dwelleth in us. if now we bend the knee before a place of worship, or a picture of the holy cross, should we not do it far more before a living temple of god?[4] [footnote 4: one is reminded here of the noble reply of that english martyr, john bradford, when he was required to bow down to a wooden cross. stretching out his arms, as he stood before his tyrannical judges, he exclaimed, "why, here is a living cross, and god made it; yet would i not worship even that."] so st. paul teaches us, also, in romans xii., that each should esteem the other better than himself, so that each should place himself below the other, and give him the preference. the gifts of god are manifold and various, so that one is in a more exalted position than another; but no one knows who is most exalted in the sight of god, for he may easily raise hereafter to the highest place one who here occupies the meanest position. therefore should every one, however high he be exalted, humble himself and honor his neighbor. v. 17. _love the brotherhood._ i have spoken above of the distinction which the apostles make between love in general, and brotherly love. we are required even to love our enemies: this is common christian love. but brotherly love is, that we christians should love one another as brethren, and communicate one to another, since we all alike have our blessings from god. this is the love which st. peter here particularly requires. _fear god; honor the king._ he says not that we are to have great regard of lords and kings, but still that we are to honor them, although they are heathen, as christ also did, and those prophets who fell at the feet of the king of babylon. but here perhaps you will say, "hence, you perceive, that we are to be obedient to the pope and are to fall at his feet." answer: certainly, if the pope attains to temporal power and conducts himself like another sovereign, we are to be obedient even to him, as when he speaks after this manner: "i forbid you wearing the cowl or tonsure; besides, on this day you are to fast, not that it is of any avail before god, nor is necessary to salvation, but because i, as a temporal ruler, require it." but in case he goes further, and says, "this, in god's place, i forbid your doing--this you are also to receive as though it came from god himself, and are to observe it under pain of excommunication and deadly sin," then you are to say, "pardon, my master, i will not do it." to the power we are to be subject, and are to do what it bids, while it does not bind the conscience and only forbids in respect to outward things, even though it should proceed tyrannically towards us; for "if any one will take away thy coat, let him take thy cloak also." but if it invade the spiritual domain and constrain the conscience, over which god only must preside and rule, we certainly should not obey it, but rather even slip our neck out from under it. temporal authority and government extend no further than to matters which are external and respect the body. but the pope not only arrogates this to himself, but would seize upon the spiritual also; and yet he has nothing of it, for his commands have respect to nothing but clothing, food, canonries and prebends--a matter which belongs neither to civil nor spiritual control. for how is the world benefitted by these things? besides, it is impious to make sins and good works to consist in such matters, where they do not belong; wherefore christ cannot suffer it. but civil government he can well tolerate, since it does not encumber itself with the matters of sins and good works, and spiritual concerns, but has to do with other things,--as protecting and fortifying cities, building bridges, imposing taxes, gathering tribute, extending protection, guarding the land and the people, and punishing the evil-doers. therefore, to such a prince, while he imposes no ordinance upon the conscience, a christian may readily render obedience, and he does it unconstrainedly, since he is free of all things. therefore, whenever an emperor or a prince asks me what my faith is, i shall tell him, not because he commands it, but because i am under obligation to confess my faith publicly before every man. but in case he should go further, and command me that i should believe thus or so, then i shall tell him: "my good sir, do you attend to your civil government; you have no authority to intrude on god's domain, wherefore i certainly shall not obey you. you cannot yourself tolerate invasion into your sovereignty: if any one against your will passes the limits, you shoot him down with musketry. do you imagine then that god will tolerate it, that you should thrust him from his throne and seat yourself in his place?" st. peter calls civil magistracy only a human ordinance. so that they (the magistracy) have no power to step into god's ordinances and to make laws against faith. but of this we have said enough. it follows now, further, in the epistle: v. 18-20. _servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. for this is thankworthy, when any one, for conscience toward god, endures grief, suffering wrongfully. for what praise is it, if ye endure buffeting for your faults? but if ye for well-doing suffer and endure, this is well-pleasing with god._ st. peter has thus far taught us how we should be subject to the civil power, and give it honor. wherefore we have stated how far its authority extends, that it may not arrogate to itself in matters which pertain to faith. this is said of magistracy in general, and is a doctrine for every one (to receive). but now he proceeds, and speaks of such power as does not extend itself over a community, but only over individuals. here he first teaches how domestic servants should conduct themselves toward their masters, and this is the substance of it: household servants are just as really christians as any other class, if, like others, they have the word, faith, baptism, and all such blessings; so that, before god, they are just as great and high as others. but, as to their outward state and before the world, there is a difference, since they occupy a lower station, and must serve others. wherefore, since they are called into this state by god, they should let it be their business to be subject to their masters, and have respect and esteem for them. of this the prophet david gives a fine illustration, and shows how they are to serve, ps. cxxiii.: "as the eyes of the servant to the hand of his master, and as the maiden looks to the hand of her mistress, so are our eyes directed to thee."--that is, servants and maidens should perform with humility and care what the master or the mistress requires. this is the will of god, and therefore it should cheerfully be done. of this you may be certain and assured, that it pleases god and is acceptable to him, when you do this in faith. wherefore, since these are the best works which you can do, you are not to run far after others. what your master or mistress commands you, that god himself has commanded you. it is not a human command, although it is made by man. so that you are not to scruple as to the master you have, be he good or bad, kind, or irritable and froward; but think thus, let the master be as he will, i will serve him, and do it to honor god, since he requires it of me, and since my master, christ, became a servant for my sake. this is the true doctrine which is ever to be urged, which now, alas! is buried in silence and is lost. but no one regards it except those who are christians, for the gospel preaches only to those who receive it. wherefore, if you will be a child of god, purpose in your heart to render such service as christ himself bids you. as also st. paul teaches, in eph. vi., "ye servants, be obedient to your masters that are upon earth, as to the lord christ; not with eye-service only, as men-pleasers, but as servants of christ; that ye obey from the heart, for god's sake, with cheerfulness." consider that ye serve the lord, and not man. so, also, he says, in col. iii., "for ye serve the lord christ." ah! if the popes, monks and nuns were in such a state as this, how would they thank god and rejoice! for none of them can say, god has commanded me to celebrate mass, sing matins, pray the seven times, and the like,--for scripture does not contain a word on the subject; so that if they are asked whether they are confident and assured that their state pleases god, then they say, no! but if you ask a little maid-servant why she scours the key or milks the cow, she can say, i know that the thing i do pleases god, for i have god's word and commandment. this is a great blessing, and a precious treasure of which no one is worthy. a prince should thank god for it, if he might do the same. it is true, he can do in his state what god requires,--namely, punish the wicked. but when, and how rarely, does it happen that he can discharge such a duty aright! but in this state it is all so ordered, that you may know that when you do what you are bidden, it pleases god. god does not look to the work, how small it is; but to the heart that serves him in such little things. but in this it happens as in other matters: what god has commanded, no one performs; what men enact and god does not ordain, every one complies with. but, say you, "ah! how is this? what if i have such a strange and irritable master as no one can thankfully serve, for many such may be found?" to this st. peter answers, "are you a christian and desirous to please god, you are not to inquire as to that matter how strange and froward your master is, but ever direct your eyes to this, and observe what god bids you." so that you are to reason after this manner: "i will in this way serve my master, christ, who requires it of me that i be subject to this froward master." if god should command you to wash the devil's feet, or those of the merest wretch, you are to do it; and this work would be just as much a good work as the highest of all, when god calls you to it. therefore you are to have no regard to the person, but only to what god requires; and in this case the least work is more to be preferred in god's sight, when rightly performed, than all the popes' and monks' works in one heap. but whomsoever this does not incite, that it is god's will, and is acceptable to him, the work will be of no avail to him. better than it is you cannot make it, worse than it is you cannot leave it. and therefore this is to be done _with all fear_, (as st. peter says,) that it may be rightly proceeded with, since it is not the command of men, but of god. and here st. peter speaks particularly of servants according to the circumstances of those times, when they were held as property, such as are to be found still in some places, and are exchanged like cattle, who are ill-treated and beaten of their masters; and the masters had such license that they were not punished although they put their servants to death. wherefore it became necessary that the apostles should carefully admonish and comfort such servants, that they might serve their hard masters, and endure it, though suffering and injustice were imposed upon them. whoever is a christian must also bear a cross; and the more you suffer wrongfully, the better it is for you; wherefore you should receive such a cross from god cheerfully, and thank him for it. this is the right kind of suffering, that is well-pleasing to god. for what a thing would it be, that you should be cruelly beaten and had well deserved it, yet would glory in your cross? therefore st. peter says: when ye suffer and are patient for well-doing, this is well-pleasing with god,--that is to say, acceptable and exceedingly grateful in the sight of god, and a real service of god. observe, here are those truly precious good works described, which we are to do; and we like fools have trodden this doctrine under foot, and have invented and devised other works; so that we should lift up our hands, thank god, and rejoice that we at length have such knowledge.--now it follows, further: v. 21-25. _for thereunto are ye called, since christ also hath suffered for us, and left us an example, that ye should follow in his steps; who did no sin, and in his mouth was found no guile; who, when he was reviled reviled not again, when he suffered he threatened not, but committed it to him that judgeth righteously; who himself hath borne our sins in his own body on the tree, that we might be without sin and live to righteousness; by whose stripes ye are healed. for ye were as sheep going astray, but ye are now returned to the shepherd and bishop of your souls._ thus it is, as we have said, that the servant should resolve in his heart and be induced cheerfully to do and suffer what is required of him, since his master, christ, has done so much for him. hence they are to reason thus: since my master has thus become my servant,--a thing to which he was not obliged,--and has given up body and life for me, why should not i serve him in return? he was perfectly holy and without sin, yet has he so greatly humbled himself, and has shed his blood for me, and has died that he might take away my sin. how then shall not i also endure somewhat if it pleases him? whoever reflects on this must be a stone if it does not move him; for when the master goes forward and steps in the mire, the servant should cheerfully follow him. therefore st. peter says, _hereunto are ye called._ whereto? that ye should suffer wrongfully like christ. as though he would say, if you will follow after christ you must not dispute and complain greatly, though you are unjustly treated, but endure the same and count it for the best, since christ has suffered all without guilt of his own. he did not even defend his integrity when he stood before the judges. so that you are to neglect this right, and only say, _deo gratias_, for this am i called that i should endure injustice; for what should i complain of when my master did not complain? and here st. peter has quoted some words from the prophet isaiah,--namely, these, chap. liii.: "who did no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth," also, "by whose stripes ye are healed." christ was so pure that not an evil word was ever on his tongue. he deserved that all should fall at his feet, and bear him in their hands. although he had power and the right to avenge himself, he yet permitted himself to be derided, insulted, reviled, and besides all, put to death, and never opened his mouth. why then should you not endure it also, when you are nothing but sin? you ought to praise and thank god that you are counted worthy of this,--that you should be like christ; and not murmur nor be impatient though you be made to suffer, since the master did not revile nor threaten in return, but even prayed for his enemies. but perhaps you say, "how? am i then to give that which is due to those who treat me unjustly, and say of them, they have done well?" answer. no! but this is what you are to say: i will from my heart cheerfully suffer it, although i have not deserved it, and you do me injustice for my master's sake, who also has endured injustice for me. you are to commit it to god, who is a righteous judge, and will richly reward it, just as christ committed it to his heavenly father. _he who has borne our sins in his own body_ (says st. peter); that is, he has not suffered for himself, but for our welfare. we who have crucified him by our sins, are far from that condition ourselves. wherefore, if you are a pious christian, you are to follow after your master, and mourn for those who make you suffer, and even pray for them, that god will not punish them; for they do far more injury to their own souls than to your body. if you lay this to heart, you shall easily forget your suffering, and suffer cheerfully. for we are to consider that we were once in such a christless state as those, but have now, through christ, been converted, as st. peter concludes and says: v. 25. _ye were like sheep going astray, but ye are now returned to the shepherd and bishop of your souls._ this, however, is a passage from the prophet isaiah, who speaks after this manner: "we have all gone astray like sheep, and every one has gone in his own way." but now have we obtained a shepherd, says st. peter. the son of god has come for our sake, that he might be our shepherd and bishop; he gives us his spirit, feeds us, and leads us by his word, so that we now know how we are helped. therefore, when you confess that through him your sins have been taken away, then you become his sheep, and he becomes your herdsman. just as he is thy bishop, so art thou his soul. this is, then, the comfort which all christians have. thus we have two chapters in this epistle, wherein st. peter has in the first place taught the true faith, then the true works of love, and has spoken of two kinds of works. first, what we all generally should practice toward civil government, then how domestics should conduct themselves toward their masters. and what st. peter says here of servants, extends, also, to some other persons,--namely, artizans, day-laborers, and all kinds of hired servants. now he goes on to teach us further, how husband and wife should conduct themselves toward one another in a christian manner. chapter iii. v. 1-6. _likewise ye wives be in subjection to your own husbands, so that they who do not obey the word may be won without the word, through the conduct of their wives, when they see your chaste conversation coupled with fear. whose adorning is not outward, in the braiding of the hair, and the wearing of gold, or the putting on of apparel, but the hidden man of the heart, in that which is incorruptible, a meek and quiet spirit, which is, in the sight of god, of great price. for thus also did the holy women of old adorn themselves, who hoped in god and were subject to their husbands. as sarah was obedient to abraham and called him master, whose daughters ye are, if ye do well, and fear not of any terror._ here st. peter speaks especially of wives, who at that time had heathen and unbelieving husbands. and on the other hand, he speaks of believing husbands who had heathen wives; for it often occurred while the apostles preached the gospel among the heathen, that one was a christian and the other not. if it _then_ was commanded that the wife should be subject to the husband, how much more must it be so ordered now. therefore it is the woman's duty, st. peter would say, to be subject to her husband, although he is a heathen and unbeliever; and he gives the reason why this should be so. v. 1, 2. _so that even they who believe not on the word, may be won without the word, through their wives' conduct, when they see your chaste conversation coupled with fear._ that is, when a man sees that his wife proceeds and conducts herself with such propriety, then he is drawn toward obedience, and holds the state of a christian to be one that is truly blessed. and although it is not directed to women to preach, yet should they so conduct themselves in their demeanor and conversation that they may thereby attract their husbands toward obedience:--as we read of the mother of st. augustine, who converted her husband, who had been a heathen, before his death, and so afterward her son augustine. still it is an external thing, which, as it is not to be performed in order to our justification for obedience, does not save you, for you may perhaps find an obedient wife who is yet unbelieving, but you should do it for this reason, that you may thereby benefit your husband. for thus has god ordained (gen. iii.) when he says to the woman, "thou shalt submit thyself to thy husband, and he shall be thy master," which is also the punishment which he has imposed on the woman. but such is (i say) the outward conduct--that which belongs to the body, not to the spirit. but this is a great thing, to know what works we should do to please god. by this rule are we to run, just as we see that the world runs, by the rule that it has falsely devised. it is a high, noble blessing which a wife may have when she so conducts herself as to be subject to her husband, inasmuch as she is saved, and her works please god; what can be a happier experience? therefore whoever wishes to be a christian wife is to reason after this manner: i will not pay regard as to what sort of a husband i have, whether he be a heathen or a jew, righteous or wicked; but to this i will pay regard, to the fact that god has placed me in the marriage state, and i will be subject and obedient to my husband. then all her works are precious if she stands in such obedience. but where the influence of attraction is not employed, nothing else will avail:--for you never will succeed by blows in making a wife pious and submissive. if you strike one devil out you will strike two devils in, as they say. oh! if people who are in the marriage state knew this, how uprightly would they walk; but no one does cheerfully what god has commanded, but all run after that which men have invented. this command god has wished to be so carefully observed, that he authorized husbands to make void the vows which their wives made if they were displeasing to them, as we read in num. xxx., so that all might go on peacefully and quietly at home. this is one point. now the apostle directs further how a woman should conduct herself toward other people. v. 3, 4. _whose adorning, let it not be outward, in braiding of the hair, and wearing of gold, and putting on of apparel, but of the hidden man of the heart, in that which is incorruptible, a meek and quiet spirit, which in god's sight is precious._ this treasure, which is internal, should be possessed not only by the wife, but by the husband. but here possibly some one might ask whether that which st. peter here says of ornament is commanded or not. we read of esther, that she wore a golden crown and precious ornaments, decking herself as a queen. so also of judith. but near by it is recorded, that she despised the ornament and wore it from necessity. so that we say this much, that a woman should be so disposed as not to care for this adorning; yet, inasmuch as people convinced on the subject of ornament, cease not from the use of it, such is their habit and nature,--a christian wife should despise it. but if the husband requires it, or there is a reasonable cause for her adorning herself, it may well be done. but in such a way should she be adorned, as st. peter here says, as to be inwardly attired in a meek and quiet spirit. you are vainly enough adorned when you are adorned for your husband; christ will not suffer it that you should be adorned to please others, and that you should be called a vain harlot. therefore you are to see to it, that you wear about in your heart the hidden treasure and precious adorning, in that which is incorruptible, as st. peter says, and lead a pure, merciful, temperate life.[1] [footnote 1: "here the apostle pulls off from christian women their vain outside ornaments; but is not this a wrong to spoil all their dressing and fineness? no; he doth this only to send them to a better wardrobe: there is much profit in the change."--_leighton on i. peter._] it is good evidence that there is not much of the spirit there, where so much is expended on ornaments, but this will be trodden under foot where faith and the spirit are present, and these will say, like queen esther, "lord, thou knowest that i regard with aversion the crown which i wear on my head, and that i am compelled thus to adorn myself. if this was not required to be done of me out of love to my king, i would much rather trample it under foot." where the wife is of such a disposition, she will so much the more please her husband. therefore they are to take this into consideration (says st. peter), that they adorn the inward man, where there is to be a quiet spirit, one that cannot be ruffled; not only that they do not run into excess, so that they may be kept from confusion and shame, but, his meaning is, that they should beware that the soul remain unruffled, and in the true faith, and that this be not forsaken. thus is derived a heart such as does not break forth and busy itself as to how it shall appear before the world. such a heart is a precious thing in the sight of god. if a woman were to adorn herself with pure gold, precious stones and pearls, even to her feet, it would be exceedingly splendid. but you cannot attach so much to a woman that it shall be preferable to that superior ornament of the soul which is precious in god's sight. gold and fine stones are precious in the world's esteem, but before god they are an ill-savor. but she is truly and nobly adorned in the sight of god, who goes forth with a meek and quiet spirit; and since god himself accounts it precious, it must be a noble thing. a christian soul has all that christ has, for faith, as we have said, brings us all the blessings of christ in common. this is a great and precious treasure, and such an ornament as none can sufficiently prize. god himself makes much account of it. thus the husband should withdraw and dissuade the wife from ornament, so long as she is inclined to it. when a christian wife gives ear and reflects, and determines thus, "i will not care for ornament, since god does not regard it,--but if i must wear it, i will do it to please my husband," then is she truly adorned and attired in spirit. hereupon st. peter now gives us an example of holy women, that he may draw wives to a christian conduct, and says: v. 5. _for after this manner did holy women of old time adorn themselves, who set their hope on god and were subject to their husbands, as sarah obeyed abraham and called him lord._ as these women adorned themselves, he would say, so do ye also, as sarah was obedient to her husband abraham, and called him her lord. so scripture speaks, gen. xviii., where the angel came to abraham and said, within a year shall sarah have a son; then she laughed and spoke thus: "now that i am old, and my lord is old also, shall i yet have pleasure?" this passage st. peter has justly noticed and adduced in this place; for she would not have called abraham thus her lord if she had not been subject to him and had him before her eyes. therefore, he says, further: v. 6. _whose daughters ye are, if ye do well and stand in fear of no terror._ what does he mean by that? this is what he means. it is usually the nature of women to be troubled and frightened about everything, since they are so much occupied with charms and superstition, while one teaches the other, that it is not to be told what illusions they have. this should not be the case with a christian woman, but she should go forward securely, yet not be so superstitious, and run about here and there--pronounce here a blessing, there a blessing--inasmuch as it concerns her to let god direct; and she is to remember it cannot go ill with her, for as long as she knows her condition, that her state is pleasing to god, what will she then have to fear? though your child die, though you are sick, it is well if it pleases god; if you are in a state which pleases god, what better can you desire? this, then, is what is preached to wives. now follows the duty of husbands: v. 7. _likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to reason, giving honor to the wife as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered._ the woman is also god's instrument or vessel, he says, for god uses her to this end, that she may bear children, give them birth and nourishment, and watch over them, and rule the household. such work is the wife to do. so that she is god's instrument and vessel, which he has created and instructed to this end. for this reason is the husband to respect his wife. therefore, st. peter says, ye husbands, dwell with your wives according to reason, not that ye are to rule over them with a headstrong will. they are, indeed, to obey the law of the husband; what he bids and commands, that is to be done; but he is also to see to it that he walks soberly and according to reason with his wife, so as to give her that respect and honor which belongs to her as god's weaker vessel. the husband is also god's instrument, but he is stronger, while the wife is weaker bodily, as well as timid and more easily dispirited; therefore, you are so to conduct and walk in respect to her, that she may be able to bear it. you must proceed in this case just as with other instruments wherewith you labor; just as when you would have a good sickle, you must not hack upon the stone with it. on this subject no rule can be laid down. god leaves the matter to each individually, that he shall treat his wife in accordance with reason, according to the circumstances of each woman: for you are not to use the authority which you have, according to your own will, for you are her husband for this very purpose, that you may help to guide and support her,--not that you should destroy her. hence none can lay you down a rule with exact limitations; you must understand yourself how you are to proceed in accordance with reason. thus we have now heard in regard to husbands, also, what good works those who please god are to perform,--namely, that they dwell with their wives, endear themselves to them, and walk soberly with them. things cannot always go on as you would be glad to have them. therefore do you see to it that you act like a husband, and have so much the more discretion, when it is lacking in the wife, while you are to connive at some matters, tolerate and pardon some things,[2] and give to the wife, also, her honor. [footnote 2: "not disclosing the weaknesses of the wife to others, nor observing them too narrowly himself, but hiding them both from others, and his own eyes, by love: not seeing them further than love itself requires."--_leighton_.] this _honor_ has been explained, i hardly know how. some have interpreted it thus: that the husband should procure food, drink, and clothing for the wife, and should nourish her. some have referred it to marriage duties. i hold this to be the meaning, as i have said, that the husband should treat the wife as consists with her being a christian, and a vessel or instrument of god. and thus they are both to conduct: the wife is to hold the husband in honor, and on the other hand also the husband is to give to the wife her honor. if matters were thus directed, they would go on harmoniously, in peace and love. yet where this course is wanting, there will be more disgust in the marriage state. hence it comes to pass, when man and wife take one another from nothing but lust, and imagine they will have happiness and the gratification of appetite, that they experience mere heart-anguish. but if you have a regard to god's work and will, then may you live christianly in marriage,--not like the heathen, who know not what god requires. _as heirs together of the grace of life._ the husband is not to dwell on this, that the wife is weak and fragile, but on this, that she also is baptized, and has the same that he has,--all blessings in christ. for inwardly we are all alike, and there is no difference between man and woman, but as to the outward condition, it is god's pleasure that the husband rule, and the wife be subject to him. _that your prayers be not hindered._ what does st. peter mean by that? this is his meaning; if you do not act in accordance with reason, but will find fault, and murmur, and proceed arbitrarily, and in this give occasion for error, so that neither can overlook another's fault, and take all for the best, then will you be unable to pray, and say, "father, forgive us our sins as we forgive." by prayer we are to strive against the devil, therefore we must be subject one to another. these are the truly precious good works which we are to do. if this is preached and understood, we shall all have our homes full of good deeds.--thus we have heard how a christian should conduct himself in all varieties of condition, but especially in his relations to others. it follows now, further, how we all, in common one with another, should lead, as to our outward condition, a christian life. v. 8-12. _finally, be ye all like-minded, have compassion one of another, be compassionate, affectionate as brethren, heartily kind, courteous. render not evil for evil, or railing for railing, but on the contrary, blessing; and know, that ye are hereunto called, that ye should inherit the blessing. for whoso loveth life and would see prosperity, let him refrain his tongue, that it speak not evil, and his lips that they bear no guile. turn thyself from evil and do good, seek out peace and pursue it. for the eyes of the lord behold the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer, but the face of the lord is against them that do evil._ all this is said only to this end, that we should have mutual love one to another. for here that which the scripture sometimes expresses in few words, is much enlarged upon. st. peter would say, the _summa summarum_ as to how you are to treat one another in your outward conduct is, that ye be like-minded. this matter the apostles peter and paul often bring forward, and this much is said, that we all should have one mind, one spirit, one thought; what seems to one right and good, let this also seem to another right and good. it is an important, note-worthy matter, that should be well understood; st. paul has spoken much particularly upon it. we cannot all of us do the same kind of work, but every one must labor each for himself,--a husband in a different sphere from the wife, a servant in a different sphere from the master, and so throughout. and it is a foolish thing to preach that we should all do one work, as those senseless preachers have done who preach the legends of the saints,--that _these_ saints have done _that_ work, _those_, another, and then insist and say we should do the same. it is doubtless true that abraham did a good work, highly to be esteemed, when he offered up his son, since this was particularly commanded him of god. when the heathen did the same and would sacrifice their children likewise, this was an act of cruelty in the sight of god. so, also, king solomon did well in building the temple, and god justly rewarded him for it. and our blind fools, now, would also do the same,[3] and preach that we must build churches and temples for god, while god has given us no command on the subject. so it now comes to pass, that men busy themselves with a single kind of employment, and have many views in it directly in opposition to the gospel. [footnote 3: luther here doubtless refers to what he regarded as the foolish project of the pope in attempting to build the church of st. peter, at rome,--the project which sent tetzel into germany, and made the sale of indulgences so common and obnoxious.--[_trans._]] but this is what should be taught, that there should be a single aim and many employments, one heart and many hands: all should not follow one business, but every one should attend to his own; otherwise there will not remain unity of aim and heart. as to what is external, it must be permitted to remain of a manifold character, so that every one abide in that which has been committed to him, and the work that he has in hand. this is a true doctrine, and it is exceedingly necessary that it should be well understood; for the devil expends his care particularly on this, and has brought things into such a state, that judgment is passed on the employment, and every one thinks that his own should be counted better than another's; hence it has come to pass, that men are so disunited one with another, monks against priests, one order against another, for every one has wished to do the best work: thus they must satisfy themselves, and they have given themselves up to the order, and think this order is better than that. there is that of the augustines against that of the preaching monks, that of the carthusians against the barefooted friars, and nowhere is there greater want of unanimity than among the orders. but if it has been taught that, in the sight of god, no employment is better than another, but that through faith all are alike,--then will all hearts remain united, and we are all alike mutually disposed, and shall also say,--the order, or the mode of life which the bishop leads, is in god's sight no more accounted of than that which a poor man leads; the mode of life which the nun leads is no better than that which a married woman leads; and the same in respect to all varieties of condition. but this they will not hear to, but every one maintains his own for the best, and says, ah! how much better and more important is my state, in the order, than the state of a common man. thus to have one aim is, that every one should regard his own employment like the others, and that the condition of the married woman is just as good as that of the virgin, as all are indeed alike in the sight of god, who judges according to the heart and faith, not by the person or according to the works; so that we, also, are to judge as god judges, and then are we of one mind, and unanimity remains in the world, and hearts remain unestranged, so that there is no deriding on account of the external condition; all this i hold to be excellent, and am well satisfied with every man's employment, whatever it be, if it only be not sinful in itself. of this st. paul also speaks, 2 cor. xi., "i fear lest as the serpent beguiled eve, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in christ jesus,"--that is, lest the devil so beguile you, and pervert and divide that simplicity of aim which you have. so, phil. iv., "the peace of god, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through jesus christ." why does the apostle lay so much stress on the aim of the mind? because it all consists in this, that when i am brought to cherish a false aim, everything is already lost; as in case i am a monk, and have adopted such a view as that my works are of more worth in the sight of god than others, and say, "god be thanked that i have become a monk; my state is now far preferable to the common one of marriage:" in which case, from such a view there must spring a proud spirit, and it cannot fail that i should count myself more righteous than another, and should despise other people while i deceive myself. for a married woman, if she abides in faith, is better in the sight of god than i am with the order i belong to. so that when this is understood, that faith brings with it all that a christian ought to have, we all of us have one aim and view, and there is no difference among works. wherefore we are thus to understand this passage of st. peter, that he means the aim of the soul,--not that which refers to outward matters,--and an internal view or plan which aspires to those things that are esteemed with god; so that both the doctrine and the life be one, and i hold that for excellent which you hold as excellent,--and again, that is well-pleasing to you which is well-pleasing to me, as i have said. this sense of things is possessed by christians, and to this view we should hold fast, that it may not be perverted, as st. paul says; for when the devil has corrupted it, he has forced the castle of true purity, and all then is lost. v. 8. _be ye compassionate, affectionate as brethren, heartily kind, courteous._ to be compassionate is, that one should make himself a sharer with another, and have a heart to feel his neighbor's necessity. when misfortune overtakes him you are not to think,--ah! it is right, it is no more than he should have, he has well deserved it. where there is love, it identifies itself with its neighbor; and when it goes ill with him, the heart feels it as though it were its own experience. but to be brotherly (affectionate as brethren) is this much, that one should regard another as his own brother. this certainly may be easily understood, for nature itself teaches it; by which you see what those that are truly brothers are, that they are united more heartily together than any friends even. so ought we, as christians, to act; for we are all brethren by baptism,--so that after baptism even father and mother are brother and sister, for i have the same blessing and inheritance that they have from christ, through faith. _heartily kind,--viscerosi._ this word i cannot explain except by giving an illustration. observe how a mother or a father act toward their child,--as when a mother sees her child enduring anguish, her whole inward being is moved, and her heart within her body; whence is derived that mode of speech that occurs in many places in scripture. of this we have an example in i. kings iii., where two women contended before king solomon for a child, and each claimed the child. and when the king would discover which was the real mother of the child, he must appeal to nature, whereby he detects it; and he said to the two women, you say that the child is yours, while you say also that it is yours: well, then, bring hither a sword and divide the child into two parts, and give one part to this woman, and another to that. thus he attained knowledge as to which was the real mother; and the text tells us that she was inwardly affected with anxiety for the child, and said, no! no! rather give the child whole to this woman, and let it live. then the king pronounced his decision and said, that is the true mother; take the child and give it to her. hence you may understand what this word _heartily_ means. this is what st. peter would say: that we should conduct ourselves toward one another like those that are truly friends by blood, as with them the whole heart is moved, the life, the pulse, and all the powers; so here, also, the course should be heartily kind, and motherly, and the heart should be thoroughly penetrated. such a disposition should one christian man bear towards another. but the standard is indeed set high; few will be found who bear such a hearty love to their neighbor,--as when it is seen that a necessity is imposed that they should have an affection like that which a mother has for a child,--such that it presses through the heart and through every vein. hence you see what the monks' and nuns' state of life is; how far it is removed from such hearty love: if all they have were to be smelted together in one man, not one drop of such christian love as this would be found in it. wherefore let us look to ourselves and be jealous over ourselves, whether we can find in ourselves such a kind of love. this is a short lesson and quick spoken, but it goes deep and spreads itself wide. _courteous_, is, that we lead outwardly a gentle, pleasing, lovely behaviour,--not merely that we should sympathize one with another, as a father and mother for their child, but also that we should walk in love and gentleness one with another.[4] there are some men rough and knotty, like a tree full of knots,--so uncivil, that no one will readily have anything to do with them. hence it happens that they are usually full of suspicion, and become soon angry; with whom none of their own choice are familiar. but there are gentle people, who interpret all for the best, and are not suspicious; do not permit themselves to be soon irritated; can at least understand something as well meant; such persons as are called _candidos_. this virtue st. paul names [greek: chrãªstotãªs], as it is often praised by him. [footnote 4: "the least difficulties and scruples in a tender conscience should not be roughly encountered; they are as a knot in a silken thread, and require a gentle and wary hand to loose them."--_leighton_.] now consider the gospel, which portrays the lord christ so distinctly, that we may trace this virtue especially in him: now the pharisees assault him, and now again, others, that they might take him,--yet he does not suffer himself to become enraged. and although the apostles often stumble, and act a foolish part here and there, he nowhere assails them with angry words, but is ever courteous, and attracts them toward himself, so that they remained with him cheerfully and heartily, and walked with him. this likewise we see among kind friends and societies on earth, wherever there are two or three good friends, who have a good understanding one with another: though one acts a foolish part, the other can readily pardon him. there is represented in some measure that which st. peter here intends, although it is not perfectly set forth, for this courteousness is to be considered obligatory upon every one individually. hence you see the true nature of love, and how excellent a people christians should be. the angels in heaven live with one another thus, and so should it also, in justice, be on earth; but rarely does it take place. as st. peter has already said, that the man servant and the maid servant, the husband and wife, should so conduct themselves that each should attend to that business of his own which he is to discharge, so would he have us all do generally, one with another. therefore, if you would be certain and assured that you are doing an excellent deed, that is pleasing to god, set yourself in god's name in opposition to whatever has been preached in the devil's name, whereby the world walks and seeks to merit heaven. for how can you be better assured that you are acceptable with god, than when you observe, as he here says, the works which a man should do, the conduct which every one should lead, that he be compassionate, brotherly affectionate, heartily kind, courteous? in this he says nothing of those fool-works whereof we have been taught; says not, "build churches, found masses, be a priest, wear a cowl, vow chastity, &c.;" but this is his language: see to it that you be courteous. these are truly precious, golden deeds, precious stones and pearls, which are well pleasing to god. but with this the devil cannot rest content, for he knows that thereby his interests are thrown to the ground; therefore he devises what he can to suppress such doctrine, incites monks and priests to cry out, "do you say that our matters are nothing at all? that is for you to talk like the devil." but reply to them then, do you not know that there must be good works, whereof st. peter here speaks,--to wit, that we be brotherly affectionate, heartily kind, and courteous? if these are the best, as must be confessed, you must be false in regard to your works, if you think they are better. i am really astonished that such blindness could come upon us; for thomas, the preaching monk, has written, and says, shamelessly, that monks and priests are in a better state than ordinary christians. this the high schools have confirmed, and men have been doctorated for it. after them the pope and his multitude have gone, and have exalted those to be saints, who teach such doctrine. therefore understand this, as i have said,--for christ himself and all his apostles have so taught,--if you would do the most excellent good works, and be in the best condition of life, you will find them nowhere else but in faith and love; that is the highest state of all. so that it must be an error, when they choose to say, their state is better than faith and love; for if it be better than faith, it is better than god's word, but if it be better than god's word, it is better than god himself. therefore paul has truly said, that anti-christ should exalt himself before god. be informed in this way so as to judge of these things; where love and friendship are wanting, there, certainly, all works are condemned and trodden under foot. thus we see why st. peter has so confidently expatiated on the external character of a truly christian life, as he taught us above, in a masterly manner, how the inward (spiritual) life should be ordered toward god. wherefore this epistle is to be regarded as a truly golden epistle. whereupon it follows, further: v. 9. _render not evil for evil, nor railing for railing, but on the other hand blessing, and know that ye are called thereunto, that ye should inherit the blessing._ but this is a still further illustration of love, showing how we should act toward those that injure and persecute us. if any one does you evil--this is his meaning--do him good; if any one rails at and curses you, then you are to bless and wish him well; for this is an important part of love. o lord god! what a rarity such christians are! but why should we return good for evil? because, says he, ye are called thereunto that ye should inherit the blessing, so that ye should suffer yourselves to be attracted towards it. in the scriptures we christians are called a people of blessing, or a blessed people. for thus said god to abraham, gen. xii.: "in thy seed shall all nations of the earth be blessed." since god has so richly shed down this blessing upon us, in that he takes away from us all the malediction and the curse which we have derived to ourselves from our first parents, as well as that which moses suffered to go forth upon the disobedient, so that we are now filled with blessing, we ought so to conduct ourselves that it shall be said of us, that is a blessed people. so that this is what the apostle here means: see, god has shown you his favor, and has taken away from you the curse, and the reviling wherewith you have dishonored him; he neither imputes nor punishes, but has bestowed upon you such rich grace and blessing, while ye were only worthy of all malediction, inasmuch as ye reviled god without intermission (for where there is unbelief the heart must ever curse god): do ye also as has been done toward you; curse not, rail not, do well, speak well, even though you are treated ill, and endure it where you are unrighteously used. hereupon he quotes a passage out of the xxxiii. ps., where the prophet david speaks thus: v. 10. _whoso will love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil, and his lips that they do not deceive._ that is, whoever would have a pleasure and a joy in life, and would not die the death, but see good days, so that it shall go well with him, let him keep his tongue that it speak not evil, not only in respect to his friends, for that is a small virtue and a thing which even the wickedest of all may do, even snakes and vipers,--but also, he says, maintain a kind spirit, and keep your tongue silent even against your enemies, though you are even incited thereto--though you have cause to rail and speak evil. besides, keep your lips, he says, that they do not deceive. there are probably many who give good words, and say _good morning_ to their neighbor, but they think in their heart, the devil take you. these are people who have not inherited the blessing; they are the evil fruit of an evil tree. therefore st. peter has introduced a passage which refers to works, even to their root,--that is, what springs from within out of the heart.[5] furthermore, the passage in the prophet says: [footnote 5: "a guileful heart makes guileful tongue and lips. it is the workhouse where is the forge of deceits and slanders, and other evil speakings; and the tongue is only the outer shop where they are vended, and the lips the door of it. so then such ware as is made within, such and no other can be set out. that which the heart is full of, runs over by the tongue."--_leighton_.] v. 11. _let him turn away from evil and do good, let him seek peace and pursue after it, for the eyes of the lord behold the righteous._ the world considers this as satisfaction when one man does injustice to another, that his head should be cut off. but this brings one none the nearer to peace. for no king, even, ever attained to be in peace before his enemies. the roman empire was so powerful that it struck down all that set itself against it; still for all this it could not be preserved. therefore this method is of no avail toward reaching peace, for though a man should prostrate and silence his foe, ten and twenty rise up again after it, till at length he is compelled to yield. but he who seeks after the true peace, and moreover would find it, let him restrain his tongue; let him turn away from evil and do good: this is a course different from that which the world pursues. to turn from evil and to do good is, that when a man hears evil words, he be able to overlook the wickedness and injustice. seek thus after peace, so shall you find it; when your enemy has wasted his breath and done all that he can, if you hear him, but rail and rant not back, he must subdue himself by his own violence. for thus christ also on the cross subdued his enemies, not by the sword or by violence. therefore is it a saying, which should be written with gold, where it says, "striking back again makes hatred, and whoever strikes back again is unjust." thence it must follow that not to strike back again makes peace. but how can this be? is it then a thing not human? certainly it does not accord with human nature; but if you in this manner suffer unjustly and do not strike back again, but let the matter go, it shall come to pass as hereafter follows: v. 12. _the eyes of the lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry, but the face of the lord is against those that do evil._ if you do not revenge yourself and do not repay evil with evil, there is the lord in heaven above who cannot tolerate wrong, wherefore he that does not strike back must have his right. these he beholds; their prayer reaches his ear; he is our protector and will not forget us, while if we cannot escape from his eyes, we should comfort ourselves with the thought:--that is, this should induce a christian man to endure all injustice with patience, and not return evil. if i properly reflect, i see that the soul which does me wrong must burn forever in hell-fire. therefore a christian heart should speak on this wise: dear father, since this man falls so sadly under thy wrath and so miserably throws himself into hell-fire, i pray that thou wouldest forgive him, and do to him even as thou hast done toward me since thou hast rescued me from condemnation. but how comes this? thus: while he graciously looks down upon the righteous, he also looks angrily at the wicked, wrinkles his brow and turns it in indignation upon them; when we know then that he looks upon us graciously and upon them with disfavor, we ought to suffer ourselves to pity and mourn for them, and pray for them. furthermore, st. peter says: v. 13-16. _and who is he that will harm you, if ye follow after that which is good. blessed are ye if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, and be not afraid for their terror, neither be troubled, but sanctify the lord god in your hearts. but be ready always to give an answer to every man who asks the reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear, and have a good conscience, so that they who speak of you as evil-doers may be put to shame, that they have falsely accused your good conduct in christ._ if we follow after that which is good,--that is, do not reward evil with evil, but are heartily kind and courteous, etc., then there is none that can injure us. for though our honor, life and property should be taken away, we are still uninjured. hence we have a blessing that is incomparable,--one that none can take from us. those who persecute us have nothing but prosperity on earth, but thereafter, eternal condemnation, while we have an eternal, incorruptible good, although we lose a small temporal blessing. v. 14. _blessed are ye if ye suffer for righteousness' sake._ not only, he says, can no one injure you if ye suffer for god's sake, but blessed are ye also, and ye should rejoice that ye are to suffer, as christ also says in the sixth of matthew: "happy are ye when men deride and persecute you for my sake, and speak every kind of evil against you, falsely; rejoice, and be exceeding glad." whoever then apprehends this, that it is the lord speaks such things, and so tenderly speaks comfort to his heart, he stands well; but to whom this does not bring strength, it makes him sad and complaining,--he may well remain unstrengthened. _but be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled, but sanctify god in your hearts._ here st. peter quotes a passage from isaiah viii., where he says: "be not afraid of their terror, nor be frightened, but sanctify the lord in your hearts, and let him be your fear and your dread." there we have a great support and reliance, whereon we may trust, assured that no one can injure us. let the world terrify, defy and threaten as long as it will, it must have an end, but our confidence and joy shall have no end; thus we shall have no fear on account of the world, but shall be courageous, while before god we shall humble ourselves and be afraid. but how does st. peter mean that we should sanctify god; how can we sanctify him; must he not sanctify us? answer. so it is that we pray, even in the _our father, hallowed be thy name_, that we may sanctify his name, as he himself also sanctifies his name. therefore it comes to this: _in your hearts_, says st. peter, ye are to sanctify him; that is, if the lord our god appoints anything for us, be it good or evil, bring it weal or woe, be it shame or honor, prosperity or adversity, i am not only to consider it as good, but even as holy, and say, this is nothing but a precious blessing that i am unworthy of, that comes to me. so the prophet says, ps. cxliv., "the lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works." if i give god praise in regard to such matters, and consider such doings good, holy, and excellent, then i sanctify him in my heart. but they who scruple accounts, and complain that they are treated unjustly, and say god sleeps, and will not help the just and restrain the unjust, these dishonor him, and account him neither just nor holy. but whoever is a christian, should attribute righteousness to god and unrighteousness to himself--should account god holy and himself unholy, and say that he in all his deeds and works is holy and just; this is what he requires. so also speaks the prophet daniel, iii.: "o lord, in all that thou hast done towards us, hast thou done in accordance with right and true judgment. for we have sinned; therefore be the shame ours, but the honor and the praise thine." if we sing, _deo gratias_, and _te deum laudamus_, and say, god be praised and blessed, when misfortune overtakes us, that is called by peter and isaiah a true hallowing of the lord. but he does not by this require that you should say that he has done right and well who has injured you, for it is an entirely different judgment between god and me, and between me and thee. i may have within me anger, hatred, and wicked lusts, whereby i intend your damage, while you are yet still uninjured, and have nothing against me; but in god's sight i am unjust,--therefore he does right if he punishes me; i have well deserved it. if he does not punish me in that case, he shows me favor, and thus is right in every way. but it does not therefore follow, that he does right who persecutes me, for i have not done injustice to him as i have done in the sight of god. if god sends the devil or wicked people upon you to punish you, he uses them to this end, that they may execute his righteousness; so wicked wretches and injustice itself become a blessing. so we read in ezekiel, xxix., of king nebuchadnezzar, where god says by the prophet, "knowest thou not that he is my servant, and has served me?" now, says he, "i must give him his hire, i have not paid him as yet; well, then, i will give him egypt, and that shall be his hire." the king had no right to the land, but god had a right to it, so that he might punish it through him; for, in order that even wicked wretches might serve him, and eat not their bread in vain, he gives them enough, lets them serve him even to this end, that they persecute his saints. here reason is at fault, and thinks he does well and right when he remunerates them only here; gives them much land, and does it simply for this, to make them his executioners, and persecutors of pious christians. but when you endure and sanctify god, and say, _just lord_, then you do well, while he casts them into hell and punishes them because they have done wickedly, but takes you into his favor and gives you--eternal salvation. therefore let him manage them; he will give a just reward. of this we have an example in holy job, when all his cattle and all his sons were slain, and his property was taken away; when he said, "the lord gave and the lord hath taken away; as it was well pleasing to god, so has it been ordered, therefore praised be his name." and when his wife came, deriding him, and railed at him, and said: "see! what hast thou now, abiding in thine integrity? curse god and die:" then he answered her--"thou hast spoken like a foolish woman: are we to receive good at god's hands,--why should we not also receive evil from him, for he hath done as it hath pleased him? god hath given, and god hath taken away," he says; not god has given it, the devil hath taken it away, while yet it was the devil that did it. this man truly sanctified the lord; therefore is he so highly praised and exalted of god. it follows, further: v. 15. _but be always ready to give an answer to every man that asketh you, the reason of the hope that is in you._ we must here acknowledge that st. peter addressed these words to all christians, clergy and laity, male and female, young and old, of whatever state or condition they may be. from thence it will follow that every christian should know the ground and reason of his faith, and be able to maintain and defend it where it is necessary. but up to this time, the idea that the laity should read the scriptures has been treated with derision. for in this matter the devil has hit on a fine measure, in tearing the bible out of the hands of the laity,--and this is what he has thought: "if i can keep the laity from reading the scripture, i will then bring the priests over from the bible to aristotle, so that gossip they what they will, the laity must hear just what they set forth; while if the laity should read the scripture, the priests must study it too, in order that they may not be detected and overcome." but look you now at what st. peter tells us all, that we should give answer and show reason for our faith. when you come to die i shall not be with you, neither will the pope; and if you know but this one reason of your hope, and say, "i will believe as the councils, the pope and the fathers believed," then the devil will answer, "yes! but how if they were in error?" then will he have won, and will drag you down to hell. therefore must we know what we believed,--namely, what god's word is, not what the pope and holy fathers believe or say. for you must not put your faith at all in persons--but on the word of god. so when any one assaults you, and like a heretic asks why you believe that you shall be saved through faith--here is your answer: "because i have god's word and the clear declarations of scripture." as st. paul says, "the just shall live by faith," and st. peter, where he speaks of christ, the living stone, quoting from the prophet isaiah, "whosoever believeth on him shall not be confounded; thereon do i build, and know that the word will not deceive me." but if you will speak like other fools, "yes, we will hear how the council decides, and with that we will abide," then are you lost. wherefore you should say, "why do i then ask what this one or that believes or decides; if they speak not the word of god, i will hear nothing of it." do you say, then, it is so confusedly difficult a thing, that no one knows what he should believe, and so one must wait till it is determined what one shall hold? answer. then will you go to the devil the while; for if it comes to the pinch, and you should die and not know what you should believe, neither i nor any one else could help you. therefore you must know for yourself, and turn to no one else, and cling fast to the word of god, if you would escape hell. and for such as cannot read, it is necessary that they should learn and retain some clear texts out of the scriptures--one or two at least, and on this ground abide firmly. as for instance that of gen. xii., where god says to abraham, "in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." if you have learned that, you may stand thereon and say, "though pope, bishop, and all the councils stood yonder and said otherwise, yet do i declare this is god's word, that i can rely on, and that does not deceive me." whoever will be blessed, must be blessed through "the seed," and whoever is blessed is ransomed from the curse--that is, from sin, death and hell. therefore it follows, from the text--whoever will not be blessed through "the seed," he must be lost. so that my works or good deeds can help nothing to my salvation. to the same end also is the passage out of peter,--"whoever believeth on this stone shall not be ashamed." if any one now come upon you and demand a reason of your faith, reply--"there stands the foundation which cannot fail me, and so i ask nothing beside, what pope or bishop teach or decide." were they true bishops, then would they teach the ground of faith that they knew was common to all christians. yet they rush on and cry out, "the laity must not be suffered to read the scriptures." so if any one asks you whether you will have the pope for a head, say at once, "i will hold him for a head--a head of wickedness and profligacy." and for this i have a passage of st. paul, i. tim. iv.: "there shall come the devil's teachers forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats which god has created." that too has the pope forbidden, as is the case now. therefore is he antichrist. for what christ commands and teaches, that _he_ transgresses. what christ makes free, that the pope binds--christ says, it is not sin, while the pope rejoins, it is sin. thus should one now learn to give a reason and answer for his faith. for though not now, yet at death will it come to pass, that the devil will come forward and say, "why have you charged the pope as antichrist?" if you are not prepared and ready to show reason, then has he won. it is as much as though st. peter had said, if ye will now be faithful, ye must henceforth endure much persecution. but in this persecution must you have a hope, and must look for eternal life. if one asks you why you hope for it, then you must have the word of god, on which you can build. but the sophists also have perverted the text, as though one was to convince heretics with reason, and out of the natural light of aristotle; therefore (say they) it is here rendered in the latin, _rationem reddere_, as if st. peter had thought it should be done with human reason. because, say they, the scriptures are far too inconclusive that from them we should silence heretics. the method by which (according to them) it must be shown that the faith is a right one, must agree with reason, and come forth from the brain; whereas, our faith is above reason, and subject to god alone. therefore, if the people will not believe, then should you be silent; for you are not responsible for compelling them to hold the scriptures as the word or book of god. it is enough that you give your reason therefrom. but if they take exceptions, and say, "you preach that one should not hold to man's doctrine, while peter and paul, and christ even, were men:" when you hear people of this stamp, who are so blind and obtuse that they deny that this is god's word, or doubt of it, then be silent--speak no more with them, and let them go--only say, "i will give you my reasons out of scripture. if you will believe that, it is well; if not, i will give you no others." but do you say, "must god's word be treated with such shame?" leave that to god. so you see that this matter should be well apprehended, and we should know how to meet those who now rise up and present such objections.--it follows: _with meekness and fear._ that is, if you are examined and questioned of your faith, you should not answer with haughty words, and proceed in the matter with contempt and violence, as if you would tear up a tree by the roots, but with such fear and humility as if you stood before god's tribunal, and were there to give answer; for if it were now to happen that you should be examined before king and princes, and had well prepared yourself a long time therefor with replies, and thus thinking with yourself, "deliberate, i will answer him correctly," then shall it be a happy experience for you,--though the devil take the sword out of your hands, and give you a blow, so that you stand in shame, and have put on your armor in vain, and he can fairly take out of your hands the reply you have carefully composed, so that it fails you even though you have it fairly in your mind, because he has beforehand tracked out your thoughts. even this god suffers to take place, that he may subdue your pride and make you humble. so, if you would avoid such an experience, you must stand in fear, and not rely on your own strength, but on the word and promise of christ, matt. x. 19--"but when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak, for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak; for it is not ye that speak, but the spirit of your father which speaketh in you." it is right, when you are to answer, that you should prepare yourself well with passages out of scripture; but beware that you do not insist thereon with a proud spirit, since god will even take the most forcible reply out of your mouth and memory, though you were previously prepared with all your replies. therefore, fear is proper. and so, if you are summoned, then may you answer for yourself before princes and lords, and even the devil himself. only beware that it be not the vanity of men, but the word of god. v. 16. _having a good conscience, that whereas they speak evil of you as of evil-doers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in christ._ of this st. paul has already spoken above. we cannot disregard it. if we will follow the gospel, then must we be despised and condemned by the world, so that men shall hold us as contemptible rabble. but let the devil and all the world rave and rage--let them abuse as they will, yet they shall at last be made to understand, with shame, that they have injured and defamed us, when _that day_ shall arrive,--as st. peter has said above,--in which we shall be secure, and stand up with a good conscience. these are, in every respect, suitable and forcible replies, which can comfort us and make us courageous, and yet go on circumspectly, with fear. v. 17, 18. _for it is better, if the will of god be so, that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing. for christ also hath once suffered for our sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to god, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the spirit._ it will not, then, be the case that they who shall reach heaven shall have prosperity on earth, while even those who do not arrive at heaven may not have prosperity. for that which god said to adam is imposed on all men--"in the sweat of thy brow shalt thou eat thy bread;" and to the woman: "in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children." since, now, adversity is imposed in common upon us all, how much more must _we_ bear the cross if we would attain to eternal life. therefore, he says, since god will have it so, it is better that ye suffer for well-doing. they who suffer for evil-doing have an evil conscience, and have double punishment. but christians have only the half of it. outwardly, they have suffering; but inwardly, comfort. yet has he here set a limit,--as he also has said above,--if a case should occur of such severity as the donatists experienced, of whom augustine writes, who took such a resolution that, stung by their sufferings, they committed suicide, and threw themselves into the sea. it is not the will of god that we seek out, and even invite, calamity. go thou on in faith and love. if the cross comes, take it up; if it comes not, seek not for it. therefore these modern spirits commit sin, in that they lash and beat themselves, or subject themselves to torture, and so would storm heaven. this has paul also forbidden, in col. iii., where he speaks of such saints as walk in a self-chosen spirituality and humility, and spare not their body. we should also restrain the body that it do not become too wanton, yet not so as to destroy it; and we should submit to suffer if another sends suffering upon us, but not of our own choice fall therein. that will be the question: if it is god's will--if he has appointed it--for then it is better; while you are also more happy and fortunate that you suffer for well-doing. v. 18. _since also christ has once suffered for us--the just for the unjust._ there st. peter presents us, once for all, the example of our lord, and points us evermore to christ's sufferings, that we all of us alike should follow his example, so that he need not present a particular exemplar for the estate of every individual. for just as christ is held forth as an example to all in the whole church, so it is the duty of every individual in the church,--each for himself, of whatever state he is,--to copy thereafter, in his whole life, as it is set before him; and he will speak after this manner: "christ was righteous; yet, for well-doing, has suffered on our account, who were unjust; yet he sought not the cross, but waited till it was god's will that he should drink the cup; and it is he that is our pattern, whom we are to imitate." thus st. peter here adduces this one example, to this end especially, that he may thus designate that by which every estate is to be instructed; and now he goes on to declare more fully the suffering of christ. but, more particularly, he says here, christ has suffered _once_ for us; that is, christ has borne many sins upon himself, but he has not done it in such a way as to die for every individual sin; but at once, for all together, has done enough to remove the sins of all who come to him and believe on him--who are now freed from death, even as he is free. _the righteous for the unrighteous_, he says. as though he had said, much rather should we suffer, since we die for the righteous who had no sin. but he has died for the unrighteous, and for the sake of our sins. _that he might present us to god._ this is all said to teach the peculiar end of christ's sufferings; namely, that he died,--not for his own sake,--but that he might present us to god. how is that consistent: has he not offered up himself? answer: it is true that he has offered up himself upon the cross for us all who believe on him, but at the same time he offers up us with himself, since all they who believe on him must suffer also with him, and be put to death after the flesh as he was. yet god has taught us, that they are alive in the spirit and yet dead in the flesh, as he afterwards says. but are we a sacrifice with him? then, as he dies, so we are to die according to the flesh; as he lives spiritually, so do we also live in the spirit. _being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the spirit._ the word _flesh_ is common in scripture, as is also the word spirit, and the apostles usually present the two in contrast. the sense is this: that christ, through his sufferings, is taken out of this life that consists in flesh and blood, as a man on earth who lives by flesh and blood,--walks and stands, eats, drinks, sleeps, wakes, sees, hears, grasps, and feels,--and, in brief, whatever the body does while it is sensible; to all this christ has died. this is what st. paul calls a natural body,--that is, the animal life. _in the flesh_, not _after_ the flesh,--that is, in the natural functions which the body exercises, to such life is he dead: so that this life has now ceased with him, and he is now removed to another life and quickened after the spirit, passed into a spiritual and supernatural life, that comprises in itself the whole life that christ now has in soul and body. so that he has no more a fleshy body, but a spiritual body. thus shall it be with us at the last day, when spiritual life shall succeed to flesh and blood; for my body and yours will live without food and drink,--will not procreate, nor digest, nor grow wanton, and the like, but we shall inwardly live after the spirit,--and the body shall be purified even as the sun, and yet far brighter, while there probably will be no natural flesh and blood, no natural or corporeal labor. this is the language of st. paul thereon, i. cor. xv.: "the first man adam was made in natural life, and the last in spiritual life." and it follows, "as we have the image of the natural man, so shall we also bear the image of the spiritual man." from adam we derive all our natural functions, so far as concerns our unreasoning animal nature as to the fine senses. but christ is spiritual,--flesh and blood not according to the outward sense; he neither sleeps nor wakes, and yet knows all things, and is present in the ends of the earth. like him shall we be also, for he is the first fruits, the earnest and first born (as paul says) of the spiritual life; that is, he is the first who has risen again and entered upon a spiritual life. thus christ lives now after the spirit; that is, he is really man, but has a spiritual body. therefore we should not here question how we may distinguish flesh and spirit from one another, but understand that the body and flesh are spiritual, and the spirit is in the body and with the body. for st. peter does not say here that the holy spirit has raised christ up, but he speaks more generally; as when i say the spirit, the flesh, i do not mean the holy spirit, but that which is within us, that which the spirit impels, and that which proceeds from the spirit. it follows, now: v. 19-21. _by which same he also went and preached to the spirits in prison, who aforetime were disobedient, when the long-suffering of god waited in the days of noah, while the ark was preparing, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water. which now also saves you through baptism, which is typical by it; not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the union of a good conscience with god, through the resurrection of jesus christ, who has ascended to heaven, and is seated at the right hand of god,--and angels, and principalities, and powers, are subject to him._ this is a strange text, and a more obscure passage, perhaps, than any other in the new testament, for i do not certainly know what st. peter means. at first sight, the words import as though christ had preached to the spirits,--that is, the souls which were formerly unbelieving at the time noah was building the ark; but that i cannot understand, i cannot even explain it. there has been no one hitherto who has explained it. yet if any one is disposed to maintain that christ, after that he had suffered on the cross, descended to these souls and preached to them, i will not dispute it. it might bear such a rendering. but i am not confident that st. peter would say this. yet the words may well be understood in this sense,--that our lord, after his ascension into heaven, came and preached in spirit, yet so that his preaching was not in the body. for he speaks not with bodily voice; he does no more what pertains to the natural functions of the body. whence it must also follow, as it seems, that inasmuch as he preached to the spirits in that same spiritual body, such preaching must also be a spiritual preaching, so that he did not go there in body and with oral preaching. the text does not require us to understand that he went down to the spirits and preached to them at the time of his death. for this is his language, _by which same_,-namely, when he had been put to death in the flesh and made alive after the spirit,--that is, when he had unclothed himself of his fleshly existence and had passed into a spiritual being and life, just as he now is in heaven,--_thus_ he went and preached. now he certainly could not have gone to hell, after he had taken to himself such a new existence; wherefore we must understand that he has done it after his resurrection. while the words only require that he be considered as speaking here of spiritual preaching, we may rest in this view, that st. peter speaks of the office that christ performs by means of external preaching. for he commanded the apostles personally to preach the gospel. but with the word preached he comes himself, and is spiritually present there, and speaks and preaches to the people in their hearts; just as the apostles speak the word orally and in body to the ears, so he preaches to the spirits that lie captive in the prison-house of the devil. so that this also should be understood spiritually, like the preaching. but here the expression follows, _to the spirits which aforetime were unbelieving_, &c. we should observe, in accordance with the divine account, that in that state of existence in which christ is at present, those who have lived aforetime and those that are living now, are alike to him, for his control extends itself alike over dead and living: and in that life, the beginning, middle and end of the world are all in one. but here on earth it has properly a measure, so that one age passes on after another, the son succeeds the father, and so it continues. but to give an illustration: if a high wood lies before you, or you look upon it as it stretches along in length before you, you cannot well overlook it; but if it lies near before you, and you stand above it and can look down directly upon it, then you have it in full view. so it is, that here on earth we can form no conception of this life (i speak of), for it passes on (piecemeal as it were) foot by foot, to the last day. but as to god, it all stands in a moment. for with him a thousand years are as one day, as st. peter says, in the next epistle. thus the first man is just as near to him as the last that shall be born, and he sees all at once, just as the human eye can bring together two things widely separated at a single glance. so the sense here is this, that christ preaches no more in person, but is present with the word and preaches to spirits, spiritually, in the heart. yet you are not to understand that he preaches in this manner to all spirits. but to what spirits has he preached? to those who aforetime were unbelieving. this is the figure of speech which is called synecdoche. that is, "from a part the whole" (_ex parte totum_),--that is to say, not to these very spirits, but to those who are like them, and are just as unbelieving as they. thus must we look away from this outward, to that inward life. that is the best rendering, as i think, of those words of st. peter;[6] still i will not too strenuously insist upon it. this at least i can scarcely believe, that christ descended to those souls and preached to them; while the scripture is against it, and declares that every one, when he arrives there, must receive according as he has believed and lived. besides, while it is uncertain what is the state of the dead, we cannot easily explain this passage as one that refers to it. but this is certain, that christ is present and preaches in the heart, wherever a preacher of god's word speaks to the ear. therefore may we safely draw to this conclusion: let him to whom a better understanding is manifest, follow the same. [footnote 6: the view generally taken by protestant expositors of this passage is, that the preaching here referred to took place in the days of noah, by means of himself or others who were inspired by god to teach and warn. their interpretation would be in effect,--"for christ also suffered for our sins, the just for the unjust (that he might bring us to god), being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the spirit (of god). by which spirit also he went (formerly) and preached to the spirits (now) in prison; which were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of god waited, in the days of noah, (120 years,) while the ark was preparing, wherein few,--that is, eight souls,--were saved _by_ or _through_ water."] this is the summary of the sense which i have exhibited: christ has ascended to heaven and preached to the spirits,--that is, to human souls; among which human souls have been the unbelieving, as in the times of noah. v. 20. it continues,--_when once the long-suffering of god waited in the days of noah, while the ark was preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water._ thus does st. peter bring us into the scriptures, that we may study therein; and gives us an illustration out of them, from the ark of noah, and interprets this same figure. for it is pleasant to have one bring forward illustrations from such figures, as st. paul also does when he is speaking, gal. iv., of the two sons of abraham, and the two women; and christ, in john v., of the serpent which moses had erected in the wilderness. such comparisons, when well drawn, are delightful; wherefore st. peter introduces this here, that we may be able to comprehend faith under a pleasing image. but he would also tell us, that as it happened when noah was preparing the ark, so it takes place now. as he took refuge in the ark which swam upon the waters, so, it is to be observed, must you also be saved in baptism. just as that water swallowed up all that was then living, of man and beast,--so baptism also swallows up all that is of the flesh and corrupt nature, and makes spiritual men. but we rest in the ark, which means the lord christ, or the christian church, or the gospel that christ preached, or the body of christ, on which we rest by faith, and are saved as noah in the ark. you also perceive how the image comprises in brief what belongs to faith and to the cross, to life and death. where there are only those that follow christ, there is surely a christian church, where all that springs from adam, and whatever is evil, is removed. v. 21. _the like figure whereunto, even baptism, doth now save us; not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward god._ but you are not kept and saved by merely washing away the filth of the flesh, that the body be clean, as was the practice of the jews; such purification has no further value. but the answer of a good conscience toward god,--that is, that you feel your conscience to be rightfully at peace within you, that it stands in harmony with god, and can say, "he has promised to me that which he will fulfil, for he cannot lie." if you shall rely upon and cleave to his word, then shall you be preserved. faith, alone, is the band whereby we shall be held; no outward work which you can do will suffice. _through the resurrection of christ jesus._ this st. peter adjoins, in order to explain that faith which rests on the fact that christ died, descended to hell, and has risen again from the dead. had he continued subject to death, it would not have advantaged us; but since he has risen and sits at the right hand of god, and suffers this to be proclaimed to us so that we may believe on him, we have a union with god, and a sure promise, whereby we shall be saved as noah in the ark. thus has st. peter given to the ark a spiritual significance throughout, within which is not flesh and blood, but a good conscience toward god,--and that is faith. v. 22. _who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of god; angels, and authorities, and powers, being made subject unto him._ this he says for the enlightening and strengthening of our faith. for it was necessary that christ should ascend to heaven and become lord over all creatures and powers universally, that he may bring us thither, and make us conquerors. this is said for our consolation, that we may know that all powers, whether they be in heaven or earth, must serve and aid us, even death and the devil,--since all must become subservient, and lie at the feet of the lord christ. this closes the third chapter. the fourth follows. chapter iv. v. 1. _forasmuch, then, as christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind; for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin._ st. peter continues still in the same strain. just as he hitherto has admonished us generally that we should suffer, if it be the will of god, and has set christ before us as an example,--so he now confirms it more broadly, and repeats it again, saying, while christ, who is our captain and head, has suffered in the flesh and presented us an example, (besides that he has ransomed us from our sins,) we also should imitate him, and prepare ourselves, and put on the same armor. for in the scriptures the life of the lord christ, and especially his suffering, is presented before us in a twofold manner. sometimes as a gift, as st. peter has already exhibited it in the third chapter; and to those first, who are built up and instructed in the faith that we are ransomed, and our sins taken away by the blood of christ; and so he is a gift and bestowment upon us, which none can receive except by faith. whereof he speaks where he says, "christ has once suffered for our sins." that is certainly the grand doctrine, and the most precious one of the gospel. again, christ is set before us and offered to us as an example and pattern for us to follow. for if we only receive christ, through faith, as a free gift, we shall go farther and do ourselves as he has done for us, and imitate him in his whole life and sufferings. in this manner st. peter presents it here. but he does not speak here particularly of those marks of the love which leads us to befriend our neighbor, and do good, which are called, specifically, good works (for he had said enough of this above), but of such evidences as concern our personal experience, and are of service in strengthening our faith, that sin may be put to death in the flesh, and we thereby become of so much better service to our neighbor. for if i control my body so that it be not lustful, then can i leave my neighbor, his wife or child, at peace; while if i subdue hate and envy, i shall become so much better prepared to be kind and friendly toward my neighbor. we have repeated often enough already that we are justified through faith, and thus have the lord christ as ours; still we must also do good works and show kindness to our neighbor. for we are never entirely purified while we live on earth, and every one still finds in his body evil lusts. the believer indeed prays for the death of sin and the gift of heaven, but is not yet become entirely and completely strong; but as christ described the samaritan, who was not yet healed, but was laid under restrictions and directions that he might become sound, so it is also with us. if we believe, then is our sin restrained,--that is, the disease which we have derived from adam, and we begin to recover. but it is the case, in one more, in another less, that in proportion as one mortifies and subdues the flesh, so much does his faith increase. so that if we have these two things, faith and love, our future experience will be, that we shall continue to drive sin before us till we die. therefore st. peter says, _arm yourselves with the same mind_; that is, take up a firm purpose, and strengthen yourselves with the mind which you receive from christ; for, if we are christians, then must we also say, my master has suffered and spilt his blood for me, and has died for my sake. should i then be so base as not to love him? while the master runs upon the spears' points in the conflict, how much more should the servant advance with joy? thus do we awaken a courage such that we press onward, and arm ourselves in our own minds so as joyfully to persevere. the word _flesh_ refers in scripture not only outwardly to the body, but includes all that is derived from adam. as when god says, in gen. vi.: "my spirit shall not always strive with men, for they also are flesh;" and isaiah, chap. xl., "all flesh shall see the salvation of god,"--that is, it shall be revealed for all men. so we also make confession in our own form of faith, "i believe in the resurrection of the flesh," that is, that men shall rise again. so man uniformly throughout is called flesh, as he lives here in this state of being. the marks of the flesh are carefully recounted, one after another, in paul's epistle to the galatians v., not only the gross carnal works, as lasciviousness, but also the highest and most reckless blasphemies, as idolatry and heresy, which belong not only to the flesh, but to the reason. we must understand, therefore, that man, with his intellectual nature,--and with respect both to that which is inward and that which is outward--that is, the body and spirit,--has the appellation of flesh; and this, because with all his faculties, internal and external, he seeks only that which is carnal, and can serve to gratify the flesh. st. peter says here, too, that christ suffered in the _flesh_, while it is certain that his suffering extended further than to the body merely, for his soul suffered the greatest anguish, as is said by the prophet isaiah. in the same way, also, you are to understand that which follows, in the passage before us: "_whoever hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin._" for this implies not only such things as the death and the torture of the body, but whatever can work misery to man--whatever he endures through calamity and necessity. for there are many people who are sound in body, and yet inwardly experience much heart-sorrow and anguish. if it comes upon us for christ's sake, it is serviceable and profitable. for whoever suffers in the flesh (says he) ceases from sin, and therefore the holy cross is profitable, that sin may thereby be subdued; since it requires you to mortify lust, envy and hate, and other wickedness. therefore god has imposed the holy cross upon us that he might urge and constrain us to believe, and extend the hand of kindness one to the other. hereupon it follows: v. 2. _that he henceforth, in the time that still remains for him in the flesh, should live not according to the lusts of men, but the will of god._ we should henceforth, as long as we live, hold the flesh captive through the cross, and by mortifications, so as to do that which pleases god, and not with the idea that we should or can deserve anything by it. _not according to the lusts of men_ (says he),--that is, that we should not do that to which we might yet be tempted by others; for we are not to be conformed to this world, as paul says, rom. xii. what the world demands of us we must refuse. v. 3. _for the time past of our life is enough to have wrought the will of the gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings and abominable idolatries._ we have already gone altogether too far, that before our believing we have so shamefully spent our life in accordance with the will of the gentiles, which is the same with lusts of men. therefore as long as life continues we should see to it that we do that which is well-pleasing to god; for we have our enemy in our flesh, the one that is the real knave--not gross matter merely, but more particularly blindness of mind, which paul calls carnal wisdom,--that is, the policy of the flesh. if we have subdued this depravity, that other is carefully to be constrained, which does our neighbor injury in so secret a manner as not to be observed. st. peter calls that lasciviousness that is accompanied with outward gestures or words by which evil intentions are expressed, though the deed itself be not performed, and it is that which is unchaste to the sight and hearing, upon which afterward the lust and the act also follow. thereupon there succeeds such idolatry as is abominable. and we may easily bring all this upon us, for when we have lost faith we have certainly lost god, also, and may fall into more abominable idolatries than the heathen, if we view the matter aright. v. 4-5. _and it surprises them that ye run not with them to the same excess of disorderly life, and they calumniate you, who must give account to him that is ready to judge the living and the dead._ that is, ye have hitherto lived after the manner of the heathen, but since you have now forsaken it, it appears strange to men, and seems shameful and foolish, and they say, "what great fools they are to withdraw themselves from all worldly good and gratification." but let it seem strange to them; let them libel you; they shall yet be compelled to give in their account; wherefore leave it to him that will judge righteously. v. 6. _for to this end also was the gospel preached to the dead, that they should be judged according to men in the flesh, but live to god in the spirit._ here we have, however, a strange and remarkable text. the words clearly declare that the gospel is preached not only to the living, but also to the dead, and adds besides, "in order that they may be judged according to men in the flesh." now they certainly have not flesh, which can be understood only of the living. it is a wonderful passage, however understood: whether it should be made to refer to us, or to concern something foreign, i do not know, yet this is my understanding of it. we are not to be anxious how god will condemn the heathen who died many centuries ago, but only how he will judge those that are now living; so that the passage should be considered as spoken of men on earth. but as to the word _flesh_, you are to understand, as i said above, that the entire man is called flesh, according as he lives, just as he also is called in respect to his whole nature, spiritual, while he follows after that which is spiritual. still there is also a commingling of the two things with one another, just as i say of a man who is wounded, that he is whole and yet is wounded; and so, too, though the sound part is greater than the wounded part, still he is spoken of only with reference to the injured part as wounded; and such, too, is the method of the spirit here: therefore he says, that they as to their outward being are condemned, but inwardly, as respects the spirit, are preserved in life. but how does that, where he says that they live, agree with that which he subjoins, that they are dead? i will explain it according to my understanding, yet not so as to limit the holy ghost in that he calls the unbelieving dead. for i cannot accept the sense that to those that are dead and perished, the gospel has been preached. this, then, would be what st. peter means, that the gospel has been freely published and universally spread abroad, concealed neither from dead nor living--neither from angels nor yet from devils, and preached not secretly in a corner, but so publicly that all creatures might hear it that have ears to hear, as christ gave command in the last of mark: "go ye forth and preach the gospel to all creatures." if, therefore, it is preached in such a manner, there will those be found who are condemned after the flesh, but live after the spirit. v. 7. _but the end of all things is at hand._ this is also a remarkable passage, for already nearly 1500 years are passed since then. st. peter preached that the time is neither near nor brief, yet he says, _that the end of all things is at hand_; as john also declares in his first epistle, chap, ii., "it is the last hour." if it were not the apostle's language, we might say it was contradictory: but by this we must firmly abide, that the apostle has truth with him. yet what he means here he shall explain himself in the second epistle, where he tells us why the time is said to be near, and says: "one day is with the lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day;" of which i have spoken above. so that we must explain it in this manner, that it shall not be as long hereafter to the end of the world as it has been from the beginning to the present time. and it is not to be expected that one should live two or three thousand years after the birth of christ, so that the end shall come before we look for it. wherefore he further adds: v. 7, 8. _be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. and above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins._ here you perceive the reason why we are to watch and be sober; namely, that we may be prepared to pray for ourselves and our neighbors. since charity cannot be fervent unless you keep the body in subjection, that charity may have place within you. here st. peter has quoted a passage from the book of proverbs, ch. x. 12. _hate stirreth up strife, but love covereth the multitude of sins._ and this is what st. peter means: subdue your flesh and lusts: unless you do it, you will easily offend one another, and yet not easily be able to forgive one another. take care, therefore, that you subdue the wicked lusts, so you shall be able to show charity one to another, and to forgive, for charity covereth sins. this passage has been explained to the prejudice of faith, inasmuch as they tell us: "you say that faith alone makes us righteous, and that no one through works may be free from sin. why then do solomon and peter, as in this passage, say, _love covers sins_?" answer. whoever has hatred toward another, says solomon, ceases not to stir up strife and bitterness. but where there is love, it covers sins and cheerfully forgives. where there is wrath, or in other words, where there is an intractable man, reconciliation is not permitted; he remains full of wrath and hate. on the other hand, a man who is full of love is he whom one cannot enrage, however much injury may be done him; he perceives it all, but does as though he saw it not. so that the _covering_ is spoken of as regards our neighbor, and not as it respects god. nothing shall cover up sin before god for you, except faith. but my love covers the sin of my neighbor; and just as god with his love covers my sins, if i believe, so too should i cover my neighbor's sins. therefore he says, ye should have charity one to another, that one may cover the other's sins. and love covers not only one, two, or three sins, but the multitude of sins; cannot suffer and do too much; covers up all. so st. paul also speaks and teaches in accordance with this passage, i. cor. xiii. 7. _charity beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things._ it has respect to the best good of all, can suffer all, and take for the best whatever shall be imposed upon it. there follows, further: v. 9. _be hospitable one to another without grudging, and minister one to another, as every one has received the gift._ he is said to be hospitable who cheerfully acts the host. when the apostles went abroad one with another and preached, and sent their younger brethren here and there, it was necessary that one should lodge the other. how well would it be, even now, that men should preach from one place to another, from city to city, from house to house,--and without remaining too long in one place, might see to it that where one was weak he should be helped, and where one had fallen down he should be lifted up, and things of that sort. st. peter directs that this should take place without murmuring; that no one should suffer it to seem too much for him. this is also a work of love, as it follows immediately afterward, that we should minister to one another! wherewith? with the gifts of god which every one has received. the gospel directs that every one be the servant of the other, and beside, see to it that he abide in the gift which he has received, which god has bestowed upon him; that is, the state, whatever it be, whereunto he has been called. god's will is not that a lord should serve his servant, that the maid be as the mistress, and a prince serve the beggar;--for he will not break down magistracy. but his meaning is, that men should serve one another spiritually, with their hearts: although you are a high and great lord, yet should you employ your power to this end, that you may therewith serve your neighbor. thus should every one hold himself for a servant; the lord may still remain a lord, and yet hold himself, in his own esteem, no better than the servant: so that he even cheerfully would become a servant if it were god's ordering; and the same is applicable to other conditions. v. 10. _as good stewards of the manifold grace of god._ god has not bestowed upon us all like grace; therefore should every one inquire to what he has been appointed, and what kind of gift has been bestowed upon him. when he discovers this, let him use it for the service of his neighbor, as st. peter further explains, and says: v. 11. _if any man speak, let him speak as the word of god._ that is, if any one has the grace that enables him to preach and teach, let him teach and preach. as st. paul says, also, rom. xii. 3: "that no one think more of himself than he ought to think, but every man according as god has dealt to him the measure of faith. for as we have many members in one body and all members have not the same office, so we, being many, are one body in christ, and every one members one of another; and have many gifts, differing according to the grace that has been given unto us." and then follows, "has any one a prophecy, let it be in accordance with faith; has any one a ministry, let him wait on his ministering: does any one teach, let him wait on his teaching." he teaches the same doctrine also elsewhere, in his epistles to the corinthians and ephesians. for this reason has god distributed various gifts among men which should be employed to this intent alone, that one should minister therewith to another, especially those who are in authority, be it in preaching, or some other ministry. now st. peter says, here, _if any one speak, let him speak as the word of god._ this point is worthy of special remark, that no one is to preach anything but what he is sure is the word of god. there st. peter has shut up the pope's mouth, and lo! he will be st. peter's successor, so cunningly has he managed it. further: v. 11. _if any one ministers, let him do it as of the ability which god giveth._ that is, whoever rules in the christian church and has an office or ministry for the care of souls, he is not to proceed as he may choose, and say, "i am sovereign lord, i must be obeyed; what i do shall remain established." god requires that we should do no otherwise than as he directs. so that since it is god's work and ordinance, let a bishop do nothing except he be sure that god sanctions it, that it is either god's word or work. and besides, inasmuch as god will not permit that we should regard as a matter of sport what we do with the christian church, we must stand in such an assurance as this, that god speaks and works through us, and that our faith may also say, "that which i have spoken and done, god also has spoken and done; on this i will even die." and yet if i am not certain of the matter, then my faith will rest upon the sand when the devil assaults me. thus here it is emphatically forbidden us to receive the command of any bishop, unless it is also the case, that he is certain that he does what god does, and can say, "i have god's word and command for it." where that is wanting, we must hold him for a liar. for god has prescribed that our conscience must rest on the bare rock. this is said also of government in general, that no one might follow his own darkness, and that nothing might be done of which he was not sure that god would sanction it. whence you perceive how st. peter so long ago thrust down to the ground the government of popes and bishops, as we have it at the present day. now follows: v. 11. _that god in all things may be glorified through our lord jesus christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever; amen._ for this reason it is, you are to be so confident, (he means), that god speaks and does all that you speak and do. for if you perform a work of which you are not sure that god has done it, you cannot praise and give thanks. but where a man is certain of it, in that case he may praise and thank him for his word and works' sake, though he should be belied and held up for derision. therefore it is a shameful and ruinous thing that in christendom any one should govern in opposition to the word and works of god. therefore, from necessity, has st. peter subjoined that in which he instructs how government should be ordered among christian people. then follows, further: v. 12. _beloved, be not surprised at the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you._ that is a mode of speech not common in our language. but st. peter uses this very phraseology, in order to remind us of that concerning which the holy scripture speaks. for the scripture is accustomed to speak of suffering as though it were a furnace full of fire and heat. st. peter has spoken in the same manner, above, in the first chapter: "that the trial of your faith be found far more precious than the perishing gold that is tried by fire." we may also read in the prophet isaiah, chap. xlviii., god says: "i have tried thee in the furnace of affliction;" and ps. xvi., "with fire hast thou tried me;" and ps. xxv., "lord, thou wilt consume and destroy my nerves and my heart;" also, ps. lxv., "we have passed through fire and water." thus the scriptures are accustomed to illustrate what we call suffering, by burning or trial by fire. this is st. peter's conclusion, that we should not suffer ourselves to be surprised, or to think it strange and wonderful that the heat or fire should meet us, whereby we are tried, just as gold is when it is melted in the fire. when faith begins, god does not neglect it; he lays the cross upon our back in order to strengthen us and make our faith mighty. the gospel is a powerful word, but it cannot enter upon its work without opposition, and no one can be sure that it possesses such power, but he who has experienced it. where there is suffering and the cross, there its power may be shown and exercised. it is a _living_ word, and therefore it must exercise all its energy upon the dead. but if there is no such thing as death and corruption, there is nothing for it to do, and none can be certain that it possesses such virtue, and is stronger than sin and death. therefore, he says, _are you tried_; that is, god appoints for you no flame or heat (in other words, cross and suffering, which make you glow as in a furnace), except to try you, whether you rely upon his word. thus it is written, wisdom x., of jacob, "god appointed for him a severe conflict, that he might learn by experience that divine wisdom is the strongest of all things." that is the reason why god imposes the cross on all believers, that they may taste and prove the power of god which through faith they have possessed. v. 13. _but be ye partakers of the sufferings of christ._ st. peter does not say that we should feel the sufferings of christ, that thereby we should be partakers with him through faith, but would say this: just as christ has suffered, so are you to expect to suffer and be tried. if you do thus suffer, then do you therein have fellowship with the lord christ. if we would live with him, we must also die with him. if i wish to sit with him in his kingdom, i must also suffer with him, as paul also says, repeatedly. v. 13. _rejoice, that in the time of the revelation of his glory, ye may be glad with exceeding joy._ though you should be brought to torture and the flames, you would still be happy. for though there be pain as to the body, there shall yet be a spiritual joy, inasmuch as you are to be happy forever. for this joy springs here from suffering, and is everlasting. yet whoever cannot bear his sufferings cheerfully, and is dissatisfied, and chooses to contend with god, he shall endure, both here and hereafter, eternal torment and suffering. thus we read of holy martyrs, that they have submitted cheerfully to torture, thus opening the way to eternal enjoyment; as for instance, of st. agatha, that she went as joyfully to prison as though it had been to a dance. and the apostles went also with joy, and thanked god "that they were counted worthy to suffer for christ's sake." _in the time of the revelation of his glory._ christ does not permit himself as yet to be seen as a lord, but is still a sharer with us in our labors. so far as he is himself concerned, he is truly such, but we who are his members, are not lords as yet. still we shall yet be lords, when his glory at the last day shall be revealed before all men, brighter than the sun. v. 14. _if ye be reproached for the name of christ, happy are you._ christ is a hateful name with the world; whoever preaches of him must endure to have the most esteemed on earth slander and revile his name. but this in our times is more strange and unseemly, that they who persecute us bear also the name of christ; they say they are christians and baptized, yet in fact renounce and persecute christ. this is indeed a sad strife. they hold the same name as tenaciously as we do, against us. for this reason we greatly need consolation,--although the most discreet and pious follow after us,--that we may abide firmly and remain cheerful. but how? v. 14. _for the spirit of glory and of god resteth upon you. on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified._ ye (he says) have within you a spirit, that is, the spirit of god and of glory, such as makes you glorious. but this does not take place on earth, but it shall take place when the glory of christ shall be revealed at the last day. besides, he is not only a spirit that makes us glorious, but one which we also regard as glorious in himself. for it belongs peculiarly to the holy spirit to purify and glorify, even as he has made christ pure and glorious. now the same spirit (he says) rests upon you; and forasmuch as ye bear the name of christ, it is slandered by them. for he must endure to be reviled and slandered, to the highest degree. therefore it is not you who receive the reviling; it belongs to the spirit, which is a spirit of glory: be not anxious; he will regard it and raise you to honor. this is the consolation which we as christians have, that we may say, that word is not mine, this faith is not mine, they are all the work of god: whoever reviles me reviles god, as christ says in matthew x., "whoever receiveth you receiveth me;" and on the other hand, "whoever reviles you reviles me." st. peter, therefore, would say, know that the spirit which you have is strong enough easily to punish his enemies; as god says also in ex. xxiii., if thou wilt hearken to my commandments, i will be the enemy of thine enemies. and the scripture often repeats it, that the enemies of the saints are the enemies of god. if we only have experience that we are christians, and believe, we shall not be ashamed, but the reviling is directed more especially against god himself. therefore, he says, be ye cheerful and happy, for that opposition is to the spirit, which is not yours, but god's. now he adds an admonition: v. 15, 16. _but let no one suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil-doer, or a busy-body in other men's matters; but if any man suffer as a christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify god on this behalf._ he would say, now, you have heard how you are to suffer, and conduct yourselves under it, but beware that it do not come upon you because you have deserved it on account of your evil deeds, but for christ's sake. yet this is not now the case with us, for we must suffer, notwithstanding the fact that those who persecute us bear also the name of christ, so that no one can die because he is a christian, but only as an enemy of christ, and even they who persecute him say they are real christians, and say, too, that he is blessed who dies for christ's sake. here the spirit alone must determine, since you must know that you are a christian in the sight of god. god's tribunal is a secret one, and when he has uncovered the matter, he will judge no more according to the name, since at that time the name of the most exalted must vanish away. now, st. peter says, if ye suffer in this manner, _be ye not ashamed, but glorify god._ here he makes the suffering and anguish the more welcome, because it is great, insomuch that we praise god through it, and because we are not worthy of it. yet now all will shrink therefrom. of what advantage is it to embrace the cross in monasteries? the cross of christ does not save me. i must, indeed, believe in his cross, but i must myself bear my own cross. his suffering must i experience inwardly, if i would possess the true treasure. let st. peter's bones be holy, yet how does it help you? you and your bones should be holy, too, which can take place only when you suffer for christ's sake. v. 17. _for the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of god; and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of god?_ he here brings two passages from the prophets together in one. as to the first, jeremiah says, xxv.: "behold, i send my judgments upon the city which is called by my name; and if first of all i afflict my dearly beloved children who believe on me, who first of all must suffer and past through the fire, do ye who are my enemies, ye who do not believe, suppose that ye shall escape punishment?" so in chap. xlix. he says: "they whose judgment was not to drink the cup, have assuredly drunken, and thinkest thou that thou art he that shall not drink?" that is, i strike my beloved, that you may see how i shall treat my enemies. observe here the force of the words: if god holds his saints in such esteem, yet has been willing to have them judged and exposed with such severity, what will then be done with the others? so also ezekiel, chap. ix., saw armed men with their swords, who were to slay all, to whom god said, begin at my sanctuary. that is what st. peter means in this place. therefore he says, the time is come, as the prophets have foretold, when judgment must begin with us. when the gospel is preached, god arrests and punishes sin, since it is he that kills and makes alive. the pious he gently strokes, and first of all is the rod of kind correction: but what then will be done with those that do not believe? as though he had said, if he proceeds with such severity toward his own children, you may infer what must be the punishment of those who do not believe. v. 18. _and if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?_ this passage is also taken from the book of proverbs, chap. ii. 31.: "if the righteous be recompensed in the earth, where shall the godless abide?" the same thing also is said here by st. peter. the righteous can hardly be saved and only just escapes. the righteous is he who believes, yet in his faith, even, _he_ has trouble and labor in order to persevere and be saved, for he must pass through the fire. where then will _he_ be found who has not faith? if god gives thus to faith a shock that makes it tremble, how can _he_ abide steadfast who is without faith? whence he concludes: v. 19. _wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of god, commit their souls to him as a faithful creator, in well-doing._ that is, they to whom god appoints suffering, that they have not themselves sought out and invited, should commit their souls to his charge. these are they that do good, abide in good works, fall not away because of suffering, commit themselves to their creator, who is faithful. this is to us a great consolation. god created thy soul without thy care or coã¶peration, while as yet thou wast not; so is he also able to preserve it. therefore commit thyself to him, yet in such a way that it be joined with good works. not that you are to think,--now i will not be afraid to die; you must see to it that you are a true christian and prove your faith by your works. but if you go on so venturously, it will be wise to examine how it will go with you. this is the last admonition which st. peter gives to those that suffer for christ's sake. we pass now to chapter v. v. 1-4. _the elders which are among you i exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of christ, and partaker of the glory which shall be revealed. feed the flock of christ which is among you, and take the oversight of it, not by constraint, but willingly, not for the love of vile gain, but of a ready mind, not as lords over the heritage, but be ye examples for the flock. thus when the chief shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive the enduring crown._ there st. peter gives a direction for the behaviour of such as are to preside over the people in the spiritual government. he has already said in the last chapter, that no one should teach or preach anything, unless he be sure that it is the word of god, so that our conscience may stand on the firm rock. for this is imperative on us as christians, that we must be assured what is well-pleasing to god, or not. where this is wanting none can be a christian. afterward he taught us, that whatever work or office any one might have, he should discharge it as though god wrought in it. but the present passage refers particularly to the bishops or pastors as to what their fitness and conduct should be. but here you must pause and learn the meaning of the words. the expression presbyter or priest is a greek word, rendered in dutch an elder, just as in latin these were called senators; that is, a number of aged, careful men of much experience. so christ also has called his officers and his council, who bear spiritual rule; that is, who are to preach and provide for some christian church. therefore you must not mistake, though they are called at the present day by a different title, priests. for of those who are now called priests, scripture knows nothing. put the real state of things as it now comes to pass out of sight, and apprehend the matter thus: that st. peter and the other apostles, when they arrived at a city where there were faithful people or christians, have selected there some few aged men of honorable standing, having wife and children, and being well-grounded in the scriptures. these were called presbyters. after this peter and paul call them _episcopos_, that is, bishop. so that priest and bishop are one and the same thing. of this we have a fine example in the legend of st. martyn, where an individual, with several companions, arrives in africa at a certain place, and perceives a man lying there in a hovel, whom they took for a husbandman, though they knew not who he was. afterwards, when the people had come together at that place, this very man arose and preached, when they perceived that it was their pastor or bishop; for at that time they were not distinguished from other people by their peculiar kind of clothing and attendance. those elders, says st. peter, who are to care for and to oversee the people, do i admonish, who am also one. hence you clearly perceive that they whom he calls _elders_, have been in the ministry and have preached, since he speaks of himself also as an elder. and here st. peter humbles himself--does not say that he was a lord, although he might have had authority for it since he was an apostle of christ, and speaks of himself not only as a fellow-elder, but also as a witness of the sufferings that were in christ. as though he had said, i do not merely preach, but am a partaker with christians, even suffering christians. thereby he shows that wherever christians are they must suffer and be persecuted. such is a genuine apostle. if such a pope or a bishop were to be found among these men that bear the title at the present day, we would gladly kiss his feet. _and partaker of the glory which shall be revealed._ this is something still more exalted, and evidently a bishop must not lightly say it. for here st. peter claims to be a saint. he was certain that he should be saved, for he had strong assurance, as when christ said, "i have chosen you"--yet it had cost much pains ere the apostles attained it. they must first be humbled and wickedly derided. now, although he knew that he was a partaker of salvation, still he is not proud, neither does he exalt himself, although he is a saint. but what were the elders therefore to do? it follows: v. 2. _feed the flock of christ which is among you._ christ is the chief shepherd, and has many shepherds under him,--as also many herds of sheep which he has committed to his shepherds, here and there, as st. peter writes in this place, in many lands. what are these shepherds to do? they are to feed the flock of christ. this the pope has arrogated to himself, and thus claims that he is sovereign lord, and will dispose of the sheep as he chooses. we know very well what feeding is,--namely, that the shepherd should distribute provision and set food before the sheep, that they may thrive. besides, they are to guard lest the wolves come and rend the sheep,--that is, that they may not assault and worry them. now st. peter says, particularly, the _flock of christ_, as though he should say: do not imagine that the flock is yours, ye are only servants. but our bishops speak with all confidence the reverse of this. they say, you are _my_ sheep. but we are christ's sheep; for so he said above, "ye are now returned to the shepherd and bishop of your souls." the bishops are christ's servants, and their business is to guard christ's sheep, and feed them. therefore to feed them is nothing else but to preach the gospel, whereby souls are nourished, made fat and fruitful,--since the sheep thrive upon the gospel and the word of god. this is alone the office of a bishop. so christ says also to peter, "feed my sheep,"--that is, the sheep which you are to feed, are not yours, but mine. yet from this they have inferred the doctrine that the pope has external power over all christendom, and yet none of them preaches to you one word out of the gospel; and i fear that since st. peter's times there has been no pope that has preached the gospel. there has certainly been none who has written and left anything behind him in which the gospel was contained. saint gregory, the pope, was certainly a holy man, but his sermons are not worth a farthing; so that it would seem that the see of rome has been under the special curse of god. it is very possible that some popes may have endured martyrdom for the gospel's sake; but nothing has been written of them to show that it was the gospel. and yet they go on and preach that they must feed the flock; and yet they do nothing but bind and destroy the conscience, by laws of their own, while they preach not a word of christ. it is probable, indeed, that among all christians many might be found, both men and women, as able to preach as those who are thus employed. but certainly among all these multitudes there are many people who have not this ability. and therefore some one must be selected to strengthen them, so that the wolves shall not come and tear the sheep. for a preacher must not only feed the sheep, so as to instruct them how they are to be good christians, but, besides this, must guard against the wolves, lest they attack the sheep and lead them astray with false doctrine, and introduce error such as the devil would not find fault with. but there are many people to be found at the present day, quite ready to tolerate our preaching of the gospel, if we would not cry out against the wolves and preach against the prelates. but though i were to preach the simple truth, and feed the sheep and give them good instruction, still it is not enough unless the sheep be guarded and protected, so that the wolves do not come and carry them off. for what is it that is built, if i throw out one stone and see another thrown into its place? the wolf can very readily endure to have the sheep well fed; he had rather have it so, that they may be fat. but this he cannot endure, the hostile bark of the dogs. therefore is it a most important matter, if well considered, that we should truly feed the flock, as god has commanded it. _the flock_, he says, _which is among you_,--that is, which is with you, not that they are to lie at your feet. and _oversee them not by constraint, but willingly, not out of love for vile gain._ there he has expressed, in a single word, what the prophet ezekiel writes, chap. xxxiv., of shepherds or bishops. and this is the meaning: you are not only to feed them, but also pay attention and be carefully faithful where it is called for and there is need. and here he uses a greek word, _episcopountes_,--that is, _being bishops_, and it comes from the word _episcopos_,--that is, rendered in dutch, _an overseer_, _a guardian_, who is on the watch or look-out, and takes notice of what every one around him wants. observe, then, how a bishop and an elder are one and the same thing. so that _that_ is false which they now say, that the bishop's office is a dignity, and that _he_ is a bishop who wears a pointed hat on his head. it is not a dignity, but a ministry; so that he who has it should oversee and provide for us, and be our guardian, so as to know what is generally needed; that when one is weak and has a troubled conscience, he should then give help and comfort; when one falls, that he should raise him up, and things of this sort; so that the people of christ may sufficiently be cared for, both in soul and body. for this reason, i have often said, that if a proper form of government was to be now established, there must in such a case be in one city as many as three or four bishops, who should have the oversight and care of the church, providing for the general wants. and here st. peter touches on two points which might well appall any one from taking the charge over a people. in the first place, there are some to be found who are truly devoted, yet yield reluctantly to becoming preachers; for it is a wearisome office for any one to have the general oversight,--how the sheep live, so as to direct and help them,--since there must be oversight and watchfulness night and day, that the wolf do not break in; so that body and life must be devoted to it. therefore he says, _you are not to do it of constraint_. true it is, that no one should force himself uncalled into the ministry; but if he is called and required for it, he should enter it willingly, and discharge what his office demands. for they who do it from constraint, and who have no appetite and love for it, will not properly discharge it. but there are others, worse than these, who stand up before the people and thereby seek their own gain, so as to feed their own belly. these men are anxious for the wool and milk of the sheep; they ask no questions about the food,--just the course of our bishops now,--a thing that has become almost everywhere a scandal and a shame, for in a bishop it is especially scandalous. for this reason both the apostles peter and paul, as well as the prophets also, have repeatedly spoken of it. so moses says, "you know that i have coveted no man's cattle." the prophet samuel, also, "you know that i have taken of you no man's ass or ox." for if he whose duty it is to feed the flock is anxious merely for wealth and gain, he will in a short time become a wolf himself. v. 2. _but of a ready mind._ that is, that a bishop have an appetite and inclination thereto. this is the character of those who willingly minister, and do not seek the wool of the sheep. thus we have two kinds of false shepherds: the one, those who serve unwillingly; the other, those who do it gladly, but for the sake of avarice.--further, he says: v. 3. _not as lords over the heritage._ this is the character of those who rule willingly enough for honor's sake, in order that they may rise high, and become powerful tyrants. therefore he admonishes them that they should not act as though the people was subject to them, so that they might be gentlemen, and might do as they chose. for we have a master, who is christ, who rules over our spirits. the bishops are to do no more than feed the sheep. here st. peter has broken down and condemned all that rule which the pope now maintains, and clearly determines that they have not power to give one word of additional command, but that they are to be only servants, and say, "thus saith christ thy master, therefore you are to do it." so christ also speaks: "the kings of this world have dominion, and men call them who are in authority their gracious lords; but you are not to be like them." now the pope speaks the reverse,--"ye shall rule and have authority." v. 3-4. _but be ye an example for the flock; so shall ye, when the chief shepherd shall appear, receive the enduring crown._ that is, see to it that you go before them at their head, and exhibit such a conduct that your life may be an example to the people, and they may follow after you. but our bishops say to the people, "go there and do so and so;" and they sit on cushions and play the gentleman, imposing burdens on us which they will not bear themselves, while they will not preach a word, and call others to account if they have not done it for them. but if it should be required of them, they would soon be weary of their dignity. therefore st. peter does not appoint any temporal reward for bishops. as though he would say, "your office is so great that it never can be rewarded here, but ye shall receive an eternal crown, which shall follow it, if ye truly feed the sheep of christ." this is the admonition which st. peter gives to those who are to care for souls, from whence you may confidently infer and clearly prove, that the pope, along with his bishops, is antichrist, or an enemy of christ, since he does nothing of that which st. peter here requires, and neither teaches nor practices it himself, but even acts the counterpart, and will not only not feed the sheep or let them be fed, but is himself a wolf and tears them, and yet makes it his boast that he is the vicar of the lord christ. he certainly is that, for since christ is not there, he, like the devil, sits and rules in christ's place. whence it is necessary carefully to remember these plain texts and others like them, and to hold them up against the pope's government, so that when any one asks or questions you, you may be able to answer and say, "christ said and practised so and so; the pope teaches and practices directly the opposite. since they are opposed to one another one of them must be false; but certainly christ is not. whence i conclude that the pope is a liar and the real antichrist." in this way must you be prepared with scripture, so that you can not only challenge the pope as antichrist, but know how to prove it clearly, so that you could die secure of it, and withstand the devil even in death.--it follows, further: v. 5. _likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elders._ we have now the last admonition in this chapter. st. peter would have such order in the christian church, that the young should follow the old, so that all may go on harmoniously; those beneath submissive to those above them. if this were now to be enforced, we should not need many laws. he would strictly have it so that the younger shall be directed according to the understanding of the older, as these shall best judge that it shall be for the praise of god. but st. peter presumes that such elders are to be instructed and established in the holy ghost. for should it happen that they are themselves fools, and without understanding, no good government could originate with them; but if they are persons of good understanding, then it is well that they should rule the youth. but st. peter is not speaking here of civil, but of church government, that the elders should rule those that are spiritually younger, whether they be priests or even old men. _be ye all of you subject one to another, and therein manifest humility._ here he turns and modifies his command, directing each to be subject one to another. but how is that consistent, that the elders should rule, and yet all should be subject one to the other? are we then to overturn what has been said? some one perhaps would give such a gloss as this, that st. peter spoke above of the elders,--here he speaks of the younger. but we shall let the words stand, granting that they are spoken generally; as paul also says in rom. xii., "that each in honor prefer one another." the younger should be subject to the old, yet in such a manner that the latter shall not regard themselves as masters, but even should submit and follow, where a younger is more judicious and learned; just as god in the old testament often selected young men, provided they were more wise than the old. so christ also teaches, in luke xiv.: "when thou art bidden, sit not down in the highest place, lest a more honorable than thou be bidden, and then he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lower place; but when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest place, that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee: friend, go up higher;" and then he introduces the passage as it is found in many places: "he who exalteth himself shall be humbled, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." therefore should the younger be subject to the elder, and yet the elder on the other hand should be so disposed that each one in his heart shall hold himself as the least. were this done we should have delightful peace, and all would go well on earth. this, therefore, says he, should we do, _exhibit humility_. _for god resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble._ that is, those who will not give place god casts down; and on the other hand, he exalts those who humble themselves. it is a common expression--would to god he lived like common folks. v. 6. _humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of god._ since god requires that each should be subject to the other; if it is done willingly and cheerfully, he will exalt you. but if you will not do it willingly, you shall do it from constraint. he will cast you down. _that he may exalt you in his own time._ it seems, when god suffers his own children to be cast down, as though he would at length desert them. therefore he says: do not mistake on this account, and suffer yourself to be blinded, but be confident, since you have a sure promise that it is god's hand and will. therefore should you not regard the time, however long it be, that you are brought low; for though he has cast you down, he will yet lift you up. hence it follows: v. 7. _cast all your cares upon him, for he careth for you._ you have such a promise as this, whereby you may rest secure that god doth not forsake you, _but careth for you_. therefore let all your cares go, and cast your burden on him. these words are exceedingly precious; how could he have made them more sweet or tender? why does he employ so great allurement? it is in order that no one might easily despond and give up his purpose. therefore he gives us such consolation as this: that god not only looks upon us, but cares also for us, and has a heartfelt regard for our lot. he further says: v. 8. _be sober, be vigilant, for your adversary the devil goeth about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour._ here he gives us a warning, and would open our eyes, and it would be well worthy that the text should be written in golden letters. here you perceive what this life is, and how it is described, so that we might well be ever wishing that we were dead. we are here in the devil's kingdom, just as in case a pilgrim should arrive at an inn, where he knew that all in the house were robbers; if he must enter there he will yet arm himself in the best way he can devise, and will sleep but little: so are we now on earth, where the prince is an evil spirit, and has the hearts of men in his power, doing by them as he will. it is a fearful thought if we properly regard it. therefore st. peter would warn us to take heed to ourselves, and act the part of a faithful servant, who knows the state of things here. for this reason he says: be sober, for they who indulge themselves here in eating and drinking, and are like fat swine, are such as can be fitted for nothing useful. therefore must we have ever by us such a talisman as this. and be vigilant (he says), not only as to the spirit but also as to the body. for a vitiated body, prone to sleep when it eats and drinks itself full, will give the devil no opposition, though it belong even to those swine who have a faith and spirit. wherefore should we then be sober and vigilant? _because your enemy the devil goeth about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour._ the evil spirit, sleeps not--is cunning and wicked. he has purposed with himself that he will assault us, and he knows the right trick therefor; goes about like a lion that is hungry, and roars as though he would gladly devour all. here st. peter gives us an important admonition, and forewarns us of our enemy, that we may protect ourselves against him; as paul also says, "we are not ignorant of the devices of the wicked spirit." that "going about" tends to make us heedless, and thereupon follow wrath, hatred, pride, lust, contempt of god. and here observe especially, that he says _the devil goeth about_. he does not pass before your eyes, when you are armed against him, but looks out before and behind you, within and without, where he may attack you. if he now meets you here, he will quickly return there, and attack you in another place; he changes from one side to the other, and employs every kind of cunning and art that he may bring you to fall; and if you are well prepared in one place, he will quickly fall in upon another; and if he cannot overthrow you there, then he assaults you somewhere else, and so never gives it up, but goes round and round, and leaves no rest to any one. if we then are fools and do not regard it, but go on and take no heed, then has he as good as seized upon us. let every one now look to this; surely each shall trace something of this in his own experience. he that has examined knows it well. therefore it is so sad for us that we go about so heedlessly. if we rightly regard it, we should cry out, _death rather than life_. job has spoken thus: "man's life on earth is nothing but an encampment, a mere conflict and strife." why then does god thus leave us in life and misery? in order that faith may be exercised and grow, and that hastening out of this life, we may have a desire of death, and an anxiety to depart. v. 9. _whom withstand, firm in the faith._ sober you should be, and vigilant, but to this end,--the body must be in a proper frame. yet with all this, the devil is not routed; this only suffices to afford the body less occasion for sin. the true sword is this, that ye be strong and firm in the faith. if you in heart grasp hold of the word of god and maintain your hold by faith, then the devil cannot gain the advantage, but will be compelled to fly. if you can say, "this has my god said--on this i stand," then shall ye see that he will quickly depart, and ill-humor, evil lusts, wrath, avarice, melancholy and doubt, will all vanish. but the devil is artful, and does not readily permit you to come to this, and so assaults you in order to take the sword out of your hand; if he can make you full, so that your body is unguarded and inclined to wantonness, then will he quickly wrench the sword from your grasp. thus he served eve: she had god's word; if she had continued to depend on it she would not have fallen, but when the devil saw that she held the word so loosely, he tore it from her heart, so that she let it go and he triumphed. thus st. peter has sufficiently instructed us how to contend with the devil. it requires not much running hither and thither; is besides a work that you can do, yet no longer than you depend through faith on the word of god. if he comes and would drive you into despondency because of sin, only seize hold of the word of god that speaks of the forgiveness of sin, and venture yourself thereon; then will he be compelled quickly to let you alone. st. peter says, moreover: _knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world._ that is, be not surprised that you must meet opposition from the devil; but comfort yourselves, inasmuch as ye are not alone, but there are others besides you who must endure such suffering, and reflect that you have your brethren to share with you in the strife. there now you have the epistle in which you have sufficiently heard a truly christian doctrine; in what a masterly manner he has described faith, love, and the holy cross; and how he instructs and warns us as to how we should contend with the devil. whoever comprehends this epistle, has doubtless enough, so that he needs nothing more but that god teach him richly from that which likewise overflows in the other books. but that is besides nothing different from this; for here the apostle has forgotten nothing which it is necessary for a christian to know. finally, he does what every faithful preacher should do, in that he not only takes care to feed the sheep, but also cares and prays for them; and concludes with a prayer that god may give them grace and strength, that they may understand and retain the word. v. 10. _but the god of all grace who hath called us unto his eternal glory by christ jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you._ that is the wish wherewith he commits them to god--god, who alone bestows grace, and not a single grace, but all grace richly in one, who has called you through christ that ye might have eternal glory, not through any desert of your own, but for christ's sake; if ye have him, ye have through faith, without merit of yours, eternal glory and salvation, which will prepare you, that you may be strong, grow, and stand, and that ye may be able to accomplish much; and to this end he will strengthen and establish you, that ye may be able to bear and suffer all. v. 11. _to him be praise and power for ever and ever, amen._ praise is the sacrifice that we as christians should offer up to god. he only adds, in conclusion: v. 12. _by your faithful brother silvanus, (as i suppose), have i written briefly, to admonish and manifest that this is the true grace of god wherein ye stand._ although i well know (he would say) that you have heard this before and know it well, so that you do not need that i should teach it unto you, yet have i written this to you (as those that are truly apostles should do), that i might also admonish you that you abide therein, since you are tried and exercised; and you are not to imagine that i preach any otherwise than as you have already heard. v. 13. _the church that is at babylon greets you._ such was the practice of writing in the epistles the farewell. _the church at babylon_, says he, _greets you_. i suppose, but am not fully confident, that he here meant rome, for it has been generally supposed that the epistle was written from rome. still, there were two babylons,--one in chaldea, the other in egypt, which is now al cair. but rome is not called babylon, except figuratively, in the sense, as was said above, of thronging corruption. thus, babel means, in the hebrew, a confusion. so, perhaps, he has called rome a confusion, or babel, since _there_ was also such disorderly conduct, and a confused multitude of all kinds of shameful practices and vices; and whatever in the whole world was scandalous had flown together there. in this same, he says, is a church gathered of such as are christians, who greet you. but i will readily leave every one to hold it as he will, for no importance attaches to it. _my son, marcus, also._ some say that he here means mark, the evangelist, and calls him his son, not literally, but spiritually,--as paul calls timothy and titus his sons, and says to the corinthians that he has begotten them in christ. v. 14. _greet ye one another with a kiss of charity._ this custom has now passed away. in the gospel we read distinctly that christ received his disciples with a kiss, and such was then a practice in those lands. of this kiss, st. paul often speaks, also. _peace be with you all that are in christ jesus. amen._ that is, who believe in christ. this is the adieu wherewith he commits them to god.--thus we have concluded this first epistle. god grant his grace, that we may hold and keep it. amen. the second epistle general of st. peter. preface. st. peter wrote this epistle because he saw how the true, pure doctrine of faith had become falsified, darkened and suppressed. and he has wished to meet a two-fold error, springing from a wrong understanding of the doctrine of faith, and guard against it in both directions; namely, that we should not ascribe to works the power of making us righteous and acceptable before god, though these works belong to faith; and, on the other hand, that no one should think that there may be faith without good works. for if any one preaches concerning faith, that it justifies us without any addition of works, the people say, "one need do no works," as we see it in our daily experience; and, on the other hand, when they fall on works and exalt them, faith must be prostrated, so that the middle way is one to be retained with difficulty, where there are not preachers of the right kind. now, we have ever taught this doctrine, that to faith we are to ascribe all things, one as well as another; that it alone makes us just and holy in the sight of god. moreover, that if faith is present, out of it good works must and should proceed, since it is even impossible that we should pass this our life quite indolent, and do no works. thus st. peter in this epistle would also teach us, and thus meet those who perhaps out of the former epistle might have received the wrong apprehension that it sufficed for faith, though we should at the same time do no work. and against this the first chapter especially aims, wherein he teaches that believers should try themselves by good works, and become assured of their faith. the second chapter is against those who exalt works merely, and depreciate faith. therefore he admonishes them against the false teachers who should come, who, through the teachings of men, should destroy faith entirely. for he clearly saw what a cruel trial there would yet be in the world, as had even then already begun; as st. paul says, ii. thes. ii., "the mystery of iniquity already works." thus is this epistle written as a warning for us, that we prove our faith by our good works, and yet that we trust not to our works. chapter i. v. 1. _simon peter, a servant and apostle of jesus christ, to those who have attained like faith with us, in the righteousness which our god gives, and our saviour, jesus christ._ such is the subscription and the superscription of this epistle, that we may know who writes it, and to whom he writes it, even to those who have heard the word of god and abide in the faith. but what sort of a faith is this? in the righteousness (says he) which god gives. thus he grants justification to faith alone,--as st. paul, also, in rom. i. in the gospel is that righteousness revealed which avails with god, which comes from faith; as it stands written: "the just shall live by faith." thus st. peter would admonish them that they should be armed, and not let the doctrine of faith be torn away, which they have now apprehended and thoroughly known. and to this end he adjoins, _in the righteousness which god gives_, that he may separate from it all human righteousness. for by faith alone are we righteous before god; wherefore faith is called a righteousness of god, for with the world it is of no account; yea, it is even condemned. v. 2. _grace and peace be multiplied among you, through the knowledge of god and jesus christ our lord._ this is the greeting usually prefixed to the epistles; and it amounts to this: i wish you, in place of my service for you, to increase in grace and peace, and grow ever richer and richer in the grace which comes from the knowledge of god and the lord christ,--that is, which none can have but he who has the knowledge of god and jesus christ. the apostles, and the prophets also, in the scripture, are ever setting forth the knowledge of god. as isaiah, xi: "they shall not injure or destroy in my whole mountain, for the land is filled with the knowledge of god, as the land is covered with the water." that is, so overflowingly shall the knowledge of god break forth, as when a mass of water gushes up and rushes forth and swallows up a whole land. thence shall such peace then follow, that no one shall wrong another, or make him suffer. but this is not to know god, that you should believe as the turks, jews, and devils believe, that god has created all things, or even that christ was born of a virgin, suffered, died, and rose again; but this is the true knowledge, whereby you hold and know that god is thy god and christ is thy christ, which the devil and the false christians could not believe. so that this knowledge is nothing else but a true christian faith; for if you thus know god and christ, you will then confide in them with your whole heart, and trust them in good and ill, in life and death. such trust evil consciences cannot possess. for they know no more of god, except that he is a god of st. peter and all the saints in heaven. but as their own god they know him not, but hold him as their task-master and angry judge. to have god, is to have all grace, all mercy, and all that man can well receive; to have christ, is to have the saviour and mediator, who has brought us to say that god is ours, and has obtained all grace for us with him. this also must be implied, that christ is yours and you are his, then have you a true knowledge. a woman that lives unmarried can well say that a man is a husband, but this can she not say, that he is her husband. so may we all well say, this is _a_ god, but this we cannot say all of us, that he is _our_ god, for we cannot all trust upon him nor comfort ourselves as his. to this knowledge belongs also that which the scripture calls _faciem et vultum domini_, the face of the lord, whereof the prophets speak much; who ever sees not the face of the lord knows him not, but sees only his back,--that is, an angry and ungracious god. and here you perceive, that st. peter does not set himself particularly to write of faith, since he had already done that sufficiently in the first epistle, but would admonish believers that they should prove their faith by good works; for he would not have a faith without good works, nor works without faith, but faith first and good works on and from faith. therefore, he says, now, also: v. 3. _according as his divine power (whatever serves for life and godliness) is abundantly given us._ this is the first point, where peter essays to describe what sort of blessings we have received through faith from god, even that to us (since we have known god by faith) there is given every kind of divine power. but what sort of power is it? it is such power as serves us toward life and godliness; that is, when we believe, then we attain this much, that god gives us the fullness of his power, which is so with and in us, that what we speak and work, it is not we that do it, but god himself does it. he is strong, powerful, and almighty in us, though we even suffer and die, and are weak in the eyes of the world. so that there is no power nor ability in us if we have not this power of god. but this power of god which is in us, st. peter would not have so explained, as that we might make heaven and earth, and should work such miracles as god does; for how would we be advantaged by it? but we have the power of god within us so far as it is useful and necessary to us. therefore, the apostle adjoins, and says, _whatever serves for life and godliness_; that is, we have such power of god that by it we are eminently favored with grace to do good and to live forever. _through the knowledge of him who hath called us._ such power of god, and such rich grace, come from no other source but from this knowledge of god; for if you count him for a god, he will deal also with you in all things as a god. so paul also says, i. cor. i., "ye are in all points enriched in every kind of word and knowledge, even as the preaching of christ is made powerful in you, so that ye have henceforth no want." this is now the greatest thing of all, the noblest and most needful that god can give us,--so that we are not to receive all that is in heaven and on earth; for what would it help you, though you were able to go through fire and water, and do all kinds of wonderful works, and had not this? many people who perform such miracles shall be condemned. but this is wonderful above all things else, that god gives us such power, that thereby all our sins are forgiven and blotted out, death, the devil and hell, subdued and vanquished; so that we have an unharassed conscience and a happy heart, and fear for nothing. _through his glory and virtue._ how does that call come, whereby we are called of god? thus: god has permitted the holy gospel to go forth into the world and be made known, though no man had ever before striven for it, or sought or prayed for it, of him. but ere man had ever thought of it, he has offered, bestowed, and beyond all measure richly shed forth such grace, so that he alone has the glory and the praise; and we ascribe to him alone the virtue and the power, for it is not our work, but his only. wherefore, since the calling is not of us, we should not exalt ourselves as though we had done it, but render to him praise and thanksgiving, because he has given us the gospel, and thereby granted us power and might against the devil, death, and all evil. v. 4. _whereby are given unto us exceeding precious and great promises._ st. peter adjoins this, that he may explain the nature and method of faith. if we know him as god, then do we have through faith that eternal life and divine power wherewith we subdue death and the devil. though we see and grasp it not, yet is it promised to us. we really have it all, though it does not yet appear, but at the last day we shall see it present before us. here it begins in faith; though we have it not in its fullness, we have yet the assurance that we live here in the power of god, and shall afterward be saved forever. whoever has this faith has the promise; whoever does not believe possesses it not, and must be lost forever. how great and precious a thing this is, peter explains further, and says: _so that ye by the same might become partakers of the divine nature, while ye flee from the corrupting lusts of the world._ this we have, he says, through the power of faith, that we should be partakers and have association or communion with the divine nature. this is such a passage that the like of it does not stand in the new or old testament, although it is a small matter with the unbelieving that we should have communion with the divine nature itself. but what is the divine nature? it is eternal truth, righteousness, wisdom; eternal life, peace, joy, happiness, and whatever good one can name. whoever then becomes partaker of the divine nature, attains all this,--that he is to live forever, and have eternal peace, delight and joy, and is to be perfectly pure, just, and triumphant over the devil, sin and death. therefore st. peter would say this much: as little as any one can take away from god, that he should not be eternal life and eternal truth, just as little shall any one take it away from you. whatever one does to you he must do to him, for whoever would crush a christian must crush god. all this, that word, the divine nature, implies, and he also used it to this end, that he might include it all; and it is truly a great thing where it is believed. but, as i said above, this is merely instruction, in which he does not lay down a ground of faith, but sets forth what great, rich blessings we receive through faith; wherefore he says, that ye shall have all if ye so live as to prove your faith, whereby ye flee worldly lusts. so he speaks, now, further: v. 5. _give then all your diligence, and add to your faith, virtue._ here st. peter takes up the admonition, that they should prove their faith by good works. since such great blessing is bestowed upon you through faith (he would say), that ye really have all that god is, do this besides: be diligent, and not sluggish; add to your faith, virtue; that is, let your faith break out before the world, so as to be zealous, busy, powerful, and active, and to do many works; let it not remain idle and unfruitful. ye have a good inheritance and a good field, but see to it that ye do not let thistles and weeds grow upon it. _and to virtue, discrimination._ discrimination or knowledge is, in the first place, that one should manifest an outward conduct, and the virtue of faith, in accordance with reason. for we should so far bridle and check the body, that we may be sober, vigorous, and fitted for good works; not that we should torture and mortify ourselves as some famous saints have done. for though god is likewise opposed to the sins that remain in the flesh, yet does he not require that for this reason you should destroy the body. its viciousness and caprice you should guard against, but yet you are not to ruin or injure it, but give it its food and refreshment that it may remain sound and in living vigor. in the second place, discrimination means that one should lead a life carefully exact, and act with discretion in regard to outward things, as food and things of that sort,--that one should not act in these things unreasonably, and that he should give his neighbor no provocation. v. 6. _and to discrimination, temperance._ temperance is not only in eating and drinking, but it is regularity in the whole life and conduct, words, works, manners; that we should not live too expensively, and should avoid excess in ornament and clothing; that none come out too proudly, and make too lofty a show. but in regard to this st. peter will not fix any rule, measure, or limit, as the orders have prescribed for themselves, who have wished to do all by rule, and have framed statutes which must be exactly observed. it is a thing not to be tolerated in christendom, that men should require by laws that there be a common rule on _temperance_; for people are unlike one to another; one is of a strong, another is of a weaker nature; and no one in all things is at all times situated as another. therefore every one should see to himself how he is situated, and what he can bear. _and to temperance, patience._ thus would st. peter say: though ye lead a temperate and discreet life, ye are not to think that ye shall live without conflict and persecution. for if ye believe, and lead a fair christian life, the world will not let it alone; it must persecute and hate you, in which you must show patience, which is a fruit of faith. _and to patience, godliness._ that is, that we in all our outward life, whatever we do or suffer, should so conduct ourselves that we may serve god therein, not seeking our own honor and gain, but that god alone may be glorified thereby; and that we should so demean ourselves that men may take knowledge that we do all for god's sake. v. 7. _and to godliness, brotherly love._ in this st. peter obliges us all to extend a helping hand one to another, like brethren, so that one should protect another, and none hate nor despise nor injure another. this is also an evident proof of faith, whereby we show that we have the godliness of which he has spoken. _and to brotherly love (charity), common love._ common love extends to both friend and enemy, even to those who do not show themselves friendly and brotherly towards us. thus st. peter has here comprehended in few words whatever pertains to the christian life, and whatever are the works and fruits of faith, discretion, temperance, patience, a god-fearing life, brotherly love, and kindness to every one. v. 8. _for if such dwell richly in you, it will not permit you to be idle or unfruitful in the knowledge of our lord jesus christ._ that is, if ye do such works, then are ye on the right path, then do ye have a real faith, and the knowledge of christ becomes active and fruitful in you. therefore see to it that ye be not such as beat the air. restrain your body, and act toward your neighbor even in such a manner as ye know that christ has done toward you. v. 9. _but to whomsoever such is wanting, he is blind, gropes with the hand, and has forgotten the purifying of his former sins._ whoever has not such a preparation of the fruits of faith, gropes like a blind man here and there, rests in such a life that he knows not what his state is, has not real faith, and has of the knowledge of christ nothing more than that he can say he has heard it. therefore he goes along and gropes like a blind man on the way, in an unconscious life, and has forgotten that he was baptized and his sins were forgiven him, and is unthankful, and is an idle, negligent man, who suffers nothing to go to his heart, and neither feels nor tastes such great grace and blessing. this is the admonition which st. peter gives to us who believe, to urge and enforce those works by which we shall evidence that the true faith is in us. and, besides, this ever remains true, that faith alone justifies; where this then is present, there works must follow.--what follows further, now, is meant to strengthen us. v. 10. _wherefore, dear brethren, give so much the more diligence to make your calling and election sure._ the election and eternal foreknowledge of god is indeed in itself sure enough, so that man does not need to make that sure. the calling is also effectual and sure. for whoever hears the gospel, and believes thereon, and is baptized, he is called and saved. since we then are also thereunto called, we should apply so much diligence (says peter), that our calling and election may be assured with us also, and not only with god. this is now such a mode of scriptural expression as st. paul uses, eph. ii., "ye were strangers to the covenant of promise, so that ye had no hope and were without god in the world." for although there is no man, neither bad nor good, over whom god does not reign, since all creatures are his, yet paul says he has no god who does not know, love, and trust him, although he had his being in god himself. so here, also; although the calling and election are effectual enough in themselves, yet with you it is not yet effectual and assured, since you are not yet certain that it includes you. therefore st. peter would have us make such calling and election sure, by good works. thus you see what this apostle attributes to the fruits of faith. although they are due to our neighbor, that he may be benefited by them, still the fruit is not to be wanting, that faith may thereby become stronger, and do more and more of good works. besides, this is quite another kind of power from that of the body, for that grows weary and wastes away if it is used and urged somewhat too far: but as to this spiritual power, the more it is used and urged, the stronger it becomes; and it suffers injury if it is not exercised. for this reason did god introduce christianity at the first in such a manner as he did, driven and tried by the wrestling of faith, in shame, death, and bloodshed, that it might become truly strong and mighty, and that the more it was oppressed the more it might rise above it. this is st. peter's meaning in this place, that we should not let faith rust and lie still, since it is so ordained that it is ever made more and more strong by trial and exercise, until it is assured of its calling and election, and cannot fail. and here is also a bound set as to how we should proceed with reference to election. there are many light-minded persons who have not felt much of the power of faith, who fall in this matter, stumbling upon it; and they trouble themselves at first with it, and by reason would satisfy themselves whether they are elected, so that they may be assured whereon they stand. but desist from this, at once; it is a thing that cannot be apprehended (grasped). but if you will be assured, you must reach it by the way which st. peter here strikes out for you. if you choose another for yourself, you have failed already, and your own experience must teach you so. if faith is properly exercised and tried, then are you at last assured of the fact that you cannot fail, as now further follows: _for if ye do these things ye shall never fall._ that is, ye are to stand fast, not stumble nor sin, but go onward thoroughly upright and active, and all shall go well with you. but if you would set it right by your reasonings, the devil will soon throw you into despair and hatred of god. v. 11. _and so shall an entrance be ministered unto you abundantly, into the everlasting kingdom of our lord and saviour jesus christ._ this is the way by which we enter the kingdom of heaven. therefore, no one should propose, by such dreams and reasonings concerning faith as he has invented in his heart, to enter therein. there must be a living, active, tried faith. god help us! how have our deceivers written, taught and spoken against this text, yet whoever has even the least measure and only a spark of faith, shall be saved when he comes to die. if you would pry into this matter, and in this way attain such faith quickly and suddenly, you will then have waited too long. yet you are to understand well, that they who are strong have enough to do, although we are not to despair even of such as are weak, for it may indeed well happen that they shall endure, though it will be sorely and hardly, and will cost much striving; but whoever carefully sees to it in his life, that faith is invigorated and made strong by good works, he shall have an abundant entrance, and with calm spirit and confidence go into that life to come, so that he shall die comfortably, and despise this life, and even triumphantly go on, and with gladness hasten to that. but those, who would come in otherwise, shall not enter thus with joy; the door shall not stand open to them so wide; they shall, moreover, not have such an abundant entrance, but it shall be, narrow and a hard one, so that they tremble, and would rather their life-day should be in weakness, than that they should die. v. 12. _wherefore i will not be negligent to remind you always of such things, although ye know them, and are established in this present truth._ that is the same that we also have often said, although god has now let such a great light go forth through the revelation of the gospel, so that we know what true christian life and doctrine is, and see how all scripture insists upon it, yet this (light) we are not to neglect but use daily, not for doctrine, but for the sake of remembrance. for there is a twofold office in the christian church, as st. paul says, rom. xii.: "if any one teaches, let him wait on teaching; if any one admonishes, let him wait on admonition." to teach, is when any one lays down the ground of faith, and sets it forth to those who have no knowledge of it. but to admonish, or as peter here says, _to remind_, is to preach to those who know and have heard the matter already, so that they are seized hold of and awakened, in order that they should not be heedless, but go onward and prosper. we are all beladen with the old sluggard load, with our flesh and blood, that chooses for ever the byroad, and keeps us ever subject to its load, so that the soul easily falls asleep. therefore we are ever to urge and shake it, as a master urges his servants, lest they become sluggish, although they know very well what they should do; for while we must pursue this course for our temporal support, far more must we do it in this case in spiritual matters. v. 13. _for i count it proper, so long as i am in this tabernacle, to awaken and remind you._ here st. peter calls his body a tabernacle wherein the soul dwells; and it is a phrase like that where in the first epistle he speaks of the body as a vessel or an instrument. so st. paul also speaks, ii. cor. v.: "we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were broken down, that we have a house built by god, a house not made with hands, eternal in heaven, and for the same we long earnestly, for our dwelling which is from heaven. for as long as we are in this tabernacle we earnestly long," &c. also, "but yet we are consoled and know that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the lord, but we have far greater desire to be out of the body and to be at home with the lord." there the apostle paul speaks also of the body as a house, and makes two homes, and two sojournings. so peter speaks here of the body as a tabernacle wherein the soul rests, and he makes it mean enough; he will not call it a house, but a hut or pent-house, such as shepherds have. great is the treasure, but small is the house in which it lies and dwells. v. 14, 15. _for i know that i must soon lay off my tabernacle, even as the lord christ hath showed me. but i will take care that ye by all means, after my departure, may keep such things in your remembrance._ here peter testifies of himself that he has become assured of eternal life, and to him god had shown beforehand when he should die; but this took place for our and our faith's sake, for there must have been some such persons as knew assuredly that they were elected, who should lay down and settle faith, that we might know that they preached not the doctrine of men, but the word of god. but ere they have come to such an assurance, god has thoroughly proved them first, and purified them. thus peter now says, i will not only remind you with the living voice, but set such things also in writing, and charge you, through others, that ye ever hold them in remembrance, through my life and after my death, and not let them go. there see how great anxiety the apostle had for souls; yet, alas! it has helped nothing. v. 16-18. _for we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we have made known unto you the power and coming of our lord jesus christ, for we have been witnesses of his majesty, when he received from god the father honor and praise, by a voice which came to him from the excellent glory, this is my well-beloved son, in whom i am well pleased; and this voice, which came from heaven, we heard, when we were with him on the holy mount._ there st. peter touches upon the history written in the gospel, matt. xvii., how jesus took to himself three of his disciples, peter, james and john, and led them aside up a high mountain, and was glorified before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothing was white as the light, and there appeared to him moses and elias, who spoke with him, while a light cloud overshadowed them, and a voice out of the cloud said, this is my beloved son, in whom i am well pleased; hear ye him. when the disciples heard that, they fell on their faces, and were very much afraid. but jesus went to them, roused them up, and said, stand up, be not afraid; then they lifted up their eyes, and saw no one but jesus only, and when they went down from the mountain he charged them that they should tell no one of this sight till he arose from the dead. so st. peter would now say, that which i preach to you of christ and of his coming, this gospel that we preach, we have not devised or yet imagined, nor taken it from cunning fabulists who know how to speak brilliantly of all things (such as at that very time the greeks were), for it is mere fable, and fancy, and idle babbling that they cunningly give forth, and wherein they would be wise,--such we have not listened to, nor have we followed them; that is, we preach not what is from the hands of men, but are sure that it is of god, and have become so through our eyes and ears;--that is to say, when we were with christ upon the mountain, and saw and heard his glory; for his glory was this, that his face shone like the sun, and his clothing was as white as snow; besides, we heard a voice from the highest majesty, "this is my beloved son; hear ye him." so confident should every preacher be, and not be in doubt thereon, that he has god's word, that he could even die for it, since it is worth our life. now there is no man so holy that he must needs die for the doctrine which he has taught of himself; wherefore it is inferred here that the apostles have had assurance from god that their gospel was god's word. and here it is also shown that the gospel is nothing else than the preaching of christ. therefore we should hear no other preaching, for the father will have no other. "that is my dear son," he says; "hear him." he is your teacher--as though he had said, "when ye hear him, then ye have heard me." wherefore peter now says, we have preached christ and made him known to you, that he is lord, and rules over all things, and all power is his; and that whosoever believes on him has likewise such power. such things we have not ourselves devised, but have seen and heard them through god's revelation, by which he has charged us that we should hear christ. but why does paul separate from one another the power and the coming of christ? the power consists, as we have heard above, in that he is mighty over all things; that all must lie at his feet; and this shall continue as long as the world stands. while we are flesh and blood, and live upon the earth, so long shall christ's kingdom flourish, even to the last day. then shall come another period, when he shall give up the kingdom to god the father, whereof st. paul speaks, i. cor. xv.: "christ the first fruits; afterwards those that belong to christ, who are his at his coming. afterward is the end, when he shall answer for the kingdom to god and the father." also: "but when all shall be subject to him, then shall the son also be subject to him who subdued all for him." how? is then the kingdom not god the father's now? is not all subject to him? answer:--st. paul explains himself in the same place, and says: "so that god may be all in all;" that is, whatsoever any one shall need or should have, that god will be; as st. peter has told us above, that we should be partakers of the divine nature. wherefore we shall also have all that god has, and all that is needful for us we shall have in him,--wisdom, righteousness, strength and life,--a truth which we now believe, hearing it merely, and having it in the word of god. but then shall the word cease, when our souls shall be enlarged and see and feel it all as a present thing. this is what st. paul means, and st. peter also: that the power of christ's kingdom now proceeds; now he gives the word, and thereby, through his humanity, reigns over the devil, sin, death, and all things. but at the last day this shall be made clear. therefore, although god ever rules, still it is not yet manifest to us. he clearly beholds us, but we behold him not. therefore must christ surrender up to him the kingdom, so that we also shall see it, while we then shall be christ's brethren and god's children. thus christ received from god honor and glory (st. peter here says) when the father made all things subject to him, and made him lord, and glorified him by this voice, in which he says, "this is my well-beloved son, in whom i am well pleased." by this st. peter would confirm his doctrine and preaching, that it might be known whence it came. but this experience was no more than that he had heard this, and was able to preach of it. but the holy spirit must also come and strengthen him, that he may believe in it, and preach and confess it cheerfully. the former thing belongs only to the office of the preacher, not to the soul; but this belongs to the spirit. v. 19. _we have also a sure word of prophecy, and ye do well in that ye give heed to it, as to a light that shines in a dark place, till the day break and the morning star rise in your hearts._ there st. peter grasps right hold upon the matter, and would say this much: all that i preach is to subserve this end, that your conscience may be assured, and your heart may stand firm on this, and not let itself be torn therefrom, and that thus both i and you may be certain that we have god's word. for it is an important matter as respects the gospel that we should receive and hold it clean and pure, without addition and false doctrine. therefore peter begins henceforth to write against human doctrines. but why does he say we have a sure word of prophecy? answer: i hold, indeed, that we shall have no more prophets, such as the jews had in former times in the old testament. but a prophet eminently should he be who preaches of jesus christ. therefore, although many prophets in the old testament have foretold concerning things to come, yet they came and were sent by god, for this reason especially, that they should foretell christ. those, then, who believe on christ are all prophets, for they have the true head-article that the prophets should have, although they have not the gift of making known things to come; for as we, through the faith of our master, are christ's brethren, are kings and priests, so are we prophets also, all of us through christ. for we can all say what belongs to salvation and god's honor and a christian life, besides of future things, so much as this is necessarily known to us, viz., that the last day shall come, and that we shall rise from the dead; besides, we understand the whole substance of scripture. whereof paul also says, i. cor. xiv.: "ye can all prophecy, one after another." this now, is, what peter says: we have such a word of prophecy as is sure in itself; see to it only that it be sure to you; and ye do well in paying heed to it:--as though he should say: it will be a thing of necessity to you to hold firmly by it; for it is in regard to the gospel as though one were imprisoned in the house, in the midst of the night, when it was stock dark. then it were a matter of necessity that one should kindle a light, till the day came when he could see. eminently such is the gospel in the midst of the night and darkness, for all human reason is mere error and blindness, while the world is even nothing else but a kingdom of darkness. in this darkness has god now kindled a light, even the gospel, whereby we may see and walk, while we are on the earth, till the morning dawn comes and the day breaks. thus this text is also strongly against all human doctrine; for since the word of god is the light in a dark and gloomy place, it follows that all besides is darkness. for if there were another light besides the word, st. peter would not have spoken as he has. therefore look not to this, how gifted those men are with reason who teach any other doctrine, however grandly they put it forth; if you cannot trace god's word in it, then be in no doubt as to its being mere darkness. and let it not disturb you at all that they say they have the holy spirit. how can they have god's spirit if they do not have his word? wherefore they do nothing else but call darkness light and make the light darkness, as isaiah says, chap. v. this is god's word--even the gospel--that we are ransomed by christ from death, sin and hell: whoever hears that, he has this light and has kindled this lamp in his heart, even that by which we may see the one that enlightens us, and teaches us whatever we should know. but where this is not, there we rush on, and by matters and works of our own device would find out the way to heaven. whereof, by your light, you can judge and see that it is darkness. wherefore since they have not the light, neither would receive it, they must remain in darkness and blindness. for the light teaches us all that which we ought to know and what is necessary to salvation--a thing which the world by wisdom and reason knows not. and this light we must still have and depend upon, even to the last day. then shall we have no more need of the word, just as we put out the lamp when the day breaks. v. 20, 21. _and this ye should know first of all, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation; for prophecy came not aforetime by the will of man, but holy men of god spake as they were moved by the holy spirit._ here peter falls upon the matter of false doctrine: since ye know this, he says, that we have the word of god, abide thereon, and suffer yourselves not to be drawn from it by others that teach falsely, though they come and give forth that they have the holy spirit. for this ye should know first of all (the second matter he would speak of afterward), that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation; by this be directed, and do not think that ye shall explain the scripture by your own reason and wisdom. in this the private interpretation of scripture by all the fathers is thrown down and rejected, and it is forbidden to build on such interpretation. though jerome, or augustine, or any one of the fathers have explained it of himself, yet would not we have it from him. peter has forbidden you to explain it of yourself at all. the holy spirit will explain it himself, or it shall remain unexplained. if now any one of the holy fathers can prove that he has his explanation from the scriptures, which give assurance that it should be so explained, then it is right; where this is not the case, i for one shall not believe him. thus peter lays hold on the boldest and best teachers; wherefore we should rest assured that none is to be believed who sets the scripture forth where he of himself opens and explains it. for there can be no true sense obtained by private interpretation. here have all the teachers and fathers who have explained the scripture stumbled, so far as they are extant to us. as when they refer the passage of christ, matt. xvi.: _thou art peter, and on this rock will i build my church_, to the pope. that is a human, self-invented explanation; therefore, no one is to believe them, for they cannot prove out of the scripture that peter is ever spoken of as pope. but this we can prove, that the rock is christ and faith, as paul says. this explanation is the right one; for of this we are sure, it has not been invented by men, but drawn from god's word. now what is found written and foretold in the prophets, says peter, that men have not searched out nor invented; but holy and pious men have spoken it from the holy spirit. thus this is the first chapter, wherein st. peter has first of all taught us what those really good works are whereby we must give proof of our faith. in the second place, that no man in christendom should preach anything but god's word alone. the reason why it should be so is no other, as we have said, except that men should preach that word which shall remain forever, whereby souls may be won, and eternal life. now there follows a just admonition, which christ and paul and all the apostles have also given, that each should look out for himself and guard against false teachers. it is especially necessary for us to observe it carefully, so that we shall not suffer that right and authority which all christians have, to be torn from us, to judge and decide on all doctrines; and shall not let it come to this, that we first wait till the councils determine what we are to believe, and then follow that. this we are now to look at. chapter ii. v. 1. _but there were false teachers also among the people, as also among you there shall be false teachers._ this is what st. peter would say: all prophecy must proceed from the holy spirit, even to the end of the world, just as it has gone forth from the beginning of the world, so that nothing shall be preached but what is god's word. yet it has ever so happened, that close upon the true prophets and word of god, there have been false teachers, and so also it shall continue. therefore, since ye have god's word, ye should take heed to yourselves that ye do not have false teachers besides. this is a sufficient admonition, and it cannot fail where the true word of god is preached; that close upon it false teachers also should rise up. the reason is this,--not every one lays hold on the word, and believes thereon, although it is preached to all. they who believe thereon, follow it, and hold it fast; but the greater part, they who do not believe, receive a false sense therefrom, whence they become false teachers. this matter we have not seriously considered, nor have we attended to this warning; but we have gone astray, and whatever has been preached that we have done. thereon we have stumbled and fallen, and been led away by delusion, as though the pope, with his priests and monks, could not err. thus those that should have been on their guard against such things, have been the first that have urged them upon us. so that we are not free from blame, though we have a wrong belief, and follow after false teachers: it shall be of no help to us, that we have not known, since we were warned beforehand. besides, god has bidden us that we should each determine what this or that one preaches, and give account thereof; if we do not, then are we lost; wherefore it concerns every one's own soul's salvation to know what god's word is, and what false doctrines are. such warnings against false teachers are, besides, very frequent, here and there, throughout the scripture. st. paul, acts xx., gives just such an admonition in his preaching, when he blesses those of ephesus and gives them his farewell; and he speaks in this manner: "i know that after my departure there shall come in among you grievous wolves, who shall not spare the flock; yea, there shall even of your own selves arise men who shall teach corrupt doctrine, who shall draw disciples after them." christ proclaims it also in matt. xx.: "if anyone shall say to you (he says), lo! here is christ, or lo! there, then are ye not to believe it; for there shall arise false christs and false prophets, and great signs and wonders shall they do, that shall lead into error, if it were possible, even the elect." and again, paul, i. tim., iv.: "the spirit speaks expressly that in the last times some shall depart from the faith, and cleave to erring spirits and doctrines of the devil by which they speak lies in hypocrisy." as forcefully as such admonition has gone forth, so careful should we have been; yet it has been of no avail. the admonition has been kept silent, and thus we have still wandered, and suffered ourselves to be led astray. now let us see who those false teachers may be, of whom peter here speaks. i think that god has ordained by special counsel that our teachers should have been called doctors, that it might be seen whom peter means. for he as much as uses the word here; false doctors,--that is, false teachers, he says,--not false prophets or false apostles. in this he fairly hits the high schools, where such a class of men is made, and whence all the preachers have come forth into the world; so that there is not even a city under the popedom, which does not have such teachers made in the high schools. for all the world thinks that they are the fountain, the streams of which are to teach the people. this is a desperate error, since no more cruel thing has ever come upon the earth than has come forth from the high schools. therefore peter says, that such vain, false teachers are to be; but what shall they do? this follows further: _who shall privily introduce damnable heresies._ he calls them damnable heresies (sects), or states and orders, because whosoever is persuaded into them is already lost. these shall they secretly bring in, he says, not that they shall preach that the gospel and the holy scriptures are false, for that would have worked quite against them,--but these names, god, christ, faith, church, baptism, sacrament, they shall still hold, and suffer to continue. but under these names they bring forward and set up something of another sort. for there is a great difference, whether i say this man preaches against this doctrine or in accordance with it. when i preach thus, that christ is the son of god and truly man, and whoever believes on him shall be saved,--that is right preaching and the true gospel. but if one preaches that christ is not the son of god, nor truly man, moreover that faith does not save, it is said in plain contradiction to it. whence st. peter speaks not (for this is what our high schools, priests and monks do not attempt), except of those associate doctrines which they introduce through the true doctrine. as when they speak after this manner,--it is true that christ was god, and is man; that he died for our sins, and no one can be saved who does not believe upon him. but that belongs only to the common estate (of christians); but we will set up a more complete one, in which men shall vow chastity, poverty, and obedience, as well as fast, endow institutions, &c. whoever does this shall go full tide up to heaven. where now men preach and hear such things as that there is nothing better and more saving than virginity and obedience, and that the monk and the priest are in a higher and more perfect estate than mankind in general, there is nothing said against the pure christian doctrine directly, nor are faith and baptism denied, nor that christ is the saviour. but yet there is such doctrine brought in with them, leading men away from the right path, that they build upon their own life and works, and hold nothing more in regard to christ, but just these words: we believe that christ is the son of god, and man; that he died and rose again; that he is the saviour of the world, &c. but they repose no faith in him, for if they did that, they would not rest an hour upon their life. thus they have also preached and said among the people: "ye are christians already, but that is not enough; ye must also do such and such works, build churches and cloisters, found masses and vigils," &c. the great multitude has tumbled into this notion, and thought it was right. hereby christendom is divided and separated into as many sects, almost, as there are states and people. but this is what men should have preached and taught: ye are christians indeed, and, just as well as those a hundred miles away, ye have all of you one christ, one baptism, one faith, one spirit, one word, one god; so that no work that man can do helps to make a christian. thus, were men included in a common faith, there would be no difference before god, but one would be as another. this unity have they rent asunder, in that they say, "you are a christian, but you must do works in order that you may be saved;" and thus they lead us away from faith to works. therefore st. peter says, if we will explain it right, nothing but this: there shall come high schools, doctors, priests and monks, and all classes of men, who shall bring in ruinous sects and orders, and shall lead the world astray by false doctrines. such are those whom he means here, for they all hold to the notion that their state and order saves them, and they cause men to build and trust thereon; for where men do not hold to this view, they carefully keep clear of entering them. _and shall deny the lord who bought them._ "oh," say they, "we do not deny the lord at all!" but if any one says, "since you are ransomed by christ, and his blood blots out your sin, what will you blot out by your mode of life?" then they say, "ah! faith does not do it alone, works must also aid towards it." thus they confess the lord christ indeed with their mouth, but with their hearts they quite deny him. see how admirably st. peter expresses it. they deny the master, he says, who has bought them: they should be under him as under a master whose own they were. but now, though they believe indeed that he is their master and has purchased the whole world by his blood, yet they do not believe that they are bought, and that he is their master; and they say "he has indeed bought and ransomed them, but then this is not enough,--we must first by our works expiate the sin and make satisfaction for it." but we say, if you yourself take away and blot out your sin, what has christ then done? you certainly cannot make two christs who take away sin. he should and must be the only one that puts away sin. if that be true, then i cannot understand how i am myself to cancel my own sin. if i do it, i can neither say nor believe that he takes it away. and it is the same thing with denying christ; for although they hold christ to be their master, they deny that he has bought them. they believe, indeed, that he sits above in heaven and is lord; but that which is his peculiar office, to take away sin, this they take from him, and ascribe it to their own works. thus they leave to him nothing more than the name and title; but his work, his power, and his office, they will have themselves. so that christ has truly said, "many shall come in my name, and say, i am christ, and shall seduce many." for they are this preã«minently, not who say, "i am called christ," but "i am he;" for they seize to themselves the office that belongs to christ, thrust him from his throne, and seat themselves thereon. this we see before our eyes, insomuch that no one can deny it. therefore st. peter calls them damnable or ruinous heresies, for they run all of them straight to hell; so that i suppose that among a thousand, hardly one is saved. for whoever shall be saved therein must say this much: "my obedience, my chastity, &c., do not save me; my works do not take away any sin from me." but how many there are who have these views, and remain in such a damnable state! _and shall bring upon themselves quick damnation._ that is, their condemnation shall quickly overtake them; although it is plain that god forbears long, yet he will come soon enough. but it is not a thing that respects the body, that we should be able to see it with our eyes, but just as the fifty-fourth psalm says, "they shall not live out half their day;" that is, death shall seize upon them ere they themselves suspect, so that they shall say, like hezekiah, is. xxxviii., "i have said in the midst of my life, i must go down into the grave;" as though they should say, "o lord god, is death already here?" for those men who do not live by faith, who are never more and more weary of life, the longer they live the longer they would live, and the holier they seem the more terrible will death be to them, especially to those who have scrupulous consciences and cruelly urge and vex themselves by works, for it is not possible to vanquish death by human powers. where faith is wanting, the conscience must tremble and despair. where faith is strong, death comes too slow; while, on the other hand, he comes to the unbelieving always too soon, for there is no end to the thirst and love of life. this is what peter means here: these people who set up such sects, and so deny christ, must come to die with the greatest unwillingness, trembling and desponding; for they can have no other thought but this, "who knows whether god will be gracious to me and will forgive my sins?" and they remain forever in such doubt, "who knows it,--who knows it?" and their conscience is never at peace. the longer they thus continue, the more terrible is death to them; for death cannot first be subdued, till sin and an evil conscience have been taken away. so will their condemnation come upon them hastily, so that they must abide in eternal death. v. 2. _and many shall follow their destruction._ it may be seen before our eyes, that it has come to pass just as st. peter first declared. there has been not a father or mother who has not wished to have a priest, monk, or nun, from among their children. thus one fool has made another; for when people have seen the misfortune and misery that are found in the marriage state, and have not known that it is a safe estate, they have wished to do the best for their children, to help them to a happy life and freedom from wretchedness. so that st. peter has foretold here nothing else but just that the world should become full of priests, monks, and nuns. thus youth, and the best that are in the world, have run with the multitude to the devil. st. peter says it, alas! only too truly, that many should follow them to this destruction. _by whom the way of truth shall be blasphemed._ this, too, is a thing that may be seen before our eyes. to blaspheme is to libel, damn, and curse; as when one condemns the christian estate as error and heresy. if one now should preach and say that their course is against the gospel, because they lead men away from faith to works, then they go about and cry, "thou art cursed, thou leadest the world astray." and they blaspheme even yet more, in perverting what christ has said, and saying no! to it. as when they, out of that which christ has bidden, make nothing but a story, so that they forbid what christ would have left free, and make that sin which he makes none, besides condemning and burning whoever preaches against it. the way of truth is a well-ordered life and walk, in which there is no fraud nor hypocrisy, such as that faith is in which all christians walk. this they cannot bear; they blaspheme and condemn it, so as to praise and sustain their order and sect. v. 3. _and through avarice, with feigned words shall they make merchandise of you._ this is specially the way of all false teachers, that they preach from avarice, that they may fill their belly, just as we see that not one of them has held a mass or vigil _gratis_. so, too, there is never a cloister or monastery built, whereto there must not fall a full measure of tribute. so, too, there is not a cloister in the world that serves the world for god's sake. it is all of it done merely for gold. but if any one really preaches faith, _that_ does not bring in much gold; for then, all pilgrimages, indulgences, cloisters, and monasteries, to which more than half the wealth of the world has been devoted and given, must cease; whereof none has any use but the priests and monks only. but how do they act to get the gold into their own hands? _with feigned words_, says peter, _shall they make merchandise of you_. for they have selected the word by which they make money of the people, for this very purpose, as when they say, "if you give the dear virgin, or this or that saint so many hundred florins, you do a most excellent good work, and merit so much indulgence and forgiving of sin, and ransom as many souls from purgatory." this and the like are just carefully feigned words, to the end that they may shave us of our gold; for in all this there is really no desert, nor grace, nor blotting out of sin. still they explain the noble words of scripture all of them in such a way, that they may traffic with them for gold. so, also, there has come of the holy, gracious sacrament, nothing else but a traffic, for they do nothing with it but smear the people's mouth, and scrape their gold from them. observe, then, whether st. peter has not drawn and painted our clergy to the life. _whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not._ they shall not drive this on at length, nor carry it out, (he would say); for when they urge it most strongly, their sentence and condemnation shall fall upon them. even now it goes forth; they shall not escape it,--as st. paul also says, ii. tim. iii.: "their folly shall be revealed to all, so that they shall be put to shame;" god grant that they may be converted and come out from their dangerous state, when they hear and understand it, for though there are some who have not been seduced into this state, yet is it in itself nothing but a mere pernicious sect. thus st. peter has attempted to describe the shameful, godless life that should succeed to the genuine doctrines of the gospel, which the apostles preached. now he goes further, and sets before us three terrible examples--of the angels, of the whole world, and of sodom, how god condemned them,--and speaks thus: v. 4. _for if god spared not the angels that sinned, but has thrust them down to hell in chains of darkness, and given them over to be reserved for judgment._ by these words st. peter terrifies those who live so gay and secure as we see those do who cleave to that which the pope has enacted, in that they are so confident and shameless that they would tread every one under foot. therefore he would say this much: is it not great presumption on their part that they go on so eagerly, and would bring every thing to pass by their own head, as though god should yield to them, and spare them, who yet spared not the angels? as though he had said, these examples should justly terrify even the saints, when they see such a severe sentence in that god has not spared those high spirits and noble beings who are far more learned and wise than we, but has thrust them into chains of darkness;--such is the severe sentence and condemnation whereto he has ordained them, in which they are held bound and imprisoned, so that they cannot flee away out of the hands of god, since they have been cast into outer darkness, as christ says in the gospel. and here st. peter shows that the devils have not yet their final punishment, but still go about in a hardened, desperate state, and look every moment for their judgment, just as a man that is condemned to death is perfectly desperate, hardened, and more and more wicked. but their punishment has not yet overtaken them, but they are now only bound and reserved for it. this is the first example.--now follows the second: v. 5. _and spared not the old world, but saved noah, the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, and brought the flood upon the world of the ungodly._ this is, moreover, a fearful example, such indeed that there is not a more bitter one in the scripture. one might almost despair in view of it, who was even strong in faith. for when such language and such a sentence go to a man's heart, and he thinks of it, that so he too ought to die, he must tremble and despond, if he is not well prepared, since among so many in the whole world, no one but these eight only were saved. but how have they deserved it, that god by such a severe sentence should have drowned all, one with another, in one mass, husband and wife, master and servant, young and old, beast and bird? because they led such a wicked life. noah was a pious man and a preacher of righteousness, and had already lived five hundred years, before the flood, when god commanded him to build an ark,--on which he wrought a hundred years thereafter; and he led throughout a uniformly godly life. whence you may judge what a cross he had to bear, and in what care and anxiety the pious man stood, when he must needs show, by words and works, that he was a christian. for it cannot be allowed that faith should conceal itself, and not break out before men by words and well-doing. so this man, alone, perhaps, long before god bade him build the ark, exercised the preacher's office, and spread the word of god not in one place, but, beyond doubt, through many lands. so that he must thus have suffered much and great persecution even, inasmuch as he is specially (as peter says) sustained and kept by god, or he would soon have been overwhelmed and slain; for he must thus needs bear upon himself much envy and hate, and make even many high, wise and holy people his enemies. had the matter not been helped, then the world would have despised the word of god, and been ever growing more wicked. when they had now driven on their wickedness to great length, god said, "my spirit shall not always strive with men, since they are flesh; yet will i give them the term of an hundred and twenty years." besides, "i will destroy from the earth the men whom i have created, from man even to the reptile, (i will destroy them)." these words he preached and enforced daily, and began to build the ark as had been commanded him; and he labors on it a hundred years. but the people laughed at him, and were only so much the more obstinate and foolish. but what the sin was for which god destroyed the world, the text of gen. vi. tells us, that the children of god,--that is, those who came of holy parents, and were instructed and brought up in the faith and in the knowledge of god, sought after the daughters of men, since they were fair, and took for their wives whom they would. thereafter they came from this to be powerful tyrants, who did everything that they chose after their own caprice; wherefore god punished the world and destroyed it by the flood. v. 6. _and reduced the cities of sodom and gomorrah to ashes, overthrowing and condemning them._ this is the third example drawn from the destruction of those five cities, gen. xix. whereof also the prophet ezekiel speaks, in chap. xvi., addressing the city of jerusalem: "this was the sin of sodom thy sister,--pride, fullness of bread, luxury and idleness, and that to the poor they did not reach out the hand, and have lifted themselves up, and have wrought such shameful cruelty before me that i have even destroyed them." for sodom was a land, like the garden of the lord, as moses says, and a rich mine of costly oil and wine and all things, so that every one would think, here dwells god. for this they were secure, and led such a shameful life as moses has written of. such sin breaks out only where there is an assurance that they have enough to eat and drink and to spare, and idleness is joined therewith; just as we still see, the richer cities are the more shamefully do men live in them; but where there is hunger and cumber there the sins are so much the fewer. therefore god permits, in regard to those that are his, that their education should be severe, that they may remain pure. these are the three fearful examples whereby st. peter threatens those that are godless. and as he insists upon it so, we must hold that this is its import. and it is spoken especially of the spiritual order--pope, cardinals, bishops, priests, monks and nuns, and all who hang upon them. these are, as it were, angels in the apostles' stead, appointed to this very end, that they should preach and make known god's word; for an angel is a messenger, or one sent, who discharges his message by word of mouth, for which reason preachers are called in scripture angels,--that is, messengers of god. such angels should our clergy be. but as these angels of old fell off from god, and set themselves above god, and wished to be their own masters, so these do also, and have nothing but just the name of messengers, as those have the name alone of angels. so these also, as they have gone off from god, shall be held in chains of darkness and reserved to condemnation; as he has said above, that their sentence does not linger, nor their damnation slumber, although punishment has not as yet overtaken them. beside, they are like that former world, who, although they heard the prophets and the word of god, yet blasphemed and reviled them; and as moses writes, took to themselves wives according to their pleasure, whomsoever they would, and became great and powerful tyrants. observe, then, whether all that which moses wrote of those is not now taking place. these are the great scamps that live in revelry, oppress the world by their tyranny, and no one must ask of them why they play the fool. whomsoever they will they take for wife or daughter, in spite of any one's complaining; for if any one finds fault with it they are themselves judges, and there is no one who can win their cause of them. therefore whatever they can devise to bring into their hands by oppression or fines, that also they execute. and if any one should seize upon it, they then say, "it is the spiritual possession of the churches; it is exempt, and no one must lay hands on it." and as to those who preach god's word, they punish them to the taking away their life, and declare god's sentence on those that laugh at them; they will not hear the word, and they persecute the very preachers of righteousness, and, remaining great and mighty lords, would retain their title, so that they may be called spiritual, like those that are god's children, yet rule with full power in all obstinacy; but they must at last be subdued and destroyed. but the others who preach god's word shall be kept and sustained. thirdly: as the land where the cities of sodom and gomorrah were was a mine of fat, and all had enough of what the earth could bear, thereby the people became indolent, glutted themselves with food and drink, and to none of the poor did they reach out the hand. such is the case also with our spiritual estate, who possess generally the best land, the best castles and cities, and the greatest rents and tribute, while they have enough also to eat and drink. besides, there is not a more indolent class of people on earth, that lives without anything of care or labor, and is fed by the sweat of the poor. but what indolence brings along we may see before our eyes. the pope forbids them to take a married wife, so that if they then keep their concubines and have children they must give gold to the bishop for every child, whereby they will smooth the thing over and cancel the sin. i will not here speak of other secret sins which one dare not lightly stir up. finally, you here see that st. peter accounts of the spiritual estate no otherwise than as of sodom and gomorrah, for they are all such people as no one can be benefited by who lend none a helping hand, but seize to themselves all they can, under the pretence, which they put forth, that what is given to them is given to god, and they let no one be helped though he suffer want. wherefore just as those were overthrown and turned to ashes, so shall these also be destroyed at the last day. v. 7. _and rescued righteous lot who was troubled greatly by the libertine course of the wicked._ was it not a great aggravation that they not only rushed publicly and shamelessly into whoredom and adultery, but into such sins as may not be mentioned,--insomuch that they did not even spare the angels who came to lot, and they rushed on thus in their course, both young and old, in all the corners of the city! against this, righteous lot had daily preached and warned them, but all in vain, except that he is vexed by them, since he must stand still yet cannot smooth over the evil, just as is the case with us now, for there is no more hope to reform or help this grievous course of life that the world leads. v. 8. _for while that righteous man dwelt among them, since he must see and hear it all, they vexed his righteous soul from day to day, by their ungodly deeds._ here peter describes the cross which this holy man must have borne, while he preached to the people and brought up his daughters in faith; and so it is accounted toward him by god. now st. peter decides how the godless shall be kept for punishment at the last day. v. 9, 10. _the lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, but to reserve the unjust to the day of judgment to be punished, but especially those that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness._ this is certainly deep passion and earnestness in the apostle. if god spared not (says he) the young new world, how much more severely and fearfully will he now punish those to whom the gospel has been revealed and preached, and before which no such great light has arisen; as christ also declares, matt. xi., "woe to thee, capernaum, who art exalted even to heaven! thou shalt be thrust down to hell; for if the deeds that have been done in thee had been done in sodom, it had been standing at this day; for i say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for sodom in that day than for you." but such threatening is in vain. the godless do not turn themselves for it. to live in the lust of uncleanness is to live just like an unreasoning beast--according to mere sense and every kind of lust. so everything is ordered by the pope, ordered as it has pleased him, and all must subserve their wilfulness and tyranny; and they have warped and explained all just as it has pleased them, and thereupon said, "the holy see at rome cannot err," while there is not one who has preached anything of faith or love; but they have taught nothing except what they have themselves imagined. v. 10, 11. _and those who despise governments, presumptuous, self-conceited, tremble not to revile dignities, whereas the angels, who are greater in power and might, bring not a railing accusation against them before the lord._ he calls kings, princes and lords, and all civil magistracy, governments; and not the pope and bishops, for these are not to be lords at all; since christ, in the new testament, is represented only as a servant--so that one christian is to serve another, and hold him in honor. wherefore _this_ is st. peter's meaning: that they should be subject and obedient to civil magistracy; as the sword is introduced by god's ordinance, stand thou in fear. yet they do the very reverse of this. they have excepted themselves, and say they are not subject to the civil magistracy; yea, they have not only excepted themselves, but have even subjected those to themselves, and trampled on them with their feet, and permit themselves shamelessly to be called lords, even by kings and princes, just as the pope writes of himself that he is a lord of heaven and earth, and has in his hand both the civil and spiritual sword, and that every one must fall at his feet. besides, st. peter says that they do not tremble to blaspheme dignities; for it has become to the pope a small and slight thing to put kings and princes under ban, to curse them, and depose them, and moreover excite mischief among them, and stir them up one against another. and as to those who have opposed themselves, these he has quickly overthrown and trodden on, not because they have done anything against faith or love, but only because they have not been willing to be subject to the romish see, or kiss the pope's foot, because, forsooth, his power was as much greater than that of secular princes as the sun is than the moon, or as the heaven is high above the earth; so they lyingly blasphemed, while yet they are bound to be subject and obedient to them, and should bless them and pray for them, as christ our lord subjected himself to pilate, and gave to the emperor the penny tribute. they ought, therefore, to tremble at reviling against dignities; yet are they unaffrighted and presumptuous in regard to it, and they revile with all zeal and recklessness, while yet if even the strongest angels cannot endure judgment against themselves from the lord, and besides are struck dumb from cursing and reviling the very one from whom they cannot escape, how then will these wretched people endure it? v. 12, 13. _but these are like unreasoning brutes, that are born, in accordance with their nature, to be taken and destroyed; they speak evil of that which they do not know, and in their own ruin shall they perish, and receive therefrom the reward of their unrighteousness._ _unreasonable brutes_, peter calls them, as though they had within them not a spark of anything that smacked of spirit, performed no spiritual duty that they should do, but lived like the fool, and became effeminate through a carnal life. but in that he says they are naturally born to be taken and destroyed, it may be understood in a two-fold manner: first, as of those that take and destroy, such as the wolf, lion, bear, the sparrow-hawk and eagle,--so these grasp to themselves, and tear away from others all they can, goods and honor. secondly, of those that shall be taken, crushed and destroyed at the judgment of the last day. _they count temporal enjoyment as the fullness of pleasure._ see how indignant st. peter is! i must not chide the young gentlemen so grievously. they think if they only live well, and have good times, then they have enough of all things, and are right well off; this one can easily trace in their spiritual claim, when they say that whoever touches them as to their property or their belly, is of the devil. they themselves cannot deny this, that their whole system is framed to this end, that they may have lazy and idle times, and all that can suffice them. they will lade themselves with no trouble or labor, but every one must make and devote enough for them. they must go to the choir and pray. god has commanded all men that they should eat their bread by the sweat of their brow, and he has imposed trial and anxiety upon all. meanwhile, these young masters would slip their heads out of this noose, and busy themselves with kisses. but this is the greatest blindness, that they are so dumb, and therefore hold that such a shameful life is right and lovely. _spots are they, and blemishes._ they know not but that they adorn christianity, as the sun and moon do heaven, and are the noblest and most precious jewels, like gold and precious stones; yet st. peter calls them spots of shame and blemishes. the true christian life develops from faith, serves every one in love, bears the holy cross, which is the true badge, ornament, jewel and honor of the christian church;--but these have, in place of the cross, lust and luxury; instead of love to their neighbor, they seek their own interest, snatch all to themselves, and let nothing go from themselves to another for his advantage. thus they know of faith just nothing at all. for they are nothing but the spots and stains which christianity must have as its shame and derision. that is chiding enough, certainly, for our spiritual lords. _they lead an effeminate life through your charity, feast richly on your goods._ what was given at first out of christian love, to procure a common fund for widows and worthy persons, and also for the poor, so that no one among the christians need suffer want or beg,--property of this kind is now all devoted to monasteries and cloisters, from which our ecclesiastics fill their bellies, living upon it most luxuriously, and revelling in it; and to this end they say it belongs to them, and no one shall restrain them for it. the holy spirit will not permit that the servants of the church should lead an effeminate life from other people's labor; but to the laboring class, and to man, woman and child generally, was it properly devoted of old. v. 14. _they have eyes full of adultery._ such must always follow when the body is crammed with food and drink, and loiters indolent, as was said above. wherefore does st. peter say,--not, they are adulterers,--but, _they have eyes full of adultery_? it is as much as though he should say, they think ever on nothing but fornication, and can never restrain their roguery, nor be satisfied and quiet. this is the cause of their continual gluttony and revel, so far as they can push it, and thus they are suffered to live at large and unpunished, just as they like,--as follows: _their sin is not to be interfered with._ the pope has forbidden any prince or secular magistrate to punish ecclesiastics, and where they maintain their own authority he puts them under bann. but this matter is committed to the bishops; yet, since they are knaves themselves, they look through their fingers. thus they have excepted themselves from subjection to civil government and the sword, so that no one shall dare to restrain them in their caprice, and they all live according to their own lusts, like those of old before the deluge. _they allure to themselves light-minded souls._ with such great show as they exhibit in their knavish life, as going through with mass, begging, singing, &c., do they allure and draw light-minded and unstable souls, who are without faith, to imagine that everything is spiritual; and all is shaped to this end, that men may think that in that estate every one shall have enough, and good times besides, and, moreover, that he shall reach heaven; and yet it is all done only to this end, that they may fill their bellies and their dirt-bag. _they have a heart penetrated with covetousness._ this vice is so gross and open among the ecclesiastics, that even the common people have complained of it. yet he says not, they are covetous, but, they have a heart penetrated with covetousness, and especially exercised therein. this may be seen in the fact that they have invented so many swindling and cunning stories that it is impossible to count them, by which they bring all the world's wealth to themselves. all that this class practices and pursues is simple, pure covetousness, and must all be worth money enough. they show it also most plainly of all, as they are equipped and prepared on all sides to call on men for their gold; so that st. peter was certainly not a liar. _they are children of cursing._ that is, in the hebrew, as much as to say, they are cursed children, subject to the curse of god, so that before god they have no favor or salvation, and only become more wicked from day to day, and continually, also, greater blasphemers of god; so that they surely lade themselves full enough with the wrath and terrible judgment of god. that is surely spoken severely and fearfully enough; while it is high time that whoever can flee and run, should flee and run forth from this cursed state. should we bear such a _title_, _that_ is certainly pitiful; but if the high majesty also arraigns, curses, and condemns,--who will endure it? v. 15. _they have forsaken the right way, and gone in error._ they should have taught the right way,--how we must cleave to christ, and come to god by faith, and through love to our neighbor; and thereafter bear the holy cross, and endure whatever meets us therefor. but they preach no more than this, "go hither and thither,--be monk and priest,--found churches, masses, &c., &c.;" and they lead away the people from faith to their own works, which yet are such as are of no use to their neighbor. v. 15, 16. _and have followed the way of balaam, the son of bosor, who loved the reward of unrighteousness, but had a rebuke for his transgression, the dumb beast of burden speaking with man's voice and reproving the folly of the prophet._ here he brings in an illustration from the fourth book of moses, xxii.-xxiv. when the children of israel had journeyed out of egypt and had come into the land of the moabites, king balak sent to a prophet in syria, by the name of balaam, and besought him that he would come and curse the jewish people, that they might become weak and that he might slay them. then god appeared to balaam, and forbade him to curse the people; therefore the prophet declines to comply with balak. thereupon the king sent to him once more, and promised to give him large wealth. then god permits him to go to him, yet he shall say nothing but what he shall direct him to say. upon this, he rose up and mounted upon an ass. the angel of god came and walked in the way, and stood before him with a drawn sword. the ass saw it, and turned aside out of the way, at which the prophet struck her, that she should go in the way. then the angel went to a narrow place where the ass could not turn aside, and when she presses herself against the wall and bruises the prophet's foot, she is forced to fall under him upon her knee, while he is angered so as in his rage to strike the ass with his staff. then god opens the mouth of the beast to speak with the voice of a man, and she said, "what have i done to you that you should strike me so?" and he said, "ah! if i had now a sword in my hand, i would slay you." then the ass answered and said, "am i yet the ass upon which thou hast ridden continually even to this day, and have i done it for no more than this?" then were the eyes of the prophet opened, so that he saw the angel with the drawn sword, at which he was affrighted and would have turned back; but the angel of the lord bade him go on, but thereupon forbade him to speak anything else than what he should say to him. when now the prophet was come to the king, he takes him up to a height from which he could see the whole people of israel. then the prophet bade him erect seven altars, and on each offer a sacrifice; and then went aside and asked the lord what he should say. and god gave him his word in his mouth. and he rose up to bless and glorify the people of israel with fair words; and this he did three times, one after another. then was the king filled with wrath, and said, "did i not call thee that thou shouldst curse mine enemies? and yet thou hast blest them now these three times. i had thought that i should have honored thee, but the lord hath turned thee away from honor." balaam answered and said, "yet i told thee at first, that though thou shouldst give me thine house full of silver and gold, still i could speak nothing else but what god should say to me." yet did the prophet afterward give the king counsel how he should manage with the people, although he might not curse them and overcome them by power,--so that they sinned against god. then the king sets up an idol, by name baal-peor, and causes that the moabite women, daughters of lords and princes, should ensnare the people to themselves to sacrifice to their gods; and when they had brought them to themselves, they made supplication to the idol with meats and drinks, and committed sin with the women. then was god angry, and commanded the chief of the people to be hung upon the gallows, and permitted four and twenty thousand men to be overcome in one day. such was this prophet balaam's advice, for the sake of gold. of this st. peter here speaks, and would say that our ecclesiastics are specially balaam's children and scholars; for just as he gave evil counsel to set up an idol so that the children of israel should be brought to sin and provoke god that they should be slain, so have our bishops also set up an idol, in god's name,--to wit, their human doctrine of their own works; and they let faith go, and they lure to themselves christian souls whom they injure, and thereby provoke god to anger, so that he has punished the world with blindness and stupidity. for all this we may thank our spiritual masters. thus peter compares especially these false teachers to the prophet balaam, since they even, like balaam, purely for the sake of gold, set up such idolatry and ruin souls. besides, he mentions his right name, for bileaam or balaam is he called in hebrew, a swallower or swiller, like one who gapes his throat open, and swallows and devours all. this shameful name must he bear, because he has brought so many people into sin, insomuch that they are destroyed and overcome. such balaamites are our bishops and ecclesiastics, who are the throat of the devil, by which he draws so many souls to himself, and swallows them down. but the surname of this prophet is, the son of bosor,--that is to say, flesh,--or, as moses says, son of beor, that is, of a fool. a fool is his father. so are these, also, blind, dull and foolish people, who must yet needs rule; such a people as the flesh bears, for the spirit makes men of another stamp. so god has given these in the scripture their own name, and therein they are so painted to the life, that we may know in what account they are to be held. now the dumb beast of burden, the ass, signifies the people that lets itself be bridled and ridden, and goes as it is led, like the ass, who was forced and beaten cruelly when he went out of the way into the ditch, and must neither give place before the angel in the way so long as it could help, nor turn aside, and so must fall down. for in the same way have these seducers also urged on the people, until these last have become sensible that it is a thing not to be endured, and that they deal unfairly with them, and have wished to turn them aside from the way. but the harshness has been so gross whereby they have troubled the people, that at length god has opened our lips and given words into our mouths, so that even the children speak of it; whereby their folly is made plain, so that they must be ashamed. in this way we ought to meet them when they go about, and give out that it belongs not to the laity to read the scripture, and therefore say, we must hear what the councils determine. for then you may answer, has not god spoken even by an ass? be content with our knowing that ye, in times past, preached the word of god; but now ye have become fools, and are possessed by avarice, what wonder is it that now the common people have been roused and impelled by god to speak the truth, though it has been so burdened and oppressed like a dumb beast of burden. this is their likeness, taken from the prophet balaam. now st. peter says further of these false teachers: v. 17. _they are wells without water, and clouds driven about by the whirlwind._ in like manner solomon presents us a comparison, in prov. xxv., and says, "as when a great cloud and strong wind go forth, and yet no rain follows, so is a man who makes high boastings of himself, and does not make good his words." so peter says here, also, _they are wells without water, and clouds driven about by the whirlwind_; that is, they make great show, and have nothing beside. they are like the dry, false and exhausted wells, although they have the fame and title of being true wells. for scripture calls those who teach, wells, as the ones from whom should flow that wholesome doctrine by which souls are to be quickened. to this office are they anointed and set apart. but what do they do? nothing, as a general thing; for they have nothing else but just the bare name, just as they are called shepherds, and yet are wolves. besides, they are the clouds which the wind drives about--not like the thick, black and lowering clouds which are wont to give us rain, but like those fleecy ones which move about and fly in the air, and are very light, which the wind drives wherever it will, after which no rain can follow. so our teachers also sweep about and move high in christendom, like the clouds in heaven, but let themselves be driven about wherever the devil chooses, to whom they are ready to yield in all kinds of lusts. but yet they preach not a word of god, like true teachers and preachers, who are called clouds in scripture (as is. v.),--as also by all that gives forth water, preachers are typified in scripture. _for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever._ they live now at their ease, and things go with them just as they themselves would have them. but there shall come an eternal darkness upon them, although they do not believe nor apprehend it. v. 18. _for they speak in swelling words, which have nothing back of them._ if you ask how they may be called wells without water, and clouds without rain, while they yet preach throughout the whole world, st. peter answers: they rain and preach, alas! altogether too much; but they are only vain, swollen and puffed-up words, by which they blow the poor people's ears full, so that men think it is something fine; and yet it is nothing but show. just as the monks, with high, bold words, set forth their obedience, poverty and chastity, so that men think they are a holy people, while yet it is nothing but mere trickery, and certainly no faith nor love can be found among it. like this, also, is their pretence that the estate of bishops is a more perfect estate, while these yet do nothing else but ride about pompously on their fine horses, and now and then consecrate churches and altars, and baptise bells. such puffed-up and swollen words are the whole spiritual law of the pope, throughout. _and they allure, through guile, to the lust of the flesh, those who had well-nigh escaped, and now they walk in error._ this is what these wells and teachers do, so that they who were almost escaped must fall into the snare of wickedness, and for the first time be truly captured. a child that has been baptised, rescued from all sins, snatched from the devil and set out from adam into christ, when he comes to reason is soon entangled and led away into error. men should be taught of faith, and love, and the holy cross, while our clergy go their own way, throw up their work whereby these persons fall back again into error, even though they had escaped it. but how does this come to pass? thus: in that by guile they allure the people to the lust of the flesh. their strongest persuasion is in their saying that priests, monks and nuns should not be married, and should bind themselves to maintain chastity, by which they do no more than allure to unchastity, forasmuch as the wretched people must perish in their wicked lusts, and there is nothing to help them. but here you clearly see that peter speaks of none other than teachers who bear rule in christendom, where men are baptised and believers,--for among the turks and heathen, no one has so escaped; it is only among christians, where they have the chance to lead souls astray, and bring them into the snare of the devil. v. 19. _and they promise them freedom, while they themselves are the servants of corruption, for of whom any one is overcome, his servant has he become._ they set up orders by which a man is to be saved,--as thomas, the monk preacher, has shamelessly written, that when a man shall enter into one of these orders, be it as vile as it may, it is as though he had but just come forth from his baptism; and then they promise him freedom and forgiving of sins by works of his own. such blasphemy must we hear, while they set their human fancies and ludicrous conceits, destitute of faith, on a level with faith and baptism which god has established, and which are peculiarly his work. who is to endure this and still keep silent? such stories have the monks gotten up, and they cram them into the young; and such teachers as these men have set up for saints. but the other saints, truly such, they have burnt to ashes. v. 20. _for if they have escaped the pollution of the world through the knowledge of the lord and saviour jesus christ, but shall be again entangled and overcome in the same, their last end is worse for them than the first._ there peter shows why they are the servant of corruption. to confess christ is to know what he is, even our saviour, who forgives us our sins from pure grace. by this confession we escape the vice and come out from the pollution of the world. but though they should already have been delivered from sin in baptism, they shall afterwards be plunged therein, for that they have again gone from faith to their own works. for where there is no faith, the spirit is absent; but where the spirit is absent, there is nothing but flesh, so that there can be nothing at all that is pure. so has it come to pass hitherto in regard to christianity. rome first heard the pure gospel, but afterward went back and fell away to human doctrines, until even upon herself all abominations have come up; so that her last end has become worse than her first, in that she is now far more hopeless in her heathenism than she ever was before she heard the word of god. v. 21. _for it had been far better for them that they had never known the way of righteousness, than that they should know it, and turn themselves away from the holy command that has been given them. for it has happened to them according to the proverb, the dog turns to his own vomit again, and the sow after her washing wallows in the mire._ this proverb st. peter has taken out of the book of prov. xxvi., where solomon says, "a man who repeats his folly is like the dog who turns again to his vomit." by baptism they have thrown off unbelief, and have been washed from their polluted life, and have entered upon a pure life of faith and love, while they fall off from it again to unbelief and their own works, and defile themselves again in the dirt. so that we are not to make this proverb bear on works; for little is accomplished by one's saying and directing at confession, "thou shalt henceforth be chaste, meek, and patient," &c. but if you will be pious, pray god that he will give you a real faith, and see to it that you forsake your unbelief. when you shall then have attained faith, good works shall afterwards take care of themselves, so that you will live purely and chastely, even though you should secure yourself by no other means; and though, again, you might awhile conceal the mischief in your heart, yet at last it comes out. this is the second chapter of this epistle, wherein peter speaks specially of our teachers, how shamefully we have been treated by them. we have indeed had warning enough, but we have not minded it, so that the fault is ours that we have not laid hold on the gospel, and that we have by our lives deserved such anger of god. we hear it generally, all of us, with gladness, when some one assaults and upbraids the pope along with his priests and monks; but yet, no one will draw advantage to himself from it. it is not such a trifling matter of sport that one must laugh at it, but of such seriousness that the heart should fear and tremble on account of it. therefore should we lay hold upon it with seriousness, and pray that god would turn away from us his anger and such plagues. for this calamity has not come upon us unforeseen, but it is sent upon us by god as a punishment,--as paul says, ii. thes. ii.: "since they have not received the love of the truth, that they might be saved, therefore shall god send upon them strong delusion so that they shall believe a lie," &c., &c. for had the punishment gone but so far that the false teachers only were lost, it would have been yet a little thing against the fact that they have had the rule, and carried all the world with them to hell. therefore, in regard to the evil, we are to take no counsel except to apprehend the matter in godly fear and humility, confess our guilt, and pray god to turn away the punishment from us. by prayer must one contend against the false teachers, although the devil do not let him win.--now follows, next: chapter iii. v. 1, 2. _this is the second epistle which i write to you, beloved, in which i stir up your pure minds to remembrance, that ye may think upon the word which was said to you before by the holy prophets, and upon our command, who are apostles of the lord and saviour._ here st. peter comes to us again, and warns us in this chapter to be prepared, and look every moment for the last day. and so he says in the first of it, that he has written this epistle, not in order to lay down a ground of faith, which he had done before, but to awaken, remind, arrest, and urge them not to forget the same, and to abide in the clear view and understanding which they have of a true christian life. for it is the preacher's office, as we have said often, not only to teach, but also continually to admonish and restrain. for since our flesh and blood ever clings to us, god's word must be stronger in us, that we may not give room to the flesh, but strive against it, and gain the upper hand of it. v. 3, 4. _and know, first of all, that in the last days there shall come scoffers who walk after their own lusts, and say, where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things remain as from the beginning of creation._ yet are men swayed hither and thither by a book concerning antichrist, wherein it is written that the people before the last day shall fall into such error that they shall say, there is no god, and shall scoff at all that is preached of christ and the last day. that is true, whencesoever it has been taken. but we are not so to understand it as that the whole world shall say and hold such things, but the greater part. for that time is even now at hand, and shall prevail yet more when the gospel shall come down among the people, when the proud ones shall lift themselves up, and the secrets of many hearts break forth, which are now hidden and unknown. there have even already been many who have altogether rejected the idea of the coming of the last day. of such scoffers st. peter here warns us, and tells us of them beforehand, that they must come, and rush into this hazard and live as they list. at rome and in italy this word is now at length fulfilled, and they who come thence, bring such errors also forth with them; for just as they have a long time perplexed themselves therein, so, also, must they perplex the people by the same means. and even though the last day were now before the door, such people must come abroad. so shall be fulfilled that which christ says, mat. xxiv.: "just as it was in the time of noah, so shall it also be at the coming of the son of man; for as they were in the days before the deluge, they ate, they drank, they married and were given in marriage, even to the day when noah entered into the ark, and they knew it not till the flood came and swallowed them all; so, also, shall the coming of the son of man be." also, "the son of man shall come at an hour when ye think not." also, luke xxi.: "this day shall come as a snare, upon all that dwell upon the earth." and once more, luke xvii.: "as the lightning lightens over us from heaven, and shines upon all that is under the heaven, so shall the son of man be in his day,"--that is, so quick and unforeseen and sudden shall he break in upon it, while the world shall be living above all, for itself first, and shall throw god's word to the winds. therefore this shall be a sign of the last day that it is near, when the people shall live as they list, according to all their lusts, and such talk goes about among them as this: "where is the promise of his coming? the world has stood so long and continued to abide, is it now for the first time to be otherwise?" thus peter warns us that we should not be surprised, and that we have a sure sign that the day will soon come.--it follows, further: v. 5, 6. _but this in their obstinacy they will not know, that the heavens of old, besides the earth standing out of the water and in the water, were (made) by god's word, yet through the same, was the world in its time destroyed by the flood._ such people they are, he says, as show not so much diligence as to read the scripture, but obstinately refuse to think and be aware that so also it was of old, when noah built the ark; the world which stood and was made through the water and in the water, was destroyed by water, and the people were yet so safe and secure that they thought, surely there is no danger,--yet they were all alike destroyed by water. as though he should say,--if god has for once destroyed the world by water, and shown by an example that he can sink it, how much more will he do it now that he has promised to do it. but here st. peter speaks somewhat particularly of the creation. the heaven and the earth stood fast aforetime; they were made of water and stood in the water, by the word of god. heaven and earth have a beginning; they have not been forever; the heaven was made from the water, and there was water above and beneath,--but the earth is made and stands in the water, as moses writes, whom st. peter here quotes. all is sustained by god's word, as it also was made by the same, for it is not their nature so to stand. therefore if god did not sustain it, it must all soon fall down and sink into the water. for god spoke a word of power when he said, "let the waters under the heavens gather themselves into a separate place, that the dry land may be seen;" that is, let the water put itself aside and give room for the earth to come forth, whereon man might dwell,--yet naturally the waters should spread themselves over the earth. therefore this is, at the present day, one of the greatest miracles that god works. now st. peter would say this: so obstinate and stupid are these scoffers, that they will not do honor to the holy spirit, though they read how god holds up the earth in the water, whence they should be convinced that all stands in the hands of god. therefore, since god at that time drowned the earth, so he will deal with us even yet again. for that example should certainly convince us that, as in that very case he has not lied, so again he will not lie. v. 7. _but the heaven which yet is, and the earth, are by his word sustained, that they be reserved for fire in the day of judgment and condemnation of ungodly men._ at that time, when god destroyed the world by a flood, the water pressed down from above, up from beneath and from all sides, so that nothing could be seen but water only; because the earth, as its nature was, must be swallowed up in the water. but now he has promised, and given the rainbow for a sign in heaven, that he will no more destroy the world by water. therefore he will destroy it and let it perish by fire, so that here it shall be fire only, as there it was water only. of which st. paul, ii. thes. i., says: "when now the lord jesus shall be revealed from heaven, together with the angels of his power, and with flaming fire," etc. so i. cor. iii.: "every one's work shall be revealed; the day of the lord shall make it clear, which shall be revealed with fire." so when the last day breaks and bursts in on the world, it will in a moment be fire only; what is in heaven and in earth shall be turned to dust and ashes, and all things must be changed by fire, as that change took place by water. this shall be a sign that god will not lie so long as he has left that for a sign. v. 8-10. _but of this one thing, beloved, be ye not ignorant; that one day with the lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. the lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slackness, but he is long-suffering toward you, and wills not that any one should perish, but that all should come to repentance; but the day of the lord shall come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, but the elements shall be melted with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up._ with these words st. peter meets those of whom he has just spoken, who say: "the apostles have said much about the last day coming quickly,--and yet so long a time is past, and still all continues as heretofore." and he has quoted this passage from moses, in the lxxxix. ps., where he says: "a thousand years are in thine eyes as yesterday, when it is past." this is the scope of it. there are two ways of viewing things,--one for god, the other for the world. so also this present life and that to come, are twofold. this life cannot be that, since none can reach that but by death,--that is, by ceasing from _this_ life. this life is just to eat, drink, sleep, endure, bring up children, etc., in which all moves on successively, hours, day, year, one after another: if you wish now to apprehend that life, you must banish out of your mind the course of this present life; you must not think that you can so apprehend it, where it will all be one day, one hour, one moment. since then in god's sight there is no reckoning of time, a thousand years must be before him, as it were, a day. therefore the first man, adam, is just as near to him as he who shall be last born before the last day. for god sees not time lengthwise but obliquely, just as when you look at right-angles to a long tree which lies before you, you can fix in your view both place and parts at once,--a thing you cannot do if you only look at it lengthwise. we can, by our reason, look at time only according to its duration; we must begin to count from adam, one year after another, even to the last day. but before god it is all in one heap; what is long with us is short with him,--and again, here there is neither measure nor number. so when man dies, the body is buried and wastes away, lies in the earth and knows nothing; but when the first man rises up at the last day, he will think he has lain there scarcely an hour, while he will look about himself and become assured that so many people were born of him and have come after him, of whom he had no knowledge at all. this, then, is st. peter's meaning: the lord does not delay his promise as some scoffers let themselves imagine, but is long-suffering; therefore should ye be prepared for the last day,--for it will come soon enough to every one after his death, in that he will say, "lo! i have but just now died!" but it comes upon the world all too soon: when the people shall say, "there is peace, no danger threatens," it shall break forth and come upon them, as st. paul says, i. thess. v. and with so great a noise shall the day tear its way and burst forth like a great storm, that in a moment must all be wasted. v. 11, 12. _since then all this must pass away, how careful should ye be in all holy conduct and a godly life, that ye wait for and hasten to the coming of the day of the lord._ since ye know this, that all must pass away, both heaven and earth,--think how ye shall be prepared to meet this day, by a holy and godly life and conversation. for peter describes this day as one that is to come even now, so that men should be prepared for it, to hope for it with joy, and even hasten to run to meet it, as that which sets us free from death, sin and hell. v. 12, 13. _in which the heavens shall pass away by fire, and the elements shall be melted with fervent heat; but we look for a new heaven and a new earth, according to his promise, in which dwelleth righteousness._ god has promised by the prophets, here and there, that he would create a new heaven and a new earth,--as in is. lxv., "behold, i will create a new heaven and a new earth, wherein ye shall be happy, and shout and leap for joy." so in xxx. "the appearance of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the splendor of the sun shall be seven times as bright, as though seven days were joined one into another;" and christ says, matt. xiii., "the righteous shall shine like the sun, in their father's kingdom." how that is to pass away we cannot know, except that the promise is, that such a heaven and earth are to be, wherein no sin, but righteousness only, and the children of god shall dwell; as also st. paul says, rom. viii., there shall be pure love, pure joy, and nothing but god's kingdom. here some may disquiet themselves as to whether the saints shall have their station in heaven or on earth. the text seems to imply that man shall dwell upon the earth,--yet so that all heaven and earth shall be a paradise wherein god dwells, for god dwells not alone in heaven, but in all places, wherefore the elect shall be also even where he is. v. 14. _therefore, my beloved, since ye look for such things, be diligent, that ye may be found of him without spot, and blameless, in peace._ since ye have escaped, he says, such misery, and come to so great joy, ye should suffer yourselves to be persuaded to despise willingly all that is upon the earth, and suffer cheerfully whatever duty requires. therefore should ye be diligent, that ye may live a peaceful and blameless life. v. 15. _and the long-suffering of our lord jesus christ account for your salvation._ in that he so spares, and delays, and does not come to speedy judgment, take account of this as designed for your benefit. he had good reason to be angry and to punish, yet out of his grace he does it not. v. 15, 16. _as also our beloved brother paul, according to the wisdom that has been given unto him has written, as he also in all his letters speaks thereof, in which are some things hard to be understood, which the unlearned and unstable wrest, as they also do other scriptures, to their own destruction._ there st. peter bears testimony for the apostle paul in respect to his doctrine, which shows plainly enough that this epistle was written long after st. paul's epistles. and this is one of the passages which might be adduced to maintain that this epistle is not st. peter's, as also there was one before this in this chapter--namely, where he says, "the lord wills not that any should be lost, but that every one should give himself to repentance." for it falls some little below the apostolic spirit; still it is credible that it is none the less the apostle's, for since herein, he is writing not of faith but of love, he lets himself down somewhat, as the manner of love is, inasmuch as it humbles itself toward its neighbor, just as faith rises above itself. but he has yet seen that many unstable spirits wrested and perverted st. paul in his words and doctrines, inasmuch as some things in his epistles are hard to be understood,--as when he speaks in this way, "that no one is justified by works, but by faith alone;" so, too, "the law is given to make sin more gross;" so, too, "where sin abounded, there grace much more abounds," and more passages of the same sort. for when men hear such, then they say, if that is true, we will go on indolently, and do no good work, and so be righteous, as men even now say, that we forbid good works; for if one so perverts st. paul's own words, what wonder is it that they should, in like manner, pervert ours? v. 17, 18. _but ye, my beloved, since ye know this beforehand, beware for yourselves that ye be not led away by the error of the wicked likewise, and fall from your own steadfastness. but grow in grace, and in knowledge of our lord and saviour jesus christ, to whom be praise, now and forever. amen._ since ye know, he says, all that has been said above, and see that many false teachers must come, who lead the world astray, and such scoffers as pervert the scripture and will not understand it, take care of yourselves; guard against them with diligence, that ye fall not from the faith by doctrines of error; and grow, so as to become stronger from day to day by the steadfast practice and preaching of the word of god. here observe how great care the apostle shows for those who have come to believe, which urged him even to write these two epistles, wherein is richly comprehended what a christian should know, besides also that which is yet to come. may god give his grace, that we also may seize hold upon and retain it. amen. the epistle of saint jude. v. 1, 2. _jude, a servant of jesus christ, but a brother of james, to those that are called to be holy in god the father, and preserved in jesus christ, mercy unto you and peace and love be multiplied._ this epistle is ascribed to the holy apostle, st. jude, brother of the two apostles, james the less and simon, by the sister of the mother of christ, who is called mary (wife) of james or cleopas, as we read in mark vi. but this epistle cannot be looked upon as being that of one who was truly an apostle, for the author speaks in it of the apostles, as being much their junior. it has even nothing peculiar about it, except that it refers to the second epistle of st. peter, from which it has taken nearly all its words, and is scarcely anything else than an epistle against our clergy, bishops, priests and monks.[1] [footnote 1: it is well known that at an early period the book of jude was reckoned among the _antilegomena_. this was mainly in consequence of its references to the apocryphal books of enoch and of the ascension of christ. yet de wette, than whom none would be more disposed to sift it thoroughly, says, "no important objection to the genuineness of the epistle can be made good; neither the use of the apocryphal book of enoch, nor the resemblance of v. 24 to rom. xvi. 25, nor a style of writing which betrays a certain familiarity with the greek tongue. the epistle is less open to suspicion, as the author does not distinctly claim to be an apostle, nor can a pretext for forgery be discovered." again, he says: "they who regard the son of alpheus and the brother of the lord as one and the same person, are quite consistent in regarding our jude likewise as an apostle." to this view de wette himself does not accede, and thus agrees substantially with luther.] v. 3. _beloved, since i gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, i am necessitated to write to you, and admonish you, that ye should contend earnestly for the faith which was once delivered to the saints._ that is as much as to say,--i am necessitated to write to you, so that i may remind and admonish you how ye should go forward and persevere in the faith which has already, before this, been once preached to you; or as though he should say, it is necessary that i should admonish you that ye be on your guard and remain in the right way; but as to why this is needed, he gives the reason, and says: v. 4. _for there are some men who have secretly come in, who were ordained of old to this condemnation._ for this cause will i remind you that ye should abide in the faith which ye have heard, because there is even now a wavering, and already there have come preachers, who set up other doctrines besides faith, by which people are led away gently and unsuspectingly from the true way. so st. peter also said, in his epistle, "there shall be false teachers among you, who shall secretly bring in destructive heresies, &c." these, he says, "are long ago appointed to such a sentence of condemnation." this we now well understand, since we know that no one is righteous and justified by works of his own, but only through faith in christ, insomuch that he must rely on the work of christ as his chief good. then where there is faith, whatever is done as works is all done for the good of our neighbor, and thus we guard ourselves against all works which are not performed with the intent that they shall be of service to our neighbor, as is now the estate of priests and monks. therefore wherever any one now secretly introduces anything else than this doctrine of faith, in regard to such orders and works, he leads the people astray, so that they shall be condemned along with him. _who are godless, and turn the grace of god into wantonness._ that gospel which is given us concerning the grace of god, and which sets christ before us, as he is offered to and bestowed upon us, with all that he has, that we may be freed from sin, death and all evil, such grace and blessing offered to us by the gospel, they use merely to indulge their wantonness,--that is, they call themselves christians, indeed, and praise the gospel, but they bring in such an order, as therein to work their own caprice, in eating and drinking and wanton life, while they make their boast and say we are not in a secular but a spiritual estate, and under such names and pretence they have grasped all enjoyment, honor and pleasure. this, already, says jude, begins. for we read that it had already begun a thousand years ago; that the bishops then wished to be lords and to be more highly exalted than common christians, as we also see in st. jerome's epistles. _and they deny god, that he alone is lord, and our lord jesus christ._ this is what st. peter said also in his epistle; but this they deny (as we have heard). it is not done by their _mouth_, for with this they confess that god is one lord, but they deny that christ is lord in fact, and by their works; they hold, not him, but themselves as their lord,--for while they preach that fasts, pilgrimages, church ordinances, chastity, obedience, poverty, etc., are the way to salvation, they lead the people astray to their own works, and yet are silent about christ; and it is just as much as if they said, christ is of no avail to you, his works noway help you, but you must by your own works merit salvation. thus they deny the lord who has bought us with his blood, as peter says. v. 5, 6, 7. _i will therefore remind you that ye once knew this, that the lord, when he saved the people out of egypt, afterward destroyed those that believed not. also, the angels, who kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he has reserved to the judgment of the great day, in everlasting chains, under darkness. as also sodom and gomorrah, and the cities lying about them, which in like manner as these, rioted in fornication, and went after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, and bear the pain of eternal fire._ here he adduces, also, three examples, as st. peter does in his epistle; but the first which he presents is to this effect: that god permitted the children of israel whom he had brought out of egypt by many wonderful works, when they did not believe, to be overthrown and defeated, so that of them all not more than two survived, when there were numbered, of all that went forth from twenty years of age and above, more than six hundred thousand men. this example he sets forth as a warning and a terror; as though he should say, those who are now called christians, and under this name turn the grace of god into wantonness, are to beware to themselves that it do not come to pass with them as it came to pass with those. and true enough, these are the times when the popedom is exalted and the gospel kept secret through the whole world; when, too, there comes continually one plague after another, by which god has punished the unbelieving and thrown them into the throat of the devil. v. 8. _like them also are these dreamers, who defile the flesh._ these teachers he calls dreamers; for just as when a man lies in a dream he deals with images, and thinks he has something real, but when he wakes up it is nothing at all,--but he sees then that it was a dream, and counts it of no importance,--so, too, what these say is nothing else than a mere dream; for when once their eyes shall be opened, they shall see that it is nothing at all. as when they go about pretending that their tonsure and cowl, obedience, poverty and chastity are well-pleasing to god, they have this before their eyes; yet, in god's sight it is nothing but a mere dream. so he has given them a truly fitting name, inasmuch as they deal with dreams, by which they cheat themselves and the world. but especially do the apostles ascribe to the clerical order the vice of leading an unchaste life; and god long ago foretold that they should have no wives. now it is scarcely possible that god should work as many miracles as there are persons in the order, so that it cannot be that they are chaste. so, likewise, has the prophet daniel spoken, chap. xi., of the pope's rule: "he shall not regard women (in marriage)." this is the external characteristic, as the inward is that they are dreamers. _who despise government, and speak evil of dignities._ their third characteristic is, that they will not be subject to civil authority. yet we have been taught, while we live on earth, that we are all under obligation; that we are to be subject and obedient to the sovereignty; for the christian faith does not do away with civil rule,--therefore no one can except himself from it, because the pope's decree concerning the church's freedom is a mere devil's law. v. 9. _but michael the archangel, when he contended with the devil, and disputed about the body of moses, durst not let drop against him a railing accusation, but said, the lord rebuke thee._ this is one of the reasons why this epistle was formerly rejected, because here an example is adduced which is not found in scripture, to the effect that the angel michael and the devil contended with one another about the body of moses. but this should have been found there, since so much is written about moses in the last of deuteronomy, of god's burial of him, and yet no one knew his grave. besides, scripture testifies in regard to him, that no other prophet has arisen in israel like moses, whom the lord knew face to face, &c. but it has been said, in reference to the same text also, that his body was left concealed, so that the jews might not regard it with idolatrous veneration, and for this reason the angel michael must needs oppose the devil, who wished that the body should be discovered, that the jews might pray to it; and although michael was an archangel (says jude), yet was he not so bold as to curse even the devil,--and yet these scoffers trample under foot the authority that has been ordained of god; they curse in seven, eight and nine ways, though they are men merely; while this archangel dared not curse the worst devil that was ever condemned, but said no more than, the lord restrain and punish thee. v. 10. _but these scoff at what they know nothing of, for what they know naturally as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves._ such scoffers are they, that they can do nothing else but anathematize and curse, and give over to the devil for his own not only kings and dignities, but god also and the saints, as may be seen in the bull, _c[oe]na domini_. they know not that our salvation stands on the foundation of faith and love; they cannot endure that their works should be rejected and condemned, and that it should be preached that christ alone must help us by his works. therefore they curse and scoff at all christian doctrine which they are ignorant of. but what they know, through natural perception,--as the founding of masses and the like,--will bring in gold and treasures; to this they devote themselves with energy, and thereby corrupt themselves and every one else. v. 11. _woe unto them, for they have gone in the way of cain._ cain struck his brother dead, simply because he was more pious than himself. for his brother's offering was acceptable before god, but his own was not. so now the way of cain is, to rely on one's own works, and scoff at those works which are good and true, and circumvent and slay those who go in the right way, just as these very ones also are doing. _and have hurried for reward into the error of balaam._ they should be fixed inwardly in the hope of divine grace; yet they go forth and put their trust in various outward works, of this kind and that, and they do them only for the sake of gold, that they may fill their bellies, like the prophet balaam, as we have heard in peter's epistle. _and perished in the rebellion of korah._ of the rebellion of korah, and how he was destroyed, with his house, we have an account in the fourth book of moses, xvi. moses was summoned and called for this purpose, that he should lead the people out of egypt; and his brother aaron likewise was appointed of god as high priest. now korah was also of the same tribe, and their friendship should have been enduring, and something more than common: yet he attaches to himself two hundred and fifty men of the foremost and most distinguished among the people, and excites such a commotion and tumult, that moses and aaron are forced to flee. and moses fell upon his face, and prayed that god might not accept their sacrifice; and he bade the congregation of the people draw back from them, and said to them: "hereby shall ye surely know if the lord hath sent me; if these men die and disappear as all men disappear, then the lord hath not sent me; but if the lord shall do some new thing, so that the earth shall open her mouth and swallow them up, and they go down alive into hell, then shall ye know that these men have reviled the lord." when he had spoken these words, the earth quaked and opened, and swallowed up korah, together with the other leaders of the rebellion, with all that they had, so that they went down alive into hell; and the fire consumed the other two hundred and fifty men who had joined themselves to him. this example jude sets forth for these scoffers who blame us for making a commotion, while we preach against them, for they are the real ones who make all the trouble. for christ is our aaron and chief-priest, whom we should allow to rule alone; but this the pope and bishops have been unwilling to endure. they have set themselves up, and have wished to have the power to rule along with the authority, and so have arrayed themselves against christ; but god has punished them, in that the earth has swallowed them up and covered them, since they are absorbed and swallowed up in an earthly life and pleasure, and are nothing but pure worldliness. v. 12, 13. _these live on your charities, and are vileness itself, while they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear; clouds they are without water, driven about by the wind; barren, fruitless trees, twice dead and plucked up by the roots; wild waves of the sea, which foam out their own shame; wandering stars, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever._ of this we have heard enough in st. peter's epistle. all the world have brought up their children to be ecclesiastics, and to have an easy life of it, and not to support themselves by their own hands and labor; nor must they even preach, but only live without care in their luxury, and keep up good spirits by feeding on the wealth that poor people earn by their sweat. so men think they must be the best part, and the jewel, as it were, of christendom, while they are merely shame-spots and an abomination, and live well, as we say, on the wealth that belongs to them as priests. they are without care or fear; they think the devil may not overthrow them; they feed not the sheep, but are themselves the wolves that devour the sheep; they are clouds that hang over us in the air, sit up high in the churches, as those that should preach, and yet they do not preach at all, but let themselves be driven by the devil this way and the other. so, too, he says, they are leafless, fruitless trees, like the trees of autumn; they have neither fruit nor leaf; they stand there only like other trees; let themselves be looked upon as christian bishops, but there is with them neither word nor work, but all is dead to the root. moreover, they are like wild waves of the sea; that is, as the wind tosses and throws up waves and billows upon the water, so these, too, go just as the devil leads them. and they foam out their own shame; like a heated pot, they are so full of pollution that they run over, and cannot retain command of themselves, but all must out. they are wandering stars, planets as they are called, that go backward, and not in a steady, straight course, so that they make no true progress; their life and doctrine is mere error, in which they lead themselves astray, and all that follow after them. therefore for them is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. thus jude has appraised and painted our spiritual masters, who, under the name of christ and christianity, introduce all sorts of profligacy, and snatch to themselves all the wealth of the world, and authoritatively subject all men to themselves. there follows now, further: v. 14. _enoch, also, the seventh from adam, prophesied of such, and said, behold, the lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints, to execute judgment upon all._ this language of enoch is nowhere to be found in scripture. for this reason some of the fathers did not receive this epistle, although there is not a sufficient reason for rejecting a book on this account. for st. paul, also, in ii. tim. iii., makes mention of two that opposed moses, jannes and jambres, names that are not even to be found in the scriptures. but be this as it will, we let it pass. still this is true, that god, from the beginning of the world, has left it to some to make his word known (the word that promises his favor and salvation to believers, but threatens the unbelieving with judgment and condemnation), even till christ's coming down from heaven, when it is openly preached to the whole world. but before the birth of christ god took to himself for this purpose only a single line, from adam to abraham, and thence to david, down to mary the mother of christ, who possessed his word. thus the gospel has always been preached in the world, but never so generally as now in these last times. thus, also, this father, enoch, insisted on that word of god which he received from his father, adam, and which he had of the holy spirit. for the scripture says also of him, gen. v., that he led a godly life, and therefore he was taken of god, so that he was seen no more. hence, also, has been derived the notion that he will come again before the last day; but it is not to be supposed that men would understand it of a spiritual advent, as that his preaching was based upon the last day, as this passage is, wherein that day is spoken of with as much assurance as though it were in full view. _the lord is coming already_, he says, _with many thousand saints_; that is, with such a multitude as cannot be numbered. for this can only be said of the last day, on which he will come with all his saints, to execute judgment. for before this, he has not come with many thousand saints, but alone, into the world; and this, not to judge, but to bestow grace. v. 15. _and to punish all the ungodly among them, for all their godless life, wherein they have been ungodly._ this passage jude does not inappropriately quote, inasmuch as he is speaking of false teachers, who are to come before the last day; and the conclusion is thence to be drawn, that the lord by his coming will overthrow the pope and his government; since there is no other help for it; for as long as the world stands, there will be no (voluntary) ending or reformation of it. the passage, moreover, cannot be understood of any others, but of our clergy, who have shamefully led all the world astray. their system cannot be worse, and even though it were worse, it must yet hold on to the name of christ, and under the same introduce all kinds of mischiefs. thus he refers this passage to the last judgment, and names those who shall suffer judgment. whence we infer what our young clerical gentlemen shall expect at the last day, be the time long or short. _and for all the hard speeches which godless sinners have uttered against him._ there he at once strikes upon their life and preaching, and would say this much:--they speak fiercely and harshly against the lord who is to come; they are shameless and proud; they deride and revile him, as st. peter has said. he speaks not of their sinful, shameful life, but of their godless state. but the godless is he who lives without faith, although he leads a passable life outwardly. outwardly wicked works are indeed the fruits of unbelief, but we speak more particularly of that as a godless state, where the heart is full of unbelief. these very godless ones the lord will punish, he says, because their preaching is shameless and presumptuous, for they stick ever to their own wilfulness; do not permit themselves to be swayed at all, and are as hard as an anvil, to condemn and revile continually. thus has enoch struck in this passage at the very estate which before the last day should be in the world, as we now see it before our eyes. jude says, further: v. 16. _there are murmurers and complainers who walk after their own lusts, and their mouth speaketh swelling words._ when men will not let their own circumstances be fair and favorable, then there is nothing but murmuring and complaining. so when one does not give a bishop the title he claims, then they cry out against disobedience. besides, they are such a class of people as we cannot guard against, for they give out that they have a right over soul and body; they have grasped in their own hands both the civil and spiritual sword, so that they cannot be controlled, since no one must preach against them; they have got rid of all tax, tribute, and rent, so that no one dares to touch their wealth, besides, none dares preach a word without first asking them about it. and even though one should attack them with scripture, yet they say that none but they only must be suffered to explain scripture. thus they live in all respects as they will, according to their lusts. for they cannot explain that to us, as they would be glad to, since we have subjected ourselves both to the gospel and to the civil sword, but they would be free and uncontrolled of both. and, moreover, their whole law and claim is nothing but the fullness of mere high, proud, puffed-up words, which have nothing to back them. _and they hold themselves up for respect, for advantage sake._ this is their way of judging all, according to the person; in all the pope's laws, through and through, you do not once find that a bishop is to humble himself below a priest, or aim at anything, as the fruit of a christian walk,--but all is merely of this sort: the curate is to be subject to the priest, the priest subject to the bishop, the bishop to the archbishop, but he to the patriarch, the patriarch to the pope, and after this, how each is to wear the robe, the tonsure and the cowl, possess so many churches and benefices. thus they have reduced it all to an outward matter, and such is the child's play and fool's work, they are driving at; and they have accounted it gross sin, if any one does not hold to such views. so that jude says well, that they put a mask upon everything, and have this only before their eyes. thus no one knows anything of faith, of love, nor of the cross; whence the people generally are content to eat and play the fool, and devote all their property in the manner they do, as if to the true service of god; it is thus that they hold themselves up to respect for advantage sake. v. 17, 18. _but, my beloved, remember ye the words that were said before by the apostles of our lord jesus christ, when they said to you that in the last times there should come scoffers who should walk after their own lusts, in a godless state._ this passage shows also clearly, that this epistle is not by st. jude the apostle, for he does not count nor reckon himself among the other apostles, but speaks of them as of those who preached long before him; so that it is reasonable to suppose that another pious man wrote the epistle, one who had read st. peter's epistles and had drawn this from that source. who these scoffers are, we have said above: they walk, moreover, after their own lusts,--not merely their fleshly lusts, but those of that godless life which they lead, and they shape all as it pleases them; they care neither for worldly authority, nor the word of god; they are neither under external nor internal government, whether divine or human; they float about between heaven and earth in their lust, just as the devil leads them. v. 19. _these are they who make sects, sensual, who have not the spirit._ there he has touched on what peter speaks of, their secretly bringing in of pestilent sects, for these are they that have separated themselves; they divide the unity that is in faith, will not let the ordinary estate of a christian answer,--namely, that wherein one serves another,--but they set up other estates, and pretend to serve god by these. besides they are sensual or brutish men, who have no more understanding and spirit than an ox or an ass; they walk according to their natural reason and fleshly mind. they have no god's-word by which they judge themselves, or by which they can live. v. 20, 21. _but, ye beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith, through the holy spirit, and pray, and keep yourselves in the love of god._ there he defines, in few words, that in which a thoroughly christian life consists. faith is laid for the foundation on which we are to build; but to build is to grow from day to day in the knowledge of god and of jesus christ, and this takes place through the working of the holy spirit. when we are thus built up, we shall do no work to merit anything or to be saved by it, but all to the service of our neighbor. thus we are to watch, that we abide in love, and not fall from it, like these fools who set up particular works and a peculiar life, and so draw people away from love. _and look for the mercy of our lord jesus christ unto eternal life._ that is the hope, toward which the holy cross moves. therefore should our life be so shaped as to be nothing else than a steady longing and waiting for that life to come; yet so that that waiting be grounded on the mercy of christ, so that we shall call upon him with such an understanding as that he is to help us from this to that life out of pure mercy, and not for any work or merit of ours. v. 22, 23. _and of these take pity, and distinguish them; but as to those, save them and draw them out of the fire._ that is not well expressed in dutch, but jude would say this much: on some take pity, some save; that is, let your life be so shaped that it shall allow you to have compassion on these who are wretched, blind and dumb; have no joy or pleasure over them, but let them go, keep from them and have nothing to do with them. but as to those others, whom ye can draw forth, save them by fear,--deal kindly and gently with them, as god has dealt with you; treat them not harshly or rudely, but feel toward them as toward those that lie in the fire, whom you are to draw forth and rescue with all care, consideration and diligence; if they will not suffer themselves to be drawn out, we should let them go and weep over them,--but not like the pope and his inquisitors, burn and destroy them by fire. _and hate the garment spotted by the flesh._ we have indeed received the holy spirit by faith, and have been made clean; but as long as we live here, the old garment of our flesh and blood clings to us still and will not relax its hold. this is the spotted garment that we should lay off and draw away from as long as we live. v. 24, 25. _now unto him that is able to keep you from stumbling, and present you faultless before the presence of his glory with joy; to god who alone is wise, our saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, now and forever. amen._ this is the close of this epistle. thus the apostles do when they have written, taught, admonished and prophesied; thus they pray, express their wishes, and give thanks. thus we have seen in the epistles both what is true christian and false unchristian doctrine, as well as life. printed at wittemberg by hans lufft, 1524. generously made available by the internet archive/american libraries) luther's epistle sermons epiphany, easter and pentecost translated with the help of others by prof. john nicholas lenker, d.d. author of "lutherans in all lands," translator of luther's works into english and president of the national lutheran library association vol. ii. (_volume viii of luther's complete works_.) third thousand _the luther press_ minneapolis, minn., u.s.a. 1909. _dedication_ to all, pastors and laymen, who appreciate the true place of luther's writings in the evangelization of europe, and are interested in the evangelization of the world, this volume of easter and pentecost epistle sermons of the english luther is gratefully and prayerfully dedicated. copyright, 1909, by j. n. lenker. _foreword_ the evangelization of the world is being accomplished more rapidly than we think. three mighty movements are constantly at work--reformation, heathen missions and emigration or colonization. by the reformation europe was evangelized; by heathen missions asia and africa are being evangelized and by emigration or colonization north and south america and australia have been to a large extent evangelized. in "lutherans in all lands," published in 1893, and in the introduction to the volume on st. peter's epistles of the english luther, we emphasized the relation of the evangelical-lutheran church and of luther's writings to the evangelization of the world through these three movements. in view of the recent marvelous growth in interest in heathen missions and the false ideas about luther's relation to this theme, the following may be in place here in this volume of easter and pentecost sermons: the christian religion being preëminently missionary the reformation of the christian church would necessarily be missionary. protestant missions began with protestantism. herzog's encyclopedia says: "luther himself already seizes every opportunity offered by a text of the divine word in order to remind believers of the distress of the heathen and turks and earnestly urges them to pray in their behalf, and to send out missionaries to them. in accord with him all the prominent theologians and preachers of his day, and of the succeeding period inculcated the missionary duty of the church. many also of the evangelical princes cherished the work with christian love and zeal." luther's interest in the work of true evangelization is seen in the name he designedly chose for the church of his followers. he did not call it protestant nor lutheran, but conscientiously insisted upon it being called the evangelical, or in plain anglo-saxon, the gospel church, the evangelizing church. because of luther's emphasis on the word evangelical there are properly speaking no lutheran, but only evangelical-lutheran churches. he is the evangelist of protestantism in the true sense. of the library of 110 volumes of which luther is the author, 85 of them treat of the bible and expound its pure evangelical teachings in commentaries, sermons and catechetical writings. he popularized the word evangelical. with his tongue and pen he labored incessantly for the evangelization of europe. that europe is evangelized is due more to his labors and writings than to those of any other. what those writings did for europe they may do, and we believe, will do, for the world in a greater or less degree. the greatest evangelist of europe has a god-given place in the evangelization of the world. his most evangelical classics should be translated into all the dialects of earth as soon as the bible is given to the people in their native tongue. dr. warneck says: "by the reformation the christianizing of a large part of europe was first completed, and so far it may be said to have carried on a mission work at home on an extensive scale." further he says: "the reformation certainly did a great indirect service to the cause of missions to the heathen, as it not only restored the true substance of missionary preaching by its earnest proclamation of the gospel, but also brought back the whole work of missions on apostolic lines. luther rightly combats, as plitt insists, 'the secularizing of missionary work.'" in explaining the 117th psalm luther says: "if all the heathen shall praise god, he must first be their god. shall he be their god? then they must know him and believe in him, and put away all idolatry, since god can not be praised with idolatrous lips or with unbelieving hearts. shall they believe? then they must first hear his word and by it receive the holy spirit, who cleanses and enlightens their heart through faith. are they to hear his word? then preachers must be sent who shall declare to them the word of god." so in his familiar hymn, "es wolle gott uns gnaedig sein." "and jesus christ, his saving strength to gentiles to make known, that thee, o god, may thank and praise the gentiles everywhere." in commenting on the words of the second psalm, "ask of me and i will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance," luther says: "christ, therefore, being upon earth and appointed king upon mount zion, receives the gentiles who were then promised unto him. the words 'of me' are not spoken without a particular meaning. they are to show that this kingdom and this inheritance of the gentiles are conferred on christ, not by men, nor in any human way, but by god, that is, spiritually." all who retain the good old custom of the fathers in reading luther's postil sermons on the gospel and epistle texts for each sunday know what deep missionary thoughts are found in the sermons for epiphany, ascension day and pentecost. in one sermon for ascension day on "go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation," we read, "these words of the sovereign ruler commission these poor beggars to go forth and proclaim this new message, not in one city or country only, but in all the world." for the history of the writing of these sermons the reader is referred to volumes 10, 11, 12 and 13 of the gospel sermons of luther's works in english. the german text will be readily found in the 12th volume of the walch and of the st. louis walch editions, and in the 8th volume of the erlangen edition of luther's works. due acknowledgment is hereby made of aid received from the translation of pastor ambrose henkel, and published in 1869, at new market, virginia. also to pastor c. b. gohdes, for comparing the manuscript from the third sunday before lent with the german text and making valuable improvements. j. n. lenker. home for young women, minneapolis, minn., march 22, 1909. _contents_ page. first sunday after epiphany.--the fruits of faith. our spiritual service. romans 12, 1-6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 second sunday after epiphany.--the gifts and works of christ's members. our christian duty. romans 12, 6-16 . . . . . . . . . 20 third sunday after epiphany.--christian revenge. romans 12, 16-21 51 fourth sunday after epiphany.--christian love and the command to love. romans 13, 8-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 fifth sunday after epiphany.--the glorious adornment of christians. colossians 3, 12-17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 third sunday before lent.--the christian race for the prize. 1 corinthians 9, 24-10, 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 second sunday before lent.--paul's glory in his labor and sufferings. 2 corinthians 11, 19-12, 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 sunday before lent.--paul's praise of christian love. 1 corinthians 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 first sunday in lent.--an entreaty to live as christians. 2 corinthians 6, 1-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 second sunday in lent.--exhortation to holiness. 1 thessalonians 4, 1-7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 third sunday in lent.--exhortation to be imitators of god. ephesians 5, 1-9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 fourth sunday in lent.--the children of promise. galatians 4, 21-31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162 fifth sunday in lent.--christ our great high priest. hebrews 9, 11-15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163 palm sunday.--christ an example of love. christ's humiliation and exaltation. philippians 2, 5-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169 summer part of the epistle postil. easter sunday.--purging out the old leaven and the new easter festival of christians. 1 corinthians 5, 6-8 . . . . . . . . . 181 easter monday.--peter's sermon on the blessings of christ's resurrection. acts 10, 34-43 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194 easter tuesday.--paul's sermon on the power and blessings of christ's resurrection. acts 13, 26-39 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202 second sermon.--the divine word and the resurrection. acts 13, 26-39 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204 easter wednesday.--the fruit that follows belief in the resurrection. colossians 3, 1-7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217 sunday after easter.--the victory of faith and the witness of the holy spirit through baptism. 1 john 5, 4-12 . . . . . . . . . . 231 second sunday after easter.--an exhortation to patience by christ's example in suffering. 1 peter 2, 20-25 . . . . . . . . 248 third sunday after easter.--our christian duties. an exhortation to the new christian life. 1 peter 2, 11-20 . . . . . . . . . . 272 second sermon.--the resurrection of the dead. 1 corinthians 15, 20-28 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285 fourth sunday after easter.--the resurrection of the dead. 1 corinthians 15, 35-50 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287 second sermon.--our gifts and duties. james 1, 16-21 . . . . . . 289 fifth sunday after easter.--the change of our mortal body and the destruction of death. 1 corinthians 15, 51-58 . . . . . . . . . 301 ascension day.--the history of christ's ascension. acts 1, 1-11 . 301 sunday after ascension day.--soberness in prayer and fervency in love, and the proper functions of church officers. 1 peter 4, 7-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303 pentecost.--the history of pentecost. acts 2, 1-13 . . . . . . . 329 pentecost monday.--peter's sermon on joel's prophecy on the outpouring of the holy spirit. acts 2, 14-28 . . . . . . . . . 336 pentecost tuesday.--the resurrection and glorification of christ through the sending of the holy spirit. acts 2, 29-36 . . . . . 336 _first sunday after epiphany_ text: romans 12, 1-6. 1 i beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of god, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to god, which is your spiritual service. 2 and be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of god. 3 for i say, through the grace that was given me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but so to think as to think soberly, according as god hath dealt to each man a measure of faith. 4 for even as we have many members in one body, and all the members have not the same office: 5 so we, who are many, are one body in christ, and severally members one of another. 6 and having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us. the fruits of faith. 1. in the preceding sermons i have treated sufficiently of faith and love; and of crosses and afflictions, the promoters of hope. faith, love and affliction bound the christian's life. it is unnecessary that i should further discourse on these topics. as they--or anything pertaining to the life of the christian--present themselves, reference may be had to those former postils. it is my purpose now briefly to make plain that the sum of all divine doctrine is simply jesus christ, as we have often heard. 2. this epistle lesson treats not of faith, but of the fruits of faith--love, unity, patience, self-denial, etc. among these fruits, the apostle considers first the discipline of the body--the mortification of evil lusts. he handles the subject here in a manner wholly unlike his method in other epistles. in galatians he speaks of crucifying the flesh with its lusts; in hebrews and colossians, of putting off the old man and mortifying the members on earth. here he mentions presenting the body as a sacrifice; he dignifies it by the loftiest and most sacred terms. why does he so? first, by making the terms glorious, he would the more emphatically urge us to yield this fruit of faith. the whole world regards the priest's office--his service and his dignity--as representing the acme of nobility and exaltation; and so it truly does. now, if one would be a priest and exalted before god, let him set about this work of offering up his body to god; in other words, let him be humble, let him be nothing in the eyes of the world. 3. i will let every man decide for himself the difference between the outward priesthood of dazzling character and the internal, spiritual priesthood. the first is confined to a very few individuals; the second, christians commonly share. one was ordained of men, independently of the word of god; the other was established through the word, irrespective of human devices. in that, the skin is besmeared with material oil; in this, the heart is internally anointed with the holy spirit. that applauds and extols its works; this proclaims and magnifies the grace of god, and his glory. that does not offer up the body with its lusts, but rather fosters the evil desires of the flesh; this sacrifices the body and mortifies its lusts. the former permits the offering up to itself of gold and property, of honor, of idleness and pleasure, and of all manner of lust on earth; the latter foregoes these things and accepts only the reverse of homage. that again sacrifices christ in its awful perversions; this, satisfied with the atonement once made by christ, offers up itself with him and in him, by making similar sacrifices. in fact, the two priesthoods accord about as well as christ and barabbas, as light and darkness, as god and the world. as little as smearing and shaving were factors in christ's priesthood, so little will they thus procure for anyone the christian priesthood. yet christ, with all his christians, is priest. "thou art a priest for ever after the order of melchizedek." ps 110, 4. the christian priesthood will not admit of appointment. the priest is not made. he must be born a priest; must inherit his office. i refer to the new birth--the birth of water and the spirit. thus all christians become priests, children of god and co-heirs with christ the most high priest. 4. men universally consider the title of priest glorious and honorable; it is acceptable to everyone. but the duties and the sacrifice of the office are rarely accepted. men seem to be averse to these latter. the christian priesthood costs life, property, honor, friends and all worldly things. it cost christ the same on the holy cross. no man readily chooses death instead of life, and accepts pain instead of pleasure, loss instead of gain, shame rather than honor, enemies rather than friends, according to the example christ set for us on the cross. and further, all this is to be endured, not for profit to one's self, but for the benefit of his neighbor and for the honor and glory of god. for so christ offered up his body. this priesthood is a glorious one. 5. as i have frequently stated, the suffering and work of christ is to be viewed in two lights: first, as grace bestowed on us, as a blessing conferred, requiring the exercise of faith on our part and our acceptance of the salvation offered. second, we are to regard it an example for us to follow; we are to offer up ourselves for our neighbors' benefit and for the honor of god. this offering is the exercise of our love--distributing our works for the benefit of our neighbors. he who so does is a christian. he becomes one with christ, and the offering of his body is identical with the offering of christ's body. this is what peter calls offering sacrifices acceptable to god by christ. he describes priesthood and offering in these words: "ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to god through jesus christ." 1 pet 2, 5. 6. peter says "spiritual sacrifices," but paul says our bodies are to be offered up. while it is true that the body is not spirit, the offering of it is called a spiritual sacrifice because it is freely sacrificed through the spirit, the christian being uninfluenced by the constraints of the law or the fear of hell. such motives, however, sway the ecclesiasts, who have heaped tortures upon themselves by undergoing fasts, uncomfortable clothing, vigils, hard beds and other vain and difficult performances, and yet failed to attain to this spiritual sacrifice. rather, they have wandered the farther from it because of their neglect to mortify their old adam-like nature. they have but increased in presumption and wickedness, thinking by their works and merits to raise themselves in god's estimation. their penances were not intended for the mortification of their bodies, but as works meriting for them superior seats in heaven. properly, then, their efforts may be regarded a carnal sacrifice of their bodies, unacceptable to god and most acceptable to the devil. 7. but spiritual sacrifices, peter tells us, are acceptable to god; and paul teaches the same (rom 8, 13): "if by the spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live." paul speaks of mortifying through the spirit; peter, of a spiritual sacrifice. the offering must first be slain. paul's thought is: "if ye mortify the deeds of the body in your individual, chosen ways, unprompted by the spirit or your own heart, simply through fear of punishment, that mortification--that sacrifice--will be carnal; and ye shall not live, but die a death the more awful." the spirit must mortify your deeds--spiritually it must be done; that is, with real enjoyment, unmoved by fear of hell, voluntarily, without expectation of meriting honor or reward, either temporal or eternal. this, mark you, is a spiritual sacrifice. however outward, gross, physical and visible a deed may be, it is altogether spiritual when wrought by the spirit. even eating and drinking are spiritual works if done through the spirit. on the other hand, whatsoever is wrought through the flesh is carnal, no matter to what extent it may be a secret desire of the soul. paul (gal 5, 20) terms idolatry and heresies works of the flesh, notwithstanding they are invisible impulses of the soul. 8. in addition to this spiritual sacrifice--the mortifying of the deeds of the body--peter mentions another, later on in the same chapter: "but ye are ... a royal priesthood ... that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." here peter touches upon the preaching office, the real sacrificial office, concerning which it is said (ps 50, 23), "whoso offereth the sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifieth me." preaching extols the grace of god. it is the offering of praise and thanks. paul boasts (rom 15, 16) that he sanctifies and offers the gospel. but it is not our purpose to consider here this sacrifice of praise; though praise in the congregation may be included in the spiritual sacrifice, as we shall see. for he who offers his body to god also offers his tongue and his lips as instruments to confess, preach and extol the grace of god. on this topic, however, we shall speak elsewhere. let us now consider the words of the text. our spiritual service. "i beseech you therefore, brethren." 9. paul does not say, "i command you." he is preaching to those already godly christians through faith in the new man; to hearers who are not to be constrained by commandments, but to be admonished. for the object is to secure voluntary renunciation of their old, sinful, adam-like nature. he who will not cheerfully respond to friendly admonition is no christian. and he who attempts by the restraints of law to compel the unwilling to renunciation, is no christian preacher or ruler; he is but a worldly jailer. "by the mercies of god." 10. a teacher of the law enforces his restraints through threats and punishments. a preacher of grace persuades and incites by calling attention to the goodness and mercy of god. the latter does not desire works prompted by an unwilling spirit, or service that is not the expression of a cheerful heart. he desires that a joyous, willing spirit shall incite to the service of god. he who cannot, by the gracious and lovely message of god's mercy so lavishly bestowed upon us in christ, be persuaded in a spirit of love and delight to contribute to the honor of god and the benefit of his neighbor, is worthless to christianity, and all effort is lost on him. how can one whom the fire of heavenly love and grace cannot melt, be rendered cheerfully obedient by laws and threats? not human mercy is offered us, but divine mercy, and paul would have us perceive it and be moved thereby. "to present your bodies." 11. many and various were the sacrifices of the old testament. but all were typical of this one sacrifice of the body, offered by christ and his christians. and there is not, nor can be, any other sacrifice in the new testament. what more would one, or could one, offer than himself, all he is and all he has? when the body is yielded a sacrifice, all belonging to the body is yielded also. therefore, the old testament sacrifices, with the priests and all the splendor, have terminated. how does the offering of a penny compare with that of the body? indeed, such fragmentary patchwork scarcely deserves recognition as a sacrifice when the bodies of christ and of his followers are offered. consequently, isaiah may truly say that in the new testament such beggarly works are loathsome compared to real and great sacrifices: "he that killeth an ox is as he that slayeth a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as he that breaketh a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as he that offereth swine's blood; he that burneth frankincense, as he that blesseth an idol." is 66, 3. similarly, also: "what unto me is the multitude of your sacrifices? saith jehovah: i have had enough of the burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and i delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he-goats." is 1, 11. thus, in plain words, isaiah rejects all other sacrifices in view of this true one. 12. our blind leaders, therefore, have most wretchedly deceived the world by their mass-offerings, for they have forgotten this one real sacrifice. the mass may be celebrated and at the same time the soul be not benefited, but rather injured. but the body cannot be offered without benefiting the soul. under the new testament dispensation, then, the mass cannot be a sacrifice, even were it ever one. for all the works, all the sacrifices of the new testament, must be true and soul-benefiting. otherwise they are not new testament sacrifices. it is said (ps 25, 10), "all the paths of jehovah are lovingkindness and truth." "a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to god." 13. paul here makes use of the three words "living," "holy" and "acceptable," doubtless to teach that the sacrifices of the old testament are repealed and the entire priesthood abolished. the old testament sacrifices consisted of bullocks, sheep and goats. to these life was not spared. for the sacrifice they were slain, burned, consumed by the priests. but the new testament sacrifice is a wonderful offering. though slain, it still lives. indeed, in proportion as it is slain and sacrificed, does it live in vigor. "if by the spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live." rom 8, 13. "for ye died, and your life is hid with christ in god." col 3, 3. "and they that are of christ jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts thereof." gal 5, 24. 14. the word "living," then, is to be spiritually understood--as having reference to the life before god and not to the temporal life. he who keeps his body under and mortifies its lusts does not live to the world; he does not lead the life of the world. the world lives in its lusts, and according to the flesh; it is powerless to live otherwise. true, the christian is bodily in the world, yet he does not live after the flesh. as paul says (2 cor 10, 3), "though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh"; and again (rom 8, 1), "who walk not after the flesh." such a life is, before god, eternal, and a true, living sacrifice. such mortification of the body and of its lusts, whether effected by voluntary discipline or by persecution, is simply an exercise in and for the life eternal. 15. none of the old testament sacrifices were holy--except in an external and temporal sense--until they were consumed. for the life of the animal was but temporal and external previous to the sacrifice. but the "living sacrifice" paul mentions is righteous before god, and also externally holy. "holy" implies simply, being designed for the service and the honor of god, and employed of god. hence we must here understand the word "holy" as conveying the thought that we let god alone work in us and we be simply his holy instruments. as said in first corinthians 6, 19-20, "your body is the temple of the holy ghost ... and ye are not your own ... therefore glorify god in your body, and in your spirit, which are god's." again (gal 6, 17), "i bear branded on my body the marks of jesus." now, he who performs a work merely for his own pleasure and to his own honor, profanes his sacrifice. so also do they who by their works seek to merit reward from god, whether temporal or eternal. the point of error is, they are not yet a slain sacrifice. the sacrifice cannot be holy unless it first lives; that is, unless it is slain before god, and slain in its own consciousness, and thus does not seek its own honor and glory. 16. the old testament sacrifices were not in themselves acceptable to god. nor did they render man acceptable. but in the estimation of the world--before men--they were pleasing, even regarded highly worthy. men thought thereby to render themselves well-pleasing in god's sight. but the spiritual sacrifice is, in man's estimation, the most repugnant and unacceptable of all things. it condemns, mortifies and opposes whatever, in man's judgment, is good and well-pleasing. for, as before stated, nature cannot do otherwise than to live according to the flesh, particularly to follow its own works and inventions. it cannot admit that all its efforts and designs are vain and worthy of mortification and of death. the spiritual sacrifice is acceptable to god, paul teaches, however unacceptable it may be to the world. they who render this living, holy sacrifice are happy and assured of their acceptance with god; they know god requires the death of the lusts and inventions of the flesh, and he alone desires to live and work in us. 17. consequently, paul's use of the word "body" includes more than outward, sensual vices and crimes, as gluttony, fornication, murder; it includes everything not of the new spiritual birth but belonging to the old adam nature, even its best and noblest faculties, outer and inner; the deep depravity of self-will, for instance, and arrogance, human wisdom and reason, reliance on our own good works, on our own spiritual life and on the gifts wherewith god has endowed our nature. to illustrate: take the most spiritual and the wisest individuals on earth, and while it is true that a fraction of them are outwardly and physically chaste, their hearts, it will be found, are filled with haughtiness, presumption and self-will, while they delight in their own wisdom and peculiar conduct. no saint is wholly free from the deep depravity of the inner nature. hence he must constantly offer himself up, mortifying his old deceitful self. paul calls it sacrificing the body, because the individual, on becoming a christian, lives more than half spiritually, and the evil propensities remaining to be mortified paul attributes to the body as to the inferior, the less important, part of man; the part not as yet wholly under the spirit's influence. "which is your spiritual (reasonable) service." 18. a clear distinction is here made between the services rendered god by christians and those which the jews rendered. the thought is: the jews' service to god consisted in sacrifices of irrational beasts, but the service of christians, in spiritual sacrifices--the sacrifice of their bodies, their very selves. the jews offered gold and silver; they built an inanimate temple of wood and stone. christians are a different people. their sacrifices are not silver and gold. their temple is not wood and stone; it is themselves. "ye are a temple of god." 1 cor 3, 16. thus you observe the unfair treatment accorded christians in ignoring their peculiar services and inducing the world to build churches, to erect altars and monasteries, and to manufacture bells, chalices and images by way of christian service--works that would have been too burdensome for even the jews. 19. in brief, this our reasonable service is rightly called a spiritual service of the heart, performed in the faith and the knowledge of god. here paul rejects all service not performed in faith as entirely unreasonable, even if rendered by the body and in outward act, and having the appearance of great holiness and spiritual life. such have been the works, offerings, monkery and stringent life of the papists, performed without the knowledge of god--having no command of god--and without spirit and heart. they have thought that so long as the works were performed they must be pleasing to god, independent of their faith. such was also the service of the jews in their works and offerings, and of all who knew not christ and were without faith. hence they were no better than the service and works of idolatrous and ignorant heathen. "and be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of god." 20. as before said, the world cannot endure the sight or hearing of this living sacrifice; therefore it opposes it on every side. with its provocations and threats, its enticements and persecutions, it has every advantage, aided by the fact that our minds and spirits are not occupied with that spiritual sacrifice, but we give place to the dispositions and inclinations of the world. we must be careful, then, to follow neither the customs of the world nor our own reason or plausible theories. we must constantly subdue our dispositions and control our wills, not obeying the dictates of reason and desire. always we are to conduct ourselves in a manner unlike the way of the world. so shall we be daily changed--renewed in our minds. that is, we come each day to place greater value on the things condemned by human reason--by the world. daily we prefer to be poor, sick and despised, to be fools and sinners, until ultimately we regard death as better than life, foolishness as more precious than wisdom, shame nobler than honor, labor more blessed than wealth, and sin more glorious than human righteousness. such a mind the world does not possess. the mind of the world is altogether unlike the christian's. it not only continues unchanged and unrenewed in its old disposition, but is obdurate and very old. 21. god's will is ever good and perfect, ever gracious; but it is not at all times so regarded of men. indeed, human reason imagines it to be the evil, unfriendly, abominable will of the devil, because what reason esteems highest, best and holiest, god's will regards as nothing and worthy of death. therefore, christian experience must come to the rescue and decide. it must feel and prove, must test and ascertain, whether one is prompted by a sincere and gracious will. he who perseveres and learns in this way will go forward in his experience, finding god's will so gracious and pleasing he would not exchange it for all the world's wealth. he will discover that acceptance of god's will affords him more happiness, even in poverty, disgrace and adversity, than is the lot of any worldling in the midst of earthly honors and pleasures. he will finally arrive at a degree of perfection making him inclined to exchange life for death, and, with paul, to desire to depart that sin may no more live in him, and that the will of god may be done perfectly in himself in every relation. in this respect he is wholly unlike the world; he conducts himself very differently from it. for the world never has enough of this life, while the experienced christian is ready to be removed. what the world seeks, he avoids; what it avoids, he seeks. 22. paul, you will observe, does not consider the christian absolutely free from sin, since he beseeches us to be "transformed by the renewing of the mind." where transformation and renewal are necessary, something of the old and sinful nature must yet remain. this sin is not imputed to christians, because they daily endeavor to effect transformation and renovation. sin exists in them against their will. flesh and spirit are contrary to each other (gal 5, 17), therefore we do not what we would. rom 7, 15. paul makes particular mention of "the mind" here, by contrast making plainer what is intended by the "body" which he beseeches them to sacrifice. the scriptural sense of the word "mind" has already been sufficiently defined as "belief," which is the source of either vice or virtue. for what i value, i believe to be right. i observe what i value, as do others. but when belief is wrong, conscience and faith have not control. where unity of mind among men is lacking, love and peace cannot be present; and where love and faith are not present, only the world and the devil reign. hence transformation by renewal of the mind is of vital importance. now follows: sober thoughts of ourselves. "for i say, through the grace that was given me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but so to think as to think soberly, according as god hath dealt to every man a measure of faith." 23. paul, in all his epistles, is careful to give this instruction to christians. his purpose is to preserve simplicity of faith among them everywhere; to prevent sects and schisms in christian life, which have their origin in differing minds, in diversity of belief. to make admonition the more forcible, he refers to his apostolic office; to the fact that he was, by the grace of god, chosen and sent to teach the things he advocates. his words here mean: "ye possess many graces, but let everyone take heed to confine his belief and opinions to the limits of faith. let him not esteem himself above another, nor attach to the gifts conferred upon himself greater value than he accords those conferred upon another. otherwise he will be inclined to despise the lesser gifts and emphasize the more exalted ones, and to influence others to the same practice." where there is not such humility, recourse is had to works and to the honoring of gifts, while faith is neglected. thus belief prompts to do as the world does, to value what is exalted and to despise what is humble. 24. this principle cannot be better illustrated than by the prevailing examples of our time. for instance, monks and priests have established spiritual orders which they regard highly meritorious. in this respect they do not think soberly, but extravagantly. they imagine ordinary christians to be insignificant in comparison with them. but their orders represent neither faith nor love, and are not commanded by god. they are peculiar, something devised by the monks and priests themselves. hence there is division. because of the different beliefs, numerous sects exist, each striving for first place. consequently, all the orders become unprofitable in god's sight. the love and faith and harmony which unite christians are dissipated. 25. paul teaches that, however varied the gifts and the outward works, none should, because of these, esteem himself good, nor regard himself better than others. rather, every man should estimate his own goodness by his faith. faith is something all christians have, though not in equal measure, some possessing more and others less. however, in faith all have the same possession--christ. the murderer upon the cross, through faith, had christ in himself as truly as had peter, paul, abraham, the mother of the lord, and all saints; though his faith may not have been so strong. therefore, though gifts be unequal, the precious faith is the same. now, if we are to glory in the treasures of faith only, not in the gifts, every man should esteem another's gifts as highly as his own, and with his own gifts serve that other who in faith possesses equal treasure with him. then will continue loving harmony and simple faith, and none will fall back upon his own works or merits. of this "mind," or belief, you may read further in the preceding postils, especially in the epistle selection for the third sunday in advent. further comment on this text will be left for the next epistle lesson, the two being closely connected. _second sunday after epiphany_ text: romans 12, 6-16. 6 and having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of our faith; 7 or ministry, let us give ourselves to our ministry; or he that teacheth, to his teaching; 8 or he that exhorteth, to his exhorting; he that giveth, let him do it with liberality; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness. 9 let love be without hypocrisy. abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 10 in love of the brethren be tenderly affectioned one to another; in honor preferring one another; 11 in diligence not slothful; fervent in spirit; serving the lord; 12 rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing stedfastly in prayer; 13 communicating to the necessities of the saints; given to hospitality. 14 bless them that persecute you; bless, and curse not. 15 rejoice with them that rejoice; weep with them that weep. 16 be of the same mind one toward another. set not your mind on high things, but condescend to things that are lowly. gifts and works of christ's members. 1. this lesson begins in a way that would seem to call for a portion properly belonging to the epistle for the preceding sunday, and terminates short of its full connection. evidently it was arranged by some unlearned and thoughtless individual, with a view simply to making convenient reading in the churches and not to its explanation to the people. it will be necessary to a clear comprehension, therefore, to note its real connections. 2. in the epistle for last sunday, the apostle teaches that as christians we are to renew our minds by sacrificing our bodies, thus preserving the true character of faith; that we are not to regard ourselves as good or perfect without faith, if we would avoid the rise of sects and conflicting opinions among christians; that each is to continue firm in the measure of faith god has given him, whether it be weak or strong; that he shall use his gifts to his neighbor's profit, and then they will not be regarded special favors by the less gifted, and the common faith will be generally prized as the highest and most precious treasure, the result being satisfaction for all men. paul next adds the simile: "for even as we have many members in one body, and all the members have not the same office: so we, who are many, are one body in christ, and severally members one of another." then follows our selection for today, the connection being, "and having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us," etc. paul likens the various gifts to ourselves, the different members of the common body of christ. it is an apt and beautiful simile, one he makes use of frequently; for instance, 1 cor 12, 12 and eph 4, 16. it teaches directly and clearly the equality of all christians; that one common faith should satisfy all; that gifts are not to be regarded as making one better, happier and more righteous than another, in the eyes of god. the latter idea is certainly erroneous, and destructive of faith, which alone avails with god. we are born members of christ. 3. first, if we examine this simile, we shall find that all the members perform certain functions of the body because they are members of it; and no member has its place through its own efforts or its own merits. it was born a member, before the exercise of office was possible. it acts by virtue of being a member; it does not become a member by virtue of its action. it derives existence and all its powers from the body, regardless of its own exertions. the body, however, exercises its members as occasion requires. the eye has not attained its place because of its power of seeing--not because it has merited its office as an organ of sight for the body. in the very beginning it derived its existence and its peculiar function of sight from the body. it cannot, therefore, boast in the slightest degree that by its independent power of seeing it has deserved its place as an eye. it has the honor and right of its position solely through its birth, not because of any effort on its part. 4. similarly, no christian can boast that his own efforts have made him a member of christ, with other christians, in the common faith. nor can he by any work constitute himself a christian. he performs good works by virtue of having become a christian, in the new birth, through faith, regardless of any merit of his own. clearly, then, good works do not make christians, but christians bring forth good works. the fruit does not make the tree, but the tree produces the fruit. seeing does not make the eye, but the eye produces vision. in short, cause ever precedes effect; effect does not produce cause, but cause produces effect. now, if good works do not make a christian, do not secure the grace of god and blot out our sins, they do not merit heaven. no one but a christian can enjoy heaven. one cannot secure it by his works, but by being a member of christ; an experience effected through faith in the word of god. 5. how, then, shall we regard those who teach us to exterminate our sins, to secure grace, to merit heaven, all by our own works; who represent their ecclesiastical orders as special highways to heaven? what is their theory? they teach, as you observe, that cause is produced by effect. just as if mere muscular tissue that is not a tongue becomes a tongue by fluent speaking, or becomes mouth and throat by virtue of much drinking; as if running makes feet; keen hearing, an ear; smelling, a nose; nourishment at the mother's breast, a child; suspension from the apple-tree, an apple. beautiful specimens, indeed, would these be--fine tongues, throats and ears, fine children, fine apples. 6. what sort of foolish, perverted individuals are they who so teach? well might you exclaim: "what impossible undertakings, what useless burdens and hardships, they assume!" yes, what but burdens do they deserve who pervert god's truth into falsehood; who change the gifts god designed for man's benefit into acts of service rendered by man to god; who, unwilling to abide in the common faith, aspire to exalted and peculiar place as priests and beings superior to other christians? they deserve to be overwhelmed in astonishing folly and madness, and to be burdened with useless labors and hardships in their attempts to do impossible things. they cheat the world of its blessings while they fill themselves. it is said of them (ps 14, 4-5): "have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge, who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon jehovah?"--that is, they live not in faith. and continuing--"there were they in great fear"; meaning that here and there they make that a matter of conscience which is not, because they cling to works and not to faith. each member content with its own powers. 7. in the second place, the simile teaches that each member of the body is content with the other members, and rejoices in its powers, not being solicitous as to whether any be superior to itself. for instance, the nose is inferior in office to the eye, yet in the relation they sustain to each other the former is not envious of the latter; rather, it rejoices in the superior function the eye performs. on the other hand, the eye does not despise the nose; it rejoices in all the powers of the other members. as paul says elsewhere (1 cor 12, 23): "those parts of the body, which we think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow more abundant honor." thus we see that hand and eye, regardless of their superior office, labor carefully to clothe and adorn the less honorable members. they make the best use of their own distinction to remove the dishonor and shame of the inferior members. 8. however unequal the capacities and distinction of the individual members of the body, they are equal in that they are all parts of the same body. the eye cannot claim any better right to a place in the body than the least distinguished member has. nor can it boast greater authority over the body than any other member enjoys. and thus it does not essay to do. it grants all members equal participation in the body. likewise, all christians, whether strong in faith or weak, perfect or defective, share equally in christ and are equal in christendom. each may appropriate the whole christ unto himself. i may boast as much in christ as peter or the mother of god may boast. nor do i envy peter because he is a more distinguished member of the christian church than i. i am glad of it. on the other hand, he does not despise me for being a less honored member. i am a part of the same body to which he belongs, and i possess christ as well as he does. 9. the self-righteous are unable to concede this equality. they must stir up sects and distinctions among christians. priests aspire to be better than laymen; monks better than priests; virgins than wives. the diligent, in praying and fasting, would be better than the laborer; and they who lead austere lives, more righteous than they of ordinary life. this is the work of the devil, and productive of every form of evil. opposed to it is christ's doctrine in our text. under such conditions as mentioned, faith and love are subverted. the unlearned are deluded, and led away from faith to works and orders. inequality is everywhere. the ecclesiasts desire to sit in high places, to receive all honor, to have their feet kissed, and will honor and respect none but themselves. indeed, they would ultimately intercede for poor christians, would be mediators between them and god, attaching no importance whatever to the stations in life occupied by these. they proceed as if they alone were members of christ, and as if their relation to him could not be closer. then they presume by their works to constitute others members of christ, being careful, however, to demand adequate financial return for the service. they are members of the devil; not of christ. each member serves all the others. 10. in the third place, according to the simile each member of the body conducts itself in a manner to profit the others--the whole body. the eye prepares the way for hand and foot. the foot, in its carriage of the body, safeguards the eye. each member ever cares for and serves the others. more beautiful figures of love and good works are not to be found than those derived from the body with its members. in the members we daily bear about with us, and with which we are continually familiar, god has described the law of love in a living and forcible manner. upon the principle there illustrated, the christian should act, conducting himself in a way to profit not himself but others, and having a sincere interest in them. under such conditions, schisms and sects could not spring up among us. 11. but we are blind; we neither see nor read the beautiful lesson taught us in our own bodies. we proceed to invent good works as a means of improving our condition and bringing ourselves into a saved state. this error is attributable to our lack of faith and of heart knowledge of christ. hence we are restless in soul, seeking to be liberated from sin and to become righteous. the heart in its ignorance of the sufficiency of common faith, engages in these abnormal, special works. there is where foolish individuals begin to disregard faith and love, imagining such works true ways to heaven. one takes up one thing, and another something else, and so it goes, until there is nothing but sects. one sect condemns and rejects the other. each, exalting itself beyond measure, claims superiority. each member suffers and rejoices with all. 12. in the fourth place, "whether one member suffereth, all the members suffer with it; or one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it," as paul says. 1 cor 12, 26. in short, no member lives and acts for itself; all obey and serve one another, and the more honored members serve most. each seems to say: "i desire not to be otherwise than as i am. i am satisfied to be a member of the same body with the others, and to have equal rights and honors therein. it is unnecessary for me to exert myself to share in that body, for i am already a member of it, and content. my efforts i direct to serving the body--all the members, my beloved brothers and partners. i assume no peculiarities. i would not cause discord and conflict." 13. observe, this is the way all true, righteous christians do, as we have frequently said. they who conduct themselves otherwise cannot be true christians; they are worse--more pernicious--than heathen. they cannot refrain from instigating sects; from assuming some peculiarity, some special doctrine, wherein they proudly exalt themselves above other men. thus they lure to themselves the hearts of the unlearned. against this class paul here, as everywhere, faithfully warns us. 14. see, then, that you become a member of christ. this is to be accomplished through faith alone, regardless of works. and having become a member, if god has appointed you a duty according to your capacity, abide in it. let no one allure you away from it. esteem not yourself better than others, but serve them, rejoicing in their works and their offices as you do in your own, even if they are less important. faith renders you equal with others, and others equal with you, and so on. christian equality and christian gifts. paul's design in this epistle is to teach equality. he would have no one "think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but so to think as to think soberly, according as god hath dealt to each man a measure of faith." or, to express it differently: "let each one regard that his work for which he has a gift, and let him perform it. but he is not consequently to esteem himself superior to others differently gifted. he should delight in their works, justly recognizing those works as of god's grace, and knowing that god distributes the measure of faith and this his grace not in one way, but in many ways." paul's peculiar choice of words here, referring to all gifts as the grace of god and the measure of faith, is meant to teach that no man may regard his individual gift as a peculiar instance in that respect, as do they who are not of the common faith. it is the one same god, spirit and lord, the apostle tells us (1 cor 12, 5-11), who effects in this work and that, whether small or great, in you or in me, in the one same faith, love and hope. 15. the importance, the nobleness and helpfulness of this doctrine is beyond our power of expression. the wretched condition of all christendom, divided as it is into innumerable sects, is, alas, plain testimony that no body nor member, no faith nor love, seems longer to exist anywhere. unity of mind in relation to the various gifts of god cannot exist in connection with human doctrines. hence it is impossible for the orders and the doctrines of our ecclesiastical lords to stand with unity of mind; one or the other must fall. 16. "measure of faith" may be understood as implying that god imparts to some more of faith itself; and to others, less. but i presume paul's thought in employing the expression is that faith brings gifts, which are its chief blessing. these are said to be according to the measure of our faith, and not to the measure of our will or our merit. we have not merited our gifts. where faith exists, god honors it with certain gifts, apportioned, or committed, according to his will. as we have it in first corinthians 12, 11, "dividing to each one severally even as he will"; and in ephesians 4, 16, "to each member according to his measure." the same reason may be assigned for paul's words, "having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us," not "differing according to our merits." grace as well as faith brings these noble jewels--our gifts--to each one according to his measure. it excludes in every respect our works and our merits, and directs us to make our works minister only to our neighbors. "whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of our faith." 17. the apostle enumerates several gifts, or works of christian members, mentioning prophecy first. prophecy is of two kinds: one is the foretelling of future events, a gift or power possessed by all the prophets under the old testament dispensation, and by the apostles; the other is the explanation of the scriptures. "greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues." 1 cor 14, 5. now, the gospel being the last prophetic message to be delivered previous to the time of the judgment, and to predict the events of that period, i presume paul has reference here simply to that form of prophecy he mentions in the fourteenth of first corinthians--explanation of the scriptures. this form is common, ever prevails, and is profitable to christians; the other form is rare. that reference is to this form, paul implies in his words, "let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith." doubtless he means the christian faith then arising. no other faith, no other doctrine, is to be introduced. now, when he says prophecy must be according to the proportion of faith, it is plain enough he does not refer to the foretelling of future events. 18. the apostle's meaning, then, is: "they who have the gift of scripture explanation must be careful to explain in conformity with the faith, and not to teach contrary to its principles." "other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is jesus christ." 1 cor 3, 11. let every man be careful not to build upon this foundation with wood, hay, stubble--things unsuited to such a foundation; let him build with gold, silver and precious stones. every doctrine, every explanation of the scriptures, then, which leads us to rely upon our own works, and produces false christians and self-righteous individuals, in the name of faith, is emphatically condemned. any doctrine that teaches we are to exterminate our sins, to become happy and righteous and to obtain peace of conscience before god, in any other way than through faith alone--without works--is not in harmony with the christian faith. for instance, all monastic life, and the doctrine of racketing spirits from purgatory, are in conflict with faith. 19. paul, you will observe, does not attach so much importance to the prediction of future events; for instance, the prophecies of lichtenberger, joachim and others in these latter times. such predictions, though they may gratify the curiosity of men concerning the fate of kings, princes and others of prominence in the world, are unnecessary prophecies under the new testament dispensation. they neither teach the christian faith nor contribute to its strength. hence this form of prophecy may be regarded as among the least of god's gifts. more, it sometimes proceeds from the devil. but the ability to explain the scriptures is the noblest, the best, prophetic gift. the old testament prophets derived their title to the name chiefly because they prophesied concerning christ--according to peter (acts 4, 25 and 1 pet 1, 10)--and because they led the people of their day in the way of faith by explaining--giving the sense of--the divine word. these things had much more to do with their title than the fact of their making occasional predictions concerning earthly kings and temporal affairs. in general, they did not make such predictions. but the first-mentioned form of prophecy they daily delivered, without omission. the faith whereto their prophecies conformed is perpetual. 20. it is of much significance that paul recognizes faith as the controlling judge and rule in all matters of doctrine and prophecy. to faith everything must bow. by faith must all doctrine be judged and held. you see whom paul would constitute doctors of the holy scriptures--men of faith and no others. these should be the judges and deciders of all doctrines. their decision should prevail, even though it conflict with that of the pope, of the councils, of the whole world. faith is and must be lord and god over all teachers. note, then, the conduct of the church orders who failed to recognize faith's right to judge, and assumed that prerogative themselves, accepting only power, numbers and temporal rank. but you know pope, councils and all the world, with their doctrines, must yield authority to the most insignificant christian with faith, even though it be but a seven-year-old child, and his decision of their doctrines and laws is to be accepted. christ commands us to take heed that we despise not one of these little ones that believe in him. see mt 18: 6, 10. again, he says (jn 6, 45), "they shall all be taught of god." now, it is inconsistent to reject the judgment of him whom god himself teaches. rather, let all men hearken to him. "or ministry, let us give ourselves to our ministry." 21. the office of the ministry is the second gift of god the apostle enumerates. with the early christians the duties of this office were to serve poor widows and orphans, distributing to them temporal goods. such were the duties of stephen and his associates (acts 6, 5), and such should be the duties of the stewards and provosts in monasteries today. again, this was the office of those who ministered unto the prophets and apostles, the preachers and teachers: for instance, the women who followed christ and served him with their substance; and onesimus, titus, timothy and others of paul's disciples. they made all necessary temporal provision, that the apostles and the preachers might give themselves uninterruptedly to preaching, teaching and prayer, and might be unencumbered with temporal affairs. 22. but things have changed, as we see. now we have spiritual lords, princes, kings, who neglect, not alone to preach and to pray, but also to distribute temporal goods to the poor and the widow and the orphan. rather, they pervert the rightful substance of these to add to their own pomp. they neither prophesy nor serve; yet they appropriate the position and the name of minister, their purpose being to restrain and persecute true preachers and servants, and to destroy christianity everywhere and spend its possessions to foster their own luxury. "or he that teacheth, to his teaching; or he that exhorteth, to his exhorting." 23. we treated of these two gifts in the epistle lesson for christmas night. tit 2. teaching consists in instructing those unacquainted with faith and the christian life; exhortation, in inciting, arousing, impelling, reproving and beseeching with all perseverance, those having knowledge of the faith. we are enjoined (2 tim 4, 2) to be urgent, to "reprove, rebuke and exhort," that christians may not grow weary, indolent and negligent, as too often they do, knowing already what is required of them. but prophecy must furnish the store of information for the teachers and exhorters. scripture expositors must supply these latter. prophesying, then, is the source of all doctrine and exhortation. "he that giveth, let him do it with liberality." 24. the mention here made of giving has reference to the fund contributed into a common treasury, in charge of servants and officers, for distribution among teachers, prophets, widows, orphans and the poor generally, as before stated. this was according to an old testament command. beside the annual tithes, designed for the levites, special tithes were to be set aside every third year for the poor, the widows and the orphans. there is no new testament law for specific giving, for this is the day of grace, wherein everyone is admonished to give freely. paul says (gal 6, 6), "let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things." again (verse 10), "let us work that which is good toward all men, and especially toward them that are of the household of faith." 25. but giving is to be done with liberality--freely and gratuitously, to the honor of god alone, with no intent to secure favor, honor or profit; none shall dictate in the matter; and preference shall not be shown in giving much to the amiable and nothing to the uncongenial, as has been the case in the past in relation to the prebends and fiefs. these were distributed according to friendship and favor; for the sake of money, honor and profit. the same is true of nearly all paid services in the matter of purgatory and hell. freely, freely, we are to give, being careful only that it be well pleasing to god and bestowed according to necessity. paul, you will observe, frequently commends such liberality. it is rarely manifest, however. true gifts are made beyond measure, but they are unprofitable because not made with a free, liberal spirit; for instance, contributions to monasteries and other institutions. not being given with liberality, god does not permit these gifts to be used for christian purposes. given in an unchristian manner, they must, in an unchristianlike way, be wasted; as micah says (ch. 1, 7): "of the hire of a harlot hath she gathered them, and unto the hire of a harlot shall they return." reference is to spiritual whoredom--unbelief--which never acts with liberality. "he that ruleth, with diligence." 26. "ruling," or overseeing, is to be understood as relating to the common offices in the christian church. paul is not speaking of temporal rulers, as princes and heads of families, but of rulers in the church. he says (1 tim 3, 5): "if a man knoweth not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of god?" he means those who have oversight of church officers generally; who take care that teachers be diligent, that deacons and ministers make proper and careful distribution of the finances, and that sinners are reproved and disciplined; in short, who are responsible for the proper execution of all offices. such are the duties of a bishop. from their office they receive the title of bishops--superintendents and "antistrites," as paul here terms them; that is, overseers and rulers. 27. it is the especial duty of these to be concerned about others, not about themselves; the latter care is forbidden rather than enjoined. mt 6, 25. diligence in the connection in which it is used in the text, is prompted by love and not by self-interest. it being the duty of a bishop to readily assume oversight, to minister and control, and all things being dependent upon him as the movements of team and wagon are dependent upon the driver, the bishop has no time for indolence, drowsiness and negligence. he must be attentive and diligent, even though all others be slothful and careless. were he inattentive and unfaithful, the official duties of all the others would likewise be badly executed. the result would be similar to that when the driver lies asleep and allows the team to move at will. under such circumstances, to hope for good results is useless, especially considering the dangerous roads wherein christians must travel here, among devils who would, in every twinkling of the eye, overthrow and destroy them. 28. why should paul reverse the seemingly proper order? he does not mention ruling first--give it precedence. he rather assigns to prophecy the first place, making ministering, teaching, exhorting and contributing follow successively, while ruling he places last or sixth, among the common offices. undoubtedly, the spirit designed such order in view of future abominations that should follow the devil's establishment of tyranny and worldly dominion among christians. this is the case at present. dominion occupies chief place. everything in christendom must yield to the wantonness of tyranny. prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhortation, benevolence--all must give way to tyranny. nothing may interrupt its sway; it must not yield to prophecy, teaching or any other office. 29. we must remember, however, that nothing takes precedence of the word of god. the preaching of it transcends all other offices. dominion is but a servant to arouse preaching to activity, like to the servant who wakes his master from sleep, or in other ways reminds him of his office. this principle confirms christ's words (lk 22, 26): "he that is the greater among you, let him become as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve." teachers and prophets, however, are to be obedient to rulers and continue subject to them; each christian work and office must subserve the others. thus is carried out paul's doctrine in this epistle: that one should not esteem himself better than others; should not exalt himself over men, thinking of himself more highly than he ought to think; though one gift or office is more honorable than another, yet it must also subserve that other. while the office of ruler is the lowest, yet every other appointment is subject to it; on the other hand, in care and oversight the ruler serves all others. again, the prophet, who holds the highest office, submits to the ruler, etc. "he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness." 30. the six preceding obligations devolve upon the common governing powers of the christian church--at present known as the ecclesiastical order. paul now proceeds to enumerate duties pertaining to every member of the church. the six first-mentioned obligations are not, however, to be individualized to the extent of making but a single obligation devolve upon one individual. he who prophesies may also teach, admonish, serve and rule. and the same is true of each office. let every man discover unto how many offices he is called, and conduct himself accordingly. he must not exalt himself over others, as if better than they, and create sects from the common gifts of god; he must continue in the common faith of his fellows, allowing mutual service and subjection in the gifts. 31. "mercy" implies all good deeds or benefits conferred by neighbors upon one another, aside from the regular contributions of which we have spoken. the hebrew word the apostle uses for "mercy" is "hesed." in latin it is "beneficium"; in greek, "eleemosyna"; and in common parlance, "alms." it is in this sense that christ employs the term throughout the gospel: "when thou doest alms" (mt 6, 2)--that is, thy good deeds, or favors; "i desire mercy, and not sacrifice" (mt 12, 27); "he that showed mercy on him" (lk 10, 37). and there are other similar passages where the word "mercy" is equivalent to "benefit" or "favor"; for instance (mt 5, 7), "blessed are the merciful." 32. paul would say: "let him who is himself so favored that he may confer benefits upon others, do it cheerfully and with pleasure." he declares (2 cor 9, 7), "god loveth a cheerful giver." and he makes his meaning clear by another portion of the same verse, "not grudgingly, or of necessity." that is, the giver is not to twitter and tremble, not to be slow and tardy in his giving, nor to seek everywhere for reasons to withhold his gift. he is not to give in a way calculated to spoil the recipient's enjoyment of the favor. nor is he to delay until the gift loses its sweetness because of the importunity required to secure it; rather he should be ready and willing. solomon says (prov 3, 28): "say not unto thy neighbor, go, and come again, and to-morrow i will give; when thou hast it by thee." "bis dat qui cito dat." he gives doubly who gives quickly. again, "tarda gratia non est gratia," a tardy favor is no favor. the word "hilaris" in this connection does not imply joyful giving, but free, cheerful, willing and loving generosity, a generosity moved by slight entreaty. the works of christ's members. "let love be without hypocrisy." 33. how aptly the apostle points out the danger of error in each obligation, as well as the right course! prophecy is carried beyond its proper sphere when it does not accord with the faith. this is the danger-point in all prophecy. the common error in ministering lies in the indolence manifested therein, and the constant preference for some other occupation. again, the prevailing error in teaching and exhorting is in giving attention to something besides those obligations; for instance, deceiving men with human nonsense. the mistake in giving is that it is seldom done with liberality. rulers are prone to seek quiet and leisure, desiring to escape being burdened with care and anxiety. favors are seldom bestowed cheerfully and with a willing heart. so, too, pure love is a rare thing on earth. not that love in itself is impure, but too often it is mere pretense. john implies as much in his words (1 jn 3, 18), "my little children, let us not love in word, neither with the tongue; but in deed and truth." 34. now, they who harbor hatred while pretending to love, or are guilty of similar gross hypocrisies, fall far short of the spirit of this teaching. but paul refers to those of liberated conscience, who conduct themselves like true christians, well knowing how to teach concerning christ; but who are careless of their works, not realizing that they neglect their neighbors and fail to assist the needy and to rebuke the wicked; who are generally negligent, bringing forth none of the fruits of faith; among whom the true word of god is choked, like seed among thorns, as christ says. mt 13, 22. but we have elsewhere explained the nature of pure love. "abhor that which is evil." 35. while to abhor evil is one of the chief principles of love, it is rare. the principle is too often lost sight of through hypocrisy and false love. we ignore, wink at, even make light of and are undisturbed by the evil deeds of our neighbor. we are unwilling to incur his displeasure by manifesting indignation and offering rebuke for his wickedness, or by withdrawing from his society. especially do we hesitate when we thus must endanger body or life; for instance, when the vices of those in high life demand our censure. by such weakness on our part we merely dissimulate love. paul requires, not only a secret abhorrence of evil, but an open manifestation of it in word and deed. true love is not influenced by the closeness of the friend, by the advantage of his favors, or by the standing of his connections; nor is it influenced by the perverseness of an enemy. it abhors evil, and censures it or flees from it, whether in father or mother, brother or sister, or in any other. corrupt nature loves itself and does not abhor its own evil; rather, it covers and adorns it. anger is styled zeal; avarice is called prudence; and deception, wisdom. "cleave to that which is good." 36. the second feature of real, true love is that it cleaves to the good, even though found in the worst enemy, and though directly opposing love's desire. love is no respecter of persons. it is not intimidated by the possible danger its expression might incur. but false love will dare, even for the sake of honor, profit or advantage, to forsake the good in its friend, particularly when danger threatens or persecution arises. much less, then, will he whose love is false cleave to the good in an enemy and stand by and maintain it. and if it necessitated opposing his own interests, he would not support his enemy's deed, however good. briefly, the proverb, "the world is false and full of infidelity," and that other saying, "fair but empty words," clearly express the fact that the love of our corrupt human nature is false and hypocritical, and that where the spirit of god dwells not, there is no real, pure love. these two principles--abhorring the evil and cleaving to the good--are clearly presented in psalm 15, 4: "in whose eyes a reprobate is despised, but who honoreth them that fear jehovah"--in other words, "who cleaves to the good, even though it be in an enemy; and hates the evil, even though in a friend." try men by these two principles in their lending, their dealing and giving, reproving and teaching, tolerating and suffering, and their dissimulation and hypocrisy will be readily apparent. "in love of the brethren be tenderly affectioned one to another." 37. christians exhibit perfect love when, in addition to the love they manifest toward all men, they are themselves united by a peculiar bond of christian affection. the term "tenderly affectioned" expresses the love parents have for children, and brothers for each other. paul would say: "christians are not simply to manifest a spirit of mutual love, but they are to conduct themselves toward one another in a tender, parental and brotherly way." thus paul boasts of doing in the case of the people of thessalonica. 1 thes 1, 11. isaiah declares (ch. 66, 13) that god will so comfort the apostles: "as one whom his mother comforteth, so will i comfort you." and peter says (1 pet 3, 8): "loving as brethren, tenderhearted, humbleminded." the nature of the brotherly love we owe our neighbors is illustrated in the love of an affectionate mother for her child. such love christ has shown, and still shows, toward us. he sustains us, frail, corrupt, sinful beings that we are. so imperfect are we, we seem not christians at all. but the love of christ makes us his, regardless of our imperfections. "in honor preferring one another." 38. christ's love and friendship for ourselves should lead us to esteem one another precious. we should be dear to one another for the sake of the christ within us. we may not reject any because of his imperfections. we must remember the lord dwells in the weak vessel also, and honors him with his presence. if christ regards him worthy of kindness and affection, and extends to him the same privilege in himself that we enjoy, we should bow before that weak one, honoring him as the living temple of our lord, the seat of his presence. what matters to us the insignificance of the seat the lord chooses? if it is not too humble to be honored with his presence, why should we his servants not honor it? "in diligence not slothful." 39. "diligence" here implies every form of righteous work and business that occupies us. paul requires us to be diligent, skillful and active. we are not to proceed as do they who undertake one thing today, and tomorrow another, confining themselves to nothing and soon growing weary and indolent. for instance, some readily and very zealously engage in a good work, such as praying, reading, fasting, giving, serving, disciplining the body. but after two or three attempts they become indolent and fail to accomplish the undertaking. their ardor subsides with the gratification of their curiosity. such people become unstable and weak. so paul enjoins to be "fervent in spirit." 40. a weak and somewhat curious disposition may undertake with fervor, being ready to accomplish everything at once; but in the very start it becomes faint and weak, and voluntarily yields. it becomes silent when opposition, disaffection and persecution must be encountered. the fervor that does not persevere in spiritual matters is carnal. spiritual fervor increases with undertaking and effort. it is the nature of spirit not to know weariness. spirit grows faint and weary only by idleness. laboring, it increases in strength. particularly does it gain in fervor through persecution and opposition. so it perseveres, and accomplishes its projects, even though the gates of hell oppose. "serving the lord." (adapt yourselves to the time.) 41. some renderings read, "serve the lord," for in the greek "kairos" and "kyrios" sound much alike. one means "time," the other "lord." i am undecided which is preferable. "serve the time"--"adapt yourselves to the time"--would be apt. and "serve the lord" would not be a bad construction. let each choose for himself. to serve the lord means to let all our acts be done as unto the lord himself, in the effort to serve him, not seeking our own honor, and not neglecting our duty for fear of men or because of their favors; it means to follow the spirit of nehemiah's declaration when the temple was being built (neh 2, 20)--we are servants of the god of heaven. such was the reply of the jews to those who attempted to hinder them. practically, the jews said: "we do not serve ourselves. our service is not designed for our own honor, but for the honor of the god of heaven." i shall, however, adhere to the rendering, "adapt yourselves to the time." it is equivalent to saying: direct yourselves according to the time. that is, employ it well; be seasonable, in keeping with solomon's words (ec 3, 3-4): "a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh," etc. there is a time for everything. the thought is, exercise your privileges, confining yourself to no particular time; be able to do the duty that presents itself, as psalm 1, 3 suggests: "he shall be like a tree ... that bringeth forth its fruit in its season." 42. this valuable and excellent doctrine militates against the self-righteous, who confine themselves to set times, to the extent of making the time conform to them and adapt itself to their convenience. they observe particular hours for praying, for eating, for drinking. should you, in dire need of aid, approach one of them, you might perish before he would disengage himself to assist you. note, the self-righteous man does not adapt himself to the time--does not rise to the occasion as he should. the opportunity to perform a work of love, he permits to pass. the time must be suited to him--which will never be. no opportunity to do good ever presents itself to this class, for they are so absorbed in themselves as to permit every such occasion to pass. nor are they seasonable in things concerning themselves. they laugh when they should weep; they are gloomy when they should rejoice; they flatter when censure is due. all their efforts are untimely. it is their fortune to miss every opportunity in consequence of confining their endeavors to certain times. this is the way of the world. "rejoicing in hope." 43. here is an occasion, truly, when we should be timely. the ungodly rejoice when satiate with wealth, honor and ease, but are filled with gloom at a change in the weather. their joy is untimely as well as their grief. they rejoice when they should grieve, and grieve when they should rejoice. but christians are capable of rejoicing, not in ease and temporal advantage, but in god. they rejoice most when their worldly condition is worst. the farther earthly advantages are removed, the nearer is god with his eternal blessings. paul enumerates joy among the fruits of the spirit (gal 5, 22); the flesh knows not such pleasure. in romans 14, 17, he speaks of "joy in the holy spirit." "patient in tribulation." 44. throughout the gospel we are taught that christians must endure crosses and evil days. hence the gospel arms us with divine armor, and that alone. that is, it teaches us, not how to avert temporal ills and to enjoy peace, but how to endure and conquer these ills. we are not to oppose and try to avert them, but patiently to endure them until they wear themselves out upon us, and lose their power; as ocean waves, dashing against the shore, recede and vanish of their own accord. not yielding, but perseverence, shall win here. but of this topic we have treated during the advent season. "continuing stedfastly in prayer." 45. prayer has been sufficiently defined in the third epistle for advent. paul does not allude to babbling out of prayer-books, nor to bawling in the church. you will never offer true prayer from a book. to be sure, you may, by reading a prayer, learn how and what to pray, and have your devotion enkindled; but real prayer must proceed spontaneously from the heart, not in prescribed words; the language must be dictated by the fervor of the soul. paul particularly specifies that we are to be "stedfast in prayer." in other words, we should not become remiss, even though we do not immediately receive what we ask. the chief thing in prayer is faith. faith relies on god's promise to hear its petition. it may not receive at once what it is confident of receiving; but it waits, and though for a time there may be indications of failure, yet the petition is granted. christ gives striking illustrations of such perseverence in the parable of the wicked judge (lk 18), and in that of the friend's importunity (lk 11). he everywhere teaches the necessity of faith in prayer. "whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive," mt 21, 22. and again, "or what man is there of you, who, if his son shall ask him for a loaf, will give him a stone?" mt 7, 9. "communicating to the necessities of the saints." 46. the meaning of this injunction is shamefully perverted. in our necessities we daily seek the assistance of saints. hence the numerous institutions, altars and services to these, everywhere in the world. paul's teaching, however, is that we are to "communicate to the necessity of the saints." since we ignore the sanctified ones of this life who need our assistance, we are well rewarded by having to go to the dead to solicit aid in our necessities. paul means the saints on earth--the christians. he calls them saints out of respect to the word of god and his grace, which, in faith, renders them holy without works. 47. it would be a great shame, a blasphemy, for a christian to deny that he is holy. it would be equivalent to denying the holiness of the blood of christ, of the word, the spirit, the grace of god, and of god himself. and all these god has applied to or conferred upon the christian to render him holy. paul does not hesitate to call himself a saint (eph 3, 8): "unto me who am less than the least of all saints, was this grace given." and (1 tim 5, 10) he would relieve widows who washed the feet of the saints. it is also said in psalm 86, 2, "preserve my soul; for i am godly [holy]." peter, too (1 pet 1, 16), quoting from moses, speaks god's message, "ye shall be holy; for i am holy." the word "holy" in the scriptures has reference only to the living. but we have had books other than the scriptures to read. consequently we have been led by our seducers into the humiliating wickedness of calling holy only the dead, and regarding it the highest presumption to apply the term to ourselves. at the same time we are all desirous of being called "christians," a sublimer title than "holy"; for christ is perfect holiness, and christians are named after christ--after perfect holiness. the shameful abomination known as "the exaltation of saints" is responsible for the deplorable error here. the pope's influence has created the belief that only they are holy who are dead, or whose works have exalted them to the honor of the title. but how often is the devil exalted as a saint, and how often we regard them saints who are of hell! 48. paul's design in mentioning "the necessities of the saints" is to teach and move us to do as much for christians as we are inclined to do for the saints of heaven; to regard such ministration as precious service, for so it is. he commends to us the real saints--those in want; who are of saintly character, though they may be forsaken, hungry, naked, imprisoned, half-dead, regarded by the world as ungodly evil-doers deserving of every form of misfortune; who, unable to help themselves, need assistance. they differ much from those saints whose help we, staring heavenward, implore. it is the poor christians whom christ will array on the last day, saying, "inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, even these least, ye did it unto me." mt 25, 40. then they who so ostentatiously served the blessed of heaven must stand shamed and afraid in the presence of those whom in this life they scorned to respect as they should. nor will the saints whom they bound themselves to serve, and whom they worshiped, avail them anything. "given to hospitality." 49. now, paul specifies concerning the "necessities of the saints" and names the treatment to be accorded them. not only in word are we to remember them, but in deed, extending hospitality as their necessities demand. "hospitality" stands for every form of physical aid when occasion calls for it--feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked. in the early days of the gospel, the apostles and disciples did not sit in palaces, cloisters, institutions, and torture the people with edicts and commands as do the idolatrous bishops today. pilgrim-like, they went about the country, having no house nor home, no kitchen nor cellar, no particular abiding-place. it was necessary that everywhere hospitality be extended the saints, and service rendered them, that the gospel might be preached. this was as essential as giving assistance in their distresses and sufferings. "bless them that persecute you." 50. incidental to the subject of the saints' necessities, the apostle reminds us we are to conduct ourselves in a christian manner toward our persecutors, who, to great extent, are to blame for the distresses of the saints. it is well to observe here that we are not merely advised, but commanded, to love our enemies, to do them good and to speak well of them; such conduct is the fruit of the spirit. we must not believe what we have heretofore been taught--that the admonition comes only to the perfect, and that they are merely counseled to bless their persecutors. christ teaches (mt 5, 44) that all christians are commanded so to do. and to "bless" our persecutors means to desire for them only good in body and soul. for instance, if an enemy detracts from our honor, we should respond, "god honor you and keep you from disgrace." or if one infringe upon our rights, we ought to say, "may god bless and prosper you." on this wise should we do. "bless, and curse not." 51. this is to be our attitude toward mankind generally, whether persecutors or otherwise. the meaning is: "not only bless your persecutors, but live without curses for any, with blessings for all; wishing no one evil, but everyone only good." for we are children of blessing; as peter says: "hereunto were ye called, that ye should inherit a blessing." 1 pet 3, 9. in our blessing, all the world is blessed--through christ. "in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." gen 22, 18. it is inconsistent for a christian to curse even his most bitter enemy and an evil-doer; for he is commanded to bear upon his lips the gospel. the dove did not bring to noah in the ark a poisonous branch or a thistle sprig; she brought an olive-leaf in her mouth. gen 8, 11. the gospel likewise is simply a gracious, blessed, glad and healing word. it brings only blessing and grace to the whole world. no curse, but pure blessing, goes with the gospel. the christian's lips, then, must be lips of blessing, not of cursing. if they curse, they are not the lips of a christian. 52. it is necessary, however, to distinguish between cursing and censuring or reproving. reproof and punishment greatly differ from cursing and malediction. to curse means to invoke evil, while censuring carries the thought of displeasure at existing evil, and an effort to remove it. in fact, cursing and censuring are opposed. cursing invokes evil and misfortune; censure aims to remove them. christ himself censured, or reproved. he called the jews a generation of vipers, children of the devil, hypocrites, blind dolts, liars, and so on. he did not curse them to perpetuate their evils; rather he desired the evils removed. paul does similarly. he says of the sorcerer that he is a child of the devil and full of subtilty. acts 13, 10. again, the spirit reproves the world of sin. jn 16, 8. 53. but the strong argument is here urged that the saints of the scriptures not only censured, but cursed. jacob, the patriarch, cursed his sons reuben, simeon and levi. gen 49, 7. a great part of the law of moses is made up of curses, especially deut 28, 15. open cursing is commanded to be pronounced by the people, on mount ebal. deut 27, 13. how much cursing we find in the psalms, particularly psalm 109. again, how david cursed joab, captain of his host! 2 sam 3, 29. how bitterly peter curses simon (acts 8, 20): "thy silver perish with thee." paul curses the seducers of the galatians (gal 5, 12), "i would they were even cut off." and he says (1 cor 16, 22), "if any man loveth not the lord, let him be anathema." christ cursed the innocent fig-tree. mt 21, 19. and elisha cursed the children of bethel. 2 kings 2, 24. what shall we say to these things? 54. i answer: we must distinguish between love and faith. love must not curse; it must always bless. but faith has power to curse. faith makes us children of god, and is to us in god's place. love makes us servants of men, and occupies the place of a servant. without the spirit's direction, no one can rightly understand and imitate such examples of cursing. cursing stands opposed to cursing--the curses of god to the curses of the devil. when the devil, through his followers, resists, destroys, obstructs, the word of god--the channel of the blessing--the blessing is impeded, and in god's sight a curse rests upon the blessing. then it is the office of faith to come out with a curse, desiring the removal of the obstruction that god's blessing may be unhindered. 55. were one, with imprecation, to invoke god to root out and destroy popery--the order of priests, monks and nuns, together with the cloisters and other institutions, the whole world might well say, amen. for these the devil's devices curse, condemn and impede everywhere god's word and his blessing. these things are evils so pernicious, so diabolical, they do not merit our love. the more we serve the ecclesiasts and the more we yield to them, the more obdurate they become. they rant and rage against the word of god and the spirit, against faith and love. such conduct christ calls blasphemy--sin--against the holy spirit--unpardonable sin. mt 12, 31. and john says (1 jn 5, 16), "there is a sin unto death; not concerning this do i say that he should make request." with the ecclesiasts all is lost. they will not accept any love or assistance which does not leave them in their wickedness, does not strengthen and help--even honor and exalt--them in it. any effort you may make otherwise will but cause them to rage against the holy spirit, to blaspheme and curse your teaching, declaring: "it proceeds not from love and fidelity to god, but from the hate, the malice, of the devil. it is not the word of god, but falsehood. it is the devil's heresy and error." 56. in fact, cursing which contributes only to the service of god is a work of the holy spirit. it is enjoined in the first commandment, and is independent of and superior to love. until god commands us to do a certain good work or to manifest our love toward our neighbor, we are under no obligation so to do. his will transcends all the good works we can do, all the love we can show our neighbor. even if i could save the entire world in a single day and it were not god's will i should, i would have no right to do it. therefore, i should not bless, should not perform a good work, should not manifest my love to any, unless it be consistent with the will and command of god. the measure of our love to our neighbors is the word of god. likewise, by the first commandment all other commandments are to be measured. we might, in direct violation of the commandments of the second table, were it consistent with god's will and promotive of his honor, obey the first commandment in killing, robbing, taking captive women and children and disobeying father and mother, as did the children of israel in the case of their heathen enemies. likewise the holy spirit is able to, and does at times, perform works seemingly opposed to all the commandments of god. while apparently there is violation in some respects, it is in reality only of the commandments of the second table, concerning our neighbor. the spirit's works are in conformity with the first three commandments of the first table, relating to god. therefore, if you first become a peter, a paul, a jacob, a david, an elisha, you too may curse in god's name, and with exalted merit in his sight. "rejoice with them that rejoice; weep with them that weep." 57. there may be a direct connection between these two commands and the injunction about "communicating to the necessities of the saints" upon which paul has been expatiating, teaching how we are to treat our persecutors, who are largely to blame for the "necessities" of christians. yet i am inclined to think he speaks here in an unrelated way, of our duty to make ourselves agreeable to all men, to adapt ourselves to their circumstances, whether good or ill, whether or no they are in want. as common servants, we should minister to mankind in their every condition, that we may persuade them to accept the gospel. paul speaks further on this point. 58. now, if a fellow-man have reason to rejoice, it is not for us to put on a stern countenance, as do the hypocrites, who assume to be somewhat peculiar. their unnatural seriousness is meant to be indicative of their unrivaled wisdom and holiness, and of the fact that men who rejoice instead of wearing, as they do, a stern look, are fools and sinners. but no, we are to participate in the joy of our fellow-man when that joy is not inconsistent with the will of god. for instance, we should rejoice with the father who joys in the piety and sweetness of his wife, in her health and fruitfulness, and in the obedience and intelligence of his children; and when he is as well off as we are so far as soul, body and character, family and property, are concerned. these are gifts of god. according to paul (acts 14, 17), they are given that god may fill our hearts "with food and gladness." though many such gifts and pleasures are improperly used, they are nevertheless the gifts of god and not to be rejected with a gloomy face as if we dare not, or should not, enjoy them. on the other hand, we ought to weep with our fellow-man when he is in sad circumstances, as we would weep over our own unhappy condition. we read (2 sam 1, 17; 3, 33) that david lamented for saul, jonathan and abner, and (phil 2, 27) that paul was filled with sorrow over the illness of epaphroditus and grieved as if the affliction were his own. "be of the same mind one toward another." 59. the apostle has previously (verse 10) spoken concerning unity of mind in relation to god-ordained spiritual gifts, counseling that everyone should be content as to the offices and gifts of his fellows. now paul speaks of the temporal affairs of men, teaching likewise mutual appreciation of one another's calling and character, offices and works, and that none is to esteem himself better than another because of these. the shoemaker's apprentice has the same christ with the prince or the king; the woman, the same christ the man has. while there are various occupations and external distinctions among men, there is but one faith and one spirit. 60. but this doctrine of paul has long been dishonored. princes, lords, nobles, the rich and the powerful, reflect themselves in themselves, thinking they are the only men on earth. even among their own ranks, one aspires to be more exalted, more noble and upright, than another. their notions and opinions are almost as diverse as the clouds of heaven. they are not of the same mind concerning external distinctions. one does not esteem another's condition and occupation as significant and as honorable as his own. the individual sentiment apparently is: "my station is the best; all others are revolting." the clumsy, booted peasant enters the strife. the baker aspires to be better than the barber; the shoemaker, than the bath-keeper. should one happen to be illegitimately born, he is not eligible to a trade, though he even be holy. certificates of legitimate birth must be produced, and such is the complex state of society, there are as many beliefs as masters and servants. how can there be unity of mind concerning spiritual offices and blessings with people so at variance upon trivial, contemptible worldly matters? true, there must be the various earthly stations, characters and employments; but it is heathenish, unchristian and worldly for one to entertain the absurd idea that god regards a certain individual a better christian than another upon the contemptible grounds of his temporal station, and not to perceive that in god's sight these conditions make no inner difference. 61. indeed, it is not only unchristian, but effeminate and childish, to hold such a view. a woman will win distinction for herself by handling the spindle or the needle more deftly than another, or by adjusting her bonnet more becomingly than her neighbor can; in fact, she may secure prominence by things even more insignificant. to say the least, no woman thinks herself less a woman than any other. the same is true of children; each is best satisfied with its own bread and butter, and thinks its own toy the prettiest; if it does not, it will cry until it gets its prettiest. and so it is with the world: one has more power, another is a better christian, another is more illustrious; one has more learning, another is more respectable; one is of this lineage, another that. these distinctions are the source of hatred, murder and every form of evil, so tenaciously does each individual adhere to his own notions. yet, despite their separate and dissimilar opinions, men call themselves christians. "set not your mind on high things." 62. here paul makes clear the preceding injunction. he would restrain men from their unholy conceits. as before stated, every man is best pleased with his own ideas. hence foolishness pervades the land. one, seeing another honored above himself, is restlessly ambitious to emulate that other. but he acts contrary to both teachings of paul: comparing himself to his inferiors or to his equals, he thinks he is far above them, and his own station most honorable. comparing himself with his superiors, he sees his pretended rank fail; hence he strives to rival them, devoting all his energies to attain the enviable position. clinging to external distinctions, his changing notions and unstable heart impel him to such ambition and render him dissatisfied with the christ whom all men possess alike. but what does paul teach? not so. he says, "set not your mind on what the world values." his meaning is: "distinctions truly must there be in this life--one thing high, another low. everything cannot be gold, nor can all things be straw. nevertheless, among men there should be unity of mind in this relation." god treats men alike. he gives his word and his spirit to the lowly as well as to the high. paul does not use the little word "mind" undesignedly. "high things" have their place and they are not pernicious. but to "mind" them, to be absorbed in them with the whole heart, to be puffed up with conceit because of our relation to them, enjoying them to the disadvantage of the less favored--this is heathenish. "but condescend to things that are lowly." 63. in other words: despise not lowly stations and characters. say not, they must either be exalted or removed. god uses them; indeed, the world cannot dispense with them. where would the wealthy and powerful be if there were no poor and humble? as the feet support the body, so the low support the high. the higher class, then, should conduct themselves toward the lowly as the body holds itself with relation to the feet; not "minding," or regarding, their lofty station, but conforming to and recognizing with favor the station of the lowly. legal equality is here made a figure of spiritual things--concerning the aspirations of the heart. christ conducted himself with humility. he did not deny his own exaltation, but neither was he haughty toward us by reason of it. he did not despise us, but stooped to our wretched condition and raised us by means of his own exalted position. _third sunday after epiphany_ text: romans 12, 16-21. 16 be not wise in your own conceits. 17 render to no man evil for evil. take thought for things honorable in the sight of all men. 18 if it be possible, as much as in you lieth, be at peace with all men. 19 avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto the wrath of god: for it is written, vengeance belongeth unto me; i will recompense, saith the lord. 20 but if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him to drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head. 21 be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. christian revenge.[1] [footnote 1: this and the last sermon are one in some editions. hence the paragraphs are numbered as one sermon.] "be not wise in your own conceits." 64. the lesson as read in the church ends here. we shall, therefore, notice but briefly the remaining portion. "conceits," as here used, signifies the obstinate attitude with regard to temporal things which is maintained by that individual who is unwilling to be instructed, who himself knows best in all things, who yields to no one and calls good whatever harmonizes with his ideas. the christian should be more willing to make concession in temporal affairs. let him not be contentious, but rather yielding, since the word of god and faith are not involved, it being only a question of personal honor, of friends and of worldly things. "render to no man evil for evil." 65. in the counsel above (verse 14) to "curse not," the writer of the epistle has in mind those unable to avenge themselves, or to return evil for evil. these have no alternative but to curse, to invoke evil upon their oppressors. in this instance, however, the reference is to those who have equal power to render one another evil for evil, malice for malice, whether by acts committed or omitted--and usually they are omitted. but the christian should render good for evil, and omit not. god suffers his sun to shine upon the evil and upon the good. mt 5, 45. "take thought for things honorable in the sight of all men." 66. this injunction is similar to that he gives the thessalonians (1 thes 5, 22), "abstain from all appearance of evil"; and the philippians (ch. 4, 8): "whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honorable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." the reference is purely to our outward conduct. paul would not have the christian think himself at liberty to do his own pleasure, regardless of others' approbation. only in the things of faith is such the christian's privilege. his outward conduct should be irreproachable, acceptable to all men; in keeping with the teaching of first corinthians, 10, 32-33, to please all men, giving offense neither to jews nor to gentiles; and obedient to peter's advice (1 pet 2, 12), "having your behavior seemly among the gentiles." "if it be possible, as much as in you lieth, be at peace with all men." 67. outward peace among men is here intended--peace with christians and heathen, with the godly and the wicked, the high and the low. we must give no occasion for strife; rather, we are to endure every ill patiently, never permitting peace to be disturbed on our account. we must not return evil for evil, blow for blow; for he who so does, gives rise to contention. paul adds, "as much as in you lieth." we are to avoid injuring any, lest we be the ones to occasion contention. we must extend friendliness to all men, even though they be not friendly to us. it is impossible to maintain peace at all times. the saying is, "i can continue in peace only so long as my neighbor is willing." but it lies in our power to leave others at peace, friends and foes, and to endure the contentions of all. "oh yes," you say, "but where would we be then?" listen: "avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto the wrath of god: for it is written, vengeance belongeth unto me; i will recompense, saith the lord." 68. note, in forbidding us to return blow for blow and to resort to vengeance, the apostle implies that our enjoyment of peace depends on our quiet endurance of others' disturbance. he not only gives us assurance that we shall be avenged, but he intimidates us from usurping the office of god, to whom alone belong vengeance and retribution. indeed, he rather deplores the fate of the christian's enemies, who expose themselves to god's wrath; he would move us to pity them in view of the fact that we must give place to wrath and permit them to fall into the hands of god. the vengeance and wrath of god are dispensed in various ways: through the instrumentality of political government; at the hands of the devil; by illness, hunger and pestilence; by fire and water; by war, enmity, disgrace; and by every possible kind of misfortune on earth. every creature may serve as the rod and the weapon of god when he designs chastisement. as said in wisdom of solomon, 5, 17: "he shall ... make the creature his weapon for the revenge of his enemies." 69. so paul says, "give place unto wrath." i have inserted the words "of god" to make clearer the meaning of the text; the wrath of god is intended, and not the wrath of man. the thought is not of giving place to the anger of our enemies. true, there may be occasion even for that, but paul has not reference here to man's anger. evidently, he means misfortunes and plagues, which are regarded as expressions of god's wrath. possibly the apostle omitted the phrase to avoid giving the idea that only the final wrath of god is meant--his anger at the last day, when he will inflict punishment without instrumentality. paul would include here all wrath, whether temporal or eternal, to which god gives expression in his chastisements. this is an old testament way of speaking. phinehas says (jos 22, 18), "to-morrow he will be wroth with ... israel." and moses in several places speaks of god's anger being kindled. see numbers 11: 1, 10, 33. i mention these things by way of teaching that when the political government wields the sword of punishment against its enemies, it should be regarded as an expression of god's wrath; and that the statement in deuteronomy 32, 35, "vengeance is mine," does not refer solely to punishment inflicted of god direct, without instrumentality. "but if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him to drink; for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head." 70. this teaching endorses what i have already stated--that the christian's enemies are to be pitied in that they are subjected to the wrath of god. consequently it is not christian-like to injure them; rather, we should extend favors. paul here introduces a quotation from solomon. prov 25, 21-22. heaping coals of fire on the head, to my thought, implies conferring favors upon the enemy. being enkindled by our kindness, he ultimately becomes displeased with himself and more kindly disposed to us. coals here are benefits, or favors. coals in the censer likewise stand for the favors, or blessings, of god; they are a type of our prayers, which should rise with fervor. some say that coals represent the law and judgments of god (see psalm 18, 8, "coals were kindled by it"), reasoning that in consequence of the christian's favors, his enemy is constrained to censure himself and to feel the weight of god's law and his judgments. i do not think a christian should desire punishment to fall upon his enemy, though such explanation of the sentence is not inapt. in fact, it rather accords with the injunction, "give place unto wrath"; that is, do good and then wrath--the coals--will readily fall upon the enemy. "be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." 71. with this concluding counsel, it strikes me, paul himself explains the phrase "coals of fire" in harmony with the first idea--that the malice of an enemy is to be overcome with good. overcoming by force is equivalent to lending yourself to evil and wronging the enemy who wrongs you. by such a course your enemy overcomes you and you are made evil like himself. but if you overcome him with good, he will be made righteous like you. a spiritual overcoming is here meant; the disposition, the heart, the soul--yes, the devil who instigates the evil--are overcome. _fourth sunday after epiphany_ text: romans 13, 8-10. 8 owe no man anything, save to love one another: for he that loveth his neighbor hath fulfilled the law. 9 for this, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not covet, and if there be any other commandment, it is summed up in this word, namely, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. 10 love worketh no ill to his neighbor; love therefore is the fulfilment of the law. christian love and the command to love. 1. this, like the two preceding epistle lessons, is admonitory, and directs our attention to the fruits of faith. here, however, paul sums up briefly all the fruits of faith, in love. in the verses going before he enjoined subjection to temporal government--the rendering of tribute, custom, fear and honor wherever due--since all governmental power is ordained of god. then follows our lesson: "owe no man anything," etc. 2. i shall ignore the various explanations usually invented for this command, "owe no man anything, but to love one another." to me, clearly and simply it means: not as men, but as christians, are we under obligations. our indebtedness should be the free obligation of love. it should not be compulsory and law-prescribed. paul holds up two forms of obligation: one is inspired by law, the other by love. legal obligations make us debtors to men; an instance is when one individual has a claim upon another for debt. the duties and tribute, the obedience and honor, we owe to political government are of this legal character. though personally these things are not essential to the christian--they do not justify him nor make him more righteous--yet, because he must live here on earth, he is under obligation, so far as outward conduct is concerned, to put himself on a level with other men in these things, and generally to help maintain temporal order and peace. christ paid tribute money as a debt (mt 17, 27), notwithstanding he had told peter he was under no obligation to do so and would have committed no sin before god in omitting the act. 3. another obligation is love, when a christian voluntarily makes himself a servant of all men. paul says (1 cor 9, 19), "for though i was free from all men, i brought myself under bondage to all." this is not a requirement of human laws; no one who fails in this duty is censured or punished for neglect of legal obligations. the world is not aware of the commandment to love; of the obligation to submit to and serve a fellow-man. this fact is very apparent. let one have wealth, and so long as he refrains from disgracing his neighbor's wife, from appropriating his neighbor's goods, sullying his honor or injuring his person, he is, in the eyes of the law, righteous. no law punishes him for avarice and penuriousness; for refusing to lend, to give, to aid, and to help his wronged neighbor secure justice. laws made for restraint of the outward man are directed only toward evil works, which they prohibit and punish. good works are left to voluntary performance. civil law does not extort them by threats and punishment, but commends and rewards them, as does the law of moses. 4. paul would teach christians to so conduct themselves toward men and civil authority as to give no occasion for complaint or censure because of unfulfilled indebtedness to temporal law. he would not have them fail to satisfy the claims of legal obligation, but rather to go beyond its requirements, making themselves debtors voluntarily and serving those who have no claims on them. relative to this topic, paul says (rom 1, 14), "i am debtor both to greeks and to barbarians." love's obligation enables a man to do more than is actually required of him. hence the christian always willingly renders to the state and to the individual all service exacted by temporal regulations, permitting no claims upon himself in this respect. 5. paul's injunction, then, might be expressed: owe all men, that you may owe none; owe everything, that you may owe nothing. this sounds paradoxical. but one indebtedness is that of love, an obligation to god. the other is indebtedness to temporal law, an obligation in the eyes of the world. he who makes himself a servant, who takes upon himself love's obligation to all men, goes so far that no one dares complain of omission; indeed, he goes farther than any could desire. thus he is made free. he lives under obligation to no one from the very fact that he puts himself under obligation to all. this manner of presenting the thought would be sustained by the spirit in connection with other duties; for instance: do no good work, that you may do only good works. never be pious and holy, if you would be always pious and holy. as paul says (ch. 12, 16), "be not wise in your own conceits"; or (1 cor 3, 18), "if any man thinketh that he is wise among you in this world, let him become a fool, that he may become wise." it is in this sense we say: owe all men that you may owe no man; or, "owe no man anything, but to love one another." 6. such counsel is given with the thought of the two obligations. he who would perform works truly good in the sight of god, must guard against works seemingly brilliant in the eyes of the world, works whereby men presume to become righteous. he who desires to be righteous and holy must guard against the holiness attained by works without faith. again, the seeker for wisdom must reject the wisdom of men, of nature, wisdom independent of the spirit. similarly, he who would be under obligation to none must obligate himself to all in every respect. so doing, he retains no claim of his own. consequently, he soon rises superior to all law, for law binds only those who have claims of their own. rightly is it said, "qui cedit omnibus bonis, omnibus satisfecit," "he who surrenders all his property, satisfies all men." how can one be under obligation when he does not, and cannot, possess anything? it is love's way to give all. the best way, then, to be under obligation to none is, through love to obligate one's self in every respect to all men. in this sense it may be said: if you would live, die; if you would not be imprisoned, incarcerate yourself; if you do not desire to go to hell, descend there; if you object to being a sinner, be a sinner; if you would escape the cross, take it upon yourself; if you would conquer the devil, let him vanquish you; would you overcome a wicked individual, permit him to overcome you. the meaning of it all is, we should readily submit to god, to the devil and to men, and willingly permit their pleasure; we are to insist on nothing, but to accept all things as they transpire. this is why paul speaks as he does, "owe no man anything," etc., instead of letting it go at the preceding injunction in verse 5, "render therefore to all their dues," etc. love fulfils the law. "for he that loveth his neighbor hath fulfilled the law." 7. having frequently spoken of the character and fruits of love, it is unnecessary to introduce the subject here. the topic is sufficiently treated in the epistle lesson for the sunday preceding lent. we will look at the command to love, in the law of god. innumerable, endless, are the books and doctrines produced for the direction of man's conduct. and there is still no limit to the making of books and laws. note the ecclesiastical and civil regulations, the spiritual orders and stations. these laws and doctrines might be tolerated, might be received with more favor, if they were founded upon and administered according to the one great law--the one rule or measure--of love; as the scriptures do, which present many different laws, but all born of love, and comprehended in and subject to it. and these laws must yield, must become invalid, when they conflict with love. of love's higher authority we find many illustrations in the scriptures. christ makes particular mention of the matter in matthew 12, 3-4, where david and his companions ate the holy showbread. though a certain law prohibited all but the priests from partaking of this holy food, love was empress here, and free. love was over the law, subjecting it to herself. the law had to yield for the time being, had to become invalid, when david suffered hunger. the law had to submit to the sentence: "david hungers and must be relieved, for love commands, do good to your needy neighbor. yield, therefore, thou law. prevent not the accomplishment of this good. rather accomplish it thyself. serve him in his need. interpose not thy prohibitions." in connection with this same incident, christ teaches that we are to do good to our neighbor on the sabbath; to minister as necessity demands, whatever the sabbath restrictions of the law. for when a brother's need calls, love is authority and the law of the sabbath is void. 8. were laws conceived and administered in love, the number of laws would matter little. though one might not hear or learn all of them, he would learn from the one or two he had knowledge of, the principle of love taught in all. and though he were to know all laws, he might not discover the principle of love any more readily than he would in one. paul teaches this method of understanding and mastering law when he says: "owe no man anything, but to love one another"; "he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law"; "if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself"; "love worketh no ill to his neighbor"; "love is the fulfilling of the law." every word in this epistle lesson proves love mistress of all law. 9. further, no greater calamity, wrong and wretchedness is possible on earth than the teaching and enforcing of laws without love. in such case, laws are but a ruinous curse, making true the proverbs, "summum jus, summa injustitia," "the most strenuous right is the most strenuous wrong"; and again, solomon's words (ec 7, 17), "noli nimium esse justus," "be not righteous overmuch." here is where we leave unperceived the beam in our own eye and proceed to remove the mote from our neighbor's eye. laws without love make the conscience timid and fill it with unreasonable terror and despair, to the great injury of body and soul. thus, much trouble and labor are incurred all to no purpose. 10. an illustration in point is the before-mentioned incident of david in his hunger. 1 sam 21, 6. had the priest been disposed to refuse david the holy bread, had he blindly insisted on honoring the prohibitions of the law and failed to perceive the authority of love, had he denied this food to him who hungered, what would have been the result? so far as the priest's assistance went, david would have had to perish with hunger, and the priest would have been guilty of murder for the sake of the law. here, indeed, "summum jus, summa injustitia"--the most strenuous right would have been the most strenuous wrong. moreover, on examining the heart of the priest who should be so foolish, you would find there the extreme abomination of making sin where there is no sin, and a matter of conscience where there is no occasion for it. for he holds it a sin to eat the bread, when really it is an act of love and righteousness. then, too, he regards his act of murder--permitting david to die of hunger--not a sin, but a good work and service to god. 11. but who can fully portray this blind, perverted, abominable folly? it is the perpetration of an evil the devil himself cannot outdo. for it makes sin where there is no sin, and a matter of conscience without occasion. it robs of grace, salvation, virtue, and god with all his blessings, and that without reason, falsely and deceitfully. it emphatically denies and condemns god. again, it makes murder and injustice a good work, a divine service. it puts the devil with his falsehoods in the place of god. it institutes the worst form of idolatry and ruins body and soul, destroying the former by hunger and the latter by a terrified conscience. it makes of god the devil, and of the devil god. it makes hell of heaven and heaven of hell; righteousness of sin, and sin of righteousness. this i call perversion--where strictest justice is the most strenuous wrong. to this depravity ezekiel has reference (ch. 13, 18-19): "thus saith the lord jehovah: woe to the women that sew pillows upon all elbows, and make kerchiefs for the head of persons of every stature to hunt souls! will ye hunt the souls of my people, and save souls alive for yourselves? and ye have profaned me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hearken unto lies." what is meant but that the blind teachers of the law terrify the conscience, and put sin and death in the place of grace and life, and grace and life where is only sin and death; and all for a handful of barley and a bit of bread? in other words, such teachers devote themselves to laws concerning strictly external matters, things that perish with the using, such as a drink of water and a morsel of bread, wholly neglecting love and harassing the conscience with fear of sin unto eternal death; as ezekiel goes on to say (verses 22-23): "because with lies ye have grieved the heart of the righteous, whom i have not made sad, and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, and be saved alive; therefore ye shall no more see false visions, nor divine divinations: and i will deliver my people out of your hand; and ye shall know that i am jehovah." 12. mark you, it is making the hearts of the righteous sad to load them with sins when their works are good; it is strengthening the hands of the wicked to make their works good when they are naught but sin. relative to this subject, we read (ps 14, 5): "there were they in great fear; for god is in the generation of the righteous." that is, the sting of conscience fills with fear where there is neither reason for fear nor for a disturbed conscience. that is feared as sin which is really noble service to god. the thought of the last passage is: when they should call upon god and serve him, they fear such conduct is sin and not divine service; again, when they have need to fear a service not divine, they are secure and unafraid. isaiah's words (ch. 29, 13) are to the same effect: "their fear of me is a commandment of men which hath been taught them." always the perverted people spoken of corrupt everything. they confidently call on god where is only the devil; they refrain in fear from calling on god where god is. 13. such, mark you, is the wretched condition of them who are blindly occupied with laws and works and fail to comprehend the design of law and its mistress love. note, also, in the case of our miserable ecclesiasts and their followers, how rigidly they adhere to their own inventions! though all the world meet ruin, their devices must be sustained; they must be perpetuated regardless of bodily illness and death, or of suffering and ruin for the soul. they even regard such destruction and ruin as divine service, and know no fear nor remorse of conscience. indeed, so strongly entrenched are they in their wickedness, they will never return from it. moreover, should one of their wretched number be permitted to alleviate the distress of his body and soul--to eat meat, to marry--he is afraid, he feels remorse of conscience; he is uncertain about sin and law, about death and hell; he calls not on god, nor serves him; all this, even though the body should die ten deaths and the soul go to the devil a hundred times. 14. observe, then, the state of the world; how little flesh and blood can accomplish even in their best efforts; how dangerous to undertake to rule by law alone--indeed, how impossible it is, without great danger, to govern and instruct souls with mere laws, ignoring love and the spirit, in whose hands is the full power of all law. it is written (deut 33, 2), "at his right hand was a fiery law for them." this is the law of love in the spirit. it shall regulate all laws at the left hand; that is, the external laws of the world. it is said (ex 28, 30) that the priest must bear upon his breast, in the breastplate, "the urim and the thummim"; that is, light and perfection, indicative of the priest's office to illuminate the law--to give its true sense--and faultlessly to keep and to teach it. 15. in the conception, the establishment and the observance of all laws, the object should be, not the furtherance of the laws in themselves, not the advancement of works, but the exercise of love. that is the true purpose of law, according to paul here, "he that loveth his neighbor hath fulfilled the law." therefore, when the law contributes to the injury rather than the benefit of our neighbor, it should be ignored. the same law may at one time benefit our neighbor and at another time injure him. consequently, it should be regulated according to its advantage to him. law should be made to serve in the same way that food and raiment and other necessaries of life serve. we consider not the food and raiment themselves, but their benefit to our needy neighbor. and we cease to dispense them as soon as we perceive they no longer add to his comfort. 16. suppose you were to come across an individual foolish enough to act with no other thought than that food and clothing are truly good things, and so proceed to stuff a needy one with unlimited food and drink unto choking, and to clothe him unto suffocation, and then not to desist. suppose to the command, "stop, you have suffocated, have already over-fed and over-clothed him, and all is lost effort now," the foolish one should reply: "you heretic, would you forbid good works? food, drink and raiment are good things, therefore we must not cease to dispense them; we cannot do too much." and suppose he continued to force food and clothing on the man. tell me, what would you think of such a one? he is a fool more than foolish; he is more mad than madness itself. but such is about the character of our ecclesiasts today, and of those who are so blind in the exercise of law as to act as if works were the only requisite, and to suffocate body and soul, being ignorant that the one purpose of law is to call forth the exercise of love. they make works superior to love, and a maid to her matron. such perversion prevails to an extent distressing to think of, not to mention hearing and seeing it, or more, practicing and permitting it ourselves. 17. the commandment of love is not a long one; it is short. it is one injunction, not many. it is even not a commandment, and at the same time is all commandments. brief, and a unit in itself, its meaning is easily comprehended. but in its exercise, it is far-reaching, for it includes and regulates all commandments. so far as works are enjoined, it is no commandment at all; it names no peculiar work. yet it represents all commandments, because properly the fulfilment of all commandments is the fulfilment of this. the commandment of love suspends every commandment, yet it perpetuates all. its whole purpose is that we may recognize no commandment, no work, except as love dictates. 18. as life on earth apart from works is an impossibility, necessarily there must be various commandments involving works. yet love is supreme over these requirements, dictating the omission or the performance of works according to its own best interests, and permitting no works opposed to itself. to illustrate: a driver, holding the reins, guides team and wagon at will. if he were content merely to hold the reins, regardless of whether or no the team followed the road, the entire equipage--team, wagon, reins and driver--would soon be wrecked; the driver would be lying drowned in a ditch or a pool, or have his neck broken going over stumps and rocks. but if he dexterously regulates the movement of the outfit according to the road, observing where it is safe and where unsafe, he will proceed securely because wisely. were he, in his egotism, to drive straight ahead, endeavoring to make the road conform to the movement of the wagon, at his pleasure, he would soon see how beautifully his plan would work. 19. so it is when men are governed by laws and works, the laws not being regulated according to the people. the case is that of the driver who would regulate the road by the movements of the wagon. true, the road is often well suited to the straight course of the wagon. but just as truly the road is, in certain places, crooked and uneven, and then the wagon must conform to the course and condition of the road. men must adapt themselves to laws and regulations wherever possible and where the laws are beneficial. but where laws prove detrimental to men's interests, the former must yield. the ruler must wisely make allowance for love, suspending works and laws. hence, philosophers say prudence--or circumspection or discretion as the ecclesiasts put it--is the guide and regulator of all virtues. 20. we read in a book of the ancient fathers that on a certain occasion of their assembling, the question was raised, which is really the noblest work? various replies were given. one said prayer, another fasting; but st. anthony was of the opinion that of all works and virtues, discretion is the best and surest way to heaven. these, however, were but childish, unspiritual ideas relating to their own chosen works. a christian views the matter in quite a different light, and more judiciously. he concludes that neither discretion nor rashness avails before god. only faith and love serve with him. but love is true discretion; love is the driver and the true discretion in righteous works. it always looks to the good of the neighbor, to the amelioration of his condition; just as the discretion of the world looks to the general welfare of the governed in the adjustment of political laws. let this suffice on this point. 21. but the question arises: how can love fulfil the law when love is but one of the fruits of faith and we have frequently said that only faith in christ removes our sins, justifies us and satisfies all the demands of the law? how can we make the two claims harmonize? christ says, too (mt 7, 12): "all things, therefore, whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye also unto them: for this is the law and the prophets." thus he shows that love for one's neighbor fulfils both the law and the prophets. again, he says (mt 22, 37-40): "thou shalt love the lord thy god ... thy neighbor as thyself. on these two the whole law hangeth, and the prophets." where, then, does paul stand, who says (rom 3, 31): "do we then make the law of none effect through faith? god forbid: nay, we establish the law." again (rom 3, 28): "we reckon therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law." and again (rom 1, 17), "the righteous shall live by faith." 22. i reply: as we have frequently said, we must properly distinguish between faith and love. faith deals with the heart, and love with the works. faith removes our sins, renders us acceptable, justifies us. and being accepted and justified as to our person, love is given us in the holy spirit and we delight in doing good. now, it is the nature of the law to attack our person and demand good works; and it will not cease to demand until it gains its point. we cannot do good works without the spirit and love. the law constrains us to know ourselves with our imperfections, and to recognize the necessity of our becoming altogether different individuals that we may satisfy the law. the law does not exact so much of the heart as of works; in fact, it demands nothing but works and ignores the heart. it leaves the individual to discover, from the works required, that he must become an altogether different person. but faith, when it comes, creates a nature capable of accomplishing the works the law demands. thus is the law fulfilled. so paul's sayings on the subject are beautiful and appropriate. the law demands of us works; it must be fulfilled by works. hence it cannot in every sense be said that faith fulfils the law. however, it prepares the way and enables us to fulfil it, for the law demands, not us, but our works. the law constrains us--teaches us that we must be changed before we can accomplish its works; it makes us conscious of our inability as we are. on the other hand, love and works do not change us, do not justify us. we must be changed in person and justified before we can love and do good works. our love and our works are evidence of justification and of a change, since they are impossible until the individual is free from sin and made righteous. 23. this explanation is given to enable us to perceive the true nature of the law, of faith and of love; to ascribe to each its own mission; and rightly to understand the scripture declarations in their harmonious relations that while faith justifies, it does not fulfil the law, and that while love does not justify, it does fulfil the law. the law requires love and works, but does not mention the heart. the heart is sensible of the law, but love is not. just as the law, in requiring works before faith exists, is a sign to the individual leading him to recognize his utter lack of faith and righteousness, and to conclude he is conquered, so love in its fulfilment of the law after faith intervenes is a sign and a proof to the individual of his faith and righteousness. law and love, then, witness to him concerning his unrighteousness or his righteousness. after faith comes, love is evidence of righteousness. before faith, man is sensible of the law's oppression because he knows he does not possess what the law requires. and the law does not require a changed heart, but works. love and works do not effect the fulfilment of the law; they are themselves its fulfilment. 24. now, though faith does not fulfil the law, it contains that which effects its fulfilment; it secures the spirit and love whereby the end is accomplished. on the other hand, if love does not justify us, it makes manifest the faith whereby we are justified. briefly, as paul says here, "love is the fulfilment of the law." his thought is: fulfilment of the law is one thing, and effecting or furnishing its fulfilment another. love fulfils the law in the sense that love itself is its fulfilment; but faith fulfils it in the sense that it offers that by which it is fulfilled. for faith loves and works, as said in galatians 5, 6, "faith worketh through love." the water fills the pitcher; so does the cupbearer. the water fills of itself; the cupbearer fills with the water--"effective et formaliter implere," as the sophists would say. 25. faith is ever the actor, and love the act. the law requires the act and thus forces the actor to be changed. the law is then fulfilled by the act, which, however, the actor must perform. thus paul rejects the fancies of the sophists, who in the matter of love would make a distinction between the external work and the inner affection, saying: "love is an inner affection that loves our neighbor when in our heart we wish him well." its expression in works, however, they call the fruit of love. but we will not discuss this idea. note, paul terms love not only an affection, but an affectionate good act. faith and the heart are the actor and fulfiller of the law. paul says, "he that loveth his neighbor hath fulfilled the law." and love is the act, the fulfilling; for he says, "love is the fulfilment of the law." 26. another question arises: how can love for our neighbor be the fulfilment of the law when we are required to love god supremely, even above our neighbor? i reply: christ answers the question when he tells us (mt 22, 39) the second commandment is like unto the first. he makes love to god and love to our neighbor the same love. the reason for this is, first: god, having no need for our works and benefactions for himself, bids us to do for our neighbor what we would do for god. he asks for himself only our faith and our recognition of him as god. the object of proclaiming his honor and rendering him praise and thanks here on earth is that our neighbor may be converted and brought into fellowship with god. such service is called the love of god, and is performed out of love to god; but it is exercised for the benefit of our neighbor only. 27. the second reason why god makes love to our neighbor an obligation equal to love to himself is: god has made worldly wisdom foolish, desiring henceforth to be loved amid crosses and afflictions. paul says (1 cor 1, 21), "seeing that in the wisdom of god the world through its wisdom knew not god, it was god's good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save them that believe." therefore, upon the cross he submitted himself unto death and misery, and imposed the same submission upon all his disciples. they who refused to love him before when he bestowed upon them food and drink, blessing and honor, must now love him in hunger and sorrow, in adversity and disgrace. all works of love, then, must be directed to our wretched, needy neighbors. in these lowly ones we are to find and love god, in them we are to serve and honor him, and only so can we do it. the commandment to love god is wholly merged in that to love our neighbors. 28. these facts restrain those elusive, soaring spirits that seek after god only in great and glorious undertakings. it stops the mouths of those who strive after greatness like his, who would force themselves into heaven, presuming to serve and love him with their brilliant works. but they miss him by passing over him in their earthly neighbor, in whom god would be loved and honored. therefore, they will hear, on the last day, the sentence (mt 25, 42), "i was hungry, and ye did not give me to eat," etc. for christ laid aside his divinity and took upon himself the form of a servant for the very purpose of bringing down and centering upon our neighbor the love we extend to himself. yet we leave the lord to lie here in his humiliation while we gaze open-mouthed into heaven and make great pretensions to love and service to god. all commandments summed up in love. "for this, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly summed up in this word, namely, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." 29. love being the chief element of all law, it comprehends, as has been made sufficiently clear, all commandments. its one concern is to be useful to man and not harmful; therefore, it readily discovers the way. recognizing the fact that man, from his ardent self-love, seeks to promote his own interests and avoid injuring them, love endeavors to adopt the same course toward others. we will consider the commandment just cited, noticing how ingeniously and wisely it is arranged. it brings out four thoughts. first, it states who is under obligation to love: thou--the nearest, noblest, best individual we can command. no one can fulfil the law of god for another; each must do it for himself. as paul says (gal 6, 5), "each man shall bear his own burden." and (2 cor 5, 10): "for we must all be made manifest before the judgment-seat of christ; that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad." so it is said, "thou, thou thyself, must love;" not, "let someone else love for you." though one can and should pray that god may be gracious to another and help him, yet no one will be saved unless he himself fulfils god's command. it is not enough merely to pray that another may escape punishment, as the venders of indulgences teach; much rather, we should pray that he become righteous and observe god's precepts. 30. second, the commandment names the most noble virtue--love. it does not say, "thou shalt feed thy neighbor, give him drink, clothe him," all of which things are inestimably good works; it says, "thou shalt love him." love is the chief virtue, the fountain of all virtues. love gives food and drink; it clothes, comforts, persuades, relieves and rescues. what shall we say of it, for behold he who loves gives himself, body and soul, property and honor, all his powers inner and external, for his needy neighbor's benefit, whether it be friend or enemy; he withholds nothing wherewith he may serve another. there is no virtue like love; there can be no special work assigned it as in the case of limited virtues, such as chastity, mercy, patience, meekness, and the like. love does all things. it will suffer in life and in death, in every condition, and that even for its enemies. well may paul here say that all other commandments are briefly comprehended in the injunction, "thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." 31. third, the commandment names, as the sphere of our love, the noblest field, the dearest friend--our neighbor. it does not say, "thou shalt love the rich, the mighty, the learned, the saint." no, the unrestrained love designated in this most perfect commandment does not apportion itself among the few. with it is no respect of persons. it is the nature of false, carnal, worldly love to respect the individual, and to love only so long as it hopes to derive profit. when such hope ceases, that love also ceases. the commandment of our text, however, requires of us free, spontaneous love to all men, whoever they may be, and whether friend or foe, a love that seeks not profit, and administers only what is beneficial. such love is most active and powerful in serving the poor, the needy, the sick, the wicked, the simple-minded and the hostile; among these it is always and under all circumstances necessary to suffer and endure, to serve and do good. 32. note here, this commandment makes us all equal before god, without regard to distinctions incident to our stations in life, to our persons, offices and occupations. since the commandment is to all--to every human being--a sovereign, if he be a human being, must confess the poorest beggar, the most wretched leper, his neighbor and his equal in the sight of god. he is under obligation, according to this commandment, not to extend a measure of help, but to serve that neighbor with all he has and all he controls. if he loves him as god here commands him to do, he must give the beggar preference over his crown and all his realm; and if the beggar's necessity requires, must give his life. he is under obligation to love his neighbor, and must admit that such a one is his neighbor. 33. is not this a superior, a noble, commandment, which completely levels the most unequal individuals? is it not wonderfully comforting to the beggar to have servants and lovers of such honor? wonderful that his poverty commands the services of a king in his opulence? that to his sores and wounds are subject the crown of wealth and the sweet savor of royal splendor? but how strange it would seem to us to behold kings and queens, princes and princesses, serving beggars and lepers, as we read st. elizabeth did! even this, however, would be a slight thing in comparison with what christ has done. no one can ever equal him in the obedience wherewith he has exalted this commandment. he is a king whose honor transcends that of all other kings; indeed, he is the son of god. and yet he puts himself on a level with the worst sinners, and serves them even to dying for them. were ten kings of earth to serve to the utmost one beggar, it would be a remarkable thing; but of what significance would it be in comparison with the service christ has rendered? the kings would be put to utter shame and would have to acknowledge their service unworthy of notice. 34. learn, then, the condition of the world--how far it is, not only from christ's immeasurable example, but from the commandment in this verse. where are to be found any who comprehend the meaning of the little phrase "thy neighbor," notwithstanding there is, beside this commandment, the natural law of service written in the hearts of all men? not an individual is there who does not realize, and who is not forced to confess, the justice and truth of the natural law outlined in the command (mt 7, 12), "all things therefore whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye also unto them." the light of this law shines in the inborn reason of all men. did they but regard it, what need have they of books, teachers or laws? they carry with them in the depths of their hearts a living book, fitted to teach them fully what to do and what to omit, what to accept and what to reject, and what decision to make. now, the command to love our neighbors as ourselves is equivalent to that other, "whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you," etc. every individual desires to be loved and not hated; and he also feels and sees his obligation to exercise the same disposition toward others. the carrying out of this obligation is loving another as himself. but evil lust and sinful love obscure the light of natural law, and blind man, until he fails to perceive the guide-book in his heart and to follow the clear command of reason. hence he must be restrained and repelled by external laws and material books, with the sword and by force. he must be reminded of his natural light and have his own heart revealed to him. yet admonition does not avail; he does not see the light. evil lust and sinful love blind him. with the sword and with political laws he must still be outwardly restrained from perpetrating actual crimes. 35. the fourth thing the commandment presents is the standard by which we are to measure our love--an excellent model. those are particularly worthy instructions and commandments which present examples. this commandment holds up a truly living example--"thyself." it is a better model than any example the saints have set. the saints are dead and their deeds are past, but this example ever lives. everyone must admit a consciousness of his own love for himself; of his ardent concern for his temporal life; of his careful nourishment of his body with food, raiment and all good things; of his fleeing from death and avoiding evil. this is self-love; something we are conscious of in ourselves. what, then, is the teaching of the commandment? to do to another as you do to yourself; to value his body and his life equally with your own body and life. now, how could god have pointed you to an example dearer, more pleasing and more to the purpose than this example--the deep instinct of your nature? indeed, your depth of character is measured by the writing of this command in your heart. 36. how will you fare with god if you do not love your neighbor? feeling this commandment written within your heart, your conscience will condemn you. your whole conduct will be an example witnessing against you, testifying to your failure to do unto others as the natural instinct of your being, more forcibly than all the examples of the saints, has taught you to do. but how will it go with the ecclesiasts in particular--the churchmen with their singing and praying, their cowls and bald pates, and all their jugglery? i make no comment on the fact that they have never observed the commandment. i ask, however, when has their monastic fanaticism permitted them time and opportunity to perceive for once this law in their hearts, to become sensible of the example set them in their own human instinct, or even to read the precept in books or hear it preached? poor, miserable people! do you presume to think that god will make void this, love's commandment, so deeply and clearly impressed upon the heart, so beautifully and unmistakably illustrated in your own natures, and in the many written and spoken words as well--think you god will do this on account of your cowls and bald pates, and regard what you have been devising and performing? 37. alas, how shamelessly the world has ignored this beautiful and impressive commandment wherein are so skilfully presented the individual, the task, the model and the sphere of labor! and, on the other hand, how shamefully it occupies itself with the very reverse of what is taught in this commandment! its whole practice and tendency seem to be to place our responsibility upon others; monks and priests must be righteous for us and pray in our stead, that we may personally be excused. for the noblest virtue, love, we substitute self-devised works; in the place of our neighbors we put wood and stone, raiment and food, even dead souls--the saints of heaven. these we serve; with them we are occupied; they are the sphere wherein we exercise ourselves. instead of the noblest example--"as thyself"--we look to the legends and the works of saints. we presume to imitate such outward examples, omitting the duty which our own nature and life present and which the command of god outlines, notwithstanding such duty offers more than we could ever fulfil. even if we could accomplish all it offers, we would still not equal christ. love works only good to its neighbor. "love worketh no ill to his neighbor: love, therefore, is the fulfilment of the law." 38. the ten commandments forbid doing evil to our neighbor--"thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not commit adultery," etc. the apostle, employing similar phraseology, says that love observes all these commands, injuring none. not only that; it effects good for all. it is practically doing evil to permit our neighbor to remain in peril when we can relieve him, even though we may not have been instrumental in placing him where he is. if he is hungry and we do not feed him when it is in our power to do so, we practically permit him to die of hunger. we should take this view concerning any perilous condition, any adverse circumstance, with our neighbors. how love is the fulfilment of the law, we have now heard. _fifth sunday after epiphany_ text: colossians 3, 12-17. 12 put on therefore, as god's elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering; 13 forbearing one another, and forgiving each other, if any man have a complaint against any; even as the lord forgave you, so also do ye: 14 and above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness. 15 and let the peace of christ rule in your hearts, to the which also ye were called in one body; and be ye thankful. 16 let the word of christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts unto god. 17 and whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the lord jesus, giving thanks to god the father through him. the glorious adornment of christians. 1. this text is also a letter of admonition, teaching what manner of fruit properly results from faith. paul deals kindly with the colossians. he does not command, urge nor threaten, as teachers of the law must do in the case of those under the law. he persuades them with loving words in view of the blessing and grace of god received, and in the light of christ's own example. christians should act with readiness and cheerfulness, being moved neither by fear of punishment nor by desire for reward, as frequently before stated. this admonition has been so oft repeated in the preceding epistle lesson that we know, i trust, what constitutes a christian. therefore we will but briefly touch on the subject. "put on, therefore." 2. in the epistle for new year's day we have sufficiently explained the meaning of "putting on"; how by faith we put on christ, and he us; how in love we put on our neighbor, and our neighbor us. the christian apparel is of two kinds--faith and love. christ wore two manner of garments--one whole and typical of faith, the other divided and typical of love. paul here has reference to the latter garment, love. he would teach us christians the manner of ornaments and apparel we are to wear in the world; not silk or precious gold. to women these are forbidden of peter (1 pet 3, 3), and of paul (1 tim 2, 9). love for our neighbor is a garment well befitting us--that love which leads us to concern ourselves about the neighbor and his misfortunes. such love is called the ornament of a christian character--an ornament in the eyes of men. 3. observe the tender and sacred style of the apostle's admonition, a style he is wont to use toward us. he does not drive us with laws, but persuades by reminding us of the ineffable grace of god; for he terms us the "elect of god," and "holy" and "beloved." he would call forth the fruits of faith, desiring them to be yielded in a willing, cheerful and happy spirit. the individual who sincerely believes and trusts that before god he is beloved, holy and elect, will consider how to sustain his honors and titles, how to conduct himself worthily of them; more, he will love god with a fervor enabling him to do or omit, or to suffer, all things cheerfully, and will never know how to do enough. but he who doubts such attitude of god toward himself will not recognize the force of these words. he will not feel the power of the statement that we are holy, beloved, elect, in the sight of god. 4. let us disregard, therefore, the saints who elect and love themselves; who adorn themselves with the works of the law; who observe fasts and discipline; who regard raiment and position, for they are unwilling to be sinners before god. our ornaments are unlike these, and not associated with such mockeries. they are honesty, sincerity, good works, service to our neighbor. we are unfettered by laws regarding food, raiment, times, etc. we are holy in the sight of god, before whom none can be holy until he sees himself a sinner and rejects his own righteousness. but the class mentioned are holy in their own estimation; therefore, they ever remain wicked--sinners in the sight of god. we are beloved of god because we despise ourselves, we judge and condemn ourselves and reject our self-love. the others, because they love and esteem themselves, are despicable and unacceptable in the sight of god. again, we are chosen of god for the reason that we despise ourselves as filth. such god chooses, and has chosen from eternity. because the would-be saints elect themselves, god will reject them, as indeed he has from eternity. now, this is what paul means by these words, "a heart of compassion." 5. they stand for a part of the ornament, the beautiful, charming christian jewel, that becomes us better in the sight of god than pearls, precious stones, silk and gold become us in the eyes of the world. "a heart of compassion" is evidence of the true christian. paul would say: "not simply in external deed, or in appearance, are ye to be merciful, but in the inmost heart." he refers to that sincere and whole-souled mercy characteristic of the father and mother who witness the distress of a child for whom they would readily expose their lives or sacrifice all they possess. the christian's mind and heart should be constantly devoted to merciful deeds, with an ardor so intense as to make him unaware he is doing good and compassionate acts. 6. with this single phrase paul condemns the works and arbitrary rules of hypocritical saints, whose severity will not permit them to associate with sinners. their rigorous laws must be all-controlling. they do nothing but compel and drive. they exhibit no mercy, but perpetual reproach, censure, condemnation, blame and bluster. they can endure no imperfection. but among christians many are sinners, many infirm. in fact, christians associate only with these; not with saints. christians reject none, but bear with all. indeed, they are as sincerely interested for sinners as they would be for themselves were they the infirm. they pray for the sinners, teach, admonish, persuade, do all in their power to reclaim. such is the true character of a christian. so god, in christ, has dealt with us and ever deals. so christ dealt with the adulteress (jn 8, 11) when he released her from her tormentors, and with his gracious words influenced her to repentance and suffered her to depart. we read of st. antony having said that paphrutius knew how souls are to be saved, because he rescued a certain individual from brethren who persecuted and oppressed him for his transgression. see "lives of the fathers." were god to deal with us according to the rigor of his laws, we should all be lost. but he mercifully suspends the law. isaiah says (ch. 9, 4): "for the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, thou hast broken." god now only persuades. 7. note how involved in the law and in hypocrisy they still are who esteem themselves prominent saints and at the same time are intolerant of the infirmities of christians. if they fail to find perfect holiness--a miracle of purity--in those who possess christ and know the gospel, then nothing is as it should be; the heavens are on the point of falling and the earth about to be destroyed. they can only judge, censure and deride, saying: "oh, yes, he is truly evangelical; indeed, he is a visionary!" thus they indicate their utter blindness. with the beam constantly in their own eyes, they show how little they know of christ. know, then, when you meet one so ready to censure and condemn, one requiring absolute perfection in christians--know that such a one is merely an enforcer of the law, a base hypocrite, a merciless jailer, with no true knowledge of christ. as, with christians, there is no law but all is love, so neither can there be judgment, condemnation and censure. and he who calls another a visionary is certainly a visionary ten-fold himself. in the thing for which he judges and condemns another, he condemns himself. since he ignores mercy and all but the law, he finds no mercy in the sight of god; in fact, he has never experienced, never tasted, god's mercy. to his taste, both god and neighbor are bitter as gall and wormwood. 8. but tender mercy is to be shown only to christians and only among christians. with the rejecters and persecutors of the gospel we must deal differently. it is not right that my charity be liberal enough to tolerate unsound doctrine. in the case of false faith and doctrine there is neither love nor patience. against these it is my duty earnestly to contend and not to yield a hair's breadth. otherwise--when faith is not imperiled--i must be unfailingly kind and merciful to all notwithstanding the infirmities of their lives. i may not censure, oppress nor drive; i must persuade, entreat and tolerate. a defective life does not destroy christianity; it exercises it. but defective doctrine--false belief--destroys all good. so, then, toleration and mercy are not permissible in the case of unsound doctrine; only anger, opposition and death are in order, yet always in accordance with the word of god. 9. on the other hand, they who are mercifully tolerated must not imagine that because they escape censure and force, their beliefs and practices are right. they must not construe such mercy as encouragement to become indolent and negligent, and to continue in their error. mercy is not extended them with any such design. the object is to give them opportunity to recover zeal and strength. but if they be disposed to remain as they are, very well; let them alone. they will not long continue thus; the devil will lead them farther astray, until finally they will completely apostatize, even becoming enemies to the gospel. such will be their end if they permit mercy to be lavished upon them in vain. we may not be indolent and asleep in the matter of our false doctrines, relying upon the fact that we are not despised nor constrained of men. there is particular need to be active and diligent, for the devil neither sleeps nor rests. we need beware that he does not lead us where we will never enjoy god's mercy. "kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering." 10. these words represent the other elements of christian character. kindness you will find defined in the second epistle lesson for the early christmas service. it characterizes the conduct of the individual who is gentle and sympathetic to all; who repels none with forbidding countenance, harsh words or rude deportment. we germans would call such a one affable and friendly disposed. kindness is a virtue not confined to certain works; it modifies the whole life. the kindly person is obliging to everyone, not displeased with any, and is attractive to all men. in contrast are those peculiar characters who have pleasure in nothing but their own conceits; who insist on others accommodating themselves to them and their ways, while they yield to none. such individuals are termed "uncivil." 11. but the liberality of kindness is not to be extended to false doctrine. only relative to conduct and works is it to be exercised. as oft before stated, love with all its works and fruits has no place in the matter of unsound doctrine. i must love my neighbor and show him kindness whatever the imperfections of his life. but if he refuses to believe or to teach sound doctrine, i cannot, i dare not, love him or show him kindness. according to paul (gal 1, 8-9), i must hold him excommunicated and accursed, even though he be an angel from heaven. thus remarkably do faith and love differ and are distinct. love will be, must be, kind even to the bitterest enemy so long as he assails not faith and doctrine. but it will not, it cannot, tolerate the individual who does, be it father, mother or dearest friend. deut 13, 6-8. love, then, must be exercised, not in relation to the doctrine and faith of our neighbor, but relative to his life and works. faith, on the contrary, has to do, not with his works and life, but with his doctrine and belief. 12. i think we must know by this time the meaning of "lowliness" of mind--esteeming one's self least and others greater. as christ illustrates it, occupying the lowest seat at the wedding, and this cheerfully. we are to serve even when our service is not desired, and to minister unto our enemies. so christ humbled himself before judas the betrayer, and before all of us. he came, not to be served, but to serve. that humbleness of mind is a rare virtue is not to be wondered at, for every christian grace is a rarity. particularly are graces lacking with those who, professing to know most of christ, find something to censure in all christians. christianity paul calls a mystery of god; and it is likely to continue so. 13. "meekness" is opposed to anger. the meek man is not easily excited to exhibit anger, to curse, smite, hate, or wish evil to any, even an enemy. to refrain thus is an art. hypocrites--in fact, all the world--can be meek toward friends and those who treat them well. but true meekness and humility will remain only among the elect and beloved saints of god, as paul here implies. even among these are many deficient in all, or at least a large part, of the christian graces. hypocrites may thus find something to censure, something whereat to be offended, in the beloved, elect saints of god. and the true saints have occasion to exercise mercy, humility, meekness and forbearance. they whom paul here terms elect and beloved saints of god, though slightly deficient in humility, meekness and forbearance, are not therefore unholy, not rejected and despised. 14. paul makes a distinction between longsuffering and forbearance, as in romans 2, 4: "despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering?" in "longsuffering" we have the thought here and there expressed by god in the psalms and elsewhere by the hebrew "arich apaim"--"slow to wrath." god patiently bears with evil. indeed, he repeatedly delays vengeance, apparently more ready to forgive than to punish, even under extreme provocation and having just reason to chastise. longsuffering extends farther than patience. patience bears evil and injustice; but longsuffering delays punishment. it does not design to punish; it would not take hasty revenge. unlike the revengeful, it wishes no one evil. many we see, indeed, who suffer much and are patient but at the same time trust in a final avenging. the longsuffering christian, however, is opposed to revenge, desiring the sinner to amend his ways. "forbearing one another, and forgiving each other, if any man have a complaint against any; even as the lord forgave you, so also do ye." 15. in this verse all law is abolished among christians. one is not permitted to demand, through process of law, the recovery of his property. he must forgive and yield. christ's example enjoins this principle; he has forgiven us. and what is the extent of his forgiveness? he pardons past sins, but that is not all; as john says (1 jn 2, 1-2), "if any man sin, we have an advocate with the father, jesus christ the righteousness and he is the propitiation for our sins." 16. note, it is the true christian saints whom paul describes, but he looks upon them as infirm to the extent of offending and complaining against one another. this is a state of affairs by no means becoming christians and saints. so i say christ's kingdom is a mystery obscure beyond the power of our preaching and teaching sufficiently to explain. unbelievers cannot be induced to work, but believers cannot be withheld from working. some would not believe and some would not love. it is true of christ's kingdom that his christians are not perfectly holy. they have begun to be holy and are in a state of progression. there are still to be found among them anger, evil desire, unholy love, worldly care and other deplorable infirmities, remains of the old adam. paul speaks of these things as burdens which one must bear for a neighbor (gal 6, 2), and in romans 15, 1, he admonishes us to "bear the infirmities of the weak." likewise christ loved his apostles much and suffered much from them, and he still daily bears with his own. 17. some, enumerating the fruits of the spirit mentioned in galatians 5, 22-23, say a christian should be gentle, meek, longsuffering, chaste; and they look upon this passage as a law commanding such fruits. hence they refuse to recognize as christians any who fail to possess the fruits in perfection. now, such individuals cannot believe there is a christ, certain as the fact is. they judge malignantly, complaining that christians do not exist. they take offense at christ for his superior wisdom. for christ has given us scriptural authority for knowing christians by their fruits. he says (mt 7, 16), "by their fruits ye shall know them." here they are emphatic. 18. can you locate the failure of such an individual? he fails in the fact that he understands absolutely nothing of christ's kingdom. for he misinterprets the passages referring to christians. he understands the statement that christians should be kind and meek, to mean they must never become angry, must bear anything and show impatience toward none; if they do not so, they cannot be christians, for they have not the fruits. dear man, what but his own blindness can lead him to such a conclusion? he fancies christianity to be a holy order of perfection, altogether without infirmity, a perfection as in heaven among the angels. but tell me, where do the scriptures speak thus of christians? but whoso recognizes christianity as a progressive order yet in its beginning, will not be offended at the occasional manifestation of ungentleness, unkindness and impatience on the part of a christian; for he remembers that christians are commanded to bear one another's burdens and infirmities. he knows that the enumeration of the fruits of the spirit is not a record of laws the observance of which is imperative or christ will be denied. he is aware the passage is to be interpreted as meaning that christians are to strive to be kind; that is the mark at which they aim. however, even though they have made a beginning and some progress in this virtue, they often are unkind and bear fruits directly the opposite of the fruits of the spirit. true, the text quoted says we should be kind, but it does not say we are kind. we are tending toward it, we are in a state of progression; but during the progress much of the old and as yet untransformed nature is intermingled. 19. know, then, that in a mysterious way christ is in his saints, and beware of judging or condemning anyone when you have not positive assurance that he believes and teaches contrary to the gospel. but whoso does oppose the gospel, you may safely judge to be without christ, and under the sway of the devil. pray for such a one and admonish him, in the hope of his conversion. but in the case of one who endorses and honors the gospel, observe paul's comment (rom 14, 4): "who art thou that judgest the servant of another? to his own lord he standeth or falleth. yea, he shall be made to stand; for the lord hath power to make him stand." and again (1 cor 10, 12): "wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." christ would be at the same time hidden and revealed, found and not found. he permits the intermingling of some infirmities with the fruits of the spirit, that he may conceal himself, and that malicious judges may be offended. "and above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness." 20. from longsuffering and meekness the apostle distinguishes love and other jewels of spiritual beauty whereof we have already heard, though all are comprehended in love. as faith is the chief element of christian character, so love is chief of the fruits of the spirit, the jewel of surpassing beauty. therefore paul says, "above all these things put on love." love transcends mercy, kindness, meekness and humility. paul calls it "the bond of perfectness" because it unites human hearts; not a partial unity, based on similarity or close relationship, but a complete unity among all men and in all relations. it makes us of one mind, one heart, one desire. it permits no one to originate a peculiar order of doctrine or faith. all who love are of the same belief. consequently there is the same purpose of heart with the poor and the rich, with rulers and subjects, the ill and the well, the high and the low, the honored and the disgraced. the loving heart permits all to share in its good; more, it participates in the adversities of all men, regarding them as its own. where love is, perfect unity and communion obtain in every event, good or bad. it is a most perfect bond. 21. where love is lacking, hearts are united and aims single in but few relations; in most things there is disagreement. for instance: robbers have a common bond, but it is no more than a common purpose in committing robbery and murder. worldly friends are of the same mind so far as concerns their own interests. monks are united in relation to their order and their honor. herod and pilate agreed, but simply in regard to christ. for the most part it is exceptional that one monk, priest or layman agrees with another. their bond of union is weak; they are as chaff bound with straw. "and let the peace of christ rule in your hearts, to which also ye were called." 22. there is much to threaten the sundering of love's bond. the devil never sleeps, but continually stirs up discord and unrest. paul does not deny that the bond is assailed. but he exhorts us to resist, remembering that love must be exercised by opposition. he admonishes us to let the peace of christ have dominion in our hearts. the thought of the verse is: though the peace of the world and the flesh abides not, though you must witness the forces of discord and disruption, nevertheless let your hearts have peace in christ. we spoke of the peace of god in the epistle selection for the fourth sunday in advent--philippians 4, 7. this is the peace whereunto the gospel calls; not the peace of the world, the flesh or the devil, but the peace that passeth all understanding, of which paul tells us. we are to hold the peace of god, not only when all is well, but when sin, death, the flesh, the world and all calamities rage. "and be ye thankful." 23. "thankfulness" here may be taken in either of two senses: first, thankfulness toward god, paul's thought being: let the remembrance of all god has done for you move you to gratitude for his grace and mercy, a gratitude to which shall succeed love and peace. secondly, we may understand thankfulness toward men--gratitude for all the benefits received from our fellows. the apostle elsewhere (2 tim 3, 2) speaks of there being, in the last days, among other vices, that of "unthankfulness" of men toward each other. let everyone make choice for himself of the two applications. it is my opinion, since paul later takes up the subject of gratitude to god, and since he is here handling that of love to our neighbor--it is my opinion he has reference here to gratitude to our fellowmen. this, i think, is his meaning. man is glad to have love shown him; he is quite willing to receive good from others and to be dealt with according to the gospel. at the same time, he is not disposed to manifest love to his fellows: favors shown him are lost upon his ingratitude. though love is not defeated by ungratefulness--for it bears all things (1 cor 13, 7)--yet unthankfulness produces weariness and aversion; and it is a base, unjust and shameful thing for one who continually lends assistance not to be served in return. 24. paul says on this topic (gal 6, 6), "let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things." and he declares (1 tim 5, 17) that they who labor in the word and doctrine are worthy of double honor. in the ninth chapter of first corinthians he speaks at length on how teachers are entitled to support, saying the mouth of the threshing ox should not be muzzled; that would be gross ingratitude. of such unthankfulness he here hints. it is true today, and ever has been, that preachers of the word of god must in general seek their own bread, and receive ingratitude as their reward for the wonderful blessings they confer. were it their part to celebrate masses and indulgences, gratitude would be forthcoming; great would be the gifts and service rendered them as expression of thankfulness. but just as ungratefully were the levites treated under the old law, in contrast with the favor shown the priests of idols and groves. "let the word of christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts unto god." 25. this verse appropriately follows the injunction to be thankful. paul would say: be careful to honor teachers and preachers, being grateful that they handle the word and may richly impart it to you. i do not imagine paul refers to the giving of the word of god from heaven, for it is not within man's power to so give it; god alone can commit it to us. so he has done and continues to do. on every occasion when he permits the gospel to be preached, he showers the message upon us abundantly, withholding no essential knowledge. but, after it is given, we ought to be thankful and to faithfully read and hear it, sing and speak it, and meditate upon it day and night. and it should be our part to secure teachers enough to minister it to us liberally and continuously. this is what is meant by letting the word of god dwell among us richly. 26. satiated, indolent spirits soon grow tired and dismiss their pastors to go wherever they wish. the latter are forced to seek a living by other work, and thus god's word is neglected and becomes rare and thinly sown in the land. nehemiah (ch. 13, 10) complains that the levites, because of lack of support, were forced to leave their worship and temple and flee to the fields or start false worship and fables to mislead the people. they then received enough to exist--they became wealthy. it has come about in the christian church that as often as the support of godly pastors and teachers has grown to be a burden, as augustine laments has been the case, these have been either forced to neglect the word to labor for their own support, or forced to invent that wretched, accursed worship now prevalent throughout the world and whereby the preachers have attained lordly position. with the revival of the gospel the financial difficulty mentioned is recurring, and it will continue to recur. one hundred dollars cannot now be raised for the support of a good schoolmaster or preacher where formerly a thousand dollars--yes, incomputible sums--were contributed toward churches, institutions, masses, vigils and the like. once more god punishes ingratitude by permitting his preachers to withdraw wholly from the ministry and to engage in their own support, or by sending upon the people even greater delusions than ever, which defraud them of wealth and destroy body and soul. for they refuse to let the word of god dwell among them richly. paul adds the modifying phrase, "in all wisdom." 27. were we to have the word of god so richly as to ring in every street corner, to be sung everywhere by all children--as they designed who into the pulpits and the lessons introduced canonical prayers and singing and reading--what would all this profit without an understanding mind--without wisdom? for the word of god was given to make us wise. it was intended that we should understand it; that it should be preached and sung intelligibly. and they who minister it, who sing and speak it, ought to be wise, understanding everything pertaining to the salvation of the soul and the honor of god. that is what it means to have the word of god dwell among us in all wisdom. here paul briefly overthrows the vociferous practices of the churches and monasteries where so much preaching and reading obtain while at the same time the gospel is not understood. he seems to have foreseen the coming time when the word of god should freely prevail, but with no resulting wisdom; the time when men should daily increase in ignorance and fanaticism until they should become mere dolts, so completely void of wisdom as to call vociferation and boasting divine worship, and to regard that preaching the salvation of souls. 28. what it is to teach and to admonish has been frequently explained. here paul makes the duty of instruction common to all christians--"teaching and admonishing one another." that is, aside from the regular office of preaching, each is to teach himself and others, thus making everyday use of the word of god, publicly and privately, generally and specially. 29. as i see it, the apostle's distinction of the three words--psalms, hymns and spiritual songs--is this: "psalms" properly indicates those productions of david and others constituting the book of psalms; "hymns" refers to the songs of the prophets occasionally mentioned in the scriptures--songs of moses, deborah, solomon, isaiah, daniel, habakkuk, with the magnificat, the benediction, and the like, called "canticles"; "spiritual songs" are those not written in the scriptures but of daily origin with men. paul calls these latter "spiritual" to a greater degree than psalms and hymns, though he recognizes those as themselves spiritual. he forbids worldly, sensual and unbecoming songs, desiring us to sing of spiritual things. it is then that our songs are calculated to benefit and instruct, as he says. 30. but what is the significance of paul's phrase "with grace"? i offer the explanation that he refers to the grace of god and means that the singing of spiritual songs is to be voluntary, uncompelled, spontaneous, rendered with cheerfulness and prompted by love; not extorted by authority and law, as is the singing in our churches today. no one sings, preaches or prays from a recognition of mercy and grace received. the motive is a hope for gain, or a fear of punishment, injury and shame; or again, the holiest individuals bind themselves to obedience, or are driven to it, for the sake of winning heaven, and not at all to further the knowledge of the word of god--the understanding of it richly and in all wisdom, as paul desires it to be understood. i imagine paul has in mind the charm of music and the beauty of poetry incident to song. he says in ephesians 4, 29: "let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for edifying as the need may be, that it may give grace to them that hear." likewise should songs be calculated to bring grace and favor to them who hear. foul, unchaste and superfluous words have no place therein, nor have any inappropriate elements, elements void of significance and without virtue and life. hymns are to be rich in meaning, to be pleasing and sweet, and thus productive of enjoyment for all hearers. the singing of such songs is very properly called in hebrew singing "with grace," as paul has it. of this character of songs are the psalms and hymns of the scriptures; they are good thoughts presented in pleasing words. some songs, though expressed in charming words, are worldly and carnal; while others presenting good thoughts are at the same time expressed in words inappropriate, unattractive and devoid of grace. "singing with grace in your hearts unto god." 31. paul does not enjoin silence of the lips. he would have words of the mouth proceed from the heart sincerely and fervently; not hypocritically, as isaiah mentions (ch. 29, 13), saying: "this people draw nigh unto me, and with their mouth and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me." paul would have the word of god to dwell among christians generally, and richly to be spoken, sung and meditated upon everywhere; and that understandingly and productive of spiritual fruit, the word being universally prized. he would that men thus sing unto the lord heartfelt praise and thanks. he says let the word "dwell" among you. not merely lodge as a guest for a night or two, but abide with you forever. he is constantly apprehensive of human doctrines. "and whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the lord jesus, giving thanks to god the father through him." 32. the works of christians are not circumscribed by name, time nor place. whatever christians do is good; whenever done it is timely; wherever wrought it is appropriately. so paul names no work. he makes no distinction, but concludes all works good, whether it be eating or drinking, speaking or keeping silence, waking or sleeping, going or staying, being idle or otherwise. all acts are eminently worthy because done in the name of the lord jesus. such is paul's teaching here. and our works are wrought in the name of the lord jesus when we by faith hold fast the fact that christ is in us and we in him in the sense that we no longer labor but he lives and works in us. paul says (gal 2, 20), "it is no longer i that live, but christ liveth in me." but when we do a work as of ourselves, then it is wrought in our own name and there is nothing good about it. 33. the expression "in the name of god," or "go in the name of jesus," is frequently uttered falsely and in cheer hypocrisy. the saying is, "all misfortunes rise in the name of god." for teachers of false doctrines habitually offer their commodities in the name of god. they even come in the name of christ, as he himself foretells. mt 24, 24. to sincerely and earnestly speak and work in jesus' name, necessarily the heart must accord with the utterances of the mouth. as the lips declare in the name of god, so must the heart confidently, with firm faith, hold that god directs and performs the work. peter teaches the same (1 pet 4, 11): "if any man ministereth [perform anything], ministering as of the strength which god supplieth." then will the venture prosper. no christian should undertake to do any deed in his own ability and directed by his own judgment. rather let him be assured that god works with and through him. paul says (1 cor 9, 26): "i therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so fight i, as not beating the air." 34. such an attitude will result in praise and thanks to god as the one to whom are due all honor and praise for every good thing. so paul teaches and also peter. immediately after declaring that we are to work according to the ability which god gives, peter adds "that in all things god may be glorified through jesus christ." but he who undertakes anything in his own ability, however he may glorify god with his lips, lies and deceives, like the hypocrite in the gospel. thankfulness, therefore, is the only duty we can perform unto god; and this is not to be rendered of ourselves, but through our mediator, jesus. without him none can come to the father, none can be accepted. of this fact we have often spoken. _third sunday before lent_ text: first corinthians 9, 24-27; 10, 1-5. 24 know ye not that they that run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? even so run; that ye may attain. 25 and every man that striveth in the games exerciseth self-control in all things. now they do it to receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 26 i therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so fight i, as not beating the air: 27 but i buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that i have preached to others, i myself should be rejected. 1 for i would not, brethren, have you ignorant, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2 and were all baptized unto moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 and did all eat the same spiritual food; 4 and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them: and the rock was christ. 5 howbeit with most of them god was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. the christian race for the prize. 1. this lesson is a part of the long four-chapter instruction paul gives the corinthians. therein he teaches them how to deal with those weak in the faith, and warns rash, presumptuous christians to take heed lest they fall, however they may stand at the present. he presents a forcible simile in the running of the race, or the strife for the prize. many run without obtaining the object of their pursuit. but we should not vainly run. to faithfully follow christ does not mean simply to run. that will not suffice. we must run to the purpose. to believe, to be running in christ's course, is not sufficient; we must lay hold on eternal life. christ says (mt 24, 13), "but he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved." and paul (1 cor 10, 12), "wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." 2. now, running is hindered in two ways; for one, by indolence. when faith is not strenuously exercised, when we are indolent in good works, our progress is hindered, so that the prize is not attained. but to such hindrance i do not think paul here refers. he is not alluding to those who indolently run, but to them who run in vain because missing their object; individuals, for instance, who pursue their aim at full speed, but, deluded by a phantom, miss their aim and rush to ruin or run up against fearful obstacles. hence paul enjoins men to run successfully while in the race, that they may seize the prize and not lose it by default. in consequence the race is hindered when a false goal is set up or the true one removed. the apostle says (col 2, 18), "let no man rob you of your prize." it is true, however, that an indolent, negligent life will eventually bring about loss of the prize. while men sleep, the enemy very soon sows tares among the wheat. 3. the goal is removed when the word of god is falsified and creations of the human mind are preached under the name of god's word. and these things readily come about when we are not careful to keep the unity of the spirit, when each follows his own ideas and yields to no other, because he prefers his own conceit. such must be the course of events where love is lacking. the strong and the learned desire to be looked upon as peculiarly commendable, while the weak in the faith are despised. thus the devil has abundant opportunity to sow tares. paul calls love the unity of the spirit, and admonishes (eph 4, 3) that we endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. in second thessalonians 2, 10 he proclaims the coming of antichrist "because they received not the love of the truth"; that is, true love. "and every man that striveth in the games [that striveth for the mastery]." 4. were he who competes in a race to attempt other things or to make a success of other matters at the same time, he would not gain much; rather he would soon be defeated, lose the race and everything. if he would truly strive, he must attend to no other thing. all else must be neglected and attention centered upon the contest alone. even then the winner must have fortune's favor; for they who neglect all to run do not all gain the prize. likewise in the christian contest it is necessary, and in an even higher degree, to renounce everything and to devote oneself only to the contest. he who would in addition seek his own glory and profit, who would find in the word and spirit of god occasion for his own praise and advantage after the manner of the dissenters and schismatics--what can such a one expect to win? he is wholly entangled in temporal glory and gain; bound hand and foot, a complete captive. the race he runs is the mere dream race of one lying upon his couch an indolent captive. "i therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so fight i, as not beating the air." 5. paul here points to himself as exemplar and hints at the cause of failure, viz., lapse from love and the use of the divine word in a wilful, ambitious and covetous spirit, whereas the faith which worketh by love is lacking. under such conditions, false and indolent christians run indeed a merry race; yet god's word and ways in which they are so alert and speedy are merely a show, because they make them subserve their own interests and glory. they fail, however, to see that they race uncertainly and beat the air. they never make a serious attempt, nor do they ever hit the mark. while it is theirs to mortify ambition, to restrain their self-will and to enlist in the service of their neighbors, they do none of these things. on the contrary, they even do many things to strengthen their ambition and self-will, and then they swear by a thousand oaths that they are seeking not their own honor but the honor of god, their neighbor's welfare and not their own. peter says (2 pet 1, 9-10) this class are blind and cannot see afar and have forgotten they were purged from their old sins, because they fail to make their calling sure by good works. therefore, it comes about that, as paul says, they run uncertainly, beating the air. their hearts are unstable and wavering before god, and they are changeable and fickle in all their ways, james 1, 8. since they are aimless and inconstant at heart, this will appear likewise as inconstancy in regard to works and doctrines. they undertake now this and now that; they cannot be quiet nor refrain from factional strife. thus they miss their aim or else remove the goal, and cannot but deviate from the true and common path. "but i buffet [keep under] my body, and bring it into bondage [subjection]." 6. the apostle's thought is the same as in his statement above, "every man that striveth in the games exerciseth self-control in all things." by "keeping under the body" paul means, not only subduing the carnal lusts, but every temporal object as well, in so far as it appeals to bodily desire--love of honor, fame, wealth and the like. he who gives license to these things instead of subduing them will preach to his own condemnation, however correct his preaching be. such do not permit the truth to be presented; this is true particularly of temporal honor. these words of the apostle, then, are a fine thrust at ambitious and self-centered preachers and christians. not only do they run in vain and fight to no purpose; they become actual castaways with only the semblance--the color--of christianity. examples from scripture. "for i would not, brethren, have you ignorant, that our fathers were all under the cloud." 7. paul cites a terrible example from scripture to prove that not all obtain the prize who run. there were about six hundred thousand of them, all of whom walked in the way of god and enjoyed his word and his confidence so completely as to be protected under the cloud and miraculously to pass through the sea; yet among the vast number who ran at that time only two, joshua and caleb, obtained the prize. they alone of all that multitude reached the promised land. later on in the chapter (verses 11-12) paul explains this fact, saying: "now these things happened unto them by way of example; and they were written for our admonition ... wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." the design of these dealings of god with israel is to terrify the pride, false wisdom and self-will; to deter men from despising their fellows and from seeking to make the word of god minister to their own honor or profit in preference to the honor and profit of others. the intent is to have each individual put himself on an equality with others, each to bear with his fellow, the weak enduring the strong, and so on, as enjoined in the four chapters. 8. how many great and noble men may have been among the six hundred thousand, men to whom we would have been unworthy to hand a cup of water! they included the twelve princes of the twelve tribes, one of whom, nahshon, matthew (ch. 1, 4) numbers in the holy lineage of christ. there were also the seventy elders who shared in the spirit of moses, eldad and medad in particular (num 11, 27), and all the other great men aside from the faction of korah. all these, mark you, strove in the race. they did and suffered much. they witnessed many miracles of god. they aided in erecting a grand tabernacle and in instituting divine worship. they were full of good works. yet they failed, and died in the wilderness. who is so daring and haughty he will not be restrained and humbled by so remarkable an example of divine judgment? well may it be said, "let him that ... standeth take heed lest he fall." 9. well, the example of israel is one readily understood. god grant we may heed it! let us examine the apostle's text yet further--his mention of baptism and spiritual food, using christian terms and placing the fathers upon the same plane with us christians, as if they also had had baptism and the holy supper. he would have us know, first, the oft-repeated fact that god from the beginning led, redeemed and saved his saints by two instrumentalities--by his own word and external signs. adam was saved by the word of promise (gen 3, 15): the seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head; that is, christ shall come to conquer sin, death and satan for us. to this promise god added the sign of sacrifice, sacrifice kindled with fire from heaven, as in abel's case (gen 4, 4), and in other cases mentioned in the scriptures. the word of promise was adam's gospel until the time of noah and of abraham. in this promise all the saints down to abraham believed, and were redeemed; as we are redeemed by the word of the gospel which we believe. the fire from heaven served them as a sign, as baptism does us, which is added to the word of god. 10. such signs were repeated again and again at various times, the last sign being given by christ in his own person--the gospel with baptism, granted to all nations. for instance, god gave noah the promise that he should survive the flood, and granted him a sign in the ship, or ark, he built. and by faith in the promise and sign noah was justified and saved, with his family. afterward god gave him another promise, and for a sign the rainbow. again, he gave abraham a promise, with the sign of circumcision. circumcision was abraham's baptism, just as the ark and the flood were that of noah. so also our baptism is to us circumcision, ark and flood, according to peter's explanation. 1 pet 3, 21. everywhere we meet the word and the sign of god, in which we must believe in order to be saved through faith from sin and death. 11. thus the children of israel had god's word that they should inherit the promised land. in addition to that word they were given many signs, in particular those paul here names--the sea, the cloud, the bread from heaven, the water from the rock. these he calls their baptism; just as our baptism might be called our sea and cloud. faith and the spirit are the same everywhere, though the signs and the words vary. signs and words indeed change from time to time, but faith in the one and same god continues. through various signs and revelations, god at different times bestows the same faith and the same spirit, effecting through these in all saints remission of sins, redemption from death, and salvation, whether they lived in the beginning or at the end of time, or while time progressed. 12. such is paul's meaning when he says the fathers did eat the same meat, and drink the same drink as we. he, however, qualifies with the word "spiritual." externally and individually israel had signs and revelations different from ours; but the spirit and their faith in christ was identical with our own. spiritual eating and drinking is simply believing in god's word and sign. christ says (jn 6, 56), "he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me, and i in him." and in the preceding verse, "my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed." that is, he that believeth in me shall live. "for they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them." 13. in other words, they believed in the same christ in whom we believe, though he was yet to come in the flesh; and the sign of their faith was the material rock, from which they physically drank water, just as we in partaking of the material bread and wine at the altar spiritually eat and drink the true christ. with the outward act of eating and drinking we exercise inward faith. had the israelites not possessed the word of god and faith as they drank from the rock, the act of drinking would not have benefited their souls. neither would it profit us to receive bread and wine at the altar if we were without faith. indeed, had not the word of god come first, the rock would not have yielded water and command faith. likewise, if god's word did not accompany bread and wine, they would not be spiritual food nor exercise faith. 14. so it is ever the same spiritual meat and drink which god embodies in his word and sign, whatever its material and external form may be. were he to command me to lift up a mere straw, immediately the straw would hold for me spiritual food and drink. not because of any virtue in the straw, but because it is a revelation and sign of the divine truth and presence. again, if god's word and his sign be lacking or unrecognized, the very presence of god himself has no effect. christ says of himself (jn 6, 63), "the flesh profiteth nothing." he makes that statement because his hearers pay no heed to the words in which he speaks of his flesh, though it is these which make his body the true meat, according to his declaration (v. 58), "this is the bread which came down out of heaven." therefore we are not to regard unduly, as blind reason does, the works, signs and miracles of god; rather we are to recognize his message therein. this is the act of faith. 15. the apostle refers to a single type--the rock, saying: "they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them: and the rock was christ." by this statement he makes all the figures and signs granted to the people of israel by the word of god refer to christ; for where the word of god is, there christ is. all the words and promises of god are concerning christ. christ himself refers the serpent of moses to himself, giving it a typical significance, jn 3, 14. we may truly say the israelites looked upon the same serpent we behold, for they saw the spiritual serpent that followed them, or christ on the cross. their beholding was believing in the word of god, with the serpent for a sign; even as their spiritual drinking was believing in the word of god with the rock for a sign. without the word of god, the serpent could have profited them nothing; nor could brazen serpents innumerable, had the israelites gazed upon them forever. likewise the rock would have profited them nothing without the word of god; they might have crushed to powder all the rocks of the world or drank from them to no purpose. 16. according to the general principle here laid down by paul, by using the rock as illustration, we may say the israelites partook of the same bread of heaven whereof we eat; and they ate of the spiritual bread of heaven which followed them--christ. with them, eating was believing in the word of god, while they had for their sign the bread from heaven whereof they physically partook. had not this word accompanied the bread, it would have been simply material food, incapable of profiting the soul or calling forth faith. christ says (jn 6, 32), "it was not moses that gave you the bread out of heaven; but my father giveth you the true bread out of heaven." and (verse 58), "not as the fathers ate [manna], and died." even moses says (deut 8, 3), "and fed thee with manna ... that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by everything that proceedeth out of the mouth of jehovah." in other words, "in the material manna you must not merely see the work--the act of satisfying the appetite--but much rather the word of promise bringing you the bread of heaven; for by that word you live forever if you have faith." 17. we may say the same concerning the sea and the cloud. the children of israel walked under the same cloud that shadows us; that means, they walked under the spiritual cloud that followed them--christ. otherwise expressed, walking under the cloud was simply believing in the word of god, the word they had in their hearts, which told them to follow the cloud. without that word they would have been unable to believe or to follow; indeed, with the word lacking, the cloud would never have appeared. therefore, the cloud was called the glory of the lord whose appearance had been promised. so we see how we must in all things have regard to the word of god. to it faith must attach itself. without it, either there are no signs and works of god, or else, existing, and regarded with the physical eyes only, without reference to the word, they cause one to open his mouth in wonderment for a while like everything else which is new, but they do not profit the soul nor do they appeal to faith. 18. some take the words "which followed them" to mean that the spiritual rock accompanied the children of israel, companioning with them--"comitante petra," not "petra consequente," christ being spiritually present in the word and by faith. this view they endeavor to base upon the greek text. i have rendered it: "the rock following." the point is not worth contention. let each understand it as he may. both interpretations given are correct. i hold to what i have offered because all the circumstances of the incident, and earlier words of god, pointed to a future christ, a christ who should follow, in whom they should all believe. thus abraham saw behind him the ram in the thicket and took and sacrificed him; that is, he believed in the christ who afterward should come and be sacrificed. 19. again, some say the common noun in the clause "and the rock was christ" means the material rock; and since christ cannot be material rock they explain the inconsistency by saying the rock signifies christ. they here make the word "was" equivalent to "signifies." the same reasoning they apply to certain words of christ; for instance, they say where christ, referring to the holy supper (mt 26, 26), commands, "take, eat; this is my body"--they say the meaning is, "this bread signifies, but is not truly, my body." they would thereby deny that the bread is the body of christ. in the same manner do they deal with the text (jn 15, 1) "i am the true vine," in making it "i am signified by the vine." beware of such reasoners. their own malice has led them to such perverting of scripture. paul here expressly distinguishes between material and spiritual rocks, saying: "they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them: and the rock was christ." he does not say the material rock was christ, but the spiritual rock. the material rock was not spiritual, and did not follow or go with them. 20. the explanations and distortions of such false reasoners are not needed here. the words are true as they read; they are to be understood in substance and not figuratively. so in john 15, 1, christ's reference is not to a material but a spiritual vine. how would this read, "i am signified by a spiritual vine"? christ is speaking of that which exists, and must so be understood--"i am"; here is a true spiritual vine. similar is john 6, 55, "my flesh is meat indeed." the thought is not, "my flesh signifies, or is signified by, true meat"; spiritual meat is spoken of and the meaning is, "my flesh is substantially a food; not for the stomach, physically, but for the soul, spiritually." neither must you permit the words "this is my body" to be perverted to mean that the body is but signified by the bread, as some pretend; you must accept the words precisely as they mean--"this bread is essentially, by a real presence, my body." the forcing of scripture to meet one's own opinions cannot be tolerated. a clear text proving that the infinitive "to be" is equivalent to "signify" would be needed; and, even though this might be proven in a few instances, it would not suffice. it would still have to be indisputably shown true in the place in question. this can never be done. now, the proposition being impossible, we must surrender to the word of god and accept it as it stands. 21. christ has been typified by various signs and objects in the old testament, and the rock is one of them. note first, the material rock spoken of had place independently of man's labor and far from man's domain, in the wilderness, in desolate solitude. so christ is a truly insignificant object in the world, disregarded, unnoticed; nor is he indebted to human labor. 22. further, water flowing from the rock is contrary to nature; it is purely miraculous. the water typifies the quickening spirit of god, who proceeds from the condemned, crucified and dead christ. thus life is drawn from death, and this by the power of god. christ's death is our life, and if we would live we must die with him. 23. moses strikes the rock at the command of god and points to it, thus prefiguring the ministerial office which by word of mouth strikes from the spiritual rock the spirit. for god will give his spirit to none without the instrumentality of the word and the ministerial office instituted by him for this purpose, adding the command that nothing be preached but christ. had not moses obeyed the command of god to smite the rock with his rod, no water would ever have flowed therefrom. his rod represents rod of the mouth whereof isaiah speaks (ch. 11, 4): "he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth; and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked." "a sceptre of equity is the sceptre of thy kingdom." ps 45, 6. _second sunday before lent_ text: second corinthians 11, 19-33; 12, 1-9. 19 for ye bear with the foolish gladly, being wise yourselves. 20 for ye bear with a man, if he bringeth you into bondage, if he devoureth you, if he taketh you captive, if he exalteth himself, if he smiteth you on the face. 21 i speak by way of disparagement, as though we had been weak. yet whereinsoever any is bold (i speak in foolishness), i am bold also. 22 are they hebrews? so am i. are they israelites? so am i. are they the seed of abraham? so am i. 23 are they ministers of christ? (i speak as one beside himself) i more; in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in deaths oft. 24 of the jews five times received i forty stripes save one. 25 thrice was i beaten with rods, once was i stoned, thrice i suffered shipwreck, a night and a day have i been in the deep; 26 in journeyings often, in perils of rivers, in perils of robbers, in perils from my countrymen, in perils from the gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 in labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 28 besides those things that are without, there is that which presseth upon me daily, anxiety for all the churches. 29 who is weak, and i am not weak? who is caused to stumble, and i burn not? 30 if i must needs glory, i will glory of the things that concern my weakness. 31 the god and father of the lord jesus, he who is blessed for evermore knoweth that i lie not. 32 in damascus the governor under aretas the king guarded the city of the damascenes in order to take me: 33 and through a window was i let down in a basket by the wall, and escaped his hands. 1 i must needs glory, though it is not expedient; but i will come to visions and revelations of the lord. 2 i know a man in christ, fourteen years ago (whether in the body, i know not; or whether out of the body, i know not; god knoweth), such a one caught up even to the third heaven. 3 and i know such a man (whether in the body, or apart from the body, i know not; god knoweth), 4 how that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 5 on behalf of such a one will i glory: but on mine own behalf i will not glory, save in my weakness. 6 for if i should desire to glory, i shall not be foolish; for i shall speak the truth: but i forbear, lest any man should account of me above that which he seeth me to be, or heareth from me. 7 and by reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that i should not be exalted overmuch, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of satan to buffet me, that i should not be exalted overmuch. 8 concerning this thing i besought the lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 and he hath said unto me, my grace is sufficient for thee: for my power is made perfect in weakness. most gladly therefore will i rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of christ may rest upon me. paul's glory in his labor and suffering. 1. they who praise themselves are fools according to the views and speech of the world. the saying is, "self-praise is unsavory." it is forbidden by solomon in proverbs 27, 2: "let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth." and christ says (jn 8, 54), "if i glorify myself, my glory is nothing." paul acknowledges that he had to become a fool, something for which he had no desire, by reason of the necessity laid upon him to praise himself. the false apostles, as false spirits habitually do, delivered great, fine, splendid speeches to the multitude, in their vainglorious attempt to raise themselves above paul, thereby to make contemptible and insignificant that apostle and his doctrine. 2. paul was little concerned that he personally should be lightly esteemed and the false apostles highly honored, but he could not bear to have the gospel perish in that way and his corinthian converts seduced. therefore he exerts himself to the utmost, at the risk of becoming a fool by his boasting. but he, in his strong spiritual wisdom, glories in a masterly manner, and skilfully puts to shame the boasts of the false apostles. first, he shows them he can glory in the very things wherein they glory, and in even more. at the same time he declares himself a fool for glorying. he might have said: "foolish, indeed, are they, and boorish creatures, who glory in themselves. they should feel shame to the very depth of their heart. no true, sane man boasts of what he is. the wicked and the frivolous do that." but the apostle's attack is not quite so severe and harsh. he addresses them civilly and delicately in that he makes himself appear a fool, as if to say: "look! how becoming self-praise is in myself, although i have grounds for my glorying. but how much more disgraceful for you to boast when perhaps none of your claims are true." so paul wears the foolscap, that those coarse fools might have a mirror in which to behold their real selves. this is wisely making foolishness minister to the good of the neighbor and to the honor of the gospel. to the just, even folly is wisdom, just as all things are pure and holy unto him. 3. second, paul deals the false apostles a stout blow when he shows them to be ignorant of the grounds in which a true christian seeks his glory. for, as he teaches them, a christian glories in the things whereof other men are ashamed--in the cross and in his sufferings. this is the true art of glorying. to this he refers when he says (gal 6, 14), "far be it from me to glory, save in the cross of our lord jesus christ." but the false apostles are careful to avoid glorying thus; for they flee with alacrity from reproach and affliction, rather seeking a life of ease and honor. they ever would have prominence over their fellows, be superior to and unlike others--certain indication that they lack the right spirit and are not of god. christ testifies (jn 5, 44), "how can ye believe, who receive glory one of another, and the glory that cometh from the only god ye seek not?" 4. the main point of this lesson is that in a preacher or a teacher no vice is more injurious and venomous than vainglory. it is true, however, that avarice also is an evil characteristic of false teachers, being found hand in hand with vainglory. for the sake of profit, for the purpose of gain, the false teachers aspire to prominence, to honor and position. with them, nothing but current coin will pass, and what does not pay dividend is unprofitable. any other vice is more endurable in a preacher than these two, though none is compatible with goodness, blamelessness and perfection being required in the ministry according to paul, titus 1, 7. this is not surprising, for the two vices under consideration are essentially and directly opposed to the nature of the ministry. the ministry is ordained to have as its aim the glory of god and its promotion. psalm 19, 1 affirms, "the heavens declare the glory of god." and ministers must, for god's glory, suffer reproach and shame. jeremiah complains (ch. 20, 8), "the word of jehovah is made a reproach unto me, and a derision, all the day." the world will not endure the word. for him who in preaching seeks his own honor, it is impossible to remain in the right path and preach the pure gospel. consequently he avoids striving for god's honor; he must preach what pleases the people, what brings honor to himself and magnifies his skill and wisdom. 5. avarice, too, is, according to its very nature, opposed to the interests of the ministry. just as the ministry is to be devoted to god's honor at the expense of our own, so is it to be devoted to the interests of our neighbor and not to our own. otherwise it is an injury rather than a benefit. with the false teacher seeking only his own good, it is impossible for him to preach the truth. he is compelled to speak what is pleasing to men in order to gratify his appetites. therefore paul (rom 16, 18) says of such preachers that they serve their own bellies. and in many places the scriptures reprove avarice. let him, then, who would be a preacher guard vigilantly against vainglory and avarice. but, should he feel himself in the clutch of these sins, let him avoid the ministry. for under such conditions he will accomplish no good; he will only dishonor god, seduce souls and be a thief and robber in the acquisition of property. with this explanation, the lesson is now easily understood, but we will consider a few points. "for ye bear with the foolish gladly, being wise yourselves." 6. paul commends the corinthians for their patience and wisdom in six points: as wise men, they cheerfully endure the foolish; they bear with those who bring them into bondage and oppress them; with those who devour them; with those who take from them [or take them captive]; with those who exalt themselves; with those who smite them in the face. but his commendation is meant to pave the way for his folly--to prepare them to suffer him the more readily. he would say, "since you suffer so much from them who injure you--and you are wise in that--i trust you will bear with me who have wrought you only good, when i act the fool for a little; particularly when my object in it is your good--to preserve the gospel among you in opposition to the false apostles." note how tenderly and patiently he deals with the corinthians when he might have severely reproved them for tolerating the false apostles. he commends them as does a father a timid child, and yet, while commending them he censures both them and their false teachers. he handles them as tenderly as if he held a raw egg in his hand, in order not to distract or terrify them. 7. paul delivers a masterly stroke when with the same words he praises the corinthians and rebukes them and their false apostles. his commendation of their patience is in reality reproof, blows and wounds for the false teachers. he would say: "i have preached the gospel to you at my own expense and jeopardy. by my labor have ye attained to its blessing. ye have done nothing for me in return, and i have been no tax upon you. now, upon my departure, others come and exploit you, and seek honor and profit from my labor. they would be your masters and i am to be ignored. they boast as if the accomplishment were all theirs. of these ye must be disciples and pupils. their preaching ye must accept, while my gospel must become odious. my case is that of the bee who labors to make honey and then the idle drones and the earthworms come and consume the sweet not of their making. in me is illustrated christ's proverb (jn 4, 37), 'one soweth, and another reapeth.' continually one enters into the fruits of another's labor. one must toil and incur danger, while another reaps the benefit in security. 8. "ye can suffer these false apostles, though they be fools and teach only foolishness. in this ye display wisdom and patience. but ye do not so suffer me, who taught you true wisdom. nor do ye permit me much enjoyment of my labor. further, ye can permit them to make servants of you, to be your lords and to order you to do their bidding. and ye obey. but i who have made myself your servant, i who have served you without profit to myself, that ye might be lords with christ, must now be ignored and all my labors be lost. they rule you at their pleasure, and their pleasure is all they consult. you suffer yourselves to be devoured. that is, your property is consumed; for ye bestow it upon them abundantly, as psalm 14, 4 has it, 'who eat up my people.' upon such as these ye can shower goods and gifts, and can permit them to devour you as they please. but i have never enjoyed aught of your property. all my service has been without recompense, that ye might become rich in christ. "again, ye suffer the false teachers to take from you beyond your consent; to exalt themselves above you, to esteem themselves better than you and me, and to exercise their arrogance upon you. but ye deal not so with me, who have sacrificed my own substance, and have taken from others, that i might bring the gospel to you; who have not exalted myself above any, but have yielded to all and served them. the false apostles permit you to serve them; in fact, trample you beneath their feet. they even smite you in the face; that is, they reproach you publicly, put you to shame, and abuse you with rude and insolent words. they act as if ye were beasts of burden and they your real masters. all this ye suffer. but my patience with you, my parental tenderness, past and present, is remembered no more. paul is now represented as having wrought no good at corinth." paul's description of false teachers. 9. note the master hand wherewith paul portrays the character of false teachers, showing how they betray their avarice and ambition. first, they permit true teachers to lay the foundation and perform the labor; then they come and desire to do the work over, to reap the honors and the benefits. they bring about that the name and the work of the true teachers receive no regard and credit; what they themselves have brought--that is the thing. they make the poor, simple-minded people to stare open-mouthed while they win them with flowery words and seduce them with fair speeches, as mentioned in romans 16, 18. these are the idle drones that consume the honey they will not and cannot make. that this was the condition of affairs at corinth is very clear from this epistle--indeed, from both epistles. paul continually refers to others having followed him and built upon the foundation he has laid. messengers of the devil, he terms them. 10. and such false teachers have the good fortune that all their folly is tolerated, even though the people realize how these act the fool, and rather rudely at that. they have success with it all, and people bear with them. but no patience is to be exercised toward true teachers! their words and their works are watched with the intent of entrapping them, as complained of in psalm 17, 9 and elsewhere. when only apparently a mote is found, it is exaggerated to a very great beam. no toleration is granted. there is only judgment, condemnation and scorn. hence the office of preaching is a grievous one. he who has not for his sole motive the benefit of his neighbor and the glory of god, cannot continue therein. the true teacher must labor, and permit others to have the honor and profit of his efforts, while he receives injury and derision for his reward. here the saying holds true: "to love without guerdon, nor wearying of the burden." only the spirit of god can inspire such love. to flesh and blood it is impossible. paul here scores the false prophets when he says, "ye suffer fools gladly"; in other words, "i know the false preachers often act as fools, nor can they help it, because their teaching is false; yet ye excuse them." 11. in the second place such teachers are disposed to bring the people into downright bondage and to bind their conscience by forcing laws upon them and teaching work-righteousness. the effect is that fear impels them to do what has been pounded into them, as if they were bond-slaves, while their teachers command fear and attention. but the true teachers, they who give us freedom of conscience and create us lords, we soon forget, even despise. the dominion of false teachers is willingly tolerated and patiently endured; indeed, it is given high repute. all those conditions are punishments sent by god upon them who do not receive the gospel with love and gratitude. christ says (jn 5, 43): "i am come in my father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye shall receive." the pope, with his spiritual office, became our lord, and we became his captives, through his doctrine of human works. and our present-day schismatics pursue the same object with their fanciful doctrine concerning their works. 12. in the third place, false teachers flay their disciples to the bone, and cut them out of house and home, but even this is taken and endured. such, i opine, has been our experience under the papacy. but true preachers are even denied their bread. yet this all perfectly squares with justice! for, since men fail to give unto those from whom they receive the word of god, and permit the latter to serve them at their own expense, it is but fair they should give the more unto preachers of lies, whose instruction redounds to their injury. what is withheld from christ must be given in tenfold proportion to the devil. they who refuse to give the servant of the truth a single thread, must be oppressed by liars. 13. fourth, false apostles forcibly take more than is given them. they seize whatever and whenever they can, thus enhancing their insatiable avarice. this, too, is excused in them. thus, the great establishments of the pope did not suffice for him; with various artifices, bulls, laws and indulgences, he has brought under his power land and people and all they possess, exhausting the world by usury. and so it should be, for this state of affairs was richly deserved by men for despising the gospel and its preachers. 14. fifth, these deceitful teachers, not satisfied with having acquired our property, must exalt themselves above us and lord it over us. not only do they possess all property, but they must for that very reason become our superiors; must have precedence and receive honor. we bow our knees before them, worship them and kiss their feet. and we suffer it all, yes, with fearful reverence regard it just and right. and it is just and right, for why did we not honor the gospel by accepting and preserving it? 15. sixth, our false apostles justly reward us by smiting us in the face. that is, they consider us inferior to dogs; they abuse us, and treat us as foot-rags. i venture to say we became sensible of such treatment when, under the papacy, we were readily put in the van, cursed, condemned and delivered to the devil. we endured it all, suffered most patiently, and yielded up property, honor, body and soul. fault in a sincere teacher, however, could by no means be tolerated. very well, then; god is just, and it is his judgment that we must honor the messengers of satan a thousand times more than his own, and do and suffer everything. "i speak by way of disparagement [speak as concerning reproach], as though we had been weak." 16. there are two ways of interpreting this sentence: first, as meaning: "i speak as one of the weak whose folly you must endure; for which i deserve reproach, since i ought to bear with you." from such meaning i to this day have seen no cause to swerve. the other interpretation is: "i speak as one reproached--after the manner of the weak." or, more fully expressed: "i can speak in two ways of myself and my class: first, with honor, because of our strength in the sight of god and the spiritually-minded, worthy of honor, noble; not weak but strong, able. but i will not at present employ this way, for we are now despised; we are not known as honorable. and all because of the false prophets. i will, then, present myself in the other light, as i am regarded--despised, held in reproach and disrespect, weak and incapable. but even this condition shall be an occasion of glory for me; my reproach and weakness is more honorable than their honor, power and strength. what would my glory be should my actual strength inspire my speech!" "weakness," according to paul's own later interpretation, implies being regarded worthless, unfit, a failure. the apostle's meaning, then, is: "i, too, will be one of the boasting fools. you will excuse it in me for i speak from the standpoint of my critics, that of a man contemptible, foolish, incompetent. before god, however, i feel that i am a quite different being." 17. and recollect, paul says, "because ye are wise, ye suffer fools gladly," implying that one fool cannot tolerate another. the saying is, "two fools in one house will not do." reason and wisdom are required, to bear with another's infirmities and to excuse them. "yet whereinsoever any is bold." 18. that is, in whatever the false apostles can boast, i can likewise glory. here we are shown what is the ground of the false apostles' boasting: their outward respectability--being of abraham's seed, children of israel, christ's preachers. therein they think to far excel the corinthians, claiming their doctrine and works to be of greater weight because they have moses and the prophets for their teachers. but they failed to perceive that their boast is of mere externals, that render no one righteous or better before god. the majority of the hebrews, of the israelites, of the seed of abraham, and of the preachers of christ are lost. names are of no consequence; they only make a fine show and serve to seduce the simple-minded. paul boasts of his origin and yet derides his boasting, calling it fool's work. his object is to destroy the boasting of the false prophets, that the people might not be deceived. 19. note how, even in paul's time, great men erred concerning the true sense of the gospel, and many noble preachers would have estimated christian life by a merely external appearance and name. the true spiritual preachers must have been few. should it be strange, then, that in our time sincere preachers are not numerous, and that the majority of ministers riot in what they themselves seem and do? it cannot and shall not be otherwise. the thievish drones, which are prone to riot, let them riot! we will resist to the utmost of our power, commending the matter to god, who doubtless will grant us sufficient honor and profit, both temporally and eternally, though we must labor gratuitously, accepting injury and derision as our reward. our adversaries will not long continue their persecutions, for, as paul says just preceding our lesson, they will eventually receive their deserts. 20. again, paul boasts of certain temporal afflictions wherein he excels the false apostles, who suffer nothing, for the sake of either the word or of souls, but only boast of name and person. among the afflictions he mentions, he names having been a night and a day in the deep. some refer this allusion to the voyage of which luke writes (acts 27, 20-21), when for fourteen days paul and his companions ate nothing and saw never a star, being day and night continually covered by the surges and waves of the sea. others think paul was, like jonah, personally sunk into the deep sea, though but for a day and a night. such is the clear meaning of the text. yet others interpret it as having reference to a prison or dungeon, because the greek text makes no mention of the sea--simply "the deep." "who is weak, and i am not weak?" 21. of external afflictions affecting not his own person, but distressing others, paul mentions two: he is weak if another is weak, and burns if another is offended. thereby he plainly portrays the ardor of his heart--how full of love he is; the defects and sorrows of others pain him as his own. by "weakness," i imagine, he means, not bodily infirmity, but weakness of faith. he refers to those who, young in the faith, have a tender and frail conscience, thereby betokening immaturity and feebleness of faith. he says (rom 14, 2), "he that is weak eateth herbs"; and in first corinthians 8, 12, that we sin against christ if we wound a weak conscience. these weak ones paul does not reject. he receives them and conducts himself as if he, too, were weak. he asserts (1 cor 9, 22), "to the weak i became weak, that i might gain the weak." 22. this interpretation of the sentence is borne out in his allusion to "that which presseth upon me daily, anxiety for all the churches." paul would say: "i exert myself, i have a continual care, i urge and admonish constantly, that offenses and false doctrine may not invade and destroy my planting; may not violate and ruin the weak consciences." as seen in his epistle to the corinthians, directed against the false apostles, and in that to the thessalonians, such is his vigilant anxiety to guard them from the tempter that he sends them a special messenger, and he exultingly declares it is life to him to learn of their steadfastness. 23. likewise, by the assertion that he burns, we are to understand that he is exceedingly grieved and pained if one is offended; that is, if through misleading doctrines or examples one in any wise falls from the faith. of the offense to faith, he says much in romans 14. not desiring to be offended with the offended, as he became weak with the weak, he says: "i burn and sorrow for them." "i know a man in christ, fourteen years ago." 24. of the translation of paul into the third heaven many have written, perplexing themselves over what constituted the first, second and third heavens, and the paradise. paul himself, who had the experience, does not tell, and declares no man can tell, for none may utter the words he heard. therefore, we must humbly acknowledge we do not know the nature of these things. and it matters not. paul does not boast of his experience for the purpose of imparting knowledge to us or of enabling us to duplicate it. the purpose of his boasting is simply to stop the mouths of the fanatics and to show how paltry was their glory in comparison with his own. certain it is, however, that paul was ravished from this life into a life ineffable; otherwise his expression would be meaningless. paul's thorn in the flesh and humility. "there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of satan." 25. and must this mighty apostle, o merciful god, be subject to trials lest he exalt himself because of his great revelations? then how should others, how should such infirm beings as we, be free from self-exaltation? many teachers have explained paul's thorn to be the temptations of the flesh. the latin text is responsible for this interpretation; it reads, "stimulus carnis," a spear, or thorn for the flesh. yet that rendering does not do justice to the words. paul is not in the habit of terming temptations of the flesh "thorns." the thorn stands rather for something painful and afflicting. in "a thorn of the flesh" the thought is not of an instrumentality whereby the flesh stings, but of something that stings the flesh. the greek text impels us to the thought of a thorn for the flesh, or a thorn upon or in the flesh. the idea is much like that in the german proverb, "the clog is bound to the dog's neck." we may imagine paul expressing himself: "as a clog to a dog's neck, as a ring in a bear's nose, a bit in a horse's mouth or a gag in the mouth of a swine, in order to restrain them from running, biting and general mischief,--so is my thorn a clog to my body lest i exalt myself." 26. but paul himself explains the nature of the clog, or thorn. he calls it "a messenger of satan," a devil, to "buffet" him, or to flay and jog him. hence a spiritual trial cannot be meant. the explanation appeals to me that the persecutions and sufferings the apostle recounts above constitute the devil's flaying. thus his meaning would be: "i have received great revelations, for which reason the clog is bound to the dog; that is, the many dangers and misfortunes with which the angel of the devil buffets and humiliates my body will make me forget to exalt myself. they are the thorn in my flesh, or upon my body; for god will not permit it to come upon my soul." 27. yet the text seems to imply some peculiar work of the devil upon paul's body, for it says the thorn, or clog, is the messenger satan employs to beat his body; and also that the apostle diligently but unavailingly thrice besought the lord to remove it. i do not imagine him praying for the cessation of persecutions in a spirit of unwillingness to suffer them. but since he does not specify the affliction, we must let it remain a secret one, a distress known only to himself. it is enough for us to know that while god had given him great revelations, revelations beyond human ken, he also bound the clog to him--gave him a thorn for his body--to prevent his exaltation of himself; and that the knowledge of the buffetings and flaying caused by this clog, or devil, are likewise beyond human ken. "my power is made perfect in weakness." 28. it is a strange sort of strength which is weak and by its weakness grows stronger. who ever heard of weak strength? or more absurd still, that strength is increased by weakness? paul would here make a distinction between human strength and divine. human strength increases with enhancement and decreases with enfeeblement. but god's power--his word in us--rises in proportion to the pressure it receives. it is characteristic of god the creator that he creates all things from naught, and again reduces to naught all created things. human power cannot do this. the power of god is the true palm-wood which buoys itself in proportion as it is burdened and weighted. 29. note here, "weakness" is not to be understood in a spiritual sense, as on a previous occasion, but externally; as not illness alone, but every sort of evil, misfortune, suffering and persecution calculated to buffet and humble the body. the power of christ, in connection with which spiritual weakness cannot exist, is invoked against this weakness likewise. he says, "most gladly will i glory in my weaknesses, that the power of christ may rest upon me." and his weaknesses he immediately explains as infirmities, injuries, necessities, persecutions and distresses. the thought, then, is: christ is not mighty within us, his word and his faith are not strong in us, unless our bodies suffer affliction. the false apostles, however, take excellent care to escape suffering. _sunday before lent_ text: first corinthians 13. 1 if i speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, i am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. 2 and if i have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if i have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, i am nothing. 3 and if i bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and if i give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profiteth me nothing. 4 love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not provoked, taketh not account of evil; 6 rejoiceth not in unrighteousness, but rejoiceth with the truth; 7 beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 8 love never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall be done away; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall be done away. 9 for we know in part, and we prophesy in part; 10 but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away. 11 when i was a child, i spake as a child, i felt as a child, i thought as a child: now that i am become a man, i have put away childish things. 12 for now we see in a mirror, darkly; but then face to face: now i know in part; but then shall i know fully even as also i was fully known. 13 but now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love. paul's praise of christian love. 1. paul's purpose in this chapter is to silence and humble haughty christians, particularly teachers and preachers. the gospel gives much knowledge of god and of christ, and conveys many wonderful gifts, as paul recounts in romans 12 and in first corinthians 12. he tells us some have the gift of speaking, some of teaching, some of scripture exposition; others of ruling; and so on. with christians are great riches of spiritual knowledge, great treasures in the way of spiritual gifts. manifest to all is the meaning of god, christ, conscience, the present and the future life, and similar things. but there are to be found few indeed who make the right use of such gifts and knowledge; who humble themselves to serve others, according to the dictates of love. each seeks his own honor and advantage, desiring to gain preferment and precedence over others. 2. we see today how the gospel has given to men knowledge beyond anything known in the world before, and has bestowed upon them new capabilities. various gifts have been showered upon and distributed among them which have redounded to their honor. but they go on unheeding. no one takes thought how he may in christian love serve his fellow-men to their profit. each seeks for himself glory and honor, advantage and wealth. could one bring about for himself the distinction of being the sole individual learned and powerful in the gospel, all others to be insignificant and useless, he would willingly do it; he would be glad could he alone be regarded as mister smart. at the same time he affects deep humility, great self-abasement, and preaches of love and faith. but he would take it hard had he, in practice, to touch with his little finger what he preaches. this explains why the world is so filled with fanatics and schismatics, and why every man would master and outrank all others. such as these are haughtier than those that taught them. paul here attacks these vainglorious spirits, and judges them to be wholly insignificant, though their knowledge may be great and their gifts even greater, unless they should humble themselves and use their gifts in the service of others. 3. to these coarse and mean people he addresses himself with a multitude of words and a lengthy discourse, a subject he elsewhere disposes of in a few words; for instance, where he says (phil 2, 3-4), "in lowliness of mind each counting other better than himself; not looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others." by way of illustration, he would pass sentence upon himself should he be thus blameworthy; this more forcibly to warn others who fall far short of his standing. he says, "if i speak with the tongues of men and of angels." 4. that is, though i had ability to teach and to preach with power beyond that of any man or angel, with words of perfect charm, with truth and excellence informing my message--though i could do this, "but have not love [charity]," and only seek my own honor and profit and not my neighbor's, "i am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal." in other words, "i might, perhaps, thereby teach others something, might fill their ears with sound, but before god i would be nothing." as a clock or a bell has not power to hear its own sound, and does not derive benefit from its stroke, so the preacher who lacks love cannot himself understand anything he says, nor does he thereby improve his standing before god. he has much knowledge, indeed, but because he fails to place it in the service of love, it is the quality of his knowledge that is at fault. 1 cor 8, 1-12. far better he were dumb or devoid of eloquence, if he but teach in love and meekness, than to speak as an angel while seeking but his own interests. "and if i have the gift of prophecy." 5. according to chapter 14, to prophesy is to be able, by the holy spirit's inspiration, correctly to understand and explain the prophets and the scriptures. this is a most excellent gift. to "know mysteries" is to be able to apprehend the spiritual meaning of the scriptures, or its allegorical references, as paul does where (gal 4, 24-31) he makes sarah and hagar representative of the two covenants, and isaac and ishmael of the two peoples--the jews and the christians. christ does the same (jn 3, 14) when he makes the brazen serpent of moses typical of himself on the cross; again, when isaac, david, solomon and other characters of sacred history appear as figures of christ. paul calls it "mystery"--this hidden, secret meaning beneath the primary sense of the narrative. but "knowledge" is the understanding of practical matters, such as christian liberty, or the realization that the conscience is not bound. paul would say, then: "though one may understand the scriptures, both in their obvious and their hidden sense; though he may know all about christian liberty and a proper conversation; yet if he have not love, if he do not with that knowledge serve his neighbor, it is all of no avail whatever; in god's sight he is nothing." 6. note how forcibly yet kindly paul restrains the disgraceful vice of vainglory. he disregards even those exalted gifts, those gifts of exceeding refinement, charm and excellence, which naturally produce pride and haughtiness though they command the admiration and esteem of men. who would not suppose the holy spirit to dwell visibly where such wisdom, such discernment of the scriptures, is present? paul's two epistles to the corinthians are almost wholly directed against this particular vice, for it creates much mischief where it has sway. in titus 1, 7, he names first among the virtues of a bishop that he be "non superbus," not haughty. in other words that he do not exalt himself because of his office, his honor and his understanding, and despise others in comparison. but strangely paul says, "if i have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, i am nothing." love the spirit's fruit received by faith. 7. we hold, and unquestionably it is true, that it is faith which justifies and cleanses. rom 1, 17; 10, 10; acts 15, 9. but if it justifies and purifies, love must be present. the spirit cannot but impart love together with faith. in fact, where true faith is, the holy spirit dwells; and where the holy spirit is, there must be love and every excellence. how is it, then, paul speaks as if faith without love were possible? we reply, this one text cannot be understood as subverting and militating against all those texts which ascribe justification to faith alone. even the sophists have not attributed justification to love, nor is this possible, for love is an effect, or fruit, of the spirit, who is received through faith. 8. three answers may be given to the question. first, paul has not reference here to the christian faith, which is inevitably accompanied by love, but to a general faith in god and his power. such faith is a gift; as, for instance, the gift of tongues, the gift of knowledge, of prophecy, and the like. there is reason to believe judas performed miracles in spite of the absence of christian faith, according to john 6, 70: "one of you is a devil." this general faith, powerless to justify or to cleanse, permits the old man with his vices to remain, just as do the gifts of intellect, health, eloquence, riches. 9. a second answer is: though paul alludes to the true christian faith, he has those in mind who have indeed attained to faith and performed miracles with it, but fall from grace through pride, thus losing their faith. many begin but do not continue. they are like the seed in stony ground. they soon fall from faith. the temptations of vainglory are mightier than those of adversity. one who has the true faith and is at the same time able to perform miracles is likely to seek and to accept honor with such eagerness as to fall from both love and faith. 10. a third answer is: paul in his effort to present the necessity of love, supposes an impossible condition. for instance, i might express myself in this way: "though you were a god, if you lacked patience you would be nothing." that is, patience is so essential to divinity that divinity itself could not exist without it, a proposition necessarily true. so paul's meaning is, not that faith could exist without love, but on the contrary, so much is love an essential of faith that even mountain-moving faith would be nothing without love, could we separate the two even in theory. the third answer pleases me by far the best, though i do not reject the others, particularly the first. for paul's very first premise is impossible--"if i speak with the tongues of angels." to speak with an angelic tongue is impossible for a human being, and he clearly emphasizes this impossibility by making a distinction between the tongues of men and those of angels. there is no angelic tongue; while angels may speak to us in a human tongue men can never speak in those of angels. 11. as we are to understand the first clause--"if i speak with the tongues of angels"--as meaning, were it as possible as it is impossible for me to speak with the tongues of angels; so are we to understand the second clause--"if i have all faith, so as to remove mountains"--to mean, were it as possible as it is impossible to have such faith. equally impossible is the proposition of understanding all mysteries, and we must take it to mean, were it possible for one to understand all mysteries, which, however, it is not. john, in the last chapter of his gospel, asserts that the world could not contain all the books which might be written concerning the things of the kingdom. for no man can ever fathom the depths of these mysteries. paul's manner of expressing himself is but a very common one, such as: "even if i were a christian, if i believed not in christ i would be nothing"; or, "were you even a prince, if you neither ruled men nor possessed property you would be nothing." "and if i bestow all my goods to feed the poor." 12. in other words, "were i to perform all the good works on earth and yet had not charity--having sought therein only my own honor and profit and not my neighbor's--i would nevertheless be lost." in the performance of external works so great as the surrender of property and life, paul includes all works possible of performance, for he who would at all do these, would do any work. just so, when he has reference to tongues he includes all good words and doctrines; and in prophecy, understanding and faith he comprises all wisdom and knowledge. some may risk body and property for the sake of temporal glory. so romans and pagans have done; but as love was lacking and they sought only their own interests, they practically gave nothing. it being generally impossible for men to give away all their property, and their bodies to be burned, the meaning must be: "were it possible for me to give all my goods to the poor, and my body to be burned." 13. the false reasoning of the sophists will not stand when they maliciously deduct from this text the theory that the christian faith is not effectual to blot out sin and to justify. they say that before faith can justify it must be garnished with love; but justification and its distinctive qualities as well are beyond their ken. justification of necessity precedes love. one does not love until he has become godly and righteous. love does not make us godly, but when one has become godly love is the result. faith, the spirit and justification have love as effect and fruitage, and not as mere ornament and supplement. we maintain that faith alone justifies and saves. but that we may not deceive ourselves and put our trust in a false faith, god requires love from us as the evidence of our faith, so that we may be sure of our faith being real faith. the nature of christian love. "love suffereth long, and is kind." 14. now paul begins to mention the nature of love, enabling us to perceive where real love and faith are to be found. a haughty teacher does not possess the virtues the apostle enumerates. lacking these, however many gifts the haughty have received through the gospel, they are devoid of love. first, love "suffereth long." that is, it is patient; not sudden and swift to anger, not hasty to exercise revenge, impatience or blind rage. rather it bears in patience with the wicked and the infirm until they yield. haughty teachers can only judge, condemn and despise others, while justifying and exalting themselves. 15. second, love is "kind." in other words, it is pleasant to deal with; is not of forbidding aspect; ignores no one; is kind to all men, in words, acts and attitude. 16. third, love "envieth not"--is not envious nor displeased at the greater prosperity of others; grudges no one property or honor. haughty teachers, however, are envious and unkind. they begrudge everyone else both honor and possessions. though with their lips they may pretend otherwise, these characteristics are plainly visible in their deeds. 17. fourth, love "vaunteth not itself." it is averse to knavery, to crafty guile and double-dealing. haughty and deceptive spirits cannot refrain from such conduct, but love deals honestly and uprightly and face to face. 18. fifth, love is not "puffed up," as are false teachers, who swell themselves up like adders. 19. sixth, love "doth not behave itself unseemly" after the manner of the passionate, impatient and obstinate, those who presume to be always in the right, who are opposed to all men and yield to none, and who insist on submission from every individual, otherwise they set the world on fire, bluster and fume, shriek and complain, and thirst for revenge. that is what such inflating pride and haughtiness of which we have just spoken lead to. 20. seventh, love "seeketh not her own." she seeks not financial advancement; not honor, profit, ease; not the preservation of body and life. rather she risks all these in her ... [text missing from this edition] ... is no such thing as the church of christ nor as true christians. many erring spirits, especially strong pretenders to ... [text missing from this edition] 21. eighth, love "is not [easily] provoked" by wrong and ingratitude; it is meek. false teachers can tolerate nothing; they seek only their own advantage and honor, to the injury of others. 22. ninth, love "taketh not account of [thinketh no] evil." it is not suspicious; it puts the best construction on everything and takes all in good faith. the haughty, however, are immeasurably suspicious; always solicitous not to be underrated, they put the worst construction on everything, as joab construed abner's deeds. 2 sam 3, 25. this is a shameful vice, and they who are guilty of it are hard to handle. 23. tenth, love "rejoiceth not in unrighteousness [iniquity]." the words admit of two interpretations: first, as having reference to the delight of an individual in his own evil doings. solomon (prov 2, 14) speaks of those who "rejoice to do evil." such must be either extremely profligate and shameless, characters like harlots and knaves; or else they must be hypocrites, who do not appreciate the wickedness of their conduct; characters like heretics and schismatics, who rejoice when their knavery succeeds under the name of god and of the truth. i do not accept this interpretation, but the other. paul's meaning is that false teachers are malicious enough to prefer to hear, above all things, that some other does wrong, commits error and is brought to shame; and their motive is simply that they themselves may appear upright and godly. such was the attitude of the pharisee toward the publican, in the gospel. but love's compassion reaches far beyond its own sins, and prays for others. 24. eleventh, love "rejoiceth with [in] the truth." here is evidence that the preceding phrase is to be taken as having reference to malicious rejoicing at another's sin and fall. rejoicing in the truth is simply exulting in the right-doing and integrity of another. similarly, love is grieved at another's wrong-doing. but to the haughty it is an affliction to learn of uprightness in someone else; for they imagine such integrity detracts from their own profit and honor. 25. twelfth, love "beareth all things." it excuses every failing in all men, however weak, unjust or foolish one may be apparently, and no one can be guilty of a wrong too great for it to overlook. but none can do right in the eyes of the haughty, who ever find something to belittle and censure as beyond toleration, even though they must hunt up an old fence to find the injury. 26. thirteenth, love "believeth all things." paul does not here allude to faith in god, but to faith in men. his meaning is: love is of decidedly trustful disposition. the possessor of it believes and trusts all men, considering them just and upright like himself. he anticipates no wily and crooked dealing, but permits himself to be deceived, deluded, flouted, imposed upon, at every man's pleasure, and asks, "do you really believe men so wicked?" he measures all other hearts by his own, and makes mistakes with utmost cheerfulness. but such error works him no injury. he knows god cannot forsake, and the deceiver of love but deceives himself. the haughty, on the contrary, trust no one, will believe none, nor brook deception. 27. fourteenth, love "hopeth all things." love despairs of no man, however wicked he may be. it hopes for the best. as implied here, love says, "we must, indeed, hope for better things." it is plain from this that paul is not alluding to hope in god. love is a virtue particularly representing devotion to a neighbor; his welfare is its goal in thought and deed. like its faith, the hope entertained by love is frequently misplaced, but it never gives up. love rejects no man; it despairs of no cause. but the proud speedily despair of men generally, rejecting them as of no account. 28. fifteenth, love "endureth all things." it endures whatever harm befalls, whatever injury it suffers; it endures when its faith and hope in men have been misplaced; endures when it sustains damage to body, property or honor. it knows that no harm has been done since it has a rich god. false teachers, however, bear with nothing, least of all with perfidy and the violation of plighted faith. 29. sixteenth, love never faileth; that means, it abides forever, also in the life to come. it never gives up, never permits itself to be hindered or defeated by the wickedness or ingratitude of men, as do worldly individuals and false saints, who, immediately on perceiving contempt or ingratitude, draw back, unwilling to do further good to any, and, rendering themselves quite inhuman, become perfect misanthropes like timon in his reputation among the greeks. love does not so. it permits not itself to be made wicked by the wickedness of men, nor to be hindered in well-doing. it continues to do good everywhere, teaching and admonishing, aiding and serving, notwithstanding its services and benefits must be rewarded, not by good, but by evil. love remains constant and immovable; it continues, it endures, in this earthly life and also in the life to come. the apostle adds, "whether there be prophecies, they shall be done away; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall be done away." love he commends above all other endowments, as a gift that can never pass, even in the life to come. those other gifts, the boast of the false apostles, are bestowed only for this present life, to serve in the administering of the ministerial office. prophecy, tongues, knowledge, all must cease; for in yonder life each individual will himself perceive perfectly and there will be no need for one to teach another. likewise, all differences, all inequalities, shall be no more. no knowledge and no diversity of gifts is necessary; god himself will be all in every soul. 1 cor 15, 28. 30. here paul gives utterance to the distinction between the life of faith here below and that heavenly life of divine vision. he would teach that we have in this life and the other the same possession, for it is the same god and the same treasures which we have here by faith and there by sight. in the objects themselves there is no difference; the difference consists in our knowledge. we have the same god in both lives, but in different manner of possession. the mode of possessing god in this life is faith. faith is an imperfect, obscure vision, which makes necessary the word, which, in turn, receives vogue through the ministry, tongues and prophecy. without the word, faith cannot live. but the mode of possessing god in the future life is not faith but sight. this is perfect knowledge, rendering unnecessary the word, and likewise preaching, tongues and prophecy. these, then, must pass. paul continues, "we know in part, and we prophesy in part." 31. "we know in part"; that is, in this life we know imperfectly, for it is of faith and not of sight. and we "prophesy in part"; that is, imperfectly, for the substance of our prophecy is the word and preaching. both knowledge and prophecy, however, reveal nothing short of what the angels see--the one god. "but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away." he proves this by way of illustration and contrasts the child with the man. to children, who are yet weak, play is a necessity; it is a substitute for office and work. similarly, we in the present life are far too frail to behold god. until we are able, it is necessary that we should use the medium of word and faith, which are adapted to our limitations. "for now we see in a mirror [through a glass] darkly; but then face to face." 32. faith, paul tells us, is like a mirror, like a riddle. the actual face is not in the glass; there is but the image of it. likewise, faith gives us, not the radiant countenance of eternal deity, but a mere image of him, an image derived through the word. as a dark riddle points to something more than it expresses, so faith suggests something clearer than that which it perceives. but in the life to come, mirror and riddle, faith and its demonstration, shall all have ceased to be. god's face and our own shall be mutually and clearly revealed. paul says, "now i know in part; but then shall i know fully even as also i was fully known [know even also as i am known]." that is, god now knows me perfectly, clearly and plainly; no dark veil is upon myself. but as to him, a dark veil hides him from me. with the same perfect clearness wherewith he now knows me, i shall then know him--without a veil. the veil shall be taken away, not from him, but from me; for upon him is no veil. the greatest christian virtue is love. "but now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love." 33. the sophists have transgressed in a masterly manner as regards this verse. they have made faith vastly inferior to love because of paul's assertion that love is greater than faith and greater than hope. as usual, their mad reason blindly seizes upon the literal expression. they hack a piece out of it and the remainder they ignore. thus they fail to understand paul's meaning; they do not perceive that the sense of paul concerning the greatness of love is expressed both in the text and the context. for surely it cannot be disputed that the apostle is here referring to the permanent or temporary character respectively of love and other gifts, and not to their rank or power. as to rank, not faith only, but the word, surpasses love; for the word is the power of god unto salvation to all that believe. rom 1, 16. yet the word must pass. but though love is the fruit of the word and its effect, it shall never be abolished. faith possesses god himself. it possesses and can accomplish all things; yet it must cease. love gives and blesses the neighbor, as a result of faith, and it shall never be done away. 34. now, paul's statement that love is greater than faith and hope is intended as an expression of the permanence, or eternal duration, of love. faith, being limited as to time in comparison with love, ranks beneath it for the reason of this temporary duration. with the same right i might say that the kingdom of christ is greater upon earth than was christ. thereby i do not mean that the church in itself is better and of higher rank than christ, but merely that it covers a greater part of the earth than he compassed; for he was here but three years and those he spent in a limited sphere, whereas his kingdom has been from the beginning and is coextensive with the earth. in this sense, love is longer and broader than either faith or hope. faith deals with god merely in the heart and in this life, whereas the relations of love both to god and the whole world are eternal. nevertheless, as christ is immeasurably better and higher and more precious than the christian church, although we behold him moving in smaller limits and as a mere individual, so is faith better, higher and more precious than love, though its duration is limited and it has god alone for its object. 35. paul's purpose in thus extolling love is to deal a blow to false teachers and to bring to naught their boasts about faith and other gifts when love is lacking. his thought is: "if ye possess not love, which abides forever, all else whereof ye boast being perishable, ye will perish with it. while the word of god, and spiritual gifts, are eternal, yet the external office and proclamation of the word, and likewise the employment of gifts in their variety, shall have an end, and thus your glory and pride shall become as ashes." so, then, faith justifies through the word and produces love. but while both word and faith shall pass, righteousness and love, which they effect, abide forever; just as a building erected by the aid of scaffolding remains after the scaffolding has been removed. 36. observe how small the word "love" and how easily uttered! who would have thought to find so much precious virtue and power ascribed by paul to this one excellence as counterpart of so much that is evil? this is, i imagine, magnifying love, painting love. it is a better discourse on virtue and vice than are the heathen writings. the model the apostle presents should justly shame the false teachers, who talk much of love but in whom not one of the virtues he mentions is found. every quality of love named by him means false teachers buffeted and assaulted. whenever he magnifies love and characterizes her powers, he invariably makes at the same time a thrust at those who are deficient in any of them. well may we, then, as he describes the several features, add the comment "but you do very differently." 37. it is passing strange that teachers devoid of love should possess such gifts as paul has mentioned here, viz., speaking with tongues, prophesying, understanding mysteries; that they should have faith, should bestow their goods and suffer themselves to be burned. for we have seen what abominations ensue where love is lacking; such individuals are proud, envious, puffed up, impatient, unstable, false, venomous, suspicious, malicious, disdainful, bitter, disinclined to service, distrustful, selfish, ambitious and haughty. how can it consistently be claimed that people of this stamp can, through faith, remove mountains, give their bodies to be burned, prophesy, and so on? it is precisely as i have stated. paul presents an impossible proposition, implying that since they are devoid of love, they do not really possess those gifts, but merely assume the name and appearance. and in order to divest them of those he admits for the sake of argument that they are what in reality they are not. _first sunday in lent_ text: second corinthians 6, 1-10. 1 and working together with him we entreat also that ye receive not the grace of god in vain 2 (for he saith, at an acceptable time i hearkened unto thee, and in a day of salvation did i succor thee: behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation): 3 giving no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our ministration be not blamed; 4 but in everything commending ourselves, as ministers of god, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, 5 in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings; 6 in pureness, in knowledge, in longsuffering, in kindness, in the holy spirit, in love unfeigned, 7 in the word of truth, in the power of god; by the armor of righteousness on the right hand on the left, 8 by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. an entreaty to live as christians. 1. this lesson is an admonition to the corinthians calculated to stimulate them in the performance of the duties they already recognize. the words are easily enough said, but execution is difficult and practice rare. for paul gives a strange description of the christian life, and the color and characteristics with which he exhibits it render it decidedly unprepossessing. first he says: "and working together with him we entreat also that ye receive not the grace of god in vain." 2. he calls the corinthians co-workers, as in first corinthians 3, 9, where he puts it: "we are god's fellow-workers; ye are god's husbandry, god's building." that is, we labor upon you with the external word--teaching and admonishing; but god, working inwardly through the spirit, gives the blessing and the success. he permits not our labor with the outward word to be in vain. therefore, god is the true master, performing inwardly the supreme work, while we aid outwardly, serving him through the ministry. the apostle's purpose in praising his co-laborers is to prevent them from despising the external word as something inessential to them, or well enough known. for though god is able to effect everything without the instrumentality of the outward word, working inwardly by his spirit, this is by no means his purpose. he uses preachers as fellow-workers, or co-laborers, to accomplish his purpose through the word when and where he pleases. now, since preachers have the office, name and honor of fellow-workers with god, no one may be considered learned enough or holy enough to ignore or despise the most inferior preaching; especially since he knows not when the hour may come wherein god will, through preachers, perform his work in him. 3. secondly, paul shows the danger of neglecting the grace of god. he boldly declares here that the preaching of the gospel is not an eternal, continuous and permanent mode of instruction, but rather a passing shower, which hastens on. what it strikes, it strikes; what it misses, it misses. it does not return, nor does it stand still. the sun and heat follow and dry it up. experience shows that in no part of the world has the gospel remained pure beyond the length of man's memory. only so long as its pioneers lived did it stand and prosper. when they were gone, the light disappeared; factious spirits and false teachers followed immediately. thus moses announces (deut 31, 29) that the children of israel will corrupt themselves after his death; and the book of judges testifies that so it really came to pass. each time a judge died in whose days the word of god obtained sway, the people fell away and became more wicked than before. king joash did what was right so long as the high priest jehoiada lived, but after the latter's death this had an end. and following the time of christ and his apostles, the world was filled with seditious spirits and false teachers. paul, in fact, declares (acts 20, 29): "i know that after my departing grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock." so also we now have the pure gospel. this is a time of grace and salvation and the acceptable day; but should the world continue, this condition, too, will soon pass. 4. to receive the grace of god in vain can be nothing else than to hear the pure word of god which presents and offers his grace, and yet to remain listless and irresponsive, undergoing no change at all. thus, ungrateful for the word and unworthy of it, we merit the loss of the word. such as these are described in the parable (lk 14, 16-24) where the guests bidden to the supper refused to come and went about their own business, thus provoking the master's anger until he swore they should not taste his supper. similar is paul's threat here, that we may take heed and accept the gospel with fear and gratitude. christ says (jn 12, 35), "walk while ye have the light, that darkness overtake you not." i should think we might have learned wisdom from experience--from the darkness we suffered under the papacy. but that is all forgotten; we show neither gratitude nor amendment of life. very well, we shall find out the consequences. salvation wherever the gospel is sent. "behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation." 5. these words portray the richness of the salvation wherever the gospel goes: nothing but grace and help; no wrath or punishment. indeed, these are words of unutterable meaning the apostle here employs. first, he tells us that it is an "acceptable time," as the hebrew expresses it. our own way of putting it would be: "this is a gracious time, a time when god turns away his wrath and is moved only by love and benevolence toward us and is pleased to do us good." all our sins are forgotten; he takes no note of the sins of the past nor of those of the present. in short, we are in a realm of mercy, where are only forgiveness and reconciliation. the heavens are now open. this is the true golden year when man is denied nothing. so paul says, "at an acceptable time i hearkened unto thee"; that is: "i am kindly disposed toward thee. whatsoever thou shalt even desire and ask for, thou shalt surely receive. be not neglectful, therefore, and ask while the acceptable time continues." 6. second, paul declares that it is a day of blessing, "a day of salvation." it is a day of help, wherein we are not only acceptable and assured of god's favor and good will toward us, but we experience even as we have been assured--that god really does help us. he verifies his assurance, for his beneficence gives testimony that our prayers are heard. we call it a happy day, a blessed day, a day of abundance; for these two truths are inseparably related--that god is favorable toward us, and that his kindness is the proof of his favor. god's favor toward us is revealed in the first clause, which speaks of an acceptable time; that he extends help to us is revealed in the second clause, telling of a blessed day of succor. both these facts are to be apprehended by faith and in good conscience; for a superficial judgment would lead to the view that this period of blessing is rather an accursed period of wrath and disfavor. words like these, of spiritual meaning, must be understood in the light of the holy spirit; thus shall we find that these two glorious, beautiful expressions refer to the gospel dispensation and are intended to magnify all the treasures and the riches of the kingdom of christ. "giving no occasion of stumbling [no offense] in anything." 7. since this is a time of blessing, let us make right use of it, not spending it to no purpose, and let us take serious heed to give offense to none; thus avoiding reproach to our ministry. it is evident from the connection to what kind of offense the apostle has reference; he would not have the gospel doctrine charged with teaching anything evil. 8. two kinds of offense bring the gospel into disgrace: in one case it is the heathen who are offended, and this because of the fact that some individuals would make the gospel a means of freedom from temporal restraint, substituting temporal liberty for spiritual. they thus bring reproach upon the gospel as teaching such doctrine, and make it an object of scandal to the heathen and worldly people, whereby they are misled and become enemies to the faith and to the word of god without cause, being the harder to convert since they regard christians as licentious knaves. and the responsibility for this must be placed at the door of those who have given offense in this respect. in the other case, christians are offended among themselves. the occasion is the indiscreet exercise of christian liberty, which offends the weak in faith. concerning this topic much is said in first corinthians 8 and romans 14. paul here hints at what he speaks of in first corinthians 10, 32-33: "give no occasion of stumbling, either to jews, or to greeks, or to the church of god: even as i also please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of the many that they may be saved." he takes up the same subject in philippians 2, 4, teaching that every man should look on the things of others. then no offense will be given. "that our ministration [the ministry] be not blamed." 9. who can prevent our office being vilified? for the word of god must be persecuted equally with christ himself. that the word of god is reviled by unbelievers ignorant of faith in god is something we cannot prevent. for, according to isaiah 8, 14 and romans 9, 33, the gospel is a "rock of offense." this is the offense of the faith; it will pursue its course and we are not responsible. but for love's offense, offense caused by shortcomings in our works and fruits of faith, the things we are commanded to let shine before men, that, seeing these, they may be allured to the faith--for offense in this respect we cannot disclaim responsibility. it is a sin we certainly must avoid, that the heathen, the jews, the weak and the rulers of the world may never be able to say: "behold the knavery and licentiousness of these people! surely their doctrine cannot be true." otherwise our evil name and fame and the obstacles we place before others will extend to the innocent and holy word god has given us to apprehend and to proclaim; it must bear our shame and in addition become unfruitful in the offended ones. grievous is such a sin as this. marks of christians as ministers of god. "but in everything commending ourselves, as ministers of god, in much patience." 10. the apostle here portrays the christian life in its outward expression. not that it is possible for anyone thereby to become a christian, or godly; but, being servants of god, or christians and godly people, we furnish in this manner, according to paul's statement here, the evidence thereof as by fruits and signs. mark his phrase "ministers of god." what a remarkable service for god is this wherein we must endure so much suffering, so much affliction, privation, anxiety, stripes, imprisonment, tumult or sedition, labor, watching, fasting, and so on! no mass here, no vigil, no hallucinations of a fictitious service of god; it is the true service of god, which subdues the body and mortifies the flesh. not, indeed, as if fasting, watching and toiling are to be despised because they do not make just. though we are not thereby justified, we must nevertheless practice those things, instead of giving rein to the flesh and indulging our idleness. 11. paul also mentions sedition. not that by our teaching or life we should be guilty of sedition against others; rather, we should be quiet and obedient. see romans 13. christ says (mt 22, 21), "render therefore unto cæsar the things that are cæsar's." paul's meaning is that when we become victims of sedition on the part of others we should submit; just as we are not to inflict upon others privations, distresses, stripes or imprisonment, but rather to accept them at their hands. so paul heads the list with patience; which does not produce sedition, but endures it. it is a consolation in these times when we are charged with raising seditions, to reflect that it is the very nature and color of the christian life that it be criticised as seditious when the fact is it patiently bears sedition directed against itself. thus was it with elijah, who was accused by king ahab of troubling israel and exciting turbulence. 1 kings 18, 17-18. then, when we are charged with guilt in this respect, let us remember that not only did the apostles have to hear the same accusation, but even christ himself, with all his innocence, was so accused. more than that, he was falsely reviled upon the cross with a superscription charging sedition; in fact, he was even put to death as a jewish king guilty of opposition to cæsar and of enticing and inciting the people. 12. the remaining marks of the christian life--patience, affliction, necessities, distresses, stripes, imprisonments, labor, watching, fasting, purity, etc., are easily interpreted; it is readily seen how they are instrumental in our service to god. god will not have indolent, idle gluttons, nor sleepy and impatient servants. most adroitly does paul score in particular our fine idle youths who draw interest from their money, have an easy life, and imagine their tonsures, their long robes and their howling in the churches excuse them from labor. all men should labor and earn their bread, according to paul. 2 thes 3, 12. by labor, our text teaches, we serve god; more than that, our labor is testimony to the fact that we serve god. "in knowledge." 13. what is meant here? with paul, knowledge signifies discretion, understanding, reason. he speaks of the jews (rom 10, 2) as having "a zeal for god, but not according to knowledge"; that is, a zeal without reason, without understanding, without discretion. his message here, then, is: "we should conduct ourselves in christian affairs with becoming reason and moderation lest we give offense to the weak by a presumptuous use of christian liberty. rather we should, with discretion and understanding, adapt ourselves to that which promotes the neighbor's welfare. likewise, when we labor, fast, or when we regulate our sexual relations, we are to exercise reason, lest the body should be injured by too much fasting, watching and toil, and also by needless abstention from sexual intercourse. let everyone take heed to remain within bounds by using reason and discretion. the apostle counsels the married (1 cor 7, 5) not to defraud each other too long, lest they be tempted. in all such matters, he would impose no measures and rules, no limits and laws, after the manner of the councils, the popes and the monks. he leaves it wholly to each individual's discretion to decide and to test for himself all questions of time and quantity bearing upon the restraints of his flesh. "in longsuffering, in kindness." 14. the meaning of these phrases has been stated in many other places, particularly in connection with romans 2 and galatians 5. "by the holy spirit." 15. what are we to understand here? the words may have one of two meanings: first, the apostle may have reference to the holy spirit in person, who is god. second, he may have reference to the spirit of individuals, or their spiritual condition. "holy spirit" may be intended to stand for "spirituality," paul's meaning being: "beware of the professedly spiritual, or of things glittering and purporting to be spiritual; beware of them who make great boast of the spirit and nevertheless betray only a false, unclean, unholy spirit, productive of sects and discord. abide ye in that true, holy spirituality proceeding from god's holy spirit, who imparts unity and harmony, determination and courage." as paul expresses it elsewhere (eph 4, 3), "giving diligence to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace." they, then, who continue in one faith, one mind and disposition, give testimony by the reality and saintliness of their spiritual life and by the presence of the holy spirit that they are servants of god. for true spirituality, or a holy walk in the spirit, means to be in heart and mind at one with the spirit, through faith. "in love unfeigned, in the word of truth." 16. as the apostle opposes the holy spirit to false sects and false prophets, so he opposes unfeigned love to indolent christians who in true faith and unity of mind possess marks of true spirituality, but are nevertheless indolent, cold, in fact false as regards love. again, he opposes the "word of truth" to abusers of the word of god, who misconstrue it and comment upon it according to their own fancy, and for their own honor and profit. while much that purports to be spiritual has not the word as source and gives honor to the spirit at the expense of the word, the class under consideration profess to magnify the word; they would be master interpreters of the scriptures, confident that their explanations are correct and superior. in condemnation of this class, peter says (1 pet 4, 11), "if any man speaketh, speaking as it were oracles of god," and not his own word. in other words, let him be assured he speaks the word of god and not his own. god's word paul here terms the "word of truth"; that is, the true word of god and not our own misconstrued, falsified word palmed off as god's word. in our idiom we would say "the real word" where the hebrew has "word of truth," or "true word." "in the power of god." 17. peter speaks also of this power, in the verse before mentioned: "if any man ministereth, ministering as of the strength which god supplieth." and paul elsewhere declares (col 1, 29): "whereunto i labor also, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily"; and again (rom 15, 18): "for i will not dare to speak of any things save those which christ wrought through me, for the obedience of the gentiles." christians should have the assurance that they are the kingdom of god, and that in whatever they do, especially in undertakings of a spiritual character, which have the salvation of souls as aim, they beware of everything not absolutely known as true, so that the work be not theirs but god's. in god's kingdom god alone is to speak, reign and act. christ says (mt 5, 16): "even so let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your father who is in heaven"--may glorify him as the worker, and not yourselves. seductive spirits, however, come cavorting in their own power, throw the pictures out of the churches and establish rules of their own, without caring whether it is done in the power of god. the consequence is that their work is neither permanent nor fruitful. the armor of righteousness. "by the armor of righteousness." 18. this armor paul more fully describes in ephesians and in thessalonians. sufficient explanation of it has been given in the lesson for advent. there is the "shield of faith," the "helmet of salvation," the shoes of "the preparation of the gospel of peace," and so on. paul includes them all under the term "armor of righteousness," and, in his epistle to the ephesians, under the phrase "armor of god," to teach christians to eschew and to forsake carnal, worldly weapons for these. he would have them know themselves a spiritual people, spiritually warring against the spiritual enemies enumerated here and pointed out on the right hand and on the left. 19. on the left hand he places dishonor and evil report, in that we appear to men as deceivers, unknown, in conflict with death, chastened, sorrowful, poor and needy. scorn is hurled in our faces and the reputation accorded us is that of deceivers. the christian must not only be unknown, friendless and a stranger, but men will also be ashamed of him--even his best friends--in consequence of the reproach and evil report under which he lies in the eyes of the great, the wealthy, the wise and the powerful of the world. he must be as one dying--continually expecting death by reason of the hatred and envy directed against him, and the various persecutions he suffers. he must be beaten and scourged; must at times feel the weight of the enmity and envy wherewith the world inflicts torment. he is like the sorrowful, for so ill does he fare in the world, he has reason to sorrow. he resembles the poor in that nothing is given him but injuries; he possesses nothing, for if he has not been deprived of all his possessions he daily expects that extremity. lest he despair of his hope in god and grow faint, he must be armed on the left hand against these enemies with a divine armor: with a firm faith, with the comfort of the divine word, with hope, so that he may endure and exercise patience. thereby he proves himself to be a true servant of god, inasmuch as false teachers and hypocrites, with all their pompous worship, are incapable of these things. 20. on the right he places honor and good report, inasmuch as we are after all true, well known, alive, defiant of death, full of joy, rich, possessing all things. the christian will have always a few to honor and commend him; some there will be to give him a good report, to praise him as true and honest in doctrine. and there will be some who receive and acknowledge him, who are not ashamed of him. life remains in spite of death oft faced, even in scourgings. he rejoices when things with him are at the worst, for his heart remains joyful in god, that joy finding expression in words, deeds and manner. though poor in the goods of the world, he does not die of hunger, and he makes many spiritually rich through the word. even though he have no possessions at all, he suffers no lack but has in hand all things; for all creatures must serve the believer. as christ promised (mk 9, 23), "all things are possible to him that believeth." for himself, it is true, he possesses nothing, and gladly he endures his need; but for his neighbor's sake he can do all things, and all he has he is ready to place at the disposal of his neighbor whenever need requires. these blessings also give occasion for a powerful armor, for we must guard against pride and haughtiness. 21. thus the christian is quite untrammeled. his eyes are fixed upon god alone. always choosing the safe middle path he steers clear of danger on the right and on the left. he permits not the evil to overthrow him nor the good to exalt, but makes use of both to the honor of god and the benefit of his neighbor. this, paul instructs us, should be the manner of our life now while the season of grace continues; nor must we fail to heed this! this is the true service of god, the service well pleasing to him; unto which may god help us. amen. _second sunday in lent_ text: first thessalonians 4, 1-7. 1 finally then, brethren, we beseech and exhort you in the lord jesus, that, as ye received of us how ye ought to walk and to please god, even as ye do walk,--that ye abound more and more. 2 for ye know what charge we gave you through the lord jesus. 3 for this is the will of god, even your sanctification, that ye abstain from fornication; 4 that each one of you know how to possess himself of his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust, even as the gentiles who know not god; 6 that no man transgress, and wrong his brother in the matter: because the lord is an avenger in all these things, as also we forewarned you and testified. 7 for god called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification. exhortation to holiness. 1. this lesson is easy of interpretation. it is a general and earnest admonition on the part of paul, enjoining us to an increasing degree of perfection in the doctrine we have received. this admonition, this exhortation, is one incumbent upon an evangelical teacher to give, for he is urging us to observe a doctrine commanded of god. he says, "for ye know what charge [commandments] we gave you through the lord jesus." whatever christians do, it should be willing service, not compulsory; but when a command is given, it should be in the form of exhortation or entreaty. those who have received the spirit are they from whom obedience is due; but those not inclined to a willing performance, we should leave to themselves. 2. but mark you this: paul places much value upon the gift bestowed upon us, the gift of knowing how we are "to walk and to please god." in the world this gift is as great as it is rare. though the offer is made to the whole world and publicly proclaimed, further exhortation is indispensable, and paul is painstaking and diligent in administering it. the trouble is, we are in danger of becoming indolent and negligent, forgetful and ungrateful--vices menacing and great, and which, alas, are altogether too frequent. let us look back and note to what depths of darkness, of delusion and abomination, we had sunk when we knew not how we ought to walk, how to please god. alas, we have forgotten all about it; we have become indolent and ungrateful, and are dealt with accordingly. well does the apostle say in the lesson for the sunday preceding this (2 cor 6, 1): "and working together with him we entreat also that ye receive not the grace of god in vain, for he saith, at an acceptable time i hearkened unto thee, and in a day of salvation did i succor thee." 3. in our present lesson he treats chiefly of two vices: unchastity, which is a sin against oneself and destructive of the fruits of faith; and fraud in business, which is a sin against the neighbor and likewise destructive of faith and charity. paul would have every man keep himself chaste and free from wrong against every man, pronouncing the wrath of god on offenses of this character. 4. it was a fact reflecting much credit and honor on the thessalonians in contrast to the corinthians and the galatians, that they continued upright in doctrine and true in the knowledge of the faith, though perhaps deficient in the above-mentioned two self-evident features of christian life. while it is true that if sins of immorality are not renounced god will punish, yet punishment in such cases is for the most part temporal, these sins being less pernicious than such gross offenses as error in faith and doctrine. 5. paul, however, threatens such sins with the wrath of god, lest anyone become remiss and indolent, imagining the kingdom of christ a kingdom to tolerate with impunity such offenses. as paul expresses it, "god called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification [holiness]." the thought is: unchastity does not come within the limits of christian liberty and privilege, nor does god treat the offender with indulgence and impunity. no, indeed. in fact, he will more rigorously punish this sin among christians than among heathen. paul tells us (1 cor 11, 30) that many were sickly and many had succumbed to the sleep of death in consequence of eating and drinking unworthily. and psalm 89, 32 testifies, "then will i visit their transgression with the rod." 6. true, they who sin through infirmity, who, conscious of their transgressions, suffer themselves to be reproved, repenting at once--for these the kingdom of christ has ready pity and forbearance, commending them to acceptance and toleration (rom 15; gal 6, 1; 1 cor 13, 7); but that such vices be regarded generally lawful and normal--this will not do! paul declares, "this is the will of god, even your sanctification." and he speaks of "how ye ought to ... please god." his thought is: some consider these sins a matter of little moment, treat them as if the wind blew them away and god rather had pleasure in them as trivial affairs. but this is not true. while god really bears with the fallen sinner, he would have us perceive our errors and strive to mend our lives and to abound more and more in righteousness. his grace is not intended to cloak our shame, nor should the licentious abuse the kingdom of christ as a shield for their knavery. paul commands (gal 5, 13), "use not your freedom for an occasion to the flesh"; and peter (1 pet 2, 16), "as free, and not using your freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as bondservants of god." 7. paul, following the hebrew way of speaking, has reference to chastity where he says "your sanctification." he terms the body "holy" when it is chaste, chastity being, in god's sight, equivalent to holiness. "holiness," in the old testament, is a synonym for "purity." again, "holiness" and "purity" are regarded as the same thing in first corinthians 7, 14: "else were your children unclean; but now are they holy." 8. the nature of the holiness and purity whereof he speaks he makes plain himself in the words: "that ye abstain from fornication; that each one of you know how to possess himself of his own vessel in sanctification and honor." the apostle does not here prohibit matrimony, but licentiousness, and unchastity outside the marriage state. he who is careful to keep his vessel--his body--chaste, who does not commit adultery and is not guilty of whoredom--this man preserves his body in holiness and purity, and properly is called chaste and holy. the same thought is borne out in the succeeding verse: "not in the passion of lust [in the lust of concupiscence], even as the gentiles." 9. the gentiles, who know not god, give themselves up to all manner of uncleanness, or disgraceful vices, as paul records in romans 1, 29-31. not that all gentiles are guilty in that respect. paul is not saying what all heathen do; he merely states that with the gentiles such conduct is apparent, and quite to be expected from people "who know not god." under such conditions, one allows the sin to pass unreproved, as does paul himself. notwithstanding he censures them who consent to sin of this character when knowing better, and who do not restrain the evil-doers. rom 1, 32. but in the case of christians, when any fall into such sin they are to be reproved and the sin resisted; the offense must not be allowed to pass as with the gentiles. in the case of the latter the lust of concupiscence holds sway; no restraints are exercised and the reins are given to lust, so that its nature and passion are given free expression, just as if this were a provision of nature, when the fact is it is a pest to be healed, a blemish to be removed. but there is none to heal and deliver, so the gentiles decay and go to ruin through evil lust. "lust of concupiscence" would be, with us, "evil lust." the conclusion is simple: "that no man transgress and wrong his brother in the matter." 10. in other words, that no one take for himself what belongs to another, or use the property of another for his own benefit, which may be done by a variety of tricks. to "defraud in any matter" is to seek gain at the expense of a neighbor. on this latter subject much has been written elsewhere, particularly in the little treatise on merchants and usury, showing the great extent to which extortion is practiced and how charity is rarely observed. it is on this topic that paul here would fix our attention. _third sunday in lent_ text: ephesians 5, 1-9. 1 be ye therefore imitators of god, as beloved children; 2 and walk in love, even as christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to god for an odor of a sweet smell. 3 but fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as becometh saints; 4 nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, or jesting, which are not befitting: but rather giving of thanks. 5 for this ye know of a surety, that no fornicator, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of christ and god. 6 let no man deceive you with empty words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of god upon the sons of disobedience. 7 be not ye therefore partakers with them; 8 for ye were once darkness, but are now light in the lord: walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth). exhortation to be imitators of god. 1. this is a letter of admonition, instructing christians, according to the plan underlying paul's epistles, not to become sluggish and careless, but by their deeds to evince their faith, and honor and proclaim the word he has taught them; for the sake of the gentiles and unbelievers, that these may not take offense at the doctrine of christ. 2. to begin with, having shown that we were made children of god through christ, he admonishes us to be followers, or imitators, of the father, as beloved children. he employs the most endearing of terms--"beloved children"--to persuade us by the father's love to love even as we are loved. but what manner of love has god manifested toward us? it was not simply that love manifest in the fact that he gives temporal support to us unworthy beings in common with all the wicked on earth; that he permits his sun to rise on the just and on the unjust and sends rain on the grateful and on the ungrateful, as christ mentions (mt 5, 45) in connection with his command to be perfect even as our father in heaven is perfect. not only thus did god love us, but in a special way: he has given his son for us. in addition to showering upon us both temporal and eternal blessings he has given his own self; he has completely poured out himself for us, with all he is, with all he has, with all he does,--and we were nothing but sinners, unworthy creatures, enemies and servants of the devil. more than this would be beyond even his grace and power. he who despises such glow of love, which fills all heaven and earth and is beyond all power to comprehend it; who does not permit this love to kindle and incite in him love for his neighbor whether enemy or friend--such a one is not likely ever to become godly or loving by such measures as laws or commandments, instruction, constraint or compulsion. 3. "walk in love," counsels the apostle. he would have our external life all love. but not the world's love is to be our pattern, which seeks only its own advantage, and loves only so long as it is the gainer thereby; we must love even as christ loved, who sought neither pleasure nor gain from us but gave himself for us, not to mention the other blessings he bestows daily--gave himself as a sacrifice and offering to reconcile god unto ourselves, so that he should be our god and we his children. thus likewise should we give, thus should we lend, or even surrender our goods, no matter whether friends claim them or enemies. nor are we to stop there; we must be ready to give our lives for both friends and enemies, and must be occupied with no other thought than how we can serve others, and how both our life and property can be made to minister to them in this life, and this because we know that christ is ours and has given us all things. "to god for an odor of a sweet smell [for a sweet-smelling savor]." 4. this expression paul takes from the old testament. there the temporal sacrifices are described as being "a sweet-smelling savor" unto god: that is, they were acceptable and well-pleasing to him; but not, as the jews imagined, because of the value of the work or of the sacrifices in themselves. for such thoughts they were chastised by the prophets often enough. they were acceptable on the ground of the true sacrifice which they foreshadowed and encircled. paul's thought is this: the sacrifices of the old testament have passed. now all sacrifices are powerless but that of christ himself; he is the sweet-smelling savor. this sacrifice is pleasing to god. he gladly accepts it and would have us be confident it is an acceptable offering in our stead. moreover, there is no other sacrifice the christian church can offer for us. the once-offered christ alone avails. although, following his example, we present our bodies a sacrifice, as taught in romans 12, 1, yet we do not do so in behalf of ourselves or others; that is the function of the one sacrifice alone--christ. therefore, all sacrifices offered in the mistaken notion that they avail for us, or even secure forgiveness of sin, are wicked and unsavory. but more of this elsewhere. sins not to be named among christians. "but fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as becometh saints." 5. in naming uncleanness in addition to fornication, the reference is to all sensual affections in distinction from wedded love. they are too unsavory for him to mention by name, though in romans 1, 24 he finds it expedient to speak of them without disguise. however, also wedded love must be characterized by moderation among christians. while there is a conjugal duty to be required by necessity, it is for the very purpose of avoiding unchastity and uncleanness. the ideal and perfect condition, it is true, would be cohabitation with a sole view to procreation; however, that is too high for attainment by all. 6. paul declares that the sin he indicates should not be named of the ephesians. unquestionably, among christians there will always be some infirm one to fall; but we must labor diligently, correcting, amending and restraining. we must not suffer the offense to go unchallenged, but curtail and remedy it, lest, as remarked in the preceding lesson, the heathen stumble, saying: "christians tolerate such vices among themselves; their conduct is not different from our own." an occasional fall among christians must be borne with so long as right prevails in general, and such things are neither tolerated nor taught, but reproved and amended. paul gives the counsel (gal 6, 1) that the brethren restore the fallen in a spirit of meekness; and he blames the corinthians for not reproving them who sin. 1 cor 5, 2. a sin, once punished, is as if the sin did not exist; it is no longer a matter of reproach. 7. likewise with covetousness: we are to understand that it is not to be named of christians. that is, should one be covetous, should one defraud another or contend with him about temporal advantage, as evidently was true of the corinthians (1 cor 6, 1), the offense must not be suffered to go unreproved and uncorrected. the gospel must be carefully upheld and preserved among the multitude, "that our ministration be not blamed." 2 cor 6, 3. i make this point for the sake of those who, so soon as they observe that all christians are not perfectly holy, but will occasionally stumble and fall, imagine there is no such thing as a christian and the gospel is impotent and fruitless. just as if to be a christian meant the mountain already climbed and complete, triumphant victory over sin! the fact is, it is rather a contest, a battle. wherever there is a contest, or a battle, some of the combatants will flee, some will be wounded, some will fall and some even be slain. for warfare is not unaccompanied by disaster if it be real warfare. 8. the writer of the epistle goes on to assign the reason why it does not sound well to hear such things concerning christians--because they are saints and it behooves saints to be chaste and moderate, and to practice and teach these virtues. note, he calls christians "saints," notwithstanding that in this life they are clothed with sinful flesh and blood. doubtless the term is not applied in consequence of their good works, but because of the holy blood of christ. for paul says (1 cor 6, 11): "but ye were washed, but ye were sanctified, but ye were justified in the name of the lord jesus christ, and in the spirit of our god." being holy, we should manifest our holiness by our deeds. though we are still weak, yet we ought duly to strive to become chaste and free from covetousness, to the glory and honor of god and the edifying of unbelievers. "nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, or jesting, which are not befitting." 9. "filthiness"--scandalous talk--is unchaste language suggestive of fornication, uncleanness and carnal sins. it is common in taverns and generally found as accompaniment of gluttony, drunkenness and gambling. especially were the greeks frivolous and adepts in this respect, as their poets and other writers attest. what paul refers to in particular is the lewd conversation uttered in public without fear and self-restraint. this will excite wicked thoughts and give rise to serious offenses, especially with the young. as he states elsewhere (1 cor 15, 33), "evil companionships [communications] corrupt good morals." should there be any christians forgetful enough to so transgress, the offense must be reproved; otherwise it will become general and give the congregation an ill repute, as if christians taught and tolerated it the same as the heathen. foolish talking and jesting. 10. by "foolish talking" is indicated the fables and tales and other lore in which the greeks particularly abound--a people who possess a special faculty for fiction of this sort. similar are the tales commonly related by our women and maidens while spinning at the distaff, also those which knaves are fond of relating. here belong also worldly songs which either relate lewd matters or turn upon slippery, frivolous themes. such are "the priest of kalenburg," "dietrich of berne" and innumerable others. 11. particularly unchristian is every kind of such buffoonery in the church when men are gathered to hear and learn the word of god. but the practice is common where many come together. even where at first things of a serious nature are discussed, men soon pass to frivolous, wanton, foolish talk, resulting in a waste of time and the neglect of better things. for instance, on the festival of easter, foolish, ridiculous stories have been introduced into the sermon to arouse the drowsy. and at the christmas services, the absurd pantomime of rocking a babe, and silly declamations in rhyme, have found vogue. similarly the festivals commemorating the three holy kings, the passion of christ, dorothy and other saints were characterized. 12. in this category should also be classed the legends of the saints and the confused mass of lies concerning miracles, pilgrimages, masses, worship of saints, indulgencies, and so on, which once dominated the pulpit. yet these falsehoods are too gross to be called merely foolish. they are not just frivolous lies merely destructive of good morals, such as paul refers to here, but they completely overthrow faith and the word of god, making sainthood impossible. such kind of jesting is altogether too serious. those, however, who have seen into them treat them as lies of the same frivolous and abominable character as the fables or old women's tales mentioned by paul 1 tim 4, 7. but while the latter are mere human tales which nobody believes, which no one will place reliance on, serving as mere occasion of merriment, without becoming a source of general moral corruption, an obstacle to improvement and a cause of cold, indolent christianity, the falsehoods of the pulpit are diabolical tales held as truth in all seriousness, but a comedy for the devil and his angels. 13. "jesting" has reference to those conversational expedients which pander to gaiety in the form of scandal; they are called among us banter and badinage. laughter, mirth and gaiety is their purpose, and we meet with them generally in society and high life. among the heathen, jesting was counted a virtue, and therefore received the title "eutrapelia" by aristotle. but paul calls it a vice among christians, who certainly may find conversational expedients of a different kind, such as will inspire a cheerful and joyous spirit in christ. true, christians are not all so pure but that some may err in this matter; but the christian church does not command jesting, nor suffer any member to abandon himself to the practice. it reproves and prohibits it, particularly in religious assemblies, and in teaching and preaching. for christ says (mt 12, 36) that at the last day men must give account of every idle, unprofitable word they have spoken. christians should be a very firm, though courteous, people. courtesy should be coupled with seriousness, and seriousness with courtesy, according to the pattern of the life of christ supplied in the gospel. "which are not befitting." 14. paul apparently would include in the catalog all unprofitable language of whatever name. i would call those words unprofitable which serve not to further the faith nor to supply the wants of the body and preserve it. we have enough else to talk about during this short lifetime, if we desire to speak, enough that is profitable and pleasant, if we talk only of christ, of love and of other essential things. the apostle mentions the giving of thanks. it should be our daily and constant employment to praise and thank god, privately and publicly, for the great and inexpressible treasures he has given us in christ. but it appears that what is needful is relegated to the rear, while objects of indifference are brought to the fore. now, mark you, if paul will not tolerate banter and suggestive conversation among christians, what would he say of the shameful backbiting which is heard whenever people meet, though but two individuals? yes, what would be his judgment of those who in public preaching clinch and claw, attack and calumniate each other? fruitless christians are heathen. "for this ye know of a surety, that no fornicator, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of christ and god." 15. hereby he declares in dry words that the man who does not exhibit the fruits of faith is a heathen under the name of a christian. here is absolute condemnation in a word. the whoremonger is a denier of the faith; the unclean person is a denier of the faith; the covetous individual is a denier of the faith: all are rebellious, perjured and faithless toward god. paul tells timothy (1 tim 5, 8): "but if any provideth not for his own, and specially his own household, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever." how could he utter anything more severe, more terrifying? he begins, "for this ye know." in other words: doubt not; do not find vain comfort in the thought that this is a jest or an aspersion. a christian name, and association with christians, will count for nothing. it will profit you as little as it profits the jews to be abraham's seed and disciples of moses. christ's words (mt 7, 21) concern every man: "not every one that saith unto me, lord, lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven." there must be performance; faith must be manifested by works. 16. if the great fire of divine love which he uses as his first argument will not draw us, then may the terrible threat of hell fire prove a sufficient incentive. in other words, if men follow not god, walking in love and showing their faith by their deeds, let them know they are not god's children, not heirs in his kingdom, and therefore are unquestionably heirs of the evil one in hell. he who is unmoved by the threats of hell fire must truly be a stick or a stone; indeed, he must have a heart like an anvil, as job says. 17. the writer of the epistle passes unusually severe sentence upon the covetous man, for he calls him an idolater, or a worshiper of a false god. plainly, paul entertained special enmity against the covetous, for in colossians 3, 5 he defines this sin in a similar manner. his reasoning, i judge, is this: all other sinners turn to use what they have and make it subservient to their lusts. fornicators and the unclean make their bodies serve their pleasure. the haughty employ property, art, reputation and men to secure honor to themselves. the unhappy idolater alone is servant to his possessions; his sin is to save, guard and preserve property. he dare not make use of it either for himself or for others, but worships it as his god. rather than touch his money, he would suffer both the kingdom of god and of the world to perish. he will not give a farthing to the support of a preacher or a schoolmaster for the sake of advancing god's kingdom. because he places his confidence, his trust, in his money rather than in the living god, whose promises concerning ample support are abundant, his real god is his money, and to call him an idolater is entirely just. and, in addition, he must renounce heaven! a shameful vice, indeed! o contemptible unbelief! what a dangerous vice art thou! deception by empty words. "let no man deceive you with empty words." 18. this applies to those who gloss their unchastity over, as if it were but a trivial sin. and some have been even such vulgar teachers as to consider no unchastity evil except adultery, and to accept it as a normal function, like eating and drinking. the greek philosophers and poets were of this class. and terence says, "it is neither a sin nor a shame for a youth to commit fornication." to obey such doctrine would be to know nothing of god and to live in the lust of concupiscence, like the gentiles who know not god, of whom we heard in the preceding lesson. all arguments of this character are vain words; they may fascinate the reason after a fashion; yet they are vain and futile, unable to profit their authors. covetousness likewise has much false show and glitter. when one defrauds another or seeks his own advantage to the injury of others, his act is not at all called sin, but cleverness, economy and sagacity, though meanwhile the poor must suffer want and even die of hunger. such arguments are merely the specious and blind utterances of heathen, contrary to christian love. 19. but we have additional light upon this subject, showing that because of such practices the wrath of god comes upon the unbelieving. in first corinthians 10, 18 are cited numerous examples of punishment for the sin of fornication. see also num 25. again, because of wantonness, covetousness and unchastity, the entire world was destroyed by the flood. this is a severe utterance but true and indubitable. "for because of these things cometh the wrath of god upon the sons of disobedience." "sons of disobedience"--in other words, they who have fallen from the faith. thus we see that he who does not show his faith by his deeds, is accounted practically an infidel. in fact, he is worse than an infidel; he is an apostate christian, or an apostate from the faith. therefore comes the wrath of god upon such, even here on earth. this is why we germans must suffer so much famine, pestilence, war and bloodshed to come upon us. 20. among these idle chatterers and misleading teachers the sluggards and drones should beware of being classified, who, with better light than the heathen, know full well that covetousness and unchastity are sin. while they teach nothing to controvert this, they notwithstanding trust for salvation in a faith barren of works, on the ground that works cannot effect salvation. they know full well that a faith barren of works is nothing, is a false faith; that fruit and good works must follow a genuine faith of necessity. nevertheless they go on in carnal security, without fear of the wrath and judgment of god, who wants the old adam to be crucified, and to find good fruit on good trees. it is possible that st. paul does not refer in this passage to those who, like the heathen, teach and maintain by specious arguments that unchastity is no sin; nevertheless there is reason to apprehend that the reward of the heathen will be meted out to them likewise; for they live like the heathen, being strangers to both chastity and kindness. and our apprehension is so much more justified because they have a better knowledge of the wrong they commit. this is paul's standpoint when he asks (rom 2, 3): "and reckonest thou this, o man, who judgest them that practice such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of god?" "after thy hardness and impenitent heart," he adds, thou "treasurest up for thyself wrath." "be not ye therefore partakers with them; for ye were once darkness, but are now light in the lord." 21. peter similarly counsels (1 pet 4, 3) to let the time past of our lives suffice us to have wrought the will of the gentiles, and no longer be partakers with them, but live the rest of our time to the will of god. while we were gentiles we knew not that all those things were sin, because of the darkness of unbelief, which prevented our knowing god. but now we have become a light in the lord. that is, we have been so amply enlightened through christ that we not only know god and what he desires, and understand what sin and wrong are, but we are also able to light others, to teach them what we know. paul commends the philippians for being a light in the world, among an evil and untoward generation. phil 2, 15. and, similarly, when we were gentiles we not only were darkened, not only were ignorant and went astray, but we were darkness itself, leading others into the same condition by our words and deeds. we have reason, then, to be thankful unto him who has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 pet 2, 9), and to "walk as children of light." "for the fruit of the light [spirit] is in all goodness and righteousness and truth." 22. since paul is speaking of light, it would have been more to the point had he said "fruit of the light," in accordance with the latin version, than "fruit of the spirit," the greek rendering. and who knows but it may, in the greek, have been altered to harmonize with galatians 5, 22, where paul speaks of the "fruit of the spirit"? it matters little, however; evidently "spirit" and "light" are synonymous in this place. "goodness" is the fruit of light, or of the spirit, as opposed to covetousness. the christian is to be good; that is, useful, gladly working his neighbor's good. "righteousness," as fruit of the spirit among men--for the spirit also is righteous before god--is opposed to covetousness. the christian must not take another's possessions by force, trickery or fraud, but must give to each his due, his own, even to the heathen authorities. see rom 13, 1. "truth" is the fruit of the spirit as opposed to hypocrisy and lies. a christian is not only to be truthful in word, but honest in life. he should not bear the name without the works; he cannot be a christian and yet live a heathenish life, a life of unchastity, covetousness and other vices. _fourth sunday in lent_ text: galatians 4, 21-31. 21 tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? 22 for it is written, that abraham had two sons, one by the handmaid, and one by the freewomen. 23 howbeit the son by the handmaid is born after the flesh; but the son by the freewoman is born through promise. 24 which things contain an allegory: for these women are two covenants; one from mount sinai, bearing children unto bondage, which is hagar. 25 now this hagar is mount sinai in arabia, and answereth to the jerusalem that now is: for she is in bondage with her children. 26 but the jerusalem that is above is free, which is our mother. 27 for it is written, rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for more are the children of the desolate than of her that hath the husband. 28 now we, brethren, as isaac was, are children of promise. 29 but as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit, so also it is now. 30 howbeit what saith the scripture? cast out the handmaid and her son; for the son of the handmaid shall not inherit with the son of the freewoman. 31 wherefore, brethren, we are not children of a handmaid, but of the freewoman. the children of promise. this lesson is amply expounded in my commentary on the epistle to the galatians. it is unnecessary to repeat the exposition here, for it may be found and read there. he who desires further information on the subject may read the postils on the epistle lesson for the sunday after christmas and that for new year's day. there he will find all information. thus will be obviated the necessity of repeating the discourse in various places. _fifth sunday in lent_ text: hebrews 9, 11-15. 11 but christ having come a high priest of the good things to come, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation, 12 nor yet through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood, entered in once for all into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 for if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling them that have been defiled, sanctify unto the cleanness of the flesh: 14 how much more shall the blood of christ, who through the eternal spirit offered himself without blemish unto god, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living god? 15 and for this cause he is the mediator of a new covenant, that a death having taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, they that have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. christ our great high priest. 1. an understanding of practically all of the epistle to the hebrews is necessary before we can hope to make this text clear to ourselves. briefly, the epistle treats of a two-fold priesthood. the former priesthood was a material one, with material adornment, tabernacle, sacrifices and with pardon couched in ritual; material were all its appointments. the new order is a spiritual priesthood, with spiritual adornments, spiritual tabernacle and sacrifices--spiritual in all that pertains to it. christ, in the exercise of his priestly office, in the sacrifice on the cross, was not adorned with silk and gold and precious stones, but with divine love, wisdom, patience, obedience and all virtues. his adornment was apparent to none but god and possessors of the spirit, for it was spiritual. 2. christ sacrificed not goats nor calves nor birds; not bread; not blood nor flesh, as did aaron and his posterity: he offered his own body and blood, and the manner of the sacrifice was spiritual; for it took place through the holy spirit, as here stated. though the body and blood of christ were visible the same as any other material object, the fact that he offered them as a sacrifice was not apparent. it was not a visible sacrifice, as in the case of offerings at the hands of aaron. then the goat or calf, the flesh and blood, were material sacrifices visibly offered, and recognized as sacrifices. but christ offered himself in the heart before god. his sacrifice was perceptible to no mortal. therefore, his bodily flesh and blood becomes a spiritual sacrifice. similarly, we christians, the posterity of christ our aaron, offer up our own bodies. rom 12, 1. and our offering is likewise a spiritual sacrifice, or, as paul has it, a "reasonable service"; for we make it in spirit, and it is beheld of god alone. 3. again, in the new order, the tabernacle or house is spiritual; for it is heaven, or the presence of god. christ hung upon a cross; he was not offered in a temple. he was offered before the eyes of god, and there he still abides. the cross is an altar in a spiritual sense. the material cross was indeed visible, but none knew it as christ's altar. again, his prayer, his sprinkled blood, his burnt incense, were all spiritual, for it was all wrought through his spirit. 4. accordingly, the fruit and blessing of his office and sacrifice, the forgiveness of our sins and our justification, are likewise spiritual. in the old covenant, the priest with his sacrifices and sprinklings of blood effected merely as it were an external absolution, or pardon, corresponding to the childhood stage of the people. the recipient was permitted to move publicly among the people; he was externally holy and as one restored from excommunication. he who failed to obtain absolution from the priest was unholy, being denied membership in the congregation and enjoyment of its privileges; in all respects he was separated like those in the ban today. 5. but such absolution rendered no one inwardly holy and just before god. something beyond that was necessary to secure true forgiveness. it was the same principle which governs church discipline today. he who has received no more than the remission, or absolution, of the ecclesiastical judge will surely remain forever out of heaven. on the other hand, he who is in the ban of the church is hellward bound only when the sentence is confirmed at a higher tribunal. i can make no better comparison than to say that it was the same in the old jewish priesthood as now in the papal priesthood, which, with its loosing and binding, can prohibit or permit only external communion among christians. it is true, god required such measures in the time of the jewish dispensation, that he might restrain by fear; just as now he sanctions church discipline when rightly employed, in order to punish and restrain the evil-doer, though it has no power in itself to raise people to holiness or to push them into wickedness. 6. but with the priesthood of christ is true spiritual remission, sanctification and absolution. these avail before god--god grant that it be true of us--whether we be outwardly excommunicated, or holy, or not. christ's blood has obtained for us pardon forever acceptable with god. god will forgive our sins for the sake of that blood so long as its power shall last and its intercession for grace in our behalf, which is forever. therefore, we are forever holy and blessed before god. this is the substance of the text. now that we shall find it easy to understand, we will briefly consider it. "but christ having come a high priest of the good things to come." 7. the adornment of aaron and his descendants, the high priests, was of a material nature, and they obtained for the people a merely formal remission of sins, performing their office in a perishable temple, or tabernacle. it was evident to men that their absolution and sanctification before the congregation was a temporal blessing confined to the present. but when christ came upon the cross no one beheld him as he went before god in the holy spirit, adorned with every grace and virtue, a true high priest. the blessings wrought by him are not temporal--a merely formal pardon--but the "blessings to come"; namely, blessings which are spiritual and eternal. paul speaks of them as blessings to come, not that we are to await the life to come before we can have forgiveness and all the blessings of divine grace, but because now we possess them only in faith. they are as yet hidden, to be revealed in the future life. again, the blessings we have in christ were, from the standpoint of the old testament priesthood, blessings to come. "through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation." 8. the apostle does not name the tabernacle he mentions; nor can he, so strange its nature! it exists only in the sight of god, and is ours in faith, to be revealed hereafter. it is not made with hands, like the jewish tabernacle; in other words, not of "this building." the old tabernacle, like all buildings of its nature, necessarily was made of wood and other temporal materials created by god. god says in isaiah 66, 1-2: "what manner of house will ye build unto me?... for all these things hath my hand made, and so all these things came to be." but that greater tabernacle has not yet form; it is not yet finished. god is building it and he shall reveal it. christ's words are (jn 14, 3), "and if i go and prepare a place for you." "nor yet through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood, entered in once for all into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption." 9. according to leviticus 16, the high priest must once a year enter into the holy place with the blood of rams and other offerings, and with these make formal reconciliation for the people. this ceremony typified that christ, the true priest, should once die for us, to obtain for us the true atonement. but the former sacrifice, having to be repeated every year, was but a temporary and imperfect atonement; it did not eternally suffice, as does the atonement of christ. for though we fall and sin repeatedly, we have confidence that the blood of christ does not fall, or sin; it remains steadfast before god, and the expiation is perpetual and eternal. under its sway grace is perpetually renewed, without work or merit on our part, provided we do not stand aloof in unbelief. "for if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer," etc. 10. concerning the water of separation and the ashes of the red heifer, read numbers 19; and concerning the blood of bulls and goats, leviticus 16, 14-15. according to paul, these were formal and temporal purifications, as i stated above. but christ, in god's sight, purifies the conscience of dead works; that is, of sins meriting death, and of works performed in sin and therefore dead. christ purifies from these, that we may serve the living god by living works. "and for this cause he is the mediator of a new covenant [testament]," etc. 11. under the old law, which provided only for formal, or ritualistic, pardon, and restored to human fellowship, sin and transgressions remained, burdening the conscience. it--the old law--did not benefit the soul at all, inasmuch as god did not institute it to purify and safeguard the conscience, nor to bestow the spirit. it existed merely for the purpose of outward discipline, restraint and correction. so paul teaches that under the old testament dispensation man's transgressions remained, but now christ is our mediator through his blood; by it our conscience is freed from sin in the sight of god, inasmuch as god promises the spirit through the blood of christ. all, however, do not receive him. only those called to be heirs eternal, the elect, receive the spirit. 12. we find, then, in this excellent lesson, the comforting doctrine taught that christ is he whom we should know as the priest and bishop of our souls; that no sin is forgiven, nor the holy spirit given, by reason of works or merit on our part, but alone through the blood of christ, and that to those for whom god has ordained it. this matter has been sufficiently set forth in the various postils. _palm sunday_ text: philippians 2, 5-11. 5 have this mind in you, which was also in christ jesus: 6 who, existing in the form of god, counted not the being on an equality with god a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; 8 and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross. 9 wherefore also god highly exalted him, and gave unto him the name which is above every name; 10 that in the name of jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things on earth and things under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that jesus christ is lord, to the glory of god the father. christ an example of love. 1. here paul again presents to us as a powerful example of the celestial and eternal fire, the love of christ, for the purpose of persuading us to exercise a loving concern for one another. the apostle employs fine words and precious admonitions, having perceived the indolence and negligence displayed by christians in this matter of loving. for this the flesh is responsible. the flesh continually resists the willing spirit, seeking its own interest and causing sects and factions. although a sermon on this same text went forth in my name a few years ago, entitled "the twofold righteousness," the text was not exhausted; therefore we will now examine it word by word. "have this mind in you, which was also in christ jesus." 2. you are christians; you have christ, and in him and through him all fullness of comfort for time and eternity: therefore nothing should appeal to your thought, your judgment, your pleasure, but that which was in the mind of christ concerning you as the source of your welfare. for his motive throughout was not his own advantage; everything he did was done for your sake and in your interest. let men therefore, in accord with his example, work every good thing for one another's benefit. "who, existing in the form of god, counted not the being on an equality with god a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant." ["who, being in the form of god, thought it not robbery to be equal with god; but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant."] 3. if christ, who was true god by nature, has humbled himself to become servant of all, how much more should such action befit us who are of no worth, and are by nature children of sin, death and the devil! were we similarly to humble ourselves, and even to go beyond christ in humility--a thing, however, impossible--we should do nothing extraordinary. our humility would still reek of sin in comparison with his. suppose christ to humble himself in the least degree--but a hair's breadth, so to speak--below the most exalted angels; and suppose we were to humble ourselves to a position a thousand times more abased than that of the devils in hell; yet our humility would not compare in the least with that of christ. for he is an infinite blessing--god himself--and we are but miserable creatures whose existence and life are not for one moment secure. 4. what terrible judgment must come upon those who fail to imitate the ineffable example of christ; who do not humble themselves below their neighbors and serve them, but rather exalt themselves above them! indeed, the example of christ may well terrify the exalted, and those high in authority; and still more the self-exalted. who would not shrink from occupying the uppermost seat and from lording it over others when he sees the son of god humble and eliminate himself? 5. the phrase "form of god" does not receive the same interpretation from all. some understand paul to refer to the divine essence and nature in christ; meaning that christ, though true god, humbled himself. while christ is indeed true god, paul is not speaking here of his divine essence, which is concealed. the word he uses--"morphe," or "forma"--he employs again where he tells of christ taking upon himself the form of a servant. "form of a servant" certainly cannot signify "essence of a real servant"--possessing by nature the qualities of a servant. for christ is not our servant by nature; he has become our servant from good will and favor toward us. for the same reason "divine form" cannot properly mean "divine essence"; for divine essence is not visible, while the divine form was truly seen. very well; then let us use the vernacular, and thus make the apostle's meaning clear. 6. "form of god," then, means the assumption of a divine attitude and bearing, or the manifestation of divinity in port and presence; and this not privately, but before others, who witness such form and bearing. to speak in the clearest possible manner: divine bearing and attitude are in evidence when one manifests in word and deed that which pertains peculiarly to god and suggests divinity. accordingly, "the form of a servant" implies the assumption of the attitude and bearing of a servant in relation to others. it might be better to render "morphe tu dulu," by "the bearing of a servant," that means, manners of such character that whoever sees the person must take him for a servant. this should make it clear that the passage in question does not refer to the manifestation of divinity or servility as such, but to the characteristics and the expression of the same. for, as previously stated, the essence is concealed, but its manifestation is public. the essence implies a condition, while its expression implies action. 7. as regards these forms, or manifestations, a threefold aspect is suggested by the words of paul. the essence may exist without the manifestation; there may be a manifestation without the corresponding essence; and finally, we may find the essence together with its proper manifestation. for instance, when god conceals himself and gives no indication of his presence, there is divinity, albeit not manifest. this is the case when he is grieved and withdraws his grace. on the other hand, when he discloses his grace, there is both the essence and its manifestation. but the third aspect is inconceivable for god, namely, a manifestation of divinity without the essence. this is rather a trick of the devil and his servants, who usurp the place of god and act as god, though they are anything but divine. an illustration of this we find in ezekiel 28, 2, where the king of tyre is recorded as representing his heart, which was certainly decidedly human, as that of a god. 8. similarly, the form, or bearing, of a servant may be considered from a threefold aspect. one may be a servant and not deport himself as such, but as a lord, or as god; as in the instance just mentioned. of such a one solomon speaks (prov 29, 21), saying: "he that delicately bringeth up his servant from a child shall have him become a son at the last." such are all the children of adam. we who are rightly god's servants would be god himself. this is what the devil taught eve when he said, "ye shall be as god." gen 3, 5. again, one may be a servant and conduct himself as one, as all just and faithful servants behave before the world; and as all true christians conduct themselves in god's sight, being subject to him and serving all men. thirdly, one may be not a servant and yet behave as one. for instance, a king might minister to his servants before the world. before god, however, all men being servants, this situation is impossible with men; no one has so done but christ. he says at the supper (jn 13, 13-14): "ye call me, teacher, and, lord: and ye say well; for so i am," and yet i am among you as a servant. and in another place (mt 20, 28), "the son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister." 9. from these explanations paul's meaning must have become clear. his thought is: christ was in the form of god; that is, both the essence and the bearing of deity were his. he did not assume the divine form as he did that of a servant. he was, i repeat it; he was in the form of god. the little word "was" expresses that divinity was his both in essence and form. the meaning is: many assume and display an appearance of divinity, but are not themselves actually divine; the devil, for instance, and antichrist and adam's children. this is sacrilege--the assumption of divinity by an act of robbery. see rom 2, 22. though the offender does not look upon such conduct as robbery, it is none the less robbing divine honor, and is so regarded by god and angels and saints, and even by his own conscience. but christ, who had not come by divinity through arrogating it to himself, but was divine by nature according to his very essence, did not deem his divinity a thing he had grasped; nor could he, knowing divinity to be his very birthright, and holding it as his own natural possession from eternity. 10. so paul's words commend christ's essential divinity and his love toward us, and at the same time correct all who falsely assume a divine form. such are we all so long as we are the devil's members. the thought is: the devil's members all would be god, would rob the divinity they do not possess; and they must admit their action to be robbery, for conscience testifies, indeed must testify, that they are not god. though they may despise the testimony of conscience and fail to heed it, yet the testimony stands, steadfastly maintaining the act as not right--as a malicious robbery. but the one man, christ, who did not assume the divine form but was in it by right and had a claim upon it from eternity; who did not and could not hold it robbery to be equal with god; this man humbled himself, taking upon him the form of a servant--not his rightful form--that he by the power of his winning example, might induce them to assume the bearing of servants who possessed the form and character of servants, but who, refusing to own them, appropriated the appearance of divinity upon which they had no claim, since the essence of divinity was forever beyond them. 11. that some fail to understand readily this great text, is due to the fact that they do not accept paul's words as spoken, but substitute their own ideas of what he should have said, namely: christ was born true god and did not rob divinity, etc. the expression "who, existing in the form of god" sounds, in the greek and latin, almost as if christ had merely borne himself as god, unless particular regard be given to the words "existing in," which paul contrasts with the phrase "took upon him." christ took upon himself the form of a servant, it is true, but in that form was no real servant. just so, while dispensing with a divine appearance, behind the appearance chosen was god. and we likewise take upon ourselves the divine form, but in the form we are not divine; and we spurn the form of servants, though that is what we are irrespective of appearance. christ disrobes himself of the divine form wherein he existed, to assume that of a servant, which did not express his essential character; but we lay aside the servant form of our real being and take upon ourselves, or arrogate to ourselves, the form of god to which we are not fitted by what we are in reality. 12. they are startled by this expression also: "christ thought it not robbery to be equal with god." now, at first sight these words do not seem to refer solely to christ, since even the devil and his own, who continually aspire to equality with god, do not think their action robbery in spite of the testimony of their conscience to the contrary. but with paul the little word "think," or "regard," possesses a powerful significance, having the force of "perfect assurance." similarly he says (rom 3, 28), "we reckon therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law"; and (1 cor 7, 40), "i think [deem] that i also have the spirit of god." but the wicked cannot boast it no robbery when they dare take upon themselves the form of god; for they know, they are satisfied in themselves, that they are not god. christ, however, did not, nor could he, think himself not equal to god; in other words, he was confident of his equality with god, and knew he had not stolen the honor. paul's words are chosen, not as an apology for christ, but as a severe rebuke for those who arrogate to themselves the form of god against the protest of conscience that it is not their own but stolen. the apostle would show how infinitely christ differs from them, and that the divine form they would take by theft is christ's by right. 13. paul does not use this expression, however, when he refers to christ's assumption of the servant form which is his, not by nature, but by assumption. the words produce the impression that christ took by force something not his own. paul should be expected to say: "he held it not robbery to assume the form of a servant." why should he rather have chosen that form of expression in the first instance, since christ did not assume the divine form, but possessed it as his very own--yes, laid it aside and assumed a form foreign to his nature? the substance of the matter is that he who becomes a servant does not and cannot assume anything, but only gives, giving even himself. hence there is no warrant here to speak of robbery or of a disposition to look upon the matter in this light. on the other hand, assumption of the divine form necessarily involves taking, and altogether precludes giving. hence there is warrant to speak of robbery in this connection, and of men who so view it. but this charge cannot be brought against christ. he does not render himself guilty of robbery, nor does he so view his relation, as all others must do. divinity is his by right, and so is its appropriate form a birthright. 14. thus, it seems to me, this text very clearly teaches that to have divine form is simply to assume in regard to others, in word and deed, the bearing of god and lord; and that christ meets this test in the miraculous signs and life-giving words, as the gospels contend. he does not rank with the saints who lack the divine essence; he has, in addition to divine form, the divine essence and nature. on the other hand, the servant, or servile, form implies acting toward others, in word and deed, like a servant. thus christ did when he served the disciples and gave himself for us. but he served not as the saints, who are servants by nature. service was, with him, something assumed for our benefit and as an example for us to follow, teaching us to act in like manner toward others, to disrobe ourselves of the appearance of divinity as he did, as we shall see. 15. unquestionably, then, paul proclaims christ true god. had he been mere man, what would have been the occasion for saying that he became like a man and was found in the fashion of other men? and that he assumed the form of a servant though he was in form divine? where would be the sense in my saying to you, "you are like a man, are made in the fashion of a man, and take upon yourself the form of a servant"? you would think i was mocking you, and might appropriately reply: "i am glad you regard me as a man; i was wondering if i were an ox or a wolf. are you mad or foolish?" would not that be the natural rejoinder to such a foolish statement? now, paul not being foolish, nor being guilty of foolish speech, there truly must have been something exalted and divine about christ. for when the apostle declares that he was made like unto other men, though the fact of his being human is undisputed, he simply means that the man christ was god, and could, even in his humanity, have borne himself as divine. but this is precisely what he did not do; he refrained: he disrobed himself of his divinity and bore himself as a mere man like others. 16. what follows concerning christ, now that we understand the meaning of "form of god" and "form of a servant," is surely plain. in fact, paul himself tells us what he means by "form of a servant." first: he makes the explanation that christ disrobed, or divested himself; that is, appeared to lay aside his divinity in that he divested himself of its benefit and glory. not that he did, or could, divest himself of his divine nature; but that he laid aside the form of divine majesty--did not act as the god he truly was. nor did he divest himself of the divine form to the extent of making it unfelt and invisible; in that case there would have been no divine form left. he simply did not affect a divine appearance and dazzle us by its splendor; rather he served us with that divinity. he performed miracles. and during his suffering on the cross he, with divine power, gave to the murderer the promise of paradise. lk 23, 43. and in the garden, similarly, he repelled the multitude by a word. jn 18, 6. hence paul does not say that christ was divested by some outside power; he says christ "made himself" of no repute. just so the wise man does not in a literal way lay aside wisdom and the appearance of wisdom, but discards them for the purpose of serving the simple-minded who might fittingly serve him. such man makes himself of no reputation when he divests himself of his wisdom and the appearance of wisdom. 17. second: christ assumed the form of a servant, even while remaining god and having the form of god; he was god, and his divine words and works were spoken and wrought for our benefit. as a servant, he served us with these. he did not require us to serve him in compensation for them, as in the capacity of a lord he had a just right to do. he sought not honor or profit thereby, but our benefit and salvation. it was a willing service and gratuitously performed, for the good of men. it was a service unspeakably great, because of the ineffable greatness of the minister and servant--god eternal, whom all angels and creatures serve. he who is not by this example heartily constrained to serve his fellows, is justly condemned. he is harder than stone, darker than hell and utterly without excuse. 18. third: "being made in the likeness of men." born of mary, christ's nature became human. but even in that humanity he might have exalted himself above all men and served none. but he forbore and became as other men. and by "likeness of men" we must understand just ordinary humanity without special privilege whatever. now, without special privilege there is no disparity among men. understand, then, paul says in effect: christ was made as any other man who has neither riches, honor, power nor advantage above his fellows; for many inherit power, honor and property by birth. so lowly did christ become, and with such humility did he conduct himself, that no mortal is too lowly to be his equal, even servants and the poor. at the same time, christ was sound, without bodily infirmities, as man in his natural condition might be expected to be. 19. fourth: "and being found in fashion as a man." that is, he followed the customs and habits of men, eating and drinking, sleeping and waking, walking and standing, hungering and thirsting, enduring cold and heat, knowing labor and weariness, needing clothing and shelter, feeling the necessity of prayer, and having the same experience as any other man in his relation to god and the world. he had power to avoid these conditions; as god he might have demeaned and borne himself quite differently. but in becoming man, as above stated, he fared as a human being, and he accepted the necessities of ordinary mortals while all the time he manifested the divine form which expressed his true self. 20. fifth: "he humbled himself," or debased himself. in addition to manifesting his servant form in becoming man and faring as an ordinary human being, he went farther and made himself lower than any man. he abased himself to serve all men with the supreme service--the gift of his life in our behalf. 21. sixth: he not only made himself subject to men, but also to sin, death and the devil, and bore it all for us. he accepted the most ignominious death, the death on the cross, dying not as a man but as a worm (ps 22, 6); yes, as an arch-knave, a knave above all knaves, in that he lost even what favor, recognition and honor were due to the assumed servant form in which he had revealed himself, and perished altogether. 22. seventh: all this christ surely did not do because we were worthy of it. who could be worthy such service from such a one? obedience to the father moved him. here paul with one word unlocks heaven and permits us to look into the unfathomable abyss of divine majesty and to behold the ineffable love of the fatherly heart toward us--his gracious will for us. he shows us how from eternity it has been god's pleasure that christ, the glorious one who has wrought all this, should do it for us. what human heart would not melt at the joy-inspiring thought? who would not love, praise and thank god and in return for his goodness, not only be ready to serve the world, but gladly to embrace the extremity of humility? who would not so do when he is aware that god himself has such precious regard for him, and points to the obedience of his son as the pouring out and evidence of his fatherly will. oh, the significance of the words paul here uses! such words as he uses in no other place! he must certainly have burned with joy and cheer. to gain such a glimpse of god--surely this must be coming to the father through christ. here is truly illustrated the truth that no one comes to christ except the father draw him; and with what power, what delicious sweetness, the father allures! how many are the preachers of the faith who imagine they know it all, when they have received not even an odor or taste of these things! how soon are they become masters who have never been disciples! not having tasted god's love, they cannot impart it; hence they remain unprofitable babblers. "wherefore also god highly exalted him." 23. as christ was cast to the lowest depths and subjected to all devils, in obeying god and serving us, so has god exalted him lord over all angels and creatures, and over death and hell. christ now has completely divested himself of the servant form--laid it aside. henceforth he exists in the divine form, glorified, proclaimed, confessed, honored and recognized as god. while it is not wholly apparent to us that "all things are put in subjection" to christ, as paul says (1 cor 15, 27), the trouble is merely with our perception of the fact. it is true that christ is thus exalted in person and seated on high in the fullness of power and might, executing everywhere his will; though few believe the order of events is for the sake of christ. freely the events order themselves, and the lord sits enthroned free from all restrictions. but our eyes are as yet blinded. we do not perceive him there nor recognize that all things obey his will. the last day, however, will reveal it. then we shall comprehend present mysteries; how christ laid aside his divine form, was made man, and so on; how he also laid aside the form of a servant and resumed the divine likeness; how as god he appeared in glory; and how he is now lord of life and death, and the king of glory. this must suffice on the text. for how we, too, should come down from our eminence and serve others has been sufficiently treated of in other postils. remember, god desires us to serve one another with body, property, honor, spirit and soul, even as his son served us. summer part _easter sunday_ text: first corinthians 5, 6-8. 6 your glorying is not good. know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? 7 purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, even as ye are unleavened. for our passover also hath been sacrificed, even christ: 8 wherefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. exhortation to walk as christians.[1] [footnote 1: this and all the following sermons on the epistle texts were first printed in 1540 and 1543 and included in the epistle postil.] 1. when god was about to lead the israelites out of egypt, he commanded, shortly before their departure, that they should eat the passover the night they started; and as a perpetual memorial of their redemption, they were annually, on the recurrence of the season, to celebrate the feast of easter for seven days. a specially urgent feature of the command was that on the first evening of the feast they must put out of their houses all leaven and leavened bread, and during the seven days eat none but the unleavened bread, or cakes. hence the evangelists speak of the feast as the feast (or days) of unleavened bread. mk 14, 1; lk 22, 1. 2. paul, in this lesson, explains the figure in brief but beautiful and expressive words. he is prompted to introduce the subject by the fact that in the preceding verses of this chapter he has been reproving the corinthians for their disposition to boast of the gospel and of christ while abusing such liberty unto unchastity and other sins. he admonishes them that, possessing the gospel and having become christians, they ought, as becomes christians, to live according to the gospel, avoiding everything not consistent with the faith and with christian character--everything not befitting them as new creatures. 3. so the apostle uses the figure of the paschal lamb and unleavened bread requisite at the jews' feast of the passover, in his effort to point the corinthians to the true character and purpose of the new testament made with us in the kingdom of christ. he explains what is the true paschal lamb and what the unleavened bread, and how to observe the real passover, wherein all must be new and spiritual. in the joy and wealth of his mind he presents this analogy to remind them that they are christians and to consider what that means. his meaning is: being christians and god's true people, and called upon to observe a passover, you must go about it in the right way, putting away from you all remaining leaven until it shall have been purged out utterly. what paul means by "leaven" is told later in his phrase "neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness"; he means whatever is evil and wicked. everything foreign to christianity in both doctrine, or faith, and life, is "leaven." from all this paul would have christians purge themselves with the same thoroughness with which the leaven was to be put away from their easter according to the law. and, holding to the figure, he would have us observe our passover in the use of the sweet bread, which, in distinction from the leaven, signifies sincerity and truth, or a nature and life completely new. 4. the text, then, is but an admonition to upright christian works, directed to those who have heard the gospel and learned to know christ. this is what paul figuratively calls partaking of the true unleavened bread--or wafers, or cakes. we germans have borrowed our word "cakes" from the phraseology of the jewish church, abbreviating "oblaten," wafers, into "fladen," or cakes. how else should we gentiles get the idea of cakes on easter, when at our passover we, by faith, eat the paschal lamb, christ? we are admonished to partake of the true unleavened bread, that life and conduct may accord with faith in christ, whom we have learned to know. paul's admonition begins: "know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?" 5. this by way of introducing the succeeding admonitions. leaven is a common figure with the apostle, one he uses frequently, almost proverbially; employing it, too, in his epistle to the galatians (ch. 5, 9). christ, also, gives us a scripture parable of the leaven. mt 13, 33. it is the nature of leaven that a small quantity mixed with a lump of dough will pervade and fill the whole lump until its own acid nature has been imparted to it. this paul makes a figure of spiritual things as regards both doctrine and life. 6. in galatians 5, 9 he makes it more especially typify false doctrine. for it is just as true that the introduction of an error in an article of faith will soon work injury to the whole and result in the loss of christ. thus it was with the galatians. the one thing insisted upon by the false apostles was circumcision, though they fully intended to preach the gospel of christ. such innovation will pursue its course with destructive sweep until even the uncontaminated part becomes worthless; the once pure mass is wholly corrupted. the apostle writes to the galatians (ch. 5, 2): "behold, i paul say unto you, that, if ye receive circumcision, christ will profit you nothing." again (verse 4), "ye are severed from christ--ye are fallen away from grace." but in this text he has reference more particularly to an erroneous idea concerning life and conduct. in this instance it is likewise true that, once the flesh be allowed any license, and liberty be abused, and that under the name of the gospel, there is introduced a leaven which will speedily corrupt faith and conscience, and continue its work until christ and the gospel are lost. such would have been the fate of the corinthians had not paul saved them from it by this epistle admonishing and urging them to purge out the leaven of license; for they had begun to practice great wantonness, and had given rise to sects and factions which tended to subvert the one gospel and the one faith. 7. this is, then, wise counsel and serious admonition, that faithful guard be maintained against the infusion or introduction into doctrine of what is false, whether it pertains to works or faith. the word of god, faith and conscience are very delicate things. the old proverb says: "non patitur jocum fama, fides, oculus;"--good reputation, faith and the eye--these three will bear no jest. just as good wine or precious medicines are corrupted by a single drop of poison or other impurity, and the purer they are, the more readily defiled and poisoned; so, also, god's word and his cause will bear absolutely no alloy. god's truth must be perfectly pure and clear, or else, it is corrupt and unprofitable. and the worst feature of the matter is, the sway and intrenchment of evil is so strong that it cannot be removed; just as leaven, however small the quantity, added to the lump of dough, soon penetrates and sours the whole lump, while it is impossible to arrest its influence or once more to sweeten the dough. 8. the proposal of certain wise minds to mediate, and effect a compromise, between us and our opponents of the papacy, is wrong and useless. they would permit preaching of the gospel but at the same time retain the papistical abuses, advocating that these errors be not all censured and rejected, because of the weak; and that for the sake of peace and unity we should somehow moderate and restrict our demands, each party being ready to yield to the other and patiently bear with it. while in such case no perfect purity can be claimed to exist, the situation can be made endurable if discretion is used and trouble is taken to explain. nay, not so! for, as you hear, paul would not mix even a small quantity of leaven with the pure lump, and god himself has urgently forbidden it. the slight alloy would thoroughly penetrate and corrupt the whole. where human additions are made to the gospel doctrine in but a single point, the injury is done; truth is obscured and souls are led astray. therefore, such mixture, such patchwork, in doctrine is not to be tolerated. as christ teaches (mt 9, 16), we must not put new cloth upon an old garment. 9. nor may we in our works and in our daily life tolerate the yielding to the wantonness of the flesh and at the same time boast the gospel of christ, as did the corinthians, who stirred up among themselves divisions and disorder, even to the extent of one marrying his stepmother. in such matters as these, paul says, a little leaven leavens and ruins the whole lump--the entire christian life. these two things are not consistent with each other: to hold to the christian faith and to live after the wantonness of the flesh, in sins and vices condemned by the conscience. paul elsewhere warns (1 cor 6, 9-10): "be not deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of god." again (gal 5, 19-21): "the works of the flesh are manifest ... of which i forewarn you, even as i did forewarn you, that they who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of god." 10. warrant is given here likewise for censuring and restraining the rash individuals who assert that men should not be terrified by the law, nor surrendered to satan. no! it is our duty to teach men to purge out the old leaven; we must tell them they are not christians, but devoid of the faith, when they yield to the wantonness of the flesh and wilfully persevere in sin against the warning of conscience. we should teach that such sins are so much the more vicious and damnable when practiced under the name of the gospel, under cover of christian liberty; for that is despising and blaspheming the name of christ and the gospel: and therefore such conduct must be positively renounced and purged out, as irreconcilable with faith and a good conscience. "purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, even as ye are unleavened." 11. if we are to be a new, sweet lump, paul says, we must purge out the old leaven. for, as stated, a nature renewed by faith and christianity will not admit of our living as we did when devoid of faith and in sin, under the influence of an evil conscience. we cannot consistently be "a new lump" and partake of the passover, and at the same time permit the old leaven to remain: for if the latter be not purged out, the whole lump will be leavened and corrupted; our previous sinful nature will again have supremacy and overthrow the faith, the holiness upon which we have entered and a good conscience. 12. paul does not here speak of leaven in general; he commands to purge out the "old leaven," implying there may be good leaven. doubtless he is influenced by respect for the words of the lord christ where (mt 13, 33) he likens the kingdom of heaven also to leaven. in this latter case leaven cannot be bad in quality; rather, the object in mixing it with the lump is to produce good, new bread. reference is to the word of god, or the preaching of the gospel, whereby we are incorporated into the kingdom of christ, or the christian church. though the gospel appears to be mean, is despicable and objectionable to the world, yet such is its power that wherever introduced it spreads, finding disciples in whom it works; it transforms them, giving to them its own properties, even as leaven imparts its powers to the dough and causes it to rise. but paul refers here to old, inactive and worthless leaven. he means teachings, views, or manner of life resulting from the old adam, from flesh and blood, and destructive of the pure, new doctrine, or a nature renewed by christianity. later on he terms it the "leaven of malice and wickedness," and in the verse under consideration bids the corinthians be a new, pure lump. 13. note the apostle's peculiar words. he enjoins purging out the old leaven, assigning as reason the fact: ye are a new and unleavened lump. by a new unleavened lump he means that faith which clings to christ and believes in the forgiveness of sin through him; for he immediately speaks of our passover: christ, sacrificed for us. by this faith the corinthians are now purified from the old leaven, the leaven of sin and an evil conscience, and have entered upon the new life; yet they are commanded to purge out the old leaven. 14. now, how shall we explain the fact that he bids them purge out the old leaven that they may be a new lump, when at the same time he admits them to be unleavened and a new lump? how can these corinthians be as true, unleavened wafers, or sweet dough, when they have yet to purge out the old leaven? this is an instance of the pauline and apostolic way of speaking concerning christians and the kingdom of christ; it shows us what the condition really is. it is a discipline wherein a new, christian life is entered upon through faith in christ the true passover; hence, easter is celebrated with sweet, unleavened bread. but at the same time something of the old life remains, which must be swept out, or purged away. however, this latter is not imputed, because faith and christ are there, constantly toiling and striving to thoroughly purge out whatever uncleanness remains. 15. through faith we have christ and his purity perfectly conferred upon ourselves, and we are thus regarded pure; yet in our own personal nature we are not immediately made wholly pure, without sin or weakness. much of the old leaven still remains, but it will be forgiven, not be imputed to us, if only we continue in faith and are occupied with purging out that remaining impurity. this is christ's thought when he says to his disciples (jn 15, 3), "already ye are clean because of the word which i have spoken unto you," and in the same connection he declares that the branches in him must be purged that they may bring forth more fruit. and to peter--and to others--he says (jn 13, 10), "he that is bathed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all." these passages, as is also stated elsewhere, teach that a christian by faith lays hold upon the purity of christ, for which reason he is also regarded pure and begins to make progress in purity; for faith brings the holy spirit, who works in man, enabling him to withstand and to subdue sin. 16. they are to be censured according to whose representations and views a christian church is to be advocated which should be in all respects without infirmity and defect, and who teach that, when perfection is not in evidence, there is no such thing as the church of christ nor as true christians. many erring spirits, especially strong pretenders to wisdom, and precocious, self-made saints, immediately become impatient at sight of any weakness in christians who profess the gospel faith; for their own dreams are of a church without any imperfections, a thing impossible in this earthly life, even they themselves not being perfect. 17. such, we must know, is the nature of christ's office and dominion in his church that though he really does instantaneously, through faith, confer upon us his purity, and by the spirit transforms our hearts, yet the work of transformation and purification is not at once completed. daily christ works in us and purges us, to the end that we grow in purity daily. this work he carries on in us through the agency of the word, admonishing, reproving, correcting and strengthening; as in the case of the corinthians through the instrumentality of paul. christ also uses crosses and afflictions in effecting this end. he did not come to toil, to suffer and to die because he expected to find pure and holy people. purity and holiness for us he has acquired in his own person to perfection, inasmuch as he was without sin and perfectly pure from the moment he became man, and this purity and holiness he communicates to us in their flawless perfection in so far our faith clings to him. but to attain personal purity of such perfection requires a daily effort on the part of christ, until the time shall have come that he has wrought in us a flawless perfection like his own. so he has given us his word and his spirit to aid us in purging out the remaining old leaven, and in holding to our newly-begun purity instead of lapsing from it. we must retain the faith, the spirit and christ; and this, as before said, we cannot do if we give place to the old carnal disposition instead of resisting it. 18. note, one thing the text teaches: even the saints have weakness, uncleanness and sin yet to be purged out, but it is not imputed unto them because they are in christ and occupied in purging out the old leaven. 19. another thing, it teaches what constitutes the difference between the saints and the unholy, for both are sinful; it tells the nature of sins despite the presence of which saints and believers are holy, retaining grace and the holy spirit, and also what sins are inconsistent with faith and grace. 20. the sins remaining in saints after conversion are various evil inclinations, lusts and desires natural to man and contrary to the law of god. the saints, as well as others, are conscious of these sins, but with this difference: they do not permit themselves to be overcome thereby so as to obey the sins, allowing them free course; they do not yield to, but resist, such sins, and, as paul expresses it here, incessantly purge themselves therefrom. the sins of the saints, according to him, are the very ones which they purge out. those who obey their lusts, however, do not do this, but give rein to the flesh, and sin against the protest of their own consciences. they who resist their sinful lusts retain faith and a good conscience, a thing impossible with those who fail to resist sin and thus violate their conscience and overthrow their faith. if you persist in that which is evil regardless of the voice of conscience, you cannot say, nor believe, that you have god's favor. so then, the christian necessarily must not yield to sinful lusts. 21. the holy spirit is given for the very purpose of opposing sin and preventing its reign. paul says (gal 5, 17): "for the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh ... that ye may not do the things that ye would." and again (rom 8, 13): "if by the spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live." also (rom 6, 12): "let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey the lusts thereof." "for our passover also hath been sacrificed, even christ." ["for even christ our passover is sacrificed for us."] 22. here paul assigns his reason for the statement just made--"ye are unleavened." they are a new, unleavened or sweet lump, not because of any merit on their part, not because of their own holiness or worthiness, but because they have faith in christ as the passover sacrificed for them. this sacrifice makes them pure and holy before god. they are no more the old leaven they were when out of christ. by this sacrifice they are reconciled with god and purified from sin. 23. likewise for us god institutes a new ordinance, a new festival. the old has given place to something wholly new. a different and better passover sacrifice succeeds that of the jews. the jews had annually to partake of their offered sacrifice, but they were not thereby made holy nor pure from sin. theirs was a sign or earnest of the true passover to come, the passover promised by god, in the shed blood of which we are washed from sin and wholly healed--a passover the partaking whereof we must enjoy by faith. we have now one perpetual and eternal easter festival, wherein faith is nourished, satisfied and gladdened; in other words, we receive remission of sins and comfort and strength through this our passover, christ. 24. the meaning of the phrase "sacrificed for us" has been explained in the sermon on the passion of christ. two thoughts are there presented: first, necessity of considering the greatness and terror of the wrath of god against sin in that it could be appeased and a ransom effected in no other way than through the one sacrifice of the son of god. only his death and the shedding of his blood could make satisfaction. and we must consider also that we by our sinfulness had incurred that wrath of god and therefore were responsible for the offering of the son of god upon the cross and the shedding of his blood. well may we be terrified because of our sins, for god's wrath cannot be trivial when we are told no sacrifice save alone the son of god can brave such wrath and avail for sin. do you imagine yourself able to endure that wrath of god, or to withstand it if you will not consider this and accept it? 25. the second thought presented in the sermon mentioned is, the necessity of recognizing the inexpressible love and grace of god toward us. only so can the terrified heart of man regain comfort. it must be made aware why god spared not his own son but offered him a sacrifice upon the cross, delivered him to death; namely, that his wrath might be lifted from us once more. what greater love and blessing could be shown? the sacrifice of christ is presented to us to give us sure comfort against the terrors of sin. for we may perceive and be confident that we shall not be lost because of our sins when god makes such a sacrifice the precious pledge to us of his favor and promised salvation. therefore, though your sins are great and deserve the awful wrath of god, yet the sacrifice represented by the death of the son of god is infinitely greater. and in this sacrifice god grants you a sure token of his grace and the forgiveness of your sins. but that forgiveness must be apprehended by the faith which holds fast the declaration, "christ our passover is sacrificed for us." by this promise must faith be comforted and strengthened. "wherefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." 26. having, then, a paschal lamb and a true easter, let us rightly value them. let us observe the festival with the gladness it ought to inspire. let us no longer eat the old leaven, but true wafers and paschal cakes. where the paschal lamb is, there must be the unleavened bread. the former is christ sacrificed for us. to this sacrifice we can add nothing; we can only receive and enjoy it by faith, recognizing it as a gift to us. however, possessing the paschal lamb, it is incumbent upon us to partake also of the sweet festal bread; in other words, while embracing the faith of the passover, we are to maintain the true doctrine of the gospel, illustrating it by the godly example of our own lives. we should live an eternal easter life, as it were, to carry out paul's analogy, a life wherein we, as justified, sanctified and purified people, continue in peace and the joy of the holy spirit, so long as we remain on earth. 27. in this verse, as in the preceding one, paul contrasts the leaven and the unleavened bread. he makes leaven a general term for everything which proceeds from flesh and blood and an unrenewed sinful nature, but classifies it under two heads--the leaven of malice and the leaven of wickedness. by "malice" we understand the various open vices and sins which represent manifest wrong to god and our neighbor. "wickedness" stands for those numerous evil tricks, those nimble, subtle, venomous artifices practiced upon christian doctrine and the word of god with intent to corrupt and pervert them, to mislead hearts from the true meaning thereof. paul warns (2 cor 11, 3): "but i fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled eve in his craftiness, your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity and the purity that is toward christ." under "wickedness" comes also such evils as hypocrisy and other false, deceptive dealing practiced in the name of god by way of adorning and covering the sin; false teaching and deceptive action passed off as right, proper and christian. such wickedness christ terms "the leaven of the pharisees and the leaven of herod." mk 8, 15. this sort of leaven, particularly, we have in the world to an unspeakable extent in this last and worst of times. 28. to the leaven of malice and of wickedness, paul opposes the leaven of sincerity and truth. to be sincere is to live and act in an upright christian way, prompted by a faithful, godly heart, a heart kindly disposed to all and meditating wrong and injury to none; and to deal as you would be dealt with. to be true is to refrain from false and crafty dealing, from deceit and roguery, and to teach and live in probity and righteousness according to the pure word of god. truth and sincerity must prevail and be in evidence with christians, who have entered upon a relation and life altogether new; they should celebrate the new easter festival by bringing faith and doctrine and life into accord with it. _easter monday_ text: acts 10, 34-43. 34 and peter opened his mouth, and said: of a truth i perceive that god is no respecter of persons: 35 but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is acceptable to him. 36 the word which he sent unto the children of israel, preaching good tidings of peace by jesus christ (he is lord of all)--37 that saying ye yourselves know, which was published throughout all judæa, beginning from galilee, after the baptism which john preached; 38 even jesus of nazareth, how god anointed him with the holy spirit and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for god was with him. 39 and we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the country of the jews, and in jerusalem; whom also they slew, hanging him on a tree. 40 him god raised up the third day, and gave him to be made manifest, 41 not to all the people, but unto witnesses that were chosen before of god, even to us, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 and he charged us to preach unto the people, and to testify that this is he who is ordained of god to be the judge of the living and the dead. 43 to him bear all the prophets witness, that through his name every one that believeth on him shall receive remission of sins. the blessings of christ's resurrection. 1. this sermon peter preached to cornelius, the cesarean centurion, a gentile but a believer, and to the centurion's assembled friends, peter having been summoned by cornelius and having responded to the call in obedience to a revelation and to the holy spirit's command, as related in the preceding verses of the chapter. it is an excellent sermon and bears strong testimony to christ's resurrection. as should ever be the case with the sermons of apostles and preachers of the gospel, it is not only a historical record of christ's life, death and resurrection, but portrays the power and blessing thereof. the entire sermon being easily understood without explanation--for it is itself an exposition of the article on christ's resurrection--we will go over it but briefly. 2. first, peter begins with the inception of the preaching of the gospel of christ, suggesting how it was promised in the scriptures, being declared by the prophets, that christ should come with a new doctrine, confirming it by miracles; also that he must suffer and die and rise from the dead, establishing thus a new kingdom; and how the promise was fulfilled. for confirmation of his words peter appeals to his hearers, reminding them of their own knowledge that such was the promise of the scriptures, and that the message has gone forth, not being uttered secretly, in a corner, but being proclaimed throughout all judea; and how john the baptist had shortly before testified he was sent as christ's herald to prepare his way by directing and leading the people to christ, etc. the gospel a doctrine of peace. 3. then peter explains this new gospel message as the doctrine of peace, the peace proclamation commanded of god; in other words, salvation and every good thing. the apostle portrays it as a comforting message, a gospel of joy and grace, a message not accusing, threatening and terrifying with a vision of god's wrath for our sin, as did moses with his doctrine of the law. peter offers to the hitherto terrified, god's favor, remission of sins and eternal life. similarly, of old did the prophets prophesy of this gospel, calling it the message of peace. peter's language is borrowed from them. for instance, zechariah prophesies (ch. 9, 10), "he shall speak peace unto the nations." and isaiah (ch. 52, 7), "how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace!" paul offers the same thought (eph 2, 17), "and he came and preached peace to you that were far off, and peace to them that were nigh." a delightful message is this in which god recalls his wrath and, as paul says (2 cor 5, 18-20), reconciles us unto himself, having commanded the gospel to be preached to the world for that very purpose, and the office of preaching to be called the ministry of reconciliation; and god admonishes us to be reconciled unto himself, to be his friends, that we may from him receive grace and every good thing. 4. second: peter declares what the gospel message records concerning christ: what he has wrought and the nature of his office--how he preached and worked miracles in the service, and for the relief, of all men; what thanks and reward his own people accorded him, in that they nailed him to the cross and put him to death; that nevertheless christ was not destroyed by the power of the world nor overcome by death, but even retained his freedom, showing himself after death and letting his voice be heard; and that he is now exalted lord and judge over all. the article of faith on the resurrection. 5. here are comprised in a few words the entire history of the gospel, and the articles of the christian faith; but particularly does peter deal with the article of the resurrection, the fact that christ has, in his own person, completely overcome death and reigns eternal king and lord of life. in proof of the truth of this article, the apostle adduces the fact of christ's manifesting himself alive to his disciples, eating and drinking with them and appointing them special witnesses to these things as men to whom the doctrine had been proven, had been established by actual sight of the miracles. 6. third: peter states the item of chief importance in the article, the blessing resulting to us. he explains first why christ suffered all these things, and how the gospel was to be published and received; christ's motive in it all was not his advantage but our good. before we could know the truth and be blessed, it was necessary that the message be preached. god commanded the apostles, peter says, to preach the gospel in all the world that all men might know it; and thus the blessing is brought to men through the public office of the ministry. 7. fourth: our obligation concerning the message brought to us, and what it works in ourselves, is indicated in these concluding words of peter's sermon: "to him bear all the prophets witness, that through his name every one that believeth on him shall receive remission of sins." 8. this verse constitutes the principal theme of the sermon. it is one of the greatest in the writings of the apostles. it contains the vital element of the gospel message, teaching how we may appropriate its blessing, how obtain what it offers, namely, by faith; faith lays hold of what is offered us in the gospel. the message is preached that we may receive and retain it. through the word the blessing is pronounced our own--it is offered to, or given, us; but by faith we receive it, make it our own, permit it to work in us. 9. this power and work in us is called by peter "remission of sins." this is the blessing, the possession, conferred through the preaching of the doctrine of christ, or the articles of faith, particularly the articles of the resurrection. the meaning of the new message of comfort, the new declaration of peace, is that christ, through his resurrection, has in himself conquered our sin and death, has turned away the wrath of god and procured grace and salvation; that he has commanded forgiveness to be preached unto us, desiring us to believe he gives it and confidently to receive it through faith. 10. faith must be of such character as to apprehend and hold fast the truth peter declares in this verse. it must say "in his name." that is, must ascribe to christ alone the entire agency, merit and power responsible for remission of sins; must believe we have forgiveness, not through our own worthiness, but for christ's sake alone; must believe that by virtue of christ's resurrection we obtain remission of sins, every namable element not from christ being completely excluded, and the honor given to him alone. what does the work, the ability, of all mankind amount to when it comes to accomplishing or meriting a thing of such magnitude as remission of sins and redemption from death and eternal wrath? how will it compare with the death and shed blood of the son of god, with the power of his resurrection? how will it divide honors with him in having merit to secure remission of sin and redemption from death? the efficacy of christ's death and blood alone god would have preached in all the world and accepted by mankind. therein he rejects the boasting of the jews and of all aspirers to holiness through their own works, teaching them they cannot obtain his favor through the law, or by their own efforts. in christ's name alone is remission of sins received, and that through faith. 11. salvation through christ, according to peter, was before that time proclaimed in the scriptures, being declared by all the prophets. this is truly strong testimony adduced by the apostle; the jewish people certainly ought to believe their own prophets unless they wilfully are hardened and lost. much more should we gentiles have faith in christ's atonement, being obliged to confess that not in any wise have we done aught that such grace should be offered and given to us. we certainly ought to be honest enough to honor christ to the extent of believing the apostles, in fact the scriptures entire. we ought to be ashamed to doubt or question the fact of forgiveness of sins and justification before god through christ alone, to which all scripture testifies. if we are honest with ourselves, we must confess it the truth, or secure forgiveness of sins or be justified before god by our own works. 12. now we have heard what is the substance, the chief doctrine, of the scriptures, the teaching to which all portions lead; namely, to teach and confirm the article of faith: we have remission of sins for christ's sake, through faith. we have heard that such was the faith of the fathers, the prophets and all saints, from the beginning of the world, and later was the doctrine preached by christ himself, and also the doctrine of the apostles, who were commanded to publish it to the world. to this day the same doctrine prevails, and it will until the end be unanimously accepted by the whole christian church, with the exception of our present opponents. the christian church has ever, as a unit, believed, confessed and contended for this article, the article maintaining that only in the name of the lord christ is remission of sin obtained; and in this faith its members have been justified before god and saved. thus by such testimony is the foundation of our doctrine laid sufficiently firm; that article was with power contended for, defended and established long before our time. 13. he who inquires, who would know exactly, what the christian church ever holds and teaches, especially concerning the all-important article of justification before god, or the forgiveness of sins, over which there has always been contention, has it here plainly and exactly in this text. here is the unwavering testimony of the entire church from the beginning. it is not necessary, then, to dispute about the doctrine any more. no one can name any just reason, or have any excuse, for doubts on the subject; or reasonably wait for further determinations of investigating councils. in this text we see that the reliability of the article of faith has long ago been proven, even in ancient time, by the church of the primitive fathers, of the prophets and the apostles. a solid foundation is established, one all men are bound to believe and maintain at the risk of their eternal salvation, whatever councils may establish, or the world advance and determine, to the contrary. indeed, the sentence has been declared to us; we are commanded to shun every other doctrine that may be believed, taught or ordained. paul says (gal 1, 8): "but though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach unto you any gospel other than that which we preached unto you, let him be anathema." 14. you see now against what the papacy with all its adherents blusters and rages, and how they are to be regarded who refuse to hear and to tolerate the article peter here advances and confirms by the testimony of all the prophets and of the scriptures entire; who cease not to persecute godly and innocent ones for their acceptance of this article of faith, under the pretense of being themselves the church and of magnifying its name to the utmost while opposing us, though at the same time their doctrine, faith and deeds openly testify against them, proclaiming their belief and teaching to be contrary to the testimony of all the prophets and of the entire church. by no means can they be the church who so rashly contradict peter and the scriptures, who even trample under foot, in his word, christ himself, the head. rather, they must be wicked devils, a miserable rabble, the worst enemies of the christian church; more wicked and pernicious than heathen or turks. 15. lastly: peter, by way of proving conclusively to the world that this one lord, as he names him, jesus of nazareth, is the true messiah promised of old in the scriptures, says: "to him bear all the prophets witness." the prophets plainly speak of such a person, one to be born of david's flesh and blood, in the city of bethlehem, who should suffer, die and rise again, accomplishing just what this jesus has accomplished and even proven by miraculous signs. therefore, truly the jews and the non-christians have no reason to doubt concerning christ, no reason to await the coming of another. 16. further, peter, citing the testimony of the prophets, indicates the nature of christ's kingdom as not external power; not temporal dominion like that of earthly lords, kings, and emperors; not dominion over countries or control of people, property and temporal concerns; but a spiritual, eternal kingdom, a kingdom in the hearts of men, an authority over, and power opposed to, sin, everlasting death and hell, a power able to redeem us from those things and bestow upon us salvation. salvation is ours, peter teaches, through the preaching of the gospel, and is received by faith. faith is the obedience every man must render unto the lord. by faith he makes himself subject to christ and partaker of his grace and blessings. paul also (rom 1, 5) uses the term "unto obedience of faith." _easter tuesday_ text: acts 13, 26-39. 26 brethren, children of the stock of abraham, and those among you that fear god, to us is the word of this salvation sent forth. 27 for they that dwell in jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him. 28 and though they found no cause of death in him, yet asked they of pilate that he should be slain. 29 and when they had fulfilled all things that were written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a tomb. 30 but god raised him from the dead: 31 and he was seen for many days of them that came up with him from galilee to jerusalem, who are now his witnesses unto the people. 32 and we bring you good tidings of the promise made unto the fathers, 33 that god hath fulfilled the same unto our children, in that he raised up jesus; as also it is written in the second psalm, thou art my son, this day have i begotten thee. 34 and as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he hath spoken on this wise, i will give you the holy and sure blessings of david. 35 because he saith also in another psalm, thou wilt not give thy holy one to see corruption. 36 for david, after he had in his own generation served the counsel of god, fell asleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption: 37 but he whom god raised up saw no corruption. 38 be it known unto you therefore, brethren, that through this man is proclaimed unto you remission of sins: 39 and by him every one that believeth is justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of moses. 1. this sermon paul preached in the synagogue at antioch in pisidia, to the assembled jews and gentiles. note, he says, "whosoever among you feareth god." it is a counterpart of the sermon in the preceding epistle lesson delivered by peter at cesarea. here also the first part of the sermon is simply a narration of the historical facts of christ's resurrection, and designed to prove christ the true messiah promised in the scriptures. this is sufficiently demonstrated by the facts in the case that by his own divine power and strength christ rescued himself from death and the grave, and rose from the dead and showed himself alive and talked with men, something no man but christ alone had ever done or ever can do. paul elsewhere (rom 1, 3-4) says that this jesus our lord was born of the seed of david according to the flesh, and was declared to be the son of god with power by the resurrection from the dead. 2. not content with a mere narration of the history of the resurrection, paul cites scripture testimony incontestably proving that christ necessarily must rise from the dead and set up his spiritual and eternal kingdom through the word he commanded the apostles to publish world-wide. he also discloses the true meaning of scripture from revelation itself, showing how to seek and find christ therein. the preceding gospel lesson also spoke of this. 3. third, as was true of peter, paul does not fail to mention what is of surpassing importance, the use of the historical parts of scripture and the blessing and benefit accruing to us from that which scripture proclaims and witnesses; also the method of appropriating its power and blessing. and he concludes with a beautiful utterance of apostolic power, showing how we are to obtain remission of sins and be saved. he says: "through this man is proclaimed unto you remission of sins: and by him every one that believeth is justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of moses." this certainly is a powerful passage and so plain it needs no comment, no further explanation. it is a point most firmly established and emphasized everywhere in paul's epistles. we should note well and remember such clear passages, that we may gain strength and assurance as to the ground of christian doctrine. seeing how perfectly, as faithful, truthful and harmonious witnesses, these two apostles agree in their preaching, we are justified in confidently drawing the conclusion that any doctrine at variance with theirs, any teaching concerning the remission of sins and our salvation contrary to theirs, is not of the church, but of the devil's accursed teachers, a doctrine of satan's own. gal 1. _easter tuesday_ second sermon. same text. acts 13, 26-39. the word and the resurrection.[1] [footnote 1: this sermon appeared first in the church postil, the explanation of the epistle and gospel texts from easter to advent. printed by hans lufft, wittenberg, 1559.] 1. this sermon was preached by paul in the synagogue at antioch of pisidia, where were gathered with the jews some greek converts. wherever in a city jews were to be found, there also were their synagogues in which they taught and preached; and many gentiles, coming to hear, were converted to god through the preaching of his word. undoubtedly it was by god's wonderful direction that the jews were dispersed throughout the world among the gentiles, after the first destruction of jerusalem by the assyrians. inasmuch as this dispersion resulted in the spread of the word, they were instrumental in securing salvation for the gentiles and in preparing the way for the world-wide preaching of the gospel by the apostles. for wherever the apostles went they found jewish synagogues and the opportunity to preach to a regular congregation, through whom their gospel might be widely disseminated because of the many gentiles also in attendance. had not these gentiles been already accustomed to the jewish synagogues, they would not have listened to the apostles, nor even permitted them publicly to preach, strangers that they were. 2. thus it is paul comes into the synagogue on the sabbath, a time when the congregation was wont to assemble and read the scriptures. he and barnabas being guests from the country of the jews, paul is besought to give an exhortation, or sermon, to the people, whereupon he rises and delivers a fine, lengthy discourse concerning christ: how in the scriptures he had been promised unto the fathers and to david the king, had been born of the seed of david and had received the public testimony of john the baptist; how christ was sacrificed by the jews (peter gives the same account in the preceding epistle lesson); how he rose from the dead and for some time showed himself alive; how he then commanded his apostles to publish to the world the new doctrine that god's promise to the jews had been fulfilled; and how, by his resurrection, he brought to them the promised blessing, namely, the remission of sins unattainable through the law of moses and all their ordinances, but dispensed and imparted alone to faith in the christ proclaimed. 3. as stated later in the text, there were, beside the jews, many gentiles present at the preaching of this sermon, and at its conclusion they besought paul to speak to them again between sabbaths. accordingly, when he came to the synagogue the next sabbath, he found almost the whole city assembled. but to return to the first sermon: paul says, "brethren, children of the stock of abraham"--or, native jews--"and those among you that fear god"--who are gentiles. now, though this could not but be a discourse objectionable and highly offensive to the jews, paul opens with tender and nicely chosen words meant to conciliate and to secure their respectful attention. he highly honors them by addressing them as the people chosen by god in preference to all the gentiles; as children of the holy fathers who had a special claim to the promise of god. but, again, he vitiates his pleasing impression when he proclaims to the jews naught else but the crucified and risen christ, and concludes with the statement that with nothing but moses' law and ordinances they ranked no higher in the sight of god than the gentiles. the word of salvation. 4. paul's discourse is in perfect harmony with peter's sermon. peter speaks of god having sent unto the jews heralds proclaiming peace; and paul here says, "to you [us] is the word of this salvation sent." notwithstanding the joy and comfort wherewith these words are fraught, they could not please the jews. the jews disdained the idea--in fact, it was intolerable to them to hear it expressed--that after their long expectation of a messiah to be lord and king of the world, they should receive a mere message, and at that a message rendering of no significance at all that law and government for which they had expected, through that messiah, exaltation and world-wide acceptance. indeed, such an issue could only mean to them having entertained a vain hope. 5. paul makes his teaching yet more offensive by not referring to the gospel simply as the word of peace, as peter does, but by giving it the greater and grander title, "the word of salvation"; in other words, a doctrine calculated to heal and save. no grander name could be found for the gospel; for a message of salvation is an expression of god's grace, forgiveness of sins, abiding peace and life eternal. moreover, these blessings were not to be bestowed upon the jews alone; they were to be equally shared with the gentiles, who had no knowledge of god, of the law, or of divine worship. the gentiles were thus to be made the equals of the jews, leaving the latter without preference or special merit before god, and without advantage and lordship over the former in the world. 6. thus early in his discourse paul grows blunt and severe, kneading jews and gentiles into one lump. indeed, he plainly tells the jews that the law of moses did not secure to them the favor of god in the past and would be equally profitless in the future; that through the gospel message, and only so, they, and all gentiles as well, were to be delivered from sin, death and the power of the devil, and to become god's people, with power over all. yet he presents no other tangible token of the great boon he calls salvation and blessedness than his preaching alone. now, one may say: "the word i hear, and paul i see, a poor human being; but this salvation--grace, life and peace--i behold not. on the contrary, i daily see and experience sin, terror, adversity, suffering and death, until it seems as if in all humanity none are so utterly forsaken by god as the christians, who hear this message." 7. but this is precisely the precious doctrine to be learned if we are to be god's children and sensible of his kingdom within us, a doctrine beyond the knowledge and experience of the jews with their law and of the gentiles with their wisdom drawn from reason--this it is: our salvation stands in the word paul here declares of christ, a word which, in name and reality, is a word of salvation and peace; for salvation and peace are the blessings which it offers and imparts. 8. god has sent this word, paul says. its origin and conception is not with man. it is not the edict of the roman emperor, nor the command of the high-priest at jerusalem. it is the word of the god of heaven. in it he speaks. he will have the message preached by poor human beings as a power unto happiness and salvation, both in name and reality. such the law never was. paul says (rom 1, 16): "i am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of god unto salvation to every one that believeth." and god himself has bound up with it our salvation when he manifests himself in the voice heard from heaven at jordan, saying of christ, "this is my beloved son"--who is to be heard. 9. god desires christ's word to be heard. otherwise expressed, his command is: "here ye have the word of peace and salvation. not elsewhere may you seek and find these blessings. cling to this word if you desire peace, happiness and salvation. let befall what may, crosses, afflictions, discord, death--whether you be beheaded, or fall victim to pest or stroke, or in whatever manner god may call you home--in it all, look only upon me, whose word promises that you shall not die, what seems death being but a sweet sleep, ay, the entrance into life eternal." christ says (jn 8, 51): "verily, verily, i say unto you. if a man keep my word, he shall never see death." note, it is the keeping of the word on which christ lays stress. "keeping" is holding fast to the promise, feeling and all senses to the contrary, doubting not the truth of the message heard. for he who promises is not man; it is the lord of heaven and earth and all that in them is, who has to this moment controlled and preserved the same. one hundred years ago, what were you and i and all men now living but absolutely nothing? how and from what was creation effected when there was nothing to start with? "he spake and it was done"--that was created which before had not existence--declares psalm 33, 9, quoting from genesis 1; "he commanded, and it stood fast." 10. being the word of god, the gospel is an entirely different thing from man's word, no matter though it be spoken by a mere man or even a donkey. therefore, let there be, now or henceforth, discord, terror of sin; the menace of death and hell, of the grave and corruption: come upon you what may--only press to your heart this word that christ has sent you a message of salvation--of redemption, of triumph over all things; and that he commands you to believe it. then you will perceive that he, as your god and creator, will not deceive you. what are death, the devil and all creatures as a match for christ? 11. the glory of christ's message, then, here called by paul "the word of salvation," is much greater and higher than would have been the promise of all the kingdoms, all the riches and splendors of the world, yes, of both heaven and earth. for what could they benefit if one possessed not the word of salvation and eternal life? with all these, when assailed by sins, or by the distress and danger of death, one must still say, "away with all the blessings and joys of the world, so that i may hear and have altogether the message of salvation sent by christ." you must hold fast to it and know that it alone gives eternal peace and joy; that it must receive your faith in spite of all apparent contradiction; that you must not be governed by your reason or your feelings, but must regard that as divine, unchangeable and eternal truth which god has spoken and commands to be proclaimed. such is paul's exhortation addressed primarily to the jews to accept this message as sent by god and as being the bearer of wondrous blessings. 12. next, he proceeds to remove their chief stumbling-block, the thing of greatest offense to them. he warns them against the course adopted by them of jerusalem, who had the word of salvation from christ himself, who read it in the prophets every day, who should have had no trouble perceiving that the prophets testified to christ and that there was complete harmony between their teaching and that of christ and the apostles, yet would not understand. because christ came not in the manner they desired, they condemned the very one whom they read of in the scriptures as appearing with this word of salvation, the time of whose coming had been pointed out, leaving them to know it had long since arrived and they had no reason to wait for another. they understood not the scriptures because their minds were completely hardened and dominated by the fixed idea that christ should reign as a temporal king. so thoroughly was the whole jewish nation impressed with this belief that the very apostles had no other conception of christ's kingdom, even after his resurrection. as john says (ch. 12, 16), they did not understand the scriptures until christ ascended to heaven and the holy spirit came. so long as there hangs before one's eyes this curtain--the carnal fancy of a temporal kingdom for christ, an earthly government for his church--the scriptures cannot be understood. as paul says of the jews (2 cor 3, 14), the veil remaineth in the reading of the scriptures. but this lack of understanding is inexcusable. that is gross and wilful blindness which will not receive the instruction and direction imparted by the apostles. the jews continue to rave against the gospel; they will hear nothing of the christ, though even after crucifying him they receive the offer of repentance and remission of sins at the hands of the apostles. 13. that paul should make bold to tell the most prominent men and rulers of the whole jewish nation--the heads of god's people, pillars of the church, as we would say--that not only the common rabble, but likewise they themselves did not know and understand the scriptures committed to them; ay, that, not content with such ignorance and error, they had themselves become the individuals of whom they read, the murderers and crucifiers of the son of god, their saviour--this was a matter of grave offense indeed! offensive indeed was it to have this accusation brought against them, a people among whom god had ordained his worship, his temple and priesthood, and for whom he had instituted a peculiar government, giving the high-priest power to say, do so or you will be put to death. deut 17, 12. and of them were the glorious and great council of the seventy-two elders originally ordained through moses (ex 18, 25-26), the council called the sanhedrim. they ruled the entire people and certainly knew right and wrong according to their law. was there not reason here to tear paul to pieces with red-hot pinchers as a seditious character, a public blasphemer, speaking not only against the jewish government but against the honor of god himself; daring to accuse all the princes of the nation of being in error, of knowing nothing of the scriptures, even of being murderers of the son of god? the pope and his crowd lack the credentials of such glory and endorsement by god. they have merely reared a system of self-devised doctrine and idolatry, which they still defend. hence, whatever censure and condemnation we heap upon the pope and his crowd is small in comparison to the thrust paul dealt the jewish leaders. 14. note, paul does not stand back for anything. he teaches men utterly to disregard the hue and cry of the offended jews that they were the high-priests, teachers, rulers in a government ordained by god and commanding the obedience of the people; that teaching disobedience to them was equivalent to teaching disobedience to parents and to civil government, yes, to god himself--something in the nature of the case not to be tolerated. yet paul fearlessly does so teach, as an apostle of god and in fulfilment of god's command. how much more would paul oppose our popish deceivers who, without the authority of god's word, boast themselves heads of the church and of the people of god, at the same time neither teaching nor understanding the scriptures, but offering their own drivel as god's commands! 15. but what cause has paul at heart that he dares so boldly condemn the judgment of these exalted officials? it is this, according to his own statement: there is one called jesus christ, of whom the prophets, in fact the entire scriptures, speak. him the jews refuse to know. he is higher and greater than the high-priests and the rulers, greater than the temple or the whole city of jerusalem. and the jews know his coming means their passing, and their obedience to him as lord and supreme ruler. therefore, they are inexcusable in their rejection of christ. of no avail is their evasion, "god has given us the dominion and the supreme power, and has commanded obedience to us in equal degree with obedience to parents." 16. the fact that an individual is a lord or a prince, a father or a mother, a child or a subject, administers authority or obeys it, will not excuse him from being baptized and believing in christ. for christ is sole and supreme lord over all kings, princes and governors. true, we should be obedient to parents and to civil authority, but not to the extent of disobeying the lord, him who has created and subjected to himself emperors and magistrates equally with the lowliest of men. but the gentlemen and lords at jerusalem, like those of our day, were unwilling to permit obedience to any but themselves. from such conditions arises the present dispute about ecclesiastical authority. to go counter to it in obeying god's command--this the ecclesiasts unjustly call disobedience and sedition. but such must be our course if we are to be loyal to our lord and theirs, whom they deny. 17. in the matter of salvation, caiaphas or pope, cæsar or king, avails naught; none avails but jesus christ. "him," says paul, "the rulers of jerusalem, the holy city, have killed. though ye were ordained by god and given authority, god no longer regards you, because ye reject christ. ye have become great blockheads, blind leaders, understanding not at all the scriptures. yet ye should and would teach others, just as moses and the prophets have pointed to this christ promised to you and to all the world for salvation and solace. persisting in your blindness, ye have brought him to the cross, though finding in him no cause for condemnation. surely, he did you no injury; he deprived you of naught, neither money, goods, honor nor power, but has brought you all good--even salvation--if ye will but receive him. but ye made yourselves the very ones who fulfilled the scriptures ye daily read--those who put christ to death and brought to pass the fact that he rose from the dead (though without thanks to you or to satan) and became a lord commanding the obedience of all creatures. "we shall no longer regard what ye, or all the world, have to say of our preaching christ; it is all the same to us whether you rage or smile. for we boast the lord, the son of god, made lord over all the fathers through his resurrection. it is his will that we preach of him, and that all men believe. since ye refuse him, your god-given privilege ceases, which, however, was granted only until the advent of the messiah. we must withdraw from you, renouncing your authority and priesthood, and jerusalem itself. we tell you plainly that we cannot and will not obey you in opposition to the will of the lord." 18. mark you, in order to make the jews christians, paul had to preach that christ was already come; that he was no longer to be looked for. he was obliged to bring home to them what they had done to christ, they the rulers and chief of those bearing the name of god's people and entrusted with the law and the order of divine worship--he was forced to do so that they might perceive their sin and quit their boast of having the true law and worship, having nothing whatever wherein to glory before god. for, though possessing the law of moses and having heard often enough the word of god, they would not recognize and receive the messiah sent by god in accordance with his promise, but condemned him and became his murderers. in view of this fact, what does their boast about being abraham's children, god's people, possessors of the prophets and the law and the priesthood, amount to? these privileges only magnify their sins, only make their guilt the more grievous, before god. not as blind, ignorant heathen, but as a people who have, and should know, the word of god, they wilfully put to death god's son. thus we have the first part of paul's sermon. the resurrection and faith. 19. the second part deals with the resurrection of christ and its power through faith. this is the goal paul has in view when he tells them that they have slain the christ, thus effecting their condemnation by god and forfeiting whatever glory they possessed as jews, gaining shame and wrath before god in its stead. to be still delivered from such condemnation, and to obtain justification and salvation, as he expresses himself toward the end, it is necessary to hear and believe the word concerning the selfsame christ. moreover, inasmuch as they with their leaders have refused to receive and recognize this messiah when he preached and wrought miracles in person; now, that he is invisible and absent in the body, they are called upon to receive him whom they themselves have crucified unto death, and to believe that he is risen from the dead as lord over all, according to the testimony of the apostles. the dreams of the past they are now utterly to forsake, and their expectations of a messiah still to come and elevate them with their law and manner of worship to fame, riches and position, and to spread abroad their moses and their priesthood in all the earth. they must now thank god for being placed on the same footing with the gentiles, in that they may come with them to the word of salvation for the purpose of obtaining god's favor, remission of sins and life eternal. old testament testimony. 20. paul supports his discourse on the resurrection of christ with many strong scripture texts. there is no doubt that he dwelt on these at length and preached quite a sermon, which, however, has not been recorded here in full, but only in part. the apostle's purpose was to point us to the old testament scriptures, that we might there make diligent study for ourselves of how forcibly the prophets have spoken concerning christ, his works and his kingdom. 21. the first text paul cites is from the second psalm, which treats throughout of the messiah and his reign, as even the jews at the time when wisdom still prevailed had to admit. christ's own words are: "i will tell of the decree: jehovah said unto me, thou art my son; this day have i begotten thee." paul says he is here quoting from the first psalm, though in all editions, old and new, this psalm comes second in order.[2] but the apostle does not have reference to the technical arrangement of the psalms in a book, but to the order of his quotations. the thought is: "first, i will prove it from the psalm," or, "first, as written in the psalm." just as the preacher of today says, "i observe, first," or, "it is written, first, in the psalm," whether the psalm be the first, second, twentieth or thirtieth, he not having reference to the order of the psalm but to the order in which he cites it. [footnote 2: since luther's time this discrepancy has been removed by allowing the change, "second psalm."] 22. but how does paul make this text prove the resurrection of christ? it is truly a strong statement, and no doubt the apostle fully explained it, amplifying it beautifully and well. the psalm refers to that messiah, or king, who shall reign in the jewish nation, among the people; for the writer says plainly, "i have set my king upon my holy hill of zion," or jerusalem. the king, then, must be true man like other men. indeed, the psalmist adds that the kings and rulers of earth shall rage and persecute him, which could not be unless he reigned upon earth. 23. but this verse also makes the king true god, for here god calls him his own son, begotten of himself in his divine, eternal essence and majesty. he is, then, not an adopted son, but the true son of god by birth. being man, however, just like others, he must, in accord with his human nature, die; indeed, he must suffer crucifixion and death at the hands of the lords of the world. but, again, if he be also the begotten son of god and therefore true god, he cannot, even according to his human nature, remain in death; he must come forth from it, must triumph over it, becoming lord of life and death forever. here is an indivisible being, at the same time a son of the virgin of the house of david and of god. such cannot remain in death. if he enter death, it must be to overcome and conquer it, yes, to slay it, to destroy it; and to bring to pass that in him as lord shall reign naught but life, life for all who receive him. this subject is elsewhere more fully expounded. 24. but the succeeding text cited on the resurrection--from isaiah 55, 3--reads yet more strangely: "i will give you the holy and sure blessings of david," which in the hebrew is: "i will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of david." the prophet has reference to the promise made to david in second samuel 7, concerning christ. in the preceding verses of the chapter, isaiah most tenderly entreats and invites the whole world to receive the promises of salvation, for thereby shall the poor, the wretched and the afflicted obtain the great treasures of joy and salvation. and immediately following the verse quoted, he speaks of the messiah, the promised seed of david, as given to the levites for a "witness"--in other words, a preacher sent by god--and for "a leader and commander to the peoples." the thought is of a king and ruler differing from moses and his priests and exponents of the law; a ruler differing from every other lord, ruler and king, from david and all worldly rulers whatever, subjecting everything to himself. not that this leader should set up a new temporal government, or extend jewish authority among the gentiles, but that both jews and gentiles should receive him and believe in him, obtaining the fulfilment of that promise he here terms a covenant of the sure mercies of david. this covenant, god says, he enters into and keeps, a divine, sure covenant: through christ shall be given whatever blessings god's mercy shall bestow, with remission or blotting out of sins, redemption from death and life eternal. 25. now, if the christ of this covenant is true man and, as the promise to david is, of david's flesh and blood; and if he is to bring eternal mercy, he must likewise be god, such gift being in the province and power of god alone. this being true, he cannot remain in death, although he may suffer death by reason of his human nature; he must of his own power rise from the dead. only so can he raise others and give them everlasting life; only so can he truly be called eternal king of grace, righteousness and life, according to the sure promise of god. 26. therefore, wherever the scriptures speak of christ's eternal kingdom, and of everlasting grace, they point out this article of the resurrection of christ. no doubt, the apostle in explanation of the text from the second psalm quoted other old testament passages; for instance. psalm 110, 1: "jehovah saith unto my lord, sit thou at my right hand, until i make thine enemies thy footstool"; also verse 4: "jehovah hath sworn, and will not repent: thou art a priest for ever." in these passages god has promised to give us christ, him who was to sit at his right hand--that is, have the omnipotent, divine power possible only to an eternal lord and king--and at the same time to have his kingdom on earth, at zion--or jerusalem; and who was, moreover, to be a priest forever, being taken from among men and like unto them, even in his ability to die, yet at the same time continuing a priest forever, thereby forestalling the necessity of remaining in death and grave. 27. the third passage cited by paul is taken from the sixteenth psalm, which is in reality one of the messianic psalms. this is the psalm peter in his first sermon on the day of pentecost more fully explains, drawing from it the irresistible conclusion, so apparent in his own words, that christ indeed has died; not, however, to become victim to decay in the tomb, but, proof against mortal destruction and hurt, to arise on the third day. _easter wednesday_ also suited to easter tuesday. text: colossians 3, 1-7. 1 if then ye were raised together with christ, seek the things that are above, where christ is, seated on the right hand of god. 2 set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth. 3 for ye died, and your life is hid with christ in god. 4 when christ, who is our life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory. 5 put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry; 6 for which things' sake cometh the wrath of god upon the sons of disobedience: 7 wherein ye also once walked, when ye lived in these things. exhortation to truly good works. 1. we have been hearing of the glorious message of christ's resurrection, how that resurrection took place and how we must believe, for our own blessing, comfort and salvation. now, that we may be sincerely thankful to god for this inestimable blessing, and that our attitude toward the doctrine of the resurrection may be one to truly honor and glorify it, we must hear also, and practice, the apostles' teaching of its essential fruits, and must manifest them in our lives. therefore, we will select paul's admonition to the colossians (ch. 3), which has to do with this topic particularly. observe here, paul exhorts christians to be incited by the resurrection of christ unto works truly good and becoming; the text declares unto us the supreme blessing and happiness the resurrection brings within our reach--remission of sins and salvation from eternal death. lest, however, our wanton, indolent nature deceive itself by imagining the work is instantaneously wrought in ourselves, and that simply to receive the message is to exhaust the blessing, paul always adds the injunction to examine our hearts to ascertain whether we rightly apprehend the resurrection truth. how we are risen with christ. 2. by no means are we simply to assent to the words of the doctrine. christ does not design that we be able merely to accept and speak intelligently of it, but that its influence be manifest in our lives. how is a dead man profited, however much life may be preached to him, if that preaching does not make him live? or of what use is it to preach righteousness to a sinner if he remain in sin? or to an erring, factious individual if he forsake not his error and his darkness? even so, it is not only useless but detrimental, even pernicious in effect, to listen to the glorious, comforting and saving doctrine of the resurrection if the heart has no experience of its truth; if it means naught but a sound in the ears, a transitory word upon the tongue, with no more effect upon the hearer than as if he had never heard. according to paul in the text, this nobly-wrought and precious resurrection of christ essentially must be, not an idle tale of fancy, futile as a dead hewn-stone or painted-paper image, but a powerful energy working in us a resurrection through faith--an experience he calls being risen with christ; in other words, it is dying unto sin, being snatched from the power of death and hell and having life and happiness in christ. in the second chapter (verse 12), the apostle puts it plainly, "buried with him in baptism, wherein ye were also raised with him through faith in the working of god, who raised him from the dead." 3. if, paul says, ye have apprehended by faith the resurrection of christ and have received its power and consolation, and so are risen with him, that resurrection will surely be manifest in you; you will feel its power, will be conscious of its working within. the doctrine will be something more than words; it will be truth and life. for them who do not thus apprehend the resurrection, christ is not yet risen, although his rising is none the less a fact; for there is not within them the power represented by the words "being risen with christ," the power which renders them truly dead and truly risen men. so paul's intent is to make us aware that before we can become christians, this power must operate within us; otherwise, though we may boast and fancy ourselves believing christians, it will not be true. the test is, are we risen in christ--is his resurrection effective in us? is it merely a doctrine of words, or one of life and operating power? 4. now, what is the process of the life and death mentioned? how can we be dead and at the same time risen? if we are christians we must have suffered death; yet the very fact that we are christians implies that we live. how is this paradox to be explained? indeed, certain false teachers of the apostles' time understood and explained the words in a narrow sense making them mean that the resurrection of the dead is a thing of the past according to paul's words in second timothy 1, 10, and that there is no future resurrection from temporal death. the believer in christ, they said, is already risen to life; in all christians the resurrection is accomplished in this earthly life. they sought to prove their position by paul's own words, thus assailing the article of the resurrection. 5. but we will ignore these teachers as being condemned by paul, and interpret the words as he meant them, his remarks both preceding and following making it clear and unquestionable that he refers to the spiritual resurrection. this fact is certain: if we are, at the last day, to rise bodily, in our flesh and blood, to eternal life, we must have had a previous spiritual resurrection here on earth. paul's words in romans 8, 11 are: "but if the spirit of him that raised up jesus from the dead dwelleth in you, he that raised up christ jesus from the dead shall give life also to your mortal bodies through his spirit that dwelleth in you." in other words: god having quickened, justified and saved you spiritually, he will not forget the body, the building or tabernacle of the living spirit; the spirit being in this life risen from sin and death, the tabernacle, or the corruptible flesh-and-blood garment, must also be raised; it must emerge from the dust of earth, since it is the dwelling-place of the saved and risen spirit, that the two may be reunited unto life eternal. 6. the apostle, then, is not in this text referring to the future resurrection of the body, but to the spiritual rising which entails the former. he regards as one fact the resurrection of the lord christ, who brought his body again from the grave and entered into life eternal, and the resurrection of ourselves, who, by virtue of his rising, shall likewise be raised: first, the soul, from a trivial and guilty life shall rise into a true, divine and happy existence; and second, from this sinful and mortal body shall rise out of the grave an immortal, glorious one. so paul terms believing christians both "dead" and "alive." they are spiritually dead in this life and also spiritually alive. nevertheless, this sinful temporal life must yet come to an end in physical death, for the destruction of the sin and death inherent therein, that body and spirit may live forever. therefore he says: "if then ye were raised together with christ, seek the things that are above, where christ is, seated on the right hand of god." 7. in other words: seek and strive after what is above--the things divine, heavenly and eternal; not the terrestrial, perishable, worldly. make manifest the fact that you are now spiritually raised and by the same power will later be raised bodily. 8. but does this mean that we, as christians, are no more to eat and drink, to till the ground, to attend to domestic or public duties, or to engage in any kind of labor? are we to live utterly idle, practically dead? is that what you mean, paul, when you say we are not to seek the things of earth, though all these are essentially incident to life? what can you say to the fact that christ the lord is, himself, with us on earth? for he said before his ascension to heaven (mt 28, 20): "lo, i am with you always, even unto the end of the world"; and also the baptism which he commands, the sacrament and the office of gospel ministry whereby he governs his church here--these are things of earth. 9. paul, however, explains in the succeeding verse what he means by "things that are upon the earth" and "things that are above." he is not telling us to despise earthly objects. he does not refer to god's created things, all which are good, as god himself considered them; nor has he reference to the christian who, in his earthly life, must deal with the things of creation. he has in mind the individual without knowledge of god; who knows no more, and aims no further, than reason teaches, that reason received from parents at physical birth; who is an unbeliever, ignorant of god and the future life and caring not for them; who follows only natural understanding and human desire and seeks merely personal benefit, honor, pride and pleasure. the apostle calls that a worldly life where the word of god is lacking, or at least is disregarded, and where the devil has rule, impelling to all vices. paul would say: ye must be dead to a worldly life of this sort, a life striven after by the heathen, who disregard god's word and suffer the devil to have his way with them. ye must prove the resurrection of christ in you to be something more than vain words. ye must show there is a living power manifest in you because ye are risen, a power which makes you lead a different life, one in obedience to the word and will of god, and called the divine, heavenly life. where this change does not take place, it is a sign ye are not yet christians but are deceiving yourselves with vain fancies. 10. under the phrase "things that are upon the earth"--worldly things--paul includes not only gross, outward vices, sins censurable in the eyes of the world, but also greater immoralities; everything, in fact, not in accordance with the pure word of god, faith and true christian character. spiritual and carnal worldliness. 11. in order to a better understanding of the text, we shall adopt paul's customary classification of life as spiritual and carnal. life on earth is characterized as of the spirit, or spiritual; and of the flesh, or carnal. but the spiritual life may be worldly. the worldly spiritual life is represented by the vices of false and self-devised doctrine wherein the soul lives without the word of god, in unbelief and in contempt of god; or, still worse, abuses the word of god and the name of christ in false doctrine, making them a cover and ornament for wicked fraud, using them falsely under a show of truth, under pretense of christian love. this is worldly conduct of the spiritual kind. it is always the worst, ever the most injurious, since it is not only personal sin, but deceives others into like transgression. paul refers, in the epistle lesson for easter, to this evil as the "old leaven" and the "leaven of wickedness." and in second corinthians 7, 1, he makes the same classification of spiritual and carnal sin, saying, "let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit." by defilement of the spirit he means those secret, subtle vices wherewith man pollutes and corrupts his inner life in the sight of god; his sins not being manifest to the world, but deceiving human reason and wisdom. 12. if we would be christians we must, first of all, be dead to conduct of this sort. we must not receive nor tolerate the worldly doctrine and corrupt inventions originating with ourselves, whether in the nature of reason, philosophy or law, theories ignoring the word of god or else falsely passing under its name. for such are wholly of the world; under their influence man has no regard to god's will and seeks not his kingdom and eternal life. they are meant merely to further the individual's own honor, pride, renown, wisdom, holiness or something else. though boast is made of the gospel and of faith in christ, yet it is not serious, and the individual continues without power and without fruit. 13. if we are risen with christ through faith, we must set our affections upon things not earthly, corruptible, perishable, but upon things above--the heavenly, divine, eternal; in other words, upon doctrine right, pure and true, and whatever is pleasing to god, that his honor and christ's kingdom may be preserved. thus shall we guard ourselves against abuse of god's name, against false worship and false trust and that presumption of self-holiness which pollutes and defrauds the spirit. 14. under carnal worldliness paul includes the gross vices, enumerating in particular here, fornication, uncleanness, covetousness, and so on, things which reason knows to be wicked and condemns as such. the spiritual sins take reason captive and deceive it, leaving it powerless to guard against them. they are termed spiritual sins not simply because of their spirit-polluting character, for all vices pollute the spirit, the carnal vices among them; but because they are too subtle for flesh and blood to discern. the sins of the flesh, however, are called carnal, or body-polluting, because committed by the body, in its members. now, as we are to be dead unto spiritual sins, so are we to be dead unto carnal sins, or at least to make continual progress toward that end, striving ever to turn away from all such earthly things and to look toward the heavenly and divine. he who continues to seek carnal things and to be occupied with them, has not as yet with christ died unto the world. not having died, he is not risen; the resurrection of christ effects nothing in him. christ is dead unto him and he unto christ. 15. paul's admonition is particularly necessary at the present time. we see a large and constantly-increasing number who, despite their boast of the gospel and their certain knowledge of the polluting and condemning power of spiritual and carnal sins, continue in their evil course, forgetful of god's wrath, or endeavoring to trust in false security. indeed, it is a very common thing for men to do just as they please and yet pretend innocence and seek to avoid censure. some would represent themselves guileless as lambs and blameless; no act of theirs may be regarded evil or even wrong. they pretend great virtue and christian love. yet they carry on their insidious, malicious frauds, imposing falsehoods upon men. they ingeniously contrive to make their conduct appear good, imagining that to pass as faultless before men and to escape public censure means to deceive god also. but they will learn how god looks upon the matter. paul tells us (gal 6, 7) god will not, like men, be mocked. to conceal and palliate will not avail. nothing will answer but dying to vice and then striving after what is virtuous, divine and becoming the christian character. 16. paul enumerates some gross and unpardonable vices--fornication, or unchastity, and covetousness. he speaks also of these in ephesians 5, 3-5 and in first thessalonians 4, 3-7, as we have heard in the epistle lessons for the second and third sundays in lent. he enjoins christians to guard against these sins, to be utterly dead to them. for they are sensual, acknowledged such even among the gentiles; while we strive after the perfect purity becoming souls who belong to christ and in heaven. it is incumbent upon the christian to preserve his body modest, and holy or chaste; to refrain from polluting himself by fornication and other unchastity, after the manner of the world. 17. similarly does the apostle forbid covetousness, to which he gives the infamous name of idolatry in the effort to make it more hideous in the christian's eyes, to induce him to shun it as an abominable vice intensely hated of god. it is a vice calculated to turn a man wholly from faith and from divine worship, until he regards not, nor seeks after, god and his word and heavenly treasures, but follows only after the treasures of earth and seeks a god that will give him enough of earthly good. 18. much might be said on this topic were we to consider it relative to all orders and trades in succession. for plainly the world, particularly in our day, is completely submerged in the vice of covetousness. it is impossible to enumerate the subtle arts it can invent, and the good and beautiful things it knows how to pass off whereunder it masks itself as a thing not to be considered sinful, but rather extremely virtuous and indicative of uprightness. and so idolatry ever does. while before god it is the worst abomination, before the world its appearance and reputation are superior. so far from being recognized as sin, it is considered supreme holiness and divine worship. the very worship of mammon wears an imposing mask. it must not be called covetousness or dishonest striving after property, but must be known as upright, legitimate endeavor to obtain a livelihood, a seeking to acquire property honestly. it ingeniously clothes itself with the word of god, saying god commands man to seek his bread by labor, by his own exertions, and that every man is bound to provide for his own household. no civil government, no, nor a preacher even, can censure covetousness under that guise unless it be betrayed in gross robbing and stealing. 19. let every man know that his covetousness will be laid to the charge of his own conscience, that he will have to answer for it, for god will not be deceived. it is evident the vice is gaining ground. with its false appearance and ostentation, and its world-wide prevalence, it is commonly accepted as legal. without censure or restraint, men are engrossed in coveting and accumulating to the utmost. those having position and power think they have the right to acquire by violence as much as they can, daily making assessments and imposts, and new oppressions and impositions upon the poor. and the common rabble seek gain by raising prices, by extortion, fraud, and so on. yet all desire not to be charged with wrong-doing; they would not they should be called unchristian on account of their conduct. indeed, such excess of covetousness obtains that the public robbing and stealing, and the faithlessness and fraud, of the meanest hirelings, servants and maids everywhere can no longer be restrained. 20. but who would care to recount the full extent of this vice in all dealings and interests of the world between man and man? enough has been said to induce every one who aims to be a christian to examine his own heart and, if he find himself guilty of such vice, to refrain; if not, to know how to guard against it. every individual can readily perceive for himself what is consistent with christian character in this respect, what can be allowed with a good conscience; for he has christ's rule of dealing as we would be dealt with, which insures equality and justice. where unfairness exists, covetousness must obtain to some extent. 21. if you will not desist from the vice of covetousness, then know you are not a christian, not a believer, but, as paul calls you, a base, detestable idolater, having no part in god's kingdom; for you are living wholly to the world and without intent to rise with christ. you will receive no blessing from the joy-inspiring and gracious revelation that christ died and rose for sinners. you cannot say, "therefore he died for me, i trust." truly, christ died for you, but if you continue in your wickedness, using this revelation as a cloak for your mean covetousness, do not--such is the declaration of the text--by any means apply that comforting promise to yourself. although christ indeed died and rose for all, yet unto you he is not risen; you have not apprehended his resurrection by faith. you have seen the smoke but have not felt the fire; you have heard the words but have received nothing of their power. the new life in christ. 22. if you would be able honestly to boast of this revelation as unto you, if you would have the comfort of knowing that christ, through his death and resurrection, has blessed you, you must not continue in your old sinful life, but put on a new character. for christ died and rose for the very purpose of effecting your eventual death with him and your participation in his resurrection: in other words, he died that you might be made a new man, beginning even now, a man like unto himself in heaven, a man having no covetous desire or ambition for advantage over a neighbor, a man satisfied with what god grants him as the result of his labor, and kind and beneficent to the needy. 23. in his desire to arouse christians to the necessity of guarding against such vices as he mentions, paul strengthens his admonition, in conclusion, by grave threats and visions of divine wrath, saying, "for which things' sake cometh the wrath of god upon the sons of disobedience"; that is, upon the unbelieving world, which regards not the word of god, does not fear or believe in it nor strive to obey it, and yet is unwilling to be charged with idolatry and other unchristian principles, desiring rather to be considered righteous and god's own people. in the last quoted clause paul also implies that worldly conduct, the life of worldly lusts such as covetousness and other vices, is inconsistent and impossible with faith, and that the power of christ's resurrection cannot reach it. for this reason he terms them "sons of disobedience," who have not faith and who, by their unchristian conduct, bring god's wrath upon themselves and are cast out from the kingdom of god. god seriously passes sentence against such conduct, declaring he will reveal his wrath against it in bodily punishment in this world and eternal punishment in the world hereafter. elsewhere paul says practically the same thing (eph 5, 6): "for because of these things cometh the wrath of god upon the sons of disobedience." see also rom 1, 18. 24. such is the admonition of paul unto all who would be called christians. he reminds them whereunto the gospel of christ calls them and what his resurrection should work in them--death to all life and doctrine not in harmony with god's word and god's will--and that if they believe in the risen and living christ, they, as risen with him, should seek after the same heavenly life where he sits at the right hand of god, a life where is no sin nor worldly error, but eternal life and imperishable treasures to be possessed and enjoyed with christ forever. 25. but the revelation of christ's resurrection can be apprehended by nothing but faith. the things paul here tells us of life and glory for christians in the risen christ are not apparent to the world; in fact, christians themselves do not perceive them by external sense. notice, he says, "ye died, and your life is hid with christ in god." the world does not understand the christian life and has no word of praise for it; it is hostile to the faith and cannot tolerate the fact that you believe in christ and refuse to join hands with it in love for worldly lusts. a hidden life indeed is the christian's; not only hidden to the world, but, so far as external perception goes, to the christian himself. nevertheless, it is a life sure and in safe keeping, and in the hereafter its glory shall be manifest to all the world. for paul says: "when christ, who is our life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory." 26. here is comfort for christians in this earthly life where, though they receive the doctrine of christ and apprehend him by faith, their resurrection seems to the world and to their own perceptions untrue; where they must contend with sin and infirmities and moreover are subject to much affliction and adversity; and where consequently they are extremely sensible of death and terror when they would experience joy and life. in this verse paul comforts them, showing them where to seek and surely apprehend their life. 27. be of good cheer, he would say, for ye are dead to the worldly life. this life ye must renounce, but in so doing ye make a precious exchange. dying unto the world is a blessed experience, for which ye will obtain a life far more glorious. ye are now, through christ's death, redeemed from sin and from death eternal and are made imperishable. upon you is conferred everlasting glory. but this risen life ye cannot yet perceive in yourselves; ye have it in christ, through faith. christ is spoken of as "our life." though the life is still unrevealed to you, it is certain, insured to you beyond the power of any to deprive you of it. by faith in christ's life, then, are ye to be preserved and to obtain victory over the terrors and torments of sin, death and the devil, until that life shall be revealed in you and made manifest to men. in christ ye surely possess eternal life. nothing is lacking to a perfect realization except that the veil whereby it is hidden so long as we are in mortal flesh and blood, is yet to be removed. then will eternal life be revealed. then all worldly, terrestrial things, all sin and death, will be abolished. in every christian shall be manifest only glory. christians, then, believing in christ, and knowing him risen, should comfort themselves with the expectation of living with him in eternal glory; the inevitable condition is that they have first, in the world, died with him. 28. paul does not forget to recognize the earthly environment of christians and saints, for he says: "put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth." though acknowledging christians dead with christ unto worldly things and possessing life in christ, he yet tells them to mortify their members on earth, and enumerates the sins of fornication, covetousness, etc. this is truly a strange idea, that it should be necessary for men who have died and risen with christ and hence have been made really holy, to mortify worldly inclinations in their bodily members. the apostle refers to this subject in romans 7: 5, 8, 23, and elsewhere, frequently explaining how, in the saints, there continue to remain various lusts of original sin, which constantly rise in the effort to break out, even gross external vices. these have to be resisted. they are strong enough utterly to enslave a man, to subject him to the deepest guilt, as paul complains (rom 7, 23); and they will surely do it unless the individual, by faith and the aid of the holy spirit, oppose and conquer them. 29. therefore, saints must, by a vigorous and unceasing warfare, subdue their sinful lusts if they would not lose god's grace and their faith. paul says in romans 8, 13: "if ye live after the flesh, ye must die; but if by the spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live." in order, then, to retain the spirit and the incipient divine life, the christian must contend against himself. this cannot be accomplished by the monastic hypocrisies wherewith some expect to resist sin. for the pollution of sin is not merely something adhering to the clothing, or to the skin externally, and easily washed off. it is not something to be discharged from the body by fasting and castigation. no, it penetrates the flesh and blood and is diffused through the whole man. positive mortification is necessary or it will destroy one. and this is how to mortify sin: it must be perceived with serious displeasure and repented of; and through faith christ's forgiveness must be sought and found. thus shall sinful inclinations be resisted, defeated and restrained from triumphing over you. more has been said on this topic elsewhere. _sunday after easter_ text: first john 5, 4-12. 4 for whatsoever is begotten of god overcometh the world: and this is the victory that hath overcome the world, even our faith. 5 and who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that jesus is the son of god? 6 this is he that came by water and blood, even jesus christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. 7 and it is the spirit that beareth witness, because the spirit is the truth. 8 for there are three who bear witness, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and the three agree in one. 9 if we receive the witness of men, the witness of god is greater: for the witness of god is this, that he hath borne witness concerning his son. 10 he that believeth on the son of god hath the witness in him: he that believeth not god hath made him a liar; because he hath not believed in the witness that god hath borne concerning his son. 11 and the witness is this, that god gave unto us eternal life, and this life is in his son. 12 he that hath the son hath the life; he that hath not the son of god hath not the life. victorious faith. 1. this epistle selection was primarily arranged for this particular sunday because it treats of baptism and of the new birth of the believing christian. it was in former time customary in the church to baptize immediately after easter those who had accepted the christian faith and had been instructed in its precepts. this day is also called "dominicam in albis," and by us germans "weiszer sonntag" (white sunday), because the candidates for baptism were clad in white linen as indicative of their cleansing and new birth; just as today children to be baptized are arrayed in a white christening-robe. the new birth. 2. while this lesson does not treat of the resurrection of christ, it has reference to its fruits: faith, the very essence of christianity, here expressed as being born of god; and the evidence of the holy spirit, received through baptism, which assures us we are children of god and have, through christ, eternal life and all blessings. 3. though john's language is, as usual, plain and simple, yet, in the ears of men generally, it is unusual and unintelligible. the world estimates it as similar to the prattle of children or fools. what, according to the world's construction, is implied by the statement, "whatsoever is begotten [born] of god overcometh the world?" overcoming the world, the unconverted would understand to mean bringing into subjection to oneself every earthly thing and assuming the position of sovereign of the world. yet more absurd in the ears of this class is the saying that we must be born of god. "did one ever hear of such a thing," they might exclaim, "as children born of god? it would be less ridiculous to say we must be born of stones, after the idea of the heathen poets." to the world there is no birth but physical birth. hence such doctrine as our lesson sets forth will ever be strange, unintelligible, incomprehensible, to all but christians. but the latter speak with new tongues, as christ in the last chapter of mark (verse 17) says they shall, for they are taught and enlightened by the holy spirit. 4. clearly, then, when the scriptures speak of being born of god, it is not in a human sense; the reference is not to the conditions of our temporal lives, but to those exalted ones of a future existence. to say we must be born of god is equivalent to saying that if man is to be redeemed from sin and eternal death, to enter into the kingdom of god and into happiness, his physical birth will not suffice; all which nature, reason, free-will and human endeavor may afford is inadequate. physical birth, it is true, answers for everything in the way of temporal possession and achievement, everything great, powerful, noble, rich, wise, learned; in short, every exalted and desirable thing of earth. but all such possession and achievement serves only the physical existence; it is swept away by death, to which event it is ever subject. hence becomes necessary a new and different birth, a birth more significant than that of the natural man even in the case of emperors, kings, or the wisest and most influential of earth. for as isaiah says (ch. 40, 6): "all flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field. the grass withereth, the flower fadeth." the demand is for a divine birth, a birth in which parentage is wholly of god; a birth signifying the operation of god's divine power in man, a power achieving something beyond the attainment of his natural capacities and effecting in him new understanding and a new heart. 5. the process is this: when the individual hears the gospel message of christ--a message revealed and proclaimed not by the wisdom and will of man, but through the holy spirit--and sincerely believes it, he is justly recognized as conceived and born of god. john in his gospel (ch. 1, 12) says: "as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of god, even to them that believe on his name." and in the first verse of the chapter including our text, he tells us: "whosoever believeth that jesus is the christ is begotten of god." through that faith, for the sake of his son, god accepts us as his children, pleasing to him and heirs of eternal life; and the holy spirit will be sent into our hearts, as is explained later. 6. this doctrine condemns those arrogant teachers who presumptuously expect to be justified before god by their own merits and works. they imagine that their wisdom, learning, good judgment, intelligence, fair reputation and morality entitle them, because of the good they are thus enabled to do, to the favor of god and to reception up into heaven. but the scriptures clearly teach the very reverse, that all these things are nothing in the eyes of god. it is sheer human effort; it is not being born of god. however wise and powerful you might be, if even the noblest, most beautiful, fruit human nature can produce, you could not see the kingdom of god unless you became a wholly different person, unless you were born anew, according to christ's words in john 3, 3. and this is something impossible to your natural powers. you certainly cannot make yourself of other parentage than you are. god must begin the work in you, communicating his seed--his word--by virtue of which the holy spirit operates in you, enabling you, by faith, to cling to the promise, as said before. 7. now, he who is thus born of god, john declares, overcomes the world. verily, this is a significant and forcible assertion the holy spirit makes; it represents a tremendous power, a great work. the child of god must, indeed, attempt and accomplish great things. the birth effected through the word and faith makes men true sovereigns, above all earthly rulers; it gives them power even to overcome the world, something impossible to any roman or turkish potentate. they effect not their victory by physical force or temporal power, but by the spiritual birth, through faith. as john says immediately after the clause we are discussing, "this is the victory that hath overcome the world, even our faith." here is his own explanation of what he means by being born of god. the two kingdoms. 8. now, in order to understand the nature of the spiritual victory and how it is effected, we must know just what john means by the term "world." the reference is not to dominion over territory, to property or money. he implies the existence of two kingdoms. in one, the kingdom of god, the heavenly kingdom of christ, is included, first, the angels in heaven, who are the chief lords, the inner circle of counselors; second, the entire christian church on earth, under one head, christ the lord and king. in the other kingdom, the hellish kingdom, the devil is prince, and his mighty counselors and servants are the angels who with him fell from heaven; it also includes the world, those on earth who teach, believe and live contrary to christ, who represent the heathen, the jews, the turks and false christians. by the heavenly kingdom of god we must understand, not only spiritual life and godly people, but the lord and regent of that kingdom--christ with his angels, and his saints both living and dead. thus, too, the kingdom of the world represents not only the earthly life with its worldly interests, but particularly its lord and regent--the devil and his angels, and all unchristian, godless, wicked people on earth. so, when john says, "whatsoever is begotten of god overcometh the world," he means by "world" the devil and his whole earthly dominion. 9. now, the workings of these two kingdoms are plainly evident, though the leaders--christ the lord, and the devil--are not visible to mortal eyes. christ rules direct and effectually, in his own power, through the word and through the holy spirit in the hearts of believers, maintaining them in the faith and in the knowledge of his word, and protecting from the devil's wrath and subtlety; further, he rules through his angels, who guard his followers; again, he rules through his people themselves, who exercise authority one over another in loving service, each teaching, instructing, comforting and admonishing a noble little band of godly, obedient, patient, chaste, kind, tractable, benevolent souls. the nature of the devil's kingdom, the manner of life the world leads, is easily apparent. this kingdom is simply a huge booth filled with faithless, shameless, wicked individuals, impelled by their god to every sort of disobedience, ingratitude and contempt of god and his word; to idolatry, false doctrine, persecution of christians and the practice of all wantonness, mischief, wickedness and vice. 10. these two kingdoms are opposed. they continually contend for the crown; they war with each other for supremacy. christians are brought into the conflict to hold the field against god's enemy, whose rule of the world is one of falsehood and murder; they must contend with the enemy's servants, his horde of factious spirits and basely wicked individuals, in an effort to restrain evil and promote good. christians must be equipped for the fray; they must know how to meet and successfully resist the enemy, how to carry the field unto victory, and hold it. faith the victor. 11. therefore, when john says, "whatsoever is begotten of god overcometh the world: and this is the victory that hath overcome the world, even our faith," his purpose is to admonish christians that believers must manifest the power and working of faith in life and deed. in fact, his chief aim in writing this text was to reprove false christians who are pleased to hear the doctrine that we are saved through christ alone, our works and merits not earning our salvation; and who imagine the hearing of this doctrine constitutes them christians and that there is no necessity for any effort or contention on their part. they forget that they must, through faith, become new persons fitted to overcome the world and the devil. 12. victory over the devil is the sign of the true christian. thereby we may know men are born of god, may distinguish them from the false children who enjoy but the semblance of god's word and never experience its power. such are mere "mondkinder" (moon-children)--still-born, destitute of real divine life, or divine power. it cannot be said we have been born of god when we continue in our old dead and worldly course, and as before lie and live in sin at the devil's pleasure. no, as children of god we must resist the devil and his entire kingdom. if, then, instead of overcoming the world you allow it to overcome you, then, boast as you may of faith and christ, your own conduct testifies that you are not a child of god. to illustrate, beginning with some of the lower and grosser sins: if you boast of being a child of god, but still live in fornication, adultery, and such vices, the devil has already overcome you and wrested you from the kingdom of god. if you are miserly, injuring your neighbor by usury, by overcharging, by false wares and fraudulent business, you have permitted the world and your own flesh to overcome you for a penny. if you entertain envy and hatred toward your neighbor, you are at once thereby a captive servant of the devil. the same principle holds in the case of sins more subtle and refined, where the malicious knavery of the devil must be resisted. for instance, the devil deceives with misleading doctrines, impelling men to idolatry, false faith, presumption, despair, blasphemy, and so on. now, if you yield to him, suffering yourself to be seduced, what will it profit you to boast of the gospel faith? for you have not properly grasped god's word, you have not rightly recognized god in christ, but continue in error, in false fancies, captivated and deceived by the devil. 13. it requires something more than mere human wisdom and skill, more than human power, to withstand and overcome an enemy so formidable as the devil. as said before, the christian must be fortified with the knowledge of how to guard against his wiles and deceptions and how to withstand him. hence a christian is called a person who is born of god. he must be different from an intelligent heathen and a skillful worldling to rightly understand god's word and apprehend christ through faith, and must use such knowledge as weapons of offense and defense in the conflict. thus will he be able to withstand the devil and the world and to gain the victory. god's word and faith are the power which will bring him through; he cannot be overcome so long as he adheres to them. in this connection are john's words immediately preceding our text: "this is the love of god, that we keep his commandments; and his commandments are not grievous." then he goes on, "for whatsoever is begotten of god overcometh the world," etc. such is the power represented by genuine new birth, that therein the devil, the world and all evil are overcome. just as, in physical birth, a normal child fully born into the world may overcome a slight offensive disease, while an abnormal or still-born child perishes of its own weakness. 14. for example, if i have faith and am born of god, i will not pollute myself with unchastity and fornication, i will not bring disgrace upon another's spouse or child. the new birth will indeed teach me not to reject shamefully the treasure i have in christ, not to lose it willingly, and not to drive from me the indwelling holy spirit. faith, if it truly dwells in me, will not permit me to do aught in violation of my conscience and of the word and the will of god. should i be tempted by avarice to deceive and defraud my neighbor, or to close my hand when i should give him aid, if i am a christian and born anew my faith will protest and turn me from such action. can i injure my neighbor or permit him to suffer want when i might contribute to his relief, if i am aware that christ has given his body and shed his blood for me? how can there enter into the heart of the christian who believes he has received ineffable and eternal treasures through the son of god, the inclination to permit his neighbor to suffer a trivial want when he can easily extend relief? much less would it be possible for the christian to injure or to do injustice to his neighbor for the sake of shamefully gaining some small advantage. rather he would reflect: "if i am, through christ, a child of god and an heir of heaven, the sum of this world's goods is far too insignificant to induce me, for the sake of a penny, to deceive or defraud anyone." then, too, if the devil tempt you by his tyrannical, factious spirits, or even by your own thoughts, to forsake your pure doctrine for his deceptions, you as a christian are to resist the temptation, remembering the blessings you have through faith received from christ in the gospel; you have been liberated from darkness, blindness and error; have learned rightly to know god; and have obtained the sure consolation of grace and salvation, being aware upon what you must depend in life and death. why, then, yield to the devil, allowing yourself to be robbed of salvation and eternal life? why not much rather let go every earthly thing than to deny the word of god or to permit this blessed consolation to be perverted, falsified and wrested from you? 15. so, then, john says, "this is the victory that hath overcome the world, even our faith." it is, indeed, saying very much for the christian faith to attribute to it such power over the devil and the world--a power transcending all human ability. it requires an agency greater and higher than human strength to triumph over the devil, especially in the perplexing conflicts of conscience, when he vexes and tortures the heart with terror of god's wrath in the attempt to drive us to despair. at such times all our works must immediately sink out of sight, leaving no help or victory except the faith that clings to the word of christ the lord, believing that, for the sake of his beloved son, god will be merciful and will not condemn us for our sins and unworthiness if we believe in him. such faith as this stands fast and gains the victory; neither the devil nor the gates of hell can prevail against it. 16. the same is true in all temptations. before we can resist and overcome, we must have faith to believe that through christ we have remission of sins and the favor of god; that god gives us help and strength to enable us to stand in the conflict and successfully resist the devil, the world, the flesh and death; that we obtain the victory by the divine power of the holy spirit, lacking whose help we all would be far too weak to win. without faith, we are under the power of the devil and sin, being subject to them by natural birth. we can be liberated in no other way than through faith in christ. 17. that john has reference to faith in christ is plainly evident from his query, "who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that jesus is the son of god?" the apostle's purpose therein is to make plain just what the true scriptural faith is and what it implies. for there are other beliefs which the world calls faith. the jews, the turks, the papists, claim they also believe in god who created heaven and earth. that such belief is not the true faith, however, is proved by the fact of its ineffectiveness. it does not contend and overcome, and it permits the believer to remain as he is, in his natural birth and under the power of the devil and sin. but the faith which believes jesus is the son of god is the true, triumphant sort. it is an invincible power wrought in the hearts of christians by the holy spirit. it is a sure knowledge, that does not gaze and vacillate hither and thither according to its own thoughts. it apprehends god in christ the son sent from heaven, through whom god reveals his will and his love and transfers us from sin to grace, from death to a new and eternal life; a refuge and trust that relies not upon its own merit or worthiness, but upon christ the son of god, and in his might and power battles against the world and the devil. therefore, the christian faith is not the cold, ineffective, empty, lifeless conception which papists and others imagine it to be; no, it is a living, active power, ever followed by victories and other appropriate fruits. where such fruits are lacking, faith and the new birth are not there. the source of faith. 18. thus we have the first part of our sermon on the new birth and faith. for the second part, john shows whence and by what means comes the faith productive of victory; he says: "this is he that came by water and blood, even jesus christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. and it is the spirit that beareth witness, because the spirit is the truth. for there are three who bear witness [in earth], the spirit, and the water, and the blood," etc. 19. john speaks of christ's kingdom, and of the office the holy spirit bears outwardly and visibly in the christian church, represented in the ministerial office and the sacraments. he says: "there are three who bear witness [in earth]." john, as usual, employs the word "witness" in connection with the thought of preaching; it is a word he frequently uses. for instance, in the beginning of his gospel, where he speaks of john the baptist, he says (ch. 1, 7): "the same came for a witness, that he might bear witness of the light." so, in his use of the phrase "witness" or "bearing witness," we are to understand simply the public preaching of god's word. again, christ says (john 16, 9-14), that the holy spirit shall bear witness of him; that is, he shall publicly fill the ministerial office. this is god's own witness to his son. and here john tells us we have the victory over the devil and the world, through faith, for the sake of christ the son of god. 20. this witness christ himself ordains shall ever go forth, and remain, in the church. to this end christ sent the holy spirit; to this end christ himself called and gave the holy spirit to the apostles and their successors, ministers, preachers and teachers, as paul tells us (eph 4, 11-13), who are to exercise the word, that the word may resound always and everywhere in the world, reaching to children's children, and on down to future generations. were the witness not in the church, the pulpit--in fact, the entire outward administration of the church--would be useless, for every man could read the scriptures for himself. but for the sake of the uninstructed masses and the constantly rising young who, as yet in ignorance of the word, need admonition--for the sake of these, the spirit must bear public witness or administer the preaching office that they, too, may learn to know the grace of god manifest and given to us through christ, and that god's wondrous works may be publicly recognized and extolled by us in opposition to the devil and the world. 21. wherever such witness is borne, there certainly will be some fruit. the witness never fails of effect. some surely will be reached; some will accept and believe it. since it is the witness of the holy spirit, and the apostle says here, the spirit beareth witness, he will be effective, producing in us that to which john refers when he says we are children of god, and have the victory and eternal life. so the word--or the gospel message accompanied by the witness of the spirit--and faith are vitally related. in the last analysis they are inseparable. without faith, preaching will be fruitless; and faith has origin in the word alone. therefore, we should gladly hear and handle the word. where it is, there is also the holy spirit; and where the spirit is, there must be at least some believers. even if you have already heard the word and obtained faith, it will always continue to strengthen you as you hear it. one knows not at what hour god may touch and illumine his or another's heart. it may be in a time when we least look for it, or in the individual of whom we have least expectation. for the spirit, as christ says, breathes where he will, and touches hearts when and where he knows them to be receptive. 22. it is relative to the power and energy wrought by the holy spirit that john speaks, indicating the source and means of the power of this witness, when he says of christ, "this is he that came by water and blood," etc. in this sentence is included all we possess in the kingdom of christ, and here is extolled the efficacy of our beloved baptism and the blood or sufferings of christ. here john unites all the elements in one bundle, so to speak, making a triune witness. they bear joint witness to our faith and confirm it--these three: the water, the blood and the spirit. baptism by water and blood. 23. christ comes, first, "by water"; that is, by holy baptism. he employs baptism as an outward sign of his work in the new birth of man and in man's sanctification. this water by which christ comes cannot be a mere, empty sign; for he comes not merely to cleanse or bathe the body with water, but to purify the whole man from all pollution and blemishes inherent in him from adam. christ has instituted a cleansing wholly unlike the mosaic ablutions under the old testament dispensation. moses came with various laws relating to washings and purifications, but they were only cleansings of the body or of the flesh and had daily to be repeated. now, since these ceremonials contributed nothing to man's purification in god's sight--a thing to be effected by nothing short of a new birth--christ came with a new order of cleansing, namely, baptism, which is not a mere external ablution from physical impurities, but a washing effective in man's purification from the inward pollution of his old sinful birth and from an evil conscience, and bringing remission of sin and a good conscience toward god, as peter says. 1 pet 3, 21. paul, also (tit 3, 5), calls baptism the "washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy spirit." 24. christ first instituted baptism through john the baptist. to distinguish it from the mosaic baptism, the old jewish rite of washings, christ styles it "a baptism unto repentance and the remission of sins." he designs that therein man shall perceive his inner impurities and know them to be, in god's sight, beyond the power of outward mosaic ablutions to reach; shall know also that purification of the conscience and remission of sins must be sought and obtained through the power of christ the lord, who instituted baptism. 25. secondly, that this cleansing of sin may be effected in us through baptism, something more than mere water must be present. mere water could effect no more than do ordinary washings, and no more than jewish and turkish baptisms and washings effect. there must be a power and force accompanying the water effective to work inward purification, the purification of the soul. therefore, john says, christ came, not by water alone, but also by blood; not the blood of bulls, or of calves, or of goats, those old testament sacrifices, but his own blood, as paul declares. heb 9, 12. he comes through the preaching office of the new testament, which is his rule upon earth, imparts to us the effective power of his shed blood, his sacrifice for our sins, and thus applies to us the treasure wherewith he purchased our redemption. 26. hence there is now in baptism this efficacy of the blood of christ. that is the true caustic soap which not only removes the uncleanness of the outer man, but penetrates to the inner nature, consuming its impurities and cleansing them away, that the heart may become pure in god's sight. thus, the blood of christ is so effectively mingled with the baptismal water that we must not regard it as mere water, but water beautifully dyed with the precious crimson blood of our dear saviour, christ. baptism, then, cannot rightly be regarded a physical cleansing, like the mosaic ablutions, or like the cleansing the bathhouse affords; it is a healing baptism, a baptism or washing with blood, instituted by none but christ, the son of god, and that through his own death. 27. in the record of christ's passion, careful note is made of the fact that blood and water flowed immediately from the spear-thrust in christ's side as he hung upon the cross; it is pointed out as a special miracle. the design there is to teach that christ's shed blood is not without significance, but stands for a washing or bath whose efficacy is present in the baptism with water; and that from the slain body of christ issues an unceasing stream of water and blood, flowing on down through the entire christian church, wherein we must all be cleansed from our sins. what makes baptism so precious, so holy and essential is the mingling and union of the water with the blood of christ; to be baptized into christ with water is really to be washed and cleansed with the blood of christ. the spirit. 28. to these two john adds a third witness, "the spirit." the spirit bears witness with the water and the blood; in fact, through these other two he operates. it is the holy spirit himself; not as he is invisible up in heaven in his divine essence, but the spirit who publicly manifests himself through his external office and permits himself to be heard through his word. as john here asserts, the spirit bears witness on earth with both the water and the blood. 29. neither moses nor any other teacher in his doctrines of personal effort and external purifications, his washings and his sprinklings of the blood of sheep and goats--no such teacher brings and gives the spirit. with them is no spirit, no divine power, no regeneration of man. any unbelieving, spiritless, wicked knave can exercise human effort and practice physical cleansing. but christ alone brings with him the power and presence of the holy spirit, who sanctifies us through the blood and water issuing from the divine side. the spirit makes us partakers of its cleansing influence through the external office of preaching and through the sacraments, which are called the office and gifts of the holy spirit. through these the spirit works in the christian church just as he did at first, among the apostles on the day of pentecost, and will continue to do in the whole world, unto the last day. without his ministration we would never obtain, nor know anything about, the saving power of christ's blood in baptism. 30. such is the kingdom christ unceasingly develops through the christian church. in him we have eternal purification when to the water is added the spirit, who through the word enkindles the heart and purifies it, not with the cleansing qualities of the water alone, but with the healing efficacy of the blood of christ, whereby sins are exterminated and god's wrath appeased. although the work of our redemption was wrought once for all in christ's blood shed upon the cross and is sufficient to cancel the sins of the entire world, yet christ so instituted it that the same efficacy should remain forever, and be daily distributed and offered to us through the holy spirit. 31. this work of the holy spirit is neither received nor perceived except through faith in this witness, the preached word of christ--when with the heart man grasps it and confidently believes it is fulfilled in himself as the word declares. thus is the heart really cleansed, the individual born anew, through the holy spirit present in the sacred cleansing of water and of the blood of christ. peter (1 pet 1, 2) speaks of the sanctification of christians as the "sprinkling of the blood of jesus christ" upon us by the holy spirit through the public preaching of the gospel. this sprinkling radically differs from the jewish sprinkling of water, or of the ashes of a red heifer, or of the blood of a dead lamb or goat, round about the altar and upon the applicants for purification. in the sanctification of christians, the true consecrated water and the sprinkled blood of christ are combined; that is, the message concerning the shed blood of our lord jesus christ is "sprinkled," so to speak, upon the soul, and wherever that word touches the soul it is effective. the blood in this case is not the ineffective, lifeless blood of a slain animal, but the potent, living blood of the son of god. under its application the soul cannot remain impure. christ's blood purifies and heals from sin and death; it strikes at their very foundation, and entirely releases us from their power and grants us eternal life for soul and body. 32. note, this text is a grand sermon on the witness christians have here on earth, which the apostle in concluding explains and extols in beautiful and comforting words. he calls it a witness that god himself bears to his son and that serves to assure us of being the children of god and possessors of eternal life. for he says: "and the witness is this, that god gave unto us eternal life," etc. this is indeed an excellent witness, which god himself witnesses and declares to you, and the holy spirit brings and reveals to you. god cannot lie nor deceive, he is the eternal, unchangeable truth, as already mentioned. if you believe this witness, you certainly have received and possess it, as john again says: "he that believeth on the son of god hath the witness in him." faith to be implicit. 33. the true, saving doctrine of the christian faith is this: there must be witness and confidence of heart so absolute as to leave no room for doubt that, through christ, we are god's children and have remission of sins and eternal life. by way of showing us how god earnestly enjoins such faith upon us and forbids us to have any doubts on the subject, john says, "he that believeth not god hath made him a liar; because he hath not believed in the witness that god hath borne concerning his son." 34. this passage annihilates the pernicious, damnable, diabolical doctrine of the papists, who shamelessly claim it is right to doubt and that a christian should doubt his title to grace. this doctrine is equivalent to teaching the propriety of disbelieving the testimony of god. it is charging god with falsehood, dishonoring and blaspheming the lord christ, openly affronting the holy spirit, knowingly plunging people into unpardonable sins and blasphemies and consequently sending them to the devil without hope or comfort of salvation. 35. such is the beautiful fruit of papistical doctrine; such is papistical holiness. this is what they who would be the christian church recommend to us. they would have us, with them, openly and fearlessly charge god with falsehood, trample his word under foot and worship the devil in his stead. further, they require us to praise and honor them and render them thanks, rejoicing to be offered their stipulated terms of friendship. at the same time they have not in a single instance repented of their abominable idolatry or acknowledged their error; rather they plume themselves on having in their purity taught no wrong. if we will not accede to their demands, we must be persecuted, put to death, exterminated everywhere in the world with fire and sword. but the devil and death may accede in our stead. let the godly christian desire and pray that god may hurl such accursed doctrine into the abyss of hell and punish as they deserve the impenitent blasphemers since they will not cease. and let all the people say, amen, amen. 36. note particularly the consolation of paul's concluding words. here he embraces in one clear word the whole substance of the gospel when he says: "he that hath the son hath the life; he that hath not the son of god hath not the life." how could he speak plainer and more forcibly? what is the need of further inquiry and investigation or discussion of this theme? do you wish to have assurance of eternal life? according to this verse, you have it truly if you possess christ the son of god; and you have christ when you believe this witness and preaching as john says, and you should confidently rely upon it in life and in death as the divine, eternal truth. but if you believe not, you have not life; and all effort and suffering on your part, yes, combined with the effort and suffering of the whole world, will profit you nothing. you have not the son of god if you do not believe god's witness of him but charge god with falsehood. _second sunday after easter_ text: first peter 2, 20-25. 20 for what glory is it, if, when ye sin, and are buffeted for it, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye shall take it patiently, this is acceptable with god. 21 for hereunto were ye called: because christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22 who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23 who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 24 who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed. 25 for ye were going astray like sheep; but are now returned unto the shepherd and bishop of your souls. patience under tribulation. 1. this epistle lesson is a beautiful selection from apostolic teaching. doubtless it was intentionally arranged for this sunday; for peter's concluding words, "for ye were going astray like sheep; but are now returned unto the shepherd and bishop of your souls," accord with the gospel selection about the good shepherd. yet it might also properly serve in part for the text of a sermon on the passion of christ; for the sufferings of christ are here presented as an example unto us. in the preceding part of the chapter, peter taught the christians how, having obtained faith, they are to exhibit its fruits--good works in the various stations of life. particularly does he admonish them to manifest the fruit of patience under crosses and afflictions. 2. when the individual accepts christ and begins to profess his faith in word and life, invariably--it cannot be otherwise--the world, that eternal enemy of christ and faithfully-obedient servant of the devil, will be dissatisfied. the world regards it contemptible, disgraceful, to live any life but one pleasing to itself, to do and speak aught but as it desires. its rage is excited toward the christian and it proceeds to persecute, to torture, even to murder him when possible. we often hear the wiseacre scoffers say that christ could have enjoyed peace had he desired to. the same may be said of christians; they could have peace and pleasure if they would but take advice and conform to the world. 3. what are we to do? it is a fact that to maintain and obey the truth is to stir up wrath and hatred. even the heathen assert as much. but the fault lies not with the advocate of truth but with its rejecters. is the truth not to be preached at all? must we be silent and permit all mankind to go direct to hell? who could or would heap upon himself the guilt of such negligence? the godly christian, who looks for eternal life after the present one and who aims to help others to attain unto the same happy goal, assuredly must act the part he professes, must assert his belief and show the world how it travels the broad road to hell and eternal death. and to do so is to antagonize the world and incur the displeasure of the devil. 4. now, since there is no escaping the fact that he who would confess christ and make the world better must, in return for his service and benefactions, heap upon himself the enmity of the devil and his adherents, as peter says--since this is the case, we must remember that it is incumbent upon us to have patience when the world manifests its bitterest, most hateful enmity toward our doctrine and toward our very lives, when it reviles and slanders and persecutes us to the utmost for our principles. peter here admonishes and persuades christians unto patience under these circumstances, and at the same time seeks to comfort them with tender and impressive words. 5. first, peter reminds the believers of their calling--of their reason and purpose in embracing christianity. he says, in effect: "remember, belief in christ necessitates confession of him, and the entire christian church is numbered in the holy, divine calling that stands for the praise of god and the promotion of his kingdom." an essential feature of this calling is the suffering of evil in return for good. it seems inevitable that christians be condemned in the eyes of the world and incur its highest displeasures; that they be destined to take up the gauntlet against the devil and the world. it is said (ps 44, 22): "for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter," or for the sacrifice. sacrificial sheep were kept in an enclosure, not permitted to go to pasture with the others. they were not kept for breeding, but to be daily, one after another, slaughtered. 6. paul would say: "what will you do, beloved christians? will you live in the world and not encounter any persecution because of your good deeds? will you rage at the wickedness of the world, and in your rage become wicked yourself and commit evil? understand, you are called to suffer persecutions; they are a consequence of your baptism, your christianity. for these you renounced the devil and professed christ. you are baptized unto the suffering of every sort of misfortune, unto the enduring of the world and the devil." you cannot escape the smoke when compelled to live in the inn where the devil is host and the whole house is filled with it. again, if you would have fire, you must have smoke as a consequence; if you would be a christian and a child of god, you must endure the resultant evils that befall you. 7. in short, the christian, because he is a christian, is subjected to the holy and precious cross. he must suffer at the hands of men and of the devil, who plague and provoke him; outwardly with misery, persecution, poverty and illness, or inwardly--in heart--with their poisonous darts. the cross is the christian's sign and watchword in his holy, precious, noble and happy calling unto eternal life. to such a calling must we render full dues and regard as good whatever it brings. and why should we complain? do not even wicked knaves and opposers of christians often suffer at the hands of one another what they are not pleased to endure? and every man must frequently suffer injuries and misfortunes relative to body, property, wife and children. 8. then, if you would be a christian and live justly in your calling, be not so terribly alarmed, so filled with hostile rage, so extremely impatient, at the torments of the world and the devil. if you are unwilling to suffer and to be reviled and slandered, if you prefer honor and ease, then deny christ and embrace the delights of the world and the devil. you will not, even then, be wholly free from suffering and sorrow, though it will be your prerogative not to suffer as a christian and for the sake of christ. at the same time, you will discover that even though you enjoy only pleasure on earth, it will be but for a brief time and ultimately you will find the bitter end of the pleasure sought. christ our pattern. 9. in the second place, by way of rendering more impressive his admonition, peter holds up the example of our real master, our leader and lord, christ, who endured persecutions similar to ours, and himself suffered more than any. the apostle refers to him in a truly scriptural way--as of a twin or dual character. he presents him not as an example of a saint in the ordinary sense, but as the real shepherd and bishop of our souls, who suffered for us, making sacrifice for our sins in his own body on the cross. in this capacity, he is our treasure, comfort and salvation. 10. the apostle beautifully and strikingly points out the sublime perfections of our pattern, in his suffering, by way of gently urging us to patience. he presents the chief points of christ's endurance, examples of real patience; all our sufferings, when compared with those of christ, are cast into the shade. "the passion of christ," peter would say, "the suffering of the lord, is a surpassing, a preëminent and sublimely glorious thing, transcending every other instance of suffering; first, because it was for an example to us; second, because he suffered to save us; third, because he suffered innocently in all respects, never having committed any sin." in these three points we must leave to him alone the distinction, humbling ourselves before them; even had we suffered death in its every form, we must cry that all our suffering is nothing in comparison with his. even if we could attain to the sublimest, the supreme, the most glorious degree of suffering, it would be but walking in his footprints, following his example; it would be but to fall far short of his suffering. he would stand preëminent--the master. he would maintain immeasurable superiority and we would still be left to follow as best we could. the extent of his agony, the intensity and bitterness of his sufferings, no one on earth can comprehend. and if it be beyond our comprehension, how much more is it beyond our power to imitate or experience. we may thank god we have it before us for an example to behold and follow. true, we fall far short of perfect following, but we may approach it in proportion to our sufferings, faith and patience; for one may exceed another in these things. christ is an example, peter says, for all saints; not for a certain few. contrasted with christ, all saints must with downcast eyes confess: "intense, bitter, grievous as our sufferings truly are, when the sufferings of christ our lord are mentioned we will willingly keep silent; for no human example of suffering will compare with that of christ." 11. now, this one fact, that one so exalted as christ himself, the only and eternal son of god, has trod the path of suffering before us, enduring unlimited distress, agony transcending the power of humanity to experience--this alone should be enough to admonish and urge anyone to patiently endure affliction. why, then, should we disciples, we who are so insignificant and inexperienced in comparison with our master--why should we be at all troubled at any suffering for his sake? especially when all he asks of us is to follow him, to learn of him and to remain his disciples. here, mark you, is the example set before the entire christian church, the pattern she is to follow to the extent of at least walking in christ's steps, at the same time, however, remembering that her most intense sufferings are naught in comparison to a single drop of his shed blood, as we shall hear later. 12. again, this example assumes its ineffable and inimitable character from the fact that christ suffered not for himself, nor yet merely as an example, but in our stead. this act, to say the least, transcends all human ability. no saint can boast of equaling this example, can say he suffered for another as christ suffered for our sins. no, here all boasting is summarily disposed of. in respect to atonement, christ left us no example, for none can imitate him in that. he stands alone there. he alone was called to suffer for all men; for those individuals now called and holy, and for the still uncalled and sinners. 13. the atonement is the chief, the most exalted, article of the christian doctrine. faith alone apprehends it as the highest good, the greatest blessing, of our salvation, and recognizes that we cannot, by our works or our sufferings, do or merit anything in atoning for sin. the manner in which this subject is scripturally presented prohibits us from adding to it anything of human origin. but so the accursed popedom has done in the teachings of its pillars and supporters the monks, who regard the sufferings of christ as merely an example to us. they pervert and render immaterial the fact that he suffered for us; they place the entire responsibility upon ourselves, as if we, by our own works or our suffering are to make satisfaction for our sins, to appease god's wrath and to merit grace. this is a doctrine not found in the word of god, but is of their own trivial, self-selected, self-devised and false human teachings. 14. they have carried their untruthful, worthless inventions to the extent of claiming for the saints not only sufficient acquired merit for their own salvation, but a large accumulated surplus available for others, which they have bequeathed to the pope, thus furnishing him with an abundant treasury. the pope, through indulgences, is to distribute this excess, these superfluous merits, as he feels disposed, at the same time dipping out for himself and his shorn fat swine the riches of the world; indeed, the ecclesiasts distribute their own merits and works. this is the refined monastic chastity, poverty and rigid obedience of the orders--nothing but shameless falsehood and scandalous vice, practiced under that covering, both privately and publicly, with the exception of a few who were sincere in their desire to be monks, of whom i was one. these falsehoods the orders readily sold to the laity on deathbeds and under other circumstances. indeed, wretched mortals who had incurred a death penalty and were about to be publicly executed, they referred not to christ for comfort, but counseled patience in their own well-deserved suffering and death; as if god would accept their pain as atonement for their sins if only they suffered patiently. purchasing of merit was the ecclesiasts' chief doctrine, their strongest point. they fearlessly proclaimed it in public, and through its influence erected numerous churches and cloisters and satiated the avarice and cupidity of the pope. and i too, alas, was one of these knaves until god delivered me. and now, god be praised, i am execrated and condemned by the hellish seat of the roman dragon with its scales because i assailed this papal doctrine and would not justify it. 15. oh, the shameful abomination, that in the temple of god and in the christian church must be taught and received things which make wholly insignificant the sufferings and death of christ! gracious god! what can be said for human merit--for superfluity of human merit--when not one saint on earth has, with all his pains, suffered enough to cancel his own obligations; much less to be entitled to the honor of making his sufferings avail anything before god's judgment-seat, by way of remuneration or satisfaction for the mortal sins of others in the face of divine wrath? note, peter says christ left us an example that we should follow his steps; which is but concluding that no saint ever wrought or suffered enough to warrant the claim: "i have accomplished the measure--reached the limit; christ is no more an example and pattern for me." no; the saint ought to be ashamed to boast of his sufferings in comparison to those of christ, and ought to rejoice in the privilege of being partaker of the divine pain, of sharing it so far as he can, and thus be found in the footsteps of christ. 16. the theme of christ's passion, then, must far outrank every other. his sufferings are like pure and precious gold, compared to which ours are as nothing. no one but christ has suffered for the sins of another. no man has ever paid the price of his own sins, great or small. even if man's suffering could avail aught for sin, the individual could not go beyond expiating his own sins. but christ had no need at all to suffer for himself; for, as follows in the text, he had committed no sin. he suffered to leave us an example, but yet also to bring to man the great blessing of being able to say, "my sins and the sins of the whole world were atoned for upon the cross, blotted out, through christ's death." peter, mary, john the baptist, and every soul born of woman must include himself or herself in this statement, "christ also suffered for you." 17. in the third place, christ stands preëminent, above all others, in the affirmation of peter, quoted from isaiah 53, 9: "who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth." 18. you may draw your own conclusions as to the eminence of such a one; for certainly there is to be found no other human being who has not at some time sinned in word or deed. "if any man stumbleth not in word, the same is a perfect man," says james 3, 2. but where is this perfect man, and what is his name? it is this christ, he alone of all, james should have added. for peter excludes all other individuals, in one class, saying, "ye were going astray like sheep." and later on (ch. 3, 18) he tells us plainly, "christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous." this statement leaves no man innocent of sin, either in word or deed; and in word and deed is included man's whole life. speech and action are associated in various scripture references; as in psalm 34, 13-14: "keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. depart from evil, and do good." but in speech is the greatest liability to error. in teaching, counseling, admonishing, consoling and censuring, and in confessing the truth, no one indeed will be found so perfect in his utterances as never to commit a blunder. 19. but christ is the one perfect example in this respect. it is impossible for saints to attain to his faultlessness. surely no man--unless he desires to be a liar and a true disciple of the devil instead of a child of god and a faithful christian--will be presumptuous enough to put himself on an equality with christ, will dare boast himself without sin in word and act. christ alone has suffered, the righteous for the unrighteous; that prerogative can honorably and truthfully be ascribed only to christ the lord, and is his perpetually. no man is just and innocent in word and act. all must confess their sufferings, of whatever nature, to be the result of their own sins, and well deserved chastisement. for the fact of having escaped the eternal wrath, condemnation and punishment of god, they must thank this just one alone, he who, being himself blameless, voluntarily suffered to make satisfaction for the unrighteous, and appeased god's wrath. the sufferings of all saints, then, must be rated far below those of christ the lord. the saints must clothe and adorn themselves with his innocence, and with the entire christian church pray, "forgive us our trespasses"; and they must confess the article, "i believe in the forgiveness of sins." 20. now, let us sum up the three arguments peter uses in admonishing christians to patience in suffering. first: he says, "hereunto were ye called." though you do have to suffer much and severely, you have ever before you the example of christ, to the limit of whose sufferings you can never attain. you dare not boast even if you have suffered everything. moreover, you are under obligation to suffer for god's sake. second: christ did not suffer for his own sake, nor of necessity; he suffered for your sake, and all from good will toward you. third: he was wholly innocent--free from sin; internally--in heart--and externally--in word and deed. for where evil dwells in the heart, it cannot long remain concealed. it must manifest itself in words, at least. christ says (mt 12, 34), "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." 21. why, then, should you complain of your suffering or refuse to suffer what your sins really deserve? indeed, you deserve much more than you receive--even eternal suffering. but god forgives you and remits the eternal punishment for the sake of christ the lord, desiring that you patiently endure the lesser suffering for the utter mortification of the sins inherent in your flesh and blood. to make such lot the less grievous to you, christ has gone before and left you an example of perfect patience under the most intense suffering, an example equaled nowhere in the world. the supreme majesty, god's own son, suffered in the most ignominious manner the extremity of torture, pain and anguish in body and soul, something intolerable to mere human nature; and that innocently, and for us condemned sinners--suffering for the sins of strangers. "who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered threatened not." 22. to further emphasize and make effectual in us the example of christ's patience, peter proceeds to analyze it, to show it in its true colors, to mention the details and make plain how it differs from any other example of suffering. he has told us before that christ did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. why, then, did the jews persecute and crucify him--put him to death? inquire into his entire life history and you will find that no one could justly impeach, nor could convict, him for any sin. he himself appealed to his enemies to prove aught of sin in him. no one could show an injury he had ever done to anyone, or a wrong he had ever taught or practiced. on the contrary, he had gone about to bring to the jewish nation the grace and salvation of god. he had revealed god's word, opened the eyes of the blind, healed the sick, cast out devils, fed great multitudes when hungry and lacking food. in short, in all his life, there was nothing in word or act but truth, goodness, beneficence and a disposition to aid. in return for the good he wrought, he was compelled to receive the ungrateful reward of man's hatred and condemnation. his enemies were moved solely by obdurate, diabolical hatred, and could not cease their persecutions until they brought him to the cross, where he was disgracefully hung up nude between two murderers, being lifted up as unworthy to touch the earth and to live among men. 23. christ was under no obligation to endure disgrace and ill-treatment. he might have refrained from his benevolent ministrations when he saw the futility of his efforts with the jews. but he did not so; even in his sufferings upon the cross he charitably prayed for his enemies. he had authority, he had power enough, and he would have been justified in the action, had he revenged himself on his furious enemies, invoked evil upon them, and execrated them as they deserved to be execrated; for they had treated him with gross injustice before all the world, as even the testimony of his betrayer and his judge and all creatures admitted, and had bitterly reviled him when he hung upon the cross. but he did none of these things. he bore with ineffable meekness and patience all the ill-treatment his enemies could heap upon him. even in his extremity of anguish, he benevolently interceded for them to his heavenly father, to which act the prophet isaiah (ch. 53) offers a tribute of high praise. 24. notice, we have here in all respects a perfect and inimitable example of patience--patience of the most exalted kind. in this example we may behold as in a glass what we have yet to learn of calm endurance, and thus be impelled to imitate that example in some small measure at least. 25. not without reason does peter applaud the fact that when christ was reviled he reviled not again, and when he suffered he threatened not. though to endure undeserved violence and injustice is hard enough, that which more than aught else naturally renders suffering grievous and makes men impatient is to experience the monstrous unfairness of receiving the mean and vexatious reward of ingratitude from individuals who have enjoyed one's favors and greatest benefactions. base ingratitude is extremely painful for human nature to endure. it makes the heart flutter and the blood boil with a spirit of revenge. when no alternative presents, an outburst of reviling, execration and threatening follows. flesh and blood has not the power of restraint to enable it to remain calm when evil is returned for favors and benevolence, and to say, "god be thanked." 26. mark the example of christ, however, and there learn to censure yourself. beloved, how can you complain when you see how infinitely greater was the grief and how much more painful the anxiety endured by your beloved lord and faithful saviour, the son of god himself, who yet bore all patiently and submissively and, more than that, prayed for those instrumental in causing that agony? who with a single drop of christian blood in his heart would not blush with shame to be guilty of murmuring at his sufferings when, before god, he is so sinful and is deserving of much more affliction? wicked, unprofitable and condemned servant must he be who does not follow his lord's example of endurance but presumes to think himself better and nobler than christ; who with inimical spirit murmurs, complaining of great injustice, when he really deserves affliction, and when he suffers infinitely less than did his dear, righteous, innocent lord. beloved, if christ so suffered in return for the great blessing he conferred, be not too indolent to imitate him in some degree by suffering without anger and reproaches. less reason have you to be angry and reproachful from the fact that you, too, were one whose sins brought christ to the cross. 27. but you may say: "what? did not christ revile when (mt 23) he called the scribes and pharisees hypocrites, murderers, serpents, a generation of vipers, and even more severely rebuked them?" i reply: oh yes, we would gladly follow christ's example here; we could cheerfully revile and accuse. it is much easier than being patient. we would need no master to help us in this. but note what peter says: when christ was about to suffer death, having fulfilled the obligation of his ministry--having proclaimed the truth, rebuked falsehood and been brought to the cross therefor--and being about to conclude his mission by suffering, he reviled not; as a sheep for the slaughter, he permitted himself to be executed and opened not his mouth against his calumniators and murderers. see isaiah 53, 7. 28. it is necessary, then, to make a distinction here. reviling--or pronouncing execrations and threats--is of two kinds. in one case it is official and pronounced of god; in the other, without authority and comes from man. it was one of the duties of christ's office on earth, and one now incumbent upon those called to bear that office after him, to assert the truth and censure the evil. such a course is essential to the honor of god and the salvation of souls; for if the truth were to be ignored, who would come to god? official chastisement is a work of divine, christian love. it is a parental duty imposed of god. god has implanted in the parent nature intense love for the child; at the same time, if parents are godly and have proper affection for their children they will not connive at, or let pass unpunished, the disobedience of the latter. they must chastise, both with reproof and with keen rods. these are official strokes--love stripes--enjoined of god, and their infliction is our duty. they are not injurious, but beneficial. solomon says (prov 13, 24): "he that spareth his rod hateth his son; but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes." and jesus the son of sirach says in ecclesiasticus: "he that loveth his son causeth him oft to feel the rod, that he may have joy of him in the end." 29. so everyone may, and should, reprove when official duty or his neighbor's case requires; it serves to reform the subject. to quote solomon again (prov 27, 6): "faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are profuse [deceitful]." reproofs and stripes prompted by love and a faithful heart are beneficial. on the other hand, an enemy may use fair and flattering words when he has enmity and deceit at heart, preferring to let you go on to ruin rather than by gentle reproof to warn of danger and rescue you from destruction. the faithful, conscientious physician must often, of necessity and with great pain to the patient, amputate a limb in order to save the body. paul, too, commands pious bishops to be urgent in season, out of season; to reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering. 2 tim 4, 2; tit 2, 15. by our silence to commend or to encourage to evil the wrong-doer would not be to manifest one's love to the offender, but rather to give him over wholly to death and the devil. 30. it was this love and sincerity of heart which prompted christ in his office to censure and rebuke, for which he merited only wrath and hatred; as we say, he sought his stripes. but the duty of his office required such action on his part. his motive was to turn the transgressors from their blindness and malice, and to rescue them from perdition; and he could not be deterred by the consequent persecution, cross and death which awaited. but having fulfilled his official duties, and the hour of his suffering having arrived, he suffered patiently, permitting his enemies to heap upon him all possible evil in return for his manifested love and blessings. instead of angrily reviling and execrating while, suspended from the cross, he endured the most shameful calumnies, he, with strong cries and with tears, prayed, "father, forgive them." it was, indeed, a heart of unfathomable love that, in the midst of extreme suffering, had compassion on its persecutors and blessed them in greater measure than parent can bless child or one individual bless another. 31. observe, then, the distinction between official and unofficial censure and rebuke; the former is prompted by love, and the latter by wrath and hatred. the world, however, is artful and cunning enough when it hears this distinction, to pervert and confuse the two, exercising its own revenge under the name of official zeal and reproof. for instance, if a preacher is disposed to act the knave, he can easily give vent to his personal anger and vengeance in his pulpit utterances, censuring and rebuking as he pleases, and then claim it is all in obedience to the demand of office and for the good of the people. again, a judge, a mayor, or other prominent official, desiring revengefully to satisfy a personal grudge, can more successfully accomplish his object under the title of the office he bears and the obligations imposed upon him for the punishment of the wicked than in any other way. this practice now frequently obtains since the world has learned to use the gospel to conceal its malice and knavery, to adorn it with the name of a divinely appointed office. it ever uses the name and word of god to cloak its infamy. but who is vigilant enough to elude such knavery and to make the children of the devil honest? let him who would be a christian, then, take heed how he shall answer such accusation. assuredly god will not allow himself to be deceived. he will, in due time, relieve the innocent victim of injustice, and his punishment will seek out the wicked. peter says, further: "but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously." 32. who revealed to peter the nature of christ's thoughts upon the cross? the apostle has just been saying that christ reviled not nor thought of revenge, but rather manifested love and good-will toward his virulent enemies. how could christ approve such malice? truly he could not endorse it. nor could he commend his enemies for crucifying him and putting him to death upon the cross without cause. no such conclusion may be drawn. the devil and his adherents must not construe the passage to mean license to heap all manner of torture and distress upon christ and his saints as upon those who must not only patiently bear these things, unmoved by revengeful desires, but must render gratitude to their persecutors as if their acts were praiseworthy. no; this can by no means be permitted. could i be said to suffer innocently if i am obliged to confess i am well treated? several times in this epistle peter admonishes christians not to suffer as evil-doers, thieves, murderers. but if i suffer innocently and am unjustly treated, i am not to justify the ill-treatment and strengthen the enemy in his sins; for, so doing, i would approve his conduct and assume the guilt attributed. that principle would be pleasing to the pope and the devil and to tyrants; they would willingly have it obtain. they are not wholly satisfied even to murder the innocent; they would prefer to be justified in their action--to have us confess to wrong-doing. but that is something no christian heart will do; it may be left to the devil. 33. but the papists will say: "however, it is written, you must suffer and not revile; you must thank god for persecution and pray for your enemies." that is true; but it is one thing to suffer patiently, the while wishing your enemies well and praying for them, and quite a different thing to justify them in their conduct. i must cease not to confess the truth and maintain my innocence, both in heart and with my lips. but if men will not accept my word, my heart must tell me i have suffered injustice. rather should i endure ten deaths, could my enemies inflict them, than to condemn myself in violation of conscience. so, when peter made this little statement about christ not reviling nor threatening, which was true, he did not mean that christ justified his persecutors in their treatment of him. but what are we to do? if we do not justify our enemies when they make us suffer, they will do even worse things to us; for they desire the name and the credit, in the eyes of the world, of having done right by us. yes, as christ has somewhere said, they would have it thought they do god great service by murdering us. now, who is to judge and decide the question? 34. peter declares that christ committed the matter to him who judges righteously. how should he do otherwise, knowing that his persecutors treated him unjustly and yet maintained the contrary? there was for him no judge on earth. he was compelled to commit the matter to that righteous judge, his heavenly father. well he knew that such sins and blasphemies could not go unpunished. no, the sentence was already passed, the sword sharpened, the angels given orders, for the overthrow of jerusalem. previous to his sufferings, on his way to jerusalem, as christ beheld the city, he announced its coming doom and wept over it. therefore, he prays for his enemies, saying: "dear father, i must commit the matter to thee, since they refuse to hear or to see the wrong they do. well i know they are rushing into thy wrath and thy terrible punishment, but i pray thee to forgive them what they do to me." and so they would have been forgiven had they afterward repented at the apostles' preaching, and had they not further sinned in persecuting god's word and thus brought upon their unrepentant selves ultimate punishment. christ our example in suffering. 35. observe, as christ did, so should we conduct ourselves in our sufferings; not approving or assenting to whatever may be heaped upon us, but yet not seeking revenge. we are to commit the matter to god, who will judge aright. we cannot maintain our rights before the world; therefore we must commit our cause to god, who judges righteously and who will not allow calumniation of his word and persecution of believers to pass unpunished. we must, however, pray for our persecutors, that they may be converted and escape future wrath and punishment; and so we do. if it is possible for some of the bishops and other gospel-persecuting tyrants to be converted, we will heartily pray and desire that their conversion may come to pass. but if it be impossible, as now, alas, is to be feared, since, after having been much admonished and often prayed for and having enjoyed the best advantages, they wittingly rage against the known truth--if so, then we must commit them to god's judgment. what more can we do? i am persuaded that the intolerable persecution and calumniating of the gospel prevalent today cannot be permitted to pass with impunity. it must ultimately meet the coming judgment upon the papacy and germany. of this there can be no doubt. but it is ours to continue preaching, praying, admonishing and beseeching, in the hope of effecting repentance. then, if our enemies still refuse to turn from their evil ways, if they perish in their impenitence, what can we do but say: "dear god, we commit the matter to thee. thou wilt punish them; thou canst, indeed, most terribly." 36. such, mark you, is the example of christ, presented to the entire christian church--set up as a pattern for her. hence it is the duty of the church, as peter elsewhere tells us, to arm herself with the same mind which was christ's, to suffer as christ did and to think: if christ, my lord and leader, has suffered for me with so great meekness and patience, how much more reason have i to submit to suffering! and what can it harm me to suffer when i know it is god's will? not because the suffering in itself is so perfecting and precious, but for the sake of the dear saviour who suffered for me. i know, too, that my persecutors thus commit most abominable sins against god and incur his wrath and punishment. why, then, should i be impatient or desire revenge? i am already too highly honored of god in the fact that my sufferings meet his approbation and that he will perfectly avenge me of mine enemies. what can it advantage me for them to burn eternally in hell? i will rather pray and use my utmost efforts for their conversion. if i fail and they are determined to persist in their course, i must bring the matter home to god--must commit it to him. "who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness." 37. peter's is the true preaching concerning the passion of christ. he teaches not only the merit in christ's sufferings, but introduces both themes--its efficacy and example. such is paul's custom, also. in this verse peter presents christ's sufferings in the light of a sacrifice for sin. they constitute a work acceptable to god as satisfaction for the sins of the whole world and effective to reconcile him to men. so great is god's wrath toward sin that none but that eternal one, the son of god, could avert it. he had himself to be the sacrifice, to allow his body to be nailed to the cross. the cross was the altar whereupon the sacrifice was consumed--wholly burned--in the fire of his unfathomable love. he had to be his own high priest in this sacrifice: for no earthly mortal, all being sinners and unclean, could offer to god the sacrifice of his beloved and wholly sinless son; the boasting of the priests of antichrist in regard to their masses, to the contrary notwithstanding. now, by the single sacrifice of god's son, our sins are remitted and we obtain grace and forgiveness; and this fact can be grasped in no other way than through faith. 38. peter mentions the ultimate object of the divine sacrifice made for us, what it accomplished in us, the fruit christ's passion shall yield; for he would not have the christian church overlook that point, or neglect to preach it. christ, he tells us, took upon himself our sins, suffering the penalty. therefore, christ alone is entitled to be called a sacrifice for all our sins. it was not designed, however, that after the sacrifice we should remain as before; on the contrary, the purpose was ultimately to work in us freedom from sins, to have us live no longer unto sin but unto righteousness. now, if in christ our sins are sacrificed, they are put to death, blotted out; for to sacrifice means to slay, to kill. under the old testament dispensation, all sacrifices had to be presented to god slain. now, if our sins are put to death, it is not meant that we are to live in them. 39. therefore, the saving doctrine of remission of sins and of christ's grace cannot be so construed as to admit of our continuing in the old life and following our own desires. according to paul (rom 6, 1-8), enjoying grace and remission of sins does not give license to live in sin. how shall we who are dead to sin live any longer therein? the very fact that we may be reckoned dead unto sins means they may no longer live and reign in us. in christ's holy body were they throttled and slain expressly that they might also be slain in us. 40. be careful, then, what you believe and how you live, that the efficacy of christ's sufferings may be manifestly fulfilled in you. if, through faith, you have rightly apprehended his sacrifice, its virtue will be indicated in the subduing and mortifying of your sins, even as they are already slain and dead through his death on the cross. but if you continue to live in sins, you cannot say they are dead in you. you but deceive yourself, and your own evidence is false when you boast of christ in whom all sins are put to death, if sin remains vigorous in you. we naturally conclude it is inconsistent for sin to be dead in us and yet alive; for us to be free from sin and yet captive or fast therein. this fact has already been sufficiently pointed out. 41. it is ours, peter says, not only to believe that christ has, through the sacrifice of his own body, put to death sin and liberated us therefrom--a thing the combined sacrifices of all mortal bodies could never have effected--but, sin being put to death by him, to endeavor to become ever more and more free from sin's sway in our bodies, and to live henceforth unto righteousness, until we shall be completely and finally released from sin through death. therefore, if before you believed on christ you were an adulterer, a miser, a coveter, a maligner, you ought now to regard all these sins as dead, throttled through christ; the benefit is yours through faith in his sacrifice, and your sins should henceforth cease to reign in you. if you have not so received the sacrifice, you cannot boast of christ and faith. though christ has died for you, though your sins have been put upon him and reckoned dead, still you are not rid of those sins if you do not desire to be, if you do not, through faith, apprehend christ and his blessing, nor in your life and conduct follow his example. 42. now you will say: "but you teach that we are all sinners, that there is not even a saint on earth without sin. and surely we must confess the article, 'i believe in the remission of sins,' and must pray, 'forgive us our debts.'" i reply, most assuredly you never will attain sinless perfection here on earth; if such were the case you would have no further need for faith and christ. at the same time, it is not designed that you should continue as you were before obtaining remission of sins through faith. i speak of known sins wittingly persisted in, in spite of the rebuke and condemnation of conscience. these should be dead in you; in other words, they are not to rule you, but you are to rule them, to resist them, to undertake their mortification. and if occasionally you fail, if you stumble, you should immediately rise again, embrace forgiveness and renew your endeavor to mortify your sins. "by whose stripes ye were healed." 43. it seems as if peter could not sufficiently exalt and make impressive christ's sufferings. he brings in nearly the entire fifty-third chapter of isaiah in the attempt. note how, in regard to the efficacy of works, he always significantly introduces the two themes at the same time--how he carefully distinguishes between performing human works in obedience to christ's example, and receiving by faith the merit of christ's work. first, we have, "who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree ... by whose stripes ye were healed." this is the vital part in our salvation. christ alone could fully accomplish the work. this doctrine must be taught in its purity and simplicity, and must so be believed, in opposition to the devil and his factions. only so can we maintain the honor and the office of christ wherein is anchored our salvation. but the second part of the doctrine must not be overlooked. there are false christians who accept only the first part and make no effort to reform themselves; but, being liberated from our sins and in a state of salvation, we may not again defile ourselves therewith. where these two principals of the christian doctrine are not maintained in their proper relation, injury must result to the truth in two respects: they who are occupied solely with their own works corrupt the true doctrine of faith; they who neglect to follow the example of christ retard the efficacy and fruit of that faith. "for ye were going astray like sheep." 44. here peter bluntly and clearly points out the fact i have stated, that liberation from sin and death was effected not by our works and merits, but by christ's wounds and death alone. forgiveness cost you nothing, peter teaches; no blood, no wounds. you were powerless in this direction. you were but miserable, erring, lost sheep, separated from god, condemned to hell and unable to council or help yourselves. in just such condition are all they who are out of christ. as isaiah the prophet says more plainly in the chapter from which these words are taken (verse 6): "all we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way." that is, whatever our lives, whatever our intent, we but turned farther away from god. as it is written (ps 14, 3): "they are all gone aside; they are together become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one." 45. that men are prone to go astray like sheep is clearly exhibited in their conduct; history proves it. it has ever been the case that when mankind was divided into various idolatries or false services of god, into superstitions numerous and varied, even when god's people thought to have attained the perfection of holiness--then one ran here and another there, ever seeking and seeking to come upon the road to heaven but getting farther and farther from it. it was exactly the case of the sheep straying from the flock and lost to the shepherd: the farther it runs and the more it follows the voice of strangers, the farther astray it goes. it continues to wander and to flee until it finally perishes, unless it hears again the voice of the shepherd. let no one, then, dare boast of having himself found the right way to heaven, of having merited god's grace and the remission of sins by his own manner of life. all men must confess the truth of scripture testimony that we were but erring sheep, fleeing ever farther from our shepherd and saviour, until he turned us back to himself. "but are now returned unto the shepherd and bishop of your souls." 46. you have now heard the voice of your shepherd, who has brought you back to himself, from your erring and idolatrous ways. it was not your own effort that effected your return; it was accomplished at the cost of your shepherd's wounds and shed blood. be careful, then, peter would say, to live not like erring and lost sheep; but, being converted--turned back--follow your beloved saviour. in him you have a godly shepherd who faithfully pastures and cares for you; and also a loyal bishop who ever watches over and guards you, not permitting you to stray. 47. immeasurably gracious and comforting are these words. but the meaning of the word "bishop" has been miserably obscured and perverted by our idolatrous priests and episcopal frauds. likewise have they perverted and corrupted the terms "ecclesiasts," "church," "divine service," "priest," etc., by their antichristian rule. only those have right to the name "ecclesiast" who have been redeemed from their sins through christ's wounds, and who live holy lives. but the papists have taken the name away from true christians and applied it to the pope's besmeared, and shaven-headed ones. again, when we hear the word "bishop" we think only of great, pointed caps and of silver staves. as if it were sufficient to place in the church such masks, such carved and hewn idols! for they are nothing better; in fact, they do more harm. according to the scriptures, a true bishop is an overseer, a guardian, a watchman. he is like unto the householder, the warder of the city, or any judicial officer or regent who exercises constant oversight of state or municipal affairs. formerly there were bishops in each parish, deriving their name from the fact that their office required oversight of the church and the guarding against the devil, against false doctrines and all manner of offenses. paul, too (acts 20, 28), reminds the bishops of their office, saying: "take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the holy spirit hath made you bishops [overseers]." and overseers should bishops still be, as in fact all godly preachers and carers for souls are. but in all popedom the office now is but a mere name, to the sin and shame of the entire christian church. 48. now, christ our lord is that faithful guardian, that true bishop, who above all others is entitled to the name (with him office and name are identical), and who bears it with due honor, to our eternal happiness. for, standing at the right hand of god and showing his wounds, he unceasingly intercedes for us before the father; and moreover, on earth he rules, sustains, nourishes and protects, through his word, his sacraments and the efficacy of the holy spirit, the little flock that believe in him. were he not present with and watching over us here, the devil would long ago have overthrown and destroyed us, and also the word of god and the name of christ. and such is the case when god in wrath turns away his eyes from the world to punish its ingratitude. then immediately everything falls into the devil's power. therefore, pure doctrine, faith, confession and the use of the sacraments are dependent for their perpetuity solely upon the vigilant guardianship of our beloved shepherd and bishop. 49. comforting, indeed, is it to have in christ a priest so faithful and righteous; though, alas, the worthy name of "priest" also has been subjected to shame and contempt because of the pope's disgraceful, shaven, shallow-headed occupants of the office. comforting, indeed, it is to be the happy lambs who have a welcome refuge in the shepherd and find in him joy and comfort in every time of need, assured that his perfect faithfulness cares for and protects us from the devil and the gates of hell. relative to this subject, the entire twenty-third psalm is a beautiful and joyous song, of which the refrain is, "the lord is my shepherd." _third sunday after easter_ text: first peter 2, 11-20. 11 beloved, i beseech you as sojourners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 12 having your behavior seemly among the gentiles; that, wherein they speak against you as evil-doers, they may by your good works, which they behold, glorify god in the day of visitation. 13 be subject to every ordinance of man for the lord's sake: whether to the king, as supreme; 14 or unto governors, as sent by him for vengeance on evil-doers and for praise to them that do well. 15 for so is the will of god, that by well-doing ye should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: 16 as free, and not using your freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as bondservants of god. 17 honor all men. love the brotherhood. fear god. honor the king. 18 servants, be in subjection to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. 19 for this is acceptable, if for conscience toward god a man endureth griefs, suffering wrongfully. 20 for what glory is it, if, when ye sin, and are buffeted for it, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye shall take it patiently, this is acceptable with god. our christian duties. 1. this epistle selection, too, is an admonition to good works, or the fruits of faith. it touches upon nearly every condition of life, teaching how each individual should live and conduct himself. but first, peter admonishes christians in general that in their intercourse with gentiles, or the unbelieving world, they give no real occasion for censure or reproach concerning their conduct. the admonition seems to hinge upon the fact that christians, as the apostle reminds them in the first and second chapters, have been called to a lively, a never-dying, hope of an imperishable inheritance in heaven, and of eternal joy and salvation; that they are now redeemed, having obtained remission of sins through the precious blood of christ; and again, that they are become a holy nation and royal priesthood, to show forth and magnify the grace of god, they who in time past were not god's people and had not obtained grace. "but now," peter would say, "you have obtained grace through the divine calling of christ, through the suffering of your lord. live, then, as a holy people of god and citizens of heaven." 2. we have already heard that in the christian life are two essential principles, two principles upon which christian teachers may lay emphasis. first, faith in the fact that through christ's blood we are released from sin and have forgiveness; second, being forgiven, our natures are to be changed and we are to walk in newness of life. in baptism, when we first believe, we obtain not only remission of sins whereby we are of grace made children of god, but also the power to purge out, to mortify, the remaining sins. our transgressions are not forgiven, paul says (rom 1, 6), with the privilege of continuing in them, as the insolent rejecters of grace imagine. it is this way: our sins being blotted out through the blood of christ, we need not to make remuneration or render satisfaction for them; we are children of grace and enjoy forgiveness. nevertheless, inherent sin is not entirely purged out, or mortified. remission and mortification defined. 3. there is difference between remission of sins and mortification of them. the distinction should be made clear for the sake of combating those who confound and pervert the two principles by their false doctrines. in regard to remission, the pope and many others have taught that forgiveness of sins is obtained through the foolishness of men's own self-elected works, the satisfactions of their own devising. this error has ever prevailed in the world. cain was the first to make it, and it will continue to the end. and where this error is refuted, false teachers are found who, on the other hand, accept and boast of the doctrine of grace without enjoying its happy results. they proceed as if mere forgiveness were enough, and without further effect than averting punishment; as if it leaves us where we were before, not ameliorating in any wise our moral condition; and as if no more is to be known about christ and the gospel. therefore, they who claim to be christians must learn that, having obtained forgiveness without merit on their part, they should henceforth give no place to sins, but rather resist their former evil lusts and avoid and flee from the fruits and works thereof. such is the substance of this lesson. 4. but note from the apostle's words how his view has changed since the time when, as a fisherman of bethsaida, he went about with the lord previous to the lord's death and resurrection. at that time peter and the other apostles, in fact the entire jewish nation, had no other conception of christ's kingdom--or the kingdom of god--than as an earthly one wherein they should know only happiness, figuring as wealthy farmers, citizens, noblemen, counts and lords. the sum of the world's goods should be theirs, and all the gentiles their vassals. they were to be thenceforth undisturbed by enemies, wars, famine or misfortune, and to enjoy the extremity of peace, leisure and happiness under their supreme king, the messiah. such were their hopes, even their expectations. with these pleasing fancies were their minds filled. and just so today are the jews full and drunken with their visionary dreams. the nature of christ's kingdom. 5. observe here, however, peter teaches that the lot of the sharer in christ's kingdom is quite the reverse of what he once imagined. "o beloved christians," he would say, "who are called and baptized into the royal and priestly kingdom of christ, i have now to tell you things quite different from the ideas and dreams you and i used to entertain. we are, it is true, citizens, counts and lords in the kingdom where christ reigns supreme over all earthly kings and lords, and where is only eternal riches, peace and happiness in every form; but the life of that kingdom is unlike that of earthly kings and dominions. you are not, be it known, lords and noblemen in a worldly sense; neither is christ a king as the world regards kingliness, and the kingdom of the world is not in harmony with his. know, then, you must regard yourselves strangers and pilgrims in the kingdom of the world. "therefore, i admonish you that, having now become christians--brothers in the eternal heavenly kingdom--your manner of life should be such as becomes them who are no longer of a worldly kingdom. regard this earthly life only as the traveler or pilgrim regards the country wherein he journeys, the inn where he procures a night's lodging. he does not expect to remain in the city, to be mayor or even a citizen. he finds there his food, but his thoughts are cast beyond its gates, to the place where home is. so," peter says, "must you look upon your earthly course. you did not become christians with the prospect of reigning here on earth, as the jews fancy they shall reign and be established. the dwelling-place, the citizenship and the authority of christians are to be found in another direction, not in this world. therefore, think of yourselves as pilgrims on earth, directing your attention toward other possessions and another country, wherein you shall be lords forever, and where no discord nor misfortune such as you must endure in this earthly harbor shall ever enter." christian use of this life. 6. but how is indifference to this life to be accomplished? peter goes on to say: "be subject to every ordinance of man ... whether to the king ... or unto governors"; again, "servants, be in subjection to your masters ... also to the froward." how is it consistent with royal citizenship in a celestial country to be a pilgrim on earth? how can we live here with wives and children, houses and lands, and being citizens under a temporal government, and yet not be at home? there is a distinction here which, as before said, was at first difficult for the beloved apostles themselves to understand. but to christians, especially those of today, it should be clear. christ and the apostles do not, in this teaching, design the rejection of external government and human authority--what peter here terms ordinances of men. no, they permit these to remain as they are; moreover, they enjoin us to submit to and make use of them. 7. this is the difference to be kept in mind: we are to conduct ourselves in our earthly stations and occupations as not regarding this life our true kingdom and best good. and we are not to think the life beyond holds nothing more nor better than what we possess here, as do the jews and the turks. although they believe in the resurrection of the dead, they carnally imagine the future life will be like the present except for its perfect peace and happiness, its freedom from misfortune, persecution and all ills. it is the prerogative of the pope and his holy epicures to believe nothing in any respect. every christian, be he lord or servant, prince or subject, should conduct himself as befits his station, using in trust whatever god has given him--dominion and subjects, house and home, wife and children, money and property, meat and drink. he is to regard himself solely as a guest of earth, as one eating his morsel of bread or taking his lunch in an inn; he must conduct himself in this earthly harbor as a pious guest. thus may he actually be a king reigning with fidelity, or a lord faithful to his office, and at the same time declare: "i count nothing on this life. i do not expect to remain here. this is but a strange country to me. true, i am seated in the uppermost place at table in this inn; but the occupant of the lowest seat has just as much as i, here or yonder. for we are alike guests. but he who assigned my duty, whose command i execute, gave me orders to conduct myself piously and honorably in this inn, as becomes a guest." 8. so should christians in all stations of life--lords and ladies, servants and maids--conduct themselves as guests of earth. let them, in that capacity, eat and drink, make use of clothing and shoes, houses and lands, as long as god wills, yet be prepared to take up their journey when these things pass, and to move on out of life as the guest moves on out of the house or the city which is not his home. let them conduct themselves as does the guest, with civility toward those with whom they come in contact, not infringing on the rights of any. for a visitor may not unrestrainedly follow his own pleasure and inclinations in the house of a stranger. the saying is: "if you would be a guest, you must behave civilly; otherwise you may promptly be shown the door or the dungeon." 9. christians should be aware of their citizenship in a better country, that they may rightly adapt themselves to this world. let them not occupy the present life as if intending to remain in it; nor as do the monks, who flee responsibility, avoiding civil office and trying to run out of the world. for peter says rather that we are not to escape our fellows and live each for himself, but to remain in our several conditions in life, united with other mortals as god has bound us, and serving one another. at the same time, we are to regard this life as a journey through a country where we have no citizenship--where we are not at home; to think of ourselves as travelers or pilgrims occupying for a night the same inn, eating and drinking there and then leaving the place. 10. let not the occupants of the humbler stations--servants and subjects--grumble: "why should i vex myself with unpleasant household tasks, with farm work or heavy labor? this life is not my home anyway, and i may as well have it better. therefore, i will abandon my station and enjoy myself; the monks and priests have, in their stations, withdrawn themselves from the world and yet drunk deeply, satisfying fleshly lusts." no, this is not the right way. if you are unwilling to put up with your lot, as the guest in a tavern and among strangers must do, you also may not eat and drink. similarly, they who are favored with loftier positions in life may not, upon this authority, abandon themselves to the idea of living in the sheer idleness and lustful pleasure their more favored station permits, as if they were to be here always. let them reason thus: "this life, it is true, is transitory--a voyage, a pilgrimage, leading to our actual fatherland. but since it is god's will that everyone should serve his fellows here in his respective station, in the office committed to him, we will do whatever is enjoined upon us. we will serve our subjects, our neighbors, our wives and children so long as we can; we would not relax our service even if we knew we had to depart this very hour and leave all earthly things. for, god be praised, had we to die now we would know where we belong, where our home is. while we are here, however, on the way, it is ours to fulfill the obligations of our earthly citizenship. therefore, we will live with our fellows in obedience to the law of our abiding-place, even unto the hour wherein we must cross the threshold outward, that we may depart in honor, leaving no occasion for complaint." 11. thus, mark you, should every christian conduct himself here on earth, according to peter. in the first place, he should know where is his real home, his fatherland. we learn this through faith in christ, whereby we become children of god, heirs of eternal life, citizens of heaven. accordingly, we sing: "now we pray thee, holy spirit, for true faith," etc., when we depart home from this wretchedness. this sentiment accords beautifully with the text here where peter calls us "sojourners and pilgrims"--wayfarers in earthly wretchedness, desiring home and casting our thoughts beyond the gates of our sojourning-place. second, though we must suffer this wretched condition in a foreign land, we are under obligation to render every honor to the host and to respect the inn, making the best of whatever may befall us. 12. the prophet jeremiah found it necessary to give admonition of this sort to his wretched jewish countrymen in babylon who longed unspeakably to be home again and almost despaired because of having so long to suffer misery among strangers when many of their brethren were at home. other prophets had encouraged them with the promise of soon being returned. consequently many of them ceased to till the land and neglected to provide for a livelihood. to these jeremiah writes (ch. 29, 10): "ye must have patience, for ye are not so soon to return--not till seventy years be accomplished." meanwhile, though in wretchedness and captivity, they were to do as he bids in verses 5-7: "build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them. take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters: and multiply ye there, and be not diminished. and seek the peace of the city whither i have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray unto jehovah for it; for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace." that there in their misery they should build houses and make themselves citizens of babylon, should marry and rear children--yes, give their children in marriage--as if they were to remain there permanently--this injunction of the prophet was altogether disagreeable and annoying to them. and still more offensive was the command to pray for the city and kingdom wherein they were captives. much rather would they have prayed for liberation; for, influenced by the other prophets, they hoped to return home the following year. 13. now, how was it with them? the godly, faithful ones had reason to hope and trust in release and a return to their own kingdom. surely there was no pleasure, no joy, for them in their present miserable condition, as in psalm 137 they testify and complain by the rivers of babylon. there they cried and wept and had not an hour of enjoyment when they thought of home. the long seventy years their hearts continually stood at the gate ready to depart, so that they had no inclination whatever to build houses, to cultivate farms, to make gardens, to take wives and rear children. nevertheless, the prophet bids them meet all the requirements of citizens of that country; and more than that, to pray for their hosts in the same spirit in which they would pray for their neighbors and fellow-citizens, asking god for peace and prosperity upon the city. christians subjects of two kingdoms. 14. so, too, christians are subjects of two kingdoms--they have experience of two kinds of life. here on earth where the world has its home and its heavenly kingdom, we surely are not citizens. according to paul (phil 3, 20), "our conversation"--our citizenship--"is with christ in heaven"; that is, in yonder life, the life we await. as the jews hoped to be released from babylon, we hope to be released from this present life and to go where we shall be lordly citizens forever. but being obliged to continue in this wretched state--our babylon--so long as god wills, we should do as the jews were commanded to do--mingle with other mortals, eat and drink, make homes, till the soil, fill civil offices and show good will toward our fellows, even praying for them, until the hour arrives for us to depart unto our home. 15. he who is guided by these facts, who comprehends the distinction between the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of the world, will know how to resist successfully all classes of fanatics. for these latter paint this life in a terrible aspect. they want to run out of the world entirely, and are unwilling to associate with anyone; or they proceed to disturb civil regulations and to overthrow all order; or again, as with the pope, they interfere in secular rule, desiring temporal authority, wholly under the name and color of christianity. having as christians forgiveness of sins, and being now people of god, children of his kingdom, citizens no longer of babylon but of heaven, let us know that during the period of our sojourn here among strangers, it is ours to live righteously, honorably and chastely, to further civil and domestic peace and to lend counsel and aid to benefit even the wicked and ungrateful, meanwhile constantly striving after our inheritance and keeping in mind the kingdom whither we are bound. 16. in short, a christian must be one who, as paul says (1 cor 7, 29-31), uses this world as not abusing it, who buys and possesses as though he possessed not, who has wife and children as though he had them not and who builds as though not building. how is it possible to reconcile these seeming inconsistencies? by making the christian faith distinct from the faith of the jews and turks--yes, of the papists even: by accepting the fact that the christian's attitude toward this earthly life is the attitude of the guest; that in such capacity is he to build, to buy, to have dealings and hold intercourse with his fellows, to join them in all temporal affairs--a guest who respects his host's wishes, the laws of the realm and of the city and the customs of the inn, but at the same time the christian refrains from attesting his satisfaction with this life as if he intended to remain here and hoped for nothing better. thus will the christian pass through every temporal event in the right way--having every possession as though not having it, using and yet not cleaving to it; not so occupied with the temporal as to lose the eternal, but leaving behind--forgetting--the former while striving after the latter as the goal set before him. 17. therefore, they who presume to run out of the world by going into the desert or the wilderness; who, unwilling to occupy the inn but finding it indispensable nevertheless, must become their own hosts--these are great and unreasonable fools. surely they must eat and drink and have clothing and shelter. with these things they cannot dispense, even if they can withdraw from all society. nor is their action forsaking and fleeing the world, as they imagine it to be. whatever your station and condition, whatever your occupation in life, of necessity you must be somewhere on earth while mortal life is yours. nor has god separated you from men; he has placed you in society. each individual is created and born for the sake of other individuals. but observe, wherever you are and whatever your station, you are, i say, to flee the world. how to escape the world. 18. but how are we to flee the world? not by donning caps and creeping into a corner or going into the wilderness. you cannot so escape the devil and sin. satan will as easily find you in the wilderness in a gray cap as he will in the market in a red coat. it is the heart which must flee, and that by keeping itself "unspotted from the world," as james 1, 27 says. in other words, you must not cling to temporal things, but be guided by the doctrine of faith in christ, and await the eternal, heavenly inheritance; and in that faith and that hope are you to execute the trust and work committed to you here, declaring the while: "that which i do here is not the chief good, the thing of real value, for which i live; though such is the case with the world, the jews, the turks and the papists. i hold this temporal life as a tavern, valuing it no more than the guest values the inn where he enjoys food and lodging, while heart and mind turn ever to his own home." what tolerance would there be for one foolish enough to declare: "i will not eat nor drink here. i will behave peculiarly, smashing windows and turning things upside down, for this is not my abiding-place"? for the very purpose of advancing himself on his journey, the traveler should make use of the inn, accepting whatever is offered. 19. likewise should christians use the world, constantly casting their thoughts beyond this life, notwithstanding they have here house and home, wife and children. these are for the present life only, yet the christian owes them due consideration, the while he asserts: "today we are here, tomorrow elsewhere. now we avail ourselves of this inn, the next day of another. we do not expect to remain here." relative to this subject, peter in his beautiful pentecostal sermon says concerning david, who nevertheless was a holy king, that he did not ascend into the heavens, but, having fulfilled the will of god, fell asleep. peter, so far from being willing to disparage david's office and rule, to criticise him therein for wrong-doing, rather magnifies it in glowing terms. david was a king, and cast not aside his crown; no, he retained his royal glory. he held his office as a god-intrusted one, in the execution whereof he served god. similarly should the righteous ruler do--in fact, all men in their respective offices and stations. let them remember they are not placed where they are to choose their own pleasure, but solely for the service of god. such is their duty so long as they are here--transients, like the stranger at the inn with other guests, who conducts himself with respect to the needs and the pleasure of his fellows, doing as they do, and in case of danger and necessity uniting with them in the effort to help and protect. 20. king david did not regard his kingdom and his god-bestowed blessings as his real glory, but as his office, his opportunities for service in this earthly pilgrimage. in it all he remains a guest, expecting to leave this tarrying-place for a certain abode. hence he says (ps 39, 12): "i am a stranger with thee, a sojourner, as all my fathers were." how is that? has a king of david's glorious rank occasion to speak thus? is he a guest who occupies a royal throne, who is lord of landed estate and of more than twelve hundred thousand people according to his own calculation? this is david's meaning: in his kingdom he serves god as a transient here on earth, and set apart by god for that purpose; but at the same time as a citizen of god's kingdom in another life, another existence, which he regards more glorious than earthly glory, and as affording something better than a temporal crown. reasons to abstain from carnal lust. 21. such is peter's teaching. he admonishes christians to christlike lives and works in view of the fact that they are called to great glory, having become through christ a royal priesthood, a people of god and citizens of heaven. he would have them occupy this temporal world as guests, striving after another and eternal kingdom; that is, to abstain from all carnal lusts and maintain a blameless walk, a life of good works. the apostle assigns two reasons for such self-denial: first, that we may not, through carnal, lustful habits, lose the spiritual and eternal; second, that god's name and the glory we have in christ may not be slandered among our heathen adversaries, but rather, because of our good works, honored. these are the chief reasons for doing good works. they ought most forcibly to urge us to the performance of our duties. 22. peter admonishes, first, to "abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul." he implies that if we do not resist carnal inclinations, but rather follow them, we shall lose our priceless eternal inheritance. to be a stranger on earth, striving after another and better life, is inconsistent with living in fleshly lusts as if one's sole intent was to remain in the world forever. if you would have the things of one life, peter says, you must forsake the things of the other. if you forget your fatherland and lie drunken with this carnal life, as does the heathen world in living in unbelief and without hope of eternal life, you will never reach yonder existence; for so you reject it. it is necessary to strive if we are to withstand the lusts of the flesh; for these, peter says, war against the soul--against faith and the good conscience in man. if lust triumphs, our hold on the spirit and on faith is lost. now, if you would not be defeated, you must valiantly contend against carnal inclinations, being careful to overcome them and to maintain your spiritual, eternal good. in this instance, our own welfare demands the conquest. 23. in the second place, god's honor calls for it. god's honor here on earth is affected by our manner of life. we are to avoid giving occasion for our enemies to open their mouths in calumniation of god's name and his word. rather must we magnify the name of god by our confession and general conduct, and thus win others, who shall with us confess and honor him. christ commands (mt 5, 16): "even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your father who is in heaven." 24. peter proceeds to enumerate certain good works appropriate to christians in all stations of life, particularly those christians under authority, or in a state of servitude--men-servants and maid-servants. in the apostle's day, christians had to submit to heathen authority--to serve unbelieving masters. peter admonishes christians to glorify god by their conduct, patiently bearing the violence and injustice offered, and forbearing to return evil; as we heard in the epistle lesson for the preceding sunday which follows today's text. but to take up all the good works peter enumerates here would require too much time at present. _third sunday after easter_ second sermon. text: first corinthians 15, 20-28. 20 but now hath christ been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of them that are asleep. 21 for since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 for as in adam all die, so also in christ shall all be made alive. 23 but each in his own order: christ the firstfruits; then they that are christ's, at his coming. 24 then cometh the end, when he shall deliver up the kingdom to god, even the father; when he shall have abolished all rule and all authority and power. 25 for he must reign, till he hath put all his enemies under his feet. 26 the last enemy that shall be abolished is death. 27 for, he put all things in subjection under his feet. but when he saith, all things are put in subjection, it is evident that he is excepted who did subject all things unto him. 28 and when all things have been subjected unto him, then shall the son also himself be subjected to him that did subject all things unto him, that god may be all in all. we have no desire to reject the sunday epistle readings in common use up to this time, particularly as some of them are excellent and profitable; nevertheless, a different order and selection might well have been made. for portions have been taken from james for the two sundays following, the intent of the compilers having been to choose something from each of the apostles, among whom they regarded james one of the chief. these selections, however, seem not to have been written by an apostle; they do not at all compare with the selections from the other apostles. it were better for the instruction and comfort of the people, and as befitting this season, to handle the article of the resurrection--concerning the resurrection of both christ and ourselves, or of all the dead--between easter and pentecost. it seems appropriate so to do, making selections from the preaching of the apostles; for instance, the entire fifteenth chapter of paul's first epistle to the corinthians, which treats throughout of the resurrection of the dead. therefore, we shall arrange this chapter to the present and following sundays. it is our intent to so use it hereafter, and they who feel disposed may adopt it likewise. but it is not our purpose in so doing to restrict those who prefer the old arrangement. the entire fifteenth chapter, however, being amply explained in special sermons, we would advise everyone to read those expositions. _fourth sunday after easter_ text: first corinthians 15, 35-50. 35 but some one will say, how are the dead raised? and with what manner of body do they come? 36 thou foolish one, that which thou thyself sowest is not quickened except it die: 37 and that which thou sowest, thou sowest not the body that shall be, but a bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other kind; 38 but god giveth it a body even as it pleased him, and to each seed a body of its own. 39 all flesh is not the same flesh; but there is one flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fishes. 40 there are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. 41 there is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differeth from another star in glory. 42 so also is the resurrection of the dead. it is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: 43 it is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. if there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 so also it is written, the first man adam became a living soul. the last adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 howbeit that is not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; then that which is spiritual. 47 the first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is of heaven. 48 as is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. 49 and as we have borne the image of the earthy we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 50 now this i say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of god; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. this selection follows immediately after the one we have arranged for the preceding sunday, concerning the resurrection of the dead. in the text paul deals with the question, how are the dead raised, and with what body do they come? this passage likewise is treated fully enough in the sermons on the fifteenth chapter, and they who desire may read those discourses; they are too lengthy to insert here. the selection from the first chapter of james, however, having commonly been read for this sunday, and as it contains good instruction and admonition, we will, for the sake of some who may desire to retain it, allow it to remain; and we will make some explanation of it lest we be thought to desire its rejection altogether. it was not, however, written by an apostle. it does not bear the apostolic stamp in all particulars, and is not in every respect compatible with the true doctrine. _fourth sunday after easter_ second sermon.[1] text: james 1, 16-21. 16 be not deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the father of lights, with whom can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning. 18 of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. 19 ye know this, my beloved brethren. but let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20 for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of god. 21 wherefore putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. [footnote 1: this sermon was printed first in the "two sermons on anger," by luther, wittenberg, 1536.] 1. this lesson was addressed to all christians. particularly was it meant for the time when they had to endure from the unbelieving world persecutions severe and oft; as james indicates at the outset, where he says (verses 2-4): "count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into manifold temptations; knowing that the proving of your faith worketh patience. and let patience have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire." again (verse 12): "blessed is the man that endureth temptation." why men reject the gospel. 2. two things there are which part men from the gospel: one is angry impatience, and the other evil lust. of these james speaks in this epistle. the former sin, he says, arises under persecution--when for the sake of christ the lord you must give up property and honor, and risk body and life; must be regarded as fools, as the drudges, yes, the footstool, of the world. painful and intolerable to the point of discouragement and weariness is such a lot, particularly when it is apparent that your persecutors enjoy good fortune, having honor, power and wealth, while you suffer constantly. peter, too, admonishes (1 pet 3, 10), upon authority of psalm 34, 12-14: he who would be a christian must be prepared to avoid evil and do good, to seek peace, to refrain his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking guile, and must commit himself to god. in the case of a great many people otherwise favorably disposed toward the gospel, it is nothing but persecution which deters and repels them from it. they cannot endure the injuries and reproaches they must suffer for its sake. but for the precious holy cross which is laid upon christians, and their inability to overcome indignation and impatience, the world would long ago have been crowded with christians. but on account of trials men recoil, saying: "rather than endure these, i will remain with the majority; as it is with them, so be it with me." 3. the second thing to which james refers is worldly lust--"filthiness," as james terms it. this, too, is a prevailing evil, particularly with the common people. when they once hear the gospel they are prone to think right away that they know all about it. they cease to heed it and drown in lust, pride and covetousness of the world, being concerned entirely with accumulating wealth and seeking pleasure. 4. that these two evils prevail is apparent to the eyes of all men today. we fear that we shall fare no better than the prophets and the apostles; these things are likely to continue. nevertheless, we must unceasingly exert ourselves in behalf of ourselves and others to guard diligently against both these evils. particularly must we not impatiently murmur and rage against god; we must also show meekness toward our fellowmen, to the end that wrath everywhere may be quelled and subdued, and only patience and meekness reign among christians. 5. as i said before, such seems to be the trend of the whole text. the apostle gives a reason why we should be patient to the extent of not allowing ourselves to be vexed with them who injure us, especially ungrateful rejecters of the word of god or persecutors of christians. the reason he assigns is the debt of gratitude we owe: we are to remember the great good we receive from god in heaven--"every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the father of lights." our blessings outweigh our ills. 6. if you carefully balance our gifts and trials against each other and weigh them carefully, you will find the blessings conferred upon you so numerous and rich as far to outweigh the injuries and reproaches you must incur. therefore, if you are assailed by the world, and are provoked to impatience by ingratitude, contempt and persecution, compare with your trials the blessings and consolations you have in christ and his gospel. you will soon find you have more reason to pity your enemies than you have to murmur and to rage against them. 7. again, concerning them who live in worldly lusts--in "filthiness," as the apostle terms it: let not their conduct induce you to forsake the gospel to be like them; for their portion is altogether paltry in comparison with your glorious blessings and divine riches. take thought, then, and do not allow yourselves to be misled either by the wanton wickedness of the world, through the injury and pain it may inflict, or by the prosperity of the world's wealthy, who live riotously in all manner of voluptuousness. look upon what you have from the father in comparison--his divine blessings, his perfect gifts. 8. for the sake of distinction, we shall designate by "good gifts" the blessings we enjoy here in this life; by "perfect gifts" those awaiting us in the life to come. james implies this distinction when he says: "of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures." in the terms "good gifts" and "perfect gifts," the apostle comprehends all our blessings, those we have already received in the present life and those to be ours in the life to come. 9. i will not now speak particularly of earthly, transient and changeable blessings, such as temporal goods, honor, a healthy body and others, but could we only compare our blessings with these and weigh our treasures and surpassing blessings, we should presently conclude that ours transcend in value a hundred thousand times anything the world possesses and boasts. many individuals there are who would give thousands of dollars to have the sight of both eyes. so much do they prize the blessing of sight, they would willingly suffer a year's illness or endure other great inconveniences to obtain it. less sensible would they be to such discomforts than to the deprivation of the thing they desire. of physical blessings particularly, we shall not now speak, however, save to mention that they are never equaled by physical ills. who can purchase or merit, even by enduring tenfold his present physical ills, the very least of god's gifts; as, for instance, the beholding of the light of the beautiful sun for a single day? and so long as mortal life itself remains, you have the greatest of blessings, one outweighing far all gold and silver and all the misfortunes you may endure. our blessings in christ's resurrection. but we shall speak now particularly of the blessings we have in christ's resurrection, a subject appropriate to this paschal season. the text says, every good gift and every perfect gift cometh down from the father of lights. for god has begun the work of edifying us, of building us up, and will constitute us his own children, his heirs. this work, james says, is wrought through the gospel, or "the word of truth," as he terms it. 10. but what does the resurrection advantage us? it has already brought us this gain: our hearts are enlightened and filled with joy, and we have passed from the darkness of sin, error and fear into the clear light; the christian is able to judge all sects, all doctrines of devils, that may arise on earth. is it not a thing of unspeakable value, a precious gift, to be enlightened and taught of god to the extent of being able to judge correctly every doctrine and every kind of conduct exhibited in this world, and to show all men how to live--what to do and what to avoid? well may we boast, then, of having here on earth also a father--"the father of lights"--from whom we receive blessings of such magnitude that man should willingly yield body and life for their attainment. what would i in my darkness not have given to be liberated from the very dread which prompted the celebration of masses and other abominations, yes, from the torture and anguish of conscience which left me no rest? or to have instruction enabling me rightly to interpret a single psalm? i would, for such enlightenment, readily have crawled on the ground to the ends of the earth. thank god, we now have the blessed treasure abundantly, the great and precious light, the gracious word. what is the sum of all suffering and misfortune compared to this light? 11. secondly, through christ's resurrection we have a good, joyous conscience, one able to withstand every form of sin and temptation and to maintain a sure hope of eternal life. the great, glorious gifts and blessings of the resurrection are these: the gospel, holy baptism, the power of the holy spirit, and comfort in all adversity. what is a slight injury or the loss of some temporal blessing in comparison with these? what reason has any man to murmur and to rage when such divine blessings are his, even here in this life, blessings which none can take away or abridge? if, then, you are called to renounce money, possessions, honor and men's favor, remember you have a treasure more precious than all the honors and all the possessions of the world. again, when you see one living in great splendor, in pleasure and presumption, following his own inclinations, think thus: "what has he? a wretched portion, a beggarly morsel. in contrast, i have divine grace enabling me to know god's will and the work he would have me do, and all in heaven and on earth is mine." look, says james, upon the treasure already obtained from the father of lights--his great and glorious gifts. 12. but these do not represent the consummation of resurrection blessings. we must yet await the real, the perfect, gifts. our earthly condition does not admit of perfection; hence we cannot truly perceive, cannot comprehend, our treasure. we are but "a kind of first-fruits of his creatures." god has only commenced to work in us, but he will not leave us in that state. if we continue in faith, not allowing ourselves to be turned away through wrath and impatience, god will bring us to the real, eternal blessings, called "perfect gifts," the possession of which excludes error, stumbling, anger, and any sin whatever. the future life of blessedness. 13. that future existence, james goes on to say, will be one wherein is "no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning"--no alternating of light and darkness. in other words, there will not be the variation and instability characteristic of this world, even of the christian life--today joyous, tomorrow sad; now standing but soon tottering. it is in the christian life just as in the physical world: we find variableness and continual change--light is succeeded by darkness, day by night, cold by heat; here are mountains, there valleys; today we are well, tomorrow ill; and so it goes. but all this change shall be abolished. the present life shall be succeeded by one wherein is no variation, but a permanence and eternity of blessing. we shall unceasingly behold god in his majesty where dwells no darkness, no death, plague nor infirmity, but pure light, joy and happiness. look to this future life! call it to mind, when assailed by the world and enticed to anger or evil lust. remember the great blessings of heaven assuredly promised you, and whereof christ your head has already taken possession, that he may make sure your entrance into the same blessings. these should be to you far more precious and desirable than the things of earth, which all men must leave behind. 14. to these things the christian should direct his thoughts and efforts, that he may learn to prize his blessings, to recognize his treasures as great and glorious, and to thank god for the beginnings of his grace and blessing bestowed here below. let us ever look and turn toward true knowledge and understanding, toward righteousness and life; so shall we attain that perfection wherein we are freed from the present imperfect, unstable existence, the yoke we now bear upon our necks and which continually weighs upon us and renders us liable to fall from the gospel. impulse and aid for such pursuit we are to receive from the holy cross and persecution, as well as from the example of the world. with what ease the poor, wretched people are wrested from the word and from faith, wherein they might enjoy unspeakable grace and blessings, by the sordid, beggarly pleasures to be sought for here! 15. therefore, james says: "why trouble yourselves about earthly blessings, which though god-given are transitory? why not much rather rejoice in the comforting prospect of the great heavenly blessings already abundantly yours and which cannot be taken from you?" and by way of explanation he says further: "of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth." god's children begotten by the word. 16. the first, and in fact the best, thing christ has sent us from on high is sonship. he brought us forth, made us his children, or heirs. we are truly called children born of god. but how are we born? through "the word of truth," or the true word. by this statement james makes a wide thrust at all factions and sects. for they also have a word and boast much of their doctrine, but theirs is not the word of truth whereby men are made children of god. they teach naught, and know naught, about how we are to be born god's children through faith. they prate much about the works done by us in the state derived from adam. but we have a word whereby, as we are assured, god makes us his beloved children and justifies us--if we believe in that word. he justifies us not through works or laws. the christian must derive his sonship from his birth. all whittling and patching is to no purpose. the disciples of moses, and all work-mongers, would effect it by commandments, extorting a work here and a work there, effecting nothing. new beings are needed, children of god by birth, as john 1, 12 says. 17. the children of god, john tells us, are they who believe on the name of christ; that is, who sincerely cling to the word. john extols the word as the great, the mighty, gift. they are children who cleave to the message that through christ god forgives their sins and receives them into his favor; who adhere to this promise in all temptations, afflictions and troubles. the word here on earth is the jewel which secures sonship. now, since god has so greatly blessed you as to make you his own begotten children, shall he not also give you every other good? 18. whence, then, do you derive sonship? not from your own will, not from your own powers or efforts. were it so, i and other monks surely should have obtained it, independently of the word; it would have been ours through the numerous works we performed in our monastic life. it is secured, james says, "of his will." for it never entered into the thought of any man that so should we be made children of god. the idea did not grow in our gardens; it did not spring up in our wells. but it came down from above, "from the father of lights," by word and spirit revealed to us and given into our hearts through the agency of his apostles and their successors, by whom the word has been transmitted to us. hence we did not secure it through our efforts or merits. of his fatherly will and good pleasure was it conferred upon us; of pure grace and mercy he gave it. christians the first-fruits. 19. james says, "that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures"; that is, the newly-begun creature, or work, of god. by this phrase the apostle distinguishes the creatures of god from the creatures of the world, or creatures of men. likewise does peter when he says (1 pet 2, 13), "be subject to every ordinance [or creature] of man"; that is, to everything commanded, ordained, instituted, made, by men. for instance, a prince constitutes men tax-gatherers, squires, secretaries, or anything he desires, within the limits of his power. but new creatures are found with god. they are styled "creatures of god" because he has created them as his own work, independently of human effort or human power. and so the christian is called a "new creature of god," a creature god himself has made, aside from all other creatures and higher than they. at the same time, such creation of god is only in its initial stage. he still daily operates upon it until it becomes perfect, a wholly divine creature, as the very sun in clearness and purity, without sin and imperfection, all aglow with love divine. 20. take into careful consideration these facts. keep before you the great blessing, honor and glory god has conferred upon you in making you heirs of the life to come, the life wherein shall be no imperfection nor variation, the life which shall be an existence in divine purity and protection like god's own. do not, then, by any means allow yourselves to be provoked to anger by the wretched, sordid, beggar's wallet which the world craves. rather, much rather, rejoice in the divine blessings, and thank god for having made you worthy of them. whether sweet or bitter--in comparison with these let everything else be spurned. "for i reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward"--to us the children of god--says paul in romans 8, 18. impatient anger forbidden. 21. so james draws the conclusion: "let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath." in other words, in receiving counsel or comfort be swift; but do not permit yourselves readily to criticise, curse, or upbraid god or men. james does not mean to prohibit reproof, censure, indignation and correction where the command of god or necessity requires; but he forbids rashness or hastiness on our part, despite our provocation in the premises. when we are provoked we should first hear what the word of god says and be advised thereby. it is the right and true counsel, and we should ever permit ourselves to be led by it; according to its teaching should all our decisions, reproofs and censures be regulated. in immediate connection, james bids us receive the word with meekness; we are not to be incensed when censured by its authority, or to become impatient and murmur when we have to suffer something because of it. the reason james assigns for restraining our anger is: "for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of god." this is a truth admitted even by the heathen--"ira furor brevis est," etc.--and verified by experience. therefore, upon authority of psalm 4, 4, when you feel your wrath rising, sin not, but go to your chamber and commune with yourself. let not wrath take you by surprise and cause you to yield to it. when slander and reproach is heaped upon you, or curses given, do not rashly allow yourself to be immediately inflamed with anger. rather, take heed to overcome the provocation and not to respond to it. 22. the apostle's first point, then, is: christians should guard against yielding to wrath and impatience, and should remember the great blessings they enjoy--gifts wherewith all the advantages and favors of the world are unworthy of comparison. 23. similarly, james says regarding the other point: "wherefore putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness," etc. by "filthiness" he means the impure life of the world--indulgence, voluptuousness and knavery of every sort. these things, he would say, should be far from you christians who enjoy blessings so great and glorious. could you rightly recognize and appreciate these blessings, you would regard all worldly pursuits and pleasures mere filth in comparison. nor is this overdrawn; they are such when contrasted with the good and perfect heavenly gifts and treasures. 24. "receive with meekness the implanted word." you have the word, james says, a word which is yours not by your own fancy or effort, but which god, by grace, gave to you--implanted in you. it has free course--is preached, read and sung among you. (by the grace of god, it is free among us, too.) in this respect, god be praised, there is no lack. it is of the utmost importance, however, to receive it, to make profitable use of it; to handle it with meekness that we may hold it fast and not allow it to be effaced by anger under persecution or by the allurements of worldly lusts. christ says (lk 21, 19), "in your patience possess ye your souls [ye shall win your souls]." meekness and patience enjoined. meekness and patience are necessary to enable us to triumph over the devil and the world. without them we shall not be able to hold fast the word in our strife against those evil forces. we must fight and contend against sin, but if we essay to cool our wrath by grasping the devil and his followers by the hair and wreaking vengeance upon them, we will accomplish nothing and may thereby lose our treasure, the beloved word. therefore, lay hold of the word planted or engrafted within you, that you may be able to retain it and have it bring forth its fruit in yourself. the power of the word. 25. it is a word, says james in conclusion, "which is able to save your souls." what more could be desired? you have the word, the promise of all divine blessings and gifts. it is able to save you if you but steadfastly cleave to it. why, then, need you take any account of the world, and anything it may do, whether good or evil? what injury can the world render, what help can it offer, so long as you hold the treasure of the word? observe that the apostle ascribes to the spoken word, the preached gospel, the power to save souls. similarly, paul commends it to the romans (ch. 1, 16), in almost the same words, as "the power of god unto salvation to every one that believeth." 26. now, the word is implanted within you in a way to give you the certain comfort and sure hope of your salvation. be careful, then, not to permit yourselves to be wrested from it by the wrath or the filth of the world. take heed to accept in purity and to maintain with patience the word so graciously and richly given you by god without effort or merit on your part. those who are without the word, and yet endeavor to attain heaven, what efforts have they made in the past! what efforts are they making today! they might torment themselves to death; they might institute and celebrate every possible service--they would accomplish nothing. is it not better to cling to the word and maintain this treasure whereby you attain salvation and divine sonship than to permit the world to wrest you from it through persecution, passion or moral filth the source of its own ruin and perdition? _fifth sunday after easter_ text: first corinthians 15, 51-58. 51 behold, i tell you a mystery: we all shall not sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 for this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 but when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory. 55 o death, where is thy victory? o death, where is thy sting? 56 the sting of death is sin; and the power of sin is the law: 57 but thanks be to god, who giveth us the victory through our lord jesus christ. 58 wherefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not vain in the lord. you will find this lesson explained in the special sermons on the same chapter. _ascension day_ text: acts 1, 1-11. 1 the former treatise i made, o theophilus, concerning all that jesus began both to do and to teach, 2 until the day in which he was received up, after that he had given commandment through the holy spirit unto the apostles whom he had chosen: 3 to whom he also showed himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing unto them by the space of forty days, and speaking the things concerning the kingdom of god: 4 and being assembled together with them, he charged them not to depart from jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the father, which, said he, ye heard from me: 5 for john indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized in the holy spirit not many days hence. 6 they therefore, when they were come together, asked him, saying, lord, dost thou at this time restore the kingdom to israel? 7 and he said unto them, it is not for you to know times or seasons, which the father hath set within his own authority. 8 but ye shall receive power, when the holy spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses both in jerusalem, and in all judea and samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 9 and when he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 and while they were looking stedfastly into heaven as he went, behold two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 who also said, ye men of galilee, why stand ye looking into heaven? this jesus, who was received up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye beheld him going into heaven. this epistle text is simply a narrative concerning the visible ascension of christ into heaven. it is in itself clear. whatever it may be necessary to say relative to the article of christ's ascension, we shall leave for the sermons on the festivals of christ as they occur at intervals during the year, at which times it is fitting to speak particularly of each article concerning christ. _sunday after ascension day_ text: first peter 4, 7-11.[1] 7 but the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore of sound mind, and be sober unto prayer: 8 above all things being fervent in your love among yourselves: for love covereth a multitude of sins: 9 using hospitality one to another without murmuring: 10 according as each hath received a gift, ministering it among yourselves, as good stewards of the manifold grace of god; 11 if any man speaketh, speaking as it were oracles of god; if any man ministereth, ministering as of the strength which god supplieth: that in all things god may be glorified through jesus christ, whose is the glory and the dominion for ever and ever. amen. [footnote 1: this sermon appeared as early as 1525 in pamphlet form.] exhortation to christian living. 1. this text, too, is an admonition to christian living, a discourse concerning the fruits of a good tree, a figure applied to the christian; in other words, concerning the fruits of the one who, through faith, has obtained redemption from sin and death and has a place in the kingdom of grace and of eternal life. such a one is exhorted to live henceforth in a manner indicative of the fact that he has apprehended the treasure of salvation and is become a new man. exhortation to soberness. 2. certain good works are also introduced, and in the first part of our text peter makes an especially emphatic continuation of the admonition in the foregoing part of the chapter, warning christians to abstain from gross vices--carnal lusts--which in the world lead to obscenity, and from the wild, disorderly, swinish lives of the heathen world, lives of gormandizing, guzzling and drunkenness. peter admonishes christians to endeavor to be "sober unto prayer." the epistle was written chiefly to the greeks, the masses of which people were very social, and inclined to carouse and gormandize. and we germans are accused of the same excess; not without some reason either. 3. with intent to turn christians from these vices unto temperance and sobriety, peter reminds them, as all the apostles are wont to do, of the obligations particularly incident to the christian calling, to the only true, divine service, the things for the sake of which they have become christians and which distinguish them from the remainder of the world. his meaning is: it is not for christians to lead lives heathenish, profligate and riotous; to indulge in gormandizing, guzzling, carousing and demoralizing of themselves. they have something nobler to do. first, in that they are to become different beings, and be occupied with the word of god wherefrom they derive their new birth and whereby they preserve it. second, being born anew, they have enemies to fight; so long as they live on earth, they must combat the devil, also their own flesh, which is corrupted by the devil until it is full of evil lusts. having, then, to assume the obligations of this calling and contest, they must not give way to drowsy indolence; much less may they become foolish, drunken sots, indifferent to all issues and heedless of their obligations. rather, they have need to be watchful and sober, ever ready with the word of god and with prayer. 4. these are the two kinds of armor, two weapons of defense, whereby the devil is vanquished and of which he is afraid: first, diligence in hearing, learning and practicing the word of god, that instruction, comfort and strength may be received; second, sincere petitioning upon the authority of that word, a crying and calling to god for help when temptations and conflicts arise. one or the other of these weapons of defense must continually be in active exercise, effecting perpetual intercourse between god and man--either god speaking to us while we quietly listen, or god hearing our utterances to him and our petitions concerning our needs. whichever the weapon we wield, it is unendurable to the devil; he cannot abide it. christians need both equipments, that their hearts may ever turn to god, cleave to his word, and continually, with ceaseless longing, pray a perpetual lord's prayer. truly, the christian should learn from the temptations and straits wherewith the devil, the world and the flesh constantly oppress him, to be ever on his guard, watching for the enemy's point of attack; for the enemy sleeps not nor rests a single moment. 5. here is applicable peter's injunction for the christian to keep within the bounds of physical temperance and sobriety; not to overload the body and injure it by excessive eating and drinking: so as to be watchful, intelligent, and in a mood, to pray. he who is not careful to discharge the obligations of his office or station with temperance and sobriety, but is daily in a sottish condition, is incapable of praying or performing any other christian duty; he is unfit for any service. 6. right here a special admonitory sermon might well be preached to us dissolute germans, in warning for our excesses and drunkenness. but where would be forthcoming a sermon forcible enough to restrain the shameful sottishness and the drink devil among us? the evil of overindulgence has, alas, swept in upon us like a torrent, overwhelming as a flood all classes. it daily spreads further and further throughout the nation, embracing every station from the lowest to the highest. all preaching, all admonition, seem far too weak--not vain and impotent, but despised and scorned--to meet the emergency. but the apostles, and even christ himself, declared that in the end of the world such a state of affairs should obtain. for that very reason did christ (lk 21, 34) admonish christians to take heed to themselves lest at any time their hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness and the cares of this life, and so that day come upon them unawares. 7. now, god having in his infinite goodness so richly shed upon us germans in these latter times the gospel light, we ought, in honor and gratitude to him, to try to reform ourselves in the matter of intemperance. we should fear lest through this evil besides committing other sins we draw upon us the wrath and punishment of god. for naught else can result from the pernicious life of intemperance but false security, and contempt of god. individuals continually dead in drunkenness, buried in excesses, living like swine, cannot fear god, cannot be occupied with divine things. 8. had we no other incentive to abandon our intemperate living, the scandalous reputation we have among the nations ought to move us to reform. other countries, particularly those bordering on germany, regard us with extreme contempt, calling us drunken germans. for they have virtue enough to abstain from excessive drinking. the turks are real monks and saints in this respect; so far are they from the evil of intemperance that in obedience to the teaching of their mohammed they prohibit the drinking of wine or any other intoxicant, and punish the offense as the greatest evil in their midst. for this very reason are they better soldiers than our drunken masses. they are always awake and vigilant, alert concerning their own interests, planning attacks upon us and continually extending their dominion, while we lie sleeping in our excesses as if we could withstand the turks by drunkenness and carousing. 9. but what is the use of multiplying words on the subject when the evil prevails to such extent as to be common custom in the land? no longer confined to the rude, illiterate rabble, to country villages and public taverns, it has penetrated all cities and entered nearly every house, being particularly prevalent among the nobility--in the courts of princes. i recall that when i was young drunkenness was regarded an inexpressibly shameful thing among the peerage, and that the dear lords and princes restrained it with serious prohibitions and punishments. but now it is more alarmingly prevalent among them than among farmers. it is generally the case that when the great and good begin to go down, they sink to a lower level than others. yes, intemperance has attained such prevalence that even princes and lords have learned the habit from their young noblemen and are no longer ashamed of it. rather, they call it honorable, making it a civil virtue befitting princes and noblemen. whosoever will not consent to be a drunken sot with them, must be discountenanced; while the knights who stand for beer and wine obtain high honors, and great favors and privileges, on account of their drinking. they desire fame in this respect, as if they had secured their nobility, their shield and helmet, by the very fact that they exceed others in the shamelessness of their tippling. 10. yes, and have we not further reason for checking the evil when even the young practice it without fear or shame? they learn it from the aged, and unrestrained they disgracefully and wantonly injure themselves in the very bloom of life, destroying themselves as corn is cut down by hail and tempest. the majority of the finest, most promising young people, particularly the nobility, they of court circles, ruin their health, body and life, before arriving at maturity. how can it be otherwise when they who should restrain and punish commit the same sins themselves? 11. hence germany has always been a wretched country, chastised and plagued by the drink devil, and completely immersed in this vice, until the bodies and lives of her people, as well as their property and honor, are shamefully consumed and only a sordid existence remains. he who would paint the conditions must portray something swinish. indeed, but a small proportion of the inhabitants of germany are undebased by this evil. these are children, girls and women. some sense of propriety in the matter remains to them, though occasionally we find even under the veil some intemperance; however, it is with restraint. enough modesty remains to inspire the universal sentiment that so disgraceful a thing is it for a woman to be drunk, such a one deserves to be trampled upon in the streets. 12. in the light of their example, let us men learn to see our own shame and to blush for it. while noting how disgraceful is drunkenness for women, let us remember it is much more so for ourselves. we ought to be saner and more virtuous; for, according to peter, the woman is the weaker vessel. because of the weakness of women, we ought to have more patience with them. man being endowed with a broader mind, stronger faculties and firmer nature, he should be the saner being, the farther removed from the brute. it stands to reason that it is a much greater disgrace for him to indulge in the vice of drunkenness. in proportion to the nobility of his creation and the exalted nature wherewith god has endowed him, should be the disgrace of such unreasoning, brutish conduct on his part. 13. what can be said for us? so complete is the perversion of all manly virtue and honor in our conduct in this respect that it cannot be surpassed by any other possible degradation of manhood. there remains to us but an atom of good reputation, and that is to be found among the women. the occasional instance of drunkenness among them but emphasizes our own disgrace. all countries look upon us with scorn and contempt, regarding us as shameful and sordid creatures, day and night bent upon making ourselves surfeited and stupid, possessing neither reason nor intelligence. the evil would be more tolerable, more excusable, if drinking and carousing had any limit, if intoxication were but an occasional thing--the case of a person inadvertently taking one drink too much, or of taking a stimulant when tired from excessive labor and worry. we excuse it in women who may chance to drink a little more at wedding parties than they are accustomed to at home. but this excessive guzzling kept up unceasingly day and night, emitting only to be filled again, is wholly inconsistent with the character of a prince, a nobleman, a citizen, yes, of a human being, not to mention the life of a christian; it is really more in keeping with the nature and work of swine. 14. now, when god and all mankind permit you to eat and to drink, to enjoy good things, not merely what is necessary for actual subsistence, but in a measure calculated to afford gratification and pleasure, and you are yet not satisfied with that privilege--when such is the case, your sordid and gluttonous tendencies are worthy one born solely to consume beer and wine. but such are the excesses now to be seen in the courts of princes--the banqueting and the drinking--that one would think they meant to devour the resources of the country in a single hour. lords, princes, noblemen--the entire country, in fact--are ruined, reduced to beggary, for the particular reason that god's gifts are so inhumanly wasted and destroyed. 15. as i said before, the evil of drunkenness has, alas, gained such ascendency as to be past restraint unless the word of god may exert some controlling influence among the few, the individuals who are still human and who would be christians. the masses will remain as they are, particularly as the civil government makes no effort to restrain the evil. it is my opinion that if god does not sometime check the vice by a special judgment--and until he does it will never be punished and restrained--even women and children will become inebriate, and when the last day arrives no christian will be found but all souls will descend drunken into the abyss of hell. 16. let all who desire to be christians know that it is incumbent upon them to manifest the virtue of temperance; that drunken sots have no place among christians, and cannot be saved until they amend their ways, until they reform from their evil habits. concerning them paul says plainly (gal 5, 19-21): "now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousies, wraths, factions, divisions, parties, envyings, drunkenness, revellings, and such like; of which i forewarn you, even as i did forewarn you, that they who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of god." here you see that he who lies day and night in drunkenness has no more inheritance in the kingdom of god than the whoremonger, adulterer, and such like. know then, just as idolatry, adultery and so on, are sins excluding you from heaven, so too, drunkenness is a sin which bars you from the blessings of baptism, and from remission of sins, faith in christ and your personal salvation. hence, if you would be a christian and saved, you must be careful to lead a sober and temperate life. but if you disregard this admonition and yet hope to be saved--well, then continue to be an infidel and a brute so long as god permits. 17. were you a christian, even if you could permit yourself to be unmoved by the physical injury wherein, by drunkenness, you plunge yourself, not only wasting your money and property, but injuring your health and shortening your life; and if you could permit yourself to be unmoved by the stigma justly recognized by men and angels as attaching to you, a filthy sot--even then you ought to be moved by god's command, by the peril of incurring eternal damnation--of losing god's grace and eternal salvation--to refrain from such unchristian conduct. o god, how shameless and ungrateful we are, we so highly blessed of god in having his word and in being liberated from the tyranny of the pope, who desired our sweat and blood and tortured our consciences with his laws--how ungrateful we are in the face of these things not to amend our lives in some measure in honor to the gospel, and in praise and gratitude to god! 18. where peradventure there are still pious parents or godfearing christian rulers, they ought, for the sake of lessening the evil of intemperance, to restrain their children and domestics with serious chastisements. pastors and preachers are under obligation to admonish the people frequently and faithfully, holding up to them god's displeasure and wrath and the injuries to soul, body and property resultant from this evil, to the intent that at least some might be moved and profited. and they who wantonly and openly persist in the vice, being not disposed to amend their conduct but at the same time boast of the gospel, should not be allowed to participate in the sacrament of the lord's supper nor to act as sponsors at baptism. preachers and pastors should hold such as openly antichristian, and should make a distinction against them the same as with manifest adulterers, extortioners and idolaters. such is paul's command (1 cor 5, 11): "i wrote unto you not to keep company, if any man that is named a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no, not to eat." necessity for prayer. 19. but we will not now remark further upon this subject. to return to peter: he admonishes us to be sober so that we may give ourselves to prayer, as becometh those who are christians and have turned from the vile, heathenish conduct of the world. just preceding our text, in verse 3, he says: "for the time past may suffice to have wrought the desire of the gentiles, and to have walked in lasciviousness, lusts, winebibbings, revellings, carousings, and abominable idolatries." he admonishes us as being now called and ordained to contend against the devil by faith and prayer. later on (ch. 5, 8) he brings in the same warning in clearer phrase, exhorting christians to be sober and watchful. do you ask, what is the great necessity therefor? he says: "your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion [in the midst of a flock of sheep], walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." peter's meaning is this: since you are a people called to contend with this powerful spirit which is more intent on seizing your souls than is the wolf on seizing the sheep, it is essential you should take thought how to withstand him. resistance is effected only through faith and prayer. but soberness and vigilance are necessary to enable one to pray. with gormandizers and drunkards, reason is dethroned and they are rendered incapable of respecting anything, or of performing any good work. therefore, the ability to pray and call upon god has been taken from them and the devil overcomes and devours them at his will. 20. the diligence in prayer which characterized christians of the primitive church, even while undergoing great persecution, is apparent to us. they were more than willing to assemble daily for prayer together, not only morning and evening, but also at certain other appointed hours; and frequently they watched and prayed entire nights. some of them, according to st. augustine, carried their vigils to such extent as at times to abstain from food for four days. true, this was going to somewhat of an extreme, particularly when later the practice came to be an example and a commandment. yet their habit of perfect sobriety morning, evening and at all times is commendable. with the cessation of this practice in the congregations, there succeeded the wretched order of monks, who pretend to do the praying for others. they, it is true, observed the same appointed hours, the same seasons of prayer, in their matins, vespers, and so on, but they did not really pray; they merely kept up an incessant sound, muttering and howling. we still retain from the ancient custom the observance of morning and evening prayers in schools for children. but the same practice should obtain in every christian family. every father is under obligation to train up his children to pray at least at the beginning and the close of day, commending to god every exigency of this earthly life, that god's wrath may be averted, and deserved punishment withheld. 21. under such conditions, we would be properly instructed and not have to be subjected to intolerable oppression and to prohibitions relative to eating, drinking and dressing, being guided by nature's demands and our own honor and pleasure. yet we would not be inordinate and brutish in these things nor shamefully dethrone reason. drunkenness is a sin and a shame to any man, and would be even were there neither god nor commandment; much less can it be tolerated among christians. there is more virtue in this respect among the very heathen and turks. they put us to shame, while it is our place to set an example shaming them. our characters ought to be so noble as to give no chance for offense at our conduct, that the name of god be not defamed but glorified, as peter admonishes in the conclusion of this epistle lesson. temperance in all things. 22. what we have said in regard to sobriety, we must also say relative to that other virtue--temperance,[2] to which peter gives first place. they are mutually related, but temperance respects not only eating and drinking, but is opposed to all immoderation in outward life--in clothing, ornament, and so on; to whatever is superfluous, or excessive; to any extravagant attempt to be greater and better than others. to such extent has immoderation gained the upper hand in the world, there is nowhere any limit to expense in the way of household demands, dress, wedding parties and banquets, in the way of architecture, and so on, whereby citizens, rulers and the country itself are impoverished, because no individual longer keeps within proper bounds. almost invariably the farmer aspires to equal the nobleman, while the nobleman would excel the prince. as with sobriety, so with the virtue of temperance--there is scarce to be found an example of it in our midst, so completely has self-control, sincerity and discipline given way. [footnote 2: the german text uses the two words "maszig" and "nichtern," which may be rendered "temperate" and "sober."] 23. at the same time the apostle does not forbid appropriate and respectable recognition of the things of physical well-being, in keeping with each individual's station in life, even including things ministering pleasure and joy. for peter would not have filthy, rusty, greasy monks nor sour-faced saints, with the hypocrisy and show of their simulated austere and peculiar lives, wherein they honor not their bodies, as paul says (col 2, 23), but are ever ready to judge and condemn other people--the maiden, for instance, who chances to join in a dance or wears a red dress. if you are a christian in other respects, god will easily allow you to dress and to adorn yourself, and to live with comfort, even to enjoy honor and considerable pleasure, so long as you keep within proper bounds; you should, however, not go beyond the limits of temperance and moderation. in other words, do not overreach propriety and self-restraint, regardless of real pleasure, in the endeavor to show off in excessive and unprofitable squandering. such conduct results in confusion and trouble--chastisement sent of god; in taxes, extortion, robbing and stealing, until finally lords and subjects are ruined together. "above all things being fervent in your love [have fervent charity] among yourselves; for love [charity] covereth a multitude of sins." 24. in the foregoing part of the text, peter admonishes christians concerning their obligations to themselves; here he tells what is to be their conduct toward others. he embraces all the good works named in the second table of the commandments as obligations we owe to our neighbor, in the little but forcible and comprehensive phrase--"fervent in your love." this virtue, too, is incumbent on the christian who must contend against the devil and pray. for prayer is hindered where love and harmony are displaced by wrath and ill-will. the lord's prayer teaches: "forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors." how can they pray one for another who feel no interest in a neighbor's wants, who rather are enemies, entertaining no good will toward one another? where hearts are inflamed with hatred toward men, prayer has ceased; it is extinguished. hence, antichristians and all popedom, however holy their appearance, cannot pray while enemies to the word of god and persecutors of christians. he who repeats the lord's prayer while indulging wrath, envy and hatred, censures his own lips; he condemns his own prayer when he seeks forgiveness from god but does not think of forgiving his neighbor. 25. with christians there must be, not merely natural human affection such as exists even among heathen, but ardent, fervent love; not the mere appearance of love, the smoke--false, hypocritical love, as paul calls it (rom 12, 9)--but real fervor and fire, which consent not to be easily extinguished, but which endure like the love between husband and wife, or the love of parents for children. true conjugal and parental love is not easily quenched, even though the object of its affection be weak, diseased or dangerously ill. rather the greater the need and the danger of one individual, the more is the heart of the other moved and the brighter does love burn. 26. such sincere love, as the apostle elsewhere styles it, must exist among christians who are all children of one father in heaven and brothers and sisters. indeed, they are under obligation to love even their enemies--who are human beings of the same flesh and blood--and to wish no one evil but rather to serve all wherever possible. this love is the beautiful red robe for the adornment of christians, supplementing the pure white garment of faith received in baptism. it is to be worn in obedience to the example of christ, who for us, even while we were enemies, wore the same red garment of love when he was sprinkled with his own blood. it was then he burned with the intense fire of ineffable and most exalted love. 27. the apostles were moved to admonitions of this character because they clearly perceived the great weakness and imperfection bound to exist among christians even in their outward lives. they knew that no one could, in his everyday life among men, live so discreetly as not at some time or other, by word, gesture or act, to give offense to someone, moving him to anger. such perfection of life is found in no family, not even with husband and wife. the case is the same as in the human body: one member frequently comes in conflict with another; a man may inadvertently bite his tongue or scratch his face. he who would be a saint so stern and selfish as to endure no evil words or acts, and to excuse no imperfections, is unfit to dwell among men. he knows nothing of christian love, and can neither believe nor put into practice the article of the creed concerning the forgiveness of sins. 28. so the christian's fire of love must be characterized, not by a dull, cold red, but by a warm scarlet--according to the scriptures (ex 26, 1), "coccum bis tinctam" (rose-red). this love retains its fire and is really true, having which the christian is not easily disheartened and overcome by wrath, impatience and revenge, but to a certain extent is able to endure and tolerate attacks upon himself calculated to distress. it manifests itself more strongly in suffering and enduring than in action. 29. therefore, peter extols such love, declaring it to be a virtue potent not only to bear but to cover "a multitude of sins." this statement he introduces from the proverbs of solomon (ch. 10, 12). the papists, however, pervert its meaning, explaining it in a way at variance with the doctrine of faith; they make of love to one's neighbor a work or virtue having merit with god. it is their desire to draw the conclusion that for the sake of our love our sins are covered; that is, forgiven and exterminated. but we shall not notice the dolts. it is clear enough from the text that reference is to hatred and love received from men; our own sins are not intended here, but the transgressions of others. to cover our sins in the sight of god, yet other love is requisite--the love of the son of god, who alone is the bearer of sins in god's sight, and who, as john the baptist says, takes away, bearing them upon his own shoulders, the sins of the whole world, including our own. and the example of his love teaches that we, too, should in love cheerfully bear and freely forgive the sins of others against us. 30. solomon contrasts the two opposing principles of envious hatred and love, and shows the effect of each. "hatred," he says, "stirreth up strifes; but love covereth all transgressions." where hatred and enmity dwell in the heart, they must inevitably stir up strife and bring misfortune. animosity cannot restrain itself. it either bursts out in pernicious language clandestinely uttered against the object of enmity, or it openly demeans itself in a manner indicating its ill will. hence follow reveling, cursing, quarreling and fighting, and, when wholly unrestrained, cruelty and murder. these things are due to the fact that the eyes of younker hate are so blinded by scorn and venom that he can see only evil in every man with whom he comes in contact; and when he actually finds it he will not let it alone, but stirs it, roots and frets in it, as the hog roots with defiled snout in offensive filth. "you must have viewed your neighbor from behind," we say when one can speak and think only the worst of a neighbor though he may have many good traits. hate really desires only that everyone be an enemy to his neighbor and speak the worst about him, and if he hears aught in his neighbor's favor, he puts upon it the very worst construction, with the result that the other party is embittered and in turn comes to hate, curse and revile. thus the fire burns until only discord and mischief can obtain. 31. but on the other hand, as solomon tells us, love is a virtue pure and precious. it neither utters nor thinks any evil of its neighbor. rather, it covers sin; not one sin, nor two, but "a multitude of sins"--great masses of them, forests and seas of sin, as it were. that is, love has no desire to reflect itself in a neighbor's sins and maliciously rejoice in them. it conducts itself as having neither seen nor heard them. or, if they cannot be overlooked, it readily forgives, and so far as possible mends matters. where nothing else can be done, it endures the sins of a neighbor without stirring up strife and making a bad matter worse. 32. the apostle, upon authority of observation and experience, acknowledges that where people dwell together there must be mutual transgressions; it cannot be otherwise. no one will always do what is pleasing to others, and each is liable to commit open wrong. peter would teach that since men must live together in their respective stations in life--for the scriptures make no recognition of singular and intolerant saints who would promptly run out of the world when some little thing takes place at variance with their opinions--he who would live peaceably must so control himself as to be able to bear with others, to overlook their imperfections, and to cover their transgressions and thus avert further resulting evil. where no toleration is exercised, where no wrong is forgiven and forgotten, hate and envy must find place. the sole office of these is to stir up strife and contention. no peace and rest is to be had where they exist; wrangling and fighting, oppression and bitterness, must obtain. the unbounded ill-will, the innumerable strifes and wars, having place on earth, all result from the abominable evil of the lack of love among us and from the prevalence of pernicious hate, which leads to anger and revenge when opposition offers. thus we become enemies to one another instead of to evil, when it is our duty to love our fellow-men. 33. now, if you would live as a christian and enjoy peace in the world, you must make every effort to restrain your anger and not to give way to revenge as do others. rather you must suppress these passions, subduing your hatred by love, and be able to overlook and bear, even though you have to suffer great pain and injustice. so doing you will develop a noble character fitted to accomplish much good through patience and humility, to allay and abolish enmity, and strife, and thereby to reform and convert others. if you are unwilling to be patient under injustice, then go on hating and envying, impatiently blustering about and seeking revenge. but from such a proceeding only strife and disquietude can be your portion, though your complaints be long and your lamentations loud. you may run hither and thither, and still you will not find the truth otherwise than as i have stated. this text would have to be done away with first, and the scriptures falsified. 34. paul, having in mind solomon's saying about love, in extolling the same virtue amplifies the latter's statement with various expressions, in the thirteenth of first corinthians. among other things he says there (verses 5-8): "love seeketh not its own, is not provoked, taketh not account of evil; rejoiceth not in unrighteousness, but rejoiceth with the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. love never faileth," etc. this, mark you, is "being fervent in love," as peter calls it. here is the heat, the fire, effective to consume all evil and to replace it with only good. this fire will not permit itself to be quenched; it surmounts all checking. whatever of evil is heaped upon it, it remains in itself good, and works only good. 35. the essential property, the "differentia essentialis," of genuine love, as its nature requires fervency, is the fact that it cannot be embittered. he who has it, will not cease to love, to do good and to endure evil. in a word love cannot hate; it cannot be at enmity with anyone. no evil can be wrought too great for love to endure. no one can commit against it more sins than it can cover. it cannot be enraged to the point of refusing to forgive. its attitude is not unlike that of the mother toward her child. the child may be imperfect and impure, even filthy, but the mother notes it not, even if she sees it. her love blinds her. the eyes wherewith she looks upon her child as the beautiful and god-given fruit of her own body are so pure that she overlooks all imperfections, regarding them as nothing. indeed, she excuses, even glorifies, them. although the child squints, it must not be called squint-eyed, but love-eyed, and even a wart must be thought to become it. 36. behold, this is covering sins with love--a virtue peculiar to christians. the world does not possess that virtue. such love is impossible to it, whatever its pretensions and ostentations in that respect. however precious the world's love may be, it is subject to delusion, vanity and hypocrisy; for the world is false in appearance and pretension. no worldling likes to be regarded hateful and envious toward his neighbor, but succeeds in conducting himself, so far as word and gesture are concerned, in an affable manner to all. this attitude he maintains so long as we show him favors and obey his pleasure. but when our love for him becomes a little disaffected and we happen to offer a word he regards insulting, he promptly withdraws his affections and begins to complain and to rage as if he had been done a great wrong. he makes out he is under no obligation to endure the injustice; and he boastingly plumes himself on having shown great faithfulness and love to the offender, such fidelity as would have led him readily to share with that one the very heart in his body, and now he is so ill repaid that henceforth he will leave such people to be served by the devil. such is the world's love. the world loves not "in deed," but "in word," as john expresses it. 1 jn 3, 18. it has no sincerity of heart. its love is a mere ignis-fatuus, shining but having no fire; a love which endures not, but is blown out by a breath--extinguished with a word. the reason of it all is, the world seeks only its own. it would be served, would receive from others, and not make any return, particularly if response must entail any suffering and forbearance on its part. 37. "but," you may say, "shall evil go unpunished? what would be the result were all evil to be tolerated and covered up? would not that be giving the wicked opportunity to carry out their evil designs? would it not encourage them in their wickedness until life would not be safe to anyone?" i reply: we have often stated what individuals properly merit our anger, and the extent and manner of punishment to be awarded them. it is truly the office of civil government and also of the father of every family to visit anger upon evil, and to punish and restrain it. again, every pastor and preacher is commissioned--yes, every godly christian--to admonish and censure when he sees a neighbor committing sin, just as one brother in a family admonishes another. but to be angry with evil and to inflict official punishment--punishment by virtue of office--is a different thing from being filled with hatred and revenge, or holding ill-will and being unforgiving. 38. it is not inconsistent with the character of love to be angry and to reprove when a neighbor is observed to sin. but true love feels no inclination to behold the sin and disgrace of a neighbor; rather, much rather, it desires his improvement. just as parents correct with a rod a disobedient and obstinate child but do not cast it out and become enemies to it because of that disobedience, their object being only to reform the child, while the rod is cast away after chastisement; so, too, according to christ's words (mt 18, 15-17), you may censure your brother when he sins, and manifest your displeasure and indignation, that he may perceive and confess his wrong-doing, and if he does not then amend his conduct, you may inform the congregation. at the same time, his obstinacy does not justify you in becoming his enemy, or in entertaining ill-will toward him. as said before, love to be true must not be dull and cold, too indifferent to perceive a neighbor's sins; it must endeavor to relieve him thereof. it must have the red fire of fervor. he who truly loves will be distressed that a beloved neighbor wickedly trespasses against god and himself. again, true love does not pale with hatred and revenge. it continues to glow red when the possessor's heart is moved with sympathy, is filled with compassion, for its neighbor. true, when fervor and admonition fail to effect any reform, the sincere-hearted christian must separate himself from his obstinate neighbor and regard him as a heathen; nevertheless, he must not become his neighbor's enemy nor wish him evil. 39. anger and censure prompted by sincere love are very different from the wrath, hatred and revengefulness of the world, which seeks only its own interests and is unwilling to tolerate any opposition to its pleasure. true love is moved to anger only when a neighbor's good demands. though not insensible to evil and not approving evil, it is yet able to tolerate, to forgive and cover, all wrongs against itself, and it leaves untried no expedient that may make a neighbor better. sincere love makes a clear distinction between the evil and the person; it is unfriendly to the former, but kind to the latter. "using hospitality one to another without murmuring: according as each hath received a gift, ministering it among yourselves, as good stewards of the manifold grace of god." 40. having admonished all christians to love one another generally, peter mentions various instances where love should be externally manifested among christians, and speaks particularly of those who have been favored above others with special gifts and special offices in the church, whereby they are able to serve their fellows. thus he teaches that the christian's whole external conduct should be regulated by that love which seeks not its own advantage, which aims not at profiting itself, but lives to serve its neighbor. 41. first, peter says, "using hospitality one to another." the reference is to works of love relative to the various physical needs of a neighbor. christians are to serve one another by ministering temporal blessings. especially are the poor and the wretched to be remembered, they who are strangers or pilgrims among us, or come to us houseless and homeless. these should receive the willing ministrations of christians, and none be allowed to suffer want. 42. in the apostles' time, the primitive days of the church, christians were everywhere persecuted, driven from their possessions and forced to wander hither and thither in poverty and exile. it was necessary then to admonish christians in general, and particularly those who had something of their own, not to permit these destitute ones to suffer want, but to provide for them. so, too, is it today incumbent upon christians to provide for the really poor--not lazy beggars, or vagabonds--the outdoor pensioners, so called; and to maintain those who, because of old age or other infirmity, are unable to support themselves. the churches should establish common treasuries for the purpose of providing alms for cases of this kind. it was so ordained of the apostles in acts 6, 3. paul, also, in many places admonishes to such works of love; for instance (rom 12, 13): "communicating to the necessities of the saints." 43. moreover, as peter says, hospitality is to be extended "without murmuring"--not with reluctance and aversion, as the way of the world is. the world is particularly reluctant when called upon to give to christ the lord, in other words to his poor servants the pastors and preachers, or to their children, into whose mouths they must count every bit of bread. it regards oppressive and burdensome the contributing of even a dime for that purpose. at the same time, it lavishly bestows its gifts upon the devil; as, for instance, under popedom it gave liberally and willingly to indolent, useless monks and shameless, wicked knaves, impostors and seducers. such is the inconsistence of the world; and it is a just punishment from god that it is made unworthy to contribute where it well might toward the preservation of god's word and his poor church; and that it must give to other and ungrateful purposes. christian love must be sincere enough to do good "without murmuring." paul says (rom 12, 8) to "let him that showeth mercy do so with cheerfulness," or willingly, without restraint. again (2 cor 9, 7), "god loveth a cheerful giver," etc. stewards of god's gifts. 44. peter speaks also of love's work in relation to the gifts of the holy spirit, which are bestowed for the good of the entire church and particularly for its spiritual offices or government. he would have the spirit's gifts used in the service of others, and admonishes christians to consider all they have as given of god. the heathen have no such thought, but live as if life and all they possess were of their own attaining. but let christians know they are under obligation to serve god with their gifts; and god is served when they employ them for the advantage and service of the people--reforming them, bringing them to a knowledge of god, and thus building up, strengthening and perpetuating the church. of such love the world knows nothing at all. 45. so then, peter says, we are to use the gifts called spiritual--gifts of the holy spirit--in the christian church "as good stewards of the manifold grace of god." he would have us know they are conferred upon us of grace. they are not given us to exalt ourselves therewith, but to make us stewards of the house of god--of his church. they are manifold and variously distributed; for no one may possess all. some may have certain gifts and offices, and other individuals certain others. but the mutual way in which these gifts are united and related makes one individual serve another. 46. peter would remind especially each individual to take heed to the duties of his particular office. in the pursuance of his own occupation, each is to attend faithfully to whatever is committed to his charge; to do whatever he is commanded to do. as the scriptures teach in many places, there is no work nobler than being obedient to the particular calling and work assigned of god, and satisfied therein; faithfully serving one's neighbor and not gazing after what is committed to, or enjoined upon, another, nor presuming to transcend the limits of one's own commission. many fickle, unstable spirits, however, especially the presumptuous, proud and self-sufficient, imagine themselves to have such measure of the spirit and of skill that their own calling is not sufficient for them; they must control all things, must superintend and criticise the work of others. they are malignant souls, doing nothing but to stir up mischief, and having not the grace to perform any good work, even though they have noble gifts. for they do not make use of the gifts of their office to serve their neighbors; they only minister therewith to their own glory and advantage. 47. the apostle goes on to show how god distributes his gifts in various ways; he speaks of "manifold gifts." paul likewise (1 cor 12, 4-5) teaches that each one is given a special gift, and a particular office wherein he is to exercise his gift, continuing in his own sphere until called to another. again, paul says (rom 12, 6-7): "whether prophecy, let us prophesy ... or ministry, let us give ourselves to our ministry." it is not enough to have numerous special gifts; grace is also requisite--"manifold grace of god," peter says. we must so use our gifts that god may be pleased to add his blessing, if we would successfully and profitably serve the church and accomplish good. god's grace will not be given to those who do not, in faith and in obedience to his command, fulfill the obligations of their calling. now peter proceeds to illustrate, giving a rule of how we are to use our individual gifts. he says: "if any man speaketh, speaking as it were oracles of god; if any man ministereth, ministering as of the strength which god supplieth." 48. it is highly essential that the church observe this doctrine. had it been regarded heretofore, the world would not have been filled with anti-christian errors and deceptions. for it fixes the bounds, it sets the mark, for all aspiring church members, however exalted their office and gifts; the limits of these they must not transcend. 49. the apostle classifies church government in two divisions: teaching, or "ministering" the word; and holding office and fulfilling its duties in accordance with the teachings of the word. in both cases, he tells us, we are to take heed that we are not actuated by our own ideas and pleasures; our teaching and ruling must ever be god's word and work or office. 50. the workings of the christian church are not the same as the processes of civil government. they are unlike the operations that have to do with outward things, with temporal possessions. in the latter case men are guided by their own understanding. at the dictates of their own reason do they rule, instituting laws and regulations, and prohibiting, receiving and distributing according to those regulations. in the christian church we have a spiritual government of the conscience, an effecting of obedience in god's sight. whatever is spoken or taught, promised or done, we may be assured, will avail and stand before god; indeed, we may know it has origin with him, whereby we are justified in declaring: "god himself uttered the command or performed the work; for in us, his tabernacles where he lives and rules, essentially he, as rightful master in the house, commands and performs all, though employing the instrumentality of men's lips and hands." assurance of pure doctrine essential. 51. in the first place, therefore, it is necessary that both preachers and hearers take heed to doctrine and have clear, unmistakable evidence that what they embrace is really the true word of god revealed from heaven; the doctrine given to the holy and primitive fathers, prophets and apostles; the doctrine christ himself confirmed and commanded to be taught. we are not permitted to employ the teaching dictated by any man's pleasure or fancy. we may not adapt the word to mere human knowledge and reason. we are not to trifle with the scriptures, to juggle with the word of god, as if it would admit of being explained to suit the people; of being twisted, distended and patched to effect peace and agreement among men. otherwise, there would be no sure, permanent foundation whereon the conscience might rely. 52. nor is it any more admissible for one who chances to have an office of greater influence than others, who is peculiarly holy, or who is of exalted spirit and intellect--even though he were an apostle--to presume upon his gifts and the office and take authority to teach according to his own inclinations, requiring his hearers to accept unquestioningly his word and rely upon it because what he teaches must be right. but thus the pope in time past persuaded the world that because he occupied the seat of the apostles, the highest office, and assembled the councils, the latter could not err, and that therefore all men are obliged to believe and obey what they resolve and confirm. 53. this theory is opposed by peter's teaching, and all the scriptures forbid men, at the peril of losing eternal salvation, to rely on or respect anyone or anyone's gifts, in the things pertaining to faith. the scriptures teach rather that we are to prove and judge all doctrine by the clear and sure word of god given us from heaven and supported by the reliable, concurrent testimony of the apostles and the church from the beginning. paul, by way of denouncing the false teachers who boasted of being disciples of eminent apostles and relied upon the latter and their reputation, pronounced this sentence (gal 1, 8): "though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach unto you any gospel other than that which we preached unto you, let him be anathema." 54. similarly, in the offices or government of the church, there must first be convincing evidence that command and office are instituted of god. no one may be permitted to institute, promise or do anything of his own power or pleasure and compel men to regard it as divine authority or as essential to salvation, simply because of his appointment to office. nevertheless, the pope, by virtue of his ecclesiastical office, undertook to domineer over all men, to issue commands and institute laws and religious services binding upon everyone. he who holds and would exercise office in the church must first give clear scripture proof of having derived his office from the authority of god. he must be able to say: "i did not institute such and such a proceeding; it is of god." then they who comply may be assured they are obeying, not the individual, but god. 55. for instance, if in obedience to christ's command i, as a carer of souls, or servant of the church, administer the holy sacrament or pronounce absolution; if i admonish, comfort, reprove; i can say: "that which i do, i do not; christ performs it." for i act not of my own design, but in obedience to the command of christ--to his injunction. the pope and his adherents cannot make the above assertion. for they pervert the order and commandment of christ the lord when, in the sacrament, they withhold the cup from the laity, and when they change the use of the sacrament or mass, making it a sacrifice for the living and the dead. and thus they do also by innumerable other abominations in their false worship, things established without god's command, indeed contrary thereto; for instance, the invocation of dead saints, and similar idolatries, introduced by the pope under cover of his office, as if he had the power from christ to institute and command such things. assurance of divine efficiency essential. 56. in the second place, it is not enough that office and commandment be god-appointed. we his ministers should be conscious--and the people should so be taught--that efficacy of office is not of human effort, but is god's power and work. in other words, that which the office was designed to accomplish is not effective by virtue of our speech or action, but by virtue of god's commandment and appointment. he it is who orders; and himself will effectively operate through that office which is obedient to god's command. for instance, in baptism, the lord's supper and absolution, we are not to be concerned about the person administering the sacraments or pronouncing absolution--who he is, how righteous, how holy, how worthy. worthiness or unworthiness of either administering or receiving hand effects nothing; all the virtue lies in god's command and ordinance. 57. this is the explanation of peter's phrase, "the strength or ability which god supplieth." effect is produced, not through man's power, not in obedience to man's will; but through the "strength" of god and because of his ordering. no man has a right presumptuously to boast his own power and ability effective, as the pope does in his pretensions about keys and ecclesiastical power. know that it is necessary to the efficacy of your office and the salutary character of your work or authority in the church that god himself give and exert the influence. and that influence is exerted when, as before said, god's word and testimony are present that the ministry in question is commanded, or authorized, of god. 58. therefore it is earnestly enjoined that in the church no attempt should be made by any individual to institute any order or perform any work, much or little, great or small, merely at the prompting of his own inclinations or in obedience to the advice of any man. let him who would teach and work be sure that his words and acts are really of god--commanded by him. until he is certain in this respect, let him abandon his office--suspend his ministry; let him engage in something else for a time. nor should we hear or believe anything presented to us that does not bear indisputable evidence of being the divine word, or command. for god will not permit mockery of himself in the things of his own prerogative and on which depends the salvation of souls; for souls will be led to eternal ruin where this rule and command are disregarded. "that in all things god may be glorified through jesus christ." 59. here is named the motive for all effort in the christian community. no one may seek for nor ascribe to himself power and honor because of his office and gifts. power and glory belong only to god. he himself calls his church, and rules, sanctifies and preserves it through his word and his spirit. to this end he bestows upon us his gifts. and all is done purely of grace, wholly for the sake of his beloved son, christ the lord. therefore, in return for the favor and ineffable goodness bestowed upon us regardless of our merits, we ought to thank and praise god, directing all our efforts to the recognition and glory of his name. _pentecost_ text: acts 2, 1-13. 1 and when the day of pentecost was now come, they were all together in one place. 2 and suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 and there appeared unto them tongues parting asunder, like as of fire; and it sat upon each one of them. 4 and they were all filled with the holy spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the spirit gave them utterance. 5 now there were dwelling at jerusalem jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. 6 and when this sound was heard, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speaking in his own language. 7 and they were all amazed and marvelled, saying, behold, are not all these that speak galilæans? 8 and how hear we, every man in our own language wherein we were born? 9 parthians and medes and elamites, and the dwellers in mesopotamia, in judæa and capadocia, in pontus and asia, 10 in phrygia and pamphylia, in egypt and the parts of libya about cyrene, and sojourners from rome, both jews and proselytes, 11 cretans and arabians, we hear them speaking in our tongues the mighty works of god. 12 and they were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying one to another. what meaneth this? 13 but others mocking said, they are filled with new wine. the gift of the holy spirit. 1. the historical facts of this day, as well as the beautiful sermon the holy spirit delivered through the apostle peter, which might appropriately be fully treated at this time, we shall leave for the special sermons on the various festivals of the year. for the present we will but briefly speak of the occasion of this festival, and of the office of the holy spirit. 2. the festival we call "pentecost" had origin as follows: when god was about to lead the children of israel out of egypt, he permitted them to celebrate the feast of the passover on the night of their departure; and commanded them on every annual recurrence of the season to observe the same feast in commemoration of their liberation from bondage and their departure from egypt. fifty days later, in their journey through the wilderness, they arrived at mount sinai. there god gave them the law, through moses; and there they were commanded to observe annually, in commemoration of that giving of the law, the fiftieth day after the feast of the passover. hence the name "feast of pentecost," the word "pentecost" coming from the greek "pentecoste," or "fiftieth day." our saxons, rather more in conformity to the greek, use the word "pfingsten." so we have it here of luke: "when the day of pentecost was now come," or "fully come"--when the jews had properly commemorated the giving of the law of god on mount sinai--the holy spirit came, in accordance with christ's promise, and gave them a new law. we now celebrate this feast, not because of the old historical event, but because of the new one--the sending of the holy spirit. it is in order, then, to give a little instruction concerning the difference between our pentecost and that of the jews. literal law and spiritual law. 3. the occasion of the jews' observance was the giving of the literal law; but it is ours to celebrate the giving of the spiritual law. to present the point more clearly, we cite paul's distinction of the two covenants. 2 cor 3, 6. and these two covenants respectively relate to two kinds of people. 4. first, there is the written law commanded of god and composed of written words. it is styled "written" or "literal" because it goes no farther and does not enter the heart, nor are there any resulting works other than hypocritical and extorted ones. consisting only of letters--a written law--it is wholly dead. its province being to kill, it ruled a dead people. with dead hearts men could not sincerely observe the commandments of god. were every individual left to do as he pleased, being uninfluenced by fear, not one would be found choosing to be controlled by the law. unquestionably, human nature is conscious of the fact that while it prefers to follow its own inclinations it is impelled to do otherwise; for it reasons: "if i observe not god's commandments, he will punish me, casting me into hell." thus our nature is conscious of obeying unwillingly and contrary to desire. because of the punishment men fear, they soon become enemies to god; they feel themselves sinners, unable to stand before god, and consequently not acceptable to him. indeed, they would rather there were no god. such enmity to god remains persistently in the heart, however beautifully nature may adorn itself outwardly. we see, therefore, how the law, so long as it consists merely of written words, can make no one righteous, can enter no heart. upon this topic we have elsewhere preached and written at length. 5. the other law is spiritual; not written with ink and pen, nor uttered by lips as moses read from the tables of stone. we learn from the historical record of the event that the holy spirit descended from heaven and filled all the assembled multitude, and they appeared with parting, fiery tongues and preached so unlike they were wont to do that all men were filled with amazement. the spirit came pouring into their hearts, making them different beings, making them creatures who loved and willingly obeyed god. this change was simply the manifestation of the spirit himself, his work in the heart. he wrote in those hearts his pure and fiery flame restoring them to life and causing them to respond with fiery tongues and efficient hands. they became new creatures, aware of possessing altogether different minds and different tendencies. then all was life and light; understanding, will and heart burned and delighted in whatever was acceptable to god. such is the true distinction between the written law of god and the spiritual. herein we perceive what is the work of the holy spirit. the office of the holy spirit. 6. from this we should learn what is the office of the holy spirit in the church, and how or by what means he is received in the heart and works there. in time past it was preached that he merely endorses what the councils conclude and the pope establishes in the spiritless papal church. the fact is, however, the doings of pope and councils are mere outward matters; they relate to external commands and government. the above theory is, therefore, wholly inconsistent and perverse. of the work of the holy spirit, the papists make a dead, written law, when it is really a living, spiritual law. thus they render the holy spirit a moses, and his words mere human prattle. it is all due to ignorance of the character of the holy spirit, of the purpose of his coming and the nature of his office. therefore, let us learn and firmly grasp those things and be able rightly to distinguish the spirit's office. 7. observe here, the holy spirit descends and fills the hearts of the disciples sitting in fear and sorrow. he renders their tongues fiery and cloven, and inflames them with love unto boldness in preaching christ--unto free and fearless utterance. plainly, then, it is not the office of the spirit to write books or to institute laws. he writes in the hearts of men, creating a new heart, so that man may rejoice before god, filled with love for him and ready, in consequence, to serve his fellows gladly. 8. what are the means and process the spirit employs to change and renew the heart? it is through preaching jesus christ the lord, as christ himself says (jn 15, 26): "when the comforter is come, whom i will send unto you from the father, even the spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the father, he shall bear witness of me." as we have often heard, the gospel is the message god would have preached world-wide, declaring to every individual that since no man can through the law be made righteous, but must rather become more unrighteous, god sent his own beloved son to shed his blood and die for our sins, from which sins we could not be released by our own effort. 9. it is not enough simply that christ be preached; the word must be believed. therefore, god sends the holy spirit to impress the preaching upon the heart--to make it inhere and live therein. unquestionably, christ accomplished all--took away our sins and overcame every obstacle, enabling us to become, through him, lords over all things. but the treasure lies in a heap; it is not everywhere distributed and applied. before we can enjoy it, the holy spirit come and communicate it to the heart, enabling us to believe and say, "i too, am one who shall have the blessing." to everyone who hears is grace offered through the gospel; to grace is he called, as christ says (mt 11, 28), "come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden," etc. 10. now, with the belief that god has come to our rescue and given us this priceless blessing, inevitably the human heart must be filled with joy and with gratitude to god, and must exultingly cry: "dear father, since it is thy will to manifest toward me inexpressible love and fidelity, i will love thee sincerely, and willingly do what is pleasing to thee." the believing heart never sees god with jealous eye. it does not fear being cast into hell as it did before the holy spirit came, when it was conscious of no love, no goodness, no faithfulness, on god's part, but only wrath and displeasure. but once let the holy spirit impress the heart with the fact of god's good will and graciousness towards it, and the resulting joy and confidence will impel it to do and suffer for god's sake whatever necessity demands. 11. let us, then, learn to recognize the holy spirit--to know that his mission is to present to us the priceless christ and all his blessings; to reveal them to us through the gospel and apply them to the heart, making them ours. when our hearts are sensible of this work of the spirit, naturally we are compelled to say: "if our works avail naught, and the holy spirit alone must accomplish our salvation, then why burden ourselves with works and laws?" by the doctrine of the spirit, all human works and laws are excluded, even the laws of moses. the holy spirit's instruction is superior to that of all books. the spirit-taught individual understands the scriptures better than does he who is occupied solely with the law. 12. hence, our only use for books is to strengthen our faith and to show others written testimony to the spirit's teaching. for we may not keep our faith to ourselves, but must let it shine out; and to establish it the scriptures are necessary. be careful, therefore, not to regard the holy spirit as a law-maker, but as proclaiming to your heart the gospel of christ and setting you so free from the literal law that not a letter of it remains, except as a medium for preaching the gospel. believers must yet resist sin. 13. here we should be intelligent and know that in one sense all is not accomplished when the holy spirit is received. the possessor of the spirit is not at once entirely perfect, pure in all respects, no more sensible of the law and of sin. we do not preach the doctrine that the spirit's office is one of complete accomplishment, but rather that it is progressive; he operates continuously and increasingly. hence, there is not to be found an individual perfect in righteousness and happiness, devoid of sin and sorrow, ever serving all men with pleasure. the scriptures make plain the holy spirit's office--to liberate from sin and terror. but the work is not then complete. the christian must, in some measure, still feel sin in his heart and experience the terrors of death; he is affected by whatever disturbs other sinners. while unbelievers are so deep in their sins as to be indifferent, believers are keenly conscious of theirs; but christians are supported by the holy spirit, who consoles and strengthens till his work is fully accomplished. it is terminated when they no longer feel their sins. 14. so i say we must be prudent; we must take heed we do not arrogantly and presumptuously boast possession of the holy spirit, as do certain proud fanatics. the danger is in becoming too secure, in imagining ourselves perfect in all respects. the pious christian is still flesh and blood like other men; he but strives to resist evil lusts and other sins, and is unwillingly sensible of evil desires. but he who is not a christian is carelessly secure, wholly unconcerned about his sins. 15. it is of no significance that we feel evil lusts, provided we endeavor to resist them. one must not go by his feelings and consider himself lost if he have sinful desires. at the same time he must, so long as life lasts, contend with the sins he perceives in himself. he must unceasingly groan to be relieved of them, and must permit the holy spirit to operate in him. there is in believers continual groaning after holiness--groaning too deep for expression, as paul says in romans 8, 26. but christians have a blessed listener--the holy spirit himself. he readily perceives sincere longing after purity, and sends the conscience divine comfort. there will ever be in us mingled purity and imperfection; we must be conscious both of the holy spirit's presence and of our own sins--our imperfections. we are like the sick man in the hands of the physician who is to restore him to health. let no one think: "here is a man who possesses the holy spirit; consequently he must be perfectly strong, having no imperfections and performing only worthy works." no, think not so; for so long as we live in the flesh here on earth, we cannot attain such a degree of perfection as to be wholly free from weakness and faults. the holy apostles themselves often lamented their temptations and sorrows. their feelings concealed from them the holy spirit's presence, though they were aware of his strengthening and sustaining power in their temptations, a power conveyed through the word and through faith. 16. the holy spirit is given only to the anxious and distressed heart. only therein can the gospel profit us and produce fruit. the gift is too sublime and noble for god to cast it before dogs and swine, who, when by chance they hear the preached message, devour it without knowing to what they do violence. the heart must recognize and feel its wretchedness and its inability to extricate itself. before the holy spirit can come to the rescue, there must be a struggle in the heart. let no one imagine he will receive the spirit in any other way. 17. we see this truth illustrated in the narrative here. the beloved disciples were filled with fear and terror. they were disconsolate and discouraged, and sunk in unbelief and despair. only with great difficulty and effort did christ raise them again. yet their only failing was their faintheartedness; they feared the heavens would fall upon them. even the lord himself could scarce comfort them until he said: "the holy spirit shall descend upon you from heaven, impressing myself upon your hearts until you shall know me and, through me, the father. then will your hearts be comforted, strengthened and filled with joy." and so was the promise fulfilled to them on this day of pentecost. luther's church postil contains no sermons on the epistle selections for whit-monday and whit-tuesday. _pentecost monday_ text: acts 2, 14-28. only the text, without a sermon, is printed in the edition of 1559 of luther's works. this and the following epistle text are too long to consider here, as they contain so many beautiful quotations from the old testament, which should not be passed over too briefly. hence their discussion is reserved for their proper place. _pentecost tuesday_ text: acts 2, 29-36. luther on sin and the flood commentary on genesis by john nicholas lenker, d.d. translator of luther's works into english; author of "lutherans in all lands" vol. ii second thousand the luther press minneapolis, minn., u.s.a. 1910 _dedication_. to all interested in studying the christian missionary problems of "the last times" of the modern world, this volume is dedicated. copyright, 1910, by j. n. lenker. _foreword_. the first volumes of the "american luther" we selected for publication were his best commentaries, then eight volumes of his gospel and epistle sermons and one volume of his best catechetical writings. these rich evangelical works introduced us to the real luther, not the polemical, but the gospel luther. they contain the leaven of the faith, life and spirit of protestantism. we now return to his spiritual commentaries on the bible which are the foundation of all his writings. the more one reads luther the greater he becomes as a student of the one book. contents of this volume. this, the second volume of luther's great commentary on genesis, appears now in english for the first time. it covers chapters four to nine inclusive of genesis. the subjects discussed are: cain's murder, his punishment, cain's sons, seth and his sons, the wickedness of the old world, the ark, noah's obedience, the universal destruction, the salvation of noah's family, his sacrifice, his blessing, the rainbow covenant, noah's fall, ham cursed and shem and japheth blessed. these great themes are discussed by moses and luther. they have vital relations to problems pertaining to the end of the modern world. our hope and prayer are that god may use this volume to make the book of genesis and the whole old testament a greater spiritual blessing to the church and that it may serve the servants of god in these latter days in calling people to repentance, faith and prayer like noah and luther did. in his "dear genesis" luther proved that the free evangelical religion he taught was not new, but as old as the first book of the bible, and that it does not consist in outward forms, organizations and pomp, but in true faith in christ in our hearts and lives. genesis contains the only historic records accessible of the first 2364 years of the 4004 years before christ. it is worthy of study in our day as it was in the days of the reformation. acknowledgments. luther advised no one should translate alone and he practiced what he taught. we have followed his rule and example. pastor c. b. gohdes of baltimore translated chapter six and president schaller of milwaukee theological seminary, chapters five, seven, eight and nine. inaccuracies may be due to the revision and editing, and not to the translators, for every good translation must be fluent and idiomatic, to secure which is the most difficult task. pastor gohdes also rendered valuable help in the final revision of parts. the translation of the analyses is by the undersigned. the few last pages of the first edition of volume one we revised and reprint in this volume in order to make the pages of each volume of our edition to correspond with the german and latin volumes of the erlangen edition. the paragraphs are numbered and the analyses given according to the old walch edition. _luther and world-evangelization_. in translating luther into practical english in practical america, and in this age that is growing more and more practical, we need to be reminded that this work is for practical use and purposes. luther was radical along bible lines in applying the truth personally and to the world. it is a year since the last volume of the "american luther" appeared. the delay was caused by an effort to raise the work to a higher standard and by the publication of a book on "the true place of germans and scandinavians in the evangelization of the world", not a revision of, but a new companion volume to "lutherans in all lands" that appeared seventeen years ago. by comparing these two books one has the best evidence of the marvelous progress of god's kingdom in recent years, and the growing world-significance of luther's evangelistic writings. evangelization at home and abroad is the popular religious theme today in the german fatherland and in the whole protestant world. the word "world" is becoming so common its full meaning is not appreciated. when world-evangelization is discussed, it is too often from the standpoint of the nation discussing it. each nation is so active in its own work that it fails to appreciate what others are doing. for example how little the world missionary conferences in english lands have to say of the german and scandinavian missions and the reformed churches of the lutheran work. hence the fruits of luther's evangelical writings are underestimated by the english people. it is opportune to translate not only luther but also the best fruits of those writings in various languages during the past 400 years, especially since the memorable date of 1917 is soon to be celebrated by universal protestantism. luther in all languages and lutherans in all lands go together. we ought to consider most carefully the great reformer in his relation to the modern world and modern world-evangelization. the known world in his day was not so large. he had, however, a clear view of it all in his writings, which is due to his faithful study of the scriptures. the bible gave him a knowledge of the world, including all lands and all times. his commentary of eleven volumes on genesis illustrates this. the first volume on genesis treats of the first part of the ancient world; the second volume, the one before us, treats of the second part and end of the old world. this luther would have us apply to the last times of the modern world. luther educational and devotional. here, as everywhere in his catechisms, sermons and commentaries, luther is unique among religious authors in that he is both educational and devotional, appealing equally to head and heart. he is "religiously helpful and intellectually profitable," covering every phase of religious, moral and social conditions, and touching every interest of humanity. "his words went to the mark like bullets and left marks like bullets." being beyond criticism they have a unique place to fill in the literature and libraries of the world. although the cry, "read luther!" has been raised here in the new world the multitudes of the english people are not rushing for his writings, as the germans did when they first appeared in the old world, under conditions similar to what they are in america at present. if asked what made the german people what they are, the answer is, these writings, so universally circulated and read. if the anglo-saxons appreciated their educational and devotional value the 35,000 copies circulated the last seven years would easily, as a professor suggested, be increased to a hundred thousand copies. nations helping nations. the world-consciousness is growing, so is the national consciousness. both are characteristic of our times. perhaps never did the national spirit develop as in recent years. the great powers, instead of dividing china, witness the national spirit growing everywhere--in japan, china, india, africa, south america, norway, sweden, as well as in germany, england, russia and the united states. this is a good sign, for the world-family is composed of nations, and each nation has at least one talent not to be crushed, but with which to serve all the others. one serves the world when he serves his nation. luther's words, "i live for my countrymen", illustrates this. it is not the nations that have the largest armies and navies that are the greatest blessing to the world, but the nations that work out the best christian civilization for the world to imitate and send over the earth the best farmers to show other nations and tribes how to cultivate the earth, the best teachers, preachers and authors to train the people, the best medical skill to relieve human suffering, the best mechanics and servants, the greatest philanthropists, the best christians. in educational, industrial, medical and charitable mission work the nations dominated by luther's writings stand high. nations, like individuals, are the greatest which serve others best; not the nations which have the most territory, but nations which do the greatest service for the whole human family. the students missionary movement develops men, and the laymen's missionary movement raises money. both are needed, but men must be trained to do their work in the best way and the money be used to bring the best results. hence nations should help and study one another most carefully with this in view. luther and his writings in the evangelization of europe ought not to be overlooked in the evangelization of other continents. by helping abroad the home does not suffer. among american lutherans the norwegians prove this, for they have done the most for the heathen and have the best home mission work. transition and translation or transition and revolution. while we are translating luther for all anglo-saxons, we do not overlook the fact that luther's disciples, germans and scandinavians, are themselves being translated, or are in a state of transition. the translation of a people and of their literature or spirit clearly presents a double problem, both sides of which demand at once the most careful work. the translation of both the people and their literature should run parallel and in the same, and not in an opposite, direction. germans and scandinavians have always, and do still, make the fatal blunder of translating from english into their own languages, instead of from their languages into english. they thus cross one another's path never to meet again. their children and grandchildren, however, find it easier to translate into english, their mother tongue; but, alas, they have little interest in doing it. they make the mistake in thinking their old thoughts and classics are not needed in the new language. their motto seems to be, "new literature for the new language", when to the english public, if not to themselves, the old writings would be the newest. it is marvelous how wide-awake preachers are mislead. best literature is translations. people who are prejudiced against translations, forget that the bible and our best literature are translations of the classics of the world's leading languages. translations should be welcomed by a people who themselves are in a state of translation, especially if the translations are from their mother tongue into the language they are learning. what endless friction and confusion would be avoided, if people and their life and literature were translated at the same time. as we have said, a transition of a people without a translation of their literature is no transition, but a revolution. to this various church bodies witness. during the transition of language the best literature for the children to read is the translations of the classics of the language of the parents. there may be better literature, but not for these particular children, if the unity of the family life is to be perpetuated. hence it becomes a vital concern that both children and parents understand that the best literature for them is such translations. but where are the german or scandinavian teachers and preachers who are enthusing over putting this thought deep into the family life of their congregations. a lesson from luther and wesley in america. what unwisdom even to attempt to build up the lutheran christian life in free, aggressive protestant anglo-saxon civilization without luther's writings in good anglo-saxon! muhlenberg (b. 1711; d. 1787) and wesley (b. 1703; d. 1791) came to america about the same time. wesley returned home in 1738 after a stay of two years in the south. muhlenberg spent his ministerial life of 45 years (1742-1787) in america, in the keystone state, in and near philadelphia, the metropolis of the new world. when the two palatinate germans from limerick county, ireland, philip embury and barbara heck, a lay-preacher and a godly woman, held the first methodist service in america, in 1766, in new york city, the lutheran faith had been planted here by the dutch since 1657 in the same city, by the swedes on the delaware since 1639, (torkillus), by the germans since 1708 (kocherthal); muhlenberg had arrived in philadelphia in 1742, built churches the following year in philadelphia and "the trappe", and organized the synod of pennsylvania among its 60,000 lutherans in 1748. all these lutherans to some extent learned, preached and confirmed in english. muhlenberg was naturalized in 1754 as a subject of great britain. this and his stay in england gave an anglican turn to his german pietism. when we became a free people in 1776, the methodists had only 20 preachers and 3418 members in america and less than 76,000 followers in europe from which to receive immigrant members, while the lutherans were strong here and in europe. today american methodists report 60,737 churches, and the lutherans 13,533. why did wesley's followers become the dominating religious force in america? not because wesley and his writings were greater than luther and his writings. methodists did not bear wesley's name, but they did have his spirit and writings. even to the present day every methodist preacher must pass an examination in wesley's writings before ordination. where were luther's spirit and writings among his early american followers? language is no more a barrier to luther's spirit than to wesley's. methodism forged its way from english into german, norwegian, danish and swedish and among indians, mexicans and negros. people, regardless of language, color or condition, could not help but learn what real spiritual methodism is. it was preached and sung in such simple, plain anglo-saxon, and in good translations, that it could not be misunderstood nor misrepresented. wesley's simple evangelical message was abroad in the land in the hearts of the people. but the evangelical voice of luther, the prince of translators, was hardly heard and even today the english world has no clear popular view of what spiritual evangelical lutheranism is. often when they speak of it, they seem to think it is the opposite of what it is. germans, scandinavians and all know the spiritual side of methodism, but the english world does not know the spiritual side of lutheranism, and it never will until luther's spiritual writings are translated into readable english and circulated broadcast over the land, and the hearts of the people come into direct and close touch with the heart of the great reformer himself. the english world knows the statistics, the numerical strength of lutherans. that needs no apology. but what does need a defense among americans is the spirituality of the lutherans. that is developed by the translations into the plainest vernacular of god's word and luther's evangelical sermons and commentaries. these are the best literature for young germans and scandinavians. although translations, and not perfect, they are the best for them. the bible first; luther's spiritual writings second, not first nor third. have not lutherans in america been following the disciples of luther instead of luther; while methodists have followed wesley and not wesley's disciples. the dutch, swedish and german lutherans in the east, all learned english. we say it was a transition, but was it not a revolution? their history stands forth as beacon lights of warning to the polyglot lutherans migrating to the ends of earth and learning all languages. they will no more keep up their faith with one language than the english nation will keep up their trade by refusing to learn other languages. strange it is that nations can learn and use other languages in one line and not in another--the english in church work and not in trade; the germans in trade, but not in church work. it is said there are 30 million people in the united states with some german blood in their veins. two thirds of these, or 20 millions, may be said to have some lutheran mixture in their makeup, but only one and a half million of these 20 millions are communicant members of english and german lutheran churches. what people in america can show a worse religious record? yet the tenders of the sheep and lambs are afraid to feed them in the only way they can be fed. verily whatever you sow, that shall you also reap. lift up your eyes, behold the harvest! can you not discern the signs of the times? it is no wonder that the united states census of 1890, the latest reliable statistics on the subject, gave the number of lutheran communicants using only english in this english land at 198,907; general synod 143,764; united synod south 37,457; general council 14,297; ohio synod 287; missouri synod 1,192--after 150 years of work. our good german and scandinavian parents, in the light of these figures, need not fear losing many members to purely english churches. "reading luther" in german, swedish, norwegian and english will bring better results to old and young than if read only in one language. the church of the reformation is not one-tongued, but many-tongued. english luther in german and scandinavian churches. april 12th, 1910, became a memorable date in the north-west by the introduction of the scandinavian languages into all the high schools of minneapolis. german and scandinavian taxpayers are gradually becoming more interested in having their children learn the language of their mothers in the public schools. this will prove to be a great blessing to children and home, society and state. the church however will blunder, if she thinks there will now be no need of circulating english literature in german and scandinavian congregations. translating luther and teaching german and scandinavian are two ways of doing the same thing, for language is not an end, but a means to an end. many young people are being confirmed in english and they often attend services in foreign languages. many know more of the language than of the matter preached. when weak in the language they understand better what is preached if they are familiar with the thought. the reason many do not appreciate a sermon with the luther ring is because they are familiar with neither the language nor the thought. hence the need of our young people becoming familiar with luther's sermons and commentaries in english. one understands better in a strange language what he is familiar with. this familiar knowledge would help to bridge the chasm between lutheran parents and children. ask parents and they will tell about the "old luther readers," in their native land and tongue. all admit that if the young people are not interested to read luther in english, they will never read him. all who do will the better understand sermons in german and scandinavian. the universal reading of the english luther, on the part of the young people, will therefore help, and not harm, the german and scandinavian congregations. luther's teachings thoroughly understood in a living way will bind the young to their christian convictions, as much as the knowledge of a language binds them to that language. the passive interest therefore, on the part of german and scandinavian pastors and congregations in circulating the english luther, as far as their young people are concerned, should give way to active interest, for the sake of their own work in the future. it is important to learn your mother's language. you may do that and forget her faith--better retain the faith than the language. j. n. lenker. the fiftieth day (pentecost), 1910. minneapolis, minn. commentary on genesis. chapter iv. iv. cain murders his brother; called to account. a. how cain murdered his brother. 1. what moved cain to commit murder 107. 2. cain's hypocritical actions in concealing his anger that he might the more easily commit the murder 108-109. * cain the picture of all hypocrites 110-129. * the attitude of hypocrites to their neighbors. also, how we are to view the efforts of the pope and bishops in behalf of peace and unity 111-112. * against what people we should most guard 112. 3. how cain listened to no warning in his thoughts of murder 113. * complaint of the world's attitude to good admonition 114. * the ways of the hypocrite. also, why falsehood wears a friendly aspect 115. 4. whether cain's passion to murder abel was noticeable 115. 5. cain took no notice of abel's sighing and praying 116. * the origin of man's cruel and tyrannical nature 117. b. how cain was called to account, and his behavior. 1. who questioned cain, and his defiant actions 118. 2. cain accused himself most when he tried to clear himself 119. * liars speak against themselves, as is proved by examples 119-120. 3. cain's vindication more foolish than that of the first parents in paradise 121. * st. martin will absolve the devil if he repents 122. * whoever excuses his sin follows the example of satan and makes his case worse 123. 4. how cain heaps sin upon sin 124. 5. cain despairs and is in a worse state than our first parents after their fall 125. 6. how cain placed himself in a position where nothing could help him 126. 7. gently accused, and yet defiant 127. 8. cain has not the least reverence for god or his father 128. * this is a picture of all hypocrites 129. 9. how his defense ends 130. * how man ought to act when his conscience accuses him of sin 131. * the hypocrite's actions when his conscience is awakened, and what he is to do 132-133. 10. in cain's defense wickedness and folly are mingled 134. * how god reveals hypocrites 135. * moses says much in few words 136. * whether abel and our first parents anticipated cain's murder 137. * without a thought of what might restrain him, cain commits the deed 138. * the picture of the sacrifice of iphigenia applied to moses' description of cain's murder 139-140. * cain's is no ordinary murder, and how he differs from other murderers 141. * the hypocrite's hatred is different from other hatred, and is found among the jews and the papists 142-143. * cain the father of all murderers 144. * how the first parents felt over this whole affair 145. a. their grief was so great that they could not have endured without special divine comfort 146. b. their severe trial in view of the first sin 147. c. very likely because of this murder they refrained so long from bearing children 148. * whether the first parents had at the time more children than cain and abel 148. * why cain slew abel, and how he did it 149. 11. the time and occasion when cain was called to account 150. 12. adam with the authority of god calls cain to account 152. iv. how cain murdered his brother and was required to give an account, and how he conducted himself. a. how cain murdered his brother. v. 8a. _and cain told (talked with) abel his brother._ 107. our translation adds that cain said: "let us go out doors." but this is one of the comments of the rabbins, whose relative claim to credit i have fully shown on a previous occasion. lyra, following the invention of eben ezra, relates that cain told his brother how severely he had been rebuked of the lord. but who would believe statements for which there is no authority in the scriptures? we hold therefore to an explanation which has the warrant of the scriptures, namely that cain, finding himself rejected of god, indulged his anger, and added to his former sins contempt of his parents and of the word, thinking within himself: "the promised seed of the woman belongs to me as the first-born. but my brother, abel, that contemptible, good-for-nothing fellow, is evidently preferred to me by divine authority, manifest in the fire consuming his sacrifice. what shall i do, therefore? i will dissemble my wrath until an opportunity of taking vengeance shall occur." 108. therefore the words, "cain told abel his brother," i understand to mean that cain, dissembling his anger, conducted himself toward abel as a brother, and spoke to him and conversed with him, as if he bore with good nature the sentence pronounced upon him by god. in this manner also saul simulated an attitude of kindness toward david. "i know well," said saul, "that thou shalt surely be king," 1 sam 24, 20; and yet he was all the while planning to prevent this by killing david. just so cain now conversed with abel his brother, and said: i see that thou art chosen of the lord; i envy thee not this divine blessing, etc. this is just the manner of hypocrites. they pretend friendship until an opportunity of doing the harm they intend presents itself. 109. that such is the true sense of the passage, all the circumstances clearly show. for if adam and eve could have gathered the least suspicion of the intended murder, think you not that they would either have restrained cain or removed abel, and placed the latter out of danger? but as cain had altered his countenance and his deportment toward his brother, and had talked with him in a brotherly manner, they thought all was safe, and the son bowed to and acquiesced in the admonition of his father. the appearance deceived abel also, who, if he had feared anything like murder from his brother, would doubtless have fled from him, as jacob fled from esau when he feared his brother's wrath. what, therefore, could possibly have come into the mind of jerome when he believed the rabbins, who say cain was expostulating with his brother? 110. accordingly, cain is the image and picture of all hypocrites and murderers, who kill under the show of godliness. cain, possessed by satan, hides his wrath, waiting the opportunity to slay his brother abel; meanwhile he converses with him, as a brother beloved, that he might the sooner lay his hands upon him unawares. 111. this passage, therefore, is intended for our instruction in the ways of murderers and hypocrites. still cain talks in a brotherly manner with his brother, and, on the other hand, abel still trusts cain as a brother should trust a brother; and thus he is murdered, and the pious parents meanwhile are deceived. just so the pope and the bishops of our day talk and confer much concerning the peace and concord of the church. but he is most assuredly deceived who does not understand that the exact opposite is planned. for true is that word of the psalm, "the workers of iniquity speak peace with their neighbors, but mischief is in their hearts," ps 28, 3. for it is the nature of hypocrites that they are good in appearance, speak kindly to you, pretend to be humble, patient and charitable, give alms, etc.; and yet, all the while they plan slaughter in their hearts. 112. let us learn, then, to know a cain and especially to beware when he speaks kindly, and as brother to brother. for it is in this way that our adversaries, the bishops and the pope, talk with us in our day, while they pretend a desire for concord, and seek to bring about doctrinal harmony. in reality, if an opportunity of seizing us and executing their rage upon us should present itself, you would soon hear them speak in a very different tone. truly, "there is death in the pot," 2 kings 4, 40; and under the best and sweetest words there lies concealed a deadly poison. v. 8b. _and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that cain rose up against abel his brother, and slew him._ 113. here you see the deceptive character of those alluring words. cain had been admonished by his father with divine authority to guard against sin in the future, and to expect pardon for that of the past. but cain despises the twofold admonition, and indulges his sin, as all the wicked do. for true is the saying of solomon, "when the wicked cometh, there cometh also contempt, and with ignominy cometh reproach," prov 18, 3. 114. our ministry at the present day deserves no blame. we teach, we exhort, we entreat, we rebuke, we turn ourselves every way, that we may recall the multitude from security to the fear of god. but the world, like an untamed beast, still goes on and follows not the word, but its own lusts, which it tries to smooth over by a show of uprightness. the prophets and the apostles stand before us as examples, and our own experience is instructive, also. our adversaries, so often warned and convicted, know they are doing wrong, and yet they do not lay aside their murderous hate. 115. learn, then, what a hypocrite is; namely, one who lays claim to the worship of god and to charity, and yet, at the same time, destroys the worship of god and slaughters his brother. and all this semblance of good-will is only intended to bring about better opportunities of doing harm. for, if abel had foreseen the implacable wrath and the truly diabolical anger, he would have saved himself by flight. but as cain betrayed no such anger, uttered a friendly greeting and manifested his usual courtesy, abel perished before he felt any fear. 116. there is no doubt that abel, when he saw his brother rising up against him, entreated and implored him not to pollute himself with this awful sin. however, a mind beset by satan pays no regard to entreaties, nor heeds uplifted hands, but as a father's admonition had been disregarded, so now the brother is spurned as he pleads upon his knees. 117. light is cast here upon the bondage to satan by which our nature, entangled in sins, is oppressed. hence paul's expression, "children of wrath," eph 2, 3, and the declaration that such are taken captive by satan unto his will, 2 tim 2, 26. for when we are mere men; that is, when we apprehend not the blessed seed by faith, we are all like cain, and nothing is wanting but an opportunity. for nature, destitute of the holy spirit, is impelled by that same evil spirit which impelled wicked cain. if, however, there were in any one those ample powers, or that free will, by which a man might defend himself against the assaults of satan, these gifts would most assuredly have existed in cain, to whom belonged the birthright and the promise of the blessed seed. but in that very same condition are all men! unless nature be helped by the spirit of god, it cannot maintain itself. why, then, do we absurdly boast of free-will? now follows another remarkable passage. b. how cain had to give an account, and his conduct. v. 9. _and jehovah said unto cain, where is abel thy brother? and he said, i know not: am i my brother's keeper?_ 118. good god! into what depth of sin does our miserable nature fall when driven onward by the devil. murder had been committed on a brother, and perhaps murdered abel lay for days unburied. thereupon, as cain returned to his parents at the accustomed time, and abel returned not with him, the anxious parents asked him: cain, thou art here, but where is abel? thou hast returned home, but abel has not returned. the flock is without their shepherd. tell us therefore, where thy brother is. upon this, cain, becoming abusive, makes answer to his parents, by no means with due reverence, "i know not: am i my brother's keeper?" 119. but it happened to cain as to all the wicked, that by excusing himself he accused himself, according to the words of christ, "out of thine own mouth will i judge thee, thou wicked servant," luke 19, 22. also the heathen had a striking proverb among them, "a liar ought to have a good memory." such was the judgment of heathen men, though they knew nothing of the judgment of god and of conscience, and had nothing to guide their judgment but their experience in civil affairs. and true it is that liars run much risk of being discovered and unmasked. hence the germans have the proverb, "a lie is a very fruitful thing." for one lie begets seven other lies, which become necessary to uphold the first lie. and yet it is impossible, after all, to prevent conscience from arousing and betraying itself at times, if not in words, then in gestures. this is proved by numberless examples. i will cite only one example here: 120. in thuringia there is a small town in the district of orla, called neustadt. in this town a harlot had murdered her infant, to which she had secretly given birth, and had thrown it, after the murder, into a neighboring fishpond. accidentally the little piece of linen in which she had wrapped the infant, brought the horrid deed to light. the case was brought before the magistrate; and as the simple men of the place knew no better means of investigating the crime, they called all the young women of the town into the town hall and closely examined them, one by one. the face and the testimony of each one of these proclaimed her innocent. but when they came to her who was the real perpetrator of the deed, she did not wait for questions to be put to her, but immediately declared aloud that she was not the guilty person. the contrast she presented to the others in making such haste to defend herself, confirmed the suspicion of the magistrates. at once she was seized by the constables and put to death. indeed, instances are innumerable and of daily occurrence which show that people, in their eagerness to defend themselves, accuse themselves. sin may, indeed, lie asleep, but that word which we have just heard, is true. it lies at the door. 121. just so in the present case. cain thinks he has made an effectual excuse for himself by saying that he is not his brother's keeper. but does he not confess by the very word "brother" which he takes upon his lips that he ought to be his keeper? is not that equal to accusing himself, and will not the fact that abel is nowhere in evidence arouse the suspicion in the minds of his parents that he has been murdered? just so also adam excuses himself in paradise, and lays all the blame on eve. but this excuse of cain is far more stupid; for while he excuses his sin he doubles it, whereas the frank confession of sin finds mercy and appeases wrath. 122. it is recorded in the history of st. martin, that when he absolved certain notorious sinners, he was rebuked by satan for doing so. st. martin is said to have replied, "why, i would absolve even thee, if thou wouldst say from thy heart, i repent of having sinned against the son of god, and i pray for pardon." but the devil never does this. for he persists in committing sin and defending the same. 123. all liars and hypocrites imitate cain their father, by either denying their sin or excusing it. hence they cannot find pardon for their sins. and we see the same in domestic life. by the defense of wrong-doing, anger is increased. for whenever the wife, or the children, or the servants, have done wrong, and deny or excuse their wrong-doing, the father of the family is the more moved to wrath; whereas, on the other hand, confession secures pardon or a lighter punishment. but it is the nature of hypocrites to excuse and palliate their sin or to deny it altogether and under the show of religion, to slay the innocent. 124. but here let us survey the order in which sins follow each other and increase. first of all cain sins by presumption and unbelief when, priding himself on the privilege of his birthright, he takes it for granted that he shall be accepted of god on the ground of his own merit. upon this pride and self-glorification immediately follow envy and hatred of his brother, whom he sees preferred to himself by an unmistakable sign from heaven. upon this envy and hatred follow hypocrisy and lying. though he designs to murder his brother, he accosts him in a friendly manner and thereby throws him off his guard. hypocrisy is followed by murder. murder is followed by the excusing of his sin. and the last stage is despair, which is the fall from heaven to hell. 125. although adam and eve in paradise did not deny their sin, yet their confession was lukewarm, and the sin was shifted from the one to the other. adam laid it on eve, and eve on the serpent. but cain went even farther, for he not only did not confess the murder he had committed, but disclaimed responsibility for his brother. and did not this at once prove his mind to be hostile against his brother? therefore, though adam and eve made only a half-hearted confession, they had some claim to pardon, and in consequence were punished with less severity. but cain, because he resolutely denied his sin, was rejected, and fell into despair. and the same judgment awaits all the sons of cain, popes, cardinals, and bishops, who, although they plan murder against us day and night, say likewise, "i know not: am i my brother's keeper?" 126. there was a common proverb of old, "what is it to the romans that the greeks die?" so we think that our dangers and calamities only belong to ourselves. but how does this principle agree with the commandment of god? for his will is that we should all live together, and be to each other as brethren. cain, therefore, by this very saying of his, heavily accuses himself when he makes the excuse that the custody of his brother was no affair of his. whereas, if he had said to his father, "alas, i have slain abel, my brother. i repent of the deed i have done. return upon me what punishment thou wilt," there might have been room for a remedy; but as he denied his sin, and, contrary to the will of god, disclaimed responsibility for his brother altogether, there was no place left for mercy or favor. 127. moreover, moses took special pains in the preparation of this account, that it might serve as a witness against all hypocrites, and as a chronicle containing a graphic description of their character and of the ire to which they are aroused by satan against god, his word and his church. it was not enough for this murderer that he had killed his brother, contrary to the command of god, but he added the further sin that he became filled with indignation and rage when god inquired of him concerning his brother. i say, "when god inquired of him," because, although it was adam who spoke these words to his son cain, yet he spoke them by the authority of god and by the holy spirit. in view of so great a sin, was it not quite gentle to inquire, "where is abel thy brother?" and yet, to this word, which contained nothing severe, the hypocrite and murderer is ferocious and proud enough to reply, "i know not." and he is indignant that he should be called to an account concerning the matter at all. for the reply of cain is the language of one who resists and hates god. 128. but to this sin cain adds one still worse. justly under indictment for murder, he presently becomes the accuser of god, and expostulates with him: "am i my brother's keeper?" he prefaces his reply with no such expression of reverence or honor as is due both to god and to his father. he did not say, "lord, i know not." he did not say, "my father, didst thou make me the keeper of my brother?" such expressions as these would have indicated a feeling of reverence toward god or toward his parent. but he answers with pride as if he himself were the lord, and plainly manifests that he felt indignation at being called to account by him who had the perfect right to do so. 129. this is a true picture of all hypocrites. living in manifest sins, they grow insolent and proud, aiming all the while to appear righteous. they will not yield even to god himself and his word when upbraided by them. nay, they set themselves against god, contend with him, and excuse their sin. thus david says, that god is judged of men, but that at length he clears and justifies himself, and prevails, ps 51, 4. such is the insolence of the hypocrites moses has here endeavored to paint. 130. but what success has cain with his attempt? this, that his powerful effort to excuse himself becomes a forcible self-accusation. christ says, "out of thine own mouth will i judge thee, thou wicked servant," lk 19, 22. now, this servant wished to appear without guilt, saying: "i knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou didst not sow; and i was afraid, and hid thy talent," mt 25, 24-25. could he have brought a stronger accusation against himself, in view of the fact that christ immediately turns his words against him? thereby christ evidences the wisdom of the holy spirit. 131. such illustrations help us to learn not to contend with god. on the contrary when you feel in your conscience that you are guilty, take heed with all your soul that you strive neither with god nor with men by defending or excusing your sin. rather do this: when you see god point his spear at you, flee not from him; but, on the contrary, flee to him with a humble confession of your sin, and with prayer for his pardon. then god will draw back his spear and spare you. but when, by the denial and excuse of your sin, you flee farther and farther from him, god will pursue you at close range with still greater determination, and bring you to bay. nothing, therefore, is better or safer than to come with the confession of guilt. thus it comes to pass that god's victory becomes our victory through him. 132. but cain and hypocrites in general do not this. god points his spear at them, but they never humble themselves before him nor pray to him for pardon. nay, they rather point their spear at god, just as cain did on this occasion. cain does not say, "lord, i confess i have killed my brother; forgive me." on the contrary, though being the accused, he himself accuses god by replying, "am i my brother's keeper?" and what did he effect with his pride? his reply was certainly equal to the confession that he cared naught for the divine law, which says, "thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself," lev 19, 18. and again, "do not unto another that which you would not have another do unto you," mt 7, 12. this law was not first written in the decalog; it was inscribed in the minds of all men. cain acts directly against this law, and shows that he not only cares nothing for it, but absolutely despises it. 133. in this manner, cain represents a man who is not merely wicked, but who occupies such a height of wickedness as to combine hypocrisy with bloodshed, and yet is so eager to maintain the appearance of sanctity that he rather accuses god than concedes the justice of the accusation against himself. and this is what all hypocrites do. they blaspheme god and crucify his son, and yet wish to appear righteous. for after their sins of murder, blasphemy and the like their whole aim is to seek means whereby to excuse and palliate the same. but the result always is that they betray themselves and are condemned out of their own mouths. 134. while cain makes an effort to clear himself, he exhibits the foulest stains. he thinks he made a most plausible excuse when he said, "am i my brother's keeper?" but this very excuse becomes his most shameful accusation. the maxim of hilary, that wickedness and stupidity always go hand in hand, finds unvarying application. if cain had been as wise as he was wicked, he would have excused himself in quite a different manner. now, under the operation of the divine rule that wickedness and stupidity are running mates, he becomes his own accuser. the same principle operates in favor of the truth, and makes her defense against all adversaries easy. just as cain betrayed by word and mien his indifference and hate toward his brother, so all adversaries of the truth betray their wickedness, the one in this way, the other in that. 135. facts of importance and apt for instruction are, therefore, here set before us. and their general import is that god does not permit hypocrites to remain hidden for any length of time, but compels them to betray themselves just when they make shrewd efforts to hide their hypocrisy and crime. 136. moses does not exhibit in his narrative the verbose diction characteristic of pagan literature, where we often find one and the same argument embellished and polished by a variety of colors. we find by experience that no human power of description can do justice to inward emotions. in consequence, verbosity, as a rule, comes short of expressing emotion. moses employs the opposite method, and clothes a great variety of arguments in scant phraseology. 137. above the historian used the expression, "when they were in the field." thereby moses indicates that the murderer cain had watched his opportunity to attack his brother when both were alone. all the circumstances plainly show that abel was not idle at the time; for he was in the field, where he had to do the things his father committed to him. from moses' statement we may infer that abel's parents felt absolutely no fear of danger. for, although at the outset they had feared that the wrath of cain would eventually break out into still greater sin, cain, by his gentleness and pretended affection, prevented all suspicion of evil on the part of his parents. for had there been the least trace of apprehension, they certainly would not have permitted abel to go from their presence alone. they would have sent his sisters with him as companions; for he no doubt had some. or his parents themselves would have prevented by their presence and authority the perpetration of so great a crime. as already stated, also the mind of abel was perfectly free from suspicion. for, had he suspected the least evil at the hand of his brother, he would doubtless have sought safety by flight. but after he had heard that cain bore the judgment of god with composure, and did not envy the brother his honor, he pursued his work in the field with a feeling of security. 138. what orator could do justice to the scene which moses depicts in one word: "cain rose up against his brother?" many descriptions of cruelty are to be found on every hand, but could any be painted as more atrocious and execrable than is the case here? "he rose up against his brother," moses writes. it is as if he had said, cain rose up against abel, the only brother he had, with whom he had been brought up and with whom he had lived to that day. but not only the relationship cain utterly forgot; he forgot their common parents also. the greatness of the grief he would cause his parents by such a grave crime, never entered his mind. he did not think that abel was a brother, from whom he had never received any offense whatever. for cain knew that the honor of having offered the more acceptable sacrifice, proceeded not from any desire or ambition in abel, but from god himself. nor did cain consider that he, who had hitherto stood in the highest favor with his parents, would lose that favor altogether and would fall under their deepest displeasure as a result of his crime. 139. it is recorded in history of an artist who painted the scene of iphigenia's sacrifice, that when he had given to the countenance of each of the spectators present its appropriate expression of grief and pain, he found himself unable to portray the vastness of the father's grief, who was present also, and hence painted his head draped. 140. such is the method, i think, moses employs in this passage, when he uses the verb _yakam_, "rose up against." what tragical pictures would the eloquence of a cicero or a livy have drawn in an attempt to portray, through the medium of their oratory, the wrath of the one brother, and the dread, the cries, the prayers, the tears, the uplifted hands, and all the horrors of the other! but not even in that way can justice be done to the subject. moses, therefore, pursues the right course, when he portrays, by a mere outline, things too great for utterance. such brevity tends to enlist the reader's undivided attention to a subject which the vain adornment of many words disfigures and mars, like paint applied to natural beauty. 141. this is true also of the additional statement, "he slew him." occasionally we see men start a quarrel and commit murder for a trivial cause, but no such ordinary murder is described here. murderers of this kind immediately afterward are filled with distress; they grieve for the deeds they have done and acknowledge them to be delusions of the devil by which he blinded their minds. cain felt no distress; he expressed no grief, but denied the deed he had done. 142. this satanic and insatiable hatred in hypocrites is described by christ in the words, "when they kill you, they will think that they do god service," jn 16, 2. so the priests and the kings filled jerusalem with the blood of the prophets and gloried in what they did as a great achievement; for they considered this as proof of their zeal for the law and the house of god. 143. and the fury of popes and bishops in our day is just the same. they are not satisfied with having excommunicated us again and again, and with having shed our blood, but they wish to blot out our memory from the land of the living, according to the description in the psalm, "rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof," ps 137, 7. such hatred is not human but satanic. for all human hatred becomes mellow in time; at all events, it will cease after it has avenged our injury and gratified its passion. but the hatred of these pharisees assumes constantly larger dimensions, especially since it is smoothed over by a show of piety. 144. cain, therefore, is the father of all those murderers who slaughter the saints, and whose wrath knows no end so long as there remains one of them, as is proved in the case of christ himself. as for cain, there is no doubt of his having hoped that by putting abel to death he should keep the honor of his birthright. thus, the ungodly always think that their cruelty will profit them in some way. but when they find that their hope is vain they fall into despair. 145. now, when the fact of this shameful murder was made known to the parents, what do we think must have been the sad scenes resulting? what lamentations? what sighs and groans? but i dwell not on these things; they are for the man with the gifts of eloquence and imagination to describe. it was certainly a marvel that both parents were not struck lifeless with grief. the calamity was rendered the greater by the fact that their first-born, who had aroused so large hopes concerning himself, was the perpetrator of this horrible murder. 146. if, therefore, adam and eve had not been helped from above, they could never have been equal to this disaster in their home; for there is nothing like it in all the world. adam and eve were without that consolation which we may have in sudden and unexpected calamities, namely, that like evils have befallen others and have not come upon us alone. our first parents had only two sons, though i believe that they had daughters also; and therefore they lacked such instances of grief in the human family as we have before our eyes. 147. who can doubt, moreover, that satan by this new species of temptation increased greatly the grief of our first parents? they no doubt thought, behold, this is all our sin. we, in paradise, wished to become like god; but by our sin we have become like the devil. this is the case also with our son. we loved only this son, and made everything of him! our other son, abel, was righteous before us, above this son; but of his righteousness we made nothing! this elder son we hoped would be he who should crush the serpent's head; but behold, he himself is crushed by the serpent! nay, he himself has become like the serpent, for he is now a murderer. and whence is this? is it not because he was born of us, and because we, through our sin, are what we are? therefore it is to our flesh; therefore it is to our sin, that this calamity must be traced. 148. it is very probable, accordingly, and the events of the series of years which followed strengthen this probability, that the sorrowing parents, shaken to the core by their calamity, abstained for a long time from connubial intercourse. for it appears that when cain committed this murder he was about thirty years of age. during this period some daughters were born unto adam. in view of the subsequent statements, verse 17, that "cain knew his wife," he no doubt married a sister. moreover, since cain himself says in verse 14, "it shall come to pass that everyone that findeth me shall slay me", and as it is further said in verse 15, "the lord set a mark upon cain, lest any finding him should kill him"--it appears most probable from all these circumstances that adam had many children besides cain and abel, but these two only are mentioned, on account of their important and memorable history, and because these two were their first and most remarkable children. it is my full belief that the marriage of our first parents was most fruitful during the first thirty years of their union. somewhere calmana and dibora are mentioned as daughters of adam, but i know not whether the authors are worthy of credence. inasmuch, therefore, as the birth of seth is recorded as having taken place a long time after this murder, it seems to me very probable that the parents, distressed beyond measure at this monstrous crime in the bosom of their family, refrained for a long time from procreation. while moses does not touch upon all these things, he intimates enough to arouse in the reader a desire to dwell upon the noteworthy events which the absence of detailed information permits us to survey only from a distance. 149. but i return to the text before us. cain is an evil and wicked man, and yet, in the eyes of his parents, he is a divine possession and gift. abel, on the contrary, is in the eyes of his parents nothing; but in the eyes of god he is truly a righteous man; an appellation with which also christ honors him when he calls him "righteous abel"! mt 23, 35. this divine judgment concerning abel, cain could not endure, and, therefore, he thought that by murder not only the hatred against his brother could be satisfied, but also his birthright be retained. but he was far from thinking that was sin; as the first-born he thought he had exercised his right. he killed abel, not with a sword, as i think, but with a club or a stone, for i hold that there were as yet no iron weapons. 150. after the murder, cain remained unconcerned, for he thought the deed could be concealed by hiding the body, which he buried, or perhaps cast into a river, thinking that thus it would surely remain undiscovered by his parents. when abel, however, had been from home a longer time than had been his habit, the holy spirit prompted adam to inquire of cain concerning abel, saying, "where is abel thy brother?" the above-mentioned utterance of adam, "if not, sin lieth at the door," was a prophecy which now began to come true. cain thought he had laid his sin to rest, and all would thus remain hidden. and true it was that his sin did lie at rest, but it lay at rest "at the door." and who opens the door? none other than the lord himself! he arouses the sleeping sin! he brings the hidden sin to light! 151. the same thing must come to pass with all sinners. for, unless by repentance you first come to god, and yourself confess your sin to god, god will surely come to you, to disclose your sin. for god cannot endure that any one should deny his sin. to this fact the psalmist testifies: "when i kept silence, my bones wasted away through my roaring all the day long. for day and night thy hand was heavy upon me; my moisture was changed as with the drouth of summer." ps 32, 3-4. for, although sin has its sleep and its security, yet that sleep is "at the door"; it cannot long last, and the sin cannot remain hidden. 152. when moses introduces jehovah as speaking, i understand him to mean, as above, that it was adam who spoke by the holy spirit in the place of god, whom he represented in his relation as father. the expression of the holy spirit, therefore, is intended to set forth the high authority of parents; when children dutifully hear and obey these, they hear and obey god. and i believe adam knew by the revelation of the holy spirit that abel had been slain by his brother; for his words intimate the commission of murder at a time when cain still dissembled as to what he had done. v. cain punished for his murder. a. cain's punishment in general. 1. by whom and how he is punished 153. 2. why he was not put to death 153. * the double grief of the first parents 154. * what was adam's church and altar 155. 3. how cain was excommunicated 156. * god's inquiry about abel's blood. a. how unbelievers refer to it 157. b. how a theologian should use it 158. c. it is a great and important matter 159. * how abel's death is to be viewed 159. d. why god does not inquire after the blood of beasts 160-161. e. whether this inquiry was from god direct or made through adam 162-163. f. how cain felt upon this inquiry 164. * the result of sin to murderers and other sinners 165-166. * an evil conscience the result of evil-doing 166. g. how to understand the statement that abel's blood crieth to heaven 167. * how god's children are to comfort themselves when the world oppresses them and seemingly god refuses to help 168-171. h. this inquiry is a sign of god's care for abel 169. * the blood of many evangelical martyrs cry to the papists 170. * how god opportunely judges the afflictions of believers 171. * why god's vengeance does not immediately follow 172. i. the time this inquiry occurred 173. * god indeed has regard for the sufferings and tears of his children 174. * how sinners can meet the judgments of god 174. 4. the miserable life cain must have led after his punishment 175. b. cain's punishment in detail. 1. the church suffered. a. how cain's punishment and curse differed from adam's 176-178. b. why cain's person was cursed 178-179. * the more cain desired honor, the less he received 180. * the beginning of both churches, the true and the false 181. * cain's whole posterity perished in sin 181. c. how his curse and punishment were lightened 182. * whether any of cain's posterity were saved, and holy 182. * the way the heathen had part in the promise 182-185. * the way cain withheld his children from the true church 185. 2. the home suffered. a. how this curse affected the earth 186-187. b. why adam used such severe words in this curse 186. c. how it caused the earth to be less fruitful 187. * the difference between "arez" and "adama" 188. 3. the state suffered. * what "no" and "nod" mean, and how they differ 189-190. * cain's sin punished in three ways and in each the sin was mitigated 191-193. * cain a fugitive and a wanderer. a. this refers chiefly to the true church, as is illustrated by many examples of the saints 194-195. b. it refers less to the false 194-195. c. many take offense at this 196. v. how cain was punished for his murder. a. cain's punishment in general. 153. if eve overheard these words, what think you must have been the state of her mind! her grief must have been beyond all description. but the calamity was brought home to adam with even greater force. as he was the father, it fell to him to rebuke his son and to excommunicate him for his sin. since, according to the ninth chapter, the law concerning the death-penalty for murderers was not promulgated until afterward when the patriarchs beheld murder becoming alarmingly frequent, adam did not put cain to death, but safeguarded his life in obedience to the prompting and direction of the holy spirit; still, it is a fact not to be gainsaid that the punishment ordained for him and all his posterity was anything but light. for in addition to that curse upon his body he suffered excommunication from his family, separation from the sight of his parents and from the society of his brothers and sisters, who remained with their parents, or in the fellowship of the church. 154. now, adam could not have done all this, nor could eve have heard it without indescribable anguish. for a father is a father, and a son is a son. gladly would adam have spared his son and retained him at home, as we now sometimes see murderers become reconciled to the brothers of their victims. but in this case no place was left for reconciliation. cain is bidden at once to be a fugitive upon the face of the earth. the pain of the parents was doubled in consequence. they see one of their sons slain, and the other excommunicated by the judgment of god and cut off forever from the fellowship of his brethren. 155. moreover, when we here speak of excommunication from the church, it stands to reason that not our houses of worship, built in magnificent style and ample proportions out of hewn stone, are meant. the sanctuary, or church, of adam was a certain tree, or a certain little hill under the open heaven, where they assembled to hear the word of god and to offer their sacrifices, for which purpose they had erected altars. and when they offered their sacrifices and heard the word, god was present, as we see from the experience of abel. also elsewhere in the sacred story, mention is made of such altars under the open heaven, and of sacrifices made upon them. and, if we should come together at this day under the open sky to bend our knees, to preach, to give thanks, and to bless each other, a custom would be inaugurated altogether beneficial. 156. it was from a temple of this kind and from such a church, not a conspicuous and magnificent church at a particular place, that cain was cast out. he was thus doubly punished; first, by a corporal penalty, because the earth was accursed to him, and secondly, by a spiritual penalty, because by excommunication, he was cast out from the temple and the church of god as from another paradise. 157. lawyers also have drawn upon this passage, and quite properly brought out the fact that jehovah first investigated the matter and then passed sentence. their application is, that no one should be pronounced guilty until his case has been tried; until he has been called to the bar, proved guilty and convicted. this, according to a previous statement, was also done with adam: "the lord god called unto adam, and said unto him. where art thou?" gen 3, 9. and further on: "i will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, i will know," gen 11, 5; 18, 21. 158. however, dismissing the matter in its bearings upon public life, let us view its more attractive theological features. the element of doctrine and of hope is found in the fact that jehovah inquires concerning the dead abel. clearly there is pointed out to us here the truth of the resurrection of the dead. god declared himself to be the god of abel, although now dead, and he inquired for the dead, for abel. upon this passage we may establish the incontrovertible principle that, if there were no one to care for us after this life, abel would not have been inquired for after he was slain. but god inquires after abel, even when he had been taken from this life; he has no desire to forget him; he retains the remembrance of him; he asks: "where is he?" god, therefore, we see, is the god of the dead. my meaning is that even the dead, as we here see, still live in the memory of god, and have a god who cares for them, and saves them in another life beyond and different from this corporal life in which saints suffer affliction. 159. this passage, therefore, is most worthy of our attention. we see that god cared for abel, even when dead; and that on account of the dead abel, he excommunicated cain, and visited him, the living, with destruction in spite of his being the first-born. a towering fact this, that abel, though dead, was living and canonized in another life more effectually and truly than those whom the pope ever canonized! the death of abel was indeed horrible; he did not suffer death without excruciating torment nor without many tears. yet it was a blessed death, for now he lives a more blessed life than he did before. this bodily life of ours is lived in sin, and is ever in danger of death. but that other life is eternal and perfectly free from trials and troubles, both of the body and of the soul. 160. no! god inquires not after the sheep and the oxen that are slain, but he does inquire after the men who are slain. accordingly men possess the hope of a resurrection. they have a god who brings them back from the death of the body unto eternal life, a god who inquires after their blood as a most precious thing. the psalmist says: "precious in the sight of jehovah is the death of his saints," ps 116, 15. 161. this is the glory of the human race, obtained for it by the seed of the woman which bruised the serpent's head. the case of abel is the first instance of such promise made to adam and eve, and god showed by the same that the serpent did not harm abel, although it caused his murder. this was indeed an instance of the serpent's "bruising the heel" of the woman's seed. but in the very attempt to bite, its own head was crushed. for god, in answer to abel's faith in the promised seed, required the blood of the dead, and proved himself thereby to be his god still. this is all proved by what follows. v. 10. _and he said, what hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground._ 162. cain's sin hath hitherto lain at the door. and the preceding circumstances plainly show how hard he struggled to keep his sin asleep. for being interrogated by his father concerning his brother abel and his whereabouts, he disclaimed knowledge of the matter, thus adding to murder lying. this answer of cain is sufficient evidence that the above words were spoken by adam in his own person, and not by god in his divine majesty. for cain believed that the deed was hidden from his father, as he was a mere man, while he could not have thought this of the divine majesty. therefore, had god spoken to him in his own person, he would have returned a different answer. but, as he thought himself dealing with a human being only, cain denied his deed altogether, saying: "i know not. how numerous are the perils by which a man may perish. he may have been destroyed by wild beasts; he may have been drowned in some river; or he may have lost his life by some other death." 163. thus cain thought that his father would think of any other cause of death than the perpetration of murder. but cain could not deceive the holy spirit in adam. adam therefore, as god's representative, arraigns him with the words, "what hast thou done?" as if he had said "why dost thou persist in denying the deed; be assured thou canst not deceive god, who hath revealed to me all. thou thinkest the blood of thy brother is hidden by the earth. but it is not so absorbed and concealed thereby as to prevent the blood crying aloud unto god." that meant to awaken the sin lying at the door, and to drag it forth. 164. the text before us, then, provides much consolation against the enemies and murderers of the church; for it teaches us that our afflictions and sufferings and the shedding of our blood fill heaven and earth with their cries. i believe, therefore, that cain was so overwhelmed and confounded by these words of his father that, as if thunderstruck, he knew not what to say or what to do. no doubt his thoughts were, "if my father adam knows about the murder which i have committed, how can i any longer doubt that it is known unto god, unto the angels, and unto heaven and earth? whither can i flee? which way can i turn, wretched man that i am?" 165. such is the state of murderers to this day. they are so harassed with the stings of conscience, after the crime of murder has been committed, that they are always in a state of alarm. it seems to them that heaven and earth have put on a changed aspect toward them, and they know not whither to flee. a case in point is orestes pursued by the furies, as described by the poets. a horrible thing is the cry of spilled blood and an evil conscience. 166. the same is true of all other atrocious sins. those who commit them, experience the same distresses of mind when remorse lays hold of them. the whole creation seems changed toward them, and even when they speak to persons with whom they have been familiar, and when they hear the answers they make, the very sound of their voice appears to them altogether changed and their countenances seem to wear an altered aspect. whichever way they turn their eyes, all things are clothed, as it were, in gloom and horror. so grim and fierce a monster is a guilty conscience! and, unless such sinners are succored from above, they must put an end to their existence because of their anguish and intolerable pain. 167. again moses' customary conciseness is in evidence, which, however, is more effective than an excess of words. in the first place, he personifies a lifeless object when he attributes to blood a voice filling with its cries heaven and the earth. how can that voice be small or weak which, rising from earth, is heard by god in heaven? abel, therefore, who when alive was patient under injuries and gentle and placid of spirit, now, when dead and buried in the earth, can not brook the wrong inflicted. he who before dared not murmur against his brother, now fairly shrieks, and so completely enlists god in his cause that he descends from heaven, to charge the murderer with his crime. moses, accordingly, here uses the more pregnant term. he does not say, "the voice of thy brother's blood speaketh unto me from the ground," but, "the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me." it is a cry like the shout of heralds when they raise their voices to assemble men together. 168. these things are written, as i have observed, to convince us that our god is merciful, that he loves his saints, takes them into his special care, and demands an account for them; while, on the other hand, he is angry with the murderers of his saints, hates them and designs their punishment. of this consolation we stand in decided need. when oppressed by our enemies and murderers, we are apt to conclude that our god has forgotten and lost interest in us. we think that if god cared for us, he would not permit such things to come upon us. likewise, abel might have reasoned: god surely cares nothing for me; for if he did, he would not suffer me thus to be murdered by my brother. 169. but only look at what follows! does not god safeguard the interests of abel better than he could possibly have done himself? how could abel have inflicted on his brother such vengeance as god does, now that abel is dead? how could he, if alive, execute such judgment on his brother as god here executes? now the blood of abel cries aloud, who, while alive, was of a most retiring disposition. now abel accuses his brother before god of being a murderer; when alive he would bear all the injuries of his brother in silence. for who was it that disclosed the murder committed by cain? was it not, as the text here tells us, the blood of abel, fairly deafening with its constant cries the ears of god and men? 170. these things, i say, are all full of consolation; especially for us who now suffer persecution from the popes and wicked princes on account of our doctrine. they have practiced against us the utmost cruelty and have vented their rage against godly men, not in germany only, but also in other parts of europe. and all this sin is disregarded by the papacy, as if it were nothing but a joke. nay, the papists really consider it to be a service toward god, jn 16, 2. all this sin, therefore, as yet "lieth at the door." but it shall become manifest in due time. the blood of leonard kaiser, which was shed in bavaria, is not silent. nor is the blood of henry of zutphen, which was shed in dietmar; nor that of our brother anthony, of england, who was cruelly and without a hearing slain by his english countrymen. i could mention a thousand others who, although their names are not so prominent, were yet fellow-sufferers with confessors and martyrs. the blood of all these, i say, will not be silent; in due time it will cause god to descend from heaven and execute such judgment in the earth as the enemies of the gospel will not be able to bear. 171. let us not think, therefore, that god does not heed the shedding of our blood! let us not imagine for a moment that god does not regard our afflictions! no! he collects all our tears, and puts them into his bottle, ps 56, 8. the cry of the blood of all the godly penetrates the clouds and the heavens to the very throne of god, and entreats him to avenge the blood of the righteous, ps 79, 10. 172. as these things are written for our consolation, so are they written for the terror of our adversaries. for what think you can be more horrible for our tyrants to hear than that the blood of the slain continually cries aloud and accuses them before god? god is indeed long-suffering, especially now toward the end of the world; and therefore sin lies the longer "at the door," and vengeance does not immediately follow. but it is surely true that god is most grievously offended with all this sin, and that he will never suffer it to pass unpunished. 173. such judgment of god on cain, however, i do not believe to have been executed on the first day, but some time afterward. for it is god's nature to be long-suffering, inasmuch as he waits for the sinner to turn. but he does not, on that account, fail to punish him. for he is the righteous judge both of the living and of the dead, as we confess in our christian faith. such judgment god exercised in the very beginning of the world with reference to these two brothers. he judged and condemned the living murderer, and justified murdered abel. he excommunicated cain and drove him into such agonies of soul that the space of the whole creation seemed too narrow to contain him. from the moment cain saw that god would be the avenger of his brother's blood, he felt nowhere safe. to abel, on the other hand, god gave for enjoyment the full width of earth and heaven. 174. why, then, should we ever doubt that god ponders and numbers in his heart the afflictions of his people, and that he measures our tears and inscribes them on adamantine tablets? and this inscription the enemies of the church shall never be able to erase by any device whatever except by repentance. manasseh was a terrible tyrant and a most inhuman persecutor of the godly. and his banishment and captivity would never have sufficed to blot out these sins. but when he acknowledged his sin and repented in truth, then the lord showed him mercy. so paul had, and so the pope and the bishops have now, only one way left them: to acknowledge their sin and to supplicate the forgiveness of god. if they will not do this, god in his wrath will surely require at their hands the blood of the godly. let no one doubt this! 175. abel is dead, but cain is still alive. but, good god, what a wretched life is that which he lives! he might wish never to have been born, as he hears that he is excommunicated and must look for death and retribution at any moment. and in due time this will be the lot of our adversaries and of the oppressors of the church. b. cain's punishment in detail. v. 11. _and now cursed art thou from the ground, which hath opened its mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand;_ 176. we have heard, so far, of the disclosure of cain's sin through the voice of abel's blood, of his conviction by adam his father, and of the decision rendered with reference to the two brothers, namely, that the one should be canonized, or declared a saint--the first fruits, as it were, of the blessed seed; but that the other, the first-born, should be condemned and excommunicated, as shall presently be shown. now moses mentions the penalties to be visited upon such fratricide. 177. first of all, we should mark as particularly worthy of note the discrimination exercised by the holy spirit. previously, when the penalty for his sin was inflicted upon adam, a curse was placed not upon the person of adam, but only upon the earth; and even this curse was not absolute but qualified. the expression is this: "cursed is the ground for thy sake"; and in the eighth chapter of the romans, verse twenty, we read: "the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly." the fact is, that the earth, inasmuch as it bore guilty man, became involved in the curse as his instrument, just as also the sword, gold, and other objects, are cursed for the reason that men make them the instruments of their sin. with fine reasoning the holy spirit discriminates between the earth and adam. he diverts the curse to the earth, but saves the person. 178. but in this instance the holy spirit speaks of cain. he curses the person of cain. and why is this? is it because the sin of cain, as a murderer, was greater than the sin of adam and eve? not so. but because adam was the root from whose flesh and loins christ, that blessed seed, should be born. it is this seed, therefore, that was spared. for the sake of this seed, the fruit of the loins of adam, the curse is transferred from the person of adam to the earth. thus, adam bears the curse of the earth, but his person is not cursed; from his posterity christ was to be born. 179. cain, however, since he fell by his sin, must suffer the curse being inflicted upon his person. he hears it said to him, "cursed art thou," that we might understand he was cut off from the glory of the promised seed, and condemned never to have in his posterity that seed through which the blessing should come. thus cain was cast out from the stupendous glory of the promised seed. abel was slain; therefore there could be no posterity from him. but adam was ordained to serve god by further procreation. in adam alone, therefore, after cain's rejection, the hope of the blessed seed rested until seth was born unto him. 180. the words spoken to cain, "cursed art thou," are few, but nevertheless entitled to a great deal of attention, in that they are equal to the declaration: thou art not the one from whom the blessed seed is hoped for. with this word cain stands cast out and cut off like a branch from the root, unable longer to hope for the distinction around which he had circled. it is a fact, that cain craved the distinction of passing on the blessing; but the more closely he encircled it the more elusive it became. such is the lot of all evildoers: their failure is commensurate with their efforts to succeed. 181. from this occurrence originate the two churches which are at war with each other: the one of adam and the righteous, which has the hope and promise of the blessed seed; the other of cain, which has forfeited this hope and promise through sin, without ever being able to regain it. for in the flood cain's whole posterity became extinct, so that there has been no prophet, no saint, no prince of the true church who could trace his lineage back to cain. all that was denied cain and withdrawn from him, when he was told: "cursed art thou." 182. we find added, however, the words, "from the ground." these words qualify the fearful wrath. for, if god had said, "from the heavens," he would have deprived his posterity forever of the hope of salvation. as it is, the words, "from the ground," convey, indeed, the menacing decision that the promise of the seed has been forfeited, but the possibility is left that descendants of cain as individuals, prompted by the holy spirit, may join themselves to adam and find salvation. this, in after ages, really came to pass. while it is true the promise of the blessed seed was a distinction confined to the jews, according to the statement in psalm 147, 20: "he hath not dealt so with any nation," the gentiles, nevertheless, retained the privilege of beggars, so to speak. it was in this manner that the gentiles, through divine mercy, obtained the same blessing the jews possessed on the ground of the divine faithfulness and promise. 183. in like manner, all rule in the church was absolutely denied also to the moabites and amorites; and yet many private individuals among them embraced the religion of the jews. thus, every right in the church was taken away from cain and his posterity absolutely, yet permission was left them to beg, as it were, for grace. that was not taken from them. cain, because of his sin, was cast out from the right of sitting at the family table of adam. but the right was left him to gather up, doglike, the crumbs that fell from his father's table, mt 15, 26-27. this is signified by the hebrew expression _min haadama_, "from the ground." 184. i make these observations because there is a great probability that many of the posterity of cain joined themselves to the holy patriarchs. but their privileges were not those of an obligatory service toward them on the part of the church, but mere toleration of them as individuals who had lost the promise that the blessed seed was to spring from their flesh and blood. to forfeit the promise was no trifle; still, even that curse was so mitigated as to secure for them the privilege of beggars, so that heaven was not absolutely denied them, provided they allied themselves with the true church. 185. but this is what cain, no doubt, strove to hinder in various ways. he set up new forms of worship and invented numerous ceremonies, that thereby he might also appear to be the church. those, however, who departed from him and joined the true church, were saved, although they were compelled to surrender the distinction that christ was to be born from their flesh and blood. but let us now return to the text. 186. moses here uses a very striking personification. he represents the earth as a dreaded beast when he speaks of her as having opened her mouth and swallowed the innocent blood of abel. but why does he treat the earth so ruthlessly since all this was done without her will? yes, being a creature of god which is good, did not all transpire in opposition to her will and in spite of her struggle against it, according to paul's teaching: "the earth was made subject to vanity, not willingly," rom 8, 20. my reply is: the object was to impress adam and all his posterity, so that they might live in the fear of god and beware of murder. the words of adam have this import "behold the earth hath opened her mouth and swallowed the blood of thy brother; but she ought to have swallowed thee, the murderer. the earth is indeed a good creature, and is good to the good and godly; but to the wicked she is full of pitfalls." it is for the purpose of inspiring murderers with fear and dread that these terrifying words were spoken. nor is there any doubt that cain, after hearing the words from an angry father, was overwhelmed with terror and confusion, not knowing whither to turn. the expression, "which hath opened its mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand," is, indeed, terrifying, but it portrays the turpitude of the fratricidal deed better than any picture. v. 12a. _when thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee its strength._ 187. the lord said above to adam, "thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee." but the words spoken to cain are different. as if he had said, "thou hast watered and fertilized the earth, not with healthful and quickening rain, but with thy brother's blood. therefore the earth shall be to thee less productive than to others. for the blood thou hast shed shall hinder the strength and the fruitfulness of the earth." this material curse is the second part of the punishment. the earth, although alike cultivated by adam and cain, should be more fruitful to adam than to cain and yield its return to the former for his labors. but to the labors of cain it should not yield such returns, though by nature desirous to give in proportion to its fruitfulness and strength, because it was hindered by the blood spilled by cain. 188. here we must offer a remark of a grammatical nature. in the present passage moses terms the earth _haadama_. in the passage following, "a fugitive and a wanderer shalt thou be in the earth" he uses the term _arez_. now _adama_ signifies, according to grammatical interpreters, that part of the earth which is cultivated, where trees grow and other fruits of the earth adapted for food. but _arez_ signifies the whole earth, whether cultivated or uncultivated. this curse, therefore, properly has reference to the part of the earth cultivated for food. and the curse implies that where one ear of wheat brings forth three hundred grains for adam, it should bring forth scarcely ten grains for cain the murderer; and this for the purpose that cain might behold on every side god's hatred and punishment of the shedding of blood. v. 12b. _a fugitive and a wanderer (vagabond) shalt thou be in the earth._ 189. this is a third punishment resting on murderers to our day. for, unless they find reconciliation, they have nowhere a fixed abode or a secure dwelling-place. we find here, in the original, two words, _no vanod_, signifying vagabond and fugitive. the distinction i make between them is, that _no_ designates the uncertainty of one's dwelling-place. an illustration is furnished by the jews, who have no established habitation, but fear every hour lest they be compelled to wander forth. _nod_, on the other hand, signifies the uncertainty of finding the dwelling-place sought; with the uncertainty of a present permanent dwelling-place there is linked the uncertainty of a goal to strive for when the present uncertain dwelling-place must be abandoned. thus, the punishment contains two features, the insecurity of the present dwelling-place and a lack of knowledge whither to turn when thrust forth from the insecure abode of the present. in this sense the term is used in psalm 109, 10: "let his children be continually _vagabonds_." that means, nowhere shall they find a certain abode; if they are in greece this year, they shall migrate to italy the next, and so from place to place. 190. just such is evidently the miserable state of the jews at the present day. they can fix their dwelling-place nowhere permanently. and to such evil god adds this other in the case of cain, that when he should be driven from one place of abode he should not know where to turn, and thus should live suspended, as it were, between heaven and earth, not knowing where to abide nor where to look for a permanent place of refuge. 191. in this manner the sin of cain was visited with a threefold punishment. in the first place he was deprived of all spiritual or churchly glory; for the promise that the blessed seed was to be born from his posterity, was taken from him. in the second place, the earth was cursed, which is a punishment affecting his home life. the third punishment affects his relations to the community, in that he must be a vagabond without a fixed abode anywhere. 192. notwithstanding, an open door of return into the church is left, but without a covenant. for, as has been explained, in the event that any one of cain's posterity should ally himself with the true church and the holy fathers, he was saved. thus the home is left, but without a blessing; and the state is left so that he may found a city and dwell there, but for how long, is uncertain. without exaggeration, therefore, he may be likened to a beggar in church, home and state. 193. this punishment is mitigated by the prohibition to slay him forthwith after the commission of the murderous deed, a law providing for the punishment of murderers which was reserved for a later day. cain was saved that he might be an example for others, to teach them to fear god and to beware of murder. so much about the sin, arraignment, and punishment of cain. 194. but there are some who reply that, the godly, likewise sometimes endure these same curses, while the wicked, on the contrary, are free from them. thus, paul says that he also "wandered about and had no certain dwelling-place," 1 cor 4, 11. such is even our condition to-day, who are teachers in the churches. we have no certain dwelling-place; either we are driven into banishment or we expect banishment any hour. such was the lot also of christ, the apostles, the prophets, and the patriarchs. 195. concerning jacob the scriptures say "the elder shall serve the younger," gen 25, 23. but does not jacob become a servant when we see him, from fear of his brother, haste away into exile? does he not, on his return home, supplicate his brother and fall on his knees before him? is not isaac also seen to be a most miserable beggar? gen 6, 1-35. abraham, his father, goes into exile among the gentiles and possesses not in all the world a place to set his foot, as stephen says, acts 7, 1-5. on the other hand, ishmael was a king, and had the princes of the land of midian as his offspring before israel entered into the land of promise, gen 25, 16. thus, as we shall see a little later, cain first built the city of enoch, and, furthermore, became the ancestor of shepherds, workers in metals, and musicians. all this appears to prove that it is a mistake to attribute to cain and his posterity a curse. the curse seems to rest with weight upon the true church, while the wicked appear to thrive and flourish. 196. these things are often a stumbling-block, not to the world only, but even to the saints, as the psalms in many places testify. and the prophets, also, are frequently found to grow indignant, as does jeremiah, when they see the wicked possess freedom as it were from the evils of life, while they are oppressed and afflicted in various ways. men may therefore inquire, where is the curse of the wicked? where is the blessing of the godly? is not the converse the truth? cain is a vagabond and settled nowhere; and yet cain is the first man that builds a city and has a certain place to dwell in. but we will answer this argument more fully hereafter. we will now proceed with the text of moses. vi. cain's conduct when punished. 1. how he despaired. "my punishment is greater" etc. a. these words have greatly perplexed interpreters 197. b. the way augustine explains them 197. c. the explanation of the rabbins 198. * how the rabbins pervert the scriptures and whence their false comments 198-199. d. why the rabbins' interpretation cannot be accepted 200. e. the true understanding of these words 201. * the punishment troubles cain more than his sin 201. f. what makes these words difficult 202. * the right understanding of the words "minso" and "avon" 202-203. * grammarians cannot get at the right meaning of the scriptures 204. * how we should proceed in interpreting scripture 204. 2. how cain viewed his political punishment 205. 3. how he viewed his ecclesiastical punishment 206. * why cain was excommunicated by adam 206-207. * in what sense cain was a fugitive and a wanderer 208-209. * adam received his punishment in a better way 210. * the meaning of being a fugitive and a wanderer. how the same is found among the papists 211-212. * the grace of god was guaranteed to seth and his posterity 212. * why no temptation can harm believers 212. 4. cain's fear that in turn he would be slain 213. * god shows cain a double favor in his punishment. why he does this 213. * whether any of cain's posterity, under the old testament, were saved 214-215. 5. whether cain prayed that he might die, as augustine, lyra and others relate 216-217. * the fables of the rabbins cause luther double work and why he occasionally cites them 218. * whether god changed his judgment upon cain 219. * why god still showed cain incidental grace 219. * the fables of the jews concerning cain's death and lamech's punishment 220-221. * it is foolish to dispute concerning the sevenfold vengeance to be visited upon the one who slew cain 222. * the divine promises. a. they are twofold, of the law and of grace 223. b. the promise adam received 224. c. whether god gave cain one of these promises 224-225. d. the kind of promises well organized police stations have 226. e. the promises the church has 227. f. cain's promise is temporal, incidental and incomplete 227. * was cain murdered 228. 6. how cain had cause to fear, even though there were no people on the earth except adam and eve and his sisters 229-230. * the sign that is put upon cain. a. can anything definite be said of it. what the fathers thought of it 231. b. why this sign was placed upon him 232. c. how he had to carry it his whole life 232. d. how the sign was a confirmation and a promise of the law 233. 7. of cain's departure, and his excommunication from the presence of jehovah. a. the first parents in obedience to god made cain an outcast 234-235. b. how the first parents overcame their parental affections in expelling cain 236. * what should urge men to flee from their false security 237. c. his expulsion must have pierced cain to the heart 238. * what is the presence of jehovah 238. d. how he went from the presence of jehovah, to be without that presence 239. e. it was a sad departure, both for cain and his parents 240. f. whither he resorted 241. * what meaning of "in the land of nod" 241. * of paradise. (1) the deluge very likely destroyed paradise 241. (2) where was paradise 242. * of the deluge. (1) the deluge destroyed paradise 243. * cain lived where babylon was built later 244. (2) the deluge gave the earth an entirely different form 244. vi. cain's conduct upon being punished. v. 13. _and cain said unto jehovah, my punishment (iniquity) is greater than i can bear (than can be remitted)._ 197. here moses seems to have fixed a cross for the grammarians and the rabbins; for they crucify this passage in various ways. lyra recites the opinions of some who see in this passage an affirmation, considering it to mean that in his despair cain claimed his sin to be greater than could be pardoned. this is our rendering. augustine likewise retained this view of the passage, for he says, "thou liest, cain; for the mercy of god is greater than the misery of all the sinners." 198. the rabbins, however, expound the passage as a denial in the form of a question, as if he had said, "is my iniquity greater than can be remitted?" but if this rendering be the true one, cain not only does not acknowledge his sin, but excuses it and, in addition, insults god for laying upon him a punishment greater than he deserves. in this way the rabbins almost everywhere corrupt the sense of the scriptures. consequently i begin to hate them, and i admonish all who read them, to do so with careful discrimination. although they did possess the knowledge of some things by tradition from the fathers, they corrupted them in various ways; and therefore they often deceived by those corruptions even jerome himself. nor did the poets of old so fill the world with their fables as the wicked jews did the scriptures with their absurd opinions. a great task, therefore, is incumbent upon us in endeavoring to keep the text free from their comments. 199. the occasion for all this error is the fact that some men are competent to deal only with grammatical questions, but not with the subject matter itself; that is, they are not theologians at the same time. the inevitable result is mistakes and the crucifixion of themselves as well as of the scriptures. for how can any one explain what he does not understand? now the subject matter in the present passage is that cain is accused in his own conscience. and no one, not only no wicked man, but not even the devil himself, can endure this judgment; as james witnesses, "the devils also believe and tremble before god," jas 2, 19. peter also says, "whereas angels which are greater in power and might cannot endure that judgment which the lord will exercise upon blasphemers," 2 pet 2, 11. so also manasseh in his prayer, verses 4 and 5, confesses that all men tremble before the face of the lord's anger. 200. all this is sufficient evidence that cain, when arraigned by god, did not have courage to withstand and to argue with him. for god is an almighty adversary; the first assault he makes is upon the heart itself when he takes the conscience into his grasp. of this the rabbins know nothing, nor can they understand it; in consequence they speak of this arraignment as if it took place before men, where the truth is either denied or facts are smoothed over. this is impossible when god arraigns men; as christ says in matthew 12, 37, "by thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." 201. cain thus acknowledges his sin, although it is not so much the sin he grieves over as the penalty inflicted. the statement, then, is to be understood in the affirmative, and it reveals the horrors of despair. a further proof of cain's despair is, that he does not utter one word of reverence. he never mentions the name of god or of his father. his conscience is so confused and so overwhelmed with terror and despair that he is not able to think of any hope of pardon. the epistle to the hebrews gives the same description of esau when it states that he "for one mess of meat, sold his own birthright. for ye know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected; for he found no place for change of mind, though he sought it diligently with tears," heb 12, 16-17. thus in the present instance, cain feels his punishment, but he grieves more for his punishment than for his sin. and all persons, when in despair, do the same. 202. the two original words of this passage, _minneso_ and _avon_, are a pair of crosses for grammarians. jerome translates this clause, "my iniquity is greater than can be pardoned." sanctes, the grammarian of pagnum, a man of no mean erudition and evidently a diligent scholar, renders the passage, "my punishment is greater than i can bear." but by such a rendering we shall make a martyr of cain and a sinner of abel. concerning the word _nasa_, i have before observed that when it is applied to sin it signifies, to lift sin up, or off, or on high; that is, to take it out of the way. similarly the figure has found currency among us: the remission of sins, or to remit sin. in the thirty-second psalm, verse one, we find the expression, _aschre nesu pascha_. this, literally translated, would make: being blessed through the removal of crime, or sin. we make it: blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, or taken away. the same is found in isaiah 33, 24, the people that dwell therein shall be _nesu avon_, that means, relieved from sin--shall be the people whose sin is forgiven. 203. the other original term, _avoni_, grammarians derive from the verb _anah_, which signifies "to be afflicted," as in zechariah 9, 9: "behold thy king cometh unto thee lowly (or afflicted)." our translation renders it "meek." likewise in psalms 132, 1: "jehovah, remember for david all his affliction." from the same root is derived the expression, "low estate," or "lowliness," used by the virgin mary in her song, lk 1, 48. this fact induces sanctes to render it "punishment." but here _avoni_ signifies "iniquity" or "sin," as it does also in many other passages of the holy scriptures, which appears more plainly from the verb "remit," which stands connected with it. 204. hence it is that grammarians, who are nothing but such and know nothing of the divine things, find their crosses in all such passages, and crucify, not only the scriptures, but themselves and their hearers as well. in the interpretation of the holy scriptures, the sense is first to be determined; and when that appears in all respects consistent with itself, then the grammatical features are to receive attention. the rabbins, however, take the opposite course, and hence it grieves me that divines and the holy fathers so frequently follow them. v. 14. _behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the ground; and from thy face shall i be hid; and i shall be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth; and it will come to pass, that whosoever findeth me will slay me._ 205. from these words it appears that the sentence on cain was pronounced through the mouth of adam. cain acknowledges that he is driven first from home and state, and then also from the church. of the difference between the words _adamah_ and _erez_ we spoke above. we showed that _erez_ signifies the earth generally, while the word _adamah_ means the cultivated part of the earth. the meaning therefore is: i am now compelled to flee from thy presence and from that part of the earth which i have cultivated. the whole world indeed lies before me, but i must be a fugitive and a vagabond upon the earth; that is, i shall have no certain dwelling place. in the same way fugitive murderers among us are punished with exile. these words, accordingly, cast additional light upon the utterance of adam, "cursed art thou from the ground." they refer to cain's banishment. this part of cain's punishment therefore is a civil punishment, and by it he is shut out from civic association. 206. but that which cain next adds, "from thy face shall i be hid," is an ecclesiastical punishment and true excommunication. for, as the priesthood and the kingdom rested with adam, and cain on account of his sin was excommunicated from adam, he was thereby also deprived of the glory both of priesthood and kingdom. but why adam adopted this punishment is explained by the words, "when thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee its strength;" as if he had said, thou art cursed and thy labors are cursed also. therefore if thou shalt remain with us upon earth it cannot be but that both thyself and we likewise must perish with hunger. for thou hast stained the earth with thy brother's blood, and wherever thou art, thou must bear about the blood of thy brother, and even the earth itself shall exact her penalties. 207. a similar sentence we find pronounced in 1 kings 2, 29-33, where solomon gives commandment to benaiah, son of jehoiada, saying, "fall upon joab, that thou mayest take away the blood, which joab shed without cause, from me and from my father's house. and jehovah will return his blood upon his own head. but unto david, and unto his seed, and unto his house, and unto his throne, shall there be peace for ever from jehovah." as much as to say, if joab suffer not this punishment of his unjust murder, the whole kingdom must suffer that punishment and be shaken by wars. the meaning of adam then, in this passage is, if thou shalt remain on the earth with us, god will bring punishment upon us for thy sake, in that the earth shall not yield us her fruit. 208. but now let us reply to the question raised above. it was said to cain, "a fugitive and wanderer shalt thou be in the earth." and yet, cain was the first man who builds a city, and his posterity so increased from that time that they debauched and oppressed the church of god, and so utterly overthrew it as not to leave more than eight persons of the posterity of seth. all of the remainder of mankind, which perished in the flood, had followed cain, as the text plainly declares when it affirms that the sons of god, when they came unto the daughters of men, begat giants and mighty men, which were of old, men of renown, gen 6, 4. therefore, since cain had so great a posterity, and he built the first city, how can it be true, men ask, that he was a fugitive and wanderer upon earth? 209. we will reply in accordance with what is written. the illustrations from the new testament above mentioned, paul, the apostles, christ, and the prophets, assuredly belong to quite a different category. when adam here says to cain, "a fugitive and a wanderer shalt thou be in the earth," he speaks these words to him to send him away, without further precept. he does not say to him, "go to the east;" he does not say, "go to the south;" he does not mention any place to which he should go. he gives him no command what to do; but simply casts him out. whither he goes and what he does, is no concern of his. he adds no promise of protection, he does not say: god shall take care of thee; god shall protect thee. on the contrary; as the whole sky is free to the bird, which is at liberty to fly whither it pleases, but is without a place where it may be secure from the attacks of other birds, so adam turns cain away. the latter feels this. hence his rejoinder: "it shall come to pass that every one that findeth me, shall slay me." 210. the condition of adam was different and better. adam had sinned, and by his sin he had sunk into death. but when he was driven out of paradise, god assigned him a particular task--that he should till the earth in a particular place. god also clothed him with a covering of skins. this, as we said, was a sign that god would take care of him and protect him. and, last but not least, a glorious promise was made to the woman concerning the seed which should bruise the serpent's head. nothing like this was left to cain. he was sent away absolutely without assignment of any particular place or task. no command was given him nor was any promise made him. he was like a bird aimlessly roving beneath the wide heavens. this is what it means to be a vagabond and wanderer. 211. unsettled and aimless, likewise, are all who lack god's word and command, wherein person and place receive adequate direction. such were we under the papacy. worship, works, exercises--all these were present; but all these existed and found acceptance without a divine command. a trying condition was that and cainlike--to be deprived of the word; not to know what to believe, what to hope, what to suffer, but to undertake and to perform everything at haphazard. what monk is there who could affirm that he did anything right? everything was man's tradition and man's teaching, without the word. amid these we wandered, being driven to and fro, and like cain, uncertain what verdict god would pass, whether we should merit love or hate. such was, in those days, our instruction. unsettled and aimless like this was cain's whole posterity. they had neither promise nor command from god, and lacked all definite guidance for life and for death. hence, if any of them came to the knowledge of christ, and allied themselves with the true church, it was not by reason of a promise but through sheer compassion. 212. seth, however, who was born subsequently, had, together with his posterity, a definite promise, a definite abode and a definite mode of worship; on the other hand, cain was aimless. he founded a city, it is true, but he did not know how long he should dwell in it, not having a divine promise. whatever we possess without a promise is of uncertain duration; at any amount satan may disturb it or take it. however, when we go into the fray equipped with god's command and promise, the devil fights in vain; god's command insures strength and safety. therefore, although cain was lord of the whole world and possessed all the treasures of the world, still, lacking the promise of god's help and the protection of his angels, and having nothing to lean upon but man's counsels, he was in every respect aimless and unsettled. this he himself admits when he further says: v. 14b. _and it shall come to pass that every one that findeth me shall slay me._ 213. this result was quite to be expected. having neither god nor his father to look to for succor, having forfeited his rights both as priest and as ruler, he saw the possibility before him that any one found him, might slay him, for he was outlawed, body and soul. notwithstanding, god conferred upon the nefarious murderer a twofold blessing. he had forfeited church and dominion, but life and progeny were left. god promised him to protect his existence, and also gave him a wife. two blessings these by no means to be despised; and when he heard the first part of his sentence pronounced by his father, they were more than he had a right even to hope for. they were valuable for the additional reason that opportunity and time for repentance were granted, though, in the absence of a clear promise, there was neither covenant nor commission. in the same manner, we found our way under the papacy to uncovenanted mercy (_fortuita gratia_), if i may use this expression, for no promise was previously given that the truth was to be revealed in our lifetime, and the antichrist to become manifest. the reason to which these blessings are attributable, is consideration for the elect. it is quite credible that many of cain's offspring were saved, namely, those who joined the true church. likewise, at a later day, provision was made among the jews for proselytes and gentiles. 214. while a stern law existed according to which the moabites and ammonites were not admitted to the religious services, ammonites and moabites were saved, such as came to the kings of judah to serve under them. also ruth, the mother and ancestress of our saviour, was a moabite. this is what i call uncovenanted mercy, no previous promise having rendered it certain. 215. also naaman, and the king of nineveh, and nebuchadnezzar, and evilmerodach, and others from among the gentiles, were saved by such uncovenanted mercy; for, unlike the jews, they had no promise of christ. in the same way, bodily safety is vouchsafed to cain, and a wife with offspring, for the sake of the elect to be saved by uncovenanted mercy. for, although what we said of the moabites is true of all his posterity, that it was to live under a curse, it is true, notwithstanding, that some of the patriarchs took their wives from the same. v. 15a. _and jehovah said unto him, therefore whosoever slayeth cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold._ 216. jerome, in his epistle to damascus, contends that cain had begged of the lord that he might be slain, an opinion into which he rushes full sail, as it were, entertaining no doubt whatever concerning its truth. lyra follows jerome, and resolutely affirms that the context requires this interpretation. but this error of theirs should be laid at the door of the rabbins from whom they received it. the true sense of the passage is rather that everyone was prohibited from killing cain. judgment is pronounced here by god, and when he spares cain's life and in addition permits him afterward to marry, it is done to stay its execution. 217. moreover, how is it likely that an ungodly person asks death at the very time when god exercises judgment? death is the very punishment of sin; therefore he flees and dreads death as the greatest part of his penalty. away, therefore, with such vagaries of the rabbins! with these also lyra's suggestion may safely be classed that the text ought to be divided and made to mean, whoever shall kill cain, shall surely meet with severe punishment. and when it is further stated, he shall be punished sevenfold, they would explain it as meaning that in the seventh degree--in the seventh generation--the punishment is to be inflicted. 218. such vagaries are worthy of the rabbins after having cast away the light of the new testament. however, they impose a double labor upon us, inasmuch as we are compelled to defend the text and to clear it of such corruptions, and to correct their absurd comments. if i quote them occasionally, it is to avoid the suspicion of proudly despising them, or of failing to read, and to give sufficient consideration to, their writings. while we read them intelligently, we do so with critical discrimination, and we do not permit them to obscure christ, and to corrupt the word of god. 219. the lord, accordingly, does not in this passage at all alter the sentence upon cain whereby he had been doomed to a curse on earth, but merely vouchsafes to him this uncovenanted mercy for the sake of the elect that are to be saved from that curse as from a mass of dregs. that is the reason he said cain should not be killed, as he feared. there is, then, no necessity for doing violence to this text as rabbi solomon does, who, after the words "whosoever slayeth cain," puts a stop; making it to be a hiatus or (ellipsis), as we find in that noted line in virgil (aeneas, 135)- _quos ego--sed motos praestat componere fluctus._ whom i--but now, be calm, ye boist'rous waves. and then the expression, "shall be punished sevenfold," the rabbi refers to cain himself, who was punished in his seventh generation. for cain begat enoch, and enoch begat irad, and irad begat mehujael, and mehujael begat methusael, and methusael begat lamech. 220. and the jews' absurd comment upon that passage (verse 23, below), is that lamech, when he was old, and his eyes dim, was taken by his son tubal-cain into a wood to hunt wild beasts, and that, when there shooting at a wild beast, lamech accidently shot cain, who in his wanderings had concealed himself in the wood. such interpretations are only fables, unworthy a place or notice in our schools. moreover, they militate against the very truth of the text. for if cain was really designed of god to be killed in the seventh generation, and if that time was thus fixed for his death, he was not "a fugitive and a vagabond upon earth." 221. we condemn, therefore, this interpretation of rabbi solomon, on the ground of critical discrimination, because it militates directly against that sentence which god had before pronounced; and god is not man, that he should change his mind, 1 kings 15, 29-30. this rule should be strictly observed in all interpretation of the holy scripture, that the rendering of one passage must not subsequently conflict with that of another. and when the rabbins, moreover, say that the deluge was the particular punishment of lamech's sin in thus killing cain, lyra refutes them. he very truly affirms that the deluge was the common punishment of the whole world of wicked men. we leave, therefore, all these jewish absurdities and hold fast the true meaning of the text before us, that, when cain feared lest he should be slain by any one who should find him, the lord prevented him from being thus slain, and denounced on such murderer a punishment sevenfold greater than that of cain. 222. and, though lyra argues and inquires how it could be that he who should slay cain could deserve a sevenfold greater vengeance than cain deserved, who slew his own brother, of what profit is it to us to inquire into the counsel of god in such matters as these, especially when it is certain that god permitted his mercy to stray to cain in the form of promises and blessings under the law, if i may so express myself, thus securing his safety. 223. there are two kinds of promises, or a twofold promise, as we have often explained. there are the legal promises, if i may so call them, which depend, as it were, upon our own works, such as the following: "if ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land," is 1, 19. again, i am god, showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments, ex 20, 6. and also above, in this case of cain, "if thou doest well, shall not thy countenance be lifted up?" gen 4, 7. and these legal promises have for the most part their corresponding threats attached to them. but the other kind of promises are promises of grace, and with them no threats are joined. such are the following: "jehovah thy god will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken," deut 18, 15. again, "i will put my law in their inward parts, in their heart will i write it; and i will be their god, and they shall be my people," jer 31, 33. and again, "i will put enmity between thee and the woman," gen 3, 15. now, these promises depend not in any way upon our works, but absolutely and only upon the goodness and grace of god, because he was pleased to make those promises and to do what he thus promised. just in the same way we have the promise of baptism, of the lord's supper, and of the keys, etc., in which god sets before us his good will and his mercy and his works. 224. now, god gave no promise of the latter kind to cain. he only said to him, whosoever shall slay thee shall be punished sevenfold. but adam had such a promise of grace made to him. and cain, because he was the first-born, ought to have received that promise as an inheritance from his parents. that promise was the large and blessed promise of eternal glory, because by it the seed was promised which should bruise the serpent's head, and this without any work or merit of man. for that promise had no condition attached to it, such as, if thou shalt offer thy sacrifices, if thou shalt do good, etc. 225. if, therefore, you compare this promise of grace with the words god spake to cain, the latter are as a mere crust held out to a beggar. for even cain's life is not promised him absolutely. nothing more is said than a threat pronounced against those who should slay him. god does not say positively, no man shall slay thee. he does not say, i will so overrule all others that no one shall slay thee. had the words been thus spoken, cain might have returned into the presence of god and of his parents. but a command only is given to men that they slay not cain. if, therefore, the words spoken to cain be at all considered as a promise, it is that kind of promise which, as we have before said, depends on the works and will of man. and yet, even such promise is by no means to be despised, for these legal promises often embrace most important things. 226. thus, augustine observes that god gave to the romans their empire on account of their noble virtues. and in the same manner we find, even to this day, that the blessings of those nations which keep from murder, adultery, theft, etc., are greater than those of other nations in which these evils prevail. and yet, even governments which, as far as mere reason can succeed, are especially well established, possess nothing beyond these temporal promises. 227. the church, however, possesses the promises of grace, even the eternal promises. and although cain was left utterly destitute of these promises, yet it was a great favor that the temporal mercies were left him: that he was not immediately killed, that a wife was given him, that children were born unto him, that he built a city, that he cultivated the earth, that he fed his cattle and had possessions, and that he was not utterly ejected from the society and fellowship of men. for god could not only have deprived cain of all these blessings, but he could have added pestilence, epilepsy, apoplexy, the stone, the gout, and any other disease. and yet there are men disposed curiously to argue in what manner god could possibly have multiplied the curse of cain sevenfold on himself or on any other. as god above deprives cain of all the divine blessings, both spiritual--or those pertaining to the church--and civil, so here he mitigates that sentence by commanding that no one shall slay cain. but god does not promise at the same time that all men shall surely obey his command. therefore cain, even possessing this promise in reference to his body, is still a fugitive and a wanderer. and it might be that if he continued in his wickedness, he was liable to be slain at any moment; whereas, if he did well, he might live a long time. but nothing is promised him with certainty, for although these corporal or legal promises are great and important, yet they are positively uncertain and uncovenanted. 228. whether, therefore, cain was killed or not, i cannot with any certainty say, for the scriptures afford no plain information upon that point. this one thing, however, evidently can be proved from the present text, that cain had no certain promise of the preservation of his life; but god left him to a life of uncertainty, doubt and restless wandering, and did no more than protect the life of cain by a command and a threat which might restrain the wicked from killing him, on account of the certain awful punishment which would follow such destruction of the murderer. but a promise that he should not be murdered was withheld. we know, moreover, what is the nature of the law, or a legal command, and that there are always very few who obey it. therefore, although it is not recorded at what time, in what place, or by whom, cain was slain, yet it is most probable that he was killed. the scriptures however make no mention of it, even as they are quite silent also concerning the number of the years of cain, and say nothing about the day of his birth or the day of his death. he perished, together with his whole generation; to use a popular proverb, "without cross, candle, or god." a few only of his generation are excepted, who were saved by the uncovenanted mercy of god. 229. the question is here usually asked, to what persons could the words of cain possibly apply, when he says, "everyone that findeth me shall slay me," when it is evident that besides adam and eve and their few daughters, no human beings were in existence. i would at once reply that they bear witness to the fact that we see the wicked "flee when no man pursueth," as the scriptures say; for they imagine to themselves various perils where none really exist. just so we see it to be the case with murderers at the present day, who are filled with fears where all is safe, who can remain quiet nowhere, and who imagine death to be present everywhere. 230. however, when it follows in the command of god, "yea, verily, whosoever slayeth cain shall be punished sevenfold," these words cannot be referred exclusively to the fears of cain, for cain had sisters, and perhaps he greatly dreaded that sister whom he had married, lest she should take vengeance on him for the murder of her brother. moreover, cain had perhaps a vague apprehension of a long life, and he saw that many more sons might be born of adam. he feared, therefore, the whole posterity to adam. and it greatly increased these fears that god had left him nothing more than his stray mercy. i do not think that cain feared the beasts at all, or dreaded being slain by them; for what had the sevenfold vengeance threatened upon murderers to do with beasts? v. 15b. _and jehovah appointed a sign for (set a mark upon) cain, lest any finding him should smite him (slay him)._ 231. what this mark was is not to be found in the holy scriptures. therefore commentators have entertained various opinions. nearly all, however, have come to this one conclusion--they have inferred that there was apparent in cain a great tremor of his head and of all his limbs. they suppose that, as a physical cause of his trembling, god had changed, or disarranged, or mutilated some particular organ in his body, but left the body whole as it was first created, merely adding a visible outward mark, such as the trembling. this conjecture of the fathers contains much probability, but it cannot be proved by any testimony of the scriptures. the mark might have been of another kind. for instance, we observe in nearly all murderers an immediate change in the eyes. the eyes wear an appearance of sullen ferocity, and lose that softness and innocence peculiar to them by nature. 232. but whatever this mark was, it was certainly a most horrible punishment; for cain was compelled to bear it during his whole life as god's penalty for the awful murder which he had committed. rendered conspicuous by this degrading mark, hateful and abominable in the eyes of all, cain was sent away--banished from his home by his parents. and although the life he asked of god was granted him, yet it was a life of ignominy, branded with an infamous mark of homicide; not only that he himself might be perpetually reminded of the sin he had committed, to his own confusion, but also that others might be deterred from the crime of committing murder. nor could this mark be effaced by repentance. cain was compelled to bear about this sign of the wrath of god upon him as a punishment in addition to his banishment, the curse, and all the other penalties. 233. it is worthy of observation that the original verb used above is _harag_, which signifies "to kill." but the verb here found is _nakah_, which means "to strike." god, therefore, here gives to cain security, not only from death, but also from the danger of death. this security, however, as we have observed, is a legal security only; for it merely commands that no one shall slay cain, threatening a sevenfold punishment upon the person who should do so. but god does not promise that all men will obey his command. it was far better for cain, however, to have this legal promise made him, than to be without any promise at all. v. 16. _and cain went out from the presence of jehovah, and dwelt in the land of nod, on the east of eden._ 234. this also is a very remarkable text, and it is a wonder that the fancy of the rabbins did not run riot here as usual. moses leaves it to the thoughtful reader to reflect how miserable and how full of tears this departure of cain from his father's house must have been. his godly parents had already lost their son abel; and now, at the command of god, the other son departs from them into banishment, loaded with the divine curses, on account of his sin--the very son whom his parents had hoped to be the only heir of the promise, and whom they therefore had devotedly loved from his cradle. adam and eve, nevertheless, obey the command of god, and in conformity therewith they cast out their son. 235. accordingly, this passage rightly praises obedience to god, or the fear of god. adam and eve had, indeed, learned by their own experience in paradise that it was no light sin to depart from the command of god; therefore they thought: behold, our sin in paradise has been punished with death, and with an infinite number of other calamities into which we have been thrown since we were driven out of paradise. and now that our son has committed so atrocious a sin, it behooves us not to resist the will of god and his righteous judgment, however bitter we feel them to be. 236. the story of the woman of tekoah is well known, whom joab instructed to intercede for the banished absalom. she pleads as an argument before the king, that as she had lost one son, it would be wicked in the extreme to deprive her of the other also. also rebecca said to jacob, her younger son, after she had perceived the wrath of esau against his brother: "why should i be bereaved of you both in one day?" gen 27, 45. adam and eve overcame this same pain in their bosoms, and thus mortified their paternal and maternal affections. for not only did they feel it to be their duty to obey the will of god, but they had also learned wisdom from former obedience. they had been driven out of paradise for their sin of disobedience. they feared, therefore, that if they now retained their son with them, contrary to the will of god, they should be cast out of the earth altogether. 237. this part of the history of adam and eve, therefore, is a beautiful lesson in obedience to god, and a striking exhortation to fear god. this is also paul's principal object in his first epistle to the corinthians, nearly all of which is written against the self-confidence of the human heart. for, although god is merciful, yet men are not therefore to sin; he is merciful to those only who fear and obey him. 238. as it was bitter in the extreme for the parents to lose their son, this departure from his home was, i have no doubt, most bitter also to cain himself. for he was compelled to leave, not only the common home, his dear parents and their protection, but his hereditary right of primogeniture, the prerogative of the kingdom and of the priesthood, and the communion of the church. hence it is that we have the expression in the text, that cain "went out from the presence of jehovah." we have above shown what the scriptures term "the face of jehovah," namely, all those things and means by which jehovah makes himself known to us. thus the face of jehovah, under the old testament, was the pillar of fire, the cloud, the mercy-seat, etc. under the new testament, the face of jehovah is baptism, the lord's supper, the ministry of the word, etc. for by these things, as by visible signs, the lord makes himself known to us, and shows that he is with us, that he cares for us and favors us. 239. it was from this place, therefore, in which god declared that he was always present, and in which adam resided as high priest, and as lord of the earth, that cain "went out;" and he came into another place, where there was no "face of god," where there was no visible sign of his presence by which he could derive the consolation that god was present with his favor. he had no sign whatever, save those signs which are common to all creatures, even to the beasts, namely, the uses of sun and moon, of day and night, of water, air, etc. but these are not signs of that immutable grace of god contained in the promise of the blessed seed. they are only the signs of god's temporal blessings and of his good will to all his creatures. 240. miserable, therefore, was that going out of cain indeed. it was a departure full of tears. he was compelled to leave forever his home and his parents, who now gave to him, a solitary man and a "vagabond," their daughter as his wife, to live with him as his companion; but they knew not what would become either of their son or of their daughter. in consequence of losing three children at one time their grief is so much greater. no other explanation suggests itself for the subsequent statement "cain knew his wife." 241. where, then, did cain live with his wife? moses answers, "in the land of nod," a name derived from its vagabond and unsettled inhabitant. and where was this land situated? beyond paradise, toward the east, a place indeed most remarkable. cain came into a certain place toward the east, but when he came there, he was insecure and unprotected, for it was the land of nod, where he could not set foot with certainty, because "the face of god" was not there. for this "face" he had left with his parents, who lived where they had paradise on their side, or toward the west. when cain fled from his home he went toward the east. so the posterity of cain was separated from the posterity of adam, having paradise as a place of division between them. the passage, moreover, proves that paradise remained undestroyed after adam was driven out of it. in all probability it was finally destroyed by the deluge. 242. this text greatly favors the opinion of those who believe that adam was created in the region of damascus, and that, after he was driven out of paradise for his sin, he lived in palestine; and hence it was in the midst of the original paradise that jerusalem, bethlehem and jericho stood, in which places jesus christ and his servant john chiefly dwelt. although the present aspect of those places does not altogether bear out that conclusion, the devastations of the mighty deluge were such as to change fountains, rivers and mountains; and it is quite possible that on the site which was afterward calvary, the place of christ's sacrifice for the world's sin, there stood the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the same spot being marked by the death and ruin wrought by satan and by the life and salvation wrought by christ. 243. it is not without a particular purpose, therefore, that daniel uses the striking expression: "the end thereof (of the sanctuary, the sacrifice and the oblation) shall be with a flood," dan 9, 26. as if he had said, the first paradise was laid waste and utterly destroyed by the mighty deluge, and the other, future paradise, in which redemption is to be wrought, shall be destroyed by the romanists as by a flood. 244. we may carry the analogy further by stating that as babel was the cause of the destruction of the jewish people, so this disaster had its beginning with cain and his offspring, who settled in that part of the earth where, at a later day, babylon was founded. these are my thoughts and views, derived partly from the fathers. though they may not be true, they are yet probable, and have nothing ungodly in them. and there can be no doubt that noah, after the flood, saw the face of the whole earth altogether changed from what it was before that awful visitation of the wrath of god. mountains were torn asunder, fountains were made to break forth and the courses of the rivers themselves were wholly altered and diverted into other channels, by the mighty force of the overwhelming waters. vii. generations of cain and of the righteous. a. in general. 1. why cain's generations were described before those of the righteous 245. 2. how the holy spirit is interested more in the generations of the righteous than in those of cain 246-247. 3. why the holy spirit gives this description of both 248. 4. the relation of the two to each other 248. 5. how the generations of the righteous are attacked and conquered by those of the godless 249. * of cain's marriage. a. who was his wife, and the question of his being married before he committed the murder 250-251. * how to read the writings of the jews 251. b. the question of his being married after the murder 252-254. * that some of his posterity were saved 254. vii. the generations of cain and the generations of the godly. a. the posterity of cain in general. v. 17. _and cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, enoch._ 245. it is worthy of admiration that moses describes the generation of the sons of cain before the generation of the sons of god. but all this is done according to the fixed counsel of god. for the children of this world have in this life and in this their generation the advantage of the children of god (lk 16, 8) with reference to the first promise. the spiritual seed of the woman indeed possess the spiritual blessing, but the seed of the serpent arrogate to themselves the corporal, or temporal, blessing, and they bruise the heel of the blessed seed. in this respect the temporal has precedence over the spiritual. 246. but a great difference comes to the surface at a later day. although moses records the history of the posterity of cain before the posterity of the righteous, yet we afterwards see that the latter are more especially the care of the holy spirit. he does not confine himself to a bare registration of their names, but he carefully numbers their years, makes mention of their death, and not only chronicles their own doings, as he chronicles in this passage those of the sons of cain, but also the transactions and the conversations which jehovah had with them, the promises he made, the help rendered in danger, and the blessings vouchsafed. 247. none of these things are recorded of the wicked posterity of cain. when moses has said that cain begat a son named enoch, and that he built a city to which he gave the name of his son, calling it enoch, the sacred historian immediately cuts off the memory of cain altogether and, as it were, buries him forever with these few short words of record. he seems to entertain no further care or concern for either his life or his death. he merely records temporal blessings--that he begat a son and that he built a city. for as the gift of reproduction was not taken away from the murderer cain, neither was the gift of dominion taken from him. but he lost all the rich blessings of the earth because it had drunk the blood of his brother, as we have shown above. 248. the holy spirit records these things in order that we may see that there was, from the very beginning, two churches: one the church of the sons of satan and of the flesh, which often makes sudden and great increase; and the other the church of the sons of god, which is usually weak and makes slow progress. although the scriptures do not relate how these two churches lived together in the beginning, yet, as it was declared by god to satan, "i will put enmity between thy seed and her seed," it is certain that the church of cain was ever hostile to the church of adam. and the present text fully shows that the sons of men so increased and prevailed that they almost completely perverted and destroyed the church of the sons of god. for in the great flood, only eight souls of them were saved; all the rest of the human race perished in the waters on account of their sin. 249. and this is a calamity of the true church, common to all ages: as soon as she begins to increase, she is compelled to oppose with all her might satan and the ungodly. she is at length tired out by the wickedness of her enemy, and is then either obliged to yield to her enraged foe, overcome by the cross and its afflictions, or she sinks under the seductions of pleasures and riches. so it was with the posterity of adam. broken down, at length, under so long a war with the sons of men, they yielded, being reduced at last to eight souls only, who were saved. ungodliness having so far prevailed, and the godly losing ground, the lord at length interposes and saves the few righteous remaining; but all the rest, both the seduced and the seducers, he punishes, including them in the same judgment. and we hope and believe the lord will do the same in the judgment at the last day. 250. many questions arise here. some inquire respecting the circumstances connected with the wife of cain: at what time the murder was committed; whether cain murdered his brother before he was a husband, or after he was married. and the jews, moreover, say that eve brought forth twins at every birth, a male and a female; and they assert that cain married his sister calmana, and abel his sister debora. whether these things be true or not i cannot affirm. i know not. but they are not vital to the interests of the church, and there is nothing certain known concerning them. this one thing is certain, that cain had a sister for his wife. but whether or no he had her as his wife when he committed the murder, cannot with certainty be proven. however, the text before us greatly tends to the conclusion that cain was married when he committed the murder of his brother; for it intimates that the inheritance was divided between the two brothers when it affirms that the care of the cattle was committed by the father to abel and the tilling of the ground to cain. i, therefore, am inclined to believe that both of the brothers were married. 251. this conclusion is favored also by the statement made above, that cain and abel "in the process of time" brought their offerings. this has been explained in the following manner: at the end of the year, the two newly married husbands brought as offerings the new fruits which god had given them in this first year of their marriage; cain brought the first fruits of the earth, and abel the first fruits of his flock. and the time was probably the autumn of the year, the time when the fruits of the earth are gathered, the same season in which the jews afterwards held the feast of expiation. moses, in his levitical law, seems carefully to have noted and collected the ancestral patterns, and to have reduced them to a code. when, therefore, the new husbands came to render their thanks to god for his blessings and to offer their gifts, and abel's offering was accepted of god and not the offering of cain, cain's heart was immediately filled by satan with hatred of his brother; and upon this hatred afterwards followed the horrible murder. this is the opinion of the jews, which i thus relate because it does not appear to be at all far from the truth. but, as i have often said, the interpretations of the jews are to be read with critical discrimination, so that in their teachings, we may retain the things consistent with the truth, but condemn and refute all fictions of their own making. 252. if cain was not married when he slew his brother, it is still more wonderful that after such a wicked deed he obtained a wife at all; and certainly that damsel was worthy the highest praise who married such a man. for how could the maiden rejoice in a marriage with her brother who was a murderer, accursed and excommunicated? she, on her part, no doubt supplicated her father, and expostulated with him and asked how he could give her, an innocent one, in marriage to a man thus accursed, and force her into banishment with him. nay, the very example of her brother's murder must have naturally filled her with terror, lest the crime which her husband committed on his brother he might also dare to commit on her, his sister and his wife. 253. in bringing about this marriage, adam obviously had to exercise marvelous eloquence. it was for him to convince his daughter that the father's command was not to be disobeyed, and that while cain, curse-ridden, would have to bear the penalty of his sin, god would still preserve and bless her, the innocent one. nor do i entertain the least doubt that god conferred many personal blessings upon cain, down the whole line of his posterity, for the sake of his wife, who, from motives of faith toward god and of obedience toward her parents, had married her murderous brother. as christ was the minister of the circumcision for the truth of god, to establish the certainty of the promise made unto the jewish fathers; and as, in the absence of a promise, he was the minister of the gentiles, because of the mercy of god, (rom 15, 8-9), so the like uncovenanted mercy was shown also to the posterity of cain. these two opinions have been expressed concerning the marriage of cain, but which is the truth i know not. if cain was married after he committed the murder, his wife is most certainly worthy of all praise and of all fame, who could thus yield to the authority of her parents, and suffer herself to be joined in marriage with an accursed murderer. 254. to myself, the first opinion appears to be much nearer the truth, that he murdered his brother after his marriage with his sister; because we have so clear a testimony in the text concerning the division of the inheritance. and in that case, the necessity lay on the wife to follow her husband. as wife and husband are one body and one flesh, adam had no desire to separate them; moreover, the wife is bound to bear her part of the calamities of her husband. just in the same manner as the posterity of cain enjoyed a part of those blessings which were bestowed of god upon the innocent wife, pharaoh, king of egypt, was saved in the time of joseph, and the king of nineveh was saved in the time of his calamity, although neither of them belonged to the people of god. and so i also believe that some were saved out of the posterity of cain, although cain himself had utterly lost the promise concerning the blessed seed. b. the posterity of cain in detail; the generations of cain. * the names were given to the descendants of cain, not by accident, but by special thought and with a definite meaning 255. 1. of enoch. a. the meaning of his name 255-256. b. is the first in cain's posterity and the beginning of the temporal blessing 256. * why cain built a city 257-258. 2. irad and the meaning of his name. it was not given without a purpose 259. 3. mehujael and the meaning of his name 260. * the means the false church uses to suppress the true church 260. 4. methushael and the meaning of his name 261. 5. lamech. a. what his name signifies 262. * cain's descendants persecute the true church. yet some of cain's posterity were saved 263. b. the reason he took two wives 264. c. who were his wives 265. d. his sons, jabal, jubal, tubal-cain, and his daughter naamah 266-268. * why moses mentions the various arts of cain's descendants 269. * whether poverty drove cain's descendants to the arts 269-270. * as the false church was before the flood so is she still, and will remain so to the end of the world 271. * how the cainites increased and oppressed the true church 272. * why the scriptures do not mention that some of the cainites were saved 272. e. of his haughty speech, "i have slain a man etc." (1) this is difficult to understand, and has been poorly treated by interpreters 273. (2) the fable explanation of these words by the jews refuted 274-275. (3) how others explained them 275. (4) luther's understanding of them 276-277. f. whether lamech slew cain, and thereby made himself famous 278. g. how he attempted to be ruler upon adam's death 279. * how the church is oppressed from both sides 279. * why moses mentions the blood descendants of cain with such care 280. h. cain is not sorry for his deed, but even boasts of it 281. * the nature of the cain church 281. i. how he seeks to avoid being slain by others 282. * the pope has the conscience of cain and lamech 282. j. he is a type of all the children of this world 283. * how the devil drives the cainites to rage against the church under the guise of being holy 284. * the true church from the very beginning had to shed her blood 285. * the tyranny of popes julius ii and clement vii 285. * god at all times severely punished the persecutors of his church 286. k. how lamech still wished to defend his deed 287. l. he had no word of god, but was filled with pride 288. b. the posterity of cain in detail. 255. as regards the names of cain's offspring, i believe that, in common with those of the holy patriarchs, they indicate not an absence of purpose or a random selection, but a definite purpose and a prophecy. thus "adam" signifies a man of, or taken out of, the red earth. "eve" signifies the mother of life, or of the living. "cain" signifies possession. "abel" signifies vanity. and we find that also among the gentiles many names have such a significance; not seldom names are found which are truly prophetic. "enoch" is a prophetic name, expressive of hope in the future as a relief to cain's mind, or rather to his wife's, for it was the latter who called the son she bore enoch, from the hebrew _hanach_, which signifies, "she dedicated," or "she devoted." 256. this is a word frequently used by moses. as when he says, "what man is there that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it? let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it," deut 20, 5. the verb in this passage, which signifies originally to dedicate, here signifies to possess, or to enjoy; and when this possession or enjoyment begins, it is attended with happy signs and auspicious invocations. so when the wife of cain brought forth her first son, she said to her husband, enoch; that is, "dedicate him, devote him:" for the verb is in the imperative mood. as if cain had said himself, may this our beginning be happy and prosperous. my father adam cursed me on account of my sin. i am cast out of his sight. i live alone in the world. the earth does not yield me her strength; she would be more fruitful to me, had i not thus sinned. and yet god now shows me uncovenanted mercy in giving me this son. it is a good and happy beginning. as in the generation of cain the corporal blessings begin with enoch, so it is another enoch in the generation of the righteous under whom religion and spiritual blessings begin to flourish. 257. that which is added by moses concerning the city cain thus built belongs to history. but i have before observed that cain, when separated from the true church and driven into banishment, hated the true church. when, therefore, cain thus first built a city, that very act tended to show that he not only disregarded and hated the true church, but wished also to oppose and oppress it. for he reflects thus: behold i am cast out by my father and i am cursed by him, but my marriage is not a barren one; therefore i have in this the hope of a great posterity. what, therefore, is it to me that i am driven by my father from beneath his roof? i will build a city, in which i will gather a church for myself. farewell, therefore, to my father and his church. i regard them not. 258. accordingly, it is not through fear, or for defense, that cain "built a city," but from the sure hope of prosperity and success, and from pride and the lust of dominion. for he had no need whatever to fear his father and mother, who at the divine command had thrust him out to go into some foreign land. nor had he any more ground of fear from their children than from themselves. but cain was inflated with pride through this uncovenanted mercy of god, as i have termed it; and, as the world ever does, he sought by means of his "city" an opportunity of emerging from his present state into future greatness. the sons of god, on the contrary, are only anxious about another city, "which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is god," as we have it described in the epistles to the hebrews 11, 10. v. 18a. _and unto enoch was born irad._ 259. what opinion to form concerning this name, i really know not, for its origin is very obscure; and yet i believe the name is not accidental but prophetic. in the book of joshua we have a city called ai; and this same term is used elsewhere as an appellative. now, the proper name ai signifies, "a heap," as a heap of fallen buildings. and if with this name you compound the verb _irad_, the word thus compounded will signify increase. although the posterity of cain, on account of their excommunication, were at that time like a great heap of ruins, it was his prayer that they might not altogether perish, but be preserved and greatly increased by means of this son irad. if anyone can offer a better interpretation, i will by no means despise it; for on obscure points like the present, conjecture is quite allowable. v. 18b. _and irad begat mehujael._ 260. this name is formed from the verb _mahah_, which signifies "to destroy," and from _jaal_, "he began," or "he attempted or dared." accordingly this name signifies that the posterity of cain should now enter upon so mighty an increase as to dare to set itself in array against the true church and to despise it and persecute it; so mightily should it prevail by its wealth, wisdom, glory and numbers. these, indeed, are for the most part the influences through which the true church is always overcome by the world and the false church. v. 18c. _and mehujael begat methushael._ 261. _meth_ signifies "death," and _schaal_ means "to ask," or "to demand." hence we have the name saul; that is, demanded. this name indicates a spirit haughtier than any of the others. i understand it to signify that methushael threatens that he will avenge his parents, who are dead, whom the other church--that is the true church--has punished with excommunication and exile. v. 18d. _and methushael begat lamech._ 262. hitherto the cainites seem to have insulted the true church with impunity and to have triumphed over them. but the name "lamech" signifies that god, at the time in which lamech was born, inflicted on the posterity of cain their due punishment. the name lamech is derived from the verb _makak_, which signifies to humble, to diminish, to suppress. or, it may be understood actively, to mean that in the time of lamech the posterity of cain so greatly increased that the true church was quite overwhelmed by them. 263. such was the posterity of cain; men, no doubt, renowned for their wisdom and greatness. and i also believe that some of them were saved by the uncovenanted mercy of god, as i have above explained. but far the greater part of them most bitterly hated and persecuted the true church. they could not brook inferiority to the sons of adam, the true church; therefore they set up their own forms of worship, and introduced many other new things for the sake of suppressing the church of adam. and because the false church was thus kept separate from the true church, i believe that cain married to each other his sons and daughters. accordingly, about the time of lamech, cain's posterity began to multiply exceedingly. and it is for this reason, i believe, that moses here terminates the list. v. 19. _and lamech took unto him two wives; the name of the one was adah, and the name of the other zillah._ 264. here again a twofold question arises. in the first place divines dispute whether lamech married these two wives on account of lustful passion or for some other cause. my belief is that polygamy was not entered into for the sake of lust, but with the object of increasing his family, and from the lust of dominion, and especially so if, as his name imports, the lord at that time had been punishing the cainites, or the posterity of cain, by pestilence, or by some other calamity. in this case, lamech probably thought by such expedient to retrieve his greatness. thus barbarous nations retain polygamy to strengthen and establish both home and state. 265. as regards the names of these two wives, the name of one is adah; that is, adorned, or, having chains on the neck. _adi_ signifies a neat, or elegant woman, and _adah_, the verb, signifies to adorn, or, to put on. and perhaps this name was given to her, not only because she was the mistress of the house, elegantly adorned or clothed, but because she was also beautiful. the name of the other wife, zillah, signifies, his shade. v. 20. _and adah bare jabal; he was the father of such as dwell in tents and have cattle._ 266. the name jabal is derived from the verb _jabal_, which signifies to bring forward, or to produce. v. 21. _and his brother's name was jubal; he was the father of all such as handle the harp and pipe._ 267. and the name jubal has the same origin and signification; for it means produced, or introduced. both these names, therefore, contain a wish or prayer of lamech concerning the increase of his family. the posterity of cain always entertained the object and expectation of surpassing in numbers. and, no doubt, the cainites held up this temporal blessing in the face of the true church as an evident proof that they were not cast off by god, but were the very people of god. v. 22. _and zillah, she also bare tubal-cain, the forger of every cutting instrument of (an artificer in every workmanship of) brass and iron; and the sister of tubal-cain was naamah._ 268. tubal-cain signifies, produce property. so the romans gave such names as "valerius" (from valeo), and "augustus" (from augeo). and naamah received her name from her sweetness, or beauty. this posterity of cain increased infinitely; hence moses breaks off at this point. 269. now, when he not only chronicles names but makes mention also of the deeds and labors of each one, the jewish explanation is to be rejected that the offspring of cain was compelled to follow other occupations because the earth was cursed, and hence gained their livelihood, one as a shepherd, another as a worker in brass, and another as a musician, obtaining grain and the other fruits of the earth from the offspring of adam. but if the cainites had been so severely pressed by hunger, they would have forgotten the harp, organ and other instruments of music in their extremity; for the enjoyment of music is not characteristic of the hungry and thirsty. 270. their invention of music and their efforts in the discovery of other arts is proof that they had the necessaries of life in abundance. the reason, therefore, that the descendants of cain turned to these pursuits and were not contented with the simple food the earth produced, like the descendants of adam, was that they wished to rule, and aimed at the high praise and glory of being men of talent. i believe, however, that some of them passed over to the true church and followed the religion of adam. 271. and such as moses here describes the generation of the wicked, or the false church, to be, from the beginning down to the mighty flood of waters, so we find it ever, and such it will remain until the final flood of fire. "the sons of this world are for their own generation wiser than the sons of the light," lk 16, 8. therefore it is that they ever advance and increase, and commend themselves and their own, and thus acquire riches, dignities and power; while the true church, on the other hand, always lies prostrate, despised, oppressed, excommunicated. vs. 23-24. _and lamech said unto his wives: adah and zillah, hear my voice; ye wives of lamech, hearken unto my speech: for i have slain a man for wounding me, and a young man for bruising me. if cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly lamech seventy and sevenfold._ 272. thus far moses has given us a history of the generation of the children of this world, and having brought down the list to the time of lamech and his wives and children, he buries them, as it were, altogether in silence, leaving them without any promise, either of the life which is to come or of the life that now is. for except that uncovenanted blessing of offspring and of food, the cainites possessed nothing whatever. yet they so increased in power and in multitude that they filled the whole world, and at length overturned and ravaged to such an extent the righteous nation of the children of god which possessed the promise of the future and eternal life, and sunk them into so deep a hell of wickedness, that eight men only remained to be saved when the flood came upon the whole world of the ungodly. and though there is no doubt that some of the generation of cain were saved both before the flood and in the flood, yet the scriptures do not mention them, to the end that we might the more fear god and walk according to his word. but hard as the diamond are those human hearts which fail to be moved by such an example as the flood, than which nothing more dreadful is to be found in the whole chain of time. 273. moses, therefore, having buried in silence the entire generation of cain, records only one unimportant fact respecting lamech, but what the real import of that fact is, moses does not explain. i know not that any other passage in the holy scriptures has been so diversely interpreted, and so rent and wrested, as this text. for ignorance at least, if eloquence is not, is fruitful of surmises, errors and fables. i will mention some of the vulgar views upon the passage now before us. 274. the jews compose the fable that lamech, when he had grown old and was blind, was led by a youth into the woods to hunt wild beasts, not for the sake of their flesh but for their skins; circumstances which are altogether absurd, and at once prove the whole fable to be a lie. and they hold that cain was there, concealed among the bushes, and in that solitude he not only exercised repentance but sought security for his life. the young man who directed the spear for lamech, thinking he saw a wild beast in a certain thicket, told lamech to hurl his spear, and lamech hurled his spear and, contrary to all thought, pierced cain. and they add that after lamech had been made conscious of the murder he had committed, he immediately speared the youth himself, who also died under the wound he received. it was thus, say the jews, that the "man" and the "young man" were slain by lamech. but such absurdities as these are utterly unworthy of refutation. indeed, moses himself completely refutes them; he records the fact that cain, far from fleeing into solitude and concealment, "built a city," which implies that he governed a state and thereby established for himself a kind of kingdom. moreover, the ages of cain and lamech would not accord with this explanation, for it is not at all probable cain lived to the time lamech became old and blind. 275. there is still another jewish invention. after lamech had killed cain, his wives would no longer live with him, through fear of the punishment they foreboded would come upon him, and therefore lamech, to comfort himself and to induce his wives to live with him, prophesied that whosoever should kill him would assuredly be punished "seventy and sevenfold." the jews invent like absurdities also concerning the sons of lamech, whom they say he taught to fabricate arms for the destruction of men. other commentators, again, will have it that the sense of this text is to be taken negatively, thus: if i had killed a man, as cain killed his brother, i should have been worthy of your reprobation. 276. my interpretation, accordingly, is that the words, "if cain shall be avenged sevenfold," etc., are not to be taken for the word of god. for that generation did not have the word; how, then, could lamech be believed to have been a prophet? thus, even such a man as jerome produces the vagary that, inasmuch as, according to luke, seventy-seven generations can be counted between adam and christ, it was after this space of time that lamech's sin was taken away by christ. if such vaporings are legitimate, anything can be proved from the scriptures. jerome even forgets that lamech represented the seventh generation from adam! the word under consideration then, is not to be placed upon the same level with the former, spoken to cain; for that was the word of god. it is, on the contrary, the word of a wicked murderer; not true, but an audacious fiction, based upon that spoken by adam to cain. but why does he deliver his discourse not before his church but at home, and only before his wives? 277. it is probable that the good and pious women were greatly alarmed on account of the murder committed by their husband. the wicked murderer, therefore, to appear equally safe with cain, endeavored in this way to reassure his wives concerning his safety from death. this is what the wicked church is accustomed to do; it prophesies out of its own head. but all such prophecies are vain. this one thing, however, we can gather from the present text, that lamech did not utter the contents of his prophecy from the word of god, but out of his own brain. 278. in respect to cain, i do not think that he was killed by lamech, but that he died long before the time of lamech. and as there were continual animosities between the cainite church and the church of adam--for the cainites could not brook their being treated as outside of the true communion--my opinion is, that lamech killed some eminent man and some distinguished youth of the generation of the righteous, just as cain, his father, had killed abel. and i believe that, having committed such murders, he wished to protect himself from being killed by uttering the words of the text, after the manner of the protection vouchsafed by god to his father cain. for lamech was no doubt a man of very great abilities and the chief man in his day and state. he had also strengthened his cause by a novel venture, for he was the first man who married two wives. and he harassed the church of the godly in various ways, as men are wont to do who combine talent with malice. therefore he furnished his men with arms, riches, and pleasures, that he might overcome the true church on every side, which alone held the holy faith, the pure word, and the pure worship of god. to all else he paid little attention. 279. it is very probable that the patriarch adam died about this time, this being the first patriarchal death; and there is no doubt that lamech seized this opportunity of transferring the whole government of the world at that time to himself, that he might have all things under his own rule. this is the manner in which the world acts to this day. the church of god, therefore, placed as it were in the midst, is oppressed on either side; by tyrants and blood-thirsty men on the one hand, and by those who are devoted to the concerns and pleasures of this world on the other. as tyrants use violence and the sword to destroy the church, so the latter entice her by their allurements. 280. hence it is that moses makes a special point of recording that the blood-thirsty seed of the cainites gave themselves up to pleasures and to other worldly pursuits. and hence it is, also, that christ expressly shows that much blood was shed even before the flood, by testifying "that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of abel the righteous unto the blood of zachariah son of barachiah, whom ye slew between the sanctuary and the altar," mt 23, 35. moses testifies subsequently (gen 6, 1-13), that the earth before the flood was filled with iniquities; and he is not speaking of the iniquities and violent deeds of thieves and adulterers, but describes particularly the tyranny of the cainite church, which pursued with all the violence of the sword the holy posterity of adam. and it is for this same reason that the sacred historian describes the descendants of cain by the name "giants." these are the reasons which lead me to conclude that lamech followed in the footsteps of his father cain and slew some distinguished man of the holy patriarchs and his son. 281. it was certainly an evidence of the greatest tyranny in lamech, that, when he had been discovered by his wives, he did not grieve for what he had done, but held in contempt the punishment which he had just cause to dread. as if he had said: i have killed a man 'tis true, but what is that to you? the wound of that belongs to me; i shall be wounded for it, not you. i have indeed killed a young man, but it is to my own hurt. i shall be punished for it, not you. what utterances could evince more contempt than these in the face of open sins? these are my thoughts on the passage now before us. the text shows that the cainites were tyrannical men, proud of their success, and given to pleasure; and the very words of lamech prove him to be a proud man, not grieving at all for the murder he had committed, but glorying in it as in a righteous cause. the cainite church always excuses that tyranny which it exercises over the godly, as christ says: "whosoever killeth you shall think that he offereth service unto god," jn 16, 2. this is expressed in the additional words of lamech: v. 24. _if cain shall he avenged sevenfold, truly lamech seventy and sevenfold._ 282. here lamech sets himself above his father cain, making it appear that he had a more righteous cause for the murder he had committed, and fortifying himself against those inclined to avenge the murders perpetrated by him. for the words of the text are not the words of the lord, as we have said, but the words of lamech himself. just so the pope fortifies himself by violence, tyranny, threats and anathemas, to make himself secure against avengers, for he has the conscience of a cain and a lamech. let him, says the pope, who shall do anything contrary to these my decrees know that he shall incur the indignation of st. peter and st. paul. 283. lamech, therefore, is an example of this world, and moses points to him to show what kind of a heart, will and wisdom the world has. just as if he had said in reference to lamech: such are the actions of the seed of the serpent and such are the children of this world. they gather riches, follow their pleasures, increase their power, and then abuse all these things by their tyranny, making use of them against the true church, the members of which they persecute and slay. and yet in the midst of all these mighty sins, they fear not, but are proud and secure, boasting and saying, "what can the righteous do?" (ps 11, 3): "our lips are our own: who is lord over us?" (ps 12, 4): "he (the wicked) saith in his heart: god hath forgotten, he hideth his face, he will never see it," (ps 10, 11): and other like sentiments. 284. that such is the meaning of the passage in question the facts recorded prove, though the words of the text do not so clearly express that meaning. the true church has ever satan as its great enemy, and he drives the cainites into fury, disguised as devotion, against their brethren, the abels; as christ also says, affirming that the devil was a murderer from the beginning, jn 8, 44. it is declared throughout the scriptures concerning the true church, that the wicked are ever shedding its blood. the various passages in the psalms speak the same things, "precious shall their blood be in his sight," ps 72, 14. again, "precious in the sight of jehovah is the death of his saints" ps 116, 15. and again, "for thy sake are we killed all the day long" ps 44, 22. 285. as, therefore, the church of god has at all times, and in all ages, given her blood to be shed by the wicked and by false brethren, so also, in that first age of the world she had to suffer from her enemies, whom the scriptures call "giants," and affirm that those "giants" filled the earth with "violence." among these giants was also this lamech now before us, who was one perhaps like pope julius ii or clement vii who although they exercised cruelty in the highest degree, yet wished to be called and appear as most holy saints. just so lamech here wishes to make it appear that he had a most righteous cause for the murder he had committed, and therefore he threatened greater vengeance on the man who should kill him than god himself had threatened on the person who should slay his father, the murderer cain. 286. in this manner, the church was vexed with the cross and with persecutions from the very beginning of the world until god, compelled by the wickedness of man, destroyed the whole world by the flood. just so, also, when the measure of pharaoh's malice was full he was drowned with all his host in the red sea. just so, again, when the measure of the malice of the gentile nations was full they were all uprooted and destroyed by moses and joshua. in the same manner afterwards when the jews raged against the gospel they were so utterly destroyed that not one stone was left upon another in jerusalem. other instances are the babylonians, the medes, the persians, the grecians, and the romans. 287. the scriptures therefore do not record whom lamech killed. they only record that two murders were committed by him, and that lamech, in his impenitence, wished to protect himself in the same manner as his father cain had been divinely protected, by issuing his proclamation, thereby making it appear that he had righteous cause for the murder he committed. and if this interpretation be not the true one, it is at least certain that the generation of the cainites was a blood-thirsty generation, and hated and persecuted the true church. 288. and it is, moreover, true that lamech had not the word, and that, accordingly, his utterance is not to be considered in the same light as that word which was spoken to his father cain; for the latter was the voice of truth, but the word of lamech was the voice of his own pride, expressive of the rule of satan and of a church of hypocrites, which sins securely and yet glories in its sins as if they were deeds of righteousness. c. the posterity of the righteous in detail; the generations of the righteous. 1. of seth. a. why seth is described in detail 289. b. why eve at seth's birth recalled cain's murder 290. * how and why the first parents after abel's death refrained from bearing children 291. c. seth's birth was announced before in a special way by god 291-292. * the uncovenanted grace of the cainites. also, why god did not mention that some of them would be saved 293. d. how eve manifested special faith and obedience in seth's birth 294-295. * why the romish church never canonized eve 296. * the idle fables of the jews about lamech and his wives, and about adam's abstinence and cain's increase, are to be rejected 297. e. a new generation springs from seth, in which the promise shall be fulfilled 298. 2. of enoch. a. what his name means, and why it was given to him 299. * the names of the holy patriarchs originated not by chance 299. b. how true worship began under enoch 300-302. * of true worship. (1) in what it consists 301. (2) why it was not in use before 302. * the meaning of "the name of jehovah" or the proclaiming of the name of jehovah 303. (3) the right course to take in the doctrine concerning divine worship 304. * god always ministered comfort to his church under the cross 305. (4) what is the true worship according to the first table of the law 306-307. (5) how true worship according to the second table follows from the first 308. (6) people are to be instructed first and chiefly in the worship of the first table 309. (7) whether visible signs were present in these days in their worship, and to what end they were necessary 310-311. (8) the worship of which moses speaks is to be understood not of the cainites but of seth's posterity 312. * a summary review of the contents of the fourth chapter of genesis 313. * why the fifth chapter was written 314. * why the jews cannot see the unity in the first five chapters of the bible 315. c. the posterity of the righteous in detail. v. 25. _and adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name seth: for, said she, god hath appointed me another seed instead of abel; for cain slew him._ 289. hitherto moses has spoken of the generation of the wicked only, the whole of which he buries as it were with the above brief catalog. the historian now turns to the description of the godly and of the true church. and first of all, we are to observe the manner of expression moses uses in reference to the name given by eve to her son: "and she called his name seth." moses does not speak thus concerning cain when he was born, nor concerning righteous abel, nor with reference to enoch, nor with reference to any of the others. by this particular expression regarding seth and his name moses would signify that this was the first son in whom flowed the stream of the promise which had been made to the parents in paradise. so eve is to be understood when she assigns the reason for giving her son this name. eve manifests her surpassing godliness and faith in giving her son such a name. 290. the fact that eve recalls the murder by wicked cain of his brother abel proves that there had existed a fierce enmity between these two churches, and that she had witnessed and suffered many evils and indignities from the cainites. because of this she now called to mind the awful murder which had been committed, whereby cain wished to destroy the righteous seed that he might reign alone. but thanks be to god, says she, who hath appointed me another seed instead of abel. 291. moses here, as is his usual manner, embraces in the fewest possible words the mightiest things, that he may incite the reader to the most diligent consideration of the works of god. of the pain and righteous grief of the parents at the murder of abel by his brother we have spoken before. i see no reason why we should not believe that after the perpetration of that horrible murder no son was born to adam until the birth of seth; for it is most probable that the awful peril of a recurrence of a calamity like that which they had just experienced, induced the godly parents to abstain from connubial intercourse. i believe, therefore, that by a particular promise made to them by an angel, their minds were again comforted and confirmed, and that they were influenced to believe that a son of the description of seth would now be born unto them, who should hold fast the promise; and that, although the generation of cain should utterly perish by their sin, the generation of him about to be born should be preserved until the promised blessed seed should come into the world. 292. it is a proof of some like particular promise having been revealed to the parents by an angel that eve adds to the name she gave to her son a kind of short sermon, and that moses when recording this circumstance makes use of an expression not otherwise adopted by him in connection with the names adam or eve gave to their children: "and she called his name seth." seth is derived from the hebrew verb _sath_, which signifies he placed, or he established, and was intended to show that this son would be, as it were, the foundation on which the promise concerning christ would rest, even though many other sons should be born unto the parents. eve does not give him an exalted name, such as "cain," yet she gives him a name signifying that the posterity of seth should never be suppressed or destroyed. 293. the cainites, cast out from the sight of their parents, are left under a curse, without any promise whatever, and have only so much mercy as they receive from the generation of the righteous as beggars, not as heirs. this is the mercy we above called uncovenanted mercy. but who, of the posterity of the cainites, obtained that mercy, moses does not mention, and his design in this omission is to keep separate the two churches: the one the church of the righteous, which had the promise of a life to come, but in this life was poor and afflicted; the other the church of the wicked, which in this life is rich and flourishing. 294. eve, the mother of us all, is highly to be praised, as a most holy woman, full of faith and charity, because in the person of her son seth she so nobly lauds the true church, paying no regard whatever to the generation of the cainites. for she does not say, i have gotten another son in the place of cain. she prefers the slain abel to cain, though cain was the first-born. herein praise is due, not only to her faith but to her eminent obedience; for she is not only not offended at the judgment of god concerning righteous abel, but she also changes her own judgment concerning god. when abel was born she despised him, and magnified cain as the first-born, and as the possessor, as she thought, of the promise. but now she acts in all things quite the contrary. as if she had said: after god's acceptance of him and of his offering, i had placed all my hopes on my son abel, because he was righteous; but his wicked brother slew him. but now god hath appointed me another seed instead of abel. 295. she does not indulge her maternal affection for cain. she does not excuse or lessen the sin of her son. but she herself excommunicates him, already excommunicated of god; and she banishes him, together with all his posterity, among the polluted mass of the gentiles who live without any sure mercy of god, laying hold only as they can of that uncovenanted mercy which, as we have said, they receive as beggars, not as heirs. 296. it is a great marvel, surely, that the church of the pope, having made up so great a list of saints, has not yet inserted in that catalog saint eve, a woman full of faith and love, and with an infinite number of crosses! but perhaps we are to gather from this omission that it would rather follow the church of the cainites than the holy church. 297. i am inclined to say nothing here about that absurd and idle fable of the jews, that lamech brought his disobedient wives to adam as judge, and that when adam commanded them to render to their husband due benevolence the wives in reply asked adam why he did not do the same to eve. these fablers say that adam, who had refrained from the bed of his wife from the murder of abel to that time, again lived with her as man and wife, in order that he might not by his example induce others to maintain perpetual continence, and thus prevent mankind from being multiplied. all these fables show how impure the thoughts of the jews were. of the same description is the like argument of these jews, who hold that when seth was born, which was within a hundred years after the death of abel, the children of cain had increased unto the seventh generation. such absurdities do wicked men invent to bring reproach upon the holy scriptures. and of precisely the same description is the opinion that cain was born in paradise, while, as yet, the original righteousness of his parents remained. what is the object of this lying invention but to cause us to do away with christ altogether? for take away original sin, and what need is there of christ at all? these things are indeed, as we have intimated, unworthy of being mentioned here. but they are worthy the enemies of christ and the enemies of grace. 298. in seth, therefore, we have a new generation, which arises from and comes to pass in accordance with the great original promise, that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head. appropriately the name seth is bestowed, so that eve may felicitate herself upon the fact that this seed is established, safe from overthrow. david uses the same verb: "if the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?" ps 11, 3. and the hebrew word forms a perfect rhyme with its german equivalent: "seth--steht." v. 26a. _and to seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name enosh._ 299. the verb _yikra_, he called, is in the masculine gender, by which you are to understand that it was the father who gave this name to his son. in the former case the verb was feminine, because eve gave to her son seth his name. the expression in each case is different, which difference of gender in a verb the latin language does not indicate. enosh signifies a man afflicted or full of calamity. "what is man that thou art mindful of him," ps 8, 4. seth, accordingly, intimates that at that time there was some persecution or affliction of the church. that "old serpent," who had cast man out of paradise and had killed abel, the man beloved of god, was neither asleep nor idle. therefore, upon the consolation enjoyed in the birth of seth there soon follows another trial or tribulation, which the godly parents adam and eve signalize by giving the name enosh to their son. the names thus given are by no means to be considered accidental. they were either prophetical or commemorative of some particular event. v. 26b. _then began men to call upon the name of jehovah._ 300. the rabbins understand this as having reference to idolatry. they think that about this time the name of jehovah began to be given to creatures: to the sun, the moon, etc. but moses is not here speaking of what the generation of cainites did, but what the godly generation of adam did. the sacred historian is testifying that after the birth of enosh there began the true worship of god, the calling upon the name of jehovah. 301. here moses most beautifully defines what it is to worship god, to call upon the name of jehovah; which is, as it were, the work of the first table and concerns the true worship of god. now, calling upon the name of jehovah embraces the preaching of the word, faith, or confidence in god, confession, etc. paul beautifully joins these things together in the fourteenth verse of the tenth chapter of his epistle to the romans. true, the works of the second table also belong to the worship of god, but these works do not refer directly and only to god as do the works of the first table. 302. after the confusion made in the house of adam by cain, the generation of the godly began to multiply by degrees and a little church was formed, in which adam as the high priest governed all things by the word and by sound doctrine. moses here affirms that this took place about the time of the birth of enosh. although this name implies that the church had been overwhelmed by some terrible disaster, yet god raised her up again by his grace and mercy, and added the great spiritual blessing of godly assemblage in a particular place, with preaching, prayer and the offering of sacrifices, blessings which had hitherto perhaps been either hindered or forbidden by the cainites. we have here, then, another evidence of the promised seed warring with the serpent and bruising its head. 303. furthermore, as moses does not say: jehovah began to be called upon, but the name of jehovah, the reference to christ recommends itself to our approval, since also in other passages the schem jehovah (the name of jehovah) is so to be understood. this expression, "then men began to call upon the name of jehovah," contains a meaning most important. it signifies that adam, seth, and enosh taught and exhorted their posterity to expect redemption and to believe the promise concerning the seed of the woman, and to overcome by that hope the snares, the crosses, the persecutions, the hatred and the violence of the cainites, and not to despair of salvation, but rather to give thanks unto god, assured that he would at some time deliver them by the seed of the woman. 304. what could adam and seth teach greater or better than that the great deliverer, christ, was promised to their posterity? and this is quite in keeping with the proper principle to be observed in religious instruction. the first care should ever be directed to the first table. when this table is well understood, the right understanding of the second table will soon follow; yea, it is then easy to fulfil the latter. for how is it possible that, where pure doctrine is taught, where men rightly believe, rightly call upon the name of jehovah, and rightly give thanks unto god, the second and inferior fruits can be wanting? 305. in this manner did it please god at that time to comfort the afflicted church of the godly and to prevent their despair concerning the future. we see throughout the pages of sacred history a perpetual succession and change of consolations and afflictions. joseph in egypt keeps alive his parents and his brethren when divinely visited by famine. after this, when these people were oppressed by wicked kings, they were again delivered from their cruel bondage. and cyrus delivers them when captives in babylon. when god permits his own people to be oppressed by the violence and guile of the devil and the world, he always lifts them up again and gives them prophets and godly teachers to restore his sinking church, and to break for a while the fury of satan. 306. furthermore, it is the intention to lay down a logical definition when it is claimed that the worship of god does not consist in ceremonies devised and transmitted by men, in the erection of statues, or the performance of other sport suggested by reason, but in calling upon the name of jehovah. worship in its truest meaning, well-pleasing to god, and subsequently made mandatory in the first commandment, embraces the fear of god, trust in god, confession, prayer and preaching. 307. the first commandment of the law demands faith, that we believe god is the only helper in time of need, ps 9, 9. the second commandment demands confession and prayer, that we call upon the name of jehovah in times of peril and give thanks unto god. the third commandment requires that we teach the truth, and that we guard and defend sound doctrine. these are the true and appropriate acts of the worship of god, and they are those which god requires. he requires not sacrifices nor money nor anything of the kind. as regards the first table, he requires that we hear, consider and teach the word; that we pray to god and fear him. 308. where these things exist, the observances and works required by the second table follow, as it were, of their own accord. it is impossible that he who does the works and performs the worship of the first table should not do and perform those of the second table also. david saith: "his delight is in the law of jehovah; and on his law doth he meditate day and night. and he shall be like a tree planted by the stream of water; that bringeth forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also doth not wither." ps 1, 2-3. these things are evident consequences of the right worship of god, according to the commandments of the first table. he who believes god, who fears god, who calls upon god in tribulation, who praises god and gives thanks unto him for his mercies, who gladly hears the word of god, who continually contemplates the works of god, and who teaches others to do the same things--do you think that such a one will harm his neighbor, or disobey his parents, or kill, or commit adultery? 309. the first table, therefore, is to be set forth first of all, and instruction as regards the true worship is to receive precedence to all else. this means, first to make the tree good on which good fruit is to grow. now, our adversaries take the diametrically opposite course; they want to have the good fruit before they have even the tree. 310. moreover, i believe that about this time there was added some visible ceremony of divine worship, for god is ever wont thus to do. he always joins with the word some visible sign. when abel and cain presented their offerings god showed by a visible sign from heaven that he had respect unto abel and his offering, but not unto cain and his offering. and so, in all probability, it was in this case and at this time. when the church began to flourish and the word of god was publicly taught with considerable success, god added also some visible sign, that the church might assuredly know that she pleased god. 311. but whatever that sign was, whether fire from heaven or something else, god withheld it until the third generation, that men might learn to be content with the word alone. afterwards, when men had comforted themselves by the word alone against the cainites, in all tribulations, god of his great mercy added to the word some visible sign. he established a place and appointed persons and ceremonies to which the church might gather for the exercise of faith, for preaching and prayer. by means of these things, the word or the first table and then a visible sign ordained of god, a church is constituted, in which men undergo discipline through teaching, hearing, and the partaking of the sacraments. then upon these things will assuredly follow the works of the second table, which are acceptable, and acts of worship, only on the part of those who possess and practice the first table. 312. this gift of god, moses sets forth in the few short words of the text before us, when he says, "then began men to call upon the name of jehovah." for this beginning to call upon the name of jehovah was not on the part of the cainites, as the jews explained the passage, but on the part of the godly posterity of adam, which alone was then the true church. if any of the posterity of cain were saved, it must of necessity have been by joining this church. 313. the sum of the first four chapters of genesis is that we are to believe in a resurrection of the dead after this life, and a life eternal through the seed of the woman. this is the blessed portion of the godly, of them that believe, who in this life are filled with afflictions and subject to injuries at the hands of all men. to the wicked, on the contrary, are given, as their portion, the riches and power of this world, which they use against the true church of god. in the first chapter it is shown that man was created unto immortality, because he was created "in the image of god." the teaching also of the second chapter sets forth the same thing, "in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die." it follows that the first created man and woman could not have died if they had not eaten of that fruit. by their sin of eating they fell from immortality to mortality, and they begat an offspring like unto themselves. in the third chapter immortality is set forth anew, as restored by the promise of the seed of the woman. in the fourth chapter we have an especial example of immortality set before us in abel, who, after he had been slain by his brother, was received into the bosom of god, who testified that the voice of the blood of abel cried unto him from the ground. 314. and the fifth chapter, which now follows, is expressly written to set forth the immortality of enoch, who was taken up into heaven by the lord. although the following chapter is necessary as a chronicle of the number of the years of the generation of the righteous, yet its most remarkable feature is its record that enoch did not die like adam, nor was slain like abel, nor carried away, nor torn to pieces by lions and bears, but was taken up into heaven and translated into immortality by the lord himself; all which was written that we might believe in the seed of the woman, christ our redeemer and satan's conqueror, and that through him we also might expect a life immortal after this mortal and afflicted life. 315. this harmony of these five chapters the jews see not, for they are destitute of that sun which sheds light upon these things and makes them manifest; which sun is christ, by whom we have the remission of sins and life immortal. chapter v. i. the book of the first generations of man, and the glory of the cainites. a. the book of the first generations of man. 1. the reasons why moses records the generations of adam 1. 2. why he so particularly gives the years, and in the case of each patriarch adds "and he died" 1-2. 3. why enoch is placed in the records of the dead 3-4. * was enoch a sinner, and do sinners have hope of eternal life 4. * of death. a. how we are to comfort ourselves against death 5. b. how reason views death, and how the best heathen philosophers viewed it 6. c. the knowledge the scriptures give us of death 6. 4. how we may be greatly profited by the book of the generations of the ancient world 7. 5. why the book of the generations of cain is larger than that of seth's 7. * how terrible that both lines were totally destroyed, except eight persons 8. 6. the aim of moses in writing this book of the generations of adam 9. * the glory of the first world 10. a. what was this glory 9-10. b. why this glory was revealed 10. c. profitable and interesting to meditate upon it 11. d. the patriarchs of the first world the most holy of all martyrs 12. b. the glory of the cainites. 1. the cainites greatly tormented god's church, especially after adam's death 12. 2. to what end their hatred and persecution served the holy patriarchs 13. * why moses did not record the zeal of the holy fathers against the cainites 14. * why moses gives such a short description of the deluge 15. * the character of the first world 16. * luther's lamentation over the character of the last world; its approaching destruction, and an earnest prayer to god 16-18. i. the records of the generations of man and the glory of the cainites. a. the records of the generations of man. v. 1. _this is the book of the generations of adam._ 1. this chronicle has been arranged by moses for two reasons. first, on account of the promise of the seed made to adam; and second, on account of enoch. moses writes still another genealogy in the tenth chapter, after the flood, from a far different motive than the present. in the present chapter, he gives the number of the years of the righteous and adds with a special purpose in the case of each one, the words, "and he died." 2. this little phrase may at first thought appear superfluous. after the historian has said, "all the days that adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years," what seems to be the use of his adding the few words, "and he died"? the statement as to the number of his years connotes also the time of his death; for had he lived longer, the additional years would have been contained in the enumeration. moses, however, does this with the definite purpose of pointing out the unspeakable wrath of god against sin, and the inevitable punishment of it, inflicted by him on the whole human race, on the righteous as well as on the wicked. so does the apostle paul pursue his argument, drawn from this very portion of the holy scripture: "as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all sinned," rom 5, 12. this is a consequence perpetuated through all generations. adam died, therefore adam was a sinner. seth died, therefore seth was a sinner. infants die, therefore infants partake of sin and so are sinners. this is what moses intends to set forth when he says, concerning the whole line of patriarchs, that, though they were all sanctified and renewed by faith, yet, "they died!" 3. nevertheless, from this line of the dying there flames starlike a most lovely light of immortality when moses here records concerning enoch that "he was not;" that is, he no longer appeared among men, and yet he did not die but was taken up into heaven by the lord himself. by this glorious fact is signified that the human race is indeed condemned to death on account of sin, and yet the hope of life and immortality is left us, that we need not abide in death forever. 4. for this cause god thought it needful, not only that the promise of life should be given to the original world, but that immortality should be demonstrated by an object lesson. accordingly moses said of each patriarch that he fulfilled so many years of life and "died": that is, suffered the punishment of sin, or, was a sinner. but the divine historian does not use these expressions concerning enoch. not because that patriarch was not a sinner, but because, even unto such sinners as he, there was left a hope of eternal life through the blessed seed. therefore all the patriarchs, who died in the faith of this seed, held fast the hope of eternal life. enoch, therefore, is the second object lesson by which god makes it manifest that it is his will to give unto us life eternal after this life. the lord says that abel, who was killed by his brother, still lived, and that his voice cried from the ground. in the present instance, enoch is taken up by the lord himself into heaven. 5. we will not despair, therefore, though we see death, derived from adam, extend to every one of the whole human race. we must, indeed, suffer death because we are sinners. but we shall not abide in death. we rather have a hope in a divine purpose and providence whereby god designs our deliverance from death. this deliverance has begun with the promise of the blessed seed, and has been demonstrated by abel and enoch as object lessons. wherefore we possess the first fruits of immortality. the apostle paul says, "for in hope were we saved," rom 8, 24. hope saves us until the fullness of immortality shall be brought unto us at the last day, when we shall see and feel that eternal life which we possessed here in faith and hope. 6. now, the flesh does not understand this. the flesh judges that man dies like a beast. men, occupying the front rank of philosophers have felt accordingly that by death the soul is separated and delivered from the prison of the body, to mingle, free from all bodily infirmities, in the assembly of the gods. such was the immortality dreamed of by the philosophers, though steadfastness of grasp and of vision was out of the question. the holy scriptures, however, teach differently concerning the resurrection and eternal life; they place this hope so plainly before our eyes as to leave no room for doubt. 7. next in order, we find in this chapter a reflection of the condition of the primitive world. the ten antediluvian patriarchs belonging to the lineage of christ, with their descendants, are enumerated. nor is it a useless study to put these data before one's eyes on paper, according to the directions given by moses, to see who the patriarchs were, who were their contemporaries, and how old they became, as i have taken the time to do. cain also has his line, as moses has shown in the preceding chapter, and i have no doubt that the posterity of cain was far more numerous than that of righteous seth. 8. from these two families, as from roots, was the world peopled, down to the deluge, in which both branches, with their two classes of descendants (that is, the posterity of the wicked and that of the righteous) were rooted out of the earth, eight souls only being left, and even among them one was wicked. accordingly, as in this chapter a magnificent picture of the primeval world is presented to our view, so we behold also the incalculable wrath of god, and the horrible event of the reduction of the total offspring of these patriarchs to eight souls. 9. we will reserve this awful record for its proper time and place. let us now do that which moses does in the present chapter, who wants us to consider the exceeding splendor of this primeval age of the world. adam lived beyond the age of his grandson enoch, and died but a short time before noah was born. a hundred and twenty years only intervened between the death of adam and the birth of noah. seth died only fourteen years before noah's birth. enosh and the rest of the patriarchs, except enoch, lived at the same time with noah. thus by a comparison of the figures, we shall ascertain that quite a number of gray-headed patriarchs, of whom one lived seven hundred, and another nine hundred years, were contemporaries, and teaching and governing the church of the godly. 10. the exceeding glory of the primitive world consists in this, that it contained so many good and wise and holy men. we are by no means to think that all these are merely common names of plain and simple men. they were the greatest heroes and men of renown that the world ever witnessed, next to christ and john the baptist. in the last day we shall behold and admire the real majesty of all these worthies, and then we shall truly behold the mighty deeds which these mighty men wrought. yes, it will then be made manifest what adam did, what seth did, what methuselah did, and the others; what they suffered from the old serpent; how they comforted and fortified themselves, by their hope in the promised seed, against all the harm and violence of the world, that is, of the cainites; what craft they experienced; what injuries and hatred and contempt they bore for the glory of the blessed seed to be born from their lineage. we are assuredly not to imagine that these great and holy men lived without severe afflictions and innumerable crosses. all these things, i say, shall be revealed at the last day. 11. and it is an undertaking, as i said, full of profit and pleasure now to contemplate with our minds, as with open eyes, that happy age, in which so many patriarchs lived contemporaneously, nearly all of whom, except noah, had seen and known their first father, adam. b. the glory of the cainites. 12. also the cainites had their glory. among them were men most eminent in the liberal arts, and the most consummate hypocrites, who gave the true church a world of trouble, and harassed the holy patriarchs in every possible way. we may justly call all those who were thus oppressed by them most holy martyrs and confessors. the cainites, as moses before intimated, very soon surpassed the other descendants of adam in numbers and activity. although they were compelled to revere their father adam, yet they adopted all possible means of oppressing the church of the godly, and especially so after the death of the first patriarch, adam. by such wickedness, these cainites helped to bring on the flood as retribution. 13. this power and malice of the cainites caused the holy patriarchs to teach and instruct their church with increased zeal and industry. what numerous and powerful sermons may we suppose were preached by them in the course of these most eventful years! there is no doubt that both adam and eve testified of their original state of innocence, described the glory of paradise and warned their posterity to beware of the serpent, who, by tempting them to sin, had caused all these great evils. how constant may we suppose them to have been in explaining the promise of the blessed seed! how earnestly must they have exhorted the hearts of their followers to be moved neither by the splendor of the cainites nor by their own afflictions. 14. all these particulars moses omits to record, both because they could not be described on account of their infinite variety of detail and because the revelation of them is reserved for that great day of deliverance and glory! 15. likewise the flood, in spite of its horror, is described with the greatest brevity because he wished to leave such things to the meditation of men. 16. for the same reasons moses has purposely given us, in these first five chapters, as briefly as possible, a picture of the original and primeval world. it was an admirable condition of life, and yet that primeval age contained a multitude of the worst of men, in consequence not more than "eight souls" were saved from the destroying flood! what then, may we conclude, will be the state of things before the last day shall come, seeing that even now, under the revealed light of the gospel, there is found so great a host of despisers of it that there is cause to fear that they will fill the world ere long with errors and prevail to the extinction of the word altogether. 17. awful is the voice of christ when it utters the words, "nevertheless, when the son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" lk 18, 8. and in matthew 24, 37-38, our lord compares the last days with the days of noah. these utterances of our lord are indeed most awful. but the world, in its security and ingratitude, is a despiser of all the threats as well as all the promises of god. it abounds in iniquities of every kind and becomes daily more corrupt. from the time that the popes ceased to rule among us, who had ruled the whole world by means of the mere dread of their vengeance, sound doctrine has been despised, and men have degenerated into all but brutes and beasts. the number of holy and godly preachers of the word is becoming less and all men are indulging their desires. the last day, however, shall assuredly come upon the world as a thief, and will overtake these men in all their security, and in the indulgence of their ambition, tyranny, lust, avarice, and vices of every kind. 18. and let it be remembered that it is christ himself who has foretold these things, and we can not possibly imagine that he would lie. if the primitive world, which contained so mighty a multitude of the greatest patriarchs, was so wholly corrupted, what may we not have cause to dread in the weakness of our nature? may the lord our god grant that we may be gathered, as soon as possible, in the faith and confession of his son jesus christ, unto these our fathers; yea, if it please him, that we may die within the next twenty years, and not live to see the miseries and calamities, both temporal and spiritual, of the last time! amen! ii. adam and his son seth. 1. the name adam, and why given to the first man 19. 2. the jews' fables of adam's cohabitation with eve 20. * purity of doctrine cannot be expected from the jews 20. 3. why moses so carefully describes the times of adam 21. 4. why it is said of adam that he was created in the likeness of god 21-23. * the likeness of god. a. the difference between "zelem" and "demuth" 22-23. b. how the likeness of god was lost and how it is restored 24. c. whether it can be fully restored in this life 25. 5. the prating of the rabbins about the name adam 26. * why moses here mentions the blessing 27. * why he did not refer to the blessing in the descriptions of cain and abel 28. 6. how long it was before adam begat seth 29. * abel's age when murdered 29. 7. how and why adam mourned so long for his son abel, and therefore refrained from bearing children 29-30. 8. the jews' fable of adam's vow of chastity refuted 30. 9. how we are to understand that adam begat a son in his own likeness 31. 10. whether adam's son seth had god's likeness 31. 11. how adam acquired again the lost image 32. 12. how seth secured the likeness of god 32. 13. why adam gave his son the name seth; its meaning 33. * the long lives of the first men. a. longevity a part of the happy state of the first world 34. b. the causes of such long lives 34-35. * men's bodies were much stronger and healthier than ours 35. c. whether the climate, food and holy living contributed to this end 36-37. * the creatures given to man for food after the flood were inferior to those before, and they injured the body more than nourished it 37. d. luther's thoughts on this theme 38. 14. which is the first or chief branch born from adam and eve 39. 15. how long adam lived after seth's birth 39. * the glory of the first world 40. * the histories of the first world were most excellent, but they were destroyed in the flood 41. * eve's age and experiences 42. * the age of the first world is called the golden age 43. ii. adam and his son seth. v. 1a. _this is the book of the generations of adam._ 19. "adam," as will be stated further on, is the common name of the whole human race, but it is applied to the first man more expressly as an appellation of dignity, because he was the source, as it were, of the whole human family. the hebrew word _sepher_, "a book," is derived from _saphar_, which signifies "to narrate" or "to enumerate." wherefore this narration or enumeration of the posterity of adam is called "the book of the generations of adam." v. 1b. _in the day that god created man, in the likeness of god made he him._ 20. this clause of the sacred text has induced the blind jews to fable that adam slept with eve as his wife in paradise on the same day in which he was created, and that she conceived in that same day. fables of this kind are numerous among them, nor may anything sound or pure in the matter of scriptural interpretation be expected of them. 21. the intent of moses, in this clause, is to record the complete age of adam, and to number the days of his life from the day of his creation, and, at the same time, to show that before adam there was no generation. generation is to be clearly distinguished from creation. there was no generation before adam, but creation only. adam and eve were not born but created, and that directly by god himself. moses adds, "in the likeness of god made he him." we are to understand, then, that when he afterwards mentions that adam begat seth, he numbers his years from the very day of his creation. 22. in respect to adam's having been made in the likeness of god, we have shown above in its place what that "likeness" of god was. although almost all commentators understand the expressions, "the likeness of god," and "the image of god," to mean one and the same thing, yet so far as i have been able from careful investigation to reach a conclusion, there is a difference between the two terms. _zelem_ properly signifies "an image," or "figure," as when the scripture says, ye shall break down their images, ex. 23, 24, in which passage the original term signifies nothing more than the figures, or statues, or images erected by men. but _demuth_ signifies "a likeness," or "the perfectness of an image." for instance, when we speak of a lifeless image, such as that which is impressed on coins, we say, this is the image of brutus or of cã¦sar. that image, however, does not reproduce the likeness, nor exhibit every single feature. 23. accordingly, when moses says that man was created also in the likeness of god, he points out that man resembles god not only in the possession of reason, or of intellect and will, but that he has also the likeness of god, that is, a will and an intellect, with which he knows god and wills what he wills. 24. if man, having been created both "in the image" and "in the likeness" of god, had not fallen, he would have lived forever, full of joy and gladness, and would have possessed a will joyfully eager to obey the will of god. but by sin both this "likeness" and this "image" were lost. they are, however, in a measure, restored by faith, as we are told by the apostle, col 3, 10; eph 4, 24. for we begin to know god, and the spirit of christ helps us, so that we desire to obey the commandments of god. 25. of these blessed gifts we possess only the first-fruits. this new creation within us is only as yet begun; it is not perfected here in the flesh. the will is in some measure stirred to praise god, to give him thanks, to confess sin, and to exercise patience, but all this is only the first-fruits. the flesh, obeying the law of its nature, still follows the things of the flesh, while it opposes the things of god. the result is that the restoration of such gifts in us is only in the initial stage; but the full tithe of this likeness in all its perfection shall be rendered in the future life, when the sinful flesh shall have been destroyed by death. v. 2. _male and female created he them, and blessed them, and called their name adam, in the day when they were created._ 26. i have above observed that the general name "adam" was applied to adam alone, by reason of his superiority. i omit to mention those vagaries of the rabbins, who say that no man can be called "adam" unless he has a wife. likewise, no woman can be called "adam" unless married. the thought may have been drawn from the teachings of the fathers, but the jews have corrupted it by their foolish fancies and opinions. 27. moses aims to show this blessing was not taken from man because of his sin, since the blessing of bearing children and ruling them continued with cain though he had murdered his brother. 28. moses mentions not abel, for he had died without an heir and is presented to us as an example of the resurrection of the dead. neither is cain mentioned, who because of his sin was cut off from the true church. 29. scripture says nothing of what adam and eve did during the one hundred years. some of our writers add a hundred years longer adam should have lived with eve before cain slew his brother abel, which makes adam two hundred and thirty years of age when seth was born. it seems to me plausible that the godly parents passed one hundred years in sorrow and mourned the great dishonor that befell their family. after adam was expelled from paradise did he first beget children, sons and daughters, who were like him, and abel was perhaps thirty years of age when he was slain. it appears the children were not much younger than their parents, who were not born, but created. 30. i believe, accordingly, that the godly parents indulged their grief, and abstained from connubial intercourse. this abstinence, however, was not maintained with the intent which the jews fable, who absurdly affirm that adam vowed perpetual chastity, like our monks, and that he would still have kept his vow had he not been commanded by an angel from heaven to live together with his wife. such a story as this is only fit to be told to a roman pontiff of the age of forty, who alone is worthy of listening to such fables. no, adam was not so wicked as thus to refuse the gift and command of god! such abstinence would have been taking vengeance on himself for the grief he had endured, and it would have meant to reject the gift of that blessing which god had been pleased to leave to nature even in its fallen state. moreover, this was a matter not left in the power of adam. as moses has clearly shown, god had created him a male. he had, therefore, need of a female, or wife, because the instinct of procreation was implanted in his nature by god the creator, himself. if therefore adam abstained, he did so for a reason only, intending to return to his eve after giving vent to his grief for a time. 31. moses here expressly adds, concerning adam, that he "begat a son in his own likeness, after his image." theologians entertain various opinions as to the real meaning of those expressions. the simple meaning is, that adam was created "in the image" and "after the likeness" of god, or that he was the image of god, created, not begotten; for adam had no parents. but in this "image of god" adam continued not; he fell from it by sin. seth, therefore, who was afterwards born, was begotten, not after the image of god, but after the image of his father adam. that is, he was altogether like adam; he resembled his father adam, not only in his features, but he was like him in every way. he not only had fingers, nose, eyes, carriage, voice, and speech, like his father, but he was like him in everything else pertaining to body and soul, in manners, disposition, will and other points. in these respects seth did not bear the image of god which adam possessed originally, and which he lost; but he bore the likeness of adam, his father. but this likeness and image were not of god by creation, but of adam by generation. 32. now, this image included original sin, and the punishment of eternal death on account of sin, which god inflicted on adam. but as adam, by faith in the seed that was to come, recovered the image of god, which he had lost, so seth also recovered the same after he grew up to man's estate; for god impressed again his own "likeness" upon him through the word. paul refers to this when he says to the galatians, "my little children, of whom i am again in travail until christ be formed in you," gal 4, 19. 33. of the name seth i have spoken above. it denotes command, and voices the sentiments of one praying and prophesying good news, as if adam had said: "cain has not only himself fallen, but also caused his brother to fall. may god, therefore, grant that this my son seth shall stand as a firm foundation which satan shall not overthrow." such blessing or prayer is implied in the name. vs. 4-5. _and the days of adam after he begat seth were eight hundred years and he begat sons and daughters. and all the days that adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years and he died._ 34. this is another part of the happiness of that age, that men attained to so long life. such longevity, when compared with the length of our lives, seems quite incredible. a question naturally arises as to the cause and theory of such old age. i am not at all displeased with the reasons assigned by some, that the constitutions of men were then far better than ours are now, and also that all things then used for food were more healthful than those now used. to these particulars we must add that important requisite for a long life, the greatest moderation in the use and enjoyment of food. to what extent the latter conduces to health, is needless to explain. 35. though the body was sounder than at present, yet the general vigor and strength of limb which men had in paradise before the advent of sin, had passed away. it is true, however, that their bodily well-being was enhanced when, after the fall, they were renewed and regenerated through faith in the promised seed. for the same reason, also, sin was weakened through faith in the seed. as for us, we have lost their strength and vigor just in proportion as we have departed from their righteousness. 36. with reference to food, who cannot easily believe that one apple, in that primeval age, was more excellent and afforded a greater degree of nourishment than a thousand in our time? the roots, also, on which they fed, contained infinitely more fragrance, virtue and savor, than they possess now. all these conditions, but notably holiness and righteousness, the exercise of moderation, then the excellence of the fruit and the salubrity of the atmosphere--all these tended to produce longevity till the time came for the establishment of a new order by god which resulted in a decided reduction of the length of man's life. 37. now, if we turn to consider thoughtfully our present mode of life, we find that we are much more corrupted than nourished by the meat and drink we consume. in addition to the immoderation characterizing our life, how much have the fruits themselves lost in excellence? our first parents lived moderately, and chose only those things for their meat and drink calculated to nourish and refresh their bodies. there can be no doubt that after the deluge all the fruits of the earth deteriorated greatly. even so, in our own age, we find all things deteriorate. the italian wines and fruits differ no more from our own at the present day than the fruits before the deluge differed from those produced amid that brackishness and foulness made by the sea. 38. these causes, with others which many assign for the great longevity of the primeval patriarchs, i by no means disapprove. but this one reason is quite sufficient, in my opinion, that it pleased god to give them such length of life in the best part of the world. yet we see, as peter strikingly says, that god willed not to spare the old world, no, not even the angels in heaven that sinned; so horrible a thing is sin. sodom and gomorrah were the choicest portion of the earth, and yet, on account of sin, they were utterly destroyed. in the same manner the holy scriptures everywhere set forth the greatness of sin, and exhort to the fear of god. 39. we have now the root, or rather the source, of the human race, namely adam and his eve. from these seth is born, the first branch of this tree. but as adam lived eight hundred years after the birth of seth, adam saw himself in possession of numerous progeny. this was the period of the restoration of righteousness through the promise of the seed to come. afterwards, however, when men increased, and the sons of god mingled with the daughters of men, the world gradually became corrupt, and the majesty of the holy patriarchs became an object of contempt. 40. it is an attractive sight, to view the number of gray-headed patriarchs living at the same time. only a little ciphering is required to do it. if you compute carefully the years of our first parent, adam, you will see that he lived over fifty years with lamech, noah's father. accordingly, adam saw all his descendants down to the ninth generation, having an almost infinite number of sons and daughters. these, however, moses does not enumerate, being satisfied to number the trunk and the immediate branches down to noah. 41. there were, without doubt, in this mighty multitude, many very distinguished saints, whose history, if we possessed it, would exceed in marvelousness all the histories of the world. compared with it, the exodus of the children of israel from egypt, their passage through the red sea and through jordan, their captivities and returns, would be as nothing. but as the primeval world itself perished, so did its history. in consequence, the first place in the annals of history belongs to the account of the flood, in comparison with which the others are only as sparks to the fire. of the former world we have nothing but names, but these are, so to speak, great histories in miniature. 42. it is probable that also eve lived to the age of 800 years and saw this great posterity. what must have been her concern, how great her labors, how devoted her toils, in visiting, in teaching, and in training her children and grandchildren. and what must have been her crosses and sighs, when the generation of the cainites opposed with so much determination the true church, although some of them were even converted by the uncovenanted mercy of god. 43. truly that primeval time was a "golden age," in comparison with which our present age is scarcely worthy of being called the age of mud. during those primeval centuries, there lived at the same time nine patriarchs, together with their posterities, and all of them in harmony concerning the faith in the blessed seed! all these glorious things moses just mentions, but does not explain; otherwise this would be the history of histories. iii. enoch. 1. why moses writes the history of enoch and not that of the other patriarchs before the flood 43-45. 2. how it is to be understood that enoch led a godly life and how the monks interpret this falsely 46. 3. enoch's prophecy cited by jude and where jude received it 47. 4. enoch's exceptional courage and how he opposed satan and the world 48. 5. the length of time he led a godly life; and moses justly praises him 49. 6. why enoch is so greatly praised 50. 7. the tenor of his preaching 51. 8. he by no means led the life of a monk 51. 9. how he was missed. "he was not" 52. * enoch's ascension a proof of the resurrection of the dead 52. 10. the effect of his ascension upon his father and grandfather 53-55. 11. whether the other patriarchs living then at once knew that he ascended; and how such news affected them 54-56. * the cross must always precede consolation 54. 12. why god took enoch 55. * the news of enoch's ascension must have quickened the holy patriarchs 56. 13. enoch's ascension a sign that a better life is offered to man 57. 14. how enoch walked and lived before god 58. 15. enoch a man as we are and yet god took him 58. * the great sorrow of the patriarchs at enoch's disappearance and their great joy over such an experience 59. * seth at the time was high priest, old and tired of life, and died soon after enoch was taken 60-63. * what luther would do if he knew in advance the day of his death 61. * this temporal life full of want and misery 62. * the results of seth's preaching after enoch's ascension 63. * the longing of the holy fathers for eternal life, and how it should serve us 64. * lamentation over the great corruption inherent in our flesh 65. 16. enoch's ascension was great comfort to the holy patriarchs in meeting death 66. * of death. a. it is not death to believers, but a sleep 66. b. in what way death is a punishment of sin, and how it is sweetened 67. * luther's thoughts of enoch's ascension 67. 17. enoch's ascension extraordinary, and well worthy of consideration by all 68. 18. the rabbins' foolish thoughts of enoch's ascension refuted 69. 19. enoch doubtless had many temptations 69. 20. enoch ascended even bodily, and not with that life which he now lives 70. * how and why god willed that the world should have in all times a sign of the resurrection, and hence in the first world enoch ascended, in the second elijah, and in the third christ 71. * lamentation over the unbelief of the world 72. * christ's ascension more significant than enoch's or elijah's 73. * the chief doctrine of the first five chapters of genesis 74. * how and why death and the resurrection of the dead are set forth 74. iii. enoch. 44. there is one history, however, that of enoch, the seventh from adam, which moses was not willing to pass over for the reason of its being extraordinarily remarkable. still, even in this case he is extremely brief. in the case of all the other patriarchs he mentions only the names and the number of their years. enoch, however, he delineates in such a manner that he seems, in comparison, to slight the other patriarchs and, as it were, to disparage them as if they were evil men, or at least slighted of god. did not adam also, and seth, and cainan, together with their descendants--did not all these, also, walk with god? why, then, does moses ascribe this great honor to enoch only? and is the fact that god took enoch to be understood as if the other patriarchs are neither with god nor living? yes, they all, like enoch, now live with god, and we shall behold them all, at the last day, shining equally with enoch, in the brightest glory! 45. why, then, does moses discriminate in favor of enoch? why does he not bestow the same praise upon the other patriarchs? although they died a natural death, and were not taken by god, yet, also they "walked with god." we have heard above concerning enosh that in his times, likewise, mighty things were done. it was in his days that "men began to call upon the name of jehovah," that is, that the word and worship of god began to flourish; and as a result holy men once more "walked with god." why is it then, we repeat, that moses does not laud enosh equally with enoch? why does he bestow such high praise on the latter only? for his words are these: vs. 21-24. _and enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat methuselah. and enoch walked with god after he begat methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters. and all the days of enoch were three hundred sixty and five years. and enoch walked with god: and he was not; for god took him._ 46. when moses says that enoch "walked with god," we must beware of taking the monastic view in the premises, as if he had kept himself secluded in some private corner, and there lived a monastic life. no, so eminent a patriarch must be placed on a candlestick, or, as our saviour christ expresses it, set as a city on a hill, that he may shine forth in the public ministry. 47. it is as a bearer of such public office the apostle jude extols him in his epistle, when he says: "to these also enoch, the seventh from adam, prophesied, saying, behold, the lord came with ten thousands of holy ones, to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their works of ungodliness, which they have ungodly wrought, and of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him," jude vs. 14, 15. from what source jude obtained these facts i know not. probably they remained in the memory of man from the primitive age of the world; or it may be that holy men committed to writing many of the sacred words and works of the patriarchs as they were handed down from age to age by tradition. 48. it is this public ministry that moses lauds, exalting the pious enoch as a sun above all the other patriarchs and teachers of the primeval world. wherefore, we may gather from all these circumstances that enoch possessed a particular fullness of the holy spirit, and a preeminent greatness of mind, seeing that he opposed with a strength of faith excelling that of all the other patriarchs, satan and the church of the cainites. to walk with god, is not, as we have before observed, for a man to flee into a desert, or to conceal himself in some corner, but to go forth in his vocation, and to set himself against the iniquity and malice of satan and the world, and to confess the seed of the woman; to condemn the religion and the pursuits of the world, and to preach, through christ, another life after this. 49. this is the manner of life led for three hundred years by the greatest prophet and high priest of his generation, enoch, the man who had six patriarchs for his teachers. most deservedly, therefore, does moses extol him as a disciple of greatest eminence, taught and trained by many patriarchal masters, and those the greatest and most illustrious; and, moreover, so equipped with the holy spirit that he was the prophet of prophets and the saint of saints in that primeval world. the greatness of enoch, then, consisted in the first place in his office and ministry. 50. in the second place, he receives preeminent praise because it was the will of god that he should be an example to the whole world in verifying, and showing the comfort of, the faith in the future life. this text, therefore, is worthy of being written in letters of gold and of being deeply engraven in the inmost heart. 51. here we have another view of what it means to walk with god. it is to preach the life beyond this present life; to teach concerning the seed to come, concerning the serpent's head that is to be bruised and the kingdom of satan that is to be destroyed. such was the preaching of enoch, who nevertheless was a husband, and the father of a family; who had a wife and children, who governed his household, and procured his subsistence by the labor of his own hands. wherefore say or think no more about living in a monastery, which has merely the outward show of walking with god. when this godly man had lived, after the birth of methuselah, 300 years in the truest religion, in faith, in patience and in the midst of a thousand crosses, all of which he endured and overcame by faith in the blessed seed to come, he appeared no more. 52. mark how pregnant these words are with power! he does not say, as he expresses himself concerning the other patriarchs, "and he died," but "he was not," an expression that all scholars have come to regard as a pure proof of the resurrection of the dead. in the hebrew this meaning is most strikingly brought out. and enoch walked with god, and _veenenu_, "he was not." the original signifies that enoch was lost or disappeared, contrary to the thought or expectation of all the other patriarchs, and at once ceased to be among men. 53. without doubt, at the severe loss of so great a man, both his father and his grandfather were filled with grief and consternation; for they well knew with what devotion he had taught the true religion, and how many things he had suffered. when they had thus suddenly lost such a man as enoch, who had strong testimony of his godliness both from men and from god himself, what do you think must have been their feelings? 54. find me, if you can, a poet or a fluent orator to do justice to this text and to treat it with power! enosh, seth, and all the other patriarchs knew not by whom or whither enoch was taken away; they sought him, but found him not. his son methuselah sought him, and his other children and his grandchildren sought him, but they found him not. they suspected, no doubt, the malice of the cainites, and they probably thought that he was killed, as abel was, and secretly buried. at length, however, they learned, through a revelation made to them of god by an angel, that enoch was taken away by god himself, into paradise. this fact they probably did not know the first or the second day after the translation, and perhaps not till many months, or it may be many years, afterwards. in the meantime the holy men bewailed his wretched lot, as if he had been slain by the cainite hypocrites. it is always the divine rule that the cross and affliction should precede consolation. god never comforts any but the afflicted, just as he never quickens unto life any but the dead, nor ever justifies any but sinners! he always creates all things out of nothing. 55. it was a severe cross and affliction to the patriarchs when they saw taken away from them, to appear nowhere among them, him who had governed the whole world by his doctrine, and who had done so many illustrious deeds in the course of his life. while these patriarchs were mourning and bewailing the misfortune of the holy man, behold! consolation was at hand, and it was revealed to them that the lord had "translated" enoch! such an expression we have not concerning any other man than enoch, except elijah. god willed, therefore, to testify by an object lesson, that he has prepared for his saints another life after this life, in which they shall live forever with god. 56. the hebrew verb _lakak_ does not signify "translated" according to the impression conveyed by our use of the word, but "received to himself." these words are, accordingly, words of life, revealed by god through some angel to the patriarch enoch, and to the whole of that generation of saints, that they might have the consolation and promise of eternal life, not only through a word, but also through an act, as before in the case of abel. how delightful must have been to them this proclamation, when they heard that enoch was not dead, nor slain by wicked men, nor taken away from them by the fraud or snares of satan, but translated; that is, "received to himself" by the living and omnipotent god. 57. this is that bright gem which moses sought to display in the present chapter--that the omnipotent god did not take unto himself geese, or cows, or blocks of wood, or stones, but a man, even enoch, to teach there was reserved for men another and better life than this present one, so filled with evils and calamities of every kind. although enoch was a sinner, yet the manner of his departure from this life proved that god had prepared for him and brought him to another and eternal life; for he entered upon the life with god, and god took him to himself. 58. accordingly, enoch's walking with god signifies that he was in this life a faithful witness of eternal life to be gained after this life through the promised seed. this is what living with god means, not the mere animal life subject to corruption. inasmuch as enoch constantly preached this doctrine, god verified and fulfilled this preaching in the patriarch himself, that we might fully and surely believe it; in that enoch, a man like unto ourselves, born of flesh and blood, as we also are, of the seed of adam, was taken up into heaven by god, and now lives the life of god, that is, an eternal life. 59. before the generation of patriarchs knew the facts in the case, it was appalling to them to hear that so holy a man as enoch had disappeared so completely that his whereabouts or manner of death was beyond everybody's ken. great, therefore, was the grief of the pious parents and elders. but afterwards incredible joy and consolation were theirs when they heard that their son lived with god himself and had been translated by god to an angelic and eternal life. 60. this consolation god made known to seth, who was the greatest prophet and high priest after his father adam had fallen asleep in the faith of the blessed seed fifty-seven years before, seth having then arrived at about his eight hundred and sixtieth year. seth, being now an old man and full of days and without doubt fully confirmed in the faith of the blessed seed to come, and anxiously awaiting deliverance from the body and earnestly desiring to be gathered to his people, died with greater joy about fifty-two years afterward, because of the translation of his son enoch. fifty-two years were indeed but a short time for an old man wherein to make his will and visit all his grandchildren, and preach to them and exhort them to persevere in the faith of the promised seed and to hope in that eternal life unto which his son and their father enoch had been translated to live with god. in this manner, doubtless, the aged saint employed his time among his descendants, bidding farewell to and blessing each one. full of years and full of joy, he no doubt thus taught and comforted both himself and them. 61. if i knew that i were appointed to die in six months' time, i should scarcely find time enough wherein to make my will. i would remind men of what had been the testimony of my preaching, exhort and entreat them to continue and persevere therein, and warn and guard them as far as my powers of mind could do so, against the offense of false doctrine. all these things could not be done in one day, nor in one month. those fifty years during which seth lived after the translation of enoch, formed but a very short period for him (for spiritual men have an altogether different method of calculating time than the children of this world) in which to instruct all his family in the nature of this glorious consolation--that another and eternal life is to be hoped for after this life, a hope which god revealed to his saints by the marvelous fact of his having taken to himself enoch, who was of the same flesh and blood with ourselves. 62. "follow not," said he, "the evil inclinations of your nature, but despise this present life and look forward to a better. for what evil exists that is not found in this present life? to how many diseases, to what great dangers, to what dreadful calamities, is it not subject? to say nothing now of those evils which are the greatest of all afflictions, those spiritual distresses which burden with anguish the mind and conscience, such as the law, sin, and death itself. 63. "why is it then, that ye so anxiously expect such great consolations from this present life as to seem incapable of ever being completely satisfied? were it not for the fact that god wants us to live to proclaim him, to thank him, and to serve the brethren, life is such as to suggest its voluntary termination. this service, therefore, let us render unto god, with all diligence. let us look forward with continual sighs to that true life to which, my children, your brother enoch has been translated by the glorious god." these and like things the aged saint taught his people after his great consolation had been revealed. there is no doubt that after it was understood that enoch was translated alive into immortality, they longed for the time when they also might be delivered out of this afflicted life, in the same manner, or at least by death. 64. if, then, those godly patriarchs of old so anxiously looked forward to the eternal life and desired it to come, on account of abel and enoch, whom they knew to be living with god, how much greater ought to be our expectation and desire, who have christ for our leader unto eternal life, who is gone before, as peter says in acts 3, 20-26. they believed in him as one to come; we know that he has become manifest, and has gone to the father to prepare for us a home, and to sit at the right hand of the father to intercede for us. ought we not, therefore, to sigh for those future things, and to hate those of the present? it is not an enoch or an abel who sets before us, as those patriarchs did before their people, the hope of a better life to come; but christ, the leader and author of life himself. it becomes us, therefore, firmly to despise this life and world, and with swelling breast to pant after the coming glory of eternal life. 65. herein we feel how great is the infirmity of our flesh which lusts after these present things with eager desire but fails to rejoice in the certainties of the life to come. how is it possible that a fact should not be most certain which has for witnesses not only abel and enoch and elijah, but also christ himself, the head and the first fruits of those that rise? most worthy, therefore, the hatred of both god and men are the wicked epicureans; and most worthy our hatred also is our own flesh, when we wholly plunge into temporal cares and securely disregard the eternal blessings. 66. worthy of note and carefully to be remembered is the statement that enoch was taken up and received, not by some patriarch or angel, but by god himself. this was the very consolation which rendered the deaths of the patriarchs endurable; yea, which enabled them to depart from this life with joy. they saw that the seed which had been promised them warred, even before he was revealed, with satan, and bruised, through enoch, his head. such was the hope entertained by them concerning themselves and all their believing descendants, and, in perfect security, they despised death as having ceased to be death, as having become a sleep from which they were to awaken into life eternal. "to them that believe," death is not really death, but a sleep. when the terror, the power, and the sting of death are taken away, it can no longer be considered death. the greater the faith of the dying man, the weaker is death. on the other hand, the weaker the faith of the dying man, the more bitter is death. 67. in this text we are also reminded of the nature of sin. if adam had not sinned, we should not have been dying men, but, like enoch of old, we should have been translated, without fear or pain, from this animal life to that better and spiritual life. but although we have forfeited that life, the present history of the patriarch enoch assures us that the restitution of paradise and of eternal life is not to be despaired of. our flesh cannot be free from pain, but where conscience has obtained peace, death is no more than a swoon, by means of which we pass out of this life into eternal rest. had our nature remained innocent, it would not have known such pain of the flesh. we should have been taken up as if asleep, presently to awaken in heaven, and to lead the life of the angels. now, however, that the flesh is defiled by sin, it must first be destroyed by death. as to enoch, perhaps he lay down in some grassy spot and fell asleep praying; and sleeping he was taken up by god, without pain; without death. 68. let us give proper attention to this text to which moses attaches special importance as embodying an account of the most noteworthy event of the primitive world. what fact could possibly inspire more wonder and admiration than that a man, a corrupt sinner, born of flesh and blood, as we are, and defiled as we are by that sin and corruption, so obtained the victory over death as not to die at all! christ himself is man, and righteous, yet our sins caused him to suffer the bitterest of all deaths; but he is delivered on the third day, and lifts himself up unto life eternal. in enoch there was the singular fact that he died not at all, but was caught up, without death intervening, to the life spiritual and eternal. 69. emphatically deserving of aversion are the rabbins. the sublimest passages of the scriptures they shamefully corrupt. as a case in point, they prate concerning enoch that, while he was good and righteous, he very much inclined toward carnal desires. god, therefore, out of pity, prevented his sinning and perishing through death. is not this, i pray you, a shocking corruption of the text before us? why should they say concerning enoch in particular, that he was subject to the evil desires of the flesh? as if all the other patriarchs did not experience the same. why do they not notice the repeated testimony of moses, that enoch "walked with god"? that is certainly evidence that enoch did not indulge those evil inclinations of his flesh, but bravely overcame them by faith. the jews when speaking of the corrupt desires of the flesh have reference to lust, avarice, pride, and similar promptings. enoch, however, without doubt, lived amid mightier temptations than these; like paul, he felt that "thorn in the flesh"; day by day he wrestled with satan; and when, at length, he was completely bruised and worn out with every kind of temptation, god commanded him to depart from this life to the blessed life to come. 70. what that life is which enoch now lives, we who still continue to be flesh and blood cannot possibly know. it is enough for us to know that enoch was translated in his body. this the patriarchs must have clearly understood by revelation, and about to die, they needed this comfort. this much we know also. but what that holy patriarch is now doing, where he is, and how he lives, we know not. we know that he lives; and we also know that the life he lives is not like unto this animal life, but that he is with god. this the text before us distinctly declares. 71. this fact, then, makes the narrative under consideration so memorable that god intended to use it for the purpose of setting before the old, primeval world the hope of a better life. likewise, to the second world, which had the law, god gave the example of elijah, who also was taken up into heaven and translated by the lord before the very eyes of his own servant elisha. we are now in the new covenant, in a third world, as it were. we have christ himself, our great deliverer, as our glorious example, who ascended into the heavens, taking with him many of his saints. it was god's will to establish for every age a testimonial of the resurrection of the dead, that he might thereby allure our minds by all possible attractions from this corrupt and in many ways wretched life, in which, however, we will gladly serve god as long as it shall please him, by the faithful performance of all public and private duties, and especially by instructing others in holiness and in the knowledge of god. but, as the apostle says, we have here "no certain dwelling-place," 1 cor 4, 11. christ, our forerunner, is gone before us, that he might prepare for us, the eternal mansions, jn 14, 2-3. 72. just as we find many among us by whom such things are considered absurd, and not sufficiently worthy of faith, so there is no doubt that this account was deemed ridiculous by most people. the world is ever the same. for that reason these things have by divine authority been committed to writing and recorded for the saints and the faithful, that these might read, understand, believe and heed them. they present to our sight a manifest triumph over death and sin, and afford us a sure comfort in enoch's victory over the law, and the wrath and judgment of god. to the godly nothing can yield more grace and joy than these antediluvian records. 73. but the new testament truly overflows with the mercy of god. while we do not discard records like these, we have others far superior. we have the son of god himself ascending to the skies, and sitting at the right hand of god. in him we see the serpent's head completely bruised, and the life lost in paradise restored. this is more than the translation of enoch and of elijah; still, it was god's will in this manner to administer comfort to the original world and also to the succeeding one, which had the law. 74. the paramount doctrine contained in these five chapters is, accordingly, this: that men died and lived again. in adam all men died. but believers lived again through the promised seed, as the history of abel and enoch testifies. in adam, death was appointed for seth and all others; hence it is written of every one: "and he died." but abel and enoch illustrate the resurrection from the dead and the life immortal. the purpose intended is that we should not despair in death but entertain the unwavering assurance that the believers in the promised seed shall live, and be taken by god, whether from the water or the fire or the gibbet, or the tomb. we desire to live, and we shall live, namely the eternal life through the promised seed, which remains when this is past. iv. lamech and his son noah. a. lamech. 1. he lived at the time enoch was taken to heaven 75. * to what end enoch's ascension served the holy patriarchs 75. 2. why lamech called his son noah 76-77. * the erroneous comments of the rabbins taken by lyra without any good reason 78-79. 3. on what lamech's heart was centered at noah's birth 79-81. 4. how and why lamech erred in the case of his son as eve did at cain's birth 80. * the longing of the patriarchs for the messiah was of the holy spirit 81. * complaint of the world's ingratitude 82. * the patriarchs' greatest treasure and desire 82. * comparison of the three worlds 83-85. * why the present world so lightly esteems christ, whom the patriarchs so highly revered 84. * the first world was the best, the last the worst 85. iv. lamech and his son noah. a. lamech. vs. 28-29. _and lamech lived a hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son: and he called his name noah, saying, this same shall comfort us in our work and in the toil of our hands, which cometh because of the ground which jehovah hath cursed._ 75. only incidentally moses adverts in this account to the name of noah, which certainly deserves a somewhat careful examination. lamech was living when enoch was taken away by god out of this life into the other immortal life. when the great glory of god had become manifest in the extraordinary miracle of the rapture from a lowly estate into life eternal of enoch who was a man like us, a husband, a man with family, having sons, daughters, household, fields and cattle, the holy fathers were filled and fired with such joy as to conclude that the glad day was near which should witness the fulfilment of the promise. that enoch was taken up living, to be with the lord, appeared as a salient display of divine mercy. 76. as adam and eve, after the reception of the promise, were so absorbed in their hope that, in their joy to see a man like themselves, they identified cain with the promised seed, so in my judgment lamech committed a similar pious error when he gave his son the name noah, and said: this same shall comfort us, and shall deliver us from the labors and sorrows of this life. original sin, and the punishment thereof, shall now cease. we shall now be restored to our former innocent state. the curse shall now cease which rests on the earth on account of the sin of adam; and all the other miseries inflicted on the human race on account of sin, shall also cease. 77. such considerations as these prompted lamech to base upon the fact of his grandfather's rapture into paradise unaccompanied by pain, sickness and death, the hope that presently the whole of paradise was to be ushered in. he concludes that noah was the promised seed by whom the earth was to be restored. this notion that the curse is about to be lifted is expressed in unmistakable terms. not so; neither the curse of sin nor its penalty can be removed unless original sin itself shall have been removed first. 78. the rabbins, those pestilent corrupters of the scriptures, surely deserve aversion. this is their interpretation of the passage in question: he shall bring us rest from the toil and labor of our hands by showing us an easier way of cultivating the earth. with a plowshare, by a yoke of oxen, the earth shall be broken up; the present mode of digging it with man's hand shall cease. i wonder that lyra is satisfied with this interpretation, and follows it. he ought to have been familiar with the unchanging practice of the jews to pervert scripture by substituting a material meaning for a spiritual one, in order to gain glory among men. could anything more derogatory to the holy patriarch be said than that he gave such expression to his joy over the birth of his son noah on account of an advantage pertaining to the belly? 79. no; it was a much greater concern than this which filled his mind with anxiety. it was the wrath of god, and death, with all the other calamities of this life. his hope was that noah, as the promised seed, would put an end to these evils. and therefore it was that he thus exulted with joy at the birth of this his son, predicted good things, and called upon others to join him in the same hope. his thoughts did not dwell upon the plow, nor upon oxen, nor upon other trivial things of the kind pertaining to this present life, as the blind jews rave. he was really filled with the hope that this his son noah was that seed to come which should restore the former blessed state of paradise, in which there was no curse. as if he had said: now we feel the curse in the very labors of our hands. we toil and sweat in cultivating the earth, yet it yields us in return nothing but briers and thorns. but there shall arise a new and happy age. the curse on the earth which was inflicted on account of sin shall cease, because sin shall cease. this is the true meaning of the text before us. 80. but the holy father was deceived. the glory of bringing about that renewal belonged, not to the son of a man but to the son of god. the rabbins are silly. although the earth is not dug by the hands of men, but by the use of oxen, yet the labor of man's hand has not ceased. enoch, by his translation, does not disclose the solace of bodily easement, agreeable to the belly, but deliverance from sin and death. lamech hoped, in addition, for the restoration of the former state. he believed to see the inauguration of this change in his grandfather enoch, and felt assured that the deliverance, or the renewal of all things, was close at hand. just so eve, as we have already observed, when she brought forth her first-born son cain, said, i have gotten a man with the help of jehovah, one who shall take away all these punishments inflicted on sin, and bring about our restoration. but, like eve, the good and holy lamech was deceived in his ardent longing for the restoration of the world. 81. all these anxieties plainly show how those holy patriarchs longed for, hoped for, and sighed for, that great "restitution of all things," acts 3, 21. although they herein erred, even as eve erred and was deceived with respect to cain, this desire for deliverance in itself, was of the holy spirit, and proved the truth and constancy of their faith in the promised seed. when eve named her son cain, and when lamech called his son noah, these names were but birth cries, as the apostle represents them, of the whole creation, groaning and travailing in pain together, and earnestly expecting the resurrection of the dead, deliverance from sin, the restoration of all things, and the manifestation of the sons of god, rom 8, 19-23. the simplest and true meaning, accordingly, is that lamech, after seeing the reality of the future life demonstrated by the translation of enoch from the afflictions and toils caused by sin, has a son born to him, whom he calls noah, which means rest, an expression of the hope that deliverance from the curse of sin and sin itself shall take place through him. this interpretation accords with the analogy of faith, and confirms the hope for a resurrection and a life eternal. 82. such longing for the future life on the part of the holy men whose shoes we are unworthy to clean, contrasts strangely with the horrible ingratitude of our time. how great the difference between having and wishing! those patriarchs were men of transcendent holiness, equipped with the highest endowments, the heroes of the world! in them we behold the strongest desire for the seed which is to come; that is their greatest treasure; they thirst, they hunger, they yearn, they pant for christ! and we, who have christ among us, who know him as one revealed, offered, glorified, sitting at the right hand of god and making intercession for us--we despise him and hold him in greater contempt than any other creature! o, the wretchedness of it! o, the sin of it! 83. note the difference between the several ages of the world! the primeval age was the most excellent and holy. it contained the noblest jewels of the whole human race. after the flood there still existed many great and eminent men--patriarchs, and kings, and prophets; and although they were not the equals of the patriarchs before the flood, yet in them also there appeared a bright longing for christ, as christ says: "for i say unto you, that many prophets and kings desired to see the things which ye see, and saw them not; and to hear the things which ye hear, and heard them not," lk 10, 24. and then there is our own age, the age of the new testament; to this christ has been revealed. this age is, as it were, the waste and dregs of the whole world. it holds nothing in greater contempt than christ, than whom a previous age knew nothing more precious. 84. what is the cause of this grave state of affairs? to be sure, our flesh, the world, and the devil. we altogether loathe what we have, according to the proverb: _omne rarum carum; vilescit quotidianum._ "all that's rare, is dear; vile is what is here." and apt is the poetic truism: _minuit praesentia famam._ "sight levels what fancy has exalted." as far as the revelation is concerned, we are far richer than the patriarchs. but their devotion to a comparatively inferior revelation was greater; they were lovers of the bridegroom. we, on the other hand, are that fat, bloated, wanton servant, deut 32, 15; for we have the word and are overwhelmed by the abundance of it. 85. in the same degree as the first world was excellent and holy, the latter-day world is evil and wicked. in view of the fact, then, that god did not spare the first, primitive world, and destroyed the second world by overturning kingdom after kingdom, and government after government, what shall we expect to be the end of this latter-day world which in security despises the christ, the desire of nations, as he is called by haggai, in spite of the fact that he urges himself upon us to the point of weariness! b. noah. 1. remarkableness of the fact that noah refrained so long from wedlock 86. 2. he was fit to marry, but had reasons for abstaining 87. 3. what his reasons were 88. 4. his chastity is highly praised by moses in few words 89. 5. the jews' lies about the reasons for his chastity refuted 90-91. * the jews' lies as to why shem was called the first-born 91. * papists without reason take offense at moses relating so much about the birth of the children of the patriarchs 92-93. 6. noah shines like a bright star as an example of chastity among all the patriarchs 93. 7. noah remained single, not because he despised marriage; and why he finally married 94. 8. how his sons were born one after the other 95-97. * why shem was preferred to japheth 96. * how to meet the objections to the birth of noah's sons 97. 9. noah an excellent example of chastity 98. * the threefold world. a. the first world a truly golden age and the most holy. how and why it was punished by god 99-100. b. the second world is full of idolatry, and will be severely punished by god 100. c. the third world is the worst, and hence can expect the hardest punishment 101. d. the punishment of these three worlds portrayed in the colors of the rainbow 101. e. how believing hearts act upon considering sin and the world's punishment 102. b. noah. v. 32. _and noah was five hundred years old: and noah begat shem, ham, and japheth._ 86. here again we meet with surprising brevity. as is his custom, moses expresses in the fewest possible words the greatest and most important things, which the ignorant reader passes by unobserved. but you will say, perhaps, of what import is it that noah first begat sons when he was five hundred years old? why, if noah had no children all those 500 years, he either endured that length of time the severe trial of unfruitfulness or, as appears to me more likely, he abstained from marriage all those years, setting an example of most marvelous chastity. i do not speak here of the abominable chastity of the papists; nor of our own. look at the prophets and the apostles, and even at some of the other patriarchs, who doubtless were chaste and holy. but what are they in comparison with this man noah, who, possessed of masculine vigor, managed to live a chaste life without marriage for five hundred years? 87. now you will scarcely find one in a thousand among the men of our age who, at the age of thirty, has not known woman. moreover, noah, after he had lived a single life for so many centuries, at length took to himself a wife, and begat children; which latter fact carries its own proof that he was in a state appropriate for marriage prior to this, and had a definite reason for practicing continence. 88. in the first place, it is evident that such unequaled chastity must necessarily have been a peculiar gift of god. it evinced a nature almost angelic. it does not seem a thing possible in the nature of man to live 500 years without knowing a wife. in the next place these five centuries of chastity in noah manifest some signal displeasure with the world. for what other reason are we to conclude that he abstained from marriage than because he had seen the descendants of his uncle and aunt degenerate into giants and tyrants, filling the world with violence? he thought in consequence, that he would rather have no children at all than such as those. and my belief is that he would never have taken to himself a wife at all if he had not been admonished and commanded so to do either by the patriarchs or by some angel. he who had refrained from marriage for 500 years might have refrained during all the rest of his life. 89. in this manner moses explains in brief words exceedingly weighty facts, and, what the ignorant reader would never observe owing to the failure of chastity being mentioned in express words, he commends the chastity of noah above that of all the other inhabitants of the primeval world, setting him up as an example of all but angelic chastity. 90. the jews, according to their custom, play the fool, and fable that noah for centuries denied himself a wife because he knew that god would destroy the world by the flood. if, therefore, noah had married, like all the other patriarchs, in the earlier part of his life--that is, when he was about a hundred years old or less--he himself would have peopled the world in the space of 400 years; and then god would have been compelled to destroy both the father himself and the whole of his progeny. to this fable they add the other, that shem was called the first-born for the reason that he was the first to receive circumcision. 91. in a word, these jews corrupt everything and twist it to suit their own carnal bent and ambition. if noah abstained from marriage for the reason which they assign, why did not all the other patriarchs, for the same reason, abstain from marriage and fatherhood? these comments of the rabbins are accordingly frivolous and nonsensical. why do they not rather urge the real cause, that it was a special gift that noah, a vigorous man, abstained from marriage for five hundred years? throughout the course of time no instance of such continence is found. 92. the book of genesis highly offends the papists because it mentions so often that the fathers begat sons and daughters. they say of this book that it is a book in which little more is contained than the record that the patriarchs were men of extravagant love for their wives; and they consider it obscene that moses should make mention of such things with such attention to detail. but, in the impurity of their hearts, they can not refrain from befouling the most exalted chastity. 93. if you would really behold the brightest examples of chastity the whole world contains, read moses as he relates that the patriarchs did not marry until they were of advanced age. among them noah shines forth a star of first magnitude, inasmuch as he did not marry until he had reached the five hundredth year of his life. where will you find such eminent examples of chastity in the papacy? although there are some among the papists who do not actually sin with their bodies, yet how foul and filthy are their minds! and all this is judgment upon their contempt for marriage, which god himself has designed to be a remedy for the corruption of nature. 94. another reason why noah refrained from marriage has been mentioned. he did not condemn marriage, nor did he consider it to be a profane or impure manner of life; but he saw that the descendants of the elder patriarchs had degenerated to the level of the ungodly generation of the cainites. such children as these he felt he could not endure; he rather waited, in the fear of god, the end of the world. when afterwards he did enter into marriage, and begat children, he no doubt did it by reason of some particular admonition and command of god. 95. here a question naturally arises concerning the order in which noah's sons were born. it will be worth our while to inquire into this matter, so that our computation of the years of the world may have a reliable basis. the common opinion is that shem was the first-born of noah, because his name is mentioned first in order. the testimony of scripture, however, compels us to conclude that japheth was the first-born, shem the second, and ham the last. the truth of this is proved in the following manner: shem begat his son arpachshad two years after the flood, when he was 100 years old, gen 11, 10. hence shem was 98 years old when the flood came, and noah, when shem was born, was 498 years old. but japheth was evidently born before shem, for he was the elder brother, gen 10, 21. it plainly follows, therefore, that only ham, the youngest brother, was born when noah was 500 years old. 96. the reason why shem is mentioned before japheth is not because he was first circumcised, as the jews, who always are hunting carnal glory, falsely claim, but because it was through him that christ, the promised seed, was to come. for the same reason, abraham, the youngest, is given precedence to his brothers, haran and nahor. 97. but you will perhaps say, how does this agree with the text which positively says, "noah was five hundred years old; and noah begat shem, ham and japheth"? harmony is restored if you make out of the preterit a pluperfect, and read the passage thus:--when noah was five hundred years old he had begotten shem, ham, and japheth. moses does not record the particular year in which each son was born, but merely mentions the year in which the number of sons born to noah reached three. thus the biblical record is reduced to harmony. 98. as conclusion to the fifth chapter moses presents the finest and most noteworthy example of chastity. saintly and continent throughout his career, noah had just rounded out his fifth century when he began married life. thus far, he had renounced matrimony, repelled by the licentiousness of the young, who were drifting into the depravity of the cainites. notwithstanding, at the call of god, he obediently entered upon marriage, although it was quite possible for him to remain chaste, as a celibate. 99. such is the description given by moses of the first, the original world, in five brief chapters. but it is readily seen that in the beginning was the real golden age of which poets have made mention, their information being doubtless the traditions and the utterances of the fathers. 100. but as the sins of men increased, god spared not the old world, but destroyed it by a flood utterly, even as he did not spare it when under the dispensation of the law. because of its idolatry and the impiousness of its worship, he not only overturned one kingdom after another, but even his own people, the jews, having been severely punished at his hands by various afflictions and captivities, were at length utterly destroyed by the roman armies. 101. our age, which is the third age of the world, although it is the age of grace, is so filled with blasphemies and abominations that it is not possible either to express them in language or to form a mental image of them. this age therefore shall not be punished by temporal punishment, but by eternal death and eternal fire, or, if i may so express it, by a flood of fire. the very rainbow even, with its colors, contains a prophetic intimation of these things. the first color is sea-green, representing the destruction of the first world by the waters of the flood, because of violence and lust; the middle color of the bow is yellow, prefiguring the various calamities by which god avenged the idolatry and wickedness of the second age; the third and last color of the bow is fiery red, for fire shall at length consume the world, with all its iniquities and sins. 102. wherefore, let us constantly pray that god may so rule our hearts by his fear and may so fill us with confidence in his mercy, that we are able with joy to await our deliverance and the righteous punishment of this ungodly world. amen. amen. chapter vi. i. the sins of the first world, the cause of its destruction. * how this chapter and the preceding one are connected 1. * it is terrible that god destroyed by a flood the first world, which was the best 2. * of pride and the proud. 1. how god humbles what is high and grand in the eyes of the world and has the best gifts 3-4. * how man can meet the judgments of god 4. 2. the more gifts man has the greater his pride 5. 3. the most terrible examples of punishment god gives in the case of the proud and such examples should be diligently pondered 6-7. * the complaint that the world is hardened by reason of god's judgments 7-8. 4. how the ancient world was misled into pride through its gifts 9-10. 5. pride is the common weakness of human nature 11. 6. in what ways man is moved to pride 12-13. a. the chief sin of the old world 14-15. * pride is the spring of all vices 15. b. how the old world sinned against the first table of the law, and brought on the sins against the second table 16. c. how and why god punished the old world 17. * from the punishment of the first world we conclude that the last world will be also punished 18. d. whether the first world was wicked before noah's birth; on what occasion its wickedness increased 19. * noah the martyr of martyrs 20. * why lamech called his son noah 21. e. how sin greatly increased in the days of noah 22. * why noah remained unmarried so long, which was his greatest cross 23. f. when the wickedness of the old world began 24. * concerning unchastity. (1) it is the foundation of all want and misery 24. (2) it is the spring of many other sins 25. (3) how to remedy it 25. (4) whether bearing children is in itself to be reckoned as unchastity, and how far moses denounces it 26. (5) unchastity makes the bearing of children difficult 27. g. the reason the sons of god looked upon the daughters of men 28. h. why the sin of the first world was not so terrible as the sin of the second 29-30. i. how the first world changed through the marriages of adam and the other patriarchs 30-32. * the sons of god. (1) what is understood by them 32. (2) the rabbins' fables about the sons of god, how to refute them 33-34. * what is to be held concerning the "incubis" and "succubis" 34-35. (3) how the deluge came because of the sons of god 36. (4) to what end should the fall and punishment of the sons of god serve us 37-38. * should the romish church be called holy 37. * how the children of god became the children of the devil 38. * how noah had to spend his life among a host of villains 39. * the conduct of the world when god sends it righteous servants 40. i. the sins of the primeval world in general the cause of its destruction. 1. in the first five chapters moses describes the state of the human race in the primeval world and the wonderful glory of the holy patriarchs who governed it. in these five chapters the chronicles as in the first book, so to speak, the happiest period of the whole human race and of the world before the flood. now we shall begin what may be termed the second book of genesis, containing the history of the flood. it shows the destruction of all the offspring of cain and the eternal preservation of the generation of the righteous; for while everything perishes in the flood, the generation of the righteous is saved as an eternal world. 2. it is appalling that the whole human race except eight persons is destroyed, in view of the fact that this was truly the golden age; for succeeding ages do not equal the old world in glory, greatness and majesty. and if god visited with destruction his own perfect creation and the very glory of the human race, we have just cause for fear. 3. in inflicting this punishment, god followed his own peculiar way. whatever is most exalted he particularly overthrows and humiliates. peter says in 2 peter 2, 5: god "spared not the ancient world;" and he would imply that it was, in comparison with succeeding ages, a veritable paradise. neither did he spare the sublimest creatures--the angels--nor the kings ruling his people, nor the first-born of all times. but the more highly they were blessed with gifts, the more sternly he punished them when they began to misuse his gifts. 4. the holy spirit says in the ninth verse of the second psalm, concerning kings: "thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." but is it not the lord himself who has ordained kings and wills that all men should honor and obey them? here he condemns and spurns the wisdom of the prudent and the righteousness of the righteous. it is god's proper and incessant work to condemn what is most magnificent, to cast down the most exalted and to defeat the strongest, though they be his own creatures. he does this, however, that abundant evidence of his wrath may terrify the ungodly and may arouse us to despair of ourselves and to trust in his power alone. we must either live under the shadow of god's wing, in faith in his grace, or we must perish. 5. after the fall it came to pass that the more one was blessed with gifts, the greater was his pride. this was the sin of the angels who fell. this was the sin of the primitive world, in which the grandest people of the race lived; but because they prided themselves in their wisdom and other gifts, they perished. this was the sin of the greatest kings. this was the sin of nearly all the first-born. but what is the need of so many words? this is original sin--that we fail to recognize and rightly use the great and precious gifts of god. 6. that the greatest men must furnish the most abhorrent examples is not the fault of the gifts and blessings, but of those to whom they are intrusted. god is a dialectician and judges the person by the thing,[1] meting out destruction to the thing or gift as well as to its possessor. [footnote 1: _ut arguat a conjugatis._] 7. it is expedient to give heed to such examples. they are given that the proud may fear and be humbled, and that we may learn our utter dependence upon the guidance and will of god, who resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble. lacking the understanding and practice of these truths, man falls continually--kings, nobles, saints, one after the other, filling the world with examples of the wrath and judgment of god. the blessed virgin sings: "he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their heart. he hath put down the princes from their thrones, and hath exalted them of low degree." lk 1, 51-53. 8. full of such examples are all ages, all princely courts, all lands. yet, by the grace of saint diabolus, the prince of this world, our hearts are so hard that we are not moved by all this to fear; rather to disdain, though we feel and see that we also shall incur destruction. blessed are they, therefore, who heed, and are moved by such examples of wrath to be humble and to live in the fear of god. 9. consider, then, the preeminence of the old world, that perished in the flood. it possessed apparently the best, holiest and noblest men, compared with whom we are as the dregs of the world. for the scriptures do not say that they were wicked and unjust among themselves, but toward god. "he saw," says moses, "that they were evil." the eyes of god perceive and judge quite differently from the eyes of men. he says in isaiah 55, 8-9: "neither are your ways my ways.... for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." 10. these tyrants and giants were esteemed and honored among themselves as the wisest and most just of men. so in our day kings and princes, popes and bishops, theologians, physicians, jurists and noblemen occupy exalted places and receive honor as the very gems and luminaries of the human race. more deservedly did the children of god in the old world receive such honor, because they excelled in power and possessed many gifts. nevertheless, falling into pride and contempt of god while enjoying his blessings, they were rejected by god and destroyed, together with their gifts, as if they had been the lowest and vilest of the human race. 11. and this is a common failing of our human nature. it necessarily puffs itself up and prides itself on its gifts unless restrained by the holy spirit. i have often said that a man has no more dangerous enemy than himself. it is my own experience that i have not without me so great cause for fear as within me; for it is our inner gifts that incite our nature to pride. 12. as god, who is by nature most kind, cannot refrain from gracing and showering us with various gifts: health, property, wisdom, skill, knowledge of scripture, etc., so we cannot refrain from priding ourselves upon these gifts and flaunting them. wretched is our life when we lack the gifts of god, but twice wretched is it when we have them; for they tend to make us doubly wicked. such is the corruption of original sin, though all but believers are either unaware of its existence or regard it a trivial thing. 13. such corruption is perceptible not only in ourselves but in others. how property inflates pride though it occupies relatively the lowest place among blessings! the rich, be they noblemen, city-dwellers or peasants, deem other people as flies. to even a greater extent are the higher gifts abused--wisdom and righteousness. possession of these gifts, then, makes inevitable this condition--god cannot suffer such pride and we cannot refrain from it. 14. this was the sin of that primeval world. among cain's descendants were good and wise men, who, nevertheless, before god were most wicked, for they prided themselves upon their gifts and despised god, the author. such offense the world does not perceive and condemn; god alone is its judge. 15. where these spiritual vices exist and flourish, the lapse into carnal ones is imminent. according to sirach 10, 14, sin begins with falling from god. the devil's first fall is from heaven into hell; that is, from the first table of the law into the second. when people begin to be godless--when they do not fear and trust god, but despise him, his word and his servants--the result is that from the true doctrine they pass into heretical delusions and teach, defend and cultivate them. these sins in the eyes of the world are accounted the greatest holiness, and their authors alone are reputed religious, god-fearing and just, and held to constitute the church, the family of god. people are unable to judge concerning the sins of the first table. those who despise god sooner or later fall into abominable adultery, theft, murder and other gross sins against the second table. 16. the purpose of my statements is to make plain that the old world was guilty, not only of sin against the second table, but most of all of sin against the first table by making a fine, but deceptive and false show of wisdom, godliness, devotion and religion. as a result of the ungodliness which flourished in opposition to the first table, there followed that moral corruption of which moses speaks in this chapter, that the people polluted themselves with all sorts of lust and afterward filled the world with oppression, bloodshed and wrong. 17. because the ungodly world had trampled both tables under foot, god came to judge it, who is a consuming fire and a jealous god. he so punishes ungodliness that he turns everything into sheer desolation, and neither government nor the governed remain. we may, therefore, infer that the world was the better the nearer it was to adam, but that it degenerated from day to day until our time, when the offscouring and lowest filth of humanity, as it were, are living. 18. now, if god did not spare a world endowed with so many and great gifts, what have we to hope for, who, offal that we are, are subject to far greater misfortune and wretchedness? but if it please god, spare the roman pontiff and his holy bishops, who do not believe such things! i now come to my text. vs. 1-2. _and it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the ground, and daughters were born unto them, that the sons of god saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all that they chose._ 19. this is a very brief but comprehensive account. the text must not be understood to mean that the world did not increase until the five hundredth year of noah. the more ancient patriarchs are embraced in this statement. this is demonstrated by the fact that noah had no daughters. the reference in the text to "daughters" certainly must be understood as referring to the by-gone age of lamech, methuselah, enoch and others. the world, accordingly, was corrupt and evil before noah was born, particularly when licentiousness began to prevail after the death of adam, whose authority, as the first father, they feared. 20. i have said that noah was a virgin above all others; i may add he was the greatest of all martyrs. our so-called martyrs, compared with him, have infinite advantage in strength received from the holy spirit, by which death is overcome and all trials and perils are escaped. noah lived among the unrighteous for six hundred years, and like lot at sodom, not without numerous and dire perils and trials. 21. this was, perhaps, one reason why father lamech gave his son the name noah at his birth. when the holy patriarch saw evil abounding in the world, he entertained the hope concerning his son that he should comfort the righteous by opposing sin and its author, satan, and restoring lost righteousness. 22. however, the wickedness that began then, not only failed to cease under noah, but rather grew greater. hence noah is the martyr of martyrs. for is it not much easier to be delivered from all danger and suffering in a single hour than to live for centuries amid colossal wickedness? 23. the opinion before expressed i maintain, that noah abstained from matrimony so long that he might not be compelled to witness and suffer in his own offspring what he saw in the descendants of the other saints. this sight of man's wickedness was his greatest cross, as peter says of lot in sodom (2 pet 2, 8): "that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their lawless deeds." 24. accordingly, the increase of humanity of which moses speaks has not reference alone to the time of noah, but also to the age of the other patriarchs. it was there that the violation of the first table commenced--in the contempt manifested for jehovah and his word. this was followed later by such gross offenses as oppression, tyranny and lewdness, which moses explicitly mentions and names first as the cause of evil. consult all history, study the greek tragedies and the affairs of barbarians and romans of all times, and you find lust the mother of every kind of trouble. it can not be otherwise. where god's word remains unknown or unheeded, men will plunge into lust. 25. lust draws in its train endless other evils, as pride, oppression, perjury and the like. these sins can be attacked only as men, through the first table, learn to fear and to trust in god. then it is that they follow the word as a lamp going before in the dark, and they will not indulge in such scandalous deeds, but will rather beware of them. with violation of the first table, however, the spread of passions and sins of every description is inevitable. 26. but it seems strange that moses should enumerate in the catalog of sins the begetting of daughters. he had found it commendable in the case of the patriarchs. it is even enjoyed by the ungodly as a blessing of god. why, therefore, does moses call it a sin? i reply, he does not condemn the fact of procreation as such, but the abuse of it, resulting from original sin. to be endowed with royal majesty, wisdom, wealth and bodily strength is a goodly blessing. it is god who bestows these gifts. but when men, in possession of these blessings, fail to reverence the first table, and by means of these very gifts do violence to it, such wickedness merits punishment. therein is the reason for moses' peculiar words: "the sons of god saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all that they chose," without consideration of god or of law, natural or statutory. 27. the first table having been despised, the second shares the same fate. desire occupies the principal place and in contempt for procreation it becomes purely bestial; whereas god has instituted matrimony as an aid to feeble nature and chiefly for the purpose of procreation. but when lust in this manner has gained the upper hand, all commandments, those that go before and that follow, are ruthlessly broken and dishonored. parental honor becomes insecure; men do not shrink from doing murder; from alienating property, speaking false testimony, etc. 28. the word _jiru_, "saw," does not merely signify "to view," but "to view with pleasure and enjoyment." this meaning often occurs in the psalms, for instance: "mine eye also hath seen my desire on mine enemies," ps 92, 11; that is, shall with pleasure see vengeance executed upon my enemies. the meaning here is that, after turning their eyes from god and his word, they turned them, filled with lust, upon the daughters of men. the sequence is unerring that, from the violation of the first table, men rush to the violation of the second. after despising god they despised also the laws of nature and, as they pleased, they married whom they chose. 29. these are rather harsh words, and yet it is my opinion that lust continued hitherto within certain limits, inasmuch as they neither committed incest with their mothers, as later the inhabitants of canaan, nor polluted themselves with the vice of the sodomites. moses confines his charge to their casting aside the legal trammels set by the patriarchs and recognizing in their matrimonial alliances no law but that of lust, selecting only as passion directed and against the will of the parents. 30. it seems the patriarchs had strictly forbidden to contract alliances with the offspring of cain, just as, later, the jews could not lawfully mingle with the canaanites. though there are not wanting those who write that incestuous marriages existed before the flood, blood-relationship being held to be no barrier, i yet infer from the fact that peter has extolled the old world, that such incestuous atrocities did not exist at that time, but that the sin of the ancient world consisted rather in men marrying whom they pleased, and as many wives from the cainites as they chose, ignoring parental authority and controlled alone by passion. it is, therefore, a harsh word--"all which they chose." 31. i have shown, on various occasions, that the two generations, or churches, of adam and cain were separate. for, as moses clearly states, adam expelled the murderer from his association. without doubt, therefore, adam also exhorted his offspring to avoid the church of the evil-doers and not to mingle with the accursed generation of cain. and for a while his counsel or command was obeyed. 32. but when adam died and the authority of the other patriarchs became an object of scorn, the sons of god who had the promise of the blessed seed and themselves belonged to the blessed seed, craved from the tribe of the ungodly, intercourse and espousal. he tersely calls the sons of the patriarchs the "sons of god," since to them was given the promise of the blessed seed and they constituted the true church. yielding to the corruptions of the cainite church they indulged the flesh themselves and took from the tribe of cain, as wives and mistresses, whom and as many as they chose. this lamech and noah saw with pain, and for that reason, perhaps, deferred entering upon marriage. 33. in reference to this point the jews fancy foolish things. they interpret the sons of god to signify demon-lechers by whom that impious generation was begotten, and that they were called the sons of god by reason of their spiritual nature. the more moderate ones, however, refute such folly and represent the sons of the mighty. this has been aptly disproved by lyra; for the punishment of the deluge befell, not alone the mighty, but all flesh, as shall the doom at the last day. 34. but as regards the demon-lechers and strumpets (incubi and succubi), i do not deny--nay, i believe--that a demon may be either a lecher or a strumpet, for i have heard men cite their own experience. augustine says that he heard this from trustworthy people whom he was constrained to believe. satan is pleased when he can deceive us in this manner, by assuming the form either of a young man or a young woman. but that anything may be begotten by a devil and a human being is simply false. we hear of monstrous births of demon-like features, and i have even seen some. i am of opinion, however, that they have been deformed by the devil, but not begotten: or that they are real devils with a human body either simulated or purloined. for if the devil, by divine permission, may take possession of the whole man and change his mind, is it strange that he may disfigure also his body, causing men to be born sightless or cripples? 35. hence, the devil may so deceive frivolous people and such as live without the fear of god that when the devil is in bed, a young man may think that he has a girl with him, and a girl that she has a youth with her; but that anything may be born from such concubinage i do not believe. many sorceresses have at one time or another been subjected to death at the stake on account of their intercourse with demons. if the devil can deceive eyes and ears so that they fancy they see and hear things which do not exist, how much easier is it for him to deceive the sense of touch, which is in this nature exceedingly gross! but enough! these explanations have no bearing upon the present text, and we have been led to them merely by jewish babbling. 36. the true meaning is that moses calls those men the sons of god, who had the promise of the blessed seed. this is a new testament phrase and signifies the believers who call god, father, and whom, god in turn, calls sons. the flood came not because the generation of cain was corrupt, but because the generation of the righteous who had believed god, had obeyed his word, and had possessed the true worship, now had lapsed into idolatry, disobedience to parents, sensuality, oppression. even so the last day shall be hastened, not by the profligacy of gentile, turk and jew, but by the filling of the church with errors through the pope and fanatical spirits, so that those very ones who occupy the highest place in the church exercise themselves in sensuality, lust and oppression. 37. it is a cause of fear for us all, that even those who were descended from the best patriarchs, began to grow haughty and depart from the word. they gloried in their wisdom and righteousness, as later the jews did in circumcision and father abraham. so did the popes glory in the title of the church only to replace gradually their spiritual glory by carnal indulgence after forfeiting the knowledge of god, his word and his worship. the roman church was truly holy and adorned by the grandest martyrs. we, at this day, however, are witnesses how she has fallen. 38. let no one, therefore, glory in his gifts, however splendid! the greatest gift is to be a member of the true church. but take care not to become proud on that account, for you may fall, just as lucifer fell from heaven and, as we are here informed, as the sons of god fell into carnal pleasures. they are, therefore, no longer sons of god, but sons of satan, having fallen alike from the first and the second table of the law. so in the past, popes and bishops have been good and holy, but today they are of all men the worst and, so to speak, the dregs of all classes. 39. among this rabble of decadent men who had departed from the piety and virtues of their ancestors, godly noah lived in the greatest contempt and hatred of everybody. how could he approve the corruption of such degenerate progeny? and they themselves were most impatient of reproof. while, therefore, his example shone and gleamed, and his holiness filled the whole earth, the world became worse from day to day, and the greater the sanctity and chastity of noah, the more the world reveled in lust. this is the beginning; it invariably introduces ruin. 40. when god arouses holy men, full of the holy spirit, to instruct and reprove the world, the world, impatient of sound doctrine, falls with much greater zeal into sin and plies it with much greater persistency. this was the situation at the beginning of the world, and now, at the end of the world, we realize it is still the case. ii. god's judgment and grief over the first world; noah and his preaching. a. god's judgment and lamentation over the old world. 1. the words of the lamentation. a. interpreters have shamefully perverted these words 41. b. the jewish interpretation, which jerome follows 42. c. the jews' interpretation refuted 42-43. d. the interpretation of rabbi solomon 44. e. the interpretation of others, especially of origen 45. * why augustine was especially pleased with the doctrine of the manicheans 45. f. rabbi david's explanation 46. * the false idea of the jews and some christian interpreters that the true sense of scripture is learned from grammar. (1) thus ideas most foreign to the sense of scripture are defended 46-47. (2) this method is false and led the jews into many fantasies 47. g. the source of rabbi david's awkward interpretation of these words 48. * why luther has so much to say about the false interpretation of scripture 49. * what is necessary to interpret scripture 50. h. the true sense of these words 51. * scripture definition of "to judge" 51. 2. the author of this judgment and lamentation 51-53. * man's conduct upon hearing god's word preached 54. 3. from what kind of a heart does such judgment and lamentation spring 55. * what kind of grief is the grief of the holy spirit 56. * god's severest punishment 57-59. * what follows when man does not possess god's word 57-58. * why the heathen are so carnal 58. 4. the nature of this judgment and lamentation 59. * the lamentation and judgment of luther over germany because it lightly esteemed god's word 60. * the spirit of grace and of prayer 61. * the office of the ministry. a. it requires two things 62. b. it is the greatest blessing of god 63. c. to despise it is a great sin, and what follows when it is taken from a people 63. d. a complaint of its neglect 64. e. this office is explained by the expression "to judge" 65. * every godly preacher is one who disputes and judges 65. * luther's grief because of the stubbornness of the world 66. * why ahab called elijah a troubler of israel 67. * why the world resents being reproved by sound doctrine. it is a good sign if a minister is reviled by the world 68. * the glory of people who boast of being the church. a. such glory avails nothing before god 68-70. b. papists wish by all means to have this glory 68-70. c. papists need this glory to suppress the protestants 71. d. christ will decide at the judgment day to whom this glory belongs 71. e. although the first world adorned itself with this glory, it did not save them 72. 5. how and why this judgment and complaint are ascribed to god 73-74. 6. how they were published to the world by the holy patriarchs 75. 7. why they were made 76. 8. in what way they have been published to the world 77. 9. how the world resented this judgment and complaint 78. * time given to the first world for repentance. a. we are not to understand the 120 years as the period of a man's life 79. b. the 120 years the time given these people in which to repent 80-81. 10. whether and to what end this time was necessary 82. 11. how the old world felt upon hearing this 83. * the complaint and judgment of the last world 84-86. * the nearer the world approaches its destruction the less it thinks of it 86. * how the time of the flood is to be compared with the time god gives man to repent 87. ii. the judgment and lamentation of god over the first world; noah and his preaching. a. god's judgment and lamentation over the old world. v. 3. _jehovah said, "my spirit shall not strive with man forever, for that he also is flesh: yet shall his days be a hundred and twenty years."_ 41. moses here begins by describing noah as the highest pontiff and priest, or, as peter calls him, a preacher of righteousness. this text has been mangled in various ways, for the natural man cannot understand spiritual things. when, therefore, the interpreters, with unwashed feet and hands, rushed into the holy scriptures, taking with them a human bias and method, as they themselves acknowledge, they could not but fall into diverse and erroneous views. it has almost come to pass, that the more sublime and spiritual the utterances of scripture, the more shamefully they have been distorted. this passage in particular they have managed so shamelessly that you would not know what to believe, if you followed the interpreters. 42. the jews are the first to crucify moses here, for this is their exposition: my spirit, that is my indignation and wrath, shall not always abide upon man. i will not be angry with men, but spare them, for they are flesh. that means, being spurred by sin, they incline to sin. this meaning jerome also adopts, who is of the opinion that here only the sin of lust is spoken of, to which we are all prone by nature. but his first error is that he interprets spirit as wrath. it is the holy spirit moses here speaks of, as the contrast shows. "for man," he says, "is flesh." the meaning is, therefore, that the flesh is not only prone to sin, but also hostile toward god. 43. then the matter itself serves as refutation, for could anything more absurd have been devised? they see with their eyes the wrath of god swallowing the whole human race through the flood, and yet they expound that god does not wish to be influenced toward the human race by anger but by mercy, and this after a hundred and twenty years, the very time of the flood. 44. rabbi solomon expounds it thus: the spirit which is in god shall no more strive and wrangle. as if god in his majesty would have disputed and wrangled about what should be done with man, whether to destroy or to spare him, finally, wearied by man's wickedness, determining upon his destruction, nevertheless. 45. others understand this of the created spirit: my spirit that i breathed upon the face of man, that is the spirit of man, shall no longer strive and contend with the flesh, which is in subjection to its lusts, for i shall take away this spirit and free it from the flesh, so that when the latter has become extinct, it may create no more difficulties for the spirit. this is the understanding of origen, and it does not differ much from the manichean error which attributes sin not to the whole man, but only to a part. and augustine says that this had pleased him most in the tenets of the manicheans, to hear that his depravity was not altogether his, but only of that part of the body which is evil from the beginning. the manicheans posited two principles, the good and the bad, just as certain philosophers have posited enmity and friendship. thus do men not only miss the mark, but they also fall into ungodly delusions. 46. rabbi david cites sanctes, and derives the word _jadon_ from _nadan_, which means sheath, or shell. but as the interpretation is very clumsy, so he clothes it also in a very clumsy word: my spirit shall not be inclosed in man as in a sheath. has anything more unnatural ever been heard? but the jews make a laughing-stock of modern hebraists when they convince them that the holy scriptures can not be understood except through grammatical rules and an exact science of vowel-points. no exposition is so absurd but that they defend and polish it with their stale grammatical rules. 47. but tell me, what language has there ever been that men easily have learned to speak from grammatical rules? is it not true that the very languages most thoroughly reduced to rules, like greek and latin, are learned rather by practice? what stupendous absurdity, therefore, it is to gather the sense of a sacred tongue, which is the repository of things theological and spiritual, from grammatical rules, and to pay no attention to the proper signification of things? and this is what the rabbis and their disciples do almost universally. many words and verbs may be declined for which no use is seen in the language. while they make such things paramount and everywhere chase anxiously after etymology, they fall into strange fancies. 48. so here. because the word in this passage can be derived from _nadan_, they construct from that a prodigious meaning. my spirit, they say, shall not be held back as in a sheath. they mean the spirit of man contained in the body as in a sheath. i shall not leave it in a sheath, they say, but i shall remove him and destroy the sheath. such absurdities originate in the stale grammatical rules, whereas usage rather should be considered; it is that which trains the grammarian. 49. but i recite all this at length, in order to admonish you, when you come upon such silly commentators, not to follow them and admire such singular wisdom. for great men even have found delight in the folly of the rabbis. they are not unlike the sacramentarians, who do not deny the words of christ, this is my body, this is my blood; but explain it thus: bread is bread, and yet the body of christ, namely, his creature; this is my blood, namely my wine. this passion of distorting texts no sane man tolerates in the exposition of the fables of terence, or of the eclogues of virgil, and, forsooth, we should tolerate it in the church! 50. we need the holy spirit to understand the holy scriptures. for we know that the same spirit shall exist to the end of the world who existed before all things. we glory in possessing this spirit through the grace of god, and, through him, we have faith, a moderate knowledge of scripture and an understanding of the other things necessary to godliness. hence we do not invent a new interpretation; we are guided not only by an analogy of holy scripture but also by faith. 51. through the holy scriptures in its entirety, the verb judge, _dun_, signifies almost invariably a public office in the church, or the office of the ministry, through which we are corrected, reproved, instructed and enabled to distinguish the evil from the good, etc. thus, psalm 110, 6: _jadin bagojim_, "he will judge among the nations;" which means: he will preach among the nations. the word found in this passage is evidently the same. and in the new testament this phrase, originally hebrew, is very much in vogue, especially in paul's writings, who uses the hebrew idiom more than the others. 52. i understand this passage therefore as words spoken by lamech or noah as a new message to the whole world. for it was a public message proclaimed at some public assembly. when methuselah, lamech and noah saw that the world was hastening straight to destruction by its sins, they resorted to this proclamation: my spirit shall no longer preach among men. that means: we teach in vain, we admonish in vain; the world has no desire to be better. 53. it is as if one in the present perverse times should say: we teach and make ample effort to summon the world back to sobriety and godliness, but we are derided, persecuted, killed, and all men, in the end, rush to destruction with blind eyes and deaf ears; therefore we are constrained to desist. these are the words of a soul planning appropriate action and full of anxiety, because it is clear that the human race, at the height of its peril, cannot be healed. 54. this exposition conforms to faith and holy scriptures. when the word is revealed from heaven, we see that some are converted, who are freed from damnation. the remaining multitude despises it and securely indulges in avarice, lust and other vices, as jeremiah says (ch 51, 9): "we should have healed babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go everyone into his own country." the more diligently moses and aaron importuned and instructed, the more obstinate pharaoh became. the jews were not made better by even the preaching of christ and the apostles. the same befalls us who teach in our day. what, in consequence, are we to do? deplore the blindness and obstinacy of men we may, correct it we cannot. who would rejoice in the eternal damnation of the popes and their followers? who would not prefer that they should embrace the word and recover their senses? 55. a similar exhibition of obstinacy methuselah, lamech and noah saw in their day. therefore there bursts from them this voice of despair: my spirit, namely the word of healing truth, shall no longer bear witness among men. for inasmuch as you refuse to embrace the word--will not yield to healing truth--you shall perish. these are the words of a heart filled with anxiety after the manner that the scriptures say god is anxious; that is, the hearts of noah, lamech, methuselah and other holy men who are filled with love toward all. beholding this wickedness of men, they are troubled and pained. 56. such grief is really the grief of the holy spirit, as paul says, "grieve not the holy spirit of god, in whom ye were sealed unto the day of redemption," eph 4, 30. this means that the holy spirit is grieved when we miserable men are distracted and tormented by the wickedness of the world, that despises the word we preach by the holy spirit. thus lot was troubled in sodom, and the pious jews in babylon under the godless king belshazzar; also jeremiah, when he preached to the ungodly jews and exclaimed (jer 15, 10): "woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me." so in micah 7, 1: "woe is me! for i am as the grape gleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat." 57. the wrath of god is most fearful as he recalls the word. what man would not prefer pestilence, famine, war--these being mere bodily calamities--to a famine of the word which is always joined to eternal damnation? an example of the horrible darkness into which satan can lead men when god is silent and does not speak, is furnished by the gentiles who have been bereft of the word. who is not horrified by the romans, men of exemplary wisdom and famous before other nations by reason of their dignified discipline, who observed the custom of letting the worthy matrons worship and crown priapus, the foul idol, and of leading bridal virgins before it? what is more ludicrous than that the egyptians adored the calf apis as the supreme godhead? 58. the tripartite history gives an account of constantine the great being the first to abolish in phoenicia and other places the shameless custom of using virgins, before their nuptials, for purposes of prostitution. such monstrous infamies were accounted religion and righteousness among the gentiles. there is nothing, in fact, so ridiculous, so stupid, so obscene, nothing so remote from all propriety, that it cannot be foisted as the very essence of religion upon men who have been forsaken by the word. 59. this is, therefore, the greatest penalty, that god, through the mouths of the holy patriarchs, threatens no longer to reprove men by his spirit; which means that henceforth he will not give his word to men, since all teaching is vain. 60. like punishment our times will bring also upon germany. for we see the haste, the unrest, of satan, and his efforts to defraud whom he may of the word. how many sects has he roused during our lifetime, and this while we bent all our energies toward the maintenance of pure doctrine! what is in store after our death? surely, he will lead forth whole swarms of sacramentarians, anabaptists, antinomians, servetians, campanistans and other heretics who at present, conquered by the pure word and the constancy of faithful teachers, keep out of sight, but are ready for every opportunity to establish their doctrines. 61. those, therefore, who have the word in its purity, should learn to embrace the same, to thank god for it and to call upon him while he may be found. for when the spirit of knowledge is taken away, the spirit of prayer is also gone. zechariah says (zech 12, 10): for the spirit of prayer is joined to the spirit of grace. it is the spirit of grace which reproves our sins and gives instruction concerning their remission, which condemns idolatry and instructs concerning the true worship of god, which condemns avarice, lust and oppression, and teaches chastity, patience and charity. this spirit, god here threatens, shall no longer continue his work of instruction, since men refuse to hear and are incorrigible. the spirit of grace having been taken away, the spirit of prayer has also been taken away. for it is impossible for him to pray who is without the word. 62. accordingly, the office of a priest is twofold; first, that he turns to god and prays for himself and for his people; second, that he turns from god to men through instruction and the word. says samuel: "far be it from me that i should sin against jehovah in ceasing to pray for you: but i will instruct you in the good and the right way," 1 sam 12, 23. he is aware that this is his proper office. 63. therefore, the ministry is rightly praised and esteemed as the highest favor. when this has been lost or has been vitiated, not only prayer becomes impossible, but men are simply in the power of the devil, and do nothing but grieve the holy spirit with all their deeds, and thus fall into mortal sin, for which it is not lawful to pray. such other lapses as occur among men are trivial, for return is open and the hope of pardon is left. but when the holy spirit is grieved and men refuse to receive the witness and reproof of the holy spirit, the disease is desperate and incurable. 64. but how common is this sin today among all classes! princes, noblemen, inhabitants of city and country, refuse to be reproved; they rather reprove and sit in judgment upon the holy spirit in his servants. they judge of the office of the ministry by the lowliness of the person. they reason thus: this minister is poor and despised; why then should he reprove me, a prince, a nobleman, a magistrate? rather than endure this, they trample under foot the ministers, together with their office and their message. should we not, then, fear the judgment of god, such as he here announces to the old world? 65. these, therefore, are the words of a father who disinherits his son, or of a severe schoolmaster in wrath ejecting a pupil, when god simply fixes a hundred and twenty years as the time in which opportunity is granted for repentance. he threatens, should it not be improved, his spirit shall no longer reprove and strive. this word pertains properly to the office of the ministry and, in a certain sense, describes it. for every preacher or servant of the word is a man of strife and judgment, and is constrained, by reason of his office, to chide whatever is vicious, without considering the person or office of his hearer. when jeremiah does this zealously, he incurs not only hate but also the gravest dangers. he is moved even to impatience, so that he wishes he had never been born, jer 20, 14. 66. and if i had not been particularly strengthened by god, i should have been wearied and broken down ere this by the contumacy of an impenitent world; for the ungodly so grieve the holy spirit in us, that, with jeremiah, we wish often we had never made a beginning of anything. hence i often pray to god to let the present generation die with us, because, after our death, the most perilous times are to come. 67. for this reason elijah is called by ahab the godless king of israel, the disturber of israel; because he openly reproved the idolatry, violence and passions of his day. likewise we today are deemed the disturbers of germany. 68. but it is a good sign when men condemn us and call us authors of strife, for the spirit of god strives with men, reproves and condemns them. but men are so that they wish to be taught only what gives them pleasure, as they frankly admit in micah 2, 6-7: "prophesy not to us; for confusion has not seized us, says the house of jacob." the latter they use as an argument; because they look upon themselves as the house of jacob and the people of god, they decline chastening, and will not take to themselves penalties and threats. so today the pope and his accomplices plume themselves solely upon being the church, and declare that the church is incapable of error. but notice this text and it will appear how frivolous such an argument is. 69. are not those whom god threatens to no longer judge by his spirit likewise the sons of god? what can be more splendid than this name? beyond doubt they gloried in this name and rebelled against the patriarchs when they opposed, or at least despised, their preaching. for it does not seem likely that god should be thrown into a rage against the whole human race on account of a few sins. but the magnificent name did not save them, nor did it avail that they were strong and great in number. six hundred thousand marched out of egypt, and two only entered the land of canaan; all the others were prevented by death on account of their sins. 70. evidently god will in no way inquire about the magnificent titles of the church, pope and bishop. other testimony will be needed when they desire to escape the wrath of god than to boast of being the church. for it is written (mt 7, 20): "by their fruits ye shall know them." and verse 21: "not every one that saith unto me, lord, lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven." 71. if ever in the future a council shall be held--which i hardly believe--no one will be able to take from them the title of church, but propped up by this alone they will condemn and oppress us. different shall be the judgment, when the son of man shall come in his glory. then it shall appear that among the members of the holy church have been john huss and jerome of prague. the pope, however, and the cardinals, the bishops, doctors, monks and priestly mountebanks, shall appear as the church of evil-doers, enthroned in pestilence, and as veritable henchmen of satan, rendering aid to their father in his lying and murdering. 72. such judgment of god we see also here. he does not deny that the offspring of the saints are sons of god. this magnificent title in which they took pride and securely sinned, god leaves to them. and yet these very sons of god who took in marriage the daughters of men, he warns that he not only will take the word from their hearts and minds, but that he will take from their eyes and ears also the ministering spirit who preaches, prays, reproves, teaches and sighs in holy servants, and because they refuse to be chastened and reproved; knowing themselves to be the sons of god they despise the word and its teachers. but they do not escape punishment because of their name. the same shall likewise befall the papists and other enemies of the word. 73. in accordance with this i hold that the sentiments of pious men are here attributed to god himself, according to the usage of the holy scriptures; for instance in malachi 3, 8, where the lord says that he is pierced through, or, as the hebrew has it, that violence is done to him because the people were unfaithful in rendering to the priests the first-fruits and the tenth. 74. but why, you may say, should god need to complain thus? can he not when it pleases him suddenly destroy the whole world? he surely can, but does not do so gladly. he says: "i have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live," ezk 33, 11. such a disposition proves that god is inclined to pardon, to endure and to remit the sins of men, if only they will come to their senses; but inasmuch as they continue in obduracy, and reject all help, he is, as it were, tormented by this wickedness of men. 75. the words "and jehovah said," i attribute to the holy fathers, who testified through a public decree that god should be compelled to exercise vengeance, for they taught by divine authority. when noah and his ancestors had preached nearly a thousand years, and yet the world continued to degenerate more and more, they announced god's decision to an ungrateful world and disclosed this as his thought: why should i preach forever and permit my heralds to cry in vain? the more messengers i send, the longer i defer my wrath,--the worse they become. it is therefore necessary for preaching to cease, and for retribution to begin. i shall not permit my spirit, that is my word, to sit in judgment and to bear witness forever, and to tolerate man's wickedness. i am constrained to punish their sins. because man is flesh, he is opposed to me. he is earthly, i am spirit. man continues in his carnal state, mocks at the word, persecutes and hates my spirit in the patriarchs, and the story is told to deaf ears. hence it is necessary that i should cease and permit man to go his own way. this contrast he desires to indicate when he says: "for he is flesh." 76. noah, lamech and methuselah were very holy men, full of the holy spirit. accordingly they performed their office by teaching, admonishing, urging and entreating, in season and out of season; as paul says, 2 tim 4, 2. but they reproved flesh and did unprofitable labor, for the flesh would not yield to sound teaching. should i, says he, endure forever such contempt for my word? 77. this proclamation, therefore, contains a public complaint, made by the holy spirit through the holy patriarchs, noah, lamech, methuselah and others, whom god took away before the flood that they might not be spectators of so widely diffused wrath. all these, with one voice and mouth, admonished the giants and tyrants to repent, and added the threat that god would not endure forever such contempt of his word. 78. but the flesh remained true to its nature; they despised faithful exhortations in their presumption and carnal security, and the holy patriarchs they treated as men in dotage and as simpletons because of their threat that god would move in wrath even upon his church, namely, the heirs of the promise of the coming seed. 79. the added clause, "yet shall his days be a hundred and twenty years," jerome affirms must not be understood as referring to the years of human life, nor to the age of individual men; for it is certain that after the flood many exceeded the two hundredth year. if you refer it to the years allotted to individuals, the promise would be that individuals should complete so many years, which, however, is false. therefore he speaks of the time conceded to the world for repentance until the flood should arrive. 80. this interpretation agrees with what precedes. god shows that he is displeased with the perversity of men. he is full of solicitude and quite ready to forbear. against his will, so to speak, he permits the flood to rage. therefore, he decided upon a fixed and adequate time for them to come to their senses, and to escape punishment. all this time noah admonished men to repent, making it clear that god could not longer endure such wickedness, while he was yet so kind as to grant adequate time for repentance. 81. there is a beautiful cohesion between the words and their significance. a former proclamation threatens: i cannot endure longer contempt for my word; my preachers and priests attain nothing with their infinite labor except derision. nevertheless, as a father or good judge would gladly spare a son but is compelled by his wickedness to be severe, so, the lord says, i do not destroy gladly the human race. i shall grant them one hundred and twenty years in which they may come to themselves, and during which i shall exercise mercy. 82. horrible was the disaster, because neither the brothers nor the sisters of noah were saved. it was necessary that the most earnest warning should precede, that, perhaps, they might be called back to repentance. to the ninevites jonah announces destruction within forty days, and they repent and are saved. 83. it is clear, therefore, that the heedlessness of the old world was very great, inasmuch as in the one hundred and twenty years of grace it obstinately persisted in its lusts, even deriding its pontiff noah, the teacher of righteousness. 84. in our times, at the approach of the day of the lord, almost the same condition obtains; we exhort to penitence the papists and our noblemen; the inhabitants of city and country we admonish not to continue despising the word, since god will not leave this unavenged. but in vain we exert ourselves, as the scripture says. a few faithful folk are edified and these are, one by one, gathered away from the face of sin, and "no man layeth it to heart," as is spoken in isaiah 57, 1. but when god, in this way, has shaken out the wheat and gathered the grain in its place, what, think you, shall be the future of the chaff? nothing else but to be burned with inextinguishable fire, mt 13, 42. this shall be the lot of the world. 85. but the world does not understand how it can be that through the preaching of the gospel the wheat should be separated from the chaff, to be gathered into the barn, while the chaff, that is, the throng of unbelievers sunk in idolatry and darkness, shall be consigned to the fire. it is written: "in a day of salvation have i helped thee; and i will preserve thee," is 49, 8. those who will neglect this day of salvation, will find god as an avenger, for he will not do useless labor in threshing empty chaff. 86. but the world is flesh; it does not obey. yea, the nearer and more immediate the calamity, the more secure it is and the more readily it despises all faithful admonitions. though this offense provokes the righteous, we should, notwithstanding, conclude that god does not reprove in vain the world through his holy spirit, nor that the holy spirit in the righteous is grieved in vain. christ uses this as an example when he speaks of the wickedness and heedlessness of our age: "and as were the days of noah, so shall be the coming of the son of man," mt 24, 37. 87. it is to be observed here what has been an object of difficulty for jerome, that the flood came a hundred years after the birth of shem, ham and japheth, while here a hundred and twenty years are said to have been the time of the flood. b. noah and his preaching. 1. the time noah began to preach 87. 2. why the world took occasion to despise noah's preaching 88. * jerome's reckoning of the 120 years 89. 3. why noah married after living so long single, when the world was to be destroyed 90. 4. how and why noah was the prophet of prophets and his the greatest of prophecies 91. 5. his preaching disregarded not only by the cainites but by the sons of god 92. * to what end god's complaint of the first world should serve us 93. * when was the judgment of god announced 94. * the generation of the cainites. a. whether it still existed in the days of noah 95. b. why moses does not record the generations of the cainites and of their patriarchs 95. c. how the holy patriarchs warned their children against the cainites 96. d. how the cainites tormented the holy patriarchs 96. 6. why god raised up noah 97. 7. noah's faith exceptionally strong 97-98. 8. what impelled noah to continue his work, and not to turn to the world 99. 9. how noah's age was the wickedest and he had to oppose its wickedness all alone 100. * who of the patriarchs were still living in noah's time 100. 10. what trials noah had to experience 101. b. noah and his preaching. 87. but this passage shows that noah began preaching about the impending punishment of the deluge before his marriage, having hitherto led the life of a celibate. 88. consider, therefore, what pastime he offered to a wicked world in its fancied security. he predicts destruction to the whole world through the flood, nevertheless, he himself marries. why? was it not sufficient for him to perish alone, that he must join to himself a companion for the disaster? oh, foolish old man! surely if he believed the world was to perish by a deluge, he would rather perish alone than marry and take the trouble to beget children. but if he himself will be saved, why, so shall also we. in this manner they commenced to despise the preaching concerning the flood with the greater assurance because of the marriage of noah, ignorant of the counsel of god, who moves in a manner altogether unintelligible to the world. how absurd to promise abraham posterity through isaac, and yet to command isaac to be sacrificed! 89. the divine jerome argues against the view that god had fixed the time for the flood at a hundred and twenty years, but saw himself compelled, later, when wickedness had waxed strong, to shorten the time. 90. but we shall not make god a liar; we rather give it as our conviction that noah had hitherto preached, while in a state of celibacy, that the world was to be destroyed through the flood, and later, by a divine command, had taken a maid as a little branch, so to speak, from the race of women, and begotten three sons. below it is written that he had found grace with the lord; otherwise he who had refrained from marriage so long, might have continued to do so still longer. but god, in order to restrain his wrath, wants to leave a nursery for the human race; therefore, he commands marriage. this the wicked believe to be a sign that the world shall not perish; they live accordingly in security and despise the preacher, noah. but the counsel of god is different--to destroy the whole world and to leave through this righteous noah a nursery for the future world. 91. noah was, therefore, the greatest prophet; his equal the world has not had. first he teaches the longest time; then he gives instruction concerning a universal punishment coming upon the world, and even fixes the year of its advent. likewise christ prophesies concerning the last judgment, when all flesh shall perish. "but of that day," he says in mark 13, 32, "or that hour knoweth no one, ... but the father." jonah foretells punishment for the ninevites within forty days; jeremiah foretells seventy years of captivity; daniel, seventy weeks until the coming of christ. these are remarkable prophecies, in which time, place and person are accurately described. but this prophecy of noah surpasses all others, inasmuch as he foretells through the holy spirit that within a certain number of years the whole human race shall perish. he is worthy to be called the second adam and the head of the human race, through whose mouth god speaks and calls the whole world to repentance. 92. it is terrible, however, that his message was despised with such assurance that not only none of the cainites, but not even any one of adam's progeny underwent a change. therefore noah was compelled to witness the destruction of brothers, sisters, relatives and kindred without number, and all these made a mock of the pious old man and of his message as an old woman's tale. 93. this awful example is held up to us lest we persist in sin. for if god did not spare the primitive world, which was so magnificent--the very flower and youth of the world--and in which had lived so many pious men, but, as he says in psalm 81, 12, "gave them up unto their own hearts' lust," and cast them aside, as if they had no claim upon the promise made to the church--if he did this, how much less will he spare us who do not possess such prerogatives? 94. therefore, the decree cited in this passage that god would grant men a hundred and twenty years for repentance, was rendered and promulgated before noah had begotten children. 95. with reference to the generation of the cainites, no mention is made of their patriarchs at the time of the flood, nor does moses even deem them worthy of being named. previously he has brought down the generation of cain as far as lamech, but whether his sons or nephews lived at the time of noah is uncertain. this much is certain, that the offspring of cain existed to that time, and were so powerful as to mislead the very sons of god, since even the posterity of the holy patriarchs perished in the flood. 96. before this time the holy patriarchs--the rulers of the true church, as it were--admonished their families to beware of the accursed generation. but the cainites, incensed at being condemned, made the attempt to overturn the righteous with every kind of mischief; for the church of satan wars perpetually against the church of god. 97. therefore, as the righteous begin to waver and wickedness gains ground, god raises noah to exhort to repentance and to be for his descendants a perpetual example, whose faith and diligent, patient devotion to teaching, his offspring might admire and imitate. a great miracle is it and a case of illustrious faith, that noah, having heard through methuselah and lamech the decree that the world is to perish after a hundred and twenty years, through the flood, does not doubt its truth, and yet, when the hundred and twenty years have almost expired, marries and begets children. he might rather have thought: if the human race is to perish, why should i marry? why should i beget sons? if i have refrained these many years, i shall do so henceforth. but noah does not do this; rather, after making known god's purpose respecting the world's destruction, he obeys god, who calls him to matrimony, and believes god that, though the whole world may perish, yet he with his children shall be saved. an illustrious faith is this and worthy of our consideration. 98. there was in him first that general faith, in common with the patriarchs, concerning the seed which was to bruise the head of the serpent. he possessed also the singular virtue of holding fast to this faith in the midst of such a multitude of offenses, and not departing from jehovah. then, to this general faith he added the other, special faith, that he believed god as regards both the threatened destruction of the rest of the world and the salvation promised to noah himself and his sons. beyond a doubt, to this faith his grandfather methuselah and his father lamech earnestly incited him; for it was as difficult to so believe as it was for the virgin mary to believe that none but herself was to be the mother of the son of god. 99. this faith taught him to despise the presumption of the world which derided him as a man in his dotage. this faith prompted him diligently to continue the building of the ark, a work those giants probably ridiculed as extreme folly. this faith made noah strong to stand alone against the many evil examples of the world, and to despise most vehemently the united judgment of all others. 100. but almost unutterable and miraculous is this faith, burdened as it is with strange and most weighty obstacles, which the holy spirit shows in passing, without going into great detail, that we may be induced to meditate the more diligently upon its circumstances. consider first the great corruption of the age. while the church had before this time many and most holy patriarchs, it was now deprived of such rulers; adam, seth, enos, cainan, mahalalel, jared, enoch are all dead, and the number of patriarchs is reduced to three--methuselah, lamech and noah. these alone are left at the time the decree concerning the destruction of the world is published. these three are compelled to witness and suffer the incredible malice of men, their idolatry, blasphemy, violent acts, foul passions, until finally methuselah and lamech are also called out of this life. there noah was the only one to oppose the world rushing to destruction, and to make an effort to preserve righteousness and to repress unrighteousness. but far from meeting with success, he had to see even the sons of god lapse into wickedness. 101. this ruin and havoc of the church troubled the righteous man and all but broke his heart, as peter says of lot in sodom, 2 pet 2, 8. now, if lot was so distracted and vexed by the wickedness of one community, how must it have been with noah, against whom not only the generation of cain raged, but who was opposed also by the decadent generation of the patriarchs, and then even by his own father's house, his brothers, sisters, and the descendants of his uncles and aunts? for all these were corrupted and estranged from the faith by the daughters of men. as the text says, they "saw the daughters of men." iii. the sins of the ancient world in particular. a. the forbidden marriages entered into. 1. why this is said of the sons and not of the daughters of the holy patriarchs 102. 2. why were the holy fathers so emphatically forbidden to let their sons marry the ungodly 103-104. 3. how this was the beginning of all evils 105. * what evils have in all times come through woman 106. 4. the sins here sprang from despising the first table of the law 107-108. * the sins of the second table follow when the first table is not kept 108. 5. everything that is called sin is embraced in this sin 109-110. 6. how marriage with the children of the true church was despised 111. 7. their desire to marry thus resembled eve's desire to take the forbidden apple 112. 8. why the patriarchs' children took this step 113. 9. how these marriage alliances were formed 114-116. 10. berosus' testimony concerning these forbidden marriages 116. b. disorder in all branches of society 116-117. c. the tyranny exercised. 1. by the "giants" or tyrants. a. what is to be understood by tyrants 117. * the pope resembles the tyrants before the flood 118. b. the nature of these tyrants 119. c. why called nephilim 120-122. d. whether they received their name from their size or from their cruelty 123. * how the scriptures designate true rulers 123. e. these tyrants types of antichrist 123. f. they were raging, powerful and criminal characters 124. * of authorities. (1) how god wants us to honor the authorities though he terribly threatens them 125-126. (2) why god wants them to be honored, when he himself does not honor them 127. (3) godless rulers are god's swine and are rare birds in heaven 128. g. whether these tyrants were rulers and why god called them by such a shameful name 129. h. moses chose the word nephilim, which in his day designated a wicked people, to express the tyrants of the first world 130. 2. by "the mighty men." a. how jerome perverts this text 131. b. what is to be understood by "the mighty men that were of old" 131. * the meaning of "olam" 132. c. whence did they receive their power 133. d. why called "mighty men" 134. * the character of the true church 134. 3. by "the men of renown." a. why they were thus named 135. b. who they were 136. * they resembled the pope and bishops 136. c. lyra's false explanation of it refuted 137. * how antichrist is restrained from the world, and true doctrine maintained 137. d. the sin against the holy spirit 138. * that one sin follows another until man reaches the highest degree of sin 139. iii. the sins of the old world in particular. a. the forbidden marriages entered into. 102. but, i ask, why is not complaint made also of the men, or why are not the daughters of god included in this complaint? he says merely that they "saw the daughters of men." it was surely for this reason, that the holy generation of seth had received the peculiar injunction to beware of fellowship with the cainites, inasmuch as they had been excluded from the true church, and to mingle with them neither socially through marriage, nor ecclesiastically through worship, for the righteous should avoid every occasion of offense. 103. in prohibiting marriage with the cainites it was the chief purpose of the pious fathers to maintain their generation pure; for daughters bring into the houses of their husbands the views and manners of the fathers. thus, we read of solomon in the book of the kings that he was led astray through a woman who was a stranger; and thus jezebel introduced the wickedness of the syrians into the kingdom of israel. 104. the holy fathers saw the same would come to pass in their generation; therefore, after they were separated from the cainites through the divine command, they resolved that the sons of the holy generation should not marry the daughters of men. the daughters of the race of the righteous could more readily be restrained from marriage with the cainites, while the sons were independent and headstrong. 105. in this way moses wishes to show the trouble began from the time the sons of god joined themselves to the daughters of men, seeing that they were fair. the sons of men who were proud and strong and passionately given to pleasure, without doubt despised the plain maidens of the pious race who had been reared by the holy patriarchs not delicately, but simply and modestly, being arrayed in homely garb. there was hence no necessity of making a law also for the maidens, inasmuch as they were in any case neglected by the noble cainites. 106. if you study the history of nations you will find that women have been the occasion for the overthrow of the strongest kingdoms. well known is the disgrace of helen. the sacred writings demonstrate also that woman occasioned the fall of the whole human race. this, however, should be mentioned without reflection upon the sex, for we have a command, "honor thy father and thy mother," ex 20, 12. likewise, "husbands, love your wives," col 3, 19. it is true that eve was the first to pluck the apple; however, she first sinned by idolatry and fell from the faith, which faith, as long as it is in the heart, controls also the body; but when it has departed from the heart, the body serves sin. guilt is not peculiar to sex but to sin, which man has in common with woman. 107. thus moses gives an account of the prevailing unrighteousness and lust. but he gives the reader to understand that, before sin was committed against the second table of the law, the first had been violated, and the word of god treated with contempt. otherwise the sons of god would have obeyed the will of their pious parents forbidding marriage with those outside the church. 108. moses, therefore, concludes that, because the sons of god had forsaken the worship and word of god and departed from the precepts of their parents, thereupon to fall into sensuality and lust, and to take to wife whom they pleased, they also became violent and appropriated the goods of others. the world cannot do otherwise. when it has forsaken god, it worships the devil; when it has despised the word and fallen into idolatry, it rushes forth into all sins of passion, in which fierceness of anger and fierceness of desire by turns are aroused, and thus all the appetites are thrown into a state of the greatest disorder. when the righteous reprove this, the result is resentment and violence against them. 109. the sin of the flood, then, embraces everything that may be called sin, by the first as well as the second table. wicked men first depart from god through unbelief; then they disregard obedience to parents, and finally become murderers, adulterers, etc. 110. i mention this to the end that no one may believe that sex or the marriage estate in themselves are to blame. it is chiefly transgression of god's commandments and disobedience to parents which are condemned. owing to absence of fellowship between the cainites and the true church, pious parents desired also social separation from the cainites, for fear they might be perverted by the manners of ungodly wives. but god's command being neglected, and the authority of parents despised, the younger generation lapsed into the passions of concupiscence and vehemence. in this way the honor of sex and the dignity of matrimony are conserved: accusation is brought solely against the unrighteousness which first departs from god and then manifests itself in injuring the saints. 111. this is the teaching of the words: "the sons of god saw the daughters of men that they were fair." why did they not see the daughters of god and desire those in the church and possess the promise of the seed? are they not convicted of contempt for the sisters of their own generation, that is the true church, and of mingling with the carnal and impious generation of cain? they despise the simplicity and reserve of their sisters and prefer the smiles, the dress, the wiles of the daughters of cain; the latter they crave and cultivate, the former they treat either with neglect or dishonor. 112. with such eyes as eve viewed the apples when she fell into sin, the sons of god viewed the daughters of men. eve had seen the forbidden tree before that, but with eyes of faith looking back to god's commandment; for that reason she did not crave, but rather she fled from the same. when, however, the eyes of faith were dimmed and she beheld the tree solely with carnal eyes, she stretched out her hand with desire and invited also adam, her husband. 113. likewise the sons of the patriarchs had seen long before that the daughters of the cainites excelled in form, dress and elegance of manners. nevertheless, they did not mingle with them, for the eye of faith looked back to the commandment of god and to the promise of the seed to be born from the generation of the righteous. but the eyes of faith having been lost, they saw no longer either the command or the promise of god, but followed merely the desire of the flesh. the simple, good and virtuous girls of their own generation they despised; the cainites they married, seeing they were polished, charming and pleasant. 114. it is not a sin, therefore, that they marry, nor is the sex in itself condemned. condemnation lies in this, that with contempt of the divine commandment they marry unlawfully; that they permit themselves to be led astray by their wives from the true worship to the wicked worship of a false church; that, after the fashion of the cainites, they pay no heed to parental authority and become guilty of violence, oppression and other sins. moses clearly reveals their sin when he says: "they took them wives of all that they chose," as if he said: to marry a wife is not an evil but a blessing, if it be done lawfully. but they sinned in that they married without judgment, against the will and purpose of the parents, marrying whom and as many as they pleased, regardless of their own estate, whether married or single. 115. this is a stern word, by which moses characterizes it as a great sin that they arbitrarily married two wives or more, exchanged them, or snatched them from others, after the manner of herod, who possessed himself of his brother's wife. it is this unbridled reign of evil lust that moses discloses and condemns. 116. berosus writes that incestuous marriages also took place among them, so that they married even their mothers and sisters. but i doubt whether they were so wicked as that. it is a sin sufficiently grave that in marrying they dispensed with judgment, the authority of their parents and even with the word of god, following altogether the guidance of lust and desire. they took whom they pleased and whom they could, and by such license they brought chaos into domestic, public and churchly relations. b. disorder in all branches of society the sin of the primeval world was, therefore, an upheaval of all established order, inasmuch as the church was demoralized by idolatry and false modes of worship. this condition was aggravated by those oppressors who cruelly persecuted the righteous teachers and holy men. public discipline was destroyed by oppression and violent deeds, and domestic discipline by uncurbed lust. upon such overturning of piety and integrity followed universal depravity; men were not merely evil but plainly incorrigible. c. the tyranny exercised. v. 4a. _the nephilim_ (giants) _were in the earth in those days,_ 117. moses continues the description of the sin and offense which provoked the deluge. the first point was that the sons of god had fallen from the fear of god, and the word had become altogether carnal, perverting not only the church but also the state and home. now he adds that wickedness had grown to the extent of giants arising upon earth. he clearly states that there were born from the concubinage of the sons of god with the daughters of men, not sons of god, but giants; that is, bold men who arrogated to themselves at the same time both government and priesthood. 118. just so the pope arrogates to himself at the same time the spiritual and the temporal sword. this would not be the height of evil, if he would only make use of his power for the preservation of state and church; but the greatest sin is that he abuses his power for the establishment of idolatry, for a warfare against sound doctrine, and for purposes of oppression even in the state. when the papists are reproved with the word of god, they spurn such reproof, claiming that they are the church and incapable of error. this class of people moses calls "giants," men who arrogate to themselves power both political and ecclesiastical, and who sin most licentiously. 119. such men are described in the book of wisdom who say: "let unrighteousness be our law," 2, 11. also in psalms, 12, 4: "who have said, with our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?" again in psalm 73. "they scoff, and in wickedness utter oppression: they speak loftily," etc. such were the giants who withstood the holy spirit to his face, who, through the mouth of lamech, noah and the sons of noah, exhorted, implored, taught and reproved. 120. there are those who dispute the meaning of the noun nephilim and derive it from _naphal_, which signifies "to fall." they commonly take it in a passive sense, meaning that other men, seeing the uncouth forms and extraordinary size, fell down from fear. let the rabbis vouch for the correctness of this; it is ridiculous to call them "_nephilim_" because others fell. some, however, suggest the etymology that they were thus called because they had fallen from the common stature of men, and allege as proof-passage numbers 13, 33, from which it appears that giants possessed huge bodies like the anakim and rephaim. which of these are right, i do not decide, especially since it is certain that a theory of all words can not be given, nor their origin demonstrated. 121. but here another question obtrudes itself: why should those born from the sons of god and the daughters of men alone have differed from the ordinary stature of man? i have no other answer than that the text says nothing of stature in this place. in numbers 13, 33 it is said: "there we saw the giants, the sons of anak, who come of the giants: and we were in our sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight." there hugeness of body is shown, but not here; therefore they may be called giants for some other reason than massive stature. 122. to give my opinion of the word, i hold it is to be taken neither in the sense of the neuter nor of the passive, but of the active, inasmuch as the word "_naphal_" is often used in the sense of the active, though it does not belong to the third conjugation, in which almost all transitive verbs are found. thus in joshua 11, 7: "so joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of merom suddenly, and fell upon them." if the verb is construed as neuter, as if joshua and his men had fallen before the enemies, history will object; for the meaning is that they fell upon the enemies and suddenly overpowered them. 123. therefore, this passage and other, similar ones prompt me to understand "_nephilim_" to designate not bulk of body, but tyranny and oppression, inasmuch as they domineered by force, making no account of law and honor, but merely indulging their pleasure and desire. rightful rulers the scripture calls shepherds and princes, but those who rule by wrong and violence are rightly called "_nephilim_," because they fall and prey upon those beneath them. thus in psalm 10: "he croucheth and humbleth himself and _venaphal baa zumaf helkaim_ (falls with his strong ones upon the poor)". the holy spirit speaks there of the reign of the antichrist, whom he describes as raging so furiously as to crush what he can, and, at all events, to bend what he cannot crush, so that afterward he may suppress with all his strength what has been bent. for _baazuma_ can be indifferently rendered by "with his strength," or "with his strong ones." this power, he says, he uses only against those who are _hilkaim_, that is the poor, such as have previously been in some state of affliction. others who excel in power, he worships so as to draw them over to his side. 124. accordingly i interpret "giants" in this passage not as men of huge stature, as in numbers 13, 33, but as violent and oppressive; as the poets depict the cyclopeans, who fear neither god nor men, but follow only their desires, relying upon their strength and power. for the oppressors sit enthroned in majesty, sway empires and kingdoms, and arrogate to themselves even spiritual power, but use such power against the church and the word of god for the gratification of their lust. 125. observe here the strange counsel of god, commanding us to fear the authorities, to obey, serve and honor them, while at the same time the threats and dreadful reproofs which he administers are almost invariably directed against those in authority, against kings and princes, as if god proceeded against them with a peculiar hatred. scripture enjoins upon us to honor authority, but itself does not honor it; rather it destroys it with a threat of the gravest penalties. scripture enjoins us to fear authority, but itself appears to despise authorities, inasmuch as it does not commend but threatens. 126. does not mary earnestly declaim in her song against princes, luke 1, 51-53: "he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their heart. he hath put down princes from their thrones, and hath exalted them of low degree. the hungry he hath filled with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away"? if we believe this to be true, who would wish to be found among authorities, for whom so certain perdition is prepared and imminent? who would not prefer to live on a lowly plane and suffer hunger? the second psalm accuses the authorities of the gravest crime when it says that they place themselves with united strength and efforts in opposition to god and his anointed and render violence to his kingdom. "thou hast made of a city a heap, of a fortified city a ruin," is 25, 2. the whole bible abounds with like sentiments. 127. thus, the bible does not honor the authorities, but threatens them with danger, and drags them into manifest contempt; and still with consummate care it commands us to reverence and fear them, and to render them all manner of service. why is this? surely because god himself desires to punish them, and has reserved vengeance for himself instead of surrendering it to their subjects. jeremiah argues in chapter 12, 1, concerning the prosperity of the way of the ungodly, and yet the lord is righteous. but he concludes: "thou, o lord, fattenest them and preparest them for the sacrifice." 128. so might it be said that the authorities are god's swine, as it were; he fattens them, gives them wealth, power, fame and the obedience of their subjects. they are not pursued, while they themselves pursue and oppress others; they suffer no injury, but they inflict it upon others; they do not give to others, but rob them until the hour comes when, like fattened swine, they are slaughtered. hence the german proverb: a prince is a rare bird in the kingdom of heaven or, princes are wild game in heaven. 129. accordingly, those whom moses calls here "_nephilim_," which is an odious and disgraceful name, were without doubt the lawful administrators of church and state. but because they did not use their office as they should, god marks and brands them with this opprobious name. as we, in this corrupt state of nature, are unable to use the least gift without pride, so god, most intolerant of pride, thrusts the mighty from their throne, and leaves the rich empty. 130. i accept, then, the word "_nephilim_" as having an active signification, being equivalent to tyrants, oppressors, revelers. i believe, furthermore, as has been the case with other languages also, that moses has transferred the usage of this word from his own times to those before the deluge, after changing somewhat its meaning, inasmuch as these degenerate descendants of the sons of god abused their power and position for the oppression of the good, just as those anakim were tyrants relying upon bodily strength, and so moses will presently show. v. 4b. _and also after that, when the sons of god came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them; the same were the men that were of old, the men of renown._ 131. jerome[1] renders: _isti sunt potentes a seculo_ (these are mighty men from the beginning). but the word _seculum_ (olam) does not here signify duration of time, nor does it predicate extent. these giants did not exist from the beginning, they were not born until the sons of god had degenerated. but _seculum_ (olam) connotes a second predicate, that of substance, so that moses explains the nature of the power in which they trusted to have been secular or worldly. they despised the ministry of the word as a vile office; therefore they seized upon another office, a secular one. the very same thing our papists have done. it has pleased them better to hold ample revenues and worldly kingdoms than to be hated of all men for the sake of the gospel. [footnote 1: so also the a. v. and the r. v., while luther has by no means the philological science against him. mundus, seculum, aion, and olam are used to express the same conception. translator.] 132. as far as moses is concerned, the noun _olam_ designates the world itself, and also age or time. hence it is to be carefully noted when _olam_ (_seculum_) signifies duration of time, and when it signifies "world" in the scriptures. here it signifies of necessity "world," for they did not exist from the beginning. 133. this clause, then, aptly describes the power they had received, not from the church, nor from the holy spirit, but from the devil and the world. it is, as it were, the counterpart of what christ says before pontius pilate, john 18, 36: "my kingdom is not of this world." the servants of the word struggle with hunger, and they labor under the hate of all classes. in consequence, they cannot exercise tyranny; but those who possess kingdoms, who govern states, who possess castles and domains, are equipped for exercising tyranny. 134. this clause contains also a suggestive reference to the small church with her few souls. these are cross-bearers without wealth; but they possess the word. their only wealth is what the world despises and persecutes. the nephilim, on the other hand, or giants, usurp as the descendants of the patriarchs the splendid name of the church, and possess also kingdoms. they exercise dominion, and pursue the miserable church in their power. in accordance therewith moses calls them mighty before, or in, the world; or worldlings and temporal potentates. 135. what jerome renders _viri famosi_ (famous men) is, in hebrew, "men of name," that is, renowned or famous in the world. moses touches here also upon the sin of the cyclopeans, who, possessing everything in the world, possessed also a famous name and were renowned throughout the world; while, on the contrary, the true sons of god, namely noah and his sons, were held in the greatest scorn and regarded as heretics, as sons of the devil, as a blot upon the grandeur of church and state. so is it now with us. christ testifies in matthew 24, 37, that the last times resemble the times of noah. 136. moses had before testified that the holy spirit would be taken from the wicked and they would be sent in the ways of their own desire. they were, accordingly, such rascals as the pope today with his cardinals and bishops, who are not only styled princes and possess kingdoms, but also take to themselves the name of church, so as to subject us as heretics to the ban, and securely to condemn us. they do not permit themselves to be called tyrants, nor wicked, nor temple-robbers. they wish to be styled most kind, holy and reverend gentlemen. 137. the meaning, therefore, is not that which lyra follows when he understands "famous" as "notorious." as the world does not call the pope antichrist, but ascribes to him the name of the greatest saint and admires him as if he and his carnal creatures were filled with the holy spirit and incapable of error, and therefore humbly worships whatever he commands or advises--exactly so those giants had a noble name and were held in admiration by the whole world. on the contrary, noah with his followers was condemned as a rebel, as a heretic, as a traducer of the dignity of state and church. so today do bishops regard us who profess the gospel. d. the sin against the holy spirit. 138. this passage furnishes a description of the sins with which that age was burdened: men were averse to the word; they were given over to their own lusts and reprobate minds; they sinned against the holy spirit by persistent impenitence, by defending their ungodly behavior and by warring upon the recognized truth. yet with all these blasphemies they retained the name and authority, not only of the state, but also of the church, as if god had exalted them to the place of the angels. when this was the state of things, and noah and lamech with their pious ancestor methuselah taught in vain, god turned them over to the desires of their hearts (ps 81, 12) and maintained silence until they should experience the flood, the prophecy of which they refused to believe. 139. this is falling away from god and church and entering upon illicit marriage. one sin, unless corrected at once, will lead to another, and so on indefinitely until the state is reached which solomon describes in proverbs 18, 3, "when the wicked cometh, there cometh also contempt, and with ignominy cometh reproach." they who thus sin, even if afterward rebuked, do not heed. they imagine they stand in need of no instructor, and think they represent a just cause. they do not believe in a life after this, or even hope for salvation, while living in open sin. notwithstanding, scorn and shame shall overwhelm them. it was this persistent impenitence and consummate contempt for the word that impelled god to visit all flesh with a universal flood. iv. god's repentance and grief that he made man. a. the repentance of god. 1. the words, "the wickedness of man was great." a. how luther used these words against the doctrine of free will; how the advocates of free will falsely interpreted them, and how they are refuted 140-141. * concerning free will. (1) augustine's doctrine of free will misinterpreted by the schools 140. (2) the schools unreasonably defend it 141. (3) man has no free will and without the grace of the holy spirit can do nothing 142-143. (4) the reproving office of the holy spirit makes it clear that man has no free will 144. (5) whether there is hope, if a council be held, that the papists will abandon their false doctrine of free will 145. (6) how the true doctrine of free will leads us to a knowledge of sin and what we are to hold in reference to it 146. (7) why we should guard against the false doctrine concerning free will 147. * the comfort for one who commits sins of infirmities 147. * all endeavors without the holy spirit are evil 148. (8) we are to distinguish in the doctrine of free will what is good politically from what is good theologically 149-150. b. these words are wrongly understood by the jews and sophists 151. * how we should view the discussions of philosophers in regard to god and divine things 152. c. these words should be understood as spoken not only of the people before the flood, but of all men 153. 2. the words, "it repented jehovah." a. how the repentance of god is to be reconciled with the wisdom and omniscience of god. (1) the way sophists answer this question 154. (2) luther's answer 155-157. * how man should treat questions which lead us into the throne of the divine majesty 158. * how the passages of scripture are to be understood which attribute to god the members of a human body 159. * whether the anthropomorphites were justly condemned 159. * why god is represented to us as if he sprang from the temporal and the visible 161-163. * we cannot explore god's nature 163. * in what pictures god reveals himself in the old testament, and in the new 164. * the will of god in signs and the will of god's good pleasure, "signs" and "beneplaciti." (a) how we can know god's will in signs 165-166. (b) why we cannot know the will of god's pleasure, nor fathom it 165-166. (c) what is really to be understood by the will in signs 167. b. the way the schools explain these words 168. c. how they are to be rightly understood 169. * disputing about god's majesty and omnipotence places man in a dangerous position 169-171. * how man should hold to the signs by which god revealed himself 171. * what the will of god's pleasure is, to what it serves and how it is revealed in christ 172-176. * the will of good pleasure of which the fathers speak cannot comfort the heart 175. * the only view of the godhead possible in this life 176. d. in what sense it can be said that "it repented jehovah that he had made man" 177. iv. the repentance and grief of god because he had made man. a. the repentance of god. vs. 5-6. _and jehovah saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. and it repented jehovah that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart._ 140. this is the passage which we have used against "free will," of which augustine writes that without the grace of the holy spirit it can do nothing but sin. the scholastics, however, the champions of free will, are not only hard beset by this clear passage, but also by the authority of augustine, and they sweat. of augustine they say that his language is hyperbolical, as basil writes of one who in refuting the other side had gone too far, that he did like the farmers; they when trying to straighten out crooked branches bend them a little too far on the other side; and so augustine, in beating back the pelagians, is asserted to have spoken more severely against free will in the defense of grace than the merits of the case warranted. 141. as far as this passage is concerned, it is slandered when it is held that it speaks only of the evil generation before the flood, and that now men are better, at least some who make good use of their freedom of will. such wretched interpreters do not see that the passage speaks of the human heart in general, and that a particle is plainly added, _rak_, which signifies "only." in the third place, they fail to see that after the flood the same declaration is repeated in the eighth chapter in almost precisely the same terms. for god says, "the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth," gen 8, 21. here evidently he does not speak only of the antediluvians. he rather speaks of those to whom he makes the promise that henceforth another general flood of water shall never come, that is, of all the offspring of noah. these are words of universal application: "the imagination of man's heart is evil." 142. we draw, therefore, the general conclusion that man without the holy spirit and without grace can do nothing but sin, and thus he unhaltingly goes forward from sin to sin. when in addition, he will not endure sound doctrine but rejects the word of salvation and resists the holy spirit, he becomes an enemy of god, blasphemes the holy spirit and simply follows the evil desires of his heart. witnesses of this are the examples of the prophets, christ and the apostles, the primeval world under noah as teacher, and also the example of our adversaries today, who cannot be convinced by anything that they are in error, that they sin, that their worship is ungodly. 143. other declarations of holy scripture prove the same thing. is not the statement of the fourteenth psalm, verse 3, sweeping enough when it says: "jehovah looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there was any that did understand, and did seek after god. they are all gone aside?" thus, ps 116, 11, "all men are liars;" and paul, "god hath shut up all unto disobedience," rom 11, 32. these passages are most sweeping, and emphatically force the conclusion that we all, without the holy spirit, whose dispenser is christ, can do nothing but err and sin. therefore, christ says in the gospel, "i am the vine, ye are the branches: ... apart from me ye can do nothing," jn 15, 5. without me you are a branch cut off, dry, dead and ready for the burning. 144. and the very reason the holy spirit performs the office of reproving the world is that he may call the world back to penitence and the recognition of its derangement. but the world remains consistent with itself; it hears not and believes it can please god with forms of worship of its own choosing and without the sanction of the divine word, and does not permit itself to be undeceived. 145. if ever a council should be held, the final declaration and conclusion with reference to this very point, the freedom of will, will be that we should abide by the decisions of the pope and the fathers. we may clamor until we are hoarse that man in himself without the holy spirit is evil, that everything he does without the holy spirit or without faith is condemned before god, that his heart is depraved and all his thought; we shall effect nothing. 146. therefore, the mind is to be grounded in this, and we are to hold fast the doctrine which lays before us our sin and condemnation. this knowledge of our sin is the beginning of salvation; we must absolutely despair of ourselves and give glory for righteousness to god alone. why does paul elsewhere complain, and in romans 7, 18 freely confess that there is nothing good in him? he says plainly, "in my flesh;" so that we understand that the holy spirit alone can heal our infirmity. when this has been fixed in our hearts, the foundation of our salvation is largely laid, inasmuch as subsequently clear testimonies are given that god will not cast away the sinner, that is, one who recognizes his sin and desires to come to his senses and thirsts after righteousness and the remission of sin through christ. 147. let us, therefore, take care not to be found among those cyclopeans who oppose the word of god and proclaim their freedom of will and their own powers. though we often err, though we fall and sin, still, upon yielding to reproof on the part of the holy spirit with an humble confession of our depravity, the holy spirit himself will be present, and not only not impute to us the sin we acknowledge, but the grace of christ shall cover it and he will shower upon us other gifts necessary to this life as well as the future one. 148. but the words of moses are to be more closely considered, for with a definite purpose he has used here a peculiar expression; he has not merely said, "the thoughts of man's heart are evil," but "the imagination of the thoughts of his heart." thus he expresses the highest that man can achieve with his thoughts or with his reason and free will. "imagination" he calls that which man with his strongest effort devises, selects, creates like a potter, and believes to be most beautiful. but such imagination is evil, he says, and that not once, but always. for our reason without the holy spirit is altogether without knowledge of god. now, to be without knowledge of god means to be entirely base, to dwell in darkness and to deem that very good which, in reality, is very bad. 149. but when i speak of good, i do so from the standpoint of theology, for we must distinguish between the theological and the civil standpoints. god approves also the rule of the ungodly; he honors and rewards virtue also among the ungodly: but only in regard to the things of this life and in things grasped by a reason which is upright from the civil standpoint; whereas the future life is not embraced in such reward. his approval is not with regard to the future life. 150. when we dispute about the freedom of the will, the question with us is what it may do from the theological standpoint, not in civil affairs and in those subjects to reason. we believe that man, without the holy spirit, is altogether corrupt before god, though he may stand adorned with all heathen virtues, inasmuch as there are certainly distinguished examples of moderation, of liberality, of love of country, parents and children, of courage and humanity, even in the history of the gentiles. we maintain that man's best thoughts concerning god, the worship of god, the will of god, are worse than cimmerian darkness; for the light of reason, which has been given to man alone, understands only bodily blessings. such is the wicked infatuation of our evil desires. 151. this declaration, therefore, should not be construed frivolously, as the jews and sophists do, who believe that the lower part of man only is here meant, which is bestial, and that the reason longs for better things. "the imagination of the thoughts" they apply accordingly to the second table, like the pharisee who condemns the publican and says that he is not like the other persons. the words the pharisee uses are very fine, for to give thanks to god for his gifts is not a sin; and yet we declare this same thing to be ungodly and wicked, because it proceeded from gross ignorance of god, and it is truly prayer turned into sin, tending neither to the glory of god nor to the welfare of men. 152. you may observe that philosophers have at various times quite cleverly discussed god and the providence with which he rules all things. to some, such words have seemed so pious that they almost have placed socrates, xenophon and plato in the same rank with the prophets; yet, because in these discussions the philosophers are ignorant of the fact that god has sent his only son into the world to save sinners, these beautiful utterances are, according to the declaration of this passage, consummate ignorance of god and mere blasphemies, for the passage states unequivocally that all imagination and effort of the human heart is only evil. 153. the text speaks, accordingly, not only of the sins before the flood, but it speaks of the whole nature of man, his heart, his reason and his intellect, even when man pretends to righteousness and desires to be very holy, as do today the anabaptists when they purpose in their heart so to excel as to fail in nothing, when for a show they attempt to attain the fairest virtues. the truth is that hearts without the holy spirit are not only ignorant of god, but naturally even hate him. how, then, can anything be aught but evil that proceeds from ignorance and hatred of god? 154. another question is here raised. moses speaks thus: "when jehovah saw that every imagination of the thoughts of man's heart was only evil continually, it repented him that he had made man on the earth." if god foresees everything, why does the text say that he now first sees? if god is wise, how can regret for having created anything befall him? why did he not see this sin or depraved nature of man from the beginning of the world? why does scripture thus attribute to god such things as a temporary will, vision and purpose? are not the purposes of god eternal and unalterable, incapable of being regretted? similar instances are found also in the prophets, where god threatens penalties, as for instance to the ninevites, and yet pardons the penitent. to this question the sophists have no other reply than this, that the scripture speaks after the manner of men, that such things are ascribed to god accordingly through the use of a figure of speech. hence they contend concerning a double will of god, the will expressed by signs (_voluntas signi_) and the will of his good pleasure (_voluntas beneplaciti_). the will of his good pleasure, they say, is constant and unchangeable, while the expressed will is subject to change. for the signs through which he expresses himself, he changes when he pleases. thus he has abolished circumcision and instituted baptism, whereas the will of his good pleasure, fixed from eternity, abides. 155. while i do not condemn this interpretation, a simpler meaning of the scripture seems to be that the holy scriptures express the thought of men in the ministry. for when moses says that god sees and regrets, this is really done in the hearts of those who have the ministry of the word. thus he said above: "my spirit shall not strive with man," but he does not say this simply of the holy spirit as existing in his own nature, or of the divine majesty, but of the holy spirit in the hearts of noah and methuselah, that is, the holy spirit as officiating and administering the word through the saints. 156. in this manner god saw the wickedness of man and repented; that is, noah, who had the holy spirit and was a minister of the word, saw the wickedness of men and, seeing such things, he was moved by the holy spirit to grief. so paul says in ephesians 4, 30, that the holy spirit in the righteous is grieved by the ungodliness and malice of the wicked. inasmuch as noah is a faithful minister of the word and an organ of the holy spirit, the holy spirit is said to grieve when noah grieves and wishes that man rather did not exist than to be thus iniquitous. 157. the meaning, therefore, is not that god did not see these things from eternity; he saw everything from eternity; but inasmuch as this wickedness now manifests itself in all its fierceness, god now first reveals the same in the hearts of his ministers and prophets. from eternity, therefore, god is firm and constant in his purpose. he sees and knows everything. but only in his own time does god reveal this to the righteous so that they, also, may see it. this seems to me the simplest meaning of this passage, nor does augustine differ from it much. 158. however, i constantly follow the rule to avoid, whenever possible, such questions as draw us before the throne of the highest majesty. it is better and safer to stand at the manger of christ, the man. to lose one's self in the labyrinths of divinity is fraught with greatest danger. 159. to this passage belong also other similar ones in which god is pictured as having eyes, ears, mouth, nose, hands and feet, as isaiah, daniel and other prophets saw him in their visions. in such passages the bible speaks of god in the same manner as of a man. in consequence, the anthropomorphites stood condemned of heresy because they attributed to the divine essence a human form. 160. because the anthropomorphites fancied such gross things, they have rightly been condemned. their fancy is manifestly erroneous, for a spirit, as christ says (lk 24, 39), has not flesh and bone. i am rather of the opinion that the anthropomorphites intended to adapt the form of their doctrine to the plainest people. for in his substance, god is unknowable, indefinable, inexpressible, though we may tear ourselves to pieces in our efforts to discern or portray him. 161. hence, god himself condescends to the low plane of our understanding and presents himself to us with childlike simplicity in representations, as in a guise, so that he may be made known to us in some way. thus the holy spirit appeared in the form of a dove; not because he is a dove, but in this crude form he desired to be recognized, received and worshiped, for it was really the holy spirit. no one, to be sure, will say that the same passage defines god as a voice speaking from heaven, yet under this crude image, a human voice from heaven, he was received and worshiped. 162. when scripture thus ascribes to god human form, voice, actions and state of mind, it is intended as an aid only for the uncultivated and feeble; we who are great and learned and of discernment in reference to scripture, should likewise lay hold of these representations, because god has put them forth and revealed himself to us through them. the angels likewise, appear in human form, though it is certain that they are only spirits; spirits we cannot recognize when they present themselves as such, but likenesses we do recognize. 163. this is the simplest way of treating such passages, for the nature of god we cannot define; what he is not we can well define--he is not a voice, a dove, water, bread, wine. and yet in these visible forms he presents himself to us and deals with us. these forms he shows to us that we should not become wandering and unsettled spirits which dispute concerning god, but are completely ignorant concerning him, since in his unveiled majesty he can not be apprehended. he sees it to be impossible for us to know him in his own nature. for he lives, as the scripture says in 1 timothy 6, 16, in an inaccessible light, and what we can apprehend and understand he has declared. they who abide in these things will truly lay hold of him, while those who vaunt and follow visions, revelations and illuminations will either be overwhelmed by his majesty or remain in densest ignorance of god. 164. thus the jews also had their representations in which god manifested himself to them, as the mercy-seat, the ark of the covenant, the tabernacle, the pillars of smoke and fire. god says in exodus 33, 20, "man shall not see me and live," therefore he gives a representation of himself in which he so manifests himself to us that we may lay hold of him. in the new covenant we have baptism, the lord's supper, absolution and the ministry of the word. 165. these are what the scholastics call _voluntas signi_, the will expressed through signs, which we must view when we desire to know the will of god. another is the _voluntas beneplaciti_, the will of his good pleasure, the essential will of god, or his unveiled majesty, which is god himself. from this our eyes are to be turned away. it cannot be laid hold of; for in god is nothing but divinity, and the essence of god is his infinite wisdom and almighty power. these are absolutely inaccessible to reason: what he has willed according to the will of his good pleasure, that he has seen from eternity. 166. into this essential and divine will we should not pry, but should absolutely refrain from it as from the divine majesty, for it is inscrutable, and god has had no desire to declare it in this life. he desires to show it under certain tokens or coverings, as baptism, the word and the lord's supper. these are the images of the deity and are his will as expressed through signs, by which he deals with us on the plane of our intelligence. hence, we should look to these alone. the will of his good pleasure is to be left entirely out of contemplation, unless you happen to be moses, or david, or some similarly perfect man, although even they so looked to the will of the divine good pleasure as never to turn their eyes from the will expressed by signs. 167. this will of god is called his activity (_effectus dei_), wherein he comes out to us and deals with us garbed in the drapery of things extraneous to himself; these we can lay hold of--the word of god and the ceremonies instituted by himself. this will of god is not that of his omnipotence, for though god in the ten commandments enjoins what ought to be done it is yet not done. thus, christ has instituted the lord's supper to strengthen in us faith in his mercy, and yet many receive it to their condemnation, that is, without faith. 168. but i return to moses. he says that god sees man's wickedness and repents. the scholastics explain this: he sees and repents, namely, according to the expressed will, not that of his good pleasure, or the essential will. 169. we say that noah's heart is moved by the holy spirit to understand that god is wroth with man and desires his destruction. this interpretation commends itself to our intelligence and does not draw us into discussions concerning the absolute will or majesty of god, which are very dangerous, as i have seen in many. such spirits are first puffed up by the devil so that they believe themselves to be in possession of the holy spirit, neglect the word to the point of blaspheming it and vaunt nothing but the spirit and visions. 170. this is the first degree of error--that men, paying no heed to the deity as imaged and incarnate, seek after the unveiled god. afterward, when the hour of judgment comes, and they feel the wrath of god, god himself judging and searching their hearts, the devil ceases to puff them up and they despair and die. they go about in the untempered sunlight and forsake the shade that delivers from the heat, is 4, 6. 171. let no one therefore meditate upon divinity unveiled, but flee from such thoughts as from the infernal regions and the very temptations of satan. but let us take care to abide in these symbols through which god has revealed himself to us--the son, born of the virgin mary, lying among beasts in the manger, and the word, baptism, the lord's supper and absolution. in these images we see and find god in a way wherein we can endure him; he comforts us, lifts us up into hope and saves. other thoughts about the will of the good pleasure, or the essential and eternal will, kill and damn. 172. however, to name this the will of "good pleasure" is a misnomer. for that deserves to be called the will of good pleasure which the gospel discloses, concerning which paul says, "that ye may prove what is the good will of god," rom 12, 2. and christ says, "this is the will of my father, that every one that beholdeth the son should have eternal life," jn 6, 40. also, "whosoever shall do the will of my father who is in heaven, he is my brother," mt 12, 50. again, "this is my beloved son, in whom i am well pleased," mt 3, 17. this will of grace is correctly and properly called the will "of the divine good pleasure" and it is our only remedy and safeguard against that other will, be it called the "expressed will" or the "will of good pleasure," about the display of which at the flood and the destruction of sodom the scholastics dispute. 173. on both occasions a terrible wrath is in evidence, against which no soul could find protection, except in that gracious will, keeping in mind that the son of god was sent into the flesh to deliver us from sin, death and the power of the devil. 174. this will of the divine good pleasure has been determined from eternity, and revealed and published in christ. it is a quickening, gracious and lovable will, and consequently it alone merits to be called "the will of good pleasure." but the good fathers almost pass the promises by; they do not press them, though they could properly be called "the will of the good pleasure." 175. therefore, as they enjoin looking to the will expressed by signs, they do well, but this is in no wise sufficient; when we consider the ten commandments, are we not frightened by the sight of our sins? when those terrible examples of wrath are added which are also divine will as expressed by signs, it is impossible for the soul to be lifted up except by looking back to the will of the good pleasure, as we call it, that is, the son of god, who portrays for us the spirit and the will of his father, who does not hate sinners but desires to have compassion upon them through his son. christ says to philip, "he that hath seen me hath seen the father," jn 14, 9. 176. the son of god, therefore, who became incarnate, is that sign or veil of god in which the divine majesty with all its gifts so offers itself to us that no sinner is so wretched but he dare approach him in certain confidence of obtaining forgiveness. this is the only vision of deity which in this life is expedient and possible. however, those who have died in this faith shall on the last day be so illumined by power from on high as to behold the majesty itself. in the meantime, it behooves us to approach the father through the way, which is christ himself. he will lead us safely and we shall not be deceived. 177. the additional statement of the text, "it repented jehovah that he had made man on the earth," i believe to be meant to bring out the antithesis, that god has in mind not the earthly man, who is subject to sin and death, but the heavenly man, who is lord over them. he expresses his love for the latter, while he hates the former and plans his destruction. b. the grief of god. 1. this is not to be understood of the divine nature, but of the hearts of the patriarchs 178-179. 2. abraham, samuel and christ grieved in like manner 180. 3. by whom such grief is awakened in the heart 181. 4. the cause of this grief 182. * the character of the children of god and of the world in the face of the approaching calamity 183-184. * how the patriarchs and the church were walls of defense 185. 5. what made the grief of the holy patriarchs greater 185. 6. moses describes this grief very carefully 186. * how we see the grief of god in his saints 187. * how all is ruined on account of sin 187. * why noah did not dare to reveal the great wrath of god to the world 188. * what prevents the world from believing god's threatenings 188-189. * to whom god's promises do and do not apply 190. * why the old world did not believe the threat of the deluge 191. * the fate of true doctrine in our day is the same as it was in noah's 192. b. the grief of god. v. 6b. _and it grieved him at his heart._ 178. such was the regret of god that he was pained in his heart. the word here is _azab_, which was used before when he said (gen 3, 16), "in pain shalt thou bring forth children"; also in psalm 127, 2, "the bread of toil." this expression must be understood according to the usage of scripture. we must not think that god has a heart or that he can suffer pain, but when the spirit of noah, lamech or methuselah is grieved, god himself is said to be grieved. we may understand such grief not of his divine nature, but of his conduct. noah, with his father and grandfather, feels in his heart, through a revelation of the holy spirit, that god hates the world because of sin and desires its destruction; therefore they are grieved by this impenitence. 179. this is the simple and true meaning. if you refer these words to the will of the divine essence and hold that god has resolved this from eternity, a perilous argument is employed to which are equal only men who are spiritual and tested by trial, like paul, for instance, who has ventured to argue concerning predestination. let us take our stand on an humbler plane, one less open to danger, and hold that noah and the other fathers were most grievously pained when the spirit disclosed to them such wrath. these inexpressible groanings of the best of men are accordingly attributed to god himself, because they emanate from his spirit. 180. an example of such groanings we see later in the case of abraham, who interposed himself like a wall in behalf of the safety of the sodomites and did not abandon the cause until they came down to five righteous ones. without a doubt the holy spirit filled the breast of abraham with infinite and frequent groanings in his attempts to effect the salvation of the wretched. likewise samuel--what does he not do for saul? he cries and implores with such vehemence that god is compelled to restrain him: "how long wilt thou mourn for saul, seeing i have rejected him from being king over israel?" 1 sam 16, 1. so christ, foreseeing the destruction of jerusalem within a few years by reason of its sins, is most violently moved and pained in his soul. 181. such promptings the spirit of prayer arouses in pious souls. present everywhere, he is moved by the adversities of others, teaches, informs, spares no pains, prays, complains, groans. thus moses and paul are willing to be accursed for the sake of their people. 182. in this manner noah, the most holy man, and his father and grandfather are consumed with pain at the sight of such terrible wrath of god. he is not delighted at this overthrow of the whole human race, but is filled with anxiety and the most grievous pain, while at the same time the sons of men live in the greatest security, mocking, boasting and taunting. thus psalms 109, 4, "for my love they are my adversaries: but i give myself unto prayer." thus paul, "i tell you even weeping." phil 3, 18. and what else could holy men do but weep when the world would in no wise permit itself to be corrected? 183. it is always the appearance of the true church that she not only suffers, not only is humiliated and trampled under foot, but also prays for her tormentors, is seriously disturbed by their dangers; on the contrary, others play and frolic in proportion as they approach their doom. but when the hour of judgment comes, god in turn closes his ears so completely that he does not even hear his own beloved children as they pray and intercede for the wicked. so ezekiel laments that no one is found who will stand for israel as a protecting wall, saying that this is the office of the prophets, ezek 13, 5. 184. it is impossible for the ungodly to pray; let no one, therefore, entertain the hope concerning the papists, our adversaries, that they pray. we pray for them and plant ourselves like a wall against the wrath of god and, without doubt, it is by our tears and groanings that they are saved, if, perchance, they will repent. 185. it is a terrible example, that god has spared not the first world, for which noah, lamech and methuselah set themselves like a wall. what, then, shall we expect where such walls do not exist, where there is no church at all? the church is always a wall against the wrath of god. she feels pain, is tormented in her soul, prays, intercedes, instructs, teaches, exhorts, as long as the judgment hour is not here but coming. when she sees these ministrations to be unavailing, what else can she do but feel grievous pain at the destruction of the impenitent? the pain of the godly fathers was augmented by the sight of so many relatives and kindred at one time going to destruction. 186. this pain moses could not express in a better and more graphic description than to say that god repented of having made man. before, when he describes man's nature as having been formed in god's image, he says that god beheld all that he had made and it was very good. god, then, is delighted with his creatures and has joy in them. here he absolutely alters that statement by one altogether at variance with it--that god is grieved at heart and even repents of having created man. 187. it was noah and the other fathers who felt this through the revelation of the holy spirit; otherwise, they would have shared those thoughts of joy and would have judged according to the earlier prophecy that god had delight in all his works. never would they have thought that the wrath of god was such as to destroy not only the whole human race, but also all living flesh of sky and earth, which surely had not offended, yea, the very earth also; for the earth, because of man's sin, had not retained after the flood its pristine excellence. some have written, as lyra reminds us, that by the flood the surface of the earth was washed away three hands deep. certain it is that paradise has been utterly destroyed through the flood. therefore, we possess today an earth more deeply cursed than before the flood and after the fall of adam; though the state of the earth after the fall could not compare with the grandeur of its primeval state before sin. 188. these disasters, therefore, the holy fathers saw through the revelation of the holy spirit a hundred and twenty years before. but such was the wickedness of the world that it put the holy spirit to silence. noah could not venture to reveal such threats without risk of the gravest dangers. with his father and grandfather, with his children and wife, he would discuss this great wrath of god. the sons of men, however, had no more inclination to hear these things than the papists today have to hear themselves called the church of satan and not of christ. accordingly, they would vaunt their ancestors and over against noah's proclamations they would plead the promise of the seed, believing it to be impossible for god, in this manner, to destroy all mankind. 189. for the same reason, the jews did not believe the prophets nor even christ himself when called to repentance, but maintained that they were the people of god, inasmuch as they had the temple and worship. the turks today are inflated with victories which they believe to be the reward for their faith and religion because they believe in one god. we, however, are viewed as heathen and reputed to believe in three gods. god would not give us such victories and dominions, they say, if he did not favor us and approve our religion. this same reasoning blinds also the papist. occupying an exalted position, they maintain they are the church and hence they have no fear of divine punishment. devilish, therefore, is that argument whereby men take the name of god to palliate their sins. 190. but if god did not spare the first world, the generation of the holy patriarchs, which had the promise of the seed as its very own--if he saved only a very small remnant--the turks, jews and papists shall boast in vain of the name of god. according to micah 2, 7, the word of god promises blessings to those who walk in uprightness. but those who do not walk in uprightness are cursed. those he threatens, those he destroys. neither does he take account of the name "church", nor of their number, whereas he saves the remnant which walks in uprightness. but never will you convince the world of this. 191. in all probability the descendants of the patriarchs who perished in the flood abused quite shamefully the argument of the dignity of the church, and condemned noah for blasphemy and falsehood. to say, they argued, that god was about to destroy the whole world by a flood is equal to saying that god is not merciful, nor a father, but a cruel tyrant. you proclaim the wrath of god, o noah! then god is not such a being as to promise deliverance from sin and death through the seed of woman? the wrath of god, therefore, will not swallow the whole earth. we are the people of god. we have from god magnificent gifts; never would god have given these to us if he had resolved to act against us with such hostility. in this fashion the wicked are in the habit of applying to themselves the promises and trusting to the same. all warnings, however, they neglect and deride. 192. it is profitable to contemplate this diligently so that we may be safeguarded against such vicious heedlessness of the wicked. for what happened to moses, now happens also to us. our adversaries ascribe to themselves the name of god's people, true worship, grace and everything holy; to us, everything devilish. now, when we reprove them for blasphemy and say that they are the church of satan, they rage against us with every kind of cruelty. hence we mourn with noah, and commend the cause to god, as christ did on the cross--what else could we do?--and wait till god shall judge the earth and show that he loves the remnant of those that fear him and that he hates the multitude of impenitent sinners in spite of their boast of being the church, of having the promises, of having the worship of god. when god destroyed the whole original world, he manifested the promise of the seed to that wretched and tiny remnant, noah and his sons. v. noah alone was righteous; the world destroyed. a. noah alone was found righteous. 1. what comfort was offered noah by his righteousness in the midst of his suffering 193. * to find grace before god leads to faith and excludes works 194. 2. for what was righteous noah especially praised by god 195. * many great men lived in the days of noah 196. 3. how righteous noah had to contend against so much all alone 197. * by what means the papists contend against the evangelicals 198. 4. with what the world especially upbraided righteous noah 199. * people then were wiser and more ingenious than now 200. 5. noah may be called both just and pious 201. 6. righteous noah led a godly life, possessed great courage and was a marvelous character 202. 7. by his piety noah was a confessor of the truth 203-204. * it is very difficult for one man to withstand the united opposition of many 204. 8. being a preacher of righteousness noah was in greater danger 205. 9. noah an example of patience and of all virtues 206. 10. how he traveled and preached everywhere in the world, and preserved the human race temporally and spiritually 207-208. 11. the world takes offense at righteous noah's marrying, and adds sin to sin 209. 12. the order of the birth of noah's sons 210. b. the whole world destroyed. 1. whether, as lyra teaches, birds and animals were destroyed 211. * why the punishment of sin was visited also upon the animals 212-213. 2. the meaning of "the earth was corrupt before god" 214-216. * the sins against the first table of the law can easier be concealed than those against the second table 214. * where false doctrine is taught, godless living follows 215. 3. how the earth was corrupt in the light of the first table of the law 215-216. 4. how the earth was corrupt in the light of the second table 217-218. * the meaning of "violence" in scripture 218. * the greatest violence can obtain under the appearance of holiness, as among the papists and turks 219-221. * moses beautifully traces the course god takes in his judgments 222. * who can pass the right judgment upon the pope that he is antichrist 223. * how antichrist strengthens the courage of the godly, and whether they can check him 223. 5. noah laments this corruption 224. * godlessness cannot be remedied when it adorns itself with the appearance of holiness 225. 6. how god views this corruption 226. * luther laments the wickedness of the enemies of the gospel 227. * how we should view god's delay in punishing the wickedness of his enemies 228. * god's delay is very hard for believers 229. 7. the first world, although corrupt, was much better than the present world 230. v. how noah alone was found righteous, and how the whole world was destroyed. a. noah alone was found righteous. v. 8. _but noah found grace in the eyes of jehovah._ 193. these are the words through which noah was lifted up and quickened again. for such wrath of the divine majesty would have killed him, had not god added the promise of saving him. it is likely, however, that his faith had a struggle and was weak. we cannot imagine how such contemplation of god's wrath weakens courage. 194. this novel expression of the holy spirit the heavenly messenger gabriel also uses when speaking to the blessed virgin lk 1, 30, "thou hast found favor (grace) with god." the expression most palpably excludes merit and commends faith, through which alone we are justified before god, made acceptable and well pleasing in his sight. v. 9. _these are the generations of noah. noah was a righteous man, and perfect in his generations; noah walked with god._ 195. with this passage the jews commence not only a new chapter, but also a new lesson. this is a very brief history, but it greatly extols our patriarch noah; he alone remained just and upright while the other sons of god degenerated. 196. let us remember many most excellent men were among the sons of god, of whom some lived with noah well nigh five hundred years. man in that age before the flood was very long-lived; not only the sons of god, but also the sons of men. a very wide and rich experience had been gathered by these people during so many years. much they learned from their progenitors and much they saw and experienced. 197. amid the corruption of all these stands noah, a truly marvelous man. he swerves neither to the left nor to the right. he retains the true worship of god. he retains the pure doctrine, and lives in the fear of god. there is no doubt that a depraved generation hated him inordinately, tantalized him in various ways and thus insulted him: "art thou alone wise? dost thou alone please god? are the rest of us all in error? shall we all be damned? thou alone dost not err. thou alone shalt not be condemned." and thus the just and holy man must have concluded in his mind that all others were in error and about to be condemned, while he and his offspring alone were to be saved. although his conviction was right in the matter, his lot was a hard one. the holy man was in various ways troubled by such reflections. 198. the wretched papists press us today with this one argument: do you believe that all the fathers have been in error? it seems hard so to believe, especially of the worthier ones, such as augustine, ambrose, bernard and that whole throng of the best men who have governed churches with the word and have been adorned with the august name of the church. the labors of such we both laud and admire. 199. but surely no less a difficulty confronted noah himself, who alone is called just and upright, at a time when the very sons of men paraded the name of the church. when the sons of the fathers allied themselves with these they, forsooth, believed that noah with his people raved, because he followed another doctrine and another worship. 200. today our life is very brief, still to what lengths human nature will go is sufficiently in evidence. what may we imagine the condition to have been in such a long existence, in which the bitterness and vehemence of human nature were even stronger? today we are naturally much more dull and stupid, and yet men singularly gifted rush into wickedness. it is afterward said that all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth, only noah was just and upright. 201. from these two words we may gather the thought that noah is held to be "just" as he honored the first table and "upright" as he honored the second. "just" he is called, because of his faith in god, because he first believed the general promise with respect to the seed of woman and then also the particular one respecting the destruction of the world through the flood and the salvation of his own offspring. on the other hand he is called "upright" because he walked in the fear of god and conscientiously avoided murder and other sins with which the wicked polluted themselves in defiance of conscience. nor did he permit himself to be moved by the frequent offenses of men most illustrious, wise and apparently holy. 202. great was his courage. today it appears to us impossible that one man should oppose himself to all mankind, condemning them as evil, while they vaunt the church and god's word and worship, and to maintain that he alone is a son of god and acceptable before him. noah, accordingly, is a marvelous man, and moses commends this same greatness of mind when he plainly adds "in his generation," or "in his age," as if he desired to say that his age was indeed the most wicked and corrupt. 203. above, in the history of enoch, we explained what it means to walk with god, namely, to advocate the cause of god in public. to be just and upright bespeaks private virtue, but to walk with god is something public--to advocate the cause of god before the world, to wield his word, to teach his worship. noah was not simply just and holy for himself but he was also a confessor; he taught others the promises and threats of god, and performed and suffered all that behooves a public personage in an age so exceedingly wicked and corrupt. 204. if it were i who had seen that so great men in the generation of the ungodly were opposed to me, i surely in desperation should have cast aside my ministry. for one cannot conceive how difficult it is for one man to oppose himself alone to the unanimity of all churches; to impugn the judgment of the best and most amicable of men; to condemn them; to teach, to live, and to do everything, in opposition to them. this is what noah did. he was inspired with admirable constancy of purpose, inasmuch as he, innocent before men, not only regarded the cause of god, but most earnestly pressed it among the most nefarious men, until he was told: "my spirit shall not further strive with man." and the word "strive" finely portrays the spirit with which the ungodly heard noah instruct them. 205. peter also beautifully sets forth what it means to walk with god when he calls noah a preacher, not of the righteousness of man, but of god; that is, that of faith in the promised seed. but what reward noah received from the ungodly for his message moses does not indicate. the statement is sufficient, that he preached righteousness, that he taught the true worship of god while the whole earth opposed him. that means the best, most religious and wisest of men were against him. more than one miracle, in consequence, was necessary to prevent his being waylaid and killed by the ungodly. we see today how much wrath, hate, and envy one sermon to the people may create. what shall we believe noah may have suffered who taught not a hundred, not two hundred, but even more years, down to the last century, when god did not desire the wicked to receive instruction any longer lest they become still fiercer and more depraved. 206. therefore we may conjecture from the condition and nature of the world itself, and of the devil, from the experience of the apostles and the prophets, and likewise from our own, what a noble example of patience and other virtues noah has been, who was just and irreproachable in that ungodly generation and walked with god--that is, governed the churches with the word--and who, when the one hundred and twenty years were determined upon, after the lapse of which the world was to be destroyed by a flood, in face of such a terrible threat, entered into matrimony and begot children. 207. it is very probable that he traveled up and down the earth; that he taught everywhere; that everywhere he exhorted to worship god in truth; that he, hindered by many labors, refrained from matrimony on account of abundance of tribulations and in the expectation of the advent of a better and more religious age. but when he recognized this hope as unfounded and by a voice divine was warned that a time had been set for the world's destruction, then and not before, prompted by the spirit, did he make up his mind to marry, in order to transmit to the new age seed out of himself. and thus the holy man preserved the human race, not only spiritually, in the true word and worship, but also bodily, by begetting children. 208. as in paradise a new church had its beginning, before the flood, through adam and eve's faith in the promise, so also here a new world and a new church arise from the marriage of noah--a nursery of that world which shall endure to the end. 209. i stated above (â§88) that this marriage was an occasion of great offense to the ungodly and that they made the most extraordinary sport of it. how inconsistent that the world is to perish so soon, when noah, five hundred years old, becomes a father! they deemed his act the surest evidence that the world was not to perish by a flood. hence, they began to live even more licentiously, and in the greatest security to despise all threats. christ says in matthew 24, 38, that in the days of noah they ate, they drank, etc. the world does not understand the plans of god. 210. concerning the order of the sons of noah, i said above that japheth was first, that shem was born two years afterward when noah commenced to build the ark, and ham two years later. this has not been clearly explained by moses, but still it has been carefully noted. b. destruction of the whole world. v. 11. _and the earth was corrupt before god, and the earth was filled with violence._ 211. lyra, perhaps under the influence of rabbinic interpretation, contends here that even the birds and other animals forsook their nature and mixed with those of another species. but i do not believe it, for the creation or nature of animals remains as it was fashioned. they have not fallen through sin, like man, but are, on the contrary, fashioned for this bodily life alone. in consequence they neither hear the word, nor does the word concern them. they are absolutely without the law of the first and the second tables. accordingly, this passage refers only to man. 212. but that the beasts bore the penalty of sin and perished at the same time with man through the flood was the result of god's purpose to destroy man altogether; not alone in body and soul, but with the possessions and dominion which were his at creation. instances of similar retribution occur in the old testament. in the sixth chapter of daniel we see the enemies of daniel cast into the lions' den, together with their wives, children and whole families. in the sixteenth chapter of numbers a like incident is narrated in connection with the destruction of korah, dathan and abiram. similar is also an instance spoken of by christ when the king commands to sell the servant together with wife, children and all his substance. 213. in this manner, evidently, not only men but all their goods were destroyed, so that punishment might be full and complete. beasts, fields and the birds of heaven were created for man. they are man's property and chattels. therefore, the animals perished, not because they had sinned, but because god wanted man to perish amid all his earthly possessions. 214. in this passage moses' specific statement that "the earth was corrupt before god," is made to show that noah was treated and esteemed in the eyes of his age as a stupid and good for nothing character. the world, on the contrary, appeared in its own eyes perfectly holy and righteous, believing it had just cause for the persecution of noah, especially in regard to the first table of the law and the worship of god. the second table is not without its disguise of hypocrisy, but in this respect it bears no comparison to the former. the adulterer, the thief, the murderer can remain hidden for a while, though not forever. but the sins of the first table generally remain hidden under the cloak of sanctity until god brings them to light. godlessness never wishes to be godlessness, but chases after a reputation for piety and religion; and trims its cult so finely that in comparison with it the true cult and the true religion appear coarse. 215. the verb _shiheth_ is very frequent and conspicuous in holy scripture. moses uses it in the thirty-first chapter of deuteronomy, verse 29: "for i know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which i have commanded you." and david says, "they are all gone aside; they are together become filthy," ps 14, 3. both passages speak particularly of the sins against the first table; that is, they accuse the apparently devoutest saints of false worship and false doctrine, for it is impossible for a righteous life to follow teaching that is false. 216. when moses says the earth was corrupt before god, he clearly points out the contrast--the hypocrites and oppressors judged noah's teaching and practise as wholly wrong, and their own as altogether holy. the reverse, moses says, was true. mankind was assuredly corrupt measured by the first table. they lacked the true word and the true worship. this distinction between the first and the second tables commends itself strongly to my judgment and was doubtless suggested by the holy spirit. 217. the additional statement--"and the earth was filled with violence"--points to this unfailing sequence. with the word lost, with faith extinct, with traditions and will-worship--to use st. paul's phraseology (col 2, 8)--having replaced the true cult, there results violence and shameful living. 218. the correct significance of the word _hamas_ is violence force, wrong, with the suspension of all law and equity, a condition where pleasure is law and everything is done not by right, but by might. but if such was their life, you may say, how could they maintain the appearance and reputation of holiness and righteousness? as if we did not really have similar instances before our eyes today. has the world ever seen anything more cruel than the turks? and they adorn all their fierceness with the name of god and religion. 219. the popes have not only seized for themselves the riches of the earth, but have filled the church itself with stupendous errors and blasphemous doctrines. they live in shocking licentiousness. they alienate at pleasure the hearts of kings. much is done by them to bring on bloodshed and war. and yet, with all such blasphemies and outrages, they arrogate to themselves the name and title of the greatest saints and boast of being vicars of christ and successors of peter. 220. thus the greatest wrong is allied to the names of church and true religion. should any one offer objection, immediately is he put under the ban and condemned as a heretic and an enemy of god and man. barring the romans and their accomplices, there is no people which plumes itself more upon religion and righteousness than the turks. the christians they despise as idolaters; themselves they esteem as most holy and wise. notwithstanding, what is their life and religion but incessant murder, robbery, rapine and other horrible outrages? 221. the present times, therefore, illustrate how those two incompatible things may be found in union--the greatest religiousness with abominations, the greatest wrong with a show of right. and this is the very cause for men becoming hardened and secure without apprehending the punishment they merit by their sins. v. 12. _and god saw the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth._ 222. inasmuch as the wrath of god is appalling and destruction is imminent for all flesh except eight souls, moses is somewhat redundant in this passage, and uses repetitions, which are not superfluous but express an emphasis of their own. above he said the earth was corrupt; now he says that god, as if following the customary judicial method, saw this and meditated punishment. in this manner he pictures, as it were, the order in which god proceeds. 223. the judgment of spiritual people concerning the pope at the present day is that he is the antichrist, raging against the word and the kingdom of christ. but they who censure it are unable to correct this wickedness. wickedness is growing daily and contempt for godliness is becoming greater every day. now comes the thought: what is god doing? why does he not punish his enemy? does he sleep and care no longer for human affairs? the delay of judgment causes the righteous anguish. they themselves cannot come to the succor of a stricken religion and they see god who could help, connive at the fury of the popes, who securely sin against the first and the second tables of the law. 224. just so noah sees the earth filled with wrongs. therefore, he groans and sighs to heaven in order to arouse god from the highest heaven to judgment. such voices occur here and there in the psalms (10, 1): "why standest thou afar off?"; (13, 1): "how long, o jehovah?"; (9, 13): "have mercy upon me, o jehovah; consider my trouble"; (7, 6-9): "arise, judge my cause, etc." 225. what moses here describes comes at length to pass, that god also sees these things and hears the cry of the righteous who are able to judge the world; for they who are spiritual judge all things (1 cor 2, 15), though they cannot alter anything. wickedness is incorrigible when adorned with a show of piety, and so is oppression when it assumes the disguise of justice and foresight. it is nothing new that they who seize the wives, daughters, houses, lands and goods of others desire to be just and holy, as we showed above in respect of the papacy. 226. this is the second stage then: when the saints have seen and judged the wickedness of the world, god also sees it. he says of the sodomites: "the cry of them is waxed great before jehovah" (gen 19, 13); and above (ch 4, 10): "the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me." but always before the lord takes note, the sobs and groans of the righteous precede, arousing, as it were, the lord from slumber. what moses desires to show in this passage through the word, "saw" is that god finally perceived the afflictions and heard the cries of the righteous, filling at last all heaven. he who hitherto had winked at everything and seemed to favor the success of the wicked, was awakened as from slumber. the fact is he saw everything much sooner than noah; for he is the searcher of hearts and cannot be deceived by simulated piety as we can. but not until now, when he meditates punishment, does noah perceive that he sees. 227. thus we are afflicted today by extreme and unheard of wickedness, for our adversaries condemn from sheer caprice the truth they know and profess. they try to get at our throats and shed the blood of the righteous with a satanic fury. such blasphemous, sacrilegious and parricidal doings against the kingdom and name of god, manifest as such beyond possibility of denial, they defend as the acme of justice. while contending for the maintenance of their tyrannical position they go so far as to arrogate to themselves the name of the church. what else can we do here but cry to jehovah to make his name sacred and not to permit the overthrow of his kingdom nor resistance to his paternal will? 228. but so far the lord sleeps. he apparently does not observe such wickedness, because he gives no sign as yet of observing it. rather he permits us to be tormented by such woeful sights. we are, therefore, thus far in the first stage and this verse, stating that the whole earth is corrupt, applies to our age. but at the proper time the second stage will be reached, when we can declare in certainty of faith that not only we but god also sees and hates such wickedness. though god, in his long-suffering, has continued to wink at many things, he shall retain the name of one who in righteousness shall judge the earth. 229. how bitter and hard such delay is for the righteous, the lamentations of jeremiah in jeremiah 12, 1ff., and 20, 7ff, show. there the holy man almost verges on blasphemy until he is told that the babylonian king should come and inflict punishment upon the unbelieving scoffers. thereupon jeremiah recognizes that god looks down on the earth and is judge upon the earth. 230. the universal judgment which follows is terrible in the extreme, namely that all flesh upon the earth had corrupted its way and that god, when he had begun to examine the sons of men, did not, from the oldest to the youngest of the fathers, find any he could save from destruction. this strikes our ears as still more awful when we take into consideration the condition of the primitive world, not judging by the miserable fragments we have today. as the physical condition of the world at that time was infinitely ahead of this age, so we may conclude that the majesty and pomp of our rulers and the show of sanctity and wisdom on the part of the popes are not to be compared to the show of religion, righteousness and wisdom found among those renowned men of the primitive world. and yet the text says that all flesh had corrupted its way, save noah and his offspring. that means all men were wicked, lived in idolatry and false religion and hated the true worship of god. they despised the promise of the seed, and persecuted noah, who proclaimed forgiveness through the seed and threatened to those, who should fail to believe his forgiveness, eternal doom. vi. god decides to punish the first world; commands noah to build an ark; the covenant. a. how god decreed to punish the old world in his wrath. 1. how punishment finally comes when god has suffered sin long enough 231. * luther's hope that god's judgment may soon break upon the last world 231. 2. whether reason can grasp the wrath and punishment of god 232. 3. how god's promises stand in the midst of his wrath and punishment 232. 4. the first world thought itself secure against god's wrath 233. * the papal security and boldness against the evangelicals 234. 5. by what means god punished the first world 235. * the holy spirit must reveal that god's wrath and punishment do not violate his promises 236. 6. the causes of this wrath and punishment 237. * by what may it be known that god will visit germany with punishment 238. * god complains more of the violence shown to the neighbor than to himself 239. * the damages of the deluge 240. * the ground of the earth was in a better state before the flood than now 240. * the colors in the rainbow signs of the punishment of the first and the last world 241. vi. god decides to punish the first world; commands noah to build an ark; the covenant. a. god decides to punish the old world. v. 13. _and god said unto noah, the end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, i will destroy them with the earth._ 231. after noah and his people had for a long time raised their accusing cry against the depravity of the world, the lord gave evidence that he saw the depravity and intended to avenge it. this, the second stage, we also look for today, nor is there any doubt that men shall exist, to whom this coming destruction of the world is to be revealed, unless the destruction be the last day and the final judgment, which i truly wish. we have seen enough wickedness in these brief and evil days of ours. godless men, as in noah's time, adorn their vices with the name of holiness and righteousness. hence, no penitence or reformation is to be hoped for. this stage having been reached in the times of noah, sentence is finally passed, having been previously announced by the lord when he gave command that striving should cease and issued the declaration that he regretted having made man. 232. reason is incapable of believing and perfectly understanding such wrath. just consider how different this is from what had been. above we have read (ch 1, 31) that god saw everything he had made and behold, it was very good; that he gave man and beast the additional blessing of propagation; that he subjected to man's rule the earth and all the treasures of the earth; that as the highest blessing, he added the promise of the woman's seed and life eternal and instituted not only the home and the state, but also the church. how, then, is it that the first world, called into being in this way through the word, should, to use peter's expression, perish by water? 233. there is no doubt that the sons of the world threw all this up to noah as he preached the coming universal destruction, and publicly charged him with lying, on the ground that home, state and church had been instituted by god; that god surely would not overturn his own establishment by a final destruction; that man had been created for propagation and dominion upon the earth, not for the rule of water over him to his destruction. 234. just so the papists press us with the one argument that christ will be with the church to the end of the world (mt 28, 20); that the gates of hell will not prevail against it (mt 16, 18). this they vaunt in a loud-voiced manner, believing their destruction to be an impossibility. swept by the waves peter's ship may be, they say, but the waters cannot overwhelm it. 235. quite similar was the security and assurance before the flood; notwithstanding, we see that the whole earth perished. the scoffers boasted that god's regulations are perpetual, and that god had never completely abolished or altered his creation. but consider the outcome and you will see that they were wrong, while noah alone was right. 236. unless the additional light of the holy spirit is vouchsafed, man will surely be convinced by such argument; for is it not equivalent to making god inconstant and changeable, to maintain that he will completely destroy his creature? yet god gives noah the revelation that he will make an end of flesh and earth, not in part, but of all flesh and all the earth. would it not be awful enough to partition the earth into three parts and to threaten destruction to one? but to rage against the whole earth and against all mankind seems to be in conflict with god's government and the declaration that everything is very good. these things are too sublime to be understood or comprehended by human reason. 237. what is the cause of wrath so great? surely, the fact that the earth is filled with violence, as he here says. astonishing reason! he says nothing here concerning the first table; he mentions only the second. it is, as if he said: i shall say nothing of myself that they hate, blaspheme and persecute my word. among themselves how shamefully do they live! neither home nor state are properly administered; everything is conducted by force, nothing by reason and law. therefore, i shall destroy at the same time both mankind and the earth. 238. we see also in our age that god winks at the profanation of the mass, a horrible abomination that fills the whole earth, and at ungodly teachings and other offenses which have hitherto been in vogue in religion. but when men live so together that they disregard both state and home, when huge covetousness, graft of every description and manifold iniquity have waxed strong, does it not become clear to every man that god is compelled, as it were, to punish, yea to overturn germany? 239. it is the fullness of his mercy and love that prompts god rather to make complaint concerning the wrongs inflicted upon his members than those inflicted upon himself. we observe he maintains silence respecting the latter, while he threatens punishment, not to man alone, but even to the very earth itself. 240. a twofold effect is traceable to the flood; a weakening of man's powers and an impairment of his wealth and that of the earth. the latter-day fruit of trees is in nowise to be compared with that in the days before the flood. the antediluvian turnips were better than afterward the melons, oranges or pomegranates. the pear was finer than the spices of today. so it is likely that a man's finger possessed more strength than today his whole arm. likewise man's reason and understanding were far superior. but god, because of sin, has brought punishment to bear, not alone upon man, but also upon his property and domain, as witness to posterity also of his wrath. but how is the destruction to be effected? assuredly, by his seizing the watery element and blotting out everything. the force with which this element is wont to rage is common knowledge. though the atmosphere be pestilential, it does not always infect trees and roots. but water not only overturns everything, not only does it tear out trees and roots, but it also lifts the very surface of the earth. it alters the soil, so that the most fertile fields are marred by the overflow of salty earth and sand (ps 107, 34). this was therefore equal to the downfall of the primitive world. 241. the penalty of the present world, however, will be different, as the color of the rainbow shows. the lowest color the extent of which is well defined, is that of water. for the fury of the water in the deluge was so great that limits were set to its havoc, and the earth was restored to the remnant of the godly after the destruction of the evil-doers. but the other arch of the rainbow, the outer, which has no clearly defined bounds, is of the color of fire, the element which shall consume the whole world. this destruction shall be succeeded by a better world, which shall last forever and serve the righteous. this the lord seems to have written in the color of the rainbow. b. god commands noah to build an ark. * that noah had only three children is a sign of god's mercy 242. 1. the kind of wood used in building the ark 243. 2. its various rooms 244. 3. the pitch by which it was protected 245. 4. why god instructed noah so particularly how each part was to be constructed 246. 5. the form of the ark, and how teachers differ on this point 247. 6. the place noah occupied in the ark, and that of the animals 248. 7. whether the ark had the proportions of a human body 249. 8. how the ark was a type of the body of christ--of the church 250. 9. the windows of the ark: a. whether it had more than one window 251. * the latin version is not clear here 252. b. what kind of a window it was, and how it could stand the rain 253. c. luther's opinion of the jews' ideas about the window 253. 10. the door of the ark 254. 11. how to meet the various questions about the ark 255-256. * the deluge was a new method of punishment, hence the non incredible 257-258. * god was in earnest in the threatening of this flood 259. b. god commands noah to build an ark. v. 14. _make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch (bitumen)._ 242. god's first thought was to save a remnant through that tiny seed, the three sons of noah, for noah ceased henceforth to beget children. this strongly attests the mercy of god toward those who walk in his ways. 243. _gopher_ some make out to be pine, others hemlock, still others cedar; hence, a guess is rather difficult. the choice appears to have been made owing to its lightness or its resinous quality, so that it might float more easily upon the water and be impervious to it. 244. _kinnim_ signifies "nests" or "chambers"; that is separate spaces for the various animals. bears, sheep, deer and horses did not dwell in one and the same place, but the several species had their respective quarters. 245. but what is meant by _bitumen_, i do not know. with us vessels are made water tight with pitch and tow. pitch, it is true, withstands water, but it also invites the flame. there is no bitumen with us which resists water, hence we raise no objection to "bitumen" being rendered "pitch." 246. you may ask: why does god prescribe everything so accurately? the injunction to build the ark should have been sufficient. reason could determine for itself the rules concerning dimensions and mode of construction. why, then, does god give such careful instruction with reference to dimensions and materials? certainly that noah, after undertaking all things according to the lord's direction (as moses built the tabernacle according to the model received on the mount), should with the greater faith trust that he and his people were to be saved, nor entertain any doubt concerning a work ordered by the lord himself, even how it should be made. this is the reason the lord gives his directions with such attention to detail. v. 15. _and this is how thou shalt make it: the length of the ark three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits._ 247. a nice geometrical and mathematical exercise concerning the form and dimensions of the ark is here presented. the views of writers vary. some claim it was four-cornered, others that it was gabled like nearly all our structures in europe. as for myself, i hold it was four-cornered. eastern people's were not acquainted with gabled buildings. theirs were evidently of four-cornered form, as the bible mentions people walking on roofs. similar was the shape of the temple. 248. there is a difference of opinion also concerning the arrangement of the animals in their quarters, which occupied the upper, which the central and which the lower places, this being the distinction warranted by the text. no certainty, however, can be arrived at. it is likely that noah himself and the birds occupied the upper part, the clean animals the central and the unclean animals the lower one. the rabbis assert the lower part served the purpose of storing dung. but i think the dung was thrown out of the window, for its removal was necessitated by such a multitude of beasts abiding in the ark for over a year. 249. augustine quotes philo against faustus in stating that on geometrical principles, the ark had the proportions of the human body, for when a man lies on the ground his body is ten times as long as it is high and six times as long as broad. so three hundred cubits are six times fifty and ten times thirty. 250. an application is made of this to the body of christ, the church, which has baptism as the door, through which clean and unclean enter without distinction. although the church is small, she rules the earth notwithstanding, and it is due to her that the world is preserved, just as the unclean animals were preserved in the ark. others stretch the application so far as to point to the wound in the side of jesus' body as prefigured by the windows in the ark. these are allegories which are not exactly profound, but still harmless because they harbor no error and serve a purpose other than that of wrangling, namely, that of rhetorical ornamentation. v. 16. _a light shalt thou make to the ark, and to a cubit shalt thou finish it upward; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it._ 251. behold, how diligent an architect god is! with what care he interests himself in all the parts of the structure and their arrangement. furthermore, the word _zohar_ does not properly signify window, but southern light. the question may be raised here whether the ark had only one window or several. for the hebrew language permits the use of the singular for the plural, or of the collective for the distributive term, as for instance: "i will destroy man from the face of the ground." here evidently not one man but many are spoken of. but to me it seems there was only one window that shed light upon man's domicile. 252. the latin interpreter is so strangely obscure as to fail to make himself understood. my unqualified opinion is that he was unable to divest himself of the image of a modern ship, in which men are commonly carried in the lower part. nor is it quite intelligible what he says about the door, inasmuch as it is certain that the ell-long window was in the upper part, and the door in the center of the side or in the navel of the ark. thus, also, eve was framed from the middle portion of man's body. the whole structure was divided into three partitions, a higher, a central and a lower one, and it was the upper one which, according to my view, was illuminated by the light of day through the window. 253. you may say, however: what kind of a window was it, or how could it exist in those frequent and violent rains? for rain did not fall then as it does ordinarily, since the water in forty days rose to such proportions as to submerge the highest mountains by fifteen arm-lengths. the jews claim that the window was closed by a crystal which transmitted the light. but too curious a research into these matters appears to me useless, since neither godliness nor christ's kingdom are put in jeopardy from the fact of our remaining in ignorance concerning some features of this structure of which god was the architect. it seems to me sufficiently satisfactory to assume that the window was on the side of the upper partition. 254. as to the door, it is certain that it was about thirteen or fourteen cubits from the earth. the ark, when it floated, sank about ten feet into the water with its great weight of animals of every kind and provender for more than a year. this may suffice as a crude conception of the ark; for, besides height and length, moses merely indicates that it had three partitions, a door and a window. 255. we will dismiss innumerable other questions such as: what kind of air was used in the ark? for such a stupendous mass of water, particularly falling water, must have produced a violent and pestilential stench; whence did they draw their drinking-water? for water cannot be preserved a whole year, hence mariners often call at ports in their vicinity for the purpose of drawing water; again, how could the bilge-water with its obnoxious odor be drawn up? 256. such questions and other subordinate points related to the experience of the mariner we may pass by. otherwise there will be no end of questions. we will be content with the simple supposition that the lower part probably served the purpose of securing the bears, lions, tigers and other savage animals; the middle part, that of housing the gentle and tractable animals, together with the provender, which cannot be kept in a place devoid of all air-currents; the upper that of accommodating human beings themselves, together with the domestic animals and the birds. this should be enough for us. v. 17. _and i, behold, i do bring the flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; everything that is in the earth shall die._ 257. above god has threatened in general the human race with destruction. here he points out the method; namely, that he intends to destroy everything by a new disaster, a flood. such a punishment the world hitherto had not known. the customary punishments, as we see from the prophets, are pestilence, famine, the sword and fierce beasts. men and beasts perish of pestilence. the earth is laid waste by war, for it is deprived of those who till it. the sufferings of famine, though they seem to be less cruel, are by far the most terrible. with the fourth class of penalties, our regions have almost no experience at all. although these are severally sufficient for the chastisement of the human race, the lord desired to employ a novel kind of punishment against the primeval world, through which all flesh having the breath of life was to perish. 258. because this punishment was unheard of in former ages, the wicked were slower to believe it. they reasoned thus: if god is at all angry, can he not correct the disobedient by the sword, by pestilence? a flood would destroy also the other creatures which are without sin; surely god will not plan anything like this for the world. 259. but in order to remove such unbelief from the mind of noah and the righteous, he repeats with stress the pronoun, "and i, behold, i do bring." afterward he clearly adds that he will destroy all flesh that is under heaven and in the earth; for he excludes here the fishes whose realm is widened by the waters. this passage tends to show the magnitude of the wrath of god, through which men lose, not only body and life, but also universal dominion over the earth. c. god's covenant with noah. * the way god comforted noah in announcing the flood, and why such comfort was needed 260. 1. the nature of this covenant. a. the views of lyra, burgensis and others 261. b. luther's views 262-263. 2. whether the giants or tyrants were embraced in this covenant and how received by them 262-263. 3. why it was made only with noah 264. 4. how this covenant was made clearer from time to time, and why it was needed at this time 265. 5. how a special call was added to this covenant 266. * god's judgment upon the first world terrible 267. * why ham was taken into the ark, who was later rejected 267. * foreknowledge and election. a. why we should avoid thinking and disputing on this subject 268. b. to what end should the examples of scripture on this theme serve 269. c. how consideration of the same may help and harm us 270. c. god's covenant with noah. v. 18. _but i will establish my covenant with thee; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee._ 260. to this comfort moses before pointed when he declared that noah had found grace. noah stood in need of it, not only to escape despair amid such wrath, but also for the strengthening of his faith in view of the raging retribution. for it was no easy matter to believe the whole human race was to perish. the world consequently judged noah to be a dolt for believing such things, ridiculed him and, undoubtedly, made his ship an object of satire. in order to strengthen his mind amid such offenses, god speaks with him often, and now even reminds him of his covenant. 261. interpreters discuss the question, what that covenant was. lyra explains it as the promise to defend him against the evil men who had threatened to murder him. burgensis claims this covenant refers to the perils amid the waters, which were to be warded off. still others believe it was the covenant of the rainbow, which the lord afterward made with noah. 262. in my opinion, he speaks of a spiritual covenant, or of the promise of the seed, which was to bruise the serpent's head. the giants had this covenant, but when its abuse resulted in pride and wickedness, they fell from it. so it was afterward with the jews, whose carnal presumption in reference to god, the law, worship and temple led to their loss of these gifts and they perished. to noah, however, god confirms this covenant by certainly declaring that christ was to be born from his posterity and that god would leave, amid such great wrath, a nursery for the church. this covenant includes not only protection of noah's body, the view advocated by lyra and burgensis, but also eternal life. 263. the sentiment, therefore, of the promise is this: those insolent despisers of my promises and threats will compel me to punish them. i shall first withdraw from them the protection and assurance which are theirs by reason of their covenant with me, that they may perish without covenant and without mercy. but that covenant i shall transfer to you so that you shall be saved, not alone from such power of the waters, but also from eternal death and condemnation. 264. the plain statement is, "with thee." not the sons, not the wives, does he mention, whom he was also to save; but noah alone he mentions, from whom the promise was transmitted to his son shem. this is the second promise of christ, which is taken from all other descendants of adam and committed alone to noah. 265. afterward this promise is made clearer from time to time. it proceeded from the race to the family, and from the family to the individual. from the whole race of abraham it was carried forward to david alone; from david to nathan; from nathan down to one virgin, mary, who was the dead branch or root of jesse, and in whom this covenant finds its termination and fulfilment. the establishment of such a covenant was most necessary in view of the imminence of the incredible and incalculable wrath of god. 266. you will observe here, however, a special call when he says: "thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, etc." if noah had not received this special call, he would not have ventured to enter the ark. 267. how terrible is it that from the whole human race only eight persons should be selected for salvation and yet from among them, ham, the third son of noah, be rejected! by the mouth of god he is numbered here among the elect and saints. yea, with them he is protected and saved. nor is he distinguished from noah. if he had not believed and prayed for the same things, if he had not feared god, he would in nowise have been saved in the ark; and yet, afterward he is rejected! 268. the sophists wrangle here concerning an election that takes place according to the purpose of god. but often have i exhorted to beware of speculations about the unveiled majesty, for besides being anything but true, they are far from being profitable. let us rather think of god as he offers himself to us in his word and sacraments. let us not trace these instances back to a hidden election, in which god arranged everything with himself from eternity. such doctrine we cannot apprehend with our minds, and we see it conflicts with the revealed will of god. 269. what, then, you will ask, shall we declare with reference to these examples? nothing but that they are pointed out to inspire us with the fear of god, so that we believe it is possible to fall from grace after once receiving grace. paul warns, "let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." 1 cor 10, 12. we should heed such examples to teach us humility, that we may not exalt ourselves with our gifts nor become slothful in our use of blessings received, but may reach forth to the things which are before, as paul says in philippians 3, 13. they teach us not to believe that we have apprehended everything. 270. malignant and most bitter is our enemy, but we are feeble, bearing this great treasure in earthen vessels. 2 cor 4, 7. therefore, we must not glory as if we were secure, but seeing that men so holy fell from grace, which they had accepted and for a long time enjoyed, we should look anxiously to god as if in peril at this very moment. in this manner these examples are discussed to our profit; but those who give no attention to them and chase after complex high thoughts on an election according to the purpose of god, drive and thrust their souls into despair, to which they naturally incline. vii. animals and food in the ark; noah's obedience. a. the animals noah took into the ark. 1. the number and kinds of animals 271-272. 2. the differences in the animals 273. a. what is understood by the "behemoth" 274. b. by the "remes" 275. c. whether this difference is observed in all places 276. 3. whether wild and ferocious animals were in paradise, and if created from the beginning 276-277. 4. how noah could bring the animals, especially the wild ones, into the ark 278-279. * the animals at the time felt danger was near 278-279. 5. the animals came of themselves to noah in the ark 280. b. the food noah took into the ark. 1. why necessary to take with them food 281. * the kind of food man then had, and if he ate flesh 282. 2. god's foreknowledge shines forth here 283. 3. why god did not maintain man and the animals in the ark by a miracle 284. * the extraordinary ways and miracles of god. a. why man should not seek miracles, where ordinary ways and means are at hand 285. b. the monks seek extraordinary ways and thus tempt god 286. * whether we should use medicine, and if we should learn the arts and languages 286. c. why god did not save noah in the water without the ark, when he could have done so 287. d. when does god use extraordinary means with man 288. c. noah's obedience. 1. in what respect it was especially praised 289. * obedience to god. a. how one is to keep the golden mean, and not turn to the right or left 290. b. how man can by obedience or disobedience mark out his own course 290-291. c. why most people shun obedience 291. d. how we are here not to look to the thing commanded, but to the person commanding 292-296. e. how sadly they fail who look at the thing commanded 293. * how the papists neither understand nor keep god's commandments 294. * what we are to think of the holiness of the papists 295. f. all god commands is good, even if it seems different to reason 296. * how the papists do harm by the works of their wisdom, and only provoke god to anger, as king saul did 297. g. how in his obedience noah held simply to god's word and overcame all difficulties 298. vii. the animals and their food, and noah's obedience. a. the animals noah took into the ark. vs. 19-20. _and every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female. of the birds after their kind, and of the cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive._ 271. here again a dispute arises, as is the case when in historical narratives one proceeds to the application and incidental features. our text appears to vindicate the view that here two and two are spoken of; but in the beginning of the seventh chapter seven and seven. hence, lyra quarrels with one andrea, who believed fourteen specimens were included in the ark, because it is written: "of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee seven and seven." but i approve lyra's interpretation, who says seven specimens of every class were inclosed in the ark, three male and three female, and the seventh also male, to be used by noah for purposes of sacrifice. 272. when moses says here that two and two of the several species were brought into the ark, we must necessarily understand the seventh chapter as speaking only of the unclean animals, for the number of clean animals was the greater. of the unclean seven of every species were inclosed in the ark. 273. it is also necessary that we here discuss the signification of terms as "all life," "beasts," "cattle." though these are often used without discrimination, still at various places the scripture employs them discriminatingly; for instance, when it says, "let the earth bring forth living creatures." gen 1, 24. "let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures." gen 1, 20. in those places the words of the genus stand for all living beings on the earth and in the waters. here the constituent species are named--_chayah_, _remes_, and _behemah_--though frequently used without discrimination. 274. the cattle he calls here _behemoth_, though in ezekiel, first chapter, those four animals are called by the common name, _hachayoth_, a word by which we commonly designate not so much animals as beasts, subsisting not on hay or anything else growing out of the earth, but flesh; as lion, bear, wolf and fox. _behemoth_ are cattle or brutes which live on hay and herbs growing from the earth; as sheep, cows, deer and roe. 275. _remes_ means reptile. the word is derived from _ramas_, which means to tread. when we compare ourselves with the birds, we are _remasian_, for we creep and tread upon the earth with our feet like the dogs and other beasts. but the proper meaning is, animals which do not walk with face erect. the animals which creep and which we term reptiles have a specific name, being called _sherazim_, as we see in leviticus from the word _sharaz_, which means to move, hereafter used in the seventh chapter. the word _oph_ is known, meaning bird. 276. such are the differences among these terms, although, as i said before, they are not observed in some places. the interpretation must be confined, however, to the time after the flood; otherwise the inference would be drawn that such savage beasts existed also in paradise. who will doubt that before sin, dominion having been given to man over all animals of earth, there was concord not only among men but also between animals and man? 277. though the first chapter clearly proves that these wild beasts were created with the others, on account of sin their nature was altered. those created gentle and harmless, after the fall became wild and harmful. this is my view, though since our loss of that state of innocent existence it is easier to venture a guess than to reach a definition of that life. 278. but, you ask, if because of sin the nature of animals became completely altered, how could noah control them, especially the savage and fierce ones? the lion surely could not be controlled, nor tigers, panthers and the like. the answer is: such wild animals went into the ark miraculously. to me this appears reasonable. if they had not been forced by a divine injunction to go into the ark, noah would not have had it within his power to control such fierce animals. undoubtedly he had to exercise his own human power, but this alone was insufficient. and the text implies both conditions, for at first it says: "thou shalt bring into the ark," and then adds: "two of every sort shall come unto thee." if they had not been miraculously guided, they would not have come by twos and sevens. 279. that two by two and seven by seven came of their own accord is a miracle and a sign that they had a premonition of the wrath of god and the coming terrible disaster. even brute natures have premonitions and forebodings of impending calamities, and often as if prompted by a certain sense of compassion, they will manifest distress for a man in evident peril. we see dogs and horses understand the perils of their masters and show themselves affected by such intelligence, the dogs by howling, the horses by trembling and the emission of copious sweat. as a matter of fact it is not rare that wild beasts in danger seek refuge with man. 280. when, therefore, there is elsewhere in brute natures such an intelligence, is it a wonder that, after having been divinely aroused to a sense of coming danger, they joined themselves voluntarily to noah? for the text shows they came voluntarily. in the same manner history bears witness, and our experience confirms it, that, when a terrible pestilence rages or a great slaughter is imminent, wolves, the most ferocious of animals, flee not only into villages, but, on occasion, even into cities, taking refuge among men and humbly asking, as it were, their help. b. the food noah took into the ark. v. 21. _and take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them._ 281. inasmuch as the flood was to last a whole year, it was necessary to remind noah of the food to be collected from the herbs and the fruits of trees in order to preserve the life of man and of animals. though the wrath of god was terrible, to the destruction of everything born on earth, the goodness of the lord shines forth, notwithstanding, in this an awful calamity. he looks to the preservation of man and the animals, and through their preservation to that of the species. the animals chosen for preservation in the ark were sound and of unblemished body, and through divine foresight, they received food suitable to their nature. 282. as for man, it is established that, as yet, he did not use flesh for food. he ate only of the vegetation of the earth, which was far more desirable before the flood than at present, after the remarkable corruption of the earth through the brackish waters. 283. we observe here the providence of god, by whose counsel the evil are punished and the good saved. by a miracle god preserves a portion of his creatures when he punishes the wicked and graciously makes provision for their posterity. 284. it would have been an easy matter for god to preserve noah and the animals for the space of a full year without food, as he preserved moses, elijah and christ, the latter for forty days, without food. he made everything out of nothing, which is even more marvelous. yet god, in his government of the things created, as augustine learnedly observes, allows them to perform their appropriate functions. in other words, to apply augustine's view to the matter in hand, god performs his miracles along the lines of natural law. 285. god also requires that we do not discard the provisions of nature, which would mean to tempt god; but that we use with thanksgiving the things god has prepared for us. a hungry man who looks for bread from heaven rather than tries to obtain it by human means, commits sin. christ gives the apostles command to eat what is set before them, lk 10, 7. so noah is here enjoined to employ the ordinary methods of gathering food. god did not command him to expect in the ark a miraculous supply of food from heaven. 286. the life of the monks is all a temptation of god. they cannot be continent and still they refrain from matrimony; likewise they abstain from certain meats, though god has created them to be received with thanksgiving by them that believe, and by those who know the truth, that every creature of god is good, and nothing to be rejected, if it be received with thanksgiving, 1 tim 4, 3-4. the use of medicine is legitimate; yea, it has been created as a necessary means to conserve health. the study of the arts and of language is to be cultivated and, as paul says, "every creature of god is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it be received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified through prayer." 1 tim 4, 4-5. 287. god was able to preserve noah in the midst of the waters. they fable of clement that he had a cell in the middle of the sea. yea, the people of israel were preserved in the midst of the red sea and jonah in the belly of the whale. but this was not god's desire. he rather willed that noah should use the aid of wood and trees, so that human skill might thereby have a sphere for its exercise. 288. when, however, human means fail, then it is for you either to suffer or to expect help from the lord. no human effort could support the jews when they stood by the sea and were surrounded in the rear by the enemy. hence, a miraculous deliverance was to be hoped for, or a sure death to be suffered. c. noah's obedience. v. 22. _thus did noah; according to all that god commanded him, so did he._ 289. this phrase is very frequent in scripture. this is the first passage in which praise for obedience to god is clothed in such a form of words. later we find it stated repeatedly that moses, the people, did according to all that god commanded them. but noah received commendation as an example for us. his was not a dead faith, which is no faith at all, but a living and active faith. he renders obedience to god's commands, and because he believes both god's promises and threats, he carefully carries out what god commanded with reference to the ark and the gathering of animals and food. this is unique praise for noah's faith, that he remains on the royal way--adds nothing, changes nothing and takes nothing from the divine command, but abides absolutely in the precept he has heard. 290. it is the most common and at the same time most noxious sin in the church, that people either altogether change god's commands or render something else paramount to them. there is only one royal road to which we must keep. they sin who swerve too much to the left by failing to perform the divine commands. those who swerve to the right and do more than god has commanded, like saul when he spared the amalekites, also sin even more grievously than those who turn to the left. they add a sham piety; for, while those who err on the left cannot excuse their error, these do not hesitate to ascribe to themselves remarkable merit. 291. and such error is exceedingly common. god is wont sometimes to command common, paltry, ridiculous and even offensive things, but reason takes delight in splendid things. from the common ones it either shrinks or undertakes them under protest. thus the monks shrank from home duties and chose for themselves others apparently of greater glamour. today the great throng, hearing that common tasks are preached in the gospel, despises the gospel as a vulgar teaching, lacking in elegance. what noteworthy thing is it to teach that servants should obey their master and children their parents? such a common and oft-taught doctrine the learned papists not only neglect but even ridicule. they desire rather something unique, something remarkable either for its reputed wisdom or for its apparent difficult character. such is the madness of man's wisdom. 292. in general it is wisdom to observe not so much the person that speaks as that which he says, because the teacher's faults are always in evidence. but when we consider precepts of god and true obedience, this axiom should be reversed. then we should observe not so much that which is said, but the person of him who speaks. in respect to divine precepts, if you observe that which is said and not him who speaks, you will easily stumble. this is illustrated by the example of eve, whose mind did not dwell upon the person who issued the command. she regarded only the command and concluded it to be a matter of small moment to taste the apple. but what injury was thereby wrought to the whole human race! 293. he who observes him that gives the command will conclude that what is very paltry in appearance is very great. the papists estimate it a slight thing to govern the state, to be a spouse, to train children. but experience teaches that these are very important matters, for which the wisdom of men is incompetent. we see that at times the most spiritual men have here shamefully fallen. when we, therefore, remember him who gives the command, that which is paltry and common becomes a responsibility too great to discharge without divine aid. 294. the papists, therefore, who look only at the outward mask, like the cow at the gate, can make light of duties toward home and state, and imagine they perform others of greater excellence. in the very fact that they are shameless adulterers, blasphemers of god, defilers of the sanctuary and brazen squanderers of the church's property, they powerfully testify against themselves that they can in no wise appreciate the paltry, common and vulgar domestic and public duties. 295. in what, therefore, consists the holiness they vaunt? forsooth, in that on certain days they abstain from meat, that they bind themselves to certain vows, that they have a liking for certain kinds of work. but, i ask you, who has given command to do those things? no one. that which god has enjoined or commanded, they do not respect. they render paramount something else concerning which god has given no command. 296. hence, the vital importance of this rule, that we observe not the contents of the command but its author. he who fails to do this will often be offended, as i said, by the insignificance or absurdity of a task. god should receive credit for wisdom and goodness. assuredly that which he himself enjoins is well and wisely enjoined, though human reason judge differently. 297. from the wisdom of god the papists detract when they consider divinely enjoined tasks as paltry and attempt to undertake something better or more difficult. god is not propitiated by such works, but rather provoked, as saul's example shows. as if god were stupid, dastardly, and cruel in that he commanded to destroy the amalekites and all their belongings, saul conceived a kinder plan and reserved the cattle for the purpose of sacrifice. what else was such action but to deem himself wise and god foolish. 298. hence moses rightly commends in this passage noah's obedience when he says that he did everything the lord had enjoined. that means to give god credit for wisdom and goodness. he did not discuss the task, as adam, eve and saul did to their great hurt. he kept his eye on the majesty of him who gave the command. that was enough for him, even though the command be absurd, impossible, inexpedient. all such objections he passes by with closed eyes, as it were, and takes his stand upon the one thing commanded by god. this text therefore is familiar as far as hearing it is concerned, but even as to the performance and practice of it, it is known to very few and is extremely difficult. chapter vii. i. noah obeys command to enter the ark. 1. noah saw god's favor in his command 1. * noah experienced severe temptations and needed comfort 1-2. 2. what god wished to teach noah by calling him to enter the ark 3. 3. whether god spoke this commandment directly to noah 4-5. * when god speaks to us through men it is to be viewed as god's word 4-5. * the thoughts of the jews on the seven days 6. * the office of the ministry. a. through it god deals with mankind 7. b. why we should not despise the office and expect revelations direct from god 8-9. * god speaks with man in various ways 9. * corruption and destruction of the first world. a. the ruin of the first compared with that of the last world 10-13. * the need of posterity to pray that they retain pure doctrine 12. b. why so few righteous persons were found in noah's day 12. * the efforts of the pope and bishops to crush the gospel 13. c. first world severely punished, neither old nor young were spared 14-15. d. punishment of first world greatly moved peter when he wrote about it 16-17. * peter's record of sermon christ delivered to the spirits of the first world in prison 16-17. a. who are to be understood here by the unbelieving world 18. b. peter here shows the wrath and long suffering of god 19. c. nature and manner of this sermon 20. * apostles had special revelations we cannot grasp 20-21. 4. how noah was righteous before god 22. 5. how the world laughed at him while executing god's command, god then comforted him 23-24. 6. greatness of noah's faith and steadfastness in executing this command 25-26. * luther's confession he would have been too weak for such a work 25-26. * the great firmness of john huss and jerome of prague 27. * we are to comfort ourselves when all the world forsakes and condemns us 28. 7. god commands noah to take the animals he names along into the ark 29. * why god so often repeats the same thing 29. a. what is to be understood by behemoth 30. b. how many of each kind entered the ark 31. * the rain at the flood was exceptional 32. * the flood is a token of god's righteousness and from it we conclude god will punish the sins of the last world 33. 8. by what may we learn noah's faith and obedience to god 34. * why god did not save noah in some other way 34. i. noah obeys command to enter the ark. v. 2a. _and jehovah said unto noah, come thou and all thy house into the ark._ 1. as soon as that extraordinary structure, the ark, was built, the lord commanded noah to enter it, because the time of the deluge, which the lord announced one hundred and twenty years before, was now at hand. all this convinced noah that god was taking care of him; and not only this, but also, as peter says (2 pet 1, 19), gave him an ample and abundant word to support and confirm his faith in such great straits. having foretold the deluge for more than a century, he doubtless was bitterly mocked by the world in many ways. 2. as i have said repeatedly, god's wrath was incredible. it could not be grasped by the human mind, in that original age of superior men, that god was about to destroy the whole human race, except eight souls. noah, being holy and just, a kindly and merciful man, often struggled with his own heart, hearing with the greatest agitation of mind the voice of the lord, threatening certain destruction to all flesh. it was needful, then, that repeated declaration should confirm his agitated faith, lest he might doubt. 3. god's command to enter the ark amounted to this: "doubt not, the time of punishment for the unbelieving world is close at hand. but tremble not, do not fear, for faith is at times very weak in the saints. i shall take care of you and your house." to us such promise would have been incredible, but we must admit that all things are possible with god. 4. notice moses' peculiar expression again: "jehovah said." it gives me particular pleasure that these words of god did not sound from heaven, but were spoken to noah through the ministry of man. although i would not deny that these revelations may have been made by an angel, or by the holy spirit himself, yet where it can plausibly be said that god spoke through men, there the ministry must be honored. we have shown above that many of god's words according to moses, were spoken through adam; for the word of god, even when spoken by man, is truly the word of god. 5. now, as methuselah, noah's grandfather, died in the very year of the deluge, it would not be inapt to infer that (since lamech, noah's father, had died five years before the flood,) this was, so to speak, methuselah's last word and testament to his grandson, a dying farewell. perhaps he added some remarks as these: my son, as thou hast obeyed the lord heretofore, and hast awaited this wrath in faith, and hast experienced god's faithful protection from the wicked, henceforth firmly believe that god will take care of thee. the end is now at hand, not mine alone, which is one of grace, but the end of all mankind, which is one of wrath. for after seven days the flood will begin, concerning which thou hast long and vainly warned the world. after this manner, i think, spoke methuselah, but the words are attributed to god, because the spirit of god spoke through the man. thus i like to interpret these instances to the honor of the ministry wherever, as in this case, it can appropriately be done. since it is certain that methuselah died in the very year of the flood, the supposition is harmless that these were his last words to noah, his grandson, who heard his words and accepted them as the word of god. 6. the jews' peculiar idea concerning these seven days is that they were added to the one hundred and twenty years in honor of methuselah, that therein his posterity might bewail his death. this is a harmless interpretation, for the patriarch's descendants did not fail to do their duty, particularly his pious children. 7. but the first view concerning the ministry of the word, is not only plausible, but also practical. god does not habitually speak miraculously and by revelation, particularly where, he has instituted the ministry for this very purpose of speaking to men, teaching, instructing, consoling and entreating them. 8. in the first place, god entrusts the word to parents. moses often says: "thou shalt tell it to thy children." then to the teachers of the church is it entrusted. abraham says (lk 16, 29): "they have moses and the prophets; let them hear them." we must expect no revelation, be it inward or outward, where the ministry is established; otherwise all ranks of human society would be disturbed. let the pastor preach in church; let the magistrate rule the state; let parents control the house or family. such are the ministries of men instituted by god. we should make use of them and not look for new revelations. 9. still i do not deny that noah heard god speak after methuselah's death. god speaks ordinarily through the public ministry--through parents and the teachers of the church--and in rare cases by inward revelation, through the holy spirit. it is well that we remember not to overlook the word in vain expectation of new revelations, as the fanatics do. such a course gives rise to spirits of error, a source of disturbance to the whole world, as the example of the anabaptists proves. v. 1b. _for thee have i seen righteous before me in this generation._ 10. this is truly a picture of the primitive, ancient world, as peter calls it. 2 pet 2, 5. his appellation carries the thought of a peculiarity of that particular age, which is foreign to the people of our own. could words be more appalling than these, that noah alone was righteous before the lord? the world is similarly pictured in ps 14, 2-3, where we read that the lord looked down from heaven to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek god. but he says: "they are all gone aside; they are together become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one." 11. similar to this judgment upon the world was christ's declaration as to the last days. he says: "when the son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" lk 18, 8. it is a fearful thing to live in such an evil and godless world. by the goodness of god, since we have the light of his word, we are still in the golden age. the sacraments are rightfully administered in our churches, pious teachers proclaim the word purely, and, though magistrates be weak, wickedness is not desperately rampant. but christ's prophecy shows that there will be evil times when the lord's day approaches. wholesome teaching nowhere will be found, the church being dominated by the wicked, as today the plans of our adversaries are a menace. the pope and the wicked princes zealously strive totally to destroy the ministry of the word, oppressing or corrupting the true ministries, that everyone may believe whatever pleases him. 12. so much the more diligently should we pray for our posterity, and take earnest heed that a more wholesome doctrine be transmitted to them. if there had been more godly teachers in the days of noah, there might have been more righteous people. the fact that noah alone was proclaimed a righteous man makes it evident that the godly teachers had been either destroyed or corrupted, leaving noah the sole preacher of righteousness, as peter calls him, 2 pet 2, 5. since government had been turned into tyranny and the home vitiated by adultery and whoredom, how could punishment be delayed any longer? 13. such danger awaits us also if the last days are to be like the days of noah. truly, the popes and bishops strenuously endeavor to suppress the gospel and to ruin the churches which have been rightfully established. thus does the world assiduously press onward to a period similar to the age of noah, when, with the light of the word extinguished, all shall go astray in the darkness of wickedness. for without the preaching of the word, faith cannot endure nor prayer, nor the purity of the sacraments. 14. such, according to moses, was the condition of the ancient world in noah's day, when the world was young and at its best. the greatest geniuses flourished everywhere and people were well educated by experience because they lived so long. what will be our fate in the frenzy, so to speak, that shall befall the world in its dotage? we should remember to care for our posterity and continually pray for it. 15. as the first world was most corrupt, it was thus subject to terrible punishment. adults perished who provoked god to anger by their wicked deeds, also those of an innocent age, who had knowledge and were unable to distinguish between their right hand and their left. many, doubtless, were deceived by their own guilelessness; but god's wrath does not discriminate, it falls upon and destroys alike adults and infants, the crafty and the guileless. 16. this awful punishment appears to have moved even the apostle peter. like one besides himself, he uses words which we today are not able to understand. he says: christ, having been made alive in the spirit, also "went and preached unto the spirits in prison, that aforetime were disobedient, when the long suffering of god waited in the days of noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water," etc. (1 pet 3, 19-20). 17. a strange declaration, and an almost fanatical saying, by which the apostle describes this event! by these words, peter assures us that there was a certain unbelieving world to whom the dead christ preached after their death. if this is true, who would doubt that christ took moses and the prophets with him to those who were fettered in prison, in order to change the unbelieving world into a new and believing one? this seems to be intimated by peter's words, though i should not like to make this assertion authoritatively. 18. but doubtless those whom he calls an unbelieving world were not the wicked despisers of his word nor the tyrants. if they were overwhelmed in their sins, these were certainly condemned. the unbelieving world of which he speaks seems rather to be the children and those whose lack of judgment precluded belief. these were at that time, seized and carried away headlong to their destruction, by the offenses of the world, as if in the power of a rapid stream, only eight souls being saved. 19. in this way does peter magnify the awful intensity of god's wrath. at the same time he praises his long-suffering in that he did not deprive those of the word of salvation who at the time did not or could not believe because they hoped in the patience of god and would not be convinced that he would visit such fearful and universal punishment upon the world. 20. how this came to pass is beyond our understanding. we know and believe that god is wonderful in all his works and has all power. therefore he who in life preached to the living, could also in death preach to the dead. all things hear, feel and touch him, though our human minds can not understand the process. nor is it to our discredit when we are ignorant of some of the mysteries of holy writ. the apostles had each his own revelation, and contention concerning them would be presumptuous and foolish. 21. such was the revelation of christ given to the spirits that evidently perished in the flood, and we may perhaps, not inappropriately connect it with that article of our creed which speaks of the descent of christ into hell. such was also paul's revelation concerning paradise, the third heaven (2 cor 12, 2-4), and certain other matters of which we may be ignorant without shame. it is false pride to profess to understand these things. st. augustine and other teachers give their fancy loose rein when they discuss these passages. may it not be that the apostles had revelations which st. augustine and others did not have? but let us return to moses. 22. a truly fearful description of the world is vouchsafed in this declaration of god that he saw noah alone to be righteous before him, in spite of the small children and those others who had innocently been misled. let us particularly note the term, "before me." it signifies that noah was blameless not only as regards the second table of the law, but also as regards the first. he believed in god, and hallowed, preached and called upon his name; he gave thanks to god; he condemned godless teachings. for, to be righteous before god means to believe god and to fear him, and not, as they taught in popedom, to read masses, to free souls from purgatory, to become a monk, and like things. 23. this term "before me" has reference also to the condemnation of the ancient world. having neglected the worship demanded by the first table, they criminally transgressed also the second. not only did they mock noah as a fool, but they went so far as to condemn his teaching as heresy. meanwhile they ate, drank, and celebrated festivals in security. before the world, accordingly, noah was not righteous; measured by her code he was a sinner. 24. hence god, or the grandfather, methuselah, consoles noah with the word of counsel to disregard the blind and wicked verdict of the world, neither to care for her views and utterances, but to close eyes and ears while heeding alone the word and verdict of god, believing himself to be righteous before god, or approved and acceptable to him. 25. and noah's faith was truly great; he could rely upon god's utterance. i, forsooth, should not have believed. i realize what weight the whole world's hostile and condemnatory judgment must carry. we are condemned in the judgment of the pope, the sacramentarians, and the anabaptists, but this is mere play and pleasure, compared to what the righteous noah had to bear, who found not a single person in the whole world to approve of his religion or life, except his own sons and his pious grandfather. we have, the endorsement of many churches, by god's grace, and our princes fear no danger in defense of their doctrine and religion. noah had no such protectors, and he saw his enemies living in peaceful leisure and enjoyment. if i had been he, i surely should have said: lord, if i am righteous, if i am well pleasing to thee and if those people are wicked and displeasing to thee, why, then, dost thou enrich them? why dost thou heap upon them all manner of favors, while i, with my family, am greatly harassed and almost without assistance? in short, i should have despaired in such great afflictions unless the lord had given me that spirit which noah had. 26. therefore, noah is a brilliant and admirable example of faith, who opposed the judgments of the world with an heroic steadfastness of mind in the assurance that he was righteous while all the rest of the world was wicked. 27. often when i think of those most holy men, john huss and jerome of prague, i view with astonishment the courage of their souls, as they, only two in number, set themselves against the judgment of the whole world, of pope, emperor, bishops, princes, universities and all the schools throughout the empire. 28. it is helpful often to reflect upon such examples. since the prince of the world battles against us, endeavoring to kindle despair in us with his fiery darts, it behooves us to be well armed, lest we succumb to the enemy. let us say with noah: i know that i am righteous before god, even though the whole world condemn me as heretical and wicked, yea, even desert me. thus did the apostles desert christ, leaving him alone; but he said (jn 16, 32): "i am not alone." thus did the false brethren desert paul. hence, this is no uncommon danger, and it is not for us to despair; but with courage to uphold the true doctrine, in spite of the world's condemnation and curse. vs. 2-3. _of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee seven and seven, the male and his female; and of the beasts that are not clean two, the male and his female. of the birds also of the heavens, seven and seven, male and female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth._ 29. it is evident that god takes pleasure in speaking to noah. hence, he does not confine himself to a single command, but repeats the same things in the same words. to human reason such repetition appears to be absurd talkativeness, but to a soul struggling against despair the will of god cannot be repeated too often, nor can too exhaustive instruction be given relative to the will of god. god recognizes the state of a soul that is tempted, and hence makes the same statements again and again, so that noah may learn from frequent conversations and conferences that he is not only not forsaken though the whole world forsake him, but that he has a friend and protector in god who so loves him that he never seems to weary of conversing with him. this is the cause of the statements being repeated. however, as has been explained, god spoke with noah not from heaven but through men. 30. in respect to the language, this passage shows that _ha-behemah_ signifies not only cattle, the larger animals, but also the smaller ones which were commonly used for sacrifice, as sheep, goats and the like. the custom of offering sacrifices was not first instituted by moses, but was in the world from the beginning, being handed down, as it were, by the patriarchs to their posterity; as shown by the example of abel, who brought of his first fruits an offering to god. 31. as to the remainder of the passage, we explained at the end of the sixth chapter how to harmonize the discrepancies apparent in the fact that here seven beasts of each kind are ordered to be taken into the ark while only two of each kind are mentioned there. to repeat is not necessary. since noah was saved by a miracle, he thought that a seventh animal should be added to the three pairs of clean beasts as a thank-offering to god, after the flood, for his deliverance. v. 4. _for yet seven days, and i will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living thing that i have made will i destroy from off the face of the ground._ 32. here you see god's care to give noah complete assurance. he sets a limit of seven days, after which will follow a rain of forty days and forty nights. god speaks with peculiar significance when he says that it shall rain. it was not a common rain, but fountains of the deep as well as the windows of heaven were opened; that is, not only did a great mass of rain fall from heaven, but also an immense amount of water streamed forth from the earth itself. and an immense amount of water was necessary to cover the highest mountain tops to a depth of fifteen cubits. it was no ordinary rain, but the rain of god's wrath, by which he set out to destroy all life upon the face of the earth. because the earth was depraved, god despoiled it, and because the godless people raged against the first and second tables of the commandments, therefore god also raged against them, using heaven and earth as his weapons. 33. this story is certain proof that god, though long-suffering and patient, will not allow the wicked to go unpunished. as peter says (2 pet 2, 5), if he "spared not the ancient world," how much less will he spare the popes or the emperors who rage against his word? how much less will he spare us who blaspheme his name when our life is unworthy of our calling and profession, when we freely and daily sin against our consciences? let us, then, learn to fear the lord, humbly to accept his word and obey it; otherwise punishment will overtake also us, as peter threatens. vs. 5-10. _and noah did according unto all that jehovah commanded him. and noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth. and noah went in, and his sons and his wife, and his sons' wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood. of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of birds, and of everything that creepeth upon the ground, there went in two and two unto noah into the ark, male and female, as god commanded noah. and it came to pass after the seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth._ 34. this is clear from what precedes. noah's faith is praiseworthy in that he obeyed the lord's command and unwaveringly entered the ark with his sons and their wives. god truly could have saved him in innumerable other ways; he did not employ this seemingly absurd method because he knew no other. to him who kept jonah for three days in the midst of the sea and in the belly of the whale, what do you think is impossible? but noah's faith and obedience are to be commended because he took no offense at this plan of salvation divinely shown to him, but embraced it in simple faith. ii. complete destruction by flood. * why moses so often repeats and expresses in few words what other writers describe at length 35-39. * noah's grief because of the approaching calamity 38. * the way of coarse and satiated spirits 39. 1. when did the flood commence. a. some think it began in the spring 40. b. others think it began in the autumn 41. c. which is the more probable 42. * what to think of the jews reckoning the year has two beginnings 44. 2. how the flood continued. a. must distinguish the fountains of the earth, the windows of heaven and the rain 45. * of the earth and the water. (1) why the water does not overflow the earth since the earth floats in the water 46. (2) why the water above the earth does not fall and overflow the earth 47-48. (3) how the prophets wondered at this as a miracle, but we in our day give it little thought 49. b. how were the fountains broken up, how can such a work be ascribed to god 50-51. * overflowing of the german fountains at halle 51. c. how were the windows of heaven opened 52. (1) what is meant by the windows of heaven 53. (2) why such words used here 53. 3. flood covered and destroyed the whole earth 54. 4. why god sent the deluge 54. * why god so often repeats the same thing 55-60. * what is meant by zippor 55. * how god's wrath as seen in the deluge was very great 56-57. 5. the deluge was a terrible spectacle; noah and his sons took courage from it 58-60. * noah's glorious faith at the sight of the deluge 60. * noah's long ship voyage; how he was comforted 61. 6. how the world's destruction harmonizes with god's promises: how the promises to the church agree with his threatenings 62ff. * god's threatenings and man's unbelief. a. why the first world believed not the threatenings about the deluge 62ff. b. why the jews believe not the threatenings of the prophets 63. c. why the papists believed not the threats against them 64. * god's church and her maintenance. a. the world understands not how the church is maintained 66. b. what is the true form of the true church 66. c. god's promises not rescinded when rejected; who bear the name of the church 67-68. 7. whether god fully rescinded through the flood the rule over the earth he once gave man 69. * how god preserved his church through the deluge 69. 8. the deluge was apparently against god's promise 70. * god allows nothing to hinder the punishment of the impenitent 71-73. * by what means papists adorn themselves and how it is all in vain 72. * why we should not rely on present, temporal things, but upon god's word 73. * the marks of a true church. a. what they are not and what they are 74-76. b. papists have characteristics holy scriptures give as marks of antichrist 75. c. church born of god's word and is to be known by that word 76. d. rule to be observed in the marks of the true church 77. e. how far one may consider the papists the true church, and how far not 78-79. f. the true church is where the word is, although few belong to it and it has no temporal power 79. g. whether the evangelicals can justly be accused of falling from the old church 80. h. how and why the evangelical or gospel church is really the true church 81. * how noah retained all and remained lord of the world although the deluge destroyed everything 81. ii. complete destruction. vs. 11-12. _in the six hundredth year of noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. and the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights._ 35. we see that moses uses a great many words, which results in tiresome repetition. how often he mentions the animals! how often the entrance into the ark! how often the sons of noah who entered at the same time! the reason for this must be left to the spiritually minded; they alone know and see that the holy spirit does not repeat in vain. 36. others, however, who are more materially minded may think that moses, being moved, when he wrote the passage, by the greatness of god's wrath, desired to enforce its truths by repetition; for reiteration of statements is soothing to troubled minds. thus did david repeat his lament over his son absalom, 2 sam 18, 33. so viewed, this narrative shows depth of feeling and extreme agitation of mind. this example of wrath so impresses the narrator that for emphasis he mentions the same thing again and again, and in the same words. 37. this is not the custom of poets and historians. their emotions are factitious; they are diffuse in their descriptions; they pile up words for mere effect. moses husbands his words, but is emphatic by repetition that he may arouse the reader's attention to the importance of the message and compel him to feel his own emotions instead of reading those of another. 38. evidently moses did not only wish to convey by persistent repetition the extreme agitation of his own mind, but also of that of noah himself, who, being filled with the holy spirit, and burning with love, necessarily deplored the calamity when he saw that he could not avert it. he foresaw the doom of the wisest and most distinguished and eminent men. thus did david mourn when he could not call back absalom to life. so samuel mourned when he despaired of saving saul. 39. the text is not a mere tautology or repetition. the holy spirit does not idly repeat words, as those superficial minds believe, which, having read through the bible once, throw it aside as if they had gathered all its contents. yet these very repetitions of moses contain a statement more startling than any to be found in heathen records--that noah entered the ark in the six hundredth year, the second month and the second day of his life. 40. opinions differ as to the beginning of the year. one is, that the year begins at the conjunction of the sun and the moon which occurs nearest to the vernal equinox. thus this month is called the first by moses in exodus. if the flood set in on the seventeenth day of the second month, it must have continued almost to the end of april, the most beautiful season of the year, when the earth seemingly gathers new strength, when the birds sing and the beasts rejoice, when the world puts on a new face, as it were, after the dreary season of winter. death and destruction must have come with added terror at that season which was looked forward to as a harbinger of joy and the apparent beginning of a new life. this view is substantiated by the words of christ in matthew 24, 38, where he compares the last days of the world to the days of noah and speaks of feasting, marriage and other signs of gladness. 41. a second opinion makes the year begin with that new moon which is nearest to the autumnal equinox, when all the harvest has been gathered from the fields. its advocates declare this to be the beginning of the year, because moses calls that month in which such new moon occurs, the end of the year. they call this autumnal equinox the beginning of the civil year, and the vernal equinox the beginning of the holy year. the mosaic ceremonies and festivals extend from the latter season up to the autumnal equinox. 42. if moses in this passage is speaking of the civil year, then the flood occurred in september or october, an opinion i find lyra held. it is true that fall and winter are more liable to rains, the signs of the zodiac pointing to humidity. again, as moses writes further on, a dove was sent forth in the tenth month and brought back a green olive branch. this fact seems to harmonize with the view that the deluge began in october. 43. but i cannot endorse this argument of the jews, assuming two beginnings of the year. why not make four beginnings, since there are four distinct seasons according to the equinoxes and solstices? it is safer to follow the divine order, making april the first month, starting with the new moon which is nearest to vernal equinox. the jews betray their ignorance in speaking of an autumnal beginning of the year: the autumnal equinox is necessarily the end of the year. moses so calls it for the reason that all field labors had then ceased and all products had been gathered and brought home. 44. hence, it is my belief that the flood began in the spring, when all minds were filled with hope of the new year. such is the death of the wicked that when they shall say, "peace and safety," they perish. 1 thes 5, 3. nor is any inconsistence shown in the fact that the green olive branch is afterward mentioned, for certain trees are evergreen, as the boxwood, fir, pine, cedar, laurel, olive, palm and others. 45. but what does moses mean by saying that the fountains of the great deep burst, and that the windows of heaven were opened? no such record is found in all pagan literature, although the heathen searched with zeal the mysteries of nature. one discrimination should be made as regards the abysses of the earth, the floodgates or windows of heaven, and the rain. rain, as we know it, is a common phenomenon, while that of bursting floodgates and abysses is both unfamiliar and amazing. 46. almost all interpreters are silent on this point. we know from holy writ that god, by his word, established a dwelling-place for man and other living beings on dry land, above the water, contrary to nature; for it is opposed to natural law that the earth, being placed in water, should rise up out of it. if you cast a clod into the water, it sinks at once. but the dry land stands up out of the water by virtue of the word, which has set bounds for the sea, as solomon (prov 8, 27) and job (ch 38, 11) declare. unless the water were restrained by the power of the word, with a bound, as it were, they would overflow and lay waste everything. thus is our life guarded every single moment, and wonderfully preserved by the word. we have an illustration in partial deluges, when at times entire states or regions are flooded, proving that we should daily suffer such unpleasant things if god did not take care of us. 47. but just as there are waters below us, and beneath the earth, so, too, are there waters above us, and beyond the sky. if they should descend, obeying natural law, destruction would result. the clouds float as if suspended in space. when at times they descend, how great the terror they cause! but imagine the result of a universal collapse! how they would burst, in obedience to the law of their nature, did they not remain in place above us, suspended, as it were, by the word! 48. thus we are girt about on all sides by water, shielded only by a frail ceiling of unsubstantial material--the air that we breathe--which bears up the clouds and carries that weight of water, not in obedience to the laws of nature, but by the command of god, or by the power of the word. 49. when the prophets think of these things they are lost in admiration. it is contrary to nature that such a weight should remain in suspension above the earth. but we, blinded by daily witnessing of such wonders, neither observe nor admire them. that we are not at any moment overwhelmed by waters from above or from below, we owe to the divine majesty which orders all things and preserves all creatures so wonderfully, and he ought to be the object of our praise. 50. startling and significant are the words moses uses--the fountains of the great deep were broken up. the conception he would convey is that they had been closed by god's power and sealed, as it were, with god's seal, as today; and that god did not open them with a key, but rent them with violence, so that the ocean, in a sudden upheaval, covered everything with water. it is not to be supposed that god moved his hand, because the fountains of the deep are said to have been broken up. it is the custom of scripture to adapt itself to our understanding in the phraseology employed, and that under consideration here denotes that god gives leave to the waters in that he no longer restrains or coerces them but suffers them to rage and break forth unchecked according to their nature. that is the reason the ocean seemed to swell and boil. in the salt works in our neighborhood there is a spring named after the germans, which, if it is not pumped out at certain times, swells and overflows with terrific force. 51. they say that in olden times the town of halle was once destroyed by a violent overflow of a spring of the kind described. if a single spring could work such destruction what would be the result of the uncurbed power of ocean and seas? thus mankind was destroyed before they even knew their danger. whither should they flee when the waters poured in upon them with such force? 52. but this is not all: the windows of heaven also were opened. moses' word implies that to that time the windows were closed as they are closed today. indeed, the world thought such opening impossible; their sins, however, made it possible. 53. moses' use here of the word "windows" signifies the literal opening of heaven. with rain as we know it, the water appears to fall by drops from the pores of the rain-clouds, but at the time of the flood it came down with great force, not through pores, but through windows, like water poured from a vessel with one movement, or as when water-skins burst in the middle. moses uses this figure of speech for the sake of effect, so that those occurrences are brought to our vision. 54. a volume of water, therefore, swept over the earth, from the sky as well as from the innermost parts of the earth, until at last the whole earth was covered with water, and the fertile soil, or the entire face of the earth was destroyed by the briny flood. a like instance occurs nowhere in any book. the holy scriptures alone teach us that these things were visited upon the world sinning in imagined security, and that to this day the waters suspended in the clouds are restrained only by the kindness of god. otherwise they would descend in vast volume, as in the flood, according to the law of their nature. vs. 13-16. _in the selfsame day entered noah, and shem, and ham, and japheth, the sons of noah, and noah's wife, and three wives of his sons with them, into the ark; they, and every beast after its kind, and all the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth after its kind, and every bird after its kind, every bird of every sort. and, they went in unto noah and the ark, two and two of all flesh wherein is the breath of life. and they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as god commanded him._ 55. here moses begins to be remarkably verbose. his wordiness hurts tender ears when he so often and apparently without any use repeats the same things. it is not sufficient to say "all birds," but he names three kinds of birds. of these, the term _zippor_ is usually said to mean "a sparrow," but this passage shows clearly that it is a generic term, doubtless so called from the sound, _zi, zi_. he also names three kinds of beasts. also, when speaking of the flood itself, he is very wordy, saying that the waters prevailed, that they increased, that they flooded and covered the face of the earth. finally, when he tells of the effect of this flood, he makes similar repetition: "all flesh expired, died, was destroyed," etc. 56. but i said above (â§37) that moses repeats these things contrary to his style, in order to force the reader to pause and more diligently learn and meditate upon this great event. we cannot fully comprehend the wrath which destroys, not man alone, but all his possessions. moses wishes to arouse hardened and heedless sinners by such a consideration of god's wrath. 57. hence, these words are not idle, as a shallow and unspiritual reader might judge. they rather challenge us to fear god, and call attention to the present so that, sobered by the thought of such wrath, we may make an earnest beginning in the fear of god, and cease from sin. for not without many tears does moses appear to have written this account! so utterly is he with eyes and mind absorbed in this horrible spectacle of wrath that he cannot but repeat the same statements again and again. doubtless he does this with the purpose to thrust such darts of divine fear, so to speak, into the souls of pious readers. 58. it may be well to transport ourselves in thought into the time of the event. what do you think would be our state of mind if we had been put into the ark, if we had seen the waters spreading everywhere with overwhelming force and the wretched human beings perishing without possibility of help? let us remember that noah and his sons were also flesh and blood; that is, they were men who, as that person in the comedy (terence, heaut. 1: 1, 25) says, thought nothing human was foreign to themselves. they were in the ark for forty days before it was lifted off the earth. in those days were destroyed all the human beings and animals living upon the earth. this calamity they saw with their own eyes; who would doubt that they were violently stirred by the sight? 59. furthermore, the ark floated upon the waters for one hundred and fifty days, buffeted on all sides by the waves and winds. there was no hope for any harbor, or for any meeting with men. as exiles, therefore, as vanished from the earth, as it were, they were driven here and there by currents and winds. is it not a miracle that those eight human beings did not die from grief and fear? truly, we are made of stone if we can read this story with dry eyes. 60. what outcry, sorrow and wailing if from the shore we see a small boat overturned, and human beings miserably perishing! here, however, not one boat-load, but the entire world of men perish in the waters; a world composed not only of grown persons, but also babes; not only of criminal and wicked ones, but also simple-hearted matrons and virgins. they all perished. let us believe that moses told the tale of this calamity with such redundancy of words in order that we might be impelled to give earnest attention to this important event. noah's faith was truly of a rare kind, since he consoled himself and his family with the hope of promised seed and dwelt more upon this promise than the destruction of all the rest of the world. vs. 16-24. _and jehovah shut him in. and the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lifted up above the earth. and the waters prevailed, and increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters. and the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high mountains that were under the whole heaven were covered. fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered. and all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both birds, and cattle, and beasts, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man: all, in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, of all that was on the dry land, died. and every living thing was destroyed that was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and creeping things, and birds of the heavens; and they were destroyed from the earth: and noah only was left, and they that were with him in the ark. and the waters prevailed upon the earth a hundred and fifty days._ 61. for forty days the ark stood in some plain. by that time the waters had risen to such an extent that they lifted the ark, which then floated for one hundred and fifty days. a long sea voyage indeed, and one of great mourning and tears. yet the occupants upheld themselves by faith, not doubting the kindness of god toward them. they had experienced his goodness when building the ark, when preparing the food, when getting ready other things needful for this occasion, and finally when the lord closed the ark after the flood came in its power. 62. the question arises, how can god be truthful here? he had set man as master over the earth to cultivate and rule it. god did not create the earth to lie waste, but to be inhabited and give its fruits to men. how can we reconcile such purpose of the creator with the fact that he destroyed all mankind except eight souls? i have no doubt that this argument influenced the descendants of cain as well as the wicked posterity of the righteous generation not to believe noah when he proclaimed the flood. how can we harmonize god's promise to adam and eve, "you shall rule the earth," and his words here to noah, "the water shall overpower all men, and destroy them all." so the unbelievers decided that noah's preaching was wicked and heretical. 63. in like manner the books of the prophets bear witness that the threats of the assyrian and babylonish captivity were not believed by the priests and kings, who knew this grand promise: "this is my resting-place forever: here will i dwell; for i have desired it," ps 132, 14; and that other, by isaiah: "here is my fire, and my hearth-stone," is 31, 9. to them it was incredible that either the state or the temple should be overthrown by the gentiles. and the jews, miserable outcast though they be, even to this day hold fast the promise that they are god's people and heirs of the promises given abraham and the fathers. 64. thus is the pope puffed up with the promises given to the church: "i am with you unto the end of the world," mt 28, 20; "i will not leave you desolate," jn 14, 18; "i made supplication for thee, that thy faith fail not," lk 22, 32; and others. though he sees and feels the wrath of god, yet, caught in these promises, he dreams, and likewise his followers, that his throne and power are secure. hence the papists blatantly use the name of the church to overwhelm us, promising themselves the utmost success, as if they could force god to establish the church according to their dreams and desires. 65. fitly, then, do we here raise the question how the flood, by which all mankind perished, agrees with the will of god, who created human nature and gave it the promise and endowment of dominion. the answer to this question will likewise settle the one concerning the church. it is this: god remains truthful, preserving, ruling and governing his church though in a manner transcending the observation and understanding of the world. he permits the roman pontiff and his adherents to think that the pope is the church. he suffers him to feel secure and to enjoy his dignity and title. but in fact god has excommunicated the pontiff, because he rejects the word and establishes idolatrous worship. 66. on the other hand, god has chosen for himself another church, which embraces the word and flees idolatry, a church so oppressed and shamefully afflicted that it is not considered a church but a band of heretics and the devil's school. thus paul writes to the romans (ch 2, 17) that the jews do not fear god yet they glory in the law and in god, at the same time denying, blaspheming and offending god. and while the jews, who take pride in being god's people, are doing this, god prepares for himself a church from the gentiles, who truly glory in god and embrace his word. 67. but who should dare to accuse god of untruthfulness because he preserves the church in a manner unknown and undesired by man? of similar nature were the promises concerning the preservation of jerusalem and the temple. these promises were not violated when that city and temple were laid waste by the babylonians. for god established another jerusalem and another temple in the spirit and by the word; jeremiah promised (jer 29, 10-11) that the people should return after seventy years and that then both the temple and the nation should be re-established. 68. as regards the jews, these were destroyed at that time, but not as regards god who had promised in his word that they should be rebuilt. the jews argue correctly that god will not desert the nation and temple; but god keeps his promise in a way foreign to the thought of the jews, who believed that the nation would not be destroyed because the promise said: "this is my resting-place forever." god permitted destruction in order to punish the sins of his people, and yet he preserved and protected the church when the pious were brought back by cyrus and built the temple. 69. in like manner, dominion over the world was given to man in the beginning of creation. this is taken away in the flood, not forever, but for a time, and that not altogether. though the greater part of the world perishes, yet man retains his mastery; and this mastery is preserved to mankind, not as represented by a multitude, as the world desired and believed, but by a few persons--eight souls--a thing which seemed incredible to the world. 70. hence god did not lie; he kept his promise, but not as the world would have had it. he destroyed the sinners and saved the righteous few, which, like a seed, he thereafter multiplied in many ways. 71. the papists should keep before their eyes this judgment of god. it teaches that neither numbers nor power nor his own promise is allowed to prevent him from punishing the impenitent. otherwise he would have spared the first world and the offspring of the patriarchs to whom he had granted dominion over the earth. now he destroys all and saves only eight. 72. is it wonderful, then, that he deals with the papists in the same way? though they boast of rank, dignity, numbers, and power, yet, because they trample the word of god under foot and rage against it, god will cast them away, choosing for himself another church, which will humbly obey the word and accept with open arms the gifts of christ which the pope's church, trusting in its own merits, haughtily spurns. 73. therefore none should trust in the good things of present possession, though they be promised by the divine word. we must look to the word itself and trust in it alone. those who set the word aside and put their trust in present things, will not go unscathed in their fall from faith, however much they may boast of power and numbers. this truth is shown by the flood, by the captivity of the jews and their present misfortune, and by the seven thousand men in the kingdom of israel. 74. the proof is sufficiently strong, that great numbers do not make a church. nor must we trust in holiness of origin, in forefathers, or in the gifts of god which we enjoy. we must look to the word alone and judge thereby. those alone who truly embrace the word will be as immovable forever as mount zion. they may be few in number and thoroughly despised by the world, as were noah and his children. but god, through these few, preserved to man the truth of that promised mastery when he had not even room to set his foot upon the earth. 75. our enemies, setting aside the word, make much of number, outward appearance, and persons. but the apostles foretold that the antichrist will be a respecter of persons, that will rely upon numbers and ancient origin, that he will hate the word and corrupt god's promises and that he will kill those who cling to the word. shall we, then, consider such people to be the church? 76. the church is a daughter born from the word, not the mother of the word. therefore, whoever loses the word and looks to men instead, ceases to be the church and lapses into utter blindness; nor will either great numbers or power avail. they who keep the word, as did noah and his family, are the church, though they be few in number, even but eight souls. the papists at this time surpass us in numbers and rank; we not only are cursed, but suffer many things. but we must endure until the judgment, when god will reveal that we are his church, and the papists the church of satan. 77. so, then, we must observe that rule in 1 sam 16, 7, where the lord says to samuel: "look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because i have rejected him: for jehovah seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but jehovah looketh on the heart." 78. let us not, therefore, give heed to the greatness and might of the pope, who boasts that he is the church, proclaiming the apostolic succession and the majesty of his person. let us look to the word. if the pope embraces it, let us judge him to be the church; but if he does violence to it, let us judge him to be the slave of satan. 79. paul says (1 cor 2, 15) that the spiritual person judgeth all things. if i were the only one on the face of the earth to keep the word, i should be the church, and rightfully pass judgment upon all the rest of the world that they were not the church. our enemies have the office without the word, and really have nothing. we, on the other hand, have the word, though we have nothing; yet we have everything through the word. therefore, either let the pope, the cardinals and the bishops come over to our side, or let them cease to boast that they are the church, which they cannot be without the word, since it is begotten only by the word. 80. we bear a great load of hatred, being accused of having deserted the ancient church. the papists, on the other hand, boast that they have remained true to the church, and they want to leave everything to the judgment of the church. but we are accused falsely. to speak the truth, we must say that we departed from the word when we were still in their church and now we have returned to the word and have ceased to be apostates from the word. 81. therefore though in their judgment they rob us of the title of the church, still we retain the word, and through the word we have all ornaments of the true church. for whoever has the creator of all, must needs also possess the creatures themselves. in this sense noah remained master of the world, though the waters prevailed, and the earth perished. though he lost his property, yet, because he retained the word by which everything was created, it may truly be said he retained everything. chapter viii. i. noah's condition in the ark; the waters abate. a. noah's condition in the ark. 1. how noah and his family anxiously waited for god's promise, and lived in faith, which is a hard life 1-3. 2. he had a hard time in the ark. what sustained him 2-4. 3. how he suffered in two ways 5. * whether god can forget his saints 6. * severest temptations are when man thinks he is forsaken by god 7. 4. noah's condition became more miserable because of his family's distress 8-10. 5. noah and family with difficulty overcame their temptation 11. * christians need steadfastness 12. * why god for a time conceals himself from his faithful ones 13. * temptations severe when saints imagine god has forsaken them 14. b. the waters abate. 1. the time the waters abated 15. 2. how the wind blew upon the earth and dried it. 16-17. 3. the abating of the waters was a sign by which god comforted noah 18. * noah's ark. a. when it began to float, how long it floated and when it rested 19. b. on what mountain did it rest 20. c. what to think of josephus' testimony 21. 4. when the mountain tops first seen 22. 5. how noah learned the deluge had ceased. a. why noah sent forth the raven, and how the error arose the raven never returned 23-24. * the jews' unclean thoughts of the raven 24. b. noah sent forth a dove, and if at the same time with the raven 25. c. noah sent out a second dove, which assured him that the flood had ceased 26. (1) dove returned with an olive leaf 26. (2) whether it did this of its own impulse, and what god thereby wished to indicate 27-28. (3) the jews' ideas on where the dove got the olive leaf 27. (4) why an olive leaf 28. 6. how long noah and family were in the ark 29. i. noah in ark--flood abates. a. noah's condition in the ark. v. 1a. _and god remembered noah, and all the beasts, and all the cattle that were with him in the ark._ 1. when that horrible wrath had exhausted itself, and all flesh with the earth had been destroyed, the promise made by god to noah and his sons, that they were to be the seed of the human race, began to be realized. no doubt this promise was to them an object of eager expectation. no life is so hedged about with difficulties as that of faith. this was the life lived by noah and his sons, whom we see absolutely depending upon the heavens for support. the earth was covered with water. bottom on which to stand there was none. it was the word of promise that upheld them, as they drifted in this welter of waters. 2. when the flesh is free from danger, it holds faith in contempt, as the claims of the papists show. it loves showy and toilsome tasks; in these it sweats. but behold noah, on all sides surrounded by waters, yet not overwhelmed! surely it is not works that sustain him but faith in god's mercy extended through the word of promise. 3. the difficulty besetting noah is hinted at in the words: "god remembered." moses thus intimates that noah had been tossed on the water so long that god seemed to have forgotten him altogether. they who pass through such a mental strain, when the rays of divine grace are gone and they sit in darkness or are forgotten by god, find by experience that it is far more difficult to live in the word or by faith alone than to be a hermit or a carthusian monk. 4. hence, it is not a meaningless expression when the holy spirit says that "god remembered noah." he means that from the day noah entered the ark, no word was spoken, nothing was revealed to him; that he saw no ray of divine grace shining, but merely clung to the promise which he had accepted, while in the meantime the waters and waves raged as if god had certainly forgotten. the same danger beset his children and also the cattle and all the other animals throughout the one hundred and fifty days they were in the ark. and though the holy seed by the aid of the conquering spirit overcame those difficulties, the victory was not won without vexation of the flesh, tears and stupendous fear, felt, in my opinion, even by the brutes. 5. thus a twofold danger beset them. the universal flood which swallowed up all mankind could not vanish without stupendous grief to the righteous, particularly as they saw themselves reduced to so small a number. further, it was a serious matter to be buffeted by the waters for almost half a year without any consolation from god. 6. the expression used by moses, "god remembered noah," must not be short of its meaning by calling it a rhetorical figure, signifying that god acted after the manner of one who had forgotten noah, whereas god cannot in truth forget his saints. a mere master of rhetoric, indeed, does not know what it means to live in such a state as to feel that god has forgotten him. only the most perfect saints understand that, and can in faith bear, so to speak, a god who forgets. therefore the psalms and all the scriptures are filled with complaints of this nature, in which god is called upon to arise, to open his eyes, to hear, to awaken. 7. monks possessed of a higher degree of experience, at times underwent this temptation and called it a suspension of grace. the latter may be experienced also in temptations of a slighter nature. the flame of lust found in young people is altogether unbearable unless it is held in check by the word of god and the holy spirit. similarly, at a more mature age, impatience and the desire for revenge can nowise be overcome unless god tears them from the soul. how much more liable is the soul to fall into the darkness of despair, or into ensnaring predestinarian tenets, when more severe temptations beset us and the suspension of grace is felt. 8. hence this expression is not to be passed by as a mere rhetorical ornament, according to the interpretation of the rabbis. it is intended rather to portray the state of soul which feels despair coming on amid unutterable groanings of heart, with just a spark of faith left to wrest victory from the flesh. in the same way that paul suffered from satan's messenger, we may believe that noah felt himself stabbed in the heart, and that he often argued thus within himself: dost thou believe that thou alone art so beloved of god? dost thou believe that thou will be kept safe to the end, when waters are boundless, and those immense clouds seem to be inexhaustible? 9. when, then, such broodings found their way also into the weak souls of the women, what cries, wails and tears may we surmise to have been the result? almost overcome by sadness and grief, he was forced to lift up and comfort those with the cheer his own heart did not feel. 10. it was, therefore, no jest or frolic for them to live so long locked up within the ark, to see the endless downpour of rain and to be carried to and fro floating upon the waves. this was the experience of having been forgotten by god which moses implies when he says that god at last remembered noah and his sons. 11. though the occupants of the ark overcame this feeling by faith, they did not do so without great vexation of the flesh; just as a young man who leads a chaste life overcomes lust, but surely not without the greatest vexation and trouble. in this instance, where the trial was greater, where all evidence was at variance with the fact that god was gracious and mindful of them, they indeed triumphed, but not without fearful tribulation. for the flesh, weak in itself, can bear nothing less patiently than the thought of a god who has forgotten. human nature is prone to be puffed up and haughty when god remembers it, when he vouchsafes success and favor. is it a wonder, then, that we become broken in spirit and desperate when god seems to have cast us away and everything goes against us? 12. let us remember that this story sets before us an example of faith, of endurance, and of patience, to the end that, having the divine promise, we should not only learn to believe it, but should also consider that we are in need of endurance. endurance is not maintained without a great struggle, and christ calls upon us, in the new testament, to acquire it when he says: "he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved," mt 24, 13. 13. this is the reason why god hides for a time, as it were, seeming to have forgotten us, suspending his grace, as they say in the schools. as in this temptation not only the spirit but also the flesh is afflicted, so afterward, when he again begins to remember us, the perception of grace which during the trial was evident only to the spirit and most faintly at that, is extended to the flesh also. 14. hence, the word "remembered" indicates that great sadness beset both man and beast during the entire time of the flood. it must have been by dint of great patience and extraordinary courage that noah and the others bore this lapse from god's memory, which is simply unbearable to the flesh without the spirit even in slight trials. true, god always remembers his own, even when he seems to have forsaken them; but moses indicates that he remembered his people here in a visible way, by a sign, and by openly fulfilling what he had previously promised through the word and the spirit. this is the most important passage in this chapter. b. waters abate. vs. 1b-3. _and god made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters assuaged; the fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained; and the waters returned from off the earth continually; and after the end of a hundred and fifty days the waters decreased._ 15. moses said above (ch 7, 11-12) that the deluge raged in three different ways; for not only were the fountains of the great deep broken up and the windows of heaven opened, but also the rain descended. when these forces ceased on the one hundred and fiftieth day, quiet was once more in evidence and the fact that god remembered, and noah with his sons and their wives, as also the animals, was refreshed after terror so great and continuous. if a storm of two days duration causes seafarers to despair, how much more distressing was that tossing about for half a year! 16. the question here arises, how the wind was made to pass over the earth, which as yet was entirely covered with water. it is nothing new that winds have the power to dry, especially those from the east, called by our countrymen "hohle winde," and by virgil "parching winds," from the drouth which they bring upon the earth. these are mentioned also by hosea 13, 15. the explanation, accordingly, is simple. moses says that the wind was made to pass over the earth, that is, over the surface of the waters, for such a length of time that at last, the waters being dried up, the earth again appeared. so, in exodus, a burning wind is said to have dried up the red sea. now, god might have accomplished this without any wind, yet he habitually employs a natural means to attain his purposes. 17. up to this time noah had lived in darkness, seeing nothing but the waters rolling and raging in a terrifying volume. now the delicious light of the sun bursts forth once more, and the winds cease to roar from all points of the compass. only the east wind, calculated to reduce the waters, is blowing, and gradually it takes away the stagnant flood. other means also are effective; the ocean no longer hurls its waves upon the land, but takes back the waters which it had spewed forth, and the floodgates of heaven are closed up. 18. these are outward and tangible signs by which god consoles noah, showing him that he had not forgotten, but remembered him. this is a practical and needed lesson also for us. when in the midst of dangers we may with certainty look for god's help, who does not desert us if we continue in faith, looking forward to the fulfilment of god's promises. v. 4. _and the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of ararat._ 19. the waters increased for forty days, until the ark was lifted from the earth. then for one hundred and fifty days it floated upon the waters, driven by the winds and the waves, without a sign of god's remembrance. at length the waters began to decrease, and the ark rested. 20. the point of dispute among the jews here is the number of months. but why waste any more time upon immaterial matters, particularly as we see that the suggestions of the rabbis are not at all wise? it is more to the purpose for us to inquire where the mountains of ararat are to be found. it is generally believed that they are mountains of armenia, close by the highest ranges of asia minor, the caucasus and the taurus. but it appears to me that more likely the highest of all mountains is meant, the imaus (himalaya), which divides india. compared to this range, other mountains are no more than warts. that the ark rested upon the highest mountain is substantiated by the fact that the waters continued to fall for three whole months before such smaller ranges as lebanon, taurus, and caucasus were uncovered, which are, as it were, the feet or roots of the himalaya, just as the mountains of greece may be called branches of the alps extending up to our hercinian forest (harz). to anyone who surveys them with care the mountains seem to be wonderfully related and united. 21. josephus has wonderful things to tell about the mountains of armenia, and he records that during his time remains of the ark were discovered there. but i suppose nobody will judge me to be a heretic if i occasionally doubt the reliability of his statements. v. 5. _and the waters decreased continually until the tenth month: in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, were the tops of the mountains seen._ 22. moses said before that by the seventh month the waters had fallen so far that the ark rested upon ararat. in the third month thereafter, the tops of the lower mountains began to appear, so that noah, looking down from the mountains of ararat as if from a watchtower, saw also the peaks of the other mountains, of the taurus in asia, the lebanon in syria, and the like. all these were signs of god's remembrance. vs. 6-7. _and it came to pass at the end of forty days, that noah opened the window of the ark which he had made: and he sent forth a raven, and it went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth._ 23. so far the history; the allegorical significance we shall discuss at its proper place. the carelessness of a translator has caused a dispute upon this part of the story. the hebrew text does not say that the raven did not return, as jerome translated; hence there was no need to invent a reason why he did not return--because he found dead bodies lying about everywhere. they claim that abundance of food prevented him. 24. on the contrary, moses says that the raven which had been sent forth, returned; although he did not permit himself to be again imprisoned in the ark as the dove did. moses implies that noah sent forth the raven to find out whether animals could, by that time find dry land and food. the raven, however, did not faithfully carry out his mission, but rejoicing to be set free from his prison, he flew to and fro, and paying no attention to noah, he enjoyed the free sky. the swinish jews, however, show the impurity of their minds everywhere. for they suppose that the raven had fears concerning his mate, and that he even suspected noah concerning her. shame upon those impure minds! vs. 8-9. _and he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground; but the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him to the ark; for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: and he put forth his hand, and took her, and brought her unto him into the ark._ 25. when noah's hopes had been set at naught by the raven, which flew about wantonly but brought no tidings concerning the condition of the earth, he took a dove, thinking that she would more truly perform the mission. the text almost authorizes us to say that those two birds were sent forth at the same time, so that noah might have two witnesses from whom to gain desired knowledge. the raven enjoying the free sky, flew round about the ark, but did not want to return into it. the dove, however, fleeing from the corpses and corruption, comes back and permits itself to be caught. this story, as we shall hear, offers a fine allegory concerning the church. vs. 10-12. _and he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark; and the dove came in to him at eventide; and, lo, in her mouth an olive-leaf plucked off: so noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth. and he stayed yet other seven days, and sent forth the dove; and she returned not again unto him any more._ 26. the dove, being a faithful messenger, is sent forth once more. moses carefully describes how the waters decreased gradually, until at last the surface of the earth, together with the trees, was laid bare. we do not believe that the dove brought the olive leaf intentionally, but by the command of god, who wanted to show noah, little by little, that he had not altogether forgotten but remembered him. this olive leaf was an impressive sign to noah and his fellow-prisoners in the ark, bringing them courage and hope of impending liberation. 27. the jews dispute sharply in respect to this matter of where the dove found the olive leaf, and some, in order to secure special glory for their homeland, make the ludicrous assertion that she took it from the mount of olives in the land of israel, which god had spared from the flood that destroyed the remainder of the earth. but the saner jews rightly refute this nonsense by arguing that if this were true, the olive leaf could not have been a sign for noah that the waters had fallen. others have invented the fable that the dove was admitted to paradise and brought the leaf from there. 28. but i have (ch 2, â§39-42) set forth at length my views concerning paradise, and this nonsense is not worthy the effort of a refutation. it serves a better purpose to remind you that all these things happened miraculously and supernaturally. a dove is not so intelligent as to pluck a bough and bring it to the ark in order that noah might form a judgment with reference to the decrease of waters. god ordained these events. other trees had leaves at that time, particularly the taller ones which rose sooner from the waters. the olive tree is comparatively short, hence it was calculated to furnish information concerning the decrease of the waters and to serve as an object lesson of the cessation of the wrath of god and the return of the earth to its former state. of this he had more certain proof however, when the dove, having been sent out the third time, did not return: for not only did it find food on earth, but was able to build nests and to flit to and fro. vs. 13-14. _and it came to pass in the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dried. and in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dry._ 29. here we see that noah was in the ark an entire year and ten days; for he entered the ark on the seventeenth day of the second month, and came out again, after a year had passed, in the same month, but on the twenty-seventh day. poor noah, with his sons and the women, lived in the ark more than half a year in sore grief, without a sign of being remembered by god. afterward god gave him gradual proof, through various signs, that he had not forgotten him, until at last, after the lapse of a year and ten days, he was again given dominion over the earth and sea. on this day of the second month, the flood had not only disappeared, but the earth was dry. this is the story of the flood and its abatement. after this fearful wrath, there ensues an immeasurable light of grace, as is shown in the following sermon addressed to noah by god himself. ii. noah commanded to leave the ark; his offering to god; god's resolve not to curse the earth again. a. noah commanded to leave the ark, and he obeyed 30-32. * man should do nothing but what god commands 30-32. * is it right to start a new worship without god's command to do so 33-34. * the examples of saints and special works. 1. should we imitate the works of the holy patriarchs 34-35. 2. the result among the jews of a reckless imitation of the saints 36. 3. should have regard here, not to works but to faith 37-38. ii. noah leaves ark, his sacrifice and god's promise. a. noah obeys command to leave the ark. vs. 15-17. _and god spake unto noah, saying, go forth from the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons' wives with thee. bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee of all flesh, both birds, and cattle, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth._ 30. up to this point the narrative is only a record of facts, or the description of a divine work. though the works of god are not mute but eloquent witnesses, and present to our vision the will of god, a still greater comfort is vouchsafed when god links to the works the word, which is not manifest to the eye but perceptible to the ear and intelligible to the heart through the promptings of the holy spirit. so far god had given proof by his work that he was appeased, that the god of wrath had turned into a god of mercy, who turns back the waters and dries up the earth. such comfort he now amplifies by his word in that he lovingly accosts and enjoins him to leave the ark with the other creatures, both men and animals. 31. in the light of this passage the frequent and emphatic application of the principle is justified that we should neither design nor do anything, especially in respect to god's service and worship, without the initiative and command of the word. as above narrated, noah enters the ark upon god's command; and he leaves the ark upon god's command to leave it. he does not follow superstitious notions, as we see the jews do, who, when they establish anything temporary by command, endeavor to retain it forever, as if it were essential to salvation. 32. noah might have argued thus: behold, i built the ark by the command of god; i was saved in it while all other men perished: therefore i will remain in it, or keep it for a place of divine worship, since it has been sanctified by the word of god and the presence of the saints, the church. but the godly man did nothing of the kind. the word had commanded him to go forth, therefore he obeyed. the ark had done its service during the flood and he left it, assured that he and his children were to live on the earth. so must we undertake nothing without the word of god. in a holy calling, which has the word and command of god, let us walk! for whosoever attempts anything without the command of god, will labor in vain. 33. to deny this, some one might cite as example the act of noah, described below, when he built an altar without god's command, and offered a burnt-offering thereon to god from the clean animals. if this was permitted to noah, why should we not be permitted to choose certain forms of worship? and, in truth, the papacy has heaped up works and forms of worship in the church without measure, just as it pleased. but we must hold fast to the principle, which is a theorem of general application, that whatsoever is not of faith, is sin, (rom 14, 23). but faith cannot be separated from the word; hence, whatsoever is done without the word, is sin. 34. furthermore, it is plainly dangerous to take the acts of the fathers as models. as individuals differ, so also do their duties differ, and god requires diverse works according to the diversity of our calling. accordingly the epistle to the hebrews fitly refers the various acts of the fathers to the one faith, in order to show that each of us must imitate, in his calling, not the works, but the faith of the fathers. heb 11. 35. hence works peculiar to the holy fathers must by no means be considered as models for us each to imitate as the monks imitate the fasting of benedict, the gown of francis, the shoes of dominic and the like. men become apes who imitate without judgment. the monks try to ape the works, but know nothing of the faith of the fathers. 36. abraham was commanded to slay his son. afterward his descendants most wickedly believed they should follow his example, and they filled the earth with innocent blood. in a similar manner the people worshiped the brazen serpent and offered sacrifices before it. in both instances the people wanted to justify themselves by the example of their forefathers; but since they established these forms of worship without the word, they were righteously condemned. 37. let us, therefore, remember not to establish anything without the word of god. duties differ, and so must the works of individuals. how foolish it would be for me to proclaim that i must follow caesar's example, and that others must obey my laws! how wicked it would be for me to assert that i must follow the example of a judge, condemning some to the cross, others to the sword! then, we must look, not upon the works, but upon the faith of individuals; for the faith of all saints is one, though their works are most diverse. 38. think not that because noah built an altar, you may do likewise; but follow the faith of noah, who thought it right to show his merciful savior that he understood his beneficent gifts, and was grateful for them. follow abraham, not in slaying your son, but in believing the promises of god, and in obeying his commandments. the epistle to the hebrews fitly refers the deeds and acts of the fathers to their faith, setting forth that we should follow their faith. b. noah's sacrifice. 1. whether noah was commanded to offer a sacrifice and in what way sacrificing is justified 39-41. * have monks divine command to support their order 40. * shall we find fault with the works of saints, for which they apparently had no command 41. * how in all works we should have respect for god's command 42. * lyra's unfounded thoughts on the words, "be fruitful" etc. 43. * why moses said so much about their leaving the ark 44. 2. noah's sacrifice proves moses did not originate the idea of sacrifice 45-46. 3. why noah's sacrifice was pleasing to god 47-48. * the meaning of "sweet savor" 47-48. 4. how it can be said god "smelled the sweet savor", and why this form of speech used 49-50. b. noah's sacrifice. 39. the objection under consideration can be invalidated by the rejoinder that noah did have a command to erect an altar and offer sacrifices. god approved the rite of sacrifice by ordering that more of the clean animals--suitable for sacrifice--should be taken into the ark. nor was noah permitted to cast aside the office of the priesthood, which had been established by the word before the flood and had come down to him by the right of primogeniture. adam, seth, enoch and others had been priests. from them noah possessed the office of the priesthood as an inheritance. 40. therefore noah, as priest and prophet, was not only at liberty to offer sacrifice, but he was under obligation to do so by virtue of his calling. since his calling was founded on god's word, in harmony with that word and by god's command he built an altar and offered sacrifices. therefore let a monk prove it is his office and calling to wear a cowl, to worship the blessed virgin, to pray the rosary and do like things, and we will commend his life. but since the call is lacking, the word is not the authority and the office does not exist, the life and works of the monks in their entirety stand justly condemned. 41. finally, even if all other arguments should fail, this argument, according to which man judges the cause by the effect, remains; namely, that god expresses approval of noah's deed. although such reasoning from effect to cause may not be unassailable, it yet is not without value in respect to such heroic and uncommon men, who meet not with rejection but approval on the part of god, although they appear to do what they have not been expressly commanded. they possess the inward conviction that they are guilty of no transgression, though the disclosure of this fact is delayed until later god expresses his approval. such examples are numerous and it is noteworthy that god has expressed approval even of the acts of some heathen. 42. let this maxim, then, stand, that everything must be done by the command of god in order to obtain the assurance of conscience that we have acted in obedience to god. hence they who abide in their divinely assigned calling, will not run uncertainly nor will they beat the air as those who have no course in which they have been commanded to run, and in consequence may not look forward to a prize. 1 cor 9, 24. but i return to the text. noah, with his sons and the women, is commanded to leave the ark, and to lead forth upon the earth every species of animals, that all his works may be sanctified and found in keeping with the word. concerning the animals moses now expressly states: vs. 17-19. _be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth. and noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him: every beast, every creeping thing, and every bird, whatsoever moveth upon the earth, after their families, went forth out of the ark._ 43. the lord speaks of the propagation of noah and his sons in the ninth chapter and that, i believe, is the reason why he speaks here only of the propagation of the animals. from the expression here used, lyra foolishly concludes that cohabitation had been forbidden during the flood and was now again permitted after the departure from the ark, since god says, "go forth, ... thou and thy wife." such thoughts belong to monks not to god, who plans not sinful lust, but propagation; the latter is god's ordination, but lust is satan's poison infused into nature through sin. 44. moses here uses many words to illustrate the overflowing joy of the captives' souls, when they were commanded to leave their prison, the ark, and to return upon the earth now everywhere open before them. in recounting the kinds of animals, however, he arranges them in a different order, distinguishing them by families, as it were, to let us see that only propagation was god's aim. it must have been a glad sight when each one of the many beasts, after leaving the ark, found its own mate, and then sought its accustomed haunt: the wolves, the bears, the lions, returning to the woods and groves; the sheep, the goats, the swine, to the fields; the dogs, the chickens, the cats, to man. v. 20. _and noah builded an altar unto jehovah, and took of every clean beast, and of every clean bird, and offered burnt-offerings on the altar._ 45. this text shows conclusively that moses was not the first person to introduce sacrifices but that, like a bard who gathers chants, he arranged and classified them as they had been in vogue among the fathers and transmitted from the one to the other. thus also the law of circumcision was not first written by moses but received from the fathers. 46. above (ch 4, 4-5), where moses mentioned the sacrifice of abel and cain, he called it _minchah_, an offering; here, however, we find the first record of a burnt-offering, one entirely consumed by fire. this, i say, is a clear proof that the law of sacrifices had been established before the time of moses. his work, then, consisted in arranging the rites of the forefathers in definite order. v. 21. _and jehovah smelled the sweet savor._ 47. it is set forth here that jehovah approved noah's sacrifice which he offered by virtue of his office as a priest, according to the example of the fathers. however, the differences of phraseology is to receive due attention. of the former sacrifice he said that jehovah "had respect" to it; here he says that "jehovah smelled the sweet savor." moses subsequently makes frequent use of this expression. the heathen also adopted it; lucian, for example, makes fun of jove who was conciliated by the odor of meats. 48. the word in the original, however, does not properly signify the "savor of sweetness," but "the savor of rest", for _nichoach_ meaning "rest", is derived from the verb _nuach_, which moses used before, when he said that the ark rested upon the mountains of ararat. therefore it is the "savor of rest," because god then rested from his wrath, dismissing his wrath, becoming appeased, and, as we commonly say, well content. 49. here the question might be raised why does he not say, jehovah had respect to noah and his burnt offering, rather than, jehovah smelled the savor of rest, which latter certainly sounds shocking, as though he were not commending the man for his faith, but merely for his work. this objection is usually answered by saying that the scriptures speak of god in human fashion. men are pleased by a sweet savor. but it seems to me there is still another reason for this expression, namely, that god was so close at hand that he noticed the savor; for moses desires to show that this holy rite was well-pleasing to god: solomon says (prov 27, 9) that perfume rejoiceth the heart. physicians sometimes restore consciousness by sweet odors. on the other hand, a violent stench is extremely offensive to our nature, and often overpowers it. 50. in this sense, one may say that god, having been annoyed by the stench of wickedness, was now refreshed, so to speak, when he saw this one priest girded himself to perform holy rites in order to give proof of his gratitude, and to manifest by some public act he did not belong to the ungodly, but that he had a god whom he feared. this is the real meaning of a sacrifice. as it had pleased god to destroy mankind, he is now delighted to increase it. moses uses this expression for our sake, that we, through the experience of god's grace, may learn that god delights to do us good. c. god's resolve not to curse the earth again. 1. god solemnly and earnestly means it 51. * how understood "it repented god that he had made man" 52-54. * experiences in spiritual temptations and how god helps us to bear them 54. 2. the meaning of "god will not again smite the earth" 55. c. god's resolve not to curse the earth again. v. 21b. _and jehovah said in his heart._ 51. moses points out that these words were not spoken by god without heart and feeling, but from his very vitals. this is the meaning of the hebrew text which has it that god spoke to his own heart. v. 21c. _i will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake._ 52. god speaks as if he were sorry for the punishment inflicted upon the earth on account of man, just as formerly he expressed regret for his creation, reproving himself, as it were, for his fury against man. this must not, of course, be understood as implying that god could possibly change his mind; it is written only for our consolation. he accuses and blames himself in order to rouse the little flock to the certain faith that god will be merciful hereafter. 53. and their souls stood in real need of such consolation. they had been terrified as they witnessed god's raging wrath, and their faith could not but be shaken. so now god is impelled to so order his acts and words that these people might expect only grace and mercy. accordingly he now speaks with them, is present at their sacrifice, shows that he is pleased with them, blames his own counsel, and promises that he will never do anything like it in the future. in brief, he is a different god from what he had been before. while god, indeed, does not change, he wants to change men, who have become altogether habituated to thoughts of wrath. 54. they who have experienced trials of the spirit, know full well how much the soul then stands in need of sure and strong consolation to induce it once more to hope for grace and to forget the wrath. one day, a whole month, perhaps is not enough for this change. just as it takes a long time to recover from bodily disorders, so such wounds of the soul cannot be healed at once, or by one word. god sees this, and tries by various means to recall the terrified souls to a certain hope of grace; he even chides himself, speaking to his own heart, as in jeremiah 18, 8, where he promises to repent of the evil he thought of doing, if the offenders also repent. 55. it should furthermore be noted that he says, "i will not again curse the ground." he speaks of a general destruction of the earth, not of a partial one, as when he destroys fields, cities, or kingdoms. the latter instances are for a warning; as mary says, "he hath put down princes from their thrones." lk 1, 52. iii. man's natural depravity and his natural powers. 1. natural depravity crops out in infancy 56. 2. it is seen as the years advance 57-58. 3. whether those who would drown it have reason for doing so 59-60. 4. there is none untainted by it 61-62. 5. the godless yield to it, believers resist it 62. * can god be charged with being changeable 63-64. 6. the knowledge of natural depravity is very necessary 65. 7. what moves sophists to ignore natural depravity 65-66. 8. how to view those who lightly regard natural depravity, and how to refute them 68-69. * meaning of "the imagination of the heart" 70. * true theological definition of man 71. 9. the proof of natural depravity and that the natural is not perfect 72-73. 10. consequence of false teaching on natural depravity and the natural 74-75. * what sophists understand by merito congrui and condigni 74. 11. how scotus tried to prove that man's natural powers were all he had, and how to refute his opinion 75-76. * value of the scholastics and their theology 77. 12. how teachers in these things lead astray 78. * the virtues of the heathen. a. estimate of them 79-80. b. how they differ from the good works of the saints 81. c. what they lack 82-83. 13. natural depravity may sleep in youth, but it will awake as the years advance 84-86. 14. those who ignore natural depravity may be refuted by experience 87. 15. philosophy manifests its vanity and blindness in its attitude to this doctrine 88-89. 16. experience confirms natural depravity 89-90. 17. whether natural depravity can be completely eradicated: how to check it 91. * how to understand "god will not smite the earth again" 92. * nature thrown into great disorder by the deluge 93. * seasons of the year again put in their order 94. * the people's talk about the signs of the last times 95. * the days of earth to be followed by the days of heaven, and we should prepare for them 96. iii. man's natural depravity and his natural powers. v. 21d. _for that the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth._ 56. this is a powerful passage, relating to original sin. whoever weakens its force, goes straying like the blind man in the sunlight, failing to see his own acts and experiences. look at the days of our swaddling clothes; in how many ways sin manifests itself in our earlier years. what an amount of switching it requires until we are taught order, as it were, and attention to duty! 57. then youth succeeds. there a stronger rebellion becomes noticeable, and in addition that untamable evil, the rage of lust and desire. if one take a wife, the result is weariness of his own and a passion for others. if the government of a state is entrusted to him, an exceptionally fruitful harvest of vice will follow--as jealousy, rivalry, haughtiness, hope of gain, avarice, wrath, anger, and other evils. 58. it is true, as the german proverb has it, that sins grow with the years: je laenger, je aerger; je aelter, je kaerger (worse with time, stingier with age). all such vices are so blatant and gross as to become objects of observation and intelligence. what, then shall we say of the inward vices when unbelief, presumption, neglect of the word, and wicked views grow up? 59. there are those who are and desire to be considered powerful theologians, though they extenuate original sin by sophistry. but vices so numerous and great cannot be extenuated. original sin is not a slight disorder or infirmity, but complete lawlessness, the like of which is not found in other creatures, except in evil spirits. 60. but do those extenuators have any scriptural proof to rest upon? let us see what moses says. as i pointed out in explaining the sixth chapter, he does not call such things evil, as lust, tyranny, and other sins, but the imagination of the human heart; that is, human energy, wisdom and reason, with all the faculties the mind employs even in our best works. although we do not condemn acts which belong to the social or civil sphere, yet the human heart vitiates these works in themselves proper, by doing them for glory, for profit, or for oppression, and either from opposition to the neighbor or to god. 61. nor can we escape the force of this passage by saying that those are meant who perished by the flood. god uses a generic term which denotes that the heart of man, as such, is meant. at the time this was spoken there were no other people than those saved in the ark, and yet the declaration is: the imagination of man's heart is evil. 62. therefore, not even the saints are excepted. in ham, the third son, this imagination of the heart betrayed its nature. and the other brothers were no better by nature. there was only this difference, that they, believing in the promised seed, retained the hope of forgiveness of sin, and did not give way to the evil imagination of their hearts, rather resisting it through the holy spirit, who is given for the very purpose of contending against, and overcoming, the malignity of man's nature. because ham gives way to his nature, he is wholly evil, and totally perishes. shem and japheth, who contend against it in their spirit, though being evil, are not altogether so. they have the holy spirit, through whom they contend against the evil, and hence are holy. 63. it would seem here that god might be accused of fickleness. before, when he was about to punish man, he assigned as a reason for his purpose the fact that the imagination of man's heart is evil; here, when he is about to give unto man the gracious promise that he will not thereafter show such anger, he puts forward the same reason. to human wisdom this appears foolish and inconsistent with divine wisdom. 64. but i gladly pass by such sublime themes, and leave them to minds possessed of leisure. for me it is enough that these works are spoken to suit our spiritual condition, inasmuch as god points out that he is now appeased and no longer angry. so parents, having chastised their disobedient children as they deserve, win again their affections by kindness. this change of mood is not deserving of criticism but rather of commendation. it profits the children; otherwise they, while fearing the rod, might also begin to hate their parents. this explanation is good enough for me, for it appeals to our faith. others may explain differently. 65. we should give diligent attention to this passage because it plainly shows that man's nature is corrupt, a truth above all others to be apprehended, because without it god's mercy and grace cannot be rightly understood. hence, the quibblers previously mentioned are to be despised and we have good reason to take to task the translator who gave occasion for this error by rendering the words so as to say, not that the imagination of man's heart is evil, but that it is inclined to evil. upon this authority the quibblers distort or set aside those passages of paul where he says that all are children of wrath (eph 2, 3) that all have sinned (rom 5, 12) and are under sin (rom 3, 9). they argue from our passage as follows: moses does not say that human nature is evil, but that it is prone to evil; this condition, call it inclination or proclivity, is under the control of free will, nor does it force man toward the evil, or (to use their own words) it imposes no constraint upon man. 66. then they proceed to find a reason for this statement and declare that even after the fall of man, there remains in him a good will and a right understanding. for the natural powers, say they, are unimpaired, not only in man but even in the devil. and finally they so twist aristotle's teachings as to make him say that reason tends toward that which is best. some traces of these views are found also in the writings of the church fathers. using psalms 4, 6 as a basis, where the prophet says, "jehovah, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us," they distinguish between a higher part of reason which inquires concerning god, and a lower part employed in temporal and civil affairs. even augustine is pleased with this distinction, as we stated above when discussing the fall of man. 67. but if only a spark of the knowledge of god had remained unimpaired in man, we should be different beings by far from what we now are. hence, those quibblers who pick flaws in the plain statements of paul are infinitely blind. if they would carefully and devoutly consider that very passage as they read it in their latin bible, they would certainly cease to father so bad a cause. for it is not an insignificant truth which moses utters when he says the senses and the thoughts of the heart of man are prone to evil from his youth. this is the case especially in the sixth chapter (vs 5) where he says that the whole thought of his heart was bent on evil continually, meaning thereby that he purposes what is evil, and that in inclination, purpose and effort he inclines to evil. for example; an adulterer, whose desires are inflamed, may lack the opportunity, the place, the person, the time, and nevertheless be stirred by the fire of lust, unable to dwell upon anything else. in this manner, says moses, does human nature always incline toward evil. can, then, the natural powers of man be said to have remained unimpaired, seeing that man's thoughts are always set upon evil things? 68. if the minds of the sophists were as open toward the holy doctrine contained in the prophetical and apostolical writings as toward their own teachers who teach the freedom of the will and the merit of works, they surely would not have permitted themselves by so small an inducement as one little word to be led away from the truth so as to teach, contrary to scripture, that man's natural powers are uninjured, and that man, by nature, is not under wrath or condemnation. notwithstanding, it appears that they turn against their own absurdity. although the natural powers of man are uninjured, yet they maintain that, to become acceptable, grace is required; in other words, they teach that god is not satisfied with man's natural goodness, unless it be improved by love. 69. but what is the need to argue longer against the madness of the sophists, since we know the true meaning of the hebrew text to be, not that man's mind and thoughts are inclined to evil, but that the imagination of the human heart is evil from youth? 70. by imagination, as i stated several times before (ch 6, â§148), he means reason itself, together with the will and the understanding, even when it dwells upon god, or occupies itself with most honorable pursuits, be they those of state or home. it is always contrary to god's law, always in sin, always under god's wrath, and it cannot be freed from this evil state by its own strength, as witness christ's words: "if therefore the son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed," jn 8, 36. 71. if you wish a definition of the word "man" take it from this text teaching that he is a rational being, with a heart given to imagination. but what does he imagine? moses answers, "evil"; that is, evil against god or god's law, and against his fellow man. thus holy scriptures ascribe to man a reason that is not idle but always imagines something. this imagination it calls evil, wicked, sacrilegious, while the philosophers call it good, and the quibblers say that the natural gifts are unimpaired. 72. therefore this text should be carefully noted and urged against the caviling quibblers: moses declares the imagination of the human heart to be evil. and if it be evil, the conclusion is natural that the natural gifts are not unimpaired, but corrupted: inasmuch as god did not create man evil, but perfect, sound, holy, knowing god, his reason right and his will toward god good. 73. seeing we have clear testimony to the fact that man is evil and turned away from god, who would be mad enough to say that the natural gifts in man remain unimpaired? that would be practically saying that man's nature is unimpaired and good even now, whereas we have overwhelming evidence in our knowledge and experience that it is debased to the utmost. 74. from that wicked theory there have sprung many dangerous and some palpably wicked utterances, for instance, that when man does the best in his power, god will unfailingly give his grace. by such teaching they have driven man, as by a trumpet, to prayer, fasting, self-torture, pilgrimages and similar performances. thus the world was taught to believe that if men did the best that nature permitted, they would earn grace, if not the grace "de merito," at least that "de congruo." a "meritum congrui" (title to reward based upon equity) they attribute to a work which has been performed not against but in accordance to the divine law, inasmuch as an evil work is subject not to a reward but a penalty. the "meritum condigni" (a title to reward based upon desert) they attribute not to the work itself but to its quality as being performed in a state of grace. 75. another saying of this kind is the declaration of scotus that man by mere natural powers may love god above all things. this declaration is based upon the principle that the natural powers are unimpaired. he argues as follows: a man loves a woman, who is a creature, and he loves her so immoderately that he will imperil his very life for her sake. similarly, a merchant loves his wares, and so eagerly that he will risk death a thousand times if only he can gain something. if therefore, the love of created things is so great, though they rank far below god, how much more will a man love god who is the highest good! hence, god can be loved with the natural powers alone. 76. a fine argument, indeed, and worthy of a franciscan monk! for he shows that, though he is a great teacher, he does not know what it means to love god. nature is so corrupt that it can no longer know god unless it be enlightened by the word and spirit of god; how then can it love god without the holy spirit? for it is true that we have no desire for what we do not know. therefore, nature cannot love god whom it does not know, but it loves an idol, and a dream of its own heart. furthermore, it is so entirely fettered by the love of created things that even after it has learned to know god from his word, it disregards him and despises his word. of this the people of our own times are an example. 77. such foolish and blasphemous deliverances are certain proof that scholastic theology has degenerated into a species of philosophy that has no knowledge of god, and walks in darkness because it disregards his word. also aristotle and cicero, who have the greatest influence with this tribe, give broad instructions concerning moral excellences. they magnify these exceedingly as social forces since they recognize them as useful for private and public ends. in nowise, however, do they teach that god's will and command is to be regarded far more than private or public advantage (and those who do not possess the word are ignorant of the will of god). quite plainly the scholastics have fallen victims to philosophical fancies to such an extent as to retain true knowledge neither of themselves nor of god. this is the cause of their lapse into such disastrous errors. 78. and, indeed, it is easy to fall after you have departed from the word; for the glitter of civil virtues is wonderfully enticing to the mind. erasmus makes of socrates almost a perfect christian, and augustine has unbounded praise for marcus attilius regulus, because he kept faith with his enemy. truthfulness indeed is the most beautiful of all virtues, and in this case another high commendation is added in that there was combined with it love of country, which in itself is a peculiar and most praiseworthy virtue. 79. you may find men of renown not famous for truthfulness. themistocles, for instance, did not have this virtue though he was a heroic man and did his country great service. that is the reason why augustine admires attilius, finding his reason and will to be utterly righteous, that is as far as it is possible for human nature to be. where, then, is vice in this case? where is wickedness? the hero's work surely cannot be censured. 80. first, regulus knew not god, and, although his conduct was right, it is still to be seen whether a theologian should not censure his motive. for to his zeal in behalf of his country is added the thirst for glory. he evinces contempt for his life so as to achieve immortal glory among those to live after him. contemplating, therefore, merely his life's dream, as it were, and the outward mask, it is a most beautiful deed. but before god it is shameful idolatry; because he claims for himself the glory of his deed. and who would doubt that he had other failings besides this thirst for glory? attilius cannot claim the great virtues of truthfulness and love of country without tending violently and insanely toward wickedness. for it is wicked for him to rob god of the glory and to claim it for himself. but human reason cannot recognize this spoliation of the deity. 81. a distinction must be made between the virtues of the heathen and the virtues of christians. it is true that in both instances hearts are divinely prompted, but in the former ambition and love of glory afterward defile the divine impulse. 82. if now, an orator should come forth, who would dilate upon the efficient cause, but disguise the ultimate and vicious one, would it not be apparent to every one that with the two most potent causes, the formal (that which gives moral value to an act) and the ultimate one, disguised, an eloquent man could extol such a wretched shadow of a virtue? but a man apt in logic will readily discover the deception; he will observe the absence of the formal cause, namely the right principle, there being no true knowledge of god nor of the proper attitude toward him. he sees, furthermore, that the final cause is vicious, because the true end and aim, obedience to god and love of neighbor, is not taken into consideration. but what kind of virtue is that where nearly every cause is lacking except the natural cause, which is a passion, an impetus or impulse, by which the soul is moved to show loyalty to an enemy? these impulses, as i said, are found also in the ungodly. if exercised for the good of the country, they become virtues; if for its injury, they become vices. this aristotle sets forth very skillfully. 83. i refer to these things that students of sacred literature may make special note of this passage, which advisedly declares human nature to be corrupt. for those make-believe virtues, found among the heathen, seem to prove the contrary--that some part of nature has remained as it was originally. hence there is need of careful judgment in order to distinguish in this matter. 84. moses adds, "from his youth," because this evil is concealed during the first period of life and sleeps, as it were. our early childhood so passes that reason and will are dormant and we are carried along by animal impulses, which pass away like a dream. hardly have we passed our fifth year when we affect idleness, play, unchastity, and evil lust. but we try to escape discipline, we endeavor to get away from obedience, and hate all virtues, especially of a higher order as truth and justice. then reason awakes out of a deep sleep, as it were, and sees certain kinds of pleasure, but not yet the true ones, and certain kinds of evils, but not yet the most powerful ones, by which it is held captive. 85. where, then, the understanding has attained to maturity, not only the other vices are found to have grown strong, but there are joined to them now sexual desire and unclean passion, gluttony, gambling, strife, rape, murder, theft, and what not? and as the parents had to apply the rod, so now the government must needs use prison and chains in order to restrain man's evil nature. 86. and who does not know the vices of a more advanced age? they march along in unbroken file--love of money, ambition, pride, perfidy, envy, and others. these vices are so much the more harmful as at this age we are more crafty in concealing and masking them. hence, the sword of government is not sufficient in this respect; there is need of hell fire for the punishment of crimes so manifold and great. justly, then, did moses say above (ch 6) that the human heart, or the imagination of the heart, is only evil each day--or at all times--and here again, that it is evil from youth. 87. the latin version, it is true, makes use of a weaker term; yet it says enough by stating that it is inclined toward evil, just as the comic dramatist says that the minds of all men are inclined to turn from labor to lust, ter andr 1, 1, 51. but those who try to misuse this expression for the purpose of making light of original sin, are shown to be in the wrong by the common experience of mankind; chiefly, however, that of the heathen, or ungodly men. for if spiritual men, who surely enjoy divine help from heaven, can hardly hold their ground against vices and be kept within the bounds of discipline, what can any man do without this help? if divine aid contends against the captivity of the law of the flesh only with fierce struggles (rom 7, 22-23), how insane is it to dream that, without this divine help, human nature can withstand corruption? 88. hence reason of itself does not decide upon the right, nor does the will, of itself, strive after the same, as a blind philosophy declares which does not know whence these fearful impulses to sin arise in children, youths, and old men. therefore it defends them, calls them emotions or passions only, and does not call them natural corruption. 89. furthermore, in noble men, who check and control these impulses, it calls them virtues; in others who give the reins to their desires, it calls them vices. this is nothing less than ignorance of the fact that human nature is evil. the scriptures, on the contrary agree with our experience and declare that the human heart is evil from youth. for we learn by experience that even holy men can scarcely stand firm; yea that even they are often entangled by gross sins, being overwhelmed by such natural corruptions. 90. the term _ne-urim_ denotes the age when man begins to use his reason; this usually occurs in the sixth year. similarly, the term _ne-arim_ is used to denote boys and youths who need the guidance of parents and teachers up to the age of manhood. it will be profitable for each of us to glance backward to that period of life and consider how willingly we obeyed the commands of our parents and teachers, how diligent we were in studying, how persevering we were, how often our parents punished our sauciness. who can say for himself that he was not much more pleased to go out for a walk, to play games, and to gossip, than to go to church in obedience to his parents? 91. although these impulses can be corrected or bridled to a certain extent by discipline, they cannot be rooted out of the heart altogether, as the traces of these impulses show when we are grown. there is truth in that unpolished lie: "the angelic youth becomes satanic in his older years." god, indeed, causes some persons to experience emotions which are naturally good; but they are induced by supernatural power. thus cyrus was impelled to restore the worship of god, and to preserve the church. but such is not the tendency of human nature. where god is present with his holy spirit, there only, the imagination of the human heart gives place to the thoughts of god. god dwells there through the word and the spirit. of such, moses does not speak here, but only of those who are without the holy spirit; they are wicked, even when at their best. v. 21e. _neither will i again smite any more everything living, as i have done._ 92. moses clearly speaks of a general destruction, like that which was caused by the flood. from this it does not follow that god will also abstain from partial destruction, and that he will take no heed of anybody's sin. there will also be an exception in the case of the last day, when not only all living things will be smitten, but all creation will be destroyed by fire. v. 22. _while the earth reigneth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease._ 93. following this text, the jews divide the year into six parts, each comprising two months, a fact which lyra also records in this connection. but it seems to me that moses simply speaks of the promise that we need not fear another general flood. during the time of the flood such confusion reigned that there was no season, either of seedtime or harvest, and by reason of the great darkness caused by the clouds and the rain, day could not readily be distinguished from night. we know how heavy clouds obscure the light. how much greater, then, was the darkness when the waters, lying under the clouds like a mirror, reflected the darkness of the clouds into the faces and eyes of the beholders! 94. the meaning, accordingly, is simply that god here promises noah the imminent restoration of the earth, so that the fields might again be sowed; that the desolation caused by the flood should be no more; that the seasons might run their course in accordance with regular law: harvest following seedtime, winter following summer, cold following heat in due order. 95. this text should be carefully remembered in view of the common notions concerning the signs before the last day. then, some declare, there will be eclipses of i know not how many days duration. they say foolishly that for seven years not a single woman will bring forth a child, and the like. but this text declares that neither day nor night, neither summer nor winter, shall cease; therefore these natural changes will go on, and there will never be an eclipse which will rob human eyes of an entire day. 96. nor is it a phrase devoid of meaning when he says, "while the earth remaineth," for he gives us to understand that the days of this earth shall sometime be numbered, and other days, days of heaven, shall follow. as long, therefore, as the days of the earth endure, so long shall the earth abide, and with it the rotation of seasons. but when these days of the earth shall pass, then all these things shall cease, and there shall follow days of heaven, that is, eternal days. there shall be one sabbath after the other, when we shall not be engrossed with bodily labor for the purpose of gaining a livelihood; for we shall be as the angels of god, mk 12, 25. our life will be to know god, to delight in god's wisdom and to enjoy the presence of god. this life we attain through faith in christ, in which the eternal father may mercifully keep us, through the merit of his son, our savior, jesus christ, by the ruling and guidance of the holy spirit. amen. amen. chapter ix. i. god blesses noah and the race. a. marriage state blessed 1-5. 1. why this blessing necessary 1. 2. wedlock established twice 2. 3. evidence of god's love to the human race 3. 4. did this blessing pertain to noah 4. * bearing of children a special blessing of god unknown to the heathen 5. i. god blesses noah and the race. a. marriage state blessed. v. 1. _and god blessed noah and his sons, and said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth._ 1. this consolation was indeed needed after the whole human race had been destroyed by the flood and only eight souls were saved. now noah knew that god was truly merciful, since, not content with that first blessing which he had bestowed upon mankind in the creation of the world, he added this new blessing, that noah might have no misgivings whatever in regard to the future increase of his posterity. and the joy brought by this promise was all the greater for god's emphatic promise on a previous occasion, that he would never again visit mankind with such severe punishment. 2. in the first place, then, this chapter renews the establishment of marriage. god, by his word and command, joins male and female for the purpose of repopulating the earth. inasmuch as god had been roused to anger before the flood by the sin of lust, it was now needful, by reason of that fearful proof of wrath, to show that god does not abhor the lawful cohabitation of man and woman, but that it is his will to increase mankind by this means. 3. the fact that god had expressed it as his will that the human race should be propagated through a union between man and woman, an end which could have been attained from stones had he failed to approve such union as lawful, after the manner of deucalion of whom the poets fable--this fact tended to furnish noah sure evidence that god loved man, and desired his welfare, and that now all anger was at an end. therefore this passage illustrates the dignity of wedlock, which is the foundation of the family and state, and the nursery of the church. 4. the objection is here raised that noah had already reached an age no longer fit for procreation in view of the fact that the bible records no instance of children being born to him afterwards, and therefore this promise was valueless. to this i reply that this promise was given, not to noah alone, but also to his sons, even to all mankind; so that the expectation of offspring was entertained even by the grandsire noah. 5. this passage, furthermore, tends to convince us that children are a gift of god and a result of his blessing, as is shown in psalms 127, 3. the heathen, who know nothing of god's word, ascribe the increase of mankind partly to nature and partly to chance, in view of the fact that those who are evidently most fit for procreation often remain without offspring. hence, they do not thank god for this gift, nor do they receive their children as a blessing from god. b. man's use of and dominion over animals 6-31. 1. whether animals feared man before the flood 6-7. 2. relation between this use and dominion and of what they give evidence 7-9. 3. this use and rule a special blessing of god 8-10. * whether the custom of slaying cattle dates from the beginning of the world 10-11. 4. whether adam knew of this use and dominion 12. 5. this use of animals is evidence of god's love to the human race 13. * god's blessings greater than his wrath 13. 6. whether this use extends to unclean animals 14-15. 7. how man's fear of animals and their wildness and cruelty can exist with this dominion 16-18. * new sins accompanied by new punishments 19-20. * sodom before and after its destruction 21. * god's punishment of wittenberg, bruges and venice, and the cause 22-23. * god's command not to eat blood. a. why given 24. b. how to treat this text, which contains god's word 25. * meaning of nephesch and basar 26. c. right understanding of the command 27. * the words, "surely your blood will i require" etc. a. lyra's and the rabbis' explanation, 28-29. b. their true meaning 30-31. b. man's use of and dominion over animals. v. 2. _and the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every bird of the heavens; with all wherewith the ground teemeth, and all the fishes of the sea, into your hand are they delivered._ 6. it would seem that the dominion of man is here increased for his greater consolation. for though after the creation man was given dominion over all animals, yet we do not read that the beasts feared and fled from him according to the description of moses. the reason is found in the fact that heretofore the animals were not destined to be man's food; man had been a kind ruler of the beasts, not a killer and eater. 7. here, however, they are subjected to man as a tyrant with unlimited power of life and death. since the servitude of the beasts is increased and the power of man over them extended, the animals are harassed by terror and fear of man. we see even the tamed ones do not readily allow themselves to be handled; they feel the mastery of man and have a constant instinct of danger. i do not believe that such was the case before this word of god was spoken. before that time, men used suitable animals for their work and for sacrifice, but not for food. this increase of power also is a token of god's favor; he confers a privilege unknown to the patriarchs, as a token of his love and interest in man. 8. we must not undervalue this boon authority over the beasts; for it is a special gift of god, of which the heathen knew nothing, because they lack the word. we are the ones who derive the greatest benefit from this gift. when this revelation was given to noah, and such a privilege granted, there was really no need of it. a few men possessed the whole earth, so that its fruits were to be enjoyed by them in abundance and it was not necessary to add the flesh of beasts. but we today could not live altogether on the fruits of the earth; it is a great boon to us that we are permitted to eat the flesh of beasts, of birds and of fish. 9. this word, therefore, establishes the butcher's trade; it puts hares, chickens, and geese upon the spit and fills our tables with all manner of dishes. necessity makes men industrious. not only do they hunt the animals of the forests, but carefully fatten others at home for food. god in this passage establishes himself a slaughterer, as it were, for by his word he consigns to slaughter and death those animals which are suitable for food, as recompence to god-fearing noah for his tribulations during the flood. for that reason would god feed noah with lavish hand. 10. we must not think that this privilege was not divinely ordered. the heathen believe that this custom of slaughtering animals always existed. such things are established, or rather permitted, by the word of god; beasts could not have been killed without sin if god had not expressly permitted it by his word. it is a great liberty for man to slaughter all kinds of beasts fit for food and eat them without wrong-doing. had but a single kind of beasts been reserved for food, it would still have been a great boon; how much more should we value this lavish blessing, that all beasts suitable for sustenance are given into the power of man! 11. the godless and the gentiles do not recognize this; nor do the philosophers. they believe that this privilege has always been man's. as for us, however, we should have full light on the subject, in order that our consciences may enjoy both rest and freedom in the use of what god has created and allowed, there being absolutely no law against such food. there can be no sin in their use, though the wicked priests have criminally burdened the church on this subject. 12. in this passage, then, the power of man is increased and the brute beasts are committed to him, even unto death. they fear man and flee him under the new order, running counter to the experience of the past. adam would have been averse to killing even a small bird for food. but now, since the promulgation of this word, we know that, as a special blessing, god has furnished our kitchens with all kinds of meat. later on he will also take care of the cellar by showing man how to cultivate the vine. 13. these are sure proofs that god no longer hates man, but favors him. this story bears witness that, as god's wrath, once aroused, is unbearable, so his mercy is likewise endless and without measure when it again begins to glow. but his mercy is the more abundantly exercised because it is the very nature of god, while wrath really is foreign to god; he takes it upon himself contrary to his nature and forced thereto by the wickedness of men. v. 3. _every moving thing that liveth shall be food for you; as the green herb have i given you all._ 14. here a question arises. in chapter 7, 2, moses showed the difference between clean and unclean beasts; here, however, he speaks of all animals, without any distinction. did god, then, permit man to use also the unclean animals for food? 15. the statement as such is general: every moving thing that moveth upon the earth. there are some who believe that men at the time of noah made no distinction between clean and unclean animals as regards food. but i hold a different opinion. for since such difference had been established before that time and was carefully observed in the law afterward, i believe that men used only clean beasts for food; that is, such as were offered in sacrifice. hence the general declaration must be understood with a modification: everything that liveth and moveth, of clean beasts, is to be food for you. for, in general, human nature loathes serpents, wolves, ravens, mice, and dormice, though certain tribes may be found who relish even these animals. the fear and terror of man is upon all beasts of the earth, because he is allowed to kill them; but it does not follow that man uses them all for food. it is probable that noah ate clean beasts only; and only clean beasts, he knew, were acceptable to jehovah in sacrifice. 16. but there is another thing hard to understand. how can it be that the terror and fear of man is upon all animals when wolves, lions, bears, wild boars, and tigers devour men, and are rather a terror to men? so with the entire family of serpents, from which we flee at a glance. what shall we say here? is the word of god untruthful? i answer: though we, being aware of our danger, flee from such beasts and are afraid of them, yet they, likewise, fear man. even the fiercest beasts become terrified and flee at the first sight of man; but when they become enraged they overcome man by reason of their bodily strength. 17. but, you say, why do they fear when they are stronger? i answer: they know that man is endowed with reason, which is more powerful than any beast. the skill of man masters even elephants, lions, and tigers. whatever man's bodily strength is unable to do, that he accomplishes by his skill and his reasoning powers. how would it otherwise be possible for a boy of ten years to control an entire herd of cattle? or for man to guide a horse, an animal of singular fierceness and strength, to go in whatever direction he desires, now urging it forward and then compelling it to a more moderate gait? all these things are done by man's skill, not by his strength. hence, we do not lack clear proofs that the fear of man remains upon the beasts, which harm man when they become enraged, and for that reason are feared by him. 18. i have no doubt, however, that at the time of noah and the patriarchs immediately succeeding, this fear in the beasts was greater, because righteousness then flourished and there was less of sin. afterward, when holiness of life declined and sin increased, man began to lose this blessing, and the wild beasts became a punishment for sin. moses threatens in deut 32, 34 that god would send upon them the teeth of beasts. how fearful, also, was the plague of the fiery serpents in the desert! num 21, 6. bears tore to pieces the lads who mocked the prophet, 2 kings 2, 24. why did the beasts here lose their fear of man? why did they rage against man? was not sin the cause? 19. therefore, as stated before, when new sins arise, new punishments will also arise. so we see that in our day disease and misfortunes heretofore rare become general, like the english sweat, the locusts which in the year 1542 devastated great stretches of land in poland and silesia, and other examples. 20. in like manner, god promised seasons of seeding and of harvest, of heat and cold, and yet he does not so close his eyes to our sins that the seasons, both of seeding and of harvest, are not subject to climatic disturbances, such as the fearful drouth of the year 1504 and the almost unending rains of the two following years. considering the wickedness of our age, why should we wonder that the blessing gives place to a curse, so that the beasts, which would fear us were we not wicked, are now a terror unto us and harmful? 21. the country of the sodomites was like a paradise; but by reason of sin it was turned into a sea of asphalt; and those who have seen that country tell us that most beautiful apples grow there, but when they are cut open they are found to be filled with ashes and offensive odor. the reason for this is that the sodomites did not acknowledge the gifts of god who blessed them, but misused them according to their own will. furthermore, they blasphemed god, and persecuted his saints, being haughty by reason of those good gifts. therefore the blessing was taken away, and everything became curse-ridden. this is the true explanation of the fact that, though there are signs of terror in wild animals, we are nevertheless afraid of them, and they inflict harm upon us. 22. i am quite certain that very wicked men once lived in this country of ours; how could we otherwise explain the parched soil and barren sands? names also show that the jews at one time peopled this country. where bad people live, there the land gradually grows bad by the curse of god. 23. the city of bruges in flanders used to be a renowned port; but from the time when they held king maximilian captive, the sea retreated, and the port ceased to exist. of venice they say the same thing today. nor is this very astonishing, since to the numberless sins of rulers of the state, defence of idol worship and persecution of the gospel was added. v. 4. _but flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat._ 24. what we have heard so far, referred to domestic matters; now god adds a commandment pertaining to civil government. since it was no more a sin to kill an ox or a sheep for food than it was to pluck a flower or an herb, growing in the field, there was some danger that men might misuse this god-given power over the beasts and go beyond it even to the shedding of human blood. hence, he now adds a new law, that human blood must not be shed, and at the same time he curtails the liberty of eating flesh; he forbids them to eat flesh which has not first been drained of blood. 25. the hebrew text presents many difficulties, and, for this reason, interpreters are at variance. it is needless to recite all renderings of this verse. i steadily follow the rule that the words must explain the things, not the things the words. hence, i spend no time upon the ideas of those who explain the words according to their own inclinations, making them serve the preconceived notions which they bring to their literature. 26. let us first look at the meaning of the words. _rephesh_ properly denotes a body with a soul, or a living animal, such as the ox, the sheep, man, etc. it denotes not merely the body, but a living body, as when christ says: i lay down my life for the sheep, jn 10, 15. here the word "life" means nothing else than the life animating the body. _basar_, however, means flesh, which is a part of the material element, and yet has its breath and its energy, not from the body, but from the soul. for the flesh or the body, of itself and without the soul, is an inanimate thing, like a log or a stone; but when it is filled with the breath of the soul, then its fluids and all bodily forces assume activity. 27. god here forbids the eating of a body which still contains the stirring, moving, living soul, as the hawk devours chickens, and the wolf sheep, without killing them, but while still alive. such cruelty is here forbidden by jehovah, who sets bounds to the privilege of slaughtering, lest it be done in so beastly a manner that living bodies or portions thereof be devoured. the lawful manner of slaughtering is to be observed, such as was followed at the altar and in religious rites, where the beast, having been slain without cruelty and duly cleansed from blood, was finally offered to god. i hold that the simple and true meaning of the text, which is also given by some jewish teachers, is that we must not eat raw flesh and members still palpitating, as did the laestrygones and the cyclopes. v. 5. _and surely your blood, the blood of your lives, will i require; at the hand of every beast will i require it: and at the hand of man, even at the hand of every man's brother, will i require the life of man._ 28. here the hebrew text is even more difficult than in the foregoing verse. lyra, quoting the rabbins, finds four kinds of manslaughter indicated here; he divides the statement into two parts, and finds a twofold explanation for each. he understands the first part to mean those who lay murderous hands upon themselves. if this is correct, then this passage is a witness for immortality; for how could god call to account a person who, being dead, no longer exists? hence, punishment of sin after this life could be indicated here. but it seems to me that philology militates against this explanation. though i do not lay claim to a perfect knowledge of the hebrew tongue, yet i am certain that such a meaning is not here apparent. 29. the second kind of murder, he illustrates by the custom of throwing human beings before wild beasts, as was done aforetime in the theatres, truly a barbaric spectacle, repulsive to all human feeling; the third kind is murder at the instigation of another; the fourth, murder of a relative. 30. this distinction would be quite satisfactory if it could be proven from the words of the text; but it is a jewish invention born of their hatred of the roman laws. it is much simpler to understand this passage as a general prohibition of murder, according to the fifth commandment, which says, "thou shalt not kill." god desires not even a beast to be killed, except for a sacred purpose or for the benefit of man. much less does he permit taking the life of man, except by divine authority, as will be explained hereafter. 31. in the first place, then, wilful and wicked slaughter is forbidden. culture is opposed to the wanton killing of animals and to the eating of raw meat. in the second place god forbids homicide of any description; for if god will require the blood of a murdered human being from the beast that slew him, how much more relentlessly will he require it at the hand of man? thus this passage voices the sentiment of the fifth commandment, that no one shall spill human blood. ii. law concerning man's slaughter; god's covenant with noah; the rainbow 32-68. a. law concerning slayers of life. 1. if it existed before the flood 32. 2. relation of the flood to this law 33. 3. this the source of all human laws 34-36. 4. when and how this law can be executed 35. * why is it well to observe that government was instituted by god 36-37. 5. in what respect is it a great blessing from god 37. 6. how is government a proof of god's love to man 38. 7. why god gave this command, and why he punishes man-slaughter 39. 8. hereby a new police and a new order are instituted 40. * verdict of philosophy and of reason on civil authority 41. * verdict of god's word 42. 9. this law applies to all men 43. 10. why god is such an enemy of man-slaughter, and so earnestly forbids it 44-45. 11. the conclusion that god loves life 46. ii. the law against taking life; god's covenant with noah; the rainbow. a. the law against taking life. v. 6a. _who sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed._ 32. here the carelessness of the latin translator deserves reproof; for he omitted the very necessary expression "by man." the difference between the time before and that after the flood is thus brought out. when cain had murdered his brother abel, god revered human blood so highly that he threatened to visit sevenfold punishment upon anyone who should kill cain. he would not have the slayer of man put to death even by due process of law; and though adam punished the sin of his son severely by casting him out, he did not dare to pronounce sentence of death upon him. 33. but here jehovah establishes a new law, requiring the murderer be put to death by man--a law unprecedented, because heretofore god had reserved all judgment to himself. when he saw that the world was growing worse and worse, he finally enforced punishment against a wicked world by the flood. here, however, god bestows a share of his authority upon man, giving him the power of life and death, that thus he may be the avenger of bloodshed. whosoever takes man's life without due warrant, him god subjects not only to his own judgment, but also to the sword of man. though god may use man as his instrument in punishing, he is himself still the avenger. were it not for the divine command, then, it would be no more lawful now to slay a murderer than it was before the flood. 34. this is the source from which spring all civil laws and the laws of nations. if god grants man the power of life and death, he certainly also grants power in matters of lesser importance--power over property, family, wife, children, servants and fields. god wills that these things shall be under the control of certain men, who are to punish the guilty. 35. we must remember well that between the power of god and of men there is this difference: god has the power to slay us when the world cannot even accuse us--when before it we are innocent. sin is born with us; we are all guilty before god. men have no authority to slay except where guilt is apparent and crime is proven. hence courts have been established and a definite method of proceeding instituted for the purpose of investigating and proving the crime before the sentence of death is passed. 36. heed, then, this passage. it establishes civil authority as god's institution, with power, not only of life and death, but jurisdiction in matters where life is not involved. magistrates are to punish the disobedience of children, theft, adultery, perjury--all sins which are forbidden in the second table. he who grants jurisdiction over the life of man, at the same time grants judgment over lesser matters. 37. the importance of this text and its claim to attention consists in the fact that it records the establishment of civil authority by god with the sword as insignia of power, for the purpose that license may be curbed and anger and other sins inhibited from growing beyond all bounds. had god not granted this power to man, what kind of lives, i ask you, would we lead? he foresaw that wickedness would ever flourish, and established this external remedy to prevent the indefinite spread of license. by this safeguard god protects life and property as by a fence and a wall. 38. we find here no less a proof of god's great love toward man than his promise that the flood shall never again rage, and his promise that flesh may be eaten for the sustenance of human life. v. 6b. _for in the image of god made he man._ 39. this is the powerful reason why god does not wish men to be killed by private arbitrament. man is a noble creature, who, unlike other living beings, has been fashioned according to the image of god. while it is true that he has lost this image through sin, as we have seen above, it is capable of being restored through the word and the holy spirit. this image god desires us to revere in each other; he forbids us to shed blood by the exercise of sheer force. but he who refuses to respect the image of god in man, and gives way to anger and provocation, those worst counselors of all, as some one has called them, his life is surrendered to civil authority in forfeit, by god, in that god commands that also his blood shall be shed. 40. thus the subject under consideration teaches the establishment of civil authority in the world, which did not exist before the flood. cain and lamech--and this is a case in point--were not slain, though the holy patriarchs were the arbiters, judges, of public action. but in this scripture they who have the sword, are commanded to use it against those who have shed blood. 41. thus the problem is here solved that worried plato and all sages. they concluded that it is impossible to administer government without injustice, because all men occupy the same level of dignity and position. why did caesar rule the world? why did others obey him, since he was only human like themselves--no better, no stronger and liable to die as soon as themselves? he was subject to the same conditions as all men. hence it seems to be tyranny for him, who was quite similar to other men, to usurp rulership among men. if he is like other men it is the highest wrong and injustice to ignore this similarity, and to foist his rule by force upon others. 42. this is the conclusion at which reason arrives and it cannot entertain any view to the contrary. but we, having the word, can see that we must oppose to such reasoning the command of god, the author of this order of things. accordingly, it is for us to render obedience to the divine order and to endure it, so that to our other sins this may not be added, that we are disobedient to the will of god at the very point where we derive benefit in so many ways. 43. to sum up, this passage permits the slaughter of animals for religious and personal use, but it emphatically forbids the taking of man's life, because man is made in the image of god. those who violate his command he gives into the hands of the authorities to be slain. v. 7. _and you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein._ 44. the slaughter of animals having been granted, not only for sacrifice, but also for food, and the killing of human beings having been forbidden, we are given the reason why god regards the shedding of human blood with so much aversion. he desires mankind to multiply on the earth; but the slaughter of men lays the earth waste and produces a wilderness. we see this in case of war. god did not create the earth without purpose. he intended it to be inhabited, is 45, 18. he makes it fruitful by rain and sunshine for man's benefit. therefore he is displeased with those who remove from the earth its inhabitants. his will is life, and not death, ps 30, 5. 45. these and similar sayings of the prophets are based upon promises like we find here, that god commands man to multiply. plainly he is more inclined to give life and to do good than to be angry and to kill. if it were otherwise, why should he forbid the taking of human life? why should pestilence be of rare occurrence? pestilence and general epidemics occur scarce once in ten years. men are born, animals grow, and crops without end are growing continually. 46. all these facts go to show that god loves, not death, but life. he created man, not that he should die, but that he should live; "but through the envy of the devil did death enter the world," sap 2, 24. but even after the fall, the blessings which remain are so guarded as to render the conclusion inevitable that god loves life rather than death. it is well for us to ponder these matters very often; thus, as solomon has truly said, jehovah shall be to us a fountain of blessings. prov 18, 22. b. god's covenant with noah 47-55. * why the same thing is repeated 47. 1. whether this covenant applies to man alone or also to the animals 48. 2. whether this covenant applies to the men and animals of that day only 49. * god always connected signs with his promises 49. * the significance of these to our first parents 49-50. 3. nature of this covenant 51. * characteristics of a humble heart and god's dealings with it 52-54. 4. this covenant given for man's comfort and as a proof of god's love 53-54. 5. it is a comfort to us at present 55. b. god's covenant with noah. vs. 8-11. _and god spake unto noah, and his sons with him, saying, and i, behold, i establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you; and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you; of all that go out of the ark, even every beast of the earth. and i will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of the flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth._ 47. previously we at various times explained this massing of words. when the holy spirit is prolix, there is a cause for it. let us therefore, consider what fear, dread and peril noah and his family endured and it will be easily understood why it was necessary for god to say and to emphasize the same things with such frequency. 48. when, in addition it is remembered that the covenant here spoken of does not pertain to man alone but embraces every living soul, we recognize that the promise does not relate to the seed but merely, to this bodily life, enjoyed by man in common with the beasts; this god will not destroy by another flood. vs. 12-16. _and god said, this is the token of the covenant which i make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for the perpetual generations: i do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. and it shall come to pass, when i bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud, and i will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. and the bow shall be in the cloud; and i will look upon it, that i may remember the everlasting covenant between god and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth._ 49. the term "perpetual generations" deserves particular notice; it embraces not only man and beast at that time, but all their offspring down to the end of the world. we learn another thing from this passage. god usually confirms his promise with an outward sign. in the third chapter above we read of the coats of skin with which he covered the nakedness of the first parents as token of his protection and guardianship. 50. some offer the following apt allegorical explanation. as the skin of the dead sheep keeps warm our body, so christ, having died, keeps us warm by his spirit, and will, on the last day, raise us up and give us life. others say that the skins were selected as a sign of mortality. but this seems unnecessary; all our life reminds us of mortality. more expedient was a token of life, suggesting the blessing and favor of god. the office of such tokens is to console, not to terrify. so was the sign of the rainbow given, a supplement of the promise. 51. in chapter 8, 21-22, god says in his heart that he repents of that terrible punishment, and promises that he will not repeat it, because the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth. if he should desire to so punish evil, there would be need of a flood every day. here he again sends forth his word to mankind, through an angel, or possibly through the mouth of noah, promising that no flood shall hereafter come upon the earth. that the promise is repeated so often is evidence of god's endeavor, in loving kindness, to remove man's fear of punishment and to set before him a hope of blessing and utmost mercy. 52. such consolation noah and his loved ones required. one who has been humbled by god cannot forget the wound and the pain. chastening is longer remembered than blessing. boys are a case in point. the tender mother, having chastised her child with the rod, endeavors to calm him with toys and other allurements, yet the memory of pain lingers, and the child cannot restrain frequent sighs and bitter sobs. how much more difficult for the conscience to accept solace after having felt the wrath of god and the fear of death! so firmly fixed are these in the mind that the soul trembles and fears in spite of gifts and consolations offered. 53. so god here shows his good will in manifold ways and feels singular joy in pouring forth mercy. he is like a mother who pets and caresses her boy until he at last begins to forget his tears and to smile into his mother's face. 54. hence figures are employed, and words are massed and the subject is presented in a clearer and clearer light, in order to adapt the consolation to the needs of the wretched people who, for an entire year, had been witnesses of the immeasurable wrath of god. they could not be delivered from fear and terror by an occasional word. there was need of repeating the promise with much exposition to dry their tears and to soften their grief. for, though they were saints, they were flesh, even as we are. 55. likewise we in our day need this consolation. at all times when the elements rage, we may be secure in the thought that the fountains of heaven and the wells of the deep are closed up by the word of god. the rainbow shows itself to this day for the purpose of symbolizing that, henceforth, there shall never be another general flood. and this promise requires, on our part, the faith that we trust god, in his mercy, will never bring another great flood upon us. c. the rainbow. 1. can it be assigned to natural causes 56-58. * what to think of the fiery meteors 59-60. 2. can it be caused by the position of the clouds 60. 3. the rainbow witnesses of god's wrath and of his goodness 61. 4. did it exist before the flood? a. opinion of those believing it did, and their reasons 62. b. luther's opinion that it was a new creation 63. c. solomon's words, "there is nothing new", do not apply here 64. 5. rainbow to be viewed as a new creature and as god's sign-board 65. 6. colors of the rainbow. a. what are they and their number 66. b. what do they signify 67. 7. to what end should the rainbow serve us 68. c. the rainbow. 56. they further dispute whether the natural causes in the rainbow signify this. it is well known that philosophers, especially aristotle in his book on meteors, use all sorts of arguments on the color of the rainbow, on the character of the clouds where it is produced, and on its curvature. quite appropriately the resemblance is noted between a mirror, which reflects an image, and the moist and arched cloud, which catches the rays of the sun, and by reflection produces the rainbow. reason sees in such phenomena what appears to it most probable, but it does not discover the truth everywhere. that is not in the power of the creature but of the creator alone. as for me, i have never given to any book less credence than to that on meteors, the basic principle of which is the assumption that natural causes explain everything. 57. some declare the rainbow to be a forerunner of a storm lasting three days, which i am ready to admit, but this much is certain, that it signifies that there will never be another flood. however, it derives this signification, not from any natural causes but only from the word of god. its meaning is such, only because god orders and declares it to be so through his word. circumcision was a token that the seed of abraham were the people of god; yet circumcision did not have this meaning in itself, but only through the word which was joined with it. again, the clothing of skin signified life and safety, not because they contained this guarantee by nature, but because god had promised it. so, the significance of the rainbow that the flood shall not return, is not based upon the word of god. 58. i do not altogether ignore theories along the lines of natural law concerning these matters; but since they are not substantiated, i place little trust in them. the reasoning of aristotle regarding the humid and hollow cloud as the cause of the rainbow is not reliable, such clouds may exist without producing a rainbow. again, according to the greater or lesser density of the medium, the bow may appear wider or narrower. i have seen here at wittenberg a circular rainbow, forming a complete ring, not simply an arch terminating on the surface of the earth, as rainbows generally appear. why, then, do rainbows assume different forms at different times? a philosopher, i suppose, will think of some reason; for he will consider it a disgrace not to be able to assign a reason for all things. but indeed, he will never persuade me to believe that he speaks the truth. 59. the only consistent and incontrovertable view to take is that all these phenomena are either works of god or of evil spirits. i have no doubt that the dancing goats (stars), the flying serpents, fiery lances, and the like, are produced by evil spirits, which thus gambol in the air, either to terrify or to deceive men. the flames which appear on board of ships were thought by the heathen to be castor and pollux. sometimes the image of a moon appears above the ears of horses. it is certain that all these things are due to the antics of evil spirits in the air, though aristotle believes them to be luminous air, just as he also declares that a comet is shining vapor. 60. to me it appears that we shall move with greater security and certainty, when, arguing from cause to effect, we conclude that the comet blazes, when it pleases god, as a sign of calamity, just as the rainbow glows, when it pleases god as a sign of mercy. who can compute all the causes which produce the appearance of the rainbow in such diversity of beautiful color, and in the form of an arch of perfect curvature? the arrangement of the clouds alone surely does not produce this perfection. hence it is by the will and the promise of god, and fulfilling his pleasure, that the rainbow is a sign to man and beast that there will nevermore at any time be a flood. 61. in recognition of this token we ought to give thanks to god. as often as the rainbow appears, it proclaims to the world with a loud voice, as it were, the story of the wrath of god, which once destroyed the world by a flood. and it proclaims solace for us, so that we may conclude that god is propitious to us henceforth and will never again visit upon us so fearful a punishment. it teaches both the love and the fear of god, the highest virtues, of which philosophy knows nothing. philosophy only disputes about material and formal causes. it does not know the final cause of this most beautiful creation. but theology does explain it. 62. in this connection also the question has received much attention whether the rainbow existed from the beginning. and in this controversy much force has been displayed. since it is written above (ch 2, 23) that god created heaven and earth in six days, and then rested from all his works, some conclude that the rainbow existed from the beginning. otherwise it would follow that creation extended beyond those six days. what, however, occurred in noah's time is this, that the rainbow, created in the beginning, was selected by god and made, through a new word, a fixed symbol, having existed hitherto without special significance. to support this view, they even quote the word of solomon that "there is no new thing under the sun," ec 1, 9. on this they base their argument that after those six days no new thing has been created. 63. my opinion is quite the contrary--that the rainbow never had existed before; it was then and there created. thus, the coats of skin with which god clothed the first parents certainly were not created in those six days, but after man's fall; hence, they were a new creation. the statement that god rested, must not be interpreted to mean that he created nothing thereafter; for christ says, "my father worketh even until now, and i work," jn 5, 17. 64. solomon's statement that there is no new thing under the sun, has given much trouble to the learned. but is it not apparent that it refers not to the works of god, but to original sin, meaning that the same reasoning powers adam had after the fall are found in man today--the same debates concerning morals, vices, virtues, the nurture of the body and the transaction of business? as the comic poet has it, speaking of another matter, "nothing is said that has not been said before." really, within the sphere of man's activity and effort there is nothing new; the same words, thoughts, designs, the same emotions, griefs, affections and incidents exist now which always existed. consequently it is quite inappropriate, in consequence to apply this aphorism to god and his works. 65. therefore, i believe that the rainbow was a new creation, not seen in the world before that time. it was established to remind the world of the bygone wrath, traces of which are still seen in the rainbow, and to give assurance of the mercy of god. it is a record, or picture in which both the bygone wrath and the present mercy are revealed. 66. there is also a difference of opinion as to the colors of the rainbow. some say there are four colors: the fiery, the bright yellow, the green and the color of water, or blue. but i think there are only two, those of fire and water. the fiery color is above, unless the rainbow is seen reversed; then, as in a mirror, that which is above is seen below. where the hues of fire and water meet, or blend, yellow results. 67. the colors have been thus arranged by god for a definite purpose. the blue should be a reminder of bygone wrath; the fiery color, a picture to us of the future judgment. while the interior or blue portion is restricted, the outer and fiery color is without bounds. thus, the first world perished by the flood, but an end was set to god's wrath. a remnant was preserved and a second world arose, but bounds are set to it. when god shall destroy the world by fire, this bodily life will never be restored. the wicked will suffer the everlasting punishment of death in the fire, while the saints will be raised up unto a new and everlasting life, which, though in the body, shall not be of the body, but of the spirit. 68. let this sign teach us to fear god and to trust in him. so may we escape the punishment of fire, even as we have escaped the punishment of the flood. it will be more practical to think of these things than to consider those philosophical arguments concerning the material cause. iii. allegories 69-132. a. allegories in general 69-81. 1. luther at first given to allegories 69-70. 2. how and why monks and anabaptists esteem them so highly 71. 3. how we should regard them 72. 4. are they to be entirely rejected 73. 5. some are, and others not 74-76. 6. how to regard origen's, augustine's and jerome's allegories 77-78. 7. pope's allegories of the sun, moon and ark 79-80. 8. what to think of the doctrine of these allegories 81. iii. concerning allegories. a. allegories in general. 69. at last we have finished the story of the flood, which moses satisfactorily describes at great length. it is a fearful example of the immeasurable and all but boundless wrath of god, which is beyond the power of human utterance. there remains to be said a word or two concerning its allegorical meaning. i have often declared that i take no great pleasure in allegories, although in my younger days they had such a fascination for me that i thought everything ought to be shown to have an allegorical meaning. i was influenced in this respect by the example of origen and jerome, whom i admired as the greatest of all theologians. i may add that augustine also uses the allegory quite frequently. 70. but while i followed the example of these men, i discovered at last that, to my great loss, i had followed a shadow, and had overlooked the very sap and marrow of the scriptures. thereupon i began to hate allegories. they are pleasing, to be sure, especially when they contain happy allusions. they may be compared to choice pictures. but as much as real objects with their native hues surpass a picture, even though it should glow, as the poet has it (stat silo v. 1, 5), with apelles-like colors, closely copied from nature, so much the historical narrative itself is superior to the allegory. 71. in our day the ignorant mob of the anabaptists is as much filled with immoderate craving for allegory as are the monks. they love to delve in the more mysterious books, such as the revelation of john, and that worthless fabrication passing under the title of the second and third books of esdras. for, there you are at liberty to follow your fancy as you please. we recall that muntzer, the seditious spirit, turned everything into allegory. but true it is, that he who, without judgment, makes allegories or follows those made by others, will not only be deceived but sustain deplorable injury, as there are examples to prove. 72. allegories must either be avoided altogether or be worked out with the best judgment. they must conform to the rule followed by the apostles, of which we shall soon have occasion to speak. let us avoid falling into those ugly and baneful absurdities, not only of those who are misnamed theologians, but also of the canonists, or rather assinists, of which the decretals and decisions of that most detestable master, the pope, are an example. 73. this statement, however, must not be taken for a general condemnation of all allegory. christ and the apostles made use of allegories at times. these, however, were in keeping with the faith according to the injunction of paul (rom 12, 6) that prophecy, or doctrine, should be according to the proportion of faith. 74. when we put the allegory under the ban, we confine ourselves to that species which, with the setting aside of scriptural warrant, is altogether the product of man's mind and fancy. those which are tested by the analogy of faith, serve not only as ornaments of the doctrine but also as consolation for the soul. 75. peter turns this very story of the flood into a most beautiful allegory, saying that baptism is symbolized by the flood, and saves us. for, in it not only the filth of the flesh is washed away, but conscience makes good answer toward god through the resurrection of jesus christ, who is enthroned at the right hand of god and has destroyed death in order to make us heirs of eternal life; who, moreover, is gone into heaven; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him, 1 pet 3, 21-22. this is, indeed, a theological allegory, in accordance with faith, and full of solace. 76. such is also the allegory of christ in john 3, 14, concerning the serpent lifted up in the wilderness and the healing of those bitten by the serpent's tooth who gazed upon it. again, there is that one by paul (1 cor 10, 1), all our fathers did drink from the same spiritual rock, etc. such allegories as these not only agree with the matter itself, but also instruct the heart in faith and are a help to the conscience. 77. but take a look at the ordinary allegory of jerome, origen and augustine. these men, when they create an allegory, leave faith altogether out of consideration, and merely air philosophical opinions, foreign alike to the sphere of faith and to that of morals; not to speak of the fact that they are quite silly and a mass of absurdities. 78. in a former chapter (ch 3. â§â§61, 298, 304), we heard of augustine's allegory concerning the creation of man and woman, by which he illustrates the higher and the lower attributes of man, that is, reason and the emotions. but, i ask you, what is the value of this figment? 79. the pope, however, carries away the real honors for piety and learning when he thunders from his high seat as follows: god made two great lights, the sun and the moon; the sun represents the authority of the pope, from which his imperial majesty borrows its light as the moon does from the sun. away with such rash impudence and vicious ambition! 80. in a similar style the ark, of noah's story, is compared to the roman catholic church, in which is found the pope with his cardinals, bishops, and prelates, while the laymen are swimming in the sea. that is, the laymen are altogether given to earthly business and would not be saved did not those helmsmen of the ark, or church, cast boards and ropes to the swimmers, drawing them into the ark by these means. pictures of this nature were frequently painted by monks to represent the church. 81. origen shows more sanity than the papists, in that his allegories conform to moral standards, as a rule. yet, he ought to have kept in view the rule laid down by paul, who demands that prophesy is to be the guardian of faith; for faith is edifying and the proper sphere of the church. rules governing morals can be laid by even heathen philosophers who know nothing whatever concerning faith. b. allegories in detail 82-132. 1. allegory of the baptism of the israelites under moses; the ark and the flood 82ff. * points of likeness and unlikeness in the death of believers and unbelievers 84-86. * in what way is death to be conquered 87. * how all temptations are to be overcome and believers be preserved 88-90. 2. allegories of the ark's proportions 91-92. 3. allegories of the sun and moon 93. * to what all allegories should point 94. 4. allegory of the cup 95-96. 5. allegory of the dove noah sent out of the ark 97-99. 6. allegory of the raven noah sent forth. a. thoughts of the fathers on this point 100. b. the correct allegory of the raven 101-116. * the law and the teachings of the law 101-116. (1) how illustrated by the raven 102-105. * luther's opponents falsely accuse him of forbidding good works 106-107. (2) they are no better than the intelligent moralists among the heathen 108-110. (3) they cannot quiet the conscience 111. * the raven a perfect representative of the papists 112-113. (4) how the papists make the unrighteous righteous and condemn the righteous 114-115. 7. allegories of the doves in detail 116-124. * characteristics of the dove 116. a. first dove sent forth. (1) a figure of the office of grace 117. (2) a figure of the old testament prophets 118-119. b. second dove returned with the olive leaf. (1) a figure of new testament preachers 120-122. * the fanatics and anabaptists wait in vain for new revelations 121. * nature of true gospel preachers 122. (2) a figure of the new testament 123. c. third dove did not return 124ff. 8. allegory of the seven days noah waited after he sent forth the first dove 125. 9. allegory of the evening the dove returned 126-127. * several things to be remembered in this connection. (1) allegories are not to have a world-wide treatment like the articles of faith 128. (2) defects in the allegories of the fathers 129-130. * lyra is to be preferred to all commentators 131. (3) right use of allegories 132. b. allegories in detail. 82. writing to the corinthians, paul says (1 cor 10, 2) that the israelites "were all baptized unto moses in the cloud and in the sea." if you regard only the outward circumstance and the words, even pharaoh was baptized, but he perished with his men, while israel passed through safe and unharmed. noah and his sons were saved in this baptism of the flood, while all the rest of the world, being outside of the ark, perished thereby. such a way of speaking is appropriate and forcible. "baptism" and "death" are interchangeable in scripture. paul says (rom 6, 3): "all we who were baptized into christ jesus were baptized into his death," and jesus says, "i have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am i straitened till it be accomplished!" (lk 12, 50). and to his disciples he said, "ye shall ... be baptized with the baptism that i am baptized with" (mt 20, 23). 83. in this sense the red sea was a baptism indeed. it represented to pharaoh death and god's anger. yet though israel was baptized with the same baptism, they passed through it unharmed. so the flood is truly death and the wrath of god, and yet, the faithful are saved in the midst of the flood. death engulfs and swallows all mankind; for, the wrath of god smites both the good and the bad, the pious and the wicked, without distinction. the flood was sent upon noah the same as upon the rest of the world. the red sea that engulfed pharaoh was the same as that through which israel passed unharmed. but in both cases the believers are saved while the wicked perish. that is the point of difference. the ark was noah's salvation, and it was but an expression of the promise and word of god. in these he had life, but the wicked, who believed not the word, were left to perish. 84. this is the difference which the holy spirit desired to bring out, so that the righteous, warned by this example, might believe and hope for salvation through the mercy of god in the very midst of death. they consider baptism as bound together with the promise of life, as noah did the ark. therefore, though the wise man and the fool must suffer the same death--for peter and paul die, not otherwise than nero and other wicked persons die--yet the righteous believe that in death they will be saved unto eternal life. and this hope is not vain, for they have christ, who receives their souls, and will, on the last day, raise up also the bodies of his believers unto eternal life. 85. this class of allegory is of great service, and tends to comfort the heart when you consider the contrast in the ultimate outcome. the testimony of the material eye would seem to confirm the statement of solomon (ec 2, 16) that the wise man dieth as the fool, that the righteous man dieth as though he were not the beloved of god. but the eyes of the soul must view this point of difference, that israel enters into the red sea and is saved, while pharaoh, pressing upon the heels of israel, is overwhelmed by the waves and perishes. it is the same death, then, which takes away the righteous and the wicked, and almost always the end of the former is ignominious, while that of the latter is attended by elements of splendor and power; but in the eyes of god, while the death of sinners is deplorable, that of his saints is precious, for it is consecrated by christ, through whom it becomes the beginning of eternal life. 86. as the flood and the red sea were instruments to save noah and israel from death, so to us, death is but the instrument to give us life, if we remain in faith. when the children of israel were in utmost peril, suddenly the sea parted and rose on the right side and on the left, like an iron wall, so that israel passed through without danger. why was it? in order that so death might be made to serve life. divine power overcomes the assaults of satan. thus it was in paradise. satan purposed to slay all mankind by his venom. but what happens? by reason of the truly happy guilt of our first parents, as the church sings, it comes to pass that the son of god became incarnate to free us from evil. 87. this allegory, then, beautifully teaches, strengthens and consoles us, enabling us to fear neither death nor sin, but to despise all perils, giving thanks to god that he has so called and dealt with us that even death, the universal destroyer, is compelled to be a servant of life, just as the flood, an occasion of destruction to the rest of the world, was one of salvation for noah; and the red sea, when pharaoh met his doom, served to save the children of israel. 88. what has been here expressed, finds application to the subject of temptation in general, so that we learn to despise dangers and be hopeful even where no hope seems to remain. when death or any other danger is imminent, we should rise to meet it, saying: behold, here is my red sea; here is my flood, my baptism and my death. here my life--as the philosopher said of the sea-farers--is removed from death barely by a hand's breadth. but fear not; this danger is as a handful of water opposed to the flood of grace which is mine through the word. therefore death will not destroy me, but will lift me and bear me to life. death is so utterly incapable of destroying the christian, that it constitutes the very escape from death. for bodily death ushers in the emancipation of the spirit and the resurrection of the flesh. thus, noah in the flood was not borne by the earth, nor by trees, nor by mountains, but by the very flood which destroyed the total remainder of the human race. 89. well may the prophets often extol those wonderful works of god--the passage through the red sea, the exodus from egypt, and the like. for the sea, which by its nature can only devour and destroy, is forced to part and rise and protect the israelites, lest they be overwhelmed by its tides. that which in its very nature is wrath, becomes grace to the believer; that which in reality is death, becomes life. therefore, whatever calamity comes--and this life has it in infinite measure--to threaten our property and our lives, it will all become salvation and joy if we only are in the ark; that is, if by faith we lay hold of the promise made in christ. then even death, by which we are removed, must be turned into life, and the hell, which swallows us, into a way to heaven. 90. therefore peter says (1 pet 3, 21) that we are saved by the water in baptism, which was prefigured by the flood. the water which streams about us, or the plunge into it, is death, and yet from this death or plunge, life results by virtue of the ark of safety--the word of promise to which we cling. the inspired scriptures set forth this allegory, which is not only free from weaknesses but of service in every way, and worthy of our careful attention, since it offers wonderful consolation even in the utmost perils. 91. the fathers have added another allegory taken from the form and dimensions of the ark. the human body, measured from the top of the head to the sole of the foot, is six times as long as it is wide. now, the ark, which was fifty cubits wide, measured six times as much in length, namely 300 cubits. hence, they say, the ark typifies christ the man, in whom all promises center. therefore, those who believe in him are saved even in the midst of the flood, that is, in death itself. 92. this conception is both appropriate and beautiful; above all, it agrees with faith. though there may be a mistake in the application, the groundwork is strong and secure. there is no doubt that the holy spirit found various ways to illustrate the promises to be fulfilled in christ, and the wonderful counsel of salvation for mankind through faith in christ. hence, allegories of this nature, though lacking in aptness, are not necessarily wicked and a source of offense. 93. if one were to say the sun represents christ, while the moon represents the church, which receives its light by the grace of christ, he might possibly be mistaken in his choice of illustration, yet his error is based, not upon an erroneous, but upon a sure foundation. but when the pope declares the sun represents the papal authority, while the moon represents the emperor's, then not only the application is inapt and foolish, but the very foundation is evil. such allegories are not conceived and invented by the holy spirit, but by the devil, the spirit of lies. 94. allegories must have some application to the promises and the doctrine of faith if they are to comfort and strengthen the soul. peter's allegory teaches us this. because peter saw that noah was set free in the midst of death and that the ark was an instrument of life, the ark was rightly applied to typify christ. only divine power can save in the midst of death and lead unto life. the scriptures declare that to god belong the issues from death, (ps 68, 21), and he makes death the occasion, yea, even an aid to life. 95. this has given rise to expressions used in scripture, where afflictions and perils are likened to a cup that intoxicates. this is an apt and vivid figure of speech. so the passion of christ is called a draught from a brook (ps 110, 7), meaning that it is a medicinal draught or mixture, which, though bitter, is healing in its bitterness and gives life by causing death. such soothing words serve to console us that we may learn to despise death and other perils and meet them with greater readiness. 96. satan, also, has his cup; but it is sweet, and inebriates unto nausea. he who, attracted by its sweetness, drinks it, loses his life and dies the eternal death. such was the cup the babylonians drained, as the prophet has it (jer 25, 15-27). let us, therefore, accept the cup of salvation with thanksgiving, and, as paul declares of believers, rejoice in tribulation (rom 5, 3). 97. having explained this figure of the ark and the meaning of the flood according to the canonical scriptures, we will say something also about the other features of this story--about the raven which did not return, and the doves, the first of which returned because she found no resting-place for her foot, while the second brought back with her a twig from an olive tree, and the third did not return because the earth was no more covered by water. 98. in our treatise on the narrative proper, we stated that these things occurred to be a consolation for noah and his sons; to assure them that god's wrath had passed and that he was now pacified. the dove did not bring the olive branch of her own volition. she miraculously obeyed divine power. so the serpent in paradise spoke, not of its own volition, but through the inspiration of the devil, who had taken possession of it. as, on that occasion, the serpent, by the devil's prompting, spoke, with the result that man was led into sin, so, on this occasion, it was not its own volition or instinct which moved the dove to bring the olive branch, but the prompting of god, in order that noah might gain comfort from the pleasant sight. for the olive does not supply the dove with food; she prefers the several species of wheat or pease. 99. the incident of the dove, then, is a miraculous occurrence with a definite meaning. the prophets in their messages concerning the kingdom of christ, frequently make mention of doves (ps 68, 13) and (is 60, 8). solomon also in his song seems to mention the dove with particular pleasure. therefore, we should not despise the picture this allegory holds before us, but treat its truth skillfully and aptly. 100. the allegory of the raven, invented by the doctors, is well known. because ravens delight in eating dead bodies, they have been taken as a likeness of carnal men, who delight in carnal pleasures and indulge in them. the epicureans were an example. a very fair explanation but inadequate, because it is merely of that moral and philosophical sort which erasmus was in the habit of giving after the example of origen. 101. we must look for a theological explanation. in the first place, those moralists fail to observe that scripture commends the raven for not leaving the ark of his own will. he went out at the bidding of noah, to ascertain if the waters had ceased and if god's wrath was ended. the raven, however, did not return, neither did he become a messenger of happy omen. he remained without the ark, and, though he came and went, yet he did not suffer himself to be taken by noah. 102. in all these points the allegory fittingly typifies the ministry of the law. black, the color of the bird, is a token of sadness, and the sound of his voice is unpleasant. this is true of the teachers of the law, who teach justification by works. they are the ministers of death and sin, paul calling the ministry of the law a ministry of death, (2 cor 3, 6). the law is unto death (rom 7, 10). the law worketh wrath. (rom 4, 15.) the law entered that trespass might abound. (rom 5, 20). 103. and yet, moses was sent forth by god with the law, just as the raven was sent out by noah. it is god's will that mankind be taught morality and holiness of life, and that wrath and sure punishments be announced to all who transgress the law. nevertheless, such teachers are naught but ravens wandering aimlessly about the ark; nor do they have the certain assurance that god is pacified. 104. for, the law is a teaching of such character that it cannot assure, strengthen and console an uneasy conscience, but rather terrifies it, since it only teaches what god requires of us, what he wishes to be performed by us. our consciences bear witness against us that we not only have failed to carry out the will of god as set forth in the law, but that we have done the very contrary. 105. with all justice, therefore, we may say of the teachers of the law, in the words of psalms 5, 9: "there is no certainty in their mouth." our translation has it "there is no faithfulness in their mouth." their teaching at its best can only say: if you do this, if you do that, you will be saved. christ speaks ironically when he answers the scribe who had grandly set forth the doctrine of the law, by saying, "this do, and thou shalt live" (lk 10, 28). he shows the scribe that the doctrine is holy and good, but since we are corrupt, it follows that we are guilty, since we do not, and cannot, fulfil the law. 106. hence, we declare rightly that we are not justified by the works of the law. by the works of the law we mean, not the ceremonial commandments, but those highest commandments of all, to love god and our neighbor. the reason we are not justified is that we cannot keep the commandments. we have reason, however, to challenge the impudence of our opponents who set up the cry that we forbid good works and condemn the law of god because we deny that justification is by works. this would be true if we did not admit that the raven was sent forth from the ark by noah. but we do say that the raven was sent out from the ark. and this we deny, that it was not a raven, or that it was a dove. all the clamor, the abuse, the blasphemy of our opponents have no other purpose than to force us to declare that the raven was a dove. 107. but now examine their books and carefully consider their doctrine. is it anything but a doctrine of works? this is good, this is honorable, they say; this you must do; the other is dishonorable and wicked, hence you must not do it. on the strength of such teaching, they believe themselves to be true theologians and doctors. but let them show us the person who either has done or will do all those things, especially if you present, not only the second table of the law, as they do, but also the first one. 108. he who takes his stand upon this doctrine of the law, then, is truly nothing but a hearer. he does not learn anything except its demands. since such persons have no desire to learn anything further, it should suffice for them if they are given the poem of cato, or given esop, whom i consider a better teacher of morals. these two writers are profitable reading for young men. older persons should study cicero, who, to my astonishment, is considered by some as inferior to aristotle in the sphere of ethics. this would be a rational course of study. so far as imparting moral precepts is concerned, the good intentions and the assiduity of the heathen must be commended. yet they are inferior to moses. he sets forth not only morality, but also teaches the true worship of god. nevertheless, he who places his trust solely in moses has nothing but the raven wandering aimlessly about outside of the ark. of the dove and the olive branch, he has nothing. 109 the raven, then, represents not only the law given by god, but all laws and all philosophy which are the product of human reason and wisdom. they tell us no more than what ought to be done and do not provide the strength to do it. the judgment of christ is true: "when ye shall have done all the things that are commanded you, say, we are unprofitable servants" (lk 17, 10). 110. true the raven is sent out. god desires the law to be taught. he reveals it from heaven; yea, he writes it upon the hearts of all men, as paul proves (rom 2, 15). from this inherent knowledge originated all writings of the saner philosophers, of esop, aristotle, plato, xenophon, cicero and cato. and these are not unfit to set before untrained and vicious persons, that their vile tendencies may be curbed to some extent. 111. if, however, you seek for peace of conscience and for certain hope of eternal life, such philosophers are like the raven, which wanders around the ark, finding no peace outside, but not looking for it within. paul says of the jews, "israel, following after a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law" (rom 9, 31). the reason for this is in the fact that the law is like the raven; it is either the ministry of death and sin or it produces hypocrites. 112. now, let those who wish, follow out this allegory by studying the nature of the raven. it is an impure bird, of somber and funereal color, with a strong beak and a harsh, shrill voice. it scents dead bodies from a great distance, and therefore men fear its voice as a certain augury of an impending death. it feeds upon carrion and enjoys localities made foul by public executions. 113. though i would not apply each and every one of these characteristics to the law, yet who does not see how well they fit the servants of the pope, the mass-priests and the monks, who were not only richly fed upon the slaughter of consciences by their false doctrines, but also used the dead bodies to obtain their livelihood, since they made a paying business out of their vigils, their anniversaries, their purifying water used in burials, and even of purgatory itself. and surely, this devotion to the dead was more profitable to them than their care of the living. truly, then, they are ravens, feeding on corpses and sitting upon them with wild cries. not only may the popish priests be fitly likened to the ravens, but indeed the whole ministry of the papacy, where it is at its best, does nothing but to gash and murder consciences. it does not show the way to true righteousness, but merely makes hypocrites, as does the law. 114. among other crimes of false prophets, ezekiel enumerates (ch 13, 19) the fact that, for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, they slay souls that should not die, and save the souls alive that should not live. this is true of these ravens, the teachers of the law. they call those righteous who live according to the letter of the law, and yet these are the very souls which do not live. on the other hand, they condemn those who violate their traditions, just as the pharisees condemned the disciples when they plucked ears of corn, when they did not wash their hands and when they failed to fast. this is an outcry, fierce and dismal, reminding us of ravens which sit upon corpses. 115. when cursing a wicked person, the greeks said, "to the ravens!" similarly, the germans use the expression, "may the ravens devour you." if we make this curse an element of the allegory, its serious character becomes evident. for what is more deplorably disastrous than to have teachers, the outcome of whose best teaching is death, and who ensnare the conscience with difficulties that cannot be disentangled? though some say this allegory of the raven is inaptly applied to the priesthood, it is true nevertheless and agrees with the fundamental truth, and it is not only most apt, but very profitable for instruction. 116. on the other hand, the incident of the dove is a most delightful picture of the gospel, especially if you carefully consider the characteristics of the dove. ten of these are usually enumerated: 1. it is without guile. 2. it does not harm with its mouth. 3. it does not harm with its claws. 4. it gathers pure grains. 5. it nourishes the young of others. 6. its song is a sigh. 7. it abides by the waters. 8. it flies in flocks. 9. it nests in safe places. 10. its flight is swift. these ten characteristics have been set forth in six verses, as follows: free from guile is the dove; the bite of her beak does not injure; wounds her claws do not strike; pure is the grain that she eats. frequent and swift is her flight to shining courses of water. list to her voice, and lo! sighs you will hear but no song! other nestlings she rears; in swarms she flies through the ether. safe is the place and high where she prepares her abode. 117. the new testament tells us the holy spirit appeared in the form of a dove (mt 3, 16). hence, we are justified in using the dove as an allegory of the ministry of grace. 118. moses implies that the dove did not fly aimlessly about the ark, as did the raven, but having been sent out and finding no place to rest, it returned to the ark and was seized by noah. 119. this dove is a picture of the holy prophets sent to teach the people; but the flood, that is, the time of the law, had not yet passed away. thus david, elias, isaiah, though they did not live to see the time of the new testament, were yet sent as messengers with the tidings that the flood would eventually be brought to an end, though that time was at a distance. having delivered their message, they returned to the ark; that is, they were justified and saved without the law, by faith in the blessed seed, in which they believed and for which they longed. 120. after this, another dove was sent forth, which found the earth dried, and not only the mountains, but also the trees, standing free from water. but she alighted upon an olive tree, plucked a branch, and brought it back to noah. 121. the allegorical meaning of this incident is interpreted by the scriptures. the olive tree is very often used as a symbol of grace, of mercy or of forgiveness of sins. the dove brings the branch in her beak, thus typifying the outward ministry, or the spoken word. for the holy spirit does not teach by new revelations aside from the ministry of the word, as the enthusiasts and anabaptists, those truly fanatical teachers, dream. it was the will of god that a branch from a living olive tree should be carried to noah in the mouth of the bird, to teach that in the new testament, the time of the flood or anger being past, god desires to set his mercy before the world by the spoken word. 122. the messengers of this word are doves; that is, sincere men, without guile, and filled with the holy spirit. isaiah 60, 8, likens ministers of the gospel or of grace to doves which fly to their windows. and, though christ commands them to imitate the harmlessness of doves, mt 10, 16, meaning that they should be sincere and free from venom, yet, he admonishes them to be wise like serpents; that is, they should be wary of false and cunning people, and cautious like the serpent, which is said to shield its head with special skill in a fight. 123. the green freshness of the olive branch, also, is a type of the word of the gospel, which endureth forever and is never without fruit. psalms 1, 3 likens those who study the word to a tree, the leaves of which do not wither. we heard nothing like this above concerning the raven, which flew to and fro near the ark. this second dove which was sent forth is a type of the new testament, where grace and the forgiveness of sins are promised openly through the sacrifice of christ. this is why the holy spirit chose to appear in the form of a dove in the new testament. 124. the third dove did not return. after the fulfilment of the promise given the whole world through the mouth of the dove, no new teaching is to be looked for, but we simply await the revelation of those things which we believe. herein is certain testimony for us that the gospel will endure unto the end of the world. 125. the text, furthermore, specifies the time noah waited after he had first sent forth a dove, namely, seven days. these seven days typify the time of the law which, of necessity, preceded the period of the new testament. 126. we read, likewise, that the second dove returned at dusk, carrying the olive branch. to the gospel the last age of the world has been assigned. nor should we look for another kind of doctrine, for it is to an evening meal that christ compared the gospel (mt 22, 2; lk 14, 16). 127. true, the doctrine of the gospel has been in the world since the fall of our first parents, and the lord confirmed this promise to the patriarchs by various signs. the first ages knew nothing of the rainbow, nor of circumcision, nor of other signs afterward ordained by god. but all ages have known of the blessed seed. since it has been revealed, there remains nothing else than the revelation of that which we believe. with the third dove, we shall fly away to that other life, never to return to the life here, so wretched and so full of grief. 128. these are my thoughts concerning this allegory. i have set them forth briefly, for we must not tarry with them as we do with historical narratives and articles of faith. 129. origen, jerome, augustine, and bernard seek diligently for allegories. but this practice has one drawback. the more attention they direct to allegories, the more do they draw it away from the facts of sacred history and from faith, to the exclusion of these more important things. allegories should be employed for the purpose of inducing and increasing, of explaining and strengthening, that faith of which all the stories treat. it is not to be wondered at, that persons who do not seek faith in the stories of the bible, look for the region of allegorical shades as a pleasant playground in which to stroll about. 130. just as in the popish church false and unscriptural words are rendered in sweet music, so learned men have too often spoiled the good meaning of a bible story, which contains a useful lesson of faith, by their childish allegories. 131. i have often spoken of the kind of theology that prevailed when i began to study. its advocates said that the letter killeth (2 cor 3, 6). therefore i disliked lyra most of all interpreters, because he followed the literal meaning so carefully. but now i prefer him, for this very reason, to all interpreters of scripture. 132. i advise you as strongly as i can to fully appreciate the great value of the bible history. but whenever you wish to employ allegory, take pains to follow the analogy of faith; that is, make the allegory agree with christ, with the church, with faith, with the ministry of the gospel. if constructed in this manner, allegories will not go astray from faith, even though they may not be genuine in every point. this foundation shall remain firm, while the stubble perishes. but let us return to our story. iv. noah and his fall. a. noah. 1. noah's character before the flood 133. 2. noah's character after the flood 134. 3. way noah executed his office as bishop 135. 4. way he executed his office as a civil ruler 136. iv. noah and his fall. a. noah. vs. 20-22. _and noah began to be a husbandman, and planted a vineyard; and he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent. and ham, the father of canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without._ 133. what manner of man noah was during the flood, is shown sufficiently by the story of the flood itself. what manner of man he had been before the flood, is shown by moses' declaration that he was righteous and perfect. great as this man was, we hear nothing else about him, except that his wonderful and almost incredible continence is faintly suggested and commended by the statement that he begat his first born when five hundred years of age. this very fact shows that human nature was by far stronger in its integrity at that time, and that the holy spirit held more perfect sway in the holy men of the early world than he does in us who are, as it were, the dregs and the remnants of the world's production. it surely was a commendatory record for noah to be accorded righteous and perfect before god; that is, full of faith and of the holy spirit, adorned with chastity and all good works, pure in worship and religion, suffering many temptations from the devil, the world, and himself, all which he overcame triumphantly. such was noah before the flood. 134. of his life after the flood, moses tells us very little. but is it not apparent that so noble a man, living for about 350 years after the flood, could not be idle, but must have been busy with the government of the church, which he alone established and ruled? 135. first of all, then, he performed the duties of a bishop. beset with various temptations, his foremost endeavor was to resist the devil, to console the troubled ones, to bring back the erring to the true way, to strengthen the doubting, to cheer souls in despair, to exclude from his church the impenitent, and to receive back with fatherly gladness the repentant. for, these are the duties a bishop must perform through the ministry of the word. 136. moreover, he had civil duties in establishing forms of government and in making laws, without which human passions cannot be held in check. to this was added the rule of his own household, or the care of his home. b. noah's fall. 1. why moses omitted many important things about noah and related his fall 137-138. 2. lyra tries to excuse noah's fall 139. 3. noah's fall cannot be excused 140-141. 4. his fall caused a great scandal 142. 5. ham scandalized himself through it 142-143. a. real root of this scandal 144. b. thereby noah greatly sinned 145ff. * original sin develops presumptuous people 146-148. c. this scandal reveals satan's bitterest enmity against god's church 149. * papists are ham's disciples 150. * david's enemies rejoiced over his fall 151. 6. to what end should noah's fall serve us 152-154. * the godless are not worthy to see god's glory in believers 155. * why we should not be vexed at the infirmities of believers 156-157. 7. the conduct of shem and japheth in this connection 158-173. a. they still honored their father, though they approved not his deed 158. * origin of outward sin 159. * how to avoid offense 160-162. * luther aware of his own infirmities 163. * attitude of the opponents of the word to true preachers 164. * why moses never mentioned many great events in noah's life, and thought of his fall 165-166. b. how the sons covered their father's shame 167. c. herein they had regard for god's will and were therefore pleasing to god 168. * ham's scandal. (1) it was a wilful and grievous sin 168-169. (2) the lesson we may learn from it 170. (3) reward of this scandalous deed, and why canaan is here mentioned 172-173. b. noah's fall. 137. though reason tells us that noah was burdened with these manifold duties after the flood, yet moses does not mention them. it appears to him sufficient to confine his remarks to the statement that noah began to plant a vineyard, and that he lay in his tent drunken and naked. this, surely, is a foolish and very useless tale in comparison with the many praiseworthy acts he must have performed in the course of so many years. other things might have been recorded for edification and for teaching righteousness of life. but this story even seems to endorse an offense, by abetting drunkards and those who sin in drunkenness. 138. the purpose of the holy spirit, however, is apparent from what we have said. it is to console by this record of the great sins committed by the holiest and most perfect patriarchs those righteous persons who are discouraged by the knowledge of their own weakness and are, therefore, cast down. in them we are to find proofs of our own shortcomings, that we may come to humble confession and, at the same time, seek and hope for forgiveness. this is the real and theologically true reason why the holy spirit records, rather than seemingly more important matters, the great fall of this grand man. 139. lyra states as excuse for noah that he knew not the power of wine and was deceived into drinking a little too freely. whether wine had been known before or whether noah began to cultivate it by his own skill and by divine suggestion, i know not, but i believe that noah knew the nature of this produce quite well, and that he had often made use of wine in company with his family, partly for his own person and partly also in his offerings or libations. i think that in making use of wine for his own refreshment, he partook of it too freely. 140. his action i excuse in no way. should anyone want to do so, there would be weightier arguments than those lyra uses. according to him this aged man, tired out by the great number of his daily duties and cares, had been overpowered by the wine although he was already used to it. for wine overcomes more easily those who are either exhausted by much work or burdened with age. persons of mature age, on the other hand, and such of care-free mind, can drink considerable quantities of wine without greatly impairing their reason. 141. but he who makes this excuse for the patriarch, wilfully casts aside that consolation which the holy spirit considered needful for the church, that even the greatest saints sometimes fall into sin. 142. transgression like this may seem to be slight, yet it causes great offense. not only is ham offended, but also the other brother, possibly also their wives. and we must not imagine that ham was a boy of seven years. having been born when noah was five hundred years old, he had reached an age of at least one hundred years and had one or two children of his own. 143. hence, it was not boyish thoughtlessness which caused ham to laugh at his father, as boys will do when surrounding a drunken rustic in the street and making sport of him. he was truly offended by his father's sin and thought himself to be more righteous, holy and religious than his father. noah's deed was an offense not only in appearance, but in very truth, since ham was so far tempted by the knowledge of it that he passed judgment upon noah, and found in such sin an occasion for mirth. 144. if we wish to judge ham's sin aright, we must take into account original sin, that is, the wickedness of the heart. this son would never have derided his father for being overcome by wine had he not first dismissed from his soul that reverence and esteem which god's commandment requires children to cherish toward their parents. 145. noah had been considered a fool before the flood, by the majority of mankind, and had been condemned as a false teacher and despised as a man of wild ideas. now he is laughed at by his son as a fool, and condemned as a sinner. noah was sole governor of the church and state, and ruled his own household with tireless care and labor. he had doubtless therein offended the proud and haughty spirit of his son in many ways. but the depravity of his heart which now, that the father's sin had become manifest, leaped to the surface, had so far been successfully concealed. 146. when we consider the source of ham's sin, its hideousness first appears in its true light. one never becomes an adulterer or commits murder until he has first cast out of his heart the fear of god. a pupil does not rebel against his teacher unless he has first lost due reverence for that teacher. the fourteenth psalm, verse 2, says that jehovah looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and that did seek after god. when he saw there was none he adds there was none who did good; that they had all become worthless, sinning tongues, sinning with their hands, fearing where there was no need of fear, and the like. 147. so ham, in his own estimation, was wise and holy. in his judgment his father had often acted unrighteously or foolishly. his attitude discloses a heart that despised, not only the parent, but also the divine commandment. hence, nothing remains for the evil-minded son but to grasp an opportunity for obtaining evidence to betray his father's foolishness. he does not laugh at his drunken father as a boy would, nor does he call his brethren merely that they may look upon a laughable spectacle. he means that this shall be open proof that god has withdrawn from his father and has accepted himself. therefore, he takes delight in disclosing his father's sin to others. as i said before, ham was not a boy of seven years, but had reached the age of at least one hundred. 148. original sin shows its depraving tendency in that it makes men arrogant, haughty and conceited. paul admonishes in romans 12, 3, to think of one's self soberly, "according as god hath dealt to each man a measure of faith." but, original sin does not permit ham to occupy this lowly level; hence, he presumes to go beyond his station in passing judgment upon his father. 149. we observe the same attitude in absalom. before he stirs up a rebellion against david, his father, he passes unrighteous judgment upon david's government. this dissatisfaction with his father's rule was afterward followed by unconcealed contempt and open violence, with david's destruction as the object. ham's heart being full of poison which he had gathered from his father as a spider gathers poison from the fairest rose, precisely such a result had to follow. 150. these examples serve to call our attention to the battle waged from the beginning of the world between the church and satan with his followers, the hypocrites, or false brethren. this deed of ham must not be looked upon as a result of boyish love of pranks, but of satan's most bitter enmity, wherewith he inflames his followers against the church. particularly does he incite them against those in the ministry, leading them to close watch at all times for material available for purposes of slander. the papists at present have no other business than to watch our conversation for the purpose of slander. whenever we fall into human error (for we are truly weak and are beset by our failings), they seize upon our moral uncleanness, like famished swine, and find great delight in publishing and betraying our weaknesses, like ham the accursed. they truly hunger and thirst after our offenses. although by god's grace they cannot fasten adultery, murder or like errors upon us, unless by their own fabrication (this shameless class of people abhor no kind of lie), yet they gather up smaller matters, which they afterward exaggerate to the public. 151. david's experience is well known. he was surrounded on all sides by enemies who eagerly sought out every opportunity for persecution. they were envious because he had been called to the throne by god; hence, they triumphed over his horrible fall. 152. his case, however, serves for our instruction. god sometimes permits even righteous and holy men to stumble and fall into offenses, either really or apparently, and we must take heed lest we pass judgment at once, after the example of ham, who, having secretly despised his father long before, now does so openly. he declared that his parent, being imbecile by age, had clearly been deserted by the holy spirit, since he was unable to guard against drunkenness, though the government of the church, state, and household lay upon his shoulders. o wretched ham, how happy art thou, having found at last what thou soughtest--poison in a most delightful rose! 153. everlasting praises and blessings be given to god, whose dealings with his saints are wonderful indeed. while he permits them to be weak and to fall, to be overwhelmed with disgrace and offenses, and while the world judges and condemns them, he forgives them their weaknesses and has compassion upon them; whereas he delivers into satan's hands those who regard themselves angels, and utterly rejects them. the first lesson of this story is that godly persons have the needed consolation against their infirmities when they see that even the holiest men sometimes fell most disgracefully by reason of similar infirmities. 154. in the second place, the case of ham is a fearful example of divine judgment, to teach us by ham's experience not to condemn at once, even when we see rulers of state, church, or household--such as our parents--fall into error and sin. who can tell why god so permits? such sins must not be excused, yet we see that they are of value for the consolation of the pious. they teach us that god can bear with the errors and sins of his people and that even we, when beset with sins, may trust in the mercy of god and need not lose heart. 155. but what is medicine for the righteous, is poison for the wicked. the latter do not seek to be taught and comforted by god. their unworthiness prevents them from recognizing his glory in the saints. they see nothing but the stumbling block and the snare, with the result that they fall and are left to perish alone. 156. let us, therefore, truly respect those in authority over us. if they fall, we must not be offended. we must remember that they are human, and that god's ways are wonderful in his saints, because it is his will that the wicked shall be offended and provoked. thus moses threatens the jews: "i will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation" (deut 32, 21). because, during the whole period of the kingdom, they refused to hear the prophets, god gave the offense of casting away a wise and religious people, which had the promises and was descended from the patriarchs. in its place, he chose the filth and dregs of the world, a foolish people; that is, it was without piety, without religion, without worship, without that divine wisdom which is his word. this offense roused the jews to insane anger. 157. this will be the lot of the papists. some great offense shall be given them by god against which they shall find themselves helpless, and thus they shall come to grief like ham. renouncing the reverence due both to god and his father, in deeming himself more capable of ruling the church than noah, in secretly deriding or censuring his parent, he finally presents the spectacle of disclosing his wicked and irreverent attitude before others. 158. the two other brothers, shem and japheth, did not follow ham's wicked example. while conscious of the scandalous fact that their father was drunk and lay in shameless nakedness like a little boy,--while recognizing that this ill became the ruler of church and state, they remained mindful of the reverence due a parent. they gulped down the offense given; they hid the offense and gave it a worthier aspect, so to speak, by covering their father with a garment, approaching him with eyes averted. they would have been incapable of this fine outward expression of reverence for their father, had they not occupied a correct attitude toward god in their hearts and believed their father to be both priest and ruler by right divine. 159. it is a fearful example, this one of ham. though one of the few saved during the flood, he forgets all piety. it is profitable to carefully consider how he came to fall. outward sins must first be committed in our minds; that is, before sins are visibly committed, the heart first departs from the word and from the fear of god. it neither knows god nor seeks after him, as we read in psalms 14, 2. as soon as the heart begins to set aside the word, and to despise the ministers and prophets of god, ambition and pride follow. those who stand in the way of our desires are overborne by hatred and slander, until finally insolent speech ends in murder. 160. those who are to become rulers of church or state, should daily pray earnestly to god that they may remain humble. it is the object of stories of this character to set this duty before us, for it is evident what occasioned ham's frightful fall. 161. if, then, the saints fall into sin, let us not be offended. much less should we rejoice over the weakness of others, haughtily esteeming ourselves braver, wiser, or holier than they. let us rather endure and cover up, and even put a good construction upon and excuse such errors in so far as we can, remembering that perhaps tomorrow we may suffer what happened to them today. for we all constitute a unit, being born of the same flesh. let us then heed the advice of paul, "let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall" (1 cor 10, 12). in this way the other two brothers looked upon their drunken father. their thoughts were these: behold, our father has fallen. but god is wonderful in his dealing with saints, whom he sometimes permits to fall for our instruction, that we may not despair when afflicted by kindred infirmity. 162. let us imitate their wisdom! the sins of others give us no right to judge them. before their own master they stand or fall (rom 14, 4). furthermore, if the downfall of others displease us (since, in truth, many acts neither can nor ought to be excused), let us be so much the more careful lest something like it overtake ourselves. let us not sit in proud and haughty judgment, for this is original sin in all its corruption: to lay claim to exceptional wisdom and to hunt for the moral lapses of others in order to gain the reputation of righteousness for ourselves. 163. we truly are weak sinners and must freely confess, being human, that our conversation is not always free from offense. but while we share this weakness with our enemies, we nevertheless do our duty diligently, by spreading god's word, by teaching the churches, by bettering the evil, by urging the right, by consoling the weak, by chiding the stubborn, and, in brief, by doing whatever duty god lays upon us. 164. on the other hand since our adversaries strive after nothing but hypocrisy and an outward show of holiness, so they add to the frailty which they have in common with us, the most grievous sins, because they do not follow their calling, but concern themselves with their honors and emoluments. they neglect the churches and suffer them to miserably decay. they condemn the true doctrine and teach idolatry. in short, in public life they are wise, but in their own sphere they are utterly foolish. this is the most destructive evil in the church. 165. this is the first part of the story, and, in the preparation of his record, moses has confined himself to the same. it is certain that noah was a righteous man, gifted with many heroic virtues, and that he accomplished most important things both for the church and for the state. it is not possible either to establish political communities or to found churches except by diligent effort. life, in both these manifestations (i will say nothing of the management of the home) is beset with many dangers; for satan, a liar and murderer, is the most relentless enemy of church and state. 166. but moses passes by all these achievements, not so much as alluding to them. he records but this one circumstance--that noah became drunk and was scoffed at by his youngest son. he intended it as a valuable example, teaching pious souls to trust in god's mercy. on the other hand, the proud, the lovers of cant, the sanctimonious, the wise-acres,--let them learn to fear god and beware of passing a reckless judgment upon others! as manasseh the king declares, god displays in his saints both his wonders and his terrors "against wicked and sinful men." this is illustrated in the case of ham, who did not now first come to his downfall but had cherished this hate against his father for a long time, afterward to fill the world with idolatry. vs. 23-27. _and shem and japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness. and noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his youngest son had done unto him. and he said, cursed be canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren._ 167. it is truly a beautiful and memorable example of respect to a father which moses records in this passage. the sons might without sin have approached their father and covered him, while turning their faces toward him. what sin should it be if one, happening upon a nude person, should see what is before him without his will? still the two sons do not do this. when they heard from their haughty and mocking brother what had happened to their father, they laid a garment upon both their shoulders, entered the tent with faces turned away (how admirable!), and lowering the garment backward, covered their father. 168. who can fail to observe here the thoughtfulness of the will and word of god, and reverence before the majesty of fatherhood, which god requires to be honored, not despised or mocked by children? god seems to approve this reverence and accept it as a most pleasing offering and the very noblest worship and obedience. but his utmost hatred rests upon ham, who might have seen without sin what he saw, since it came to his view by chance, if only he had covered it up, if only he had remained silent about it, if only he had not shown himself to be pleased by the sin of his father. but he who despised god, the word, and the order established by god, not only failed to cover his father with a garment, but even derided him and left him naked. 169. in describing the act of the two brothers moses emphasizes the malice of ham, who was filled with violent and satanic hatred against his father. who of us, on finding a stranger lying by the wayside drunk and nude, would not at least cover him with his own coat to forestall disgrace? how much greater the demand in this case of a father! ham, however, fails to do for his father, the highest ruler of the world, what common humanity teaches us to do for strangers. moreover he publishes the circumstance joyfully, insulting his drunken father and making the sin of his father known to his brothers as if he had a piece of good news. 170. moses, therefore, sets ham before us as a fearful example, to be carefully taught in the churches, in order that young people may learn to respect their elders, rulers, and parents. not on account of noah, not on account of ham, but on account of those to come--on our account--is this story written, and ham, with his contempt for god and father, pictured in most repulsive colors. 171. also the punishment of this wickedness is carefully set before us. noah, looked upon by his son as a foolish, insane, and ridiculous old man, now steps forth in the majesty of a prophet, to announce to his son a divine revelation of future events. truly does paul declare that "power is made perfect in weakness" (2 cor 12, 9); for the certainty characterizing noah's utterance is proof that he was filled with the holy spirit, notwithstanding that his son had mocked and despised him as one utterly deserted by the holy spirit. 172. i will not attempt here to settle the question above referred to (ch 5, â§95) concerning the order of the sons of noah, as to which of them was the first-born and which the youngest. a point more worthy of our attention is the fact that the holy spirit is so filled with strong wrath against that disobedient and scornful son that he does not even choose to call him by his own name, but calls him canaan after the name of his son. some say that, because god had desired to save ham in the ark as one under his blessing the same as the others, he had no wish to curse him, but cursed canaan instead, a curse which, nevertheless, could not but recoil upon ham who had provoked it. thus ham's name perishes here, since the holy spirit hates it, whose hatred is, indeed, a serious hatred. we read in the psalm, "i hate them with perfect hatred" (ps 139, 22). when the holy spirit exercises his wrath, eternal death must follow. 173. although ham had sinned against his father in many ways, it is remarkable that the fruit of the first sin and the devil's malice did not become manifest until the father lay drunk and bare. when, with this sin, the previous ones had attained to fullness of power and growth, the holy spirit condemned him, and, as a warning to others, also announced the infliction of impending, endless servitude. v. 26. _and he said, blessed be jehovah, the god of shem; and let canaan be his servant._ these are two sublime prophecies, worthy of close attention. they have significance in our time, though they were grossly garbled by the jews. the jews observe that ham is cursed thrice; this fact they wrest to the glory of their own nation, promising themselves worldly dominion. v. ham cursed; shem and japheth blessed. a. the curse pronounced upon ham 174-188. 1. why ham was thrice cursed 174. * disrespect of parents, pastors and authority signs of approaching misfortune 175. 2. way ham disregarded the curse 176. 3. why ham disregarded the curse 177-178. 4. ham's temporal prosperity continued with his curse 179-181. * faith alone grasps god's threatenings and promises 180-181. * reason god postpones punishment and reward 181-182. * the papal church is not the true church 183. * believers have comfort in their tribulations 184-185. * the pious have their kingdom here in faith 186. 5. from this curse it is clear noah was enlightened by the holy spirit 187. * were all ham's descendents cursed? 188. b. blessing pronounced upon shem 189-191. 1. this is an exceedingly great blessing 189. 2. why is it clothed in praise to god 190. 3. this blessing proves that noah possessed a precious light 191. c. blessing pronounced upon japheth 192-224. 1. why the form of japheth's blessing differed from that of shem's 192. 2. herein lies a special secret 193. 3. the jews' false interpretation of this blessing 194. 4. relation of these two blessings to each other 195. * the jews' false notion about shem's blessing 196. 5. the order in which these blessings are enjoyed 197-198. * the form god's church takes in this world 199. * divine promises and threatenings to be understood in a spiritual sense 199-200. * ham and cain resemble one another in their positions and works 201. * the turk and the pope. a. what strengthens them in their opposition to the true church 202. * how a christian should conduct himself in times of misfortunes 203. b. the power and advantages of the turk and pope of no avail 204. c. attitude of church members to their pride 205-206. * why ham's name was not mentioned when he was cursed 207-208. 6. the word dilatet the latins use in explaining japheth's blessing 209-210. a. it is not in harmony with the hebrew 209-210. b. why all latin interpreters use it 211. c. it does not fully express the sense of the holy spirit 212. d. what explanation should be given here 213-215. 7. all descendents of japheth partake of this blessing through the gospel 216-217. 8. translations of latin interpreters of this blessing are to be harmonized with the original text 218-219. * ham's name 220-221. a. its meaning and reason his parents gave it to him 220. b. the hope of his parents in this name disappointed 221. 9. it is ascribed to this promise that germany in these last days received the light of the gospel 222. * abraham had noah as his teacher 223. * the temporal prosperity of ham's family, and their wickedness 224. v. ham cursed; shem and japheth blessed. a. the curse pronounced upon ham. 174. but there is another reason for this repeatedly uttered curse. god cannot forget such great irreverence toward parents, nor does he suffer it to go unpunished. he requires that parents and rulers be regarded with reverence. he requires that elders be honored, commanding that one shall rise up before a hoary head (lev 19, 32). and, speaking of ministers of the word, he says, "he that despiseth you, despiseth me" (mt 10, 40; lk 10, 16). 175. hence disobedience of parents is a sure indication that curse and disaster are close at hand. likewise is contempt of ministers and of rulers punished. when the people of the primitive world began to deride the patriarchs and to hold their authority in contempt, the flood followed. when, among the people of judah, the child began to behave himself proudly against the old man, as isaiah has it (ch 3, 5), jerusalem was laid waste and judah went down. such corruption of morals is a certain sign of impending evil. we justly fear for germany a like fate when we look upon the prevailing disrespect for authority. 176. let us, however, bear witness of a practice to which both holy writ and our experience testify. because god delays the threatened punishment he is mocked and considered a liar. in this practice we should see the seal, as it were, to every prophecy. ham hears that he is accursed; but inasmuch as the curse does not go into immediate effect, he securely despises and derides the same. 177. thus did the first world hold noah's prophecy in ridicule when he spoke of the flood. had they believed that such a punishment was close at hand, would they have gone on in a feeling of security? would they not rather have repented and begun a better life? if ham had believed that to be true which he heard from his father, he would have sought refuge in mercy and, confessing his crime, craved forgiveness. but he did neither; rather did he haughtily leave his father, to go to babylon. there, with his posterity, he gave himself up to the building of a city and of a tower, and made himself lord of all greater asia. 178. what is the reason for this feeling of security? it lies in the fact that divine prophecies must be believed; they cannot be perceived by our senses, or by experience. this is true both of divine promises and of divine threats. therefore the opposite always seems to the flesh to be true. 179. ham is cursed by his father; but he lays hold upon the greater portion of the earth and establishes vast kingdoms. on the other hand, shem and japheth are blessed, but in comparison with ham, they and their posterity are beggarly. where then are we to seek the truth of this prophecy? i answer: this prophecy and all others, whether they be promises or threats, cannot be understood by reason, but by faith alone. god delays both punishments and rewards; hence there is need of endurance. for "he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved," as christ says (mt 24, 13). 180. the life of all pious people is wholly of faith and hope. the evidence of our senses, history, and the way of the world, would teach us the opposite. ham is cursed, yet he alone obtains dominion. shem and japheth are blessed, yet they alone bear reproach and affliction. since both the promises and the threats of god reach out into the future, the issue must be awaited in faith. habakkuk says (ch 2, 3), "it will surely come, it will not delay." 181. great is the wrath of the holy spirit which here prompts him to say of ham, "a servant of servants shall he be;" that is, the lowest and vilest of slaves. but if you let history speak, you will see ham rule in canaan, whereas abraham, isaac, and jacob, and others who followed, and had the blessing, lived like servants among the canaanites. the egyptians are ham's offspring, and how cruel was the servitude israel suffered there! 182. how, then, was it true that ham was cursed and shem was blessed? in this way: the fulfillment of the promise and of the threat was in the future. this delay is ordained in order that the wicked may fill their measure of sin and may not be able to accuse god of having given them no room for repentance. on the other hand, when the righteous suffer at the hands of the unrighteous and become the servants of servants, they undergo such trial and discipline for the purpose of increasing in faith and in love toward god; so that, trained in manifold vexations and tribulations, they may attain the promise. when the time was fulfilled, the might of ham's posterity was not great enough to withstand the posterity of shem. then, indeed, was fulfilled that curse which ham and his posterity had so long despised and disbelieved. 183. it is much the same with us today. we have the true doctrine and the true worship. hence we can boast that we are the true church, having the promise of spiritual blessings in christ. as the pope's church condemns our doctrine, we know her to be not the church of christ but of satan, and truly, like ham, a "servant of servants." and yet anyone may see that the pope rules, while we are servants and the off-scouring, as paul says (1 cor 4, 12). 184. what, then, shall we poor, oppressed people do? we are to comfort our souls meanwhile with our spiritual dominion. we know we have forgiveness of sins and a gracious god, through christ, until also temporal freedom shall be vouchsafed on the last day. and we are not without traces of temporal freedom even in this life; for while tyrants stubbornly oppose the gospel, they are cut off from the earth, root and branch. 185. so was the roman empire destroyed after all the other world-powers perished; but god's word and church remain forever. likewise, christ weakens the pope's power, little by little; but that he may be utterly removed and become a servant of servants with wicked ham is a matter for faith to await. ham is shut out from the kingdom of god and possesses the kingdoms of the world for a time, just as the pope is shut out from the church of god and holds temporal dominion for a time. but his dominion shall vanish. 186. the divine law and order is that the righteous have dominion, but by faith, being satisfied with such spiritual blessing as a gracious god and the certain hope of the heavenly kingdom. meanwhile, we leave possession of the kingdoms of the world to the wicked until god shall scatter also their worldly power, and, through christ, make us heirs of all things. 187. furthermore, we learn from this prophecy that noah, by a special illumination of the holy spirit, was enabled to see, in the first place, that his posterity would remain forever, and in the second place, that the family of ham, though they were to be rulers for a time, would perish at last and above all would lose the spiritual blessing. 188. however, the explanation given above (ch 4, â§182) with reference to the descendants of cain, applies also here. i do not entertain the opinion that the offspring of ham were doomed, without exception. some found salvation by being converted to faith, but such salvation was not due to a definite promise but to uncovenanted grace, so to speak. likewise the gibeonites and others were saved when the children of israel occupied the land of canaan. job, naaman the syrian, the people of nineveh, the widow of zarephath, and others from the heathen were saved, not by virtue of a promise, but by uncovenanted grace. b. blessing pronounced upon shem. 189. but why does noah not say, "blessed be shem," instead of, "blessed be jehovah, the god of shem"? i answer that it is because of the magnitude of the blessing. the reference here is not to a temporal blessing, but to the future blessing through the promised seed. he sees this blessing to be so great that he cannot express it; hence, he turns to thanksgiving. it seems that zacharias was thinking of this very passage when he said, for a similar reason, "blessed be the lord, the god of israel" (lk 1, 68). 190. noah's blessing takes the form of thanksgiving unto god. god, he says, is blessed, who is the god of shem. in other words: it is needless for me to extend my blessing over shem, who has been blessed before with spiritual blessing; he already is a child of god, and from him the church will be continued, as it was continued from seth before the flood. full of wonderful meaning is the fact that noah joins god with shem, his son, and, as it were, unites them. 191. noah's heart must have been divinely illumined since he makes such a distinction between his sons, rejecting ham with his posterity and placing shem in line with the saints and the church because the spiritual blessing, given in paradise concerning the seed, would rest upon him. therefore, this holy man blesses god and gives thanks unto him. c. blessing pronounced upon japheth. v. 27. _god enlarge japheth, and let him dwell in the tents of shem; and let canaan be his servant._ 192. this prophecy is wonderful for the aptness of each single word. noah did not bless shem, but the god of shem, by way of giving thanks to god for having embraced shem and having adorned him with a spiritual promise, or the blessing of the woman's seed. but when he mentions japheth he does not employ the same manner of speaking as in the case of shem. his words are chosen for the purpose of showing the mystery of which paul speaks (rom 11, 11) and christ (jn 4, 22), that salvation is from the jews and yet the gentiles also became partakers of this salvation. shem alone is the true root and stem, yet the heathen are grafted upon this stem, as a foreign branch, and become partakers of the fatness and the sap which are in the chosen tree. 193. noah, seeing this through the holy spirit, predicts, in dim allusions but correctly, that christ's kingdom is to spread in the world from the root of shem, and not from that of japheth. 194. the jews prate that japheth stands for the neighboring nations around jerusalem which were admitted to the temple and its worship. but noah makes little ado about the temple of jerusalem, or the tabernacle of moses; his words refer to greater matters. he treats of the three patriarchs who are to replenish the earth. while he affirms of japheth that he does not belong to the root of the people of god which possesses the promise of the christ, he declares that he shall be incorporated through the call of the gospel into the fellowship of that people which has god and the promises. 195. here, then, we have a picture of the church of the gentiles and of the jews. ham, being wicked, is not admitted to the spiritual blessing of the seed, except as it happens by uncovenanted grace. to japheth, however, though he has not the promise of the seed, like shem, the hope is nevertheless given that he will, at some future time, be taken into the fellowship of the church. thus we gentiles, being sons of japheth, have no direct promise, indeed, and yet we are included in the promise given to the jews, since we are predestined to the fellowship of the holy people of god. these matters are here recorded, not for shem and japheth so much as for their posterity. 196. we learn why the jews are so haughty and boastful. they see that shem, their father, alone has the promise of eternal blessing, which is given through christ. so far, so good. but when they believe that the promise pertains not to faith but rather to the carnal descent, they are in error. this subject has been splendidly treated by paul (rom 9, 6). there he establishes the fact that the children of abraham are not his carnal descendants but those who have his faith (gal 3, 7). 197. the same thought is suggested here by moses, who says in so many words, "blessed be jehovah, the god of shem." this shows that there is no blessing except by the god of shem. hence, no jew will share this blessing unless he have the god of shem; that is, unless he believes. nor will japheth share the blessing unless he dwells in the tents of shem, that is, unless he associates himself with him in faith. 198. this is a grand promise, valid unto the end of the world. but just as it is limited to those who have the god of shem, that is, who believe, so the curse also is limited to those who abide in the wickedness of ham. noah spoke these words, not on the strength of human authority and feeling, but by the spirit of god. his words then refer not to a temporal, but to a spiritual and eternal curse. nor must we understand him to speak of a curse that is a curse only in the sight of the world, but rather of one in the sight of god. 199. the same statement has been made heretofore (ch 4 â§182) regarding the curse of cain. judged by outward appearances, cain obtained a greater earthly blessing than seth. god desires that his church in this world shall apparently suffer the curse pronounced upon the wicked and that, on the other hand, the wicked shall seem to be blessed. cain was the first man to build a city, calling it enoch; while seth dwelt in tents. 200. thus did ham build the city and tower of babel and ruled far and wide, while shem and japheth were poor, living in lowly tents. the facts of history, then, teach that both the promises and the curses of god are not to be understood carnally, or of the present life, but spiritually. although oppressed in the world, the righteous are surely heirs and sons of god, while the wicked, though flourishing for a season, shall ultimately be cut down and wither; a warning often uttered in the psalms. 201. there is a striking similarity in the conduct and the lot of cain and ham. cain killed his brother, which shows plainly enough the lack of reverence for his father in his heart. having been put in the ban by his father, he leaves the church of the true god and the true worship, builds the city of enoch, giving himself up altogether to worldly things. just so does ham sin by dishonoring his father. when also he subsequently receives as sentence the curse whereby he is excluded from the promised seed and the church, he parts with god and the church without misgivings, since the curse rests not upon his person but upon that of his son, and migrates to babylon, where he establishes a kingdom. 202. these are very illustrious examples and needed by the church, turk and pope today; allow us to boast of the heavenly and everlasting promise in that we have the gospel doctrine, and are the church. they know, however, our judgment of them, that we consider and condemn both pope and turk as very antichrist. how securely they ignore our judgment, confidently because of the wealth and power they possess, and also because of our weakness in character and numbers. the very same spirit we plainly see in cain and ham, in the condemned and excommunicated. 203. these truths enforce the lesson that we must not seek an abiding city or country in this bodily existence, but in its varying changes and fortunes look to the hope of eternal life, promised through christ. this is the final haven; and we must strive for it with sail and oar, as eager and earnest sailors while the tempest rages. 204. what if the turk should obtain sway over the whole world, which he never will? michael, as daniel says, will bring aid to the holy people, the church (ch 10, 13). what matter if the pope should gain possession of the wealth of all the world, as he has tried to do for many centuries with all the wealth at his command? will turk and pope thereby escape death, or even secure permanence of temporal power? why, then, should we be misled by the temporal blessings which they enjoy, or by our misfortunes and dangers, since we know that they are banished from the fellowship of the saints, while we enjoy everlasting blessings through the son of god? 205. if cain and ham, and pope and turk, who are as father and son to each other, can afford to despise the judgment of the true church on the strength of fleeting and meager successes in this life, why can not we afford in turn to despise their power and censure, on the strength of the everlasting blessings which we possess? ham was not moved by his father's curse. full of anger against him, and despising him as a crazy old man, he goes away and arms himself with the power of the world, esteeming this more highly than to be blessed with shem by his father. 206. this story should give us strength for the similar experiences of today. the priests and bishops heap contempt upon us, saying, what can those poverty stricken heretics do? priest and bishop are puffed up with their wealth and power. but let us bear this insolence of the wicked with undisturbed mind, as noah bore that of his son. let us take consolation in the hope and faith of the eternal benediction, of which, we know, they are deprived. 207. i said above (â§172) that the holy spirit was so greatly angered by the sin of ham that he could not bear even to speak his name in the curse. and it is true, as the punishment shows, that ham sinned grievously. the other reason mentioned above as not at all unlikely, i will here repeat: ham had been called and received into the ark by the divine word, and had been saved with the others, and noah wanted to spare him whom god had spared in the flood. therefore, he transferred the curse which ham merited, to canaan, his son, whom ham doubtless desired to keep with him. 208. the jews offer a different explanation: canaan, the son, having been the first to see his grandfather noah lying naked, announced it to his father, who then saw for himself; hence, canaan gave his father cause to commit the sin. let the reader judge what value there is in this exposition. 209. but there is also a philological question which must be discussed in connection. scholars call translators to account for the rendering, "god enlarge japheth," when the hebrew words do not permit it, though not only the hebrews but also the chaldeans, are mostly agreed that the word _jepheth_ means "to enlarge." technical discussions of this kind, however, are sometimes very useful to clear up the precise meaning of a passage. 210. some scholars derive the name _japheth_ from the verb _jephah_, which signifies _to be beautiful_, as in ps 45, 2: _japhjaphita mibene adam_, "thou art fairer than the children of men." but this may easily be shown to be an error; for the true origin of the word is the verb _phatah_, which means "to persuade," "to deceive with fair words" as in ex 22 16: _ki jephateh isch betulah_, "if a man entice a virgin, he shall surely pay a dowry for her." and in jer 20, 7: _pethithani jehovah va-epath_, "o jehovah, thou hast persuaded me and i was persuaded;" prov 1, 10: _im-jephatukah_, "if sinners entice thee." there is no need of more examples, for the word occurs frequently, and i have no doubt that it is derived from the greek word _peitho_, for it has the same meaning. 211. but let us turn to the question: why have all translators made it read, "god enlarge japheth," while it is not the word _pathach_, which means "to enlarge" or "to open", but rather the word _pathah_? i have no doubt that the translators were influenced by the harsh expression. since this is a promise, it seemed too harsh to state that noah had said, "god deceive japheth." this would appear to be a word of cursing, not of blessing. hence they chose a milder term, though it violated the rules of language. and since there is but a slight difference between _pathach_, and _pathah_, they used one for the other. they meant to preserve the important fact that this is a promise. 212. but there is no need for us to alter the text in this manner, and to violate its grammatical construction, since the word _pathah_, offers a most suitable meaning. being a word of double meaning, as the word _suadere_ in latin, it may be accepted either in a bad or in a good sense. hence, it is not irreverent to apply this word to god. we find it clearly so used in hosea 2, 14, where the lord says: "therefore, behold, i will (_mephateha_) allure her (or, entice her by coaxing), and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her." i will suckle her, speak sweetly unto her, and thus will i deceive her, as it were, so that she may agree with me, so that the church will join herself to me, etc. in this sense the word may here rightly be taken to mean "allure," "persuade," "coax by means of friendly words and flattery." god suckle, persuade, deceive japheth by persuasion, so that japheth himself, being allured, as his name signifies, may be invited in a friendly way and thus be beguiled. 213. but you say, what will be the meaning of this? or why should there be need for japheth to be beguiled or persuaded, and that by god himself? i answer: noah makes the names to serve his purpose in this prophecy. he gives thanks to god that he establishes them to stand like a firm root from which christ was to spring. for the verb _sum_, signifies "to place," "to put in position," "to establish." 214. for japheth, however, he prays that he may become a true japheth. since he was the oldest son, who ordinarily should have been given the right of the first-born, he prays that god would persuade him in a friendly manner, first, not to envy his brother this honor, nor to be dissatisfied that this privilege was taken from him and given to his brother. furthermore, because this matter touches the person of japheth only, god includes his entire offspring in the blessing. though the promise was given to shem alone, yet god does not shut out from it the offspring of japheth, but speaks to them lovingly through the gospel, that they may also become _jepheth_, being persuaded by the word of the gospel. this is a divine persuasion, coming from the holy spirit; not from the flesh, nor from the world, nor from satan, but holy and quickening. this expression is used by paul in gal 1, 10, where he says, "am i now persuading men or god?" and gal 3, 1, "who did bewitch you that ye should not obey the truth?"--that ye do not agree to the truth, that ye do not permit yourselves to be persuaded by that which is true? 215. viewing the name japheth in this case, it signifies a person of the kind which we call guileless, who believes readily, permitting himself to be easily persuaded of a matter, who does not dispute or cling to his own ideas but submits his mind to the lord and rests upon his word, remaining a learner, not desiring to be master over the words and works of god. hence it is a touching prayer which is here recorded, that god might persuade japheth; that is, that he might speak fondly with him. noah prays that, though god does not speak to japheth on the basis of a promise, as he does with shem, yet he would speak with him on the basis of grace and divine goodness. 216. this prayer of noah foresees the spread of the gospel throughout the whole world. shem is the stem. from his posterity christ was born. the church is of the jews, who had patriarchs, prophets, and kings. and yet god here shows noah that also the wretched gentiles were to dwell in the tents of shem; that is, they were to come into that heritage of the saints which the son of god brought into this world--forgiveness of sins, the holy spirit, and everlasting life. he prophesies clearly that also japheth will hear the sweet message of the gospel as his name suggests; so that, though he have not the same title as shem, who was set to be the stem from which christ was to spring, yet he should have the persuader, namely the gospel. 217. it was paul through whom this prophecy was fulfilled. he almost unaided taught the gospel doctrine to the posterity of japheth. he says: "from jerusalem, and round about even unto illyricum, i have fully preached the gospel of christ" (rom 15, 19). almost all of asia, with the exception of the oriental peoples, together with europe, belongs to the posterity of japheth. the gentiles, therefore, did not, as the jews did, receive the kingdom and the priesthood from god. they had neither the law nor the promise. yet by the mercy of god they have heard that sweet voice of the gospel, the persuader, which is indicated by the very name of japheth. 218. the interpreters failed to recognize this as the true meaning, and god permitted them to make this mistake. still they did not miss the true meaning altogether. for the verb _hirchib_, which means "to enlarge," means also "to give consolation," just as conversely in latin the word _angustiae_ (narrow place) signifies also "pains," or "perils," or "disaster." thus we read in psalms 4, 1: "thou hast set me at large when i was in distress." the only real enlargement, or consolation, is the word of the gospel. 219. thus the several expositions are harmonized by proper interpretation. but the primary meaning of _enlarge_, which conveys the idea of _persuasion_, is the native and proper one. it sheds a bright light upon the fact that we gentiles, although the promise was not given to us, have nevertheless been called by the providence of god to the gospel. the promise pertains to shem alone, but japheth, as paul has it in romans 11, 17, was grafted into the olive tree, like a wild olive, and became a partaker of the original fatness, or the sap, of the olive. the older portions of the bible agree with the newer, and what god promised in the days of noah, he now carries out. 220. "ham" signifies "the hot and burning one." this name was given to him by his father, i believe, because of the great things he hoped for his youngest son. to noah the other two were cold men in comparison. eve rejoiced greatly when cain was born (gen 4, 1). she believed that he would restore whatever had been wrought amiss. yet he was the first to harm mankind in a new way, in that he killed his brother. 221. thus god, according to his unsearchable counsel, changes the expectations even of the saints. ham, whom his father, at his birth, had expected to be inflamed with greater zeal for the support of the church than his brothers, was hot and burning, indeed, when he grew older, but in a different sense. he burned against his parent and his god, as his deed shows. hence, his name was one of evil prophecy, unsuspected of noah when he gave it. 222. this is noah's prophecy concerning his sons, who have filled the earth with their offspring. the fact, therefore, that god has permitted the light of the gospel to shine upon germany, is due to the prophecy anent japheth. we see today the fulfillment of that which noah foretold. though we are not of the seed of abraham, yet we dwell in the tents of shem and enjoy the fulfilment of the prophecies concerning christ. vs. 28-29. _and noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years. and all the days of noah were nine hundred and fifty years; and he died._ 223. history shows that noah died fifty years after the birth of abraham. abraham, therefore, enjoying the instruction of so able and renowned a teacher until his fiftieth year, had an opportunity to learn something of religion. and there is no doubt that noah, being filled with the holy spirit, cared for this grandchild of his with special care and love, as the only heir of shem's promises. 224. at that time the offspring of ham flourished, spreading idolatry throughout the regions of the east. abraham was in touch with it, and not without danger to himself. he was saved, however, by noah, being almost alone in recognizing the greatness of a man who was the only survivor of the early world. the others, forgetful of the wrath which had raged in the flood, taunted the pious, old man; particularly ham's progeny, puffed up by wealth and power. they heaped insults upon father noah, and--frenzied by success--they divided the curse of servitude pronounced upon them as a sign of his dotage. amen. generously made available by the internet archive/american libraries) luther's epistle sermons trinity sunday to advent. translated with the help of others by prof. john nicholas lenker, d.d. author of "lutherans in all lands," translator of luther's works into english, and president of the national lutheran library association vol. iii. (_volume ix of luther's complete works_.) third thousand _the luther press_ minneapolis, minn., u.s.a. 1909. _dedication_ to all laymen of evangelical christendom interested in developing a deeper christian life, on the basis of the spiritual classics of our protestant church fathers, this volume of sermons that apply the pure doctrine of god's word to everyday life, is prayerfully dedicated. copyright, 1909, by j. n. lenker. _foreword_ here comes the english luther in his twelfth visit to your home. in peasant boots, decorated by no star of worldliness nor even by the cross of churchliness, but by the book from heaven pressed to his heart in a firm attitude of earnest prayer, he comes as the man of prayer and of the one book, a familiar friend, to help you to live the simple christian life. this volume of twenty-four practical sermons from trinity sunday to advent marks an epoch in that it completes in an unabridged form one branch of luther's writings, the eight volumes of his gospel and epistle postil. they are bound in uniform size, numbered as in the erlangen edition from the seventh to the fourteenth volume inclusive, paragraphed for convenient reference according to the walch edition with summaries of the gospel sermons by bugenhagen. the few subheads inserted in the text are a new feature for american readers. these eight volumes of 175 sermons and 3,110 pages are the classic devotional literature of protestantism. they were preached by its founder to the mother congregation of evangelical christendom in the birth-period of the greatest factor in modern civilization. no collection of evangelical sermons has passed through more editions and been printed in more languages, none more loved and praised, none more read and prayed. they will be a valuable addition to the meager sermon literature on the epistle texts in the english language. english protestants will hereafter have no excuse for unacquaintance with luther's spiritual writings. what luther's two catechisms were in the school room to teach the christian faith to the youth, that these sermons were in the homes to develop the same faith in adults. they have maintained their good name wherever translated until the present and their contents are above the reach of critics. these epistle sermons especially apply the christian truth to everyday life. the order in developing the christian life with the best help from the prince of the teutonic church fathers, should be from the small to the large catechism and then to his epistle sermons. blessed the pastor and congregation who can lead the youth to "church postil reading"--to read in harmony with their church-going. blessed is the immigrant or diaspora missionary who finds his people reading them in the new settlements he visits. next to the bible and catechisms no books did more to awaken and sustain the great evangelical religious movements under spener in germany, rosenius in sweden, and hauge in norway, than these sermon books devoutly and regularly read in the homes of church members. the transition of a people and church from a weak language into a stronger, is easy and accompanied by gain; while the opposite course from a strong into a weaker tongue is difficult; and accompanied by loss. while in our land the germans and scandinavians lose much in the transition ordeal, all is not lost; they have something to give. it is a good sign that two-tongued congregations are growing in favor. familiar thought in a strange language is not so strange as when both language and thought are foreign. a church whose constituency is many-tongued should avoid becoming one-tongued. church divisions are often more ethnological than theological. if exclusively english pastors learned one-tenth as much german and scandinavian as these people do english, unity would be greatly promoted. as protestantism is far more divided in the english language than in german or scandinavian, the enthusiasm over the unifying influence of english is misleading. the hope is rather in the oneness of teaching and of spirit. this treasure, given first in hebrew, greek and german, can be translated into all languages. who equals luther as a translator? may his followers be inspired by his example and translate the evangelical classics of this prophet of the gentiles into all their dialects! that these volumes may contribute to this end is our prayer. the history of the writing of these sermons is found in volumes 10, 11, 12 and 13 of the gospel sermons of the "standard edition of luther's works in english." the german text will be readily found in the 12th volume of the walch and of the st. louis walch editions, and in the 9th volume of the erlangen edition of luther's works. grateful acknowledgment is hereby made for translations to the following: to pastor h. l. burry, the first sermon for trinity sunday; pastor w. e. tressel, third sunday after trinity; prof. a. g. voigt, d. d., the fifth and twenty-fourth sundays; dr. joseph stump, sixth, eighth and thirteenth sundays; prof. a. w. meyer, eighteenth and nineteenth sundays; and to pastor c. b. gohdes for revising the second sermon for trinity sunday and the sermons for the second, tenth, twelfth and sixteenth sundays after trinity. next volumes to appear will be genesis vol. ii, psalms vol. ii and galatians. heartily do we thank all parts of the church for their complimentary, suggestive and helpful coöperation and earnestly hope our work may be worthy of its continuance. j. n. lenker. home for young women, minneapolis, minn., pentecost, 1909. _contents_ trinity sunday.--the article of faith on the trinity. the revelation of the divine nature and will. romans 11, 33-36 . . 7 second sermon.--the trinity. romans 11, 33-36 . . . . . . . . . 36 first sunday after trinity.--love. god is love. 1 john 4, 16-21 40 second sunday after trinity.--exhortation to brotherly love. 1 john 3, 13-18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 third sunday after trinity.--humility, trust, watchfulness, suffering. 1 peter 5, 5-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 fourth sunday after trinity.--consolation in suffering and patience. waiting for the revealing of the sons of god. romans 8, 18-22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 second sermon.--suffering, waiting and sighing of creation. romans 8, 18-22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 fifth sunday after trinity.--exhortation to the fruits of faith. duty of unity and love. 1 peter 3, 8-15 . . . . . . . . . . . 119 sixth sunday after trinity.--exhortation to christian living. life in christ. romans 6, 3-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 seventh sunday after trinity.--exhortation to resist sin. the wages of sin and the gift of god. romans 6, 19-23 . . . . . . 156 eighth sunday after trinity.--exhortation to live in the spirit since we have become the children of god, sons and heirs. romans 8, 12-17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168 ninth sunday after trinity.--warning to christians against carnal security and its evils. 1 corinthians 10, 6-13 . . . . 180 tenth sunday after trinity.--spiritual counsel for church officers. the use of the spiritual gifts. 1 corinthians 12, 1-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197 eleventh sunday after trinity.--paul's witness to christ's resurrection. 1 corinthians 15, 1-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221 twelfth sunday after trinity.--the twofold use of the law and the gospel. "letter" and "spirit." 2 corinthians 3, 4-11 . . . 223 thirteenth sunday after trinity.--god's testament and promise in christ, and use of the law. galatians 3, 15-22 . . . . . . . . 248 fourteenth sunday after trinity.--works of the flesh and fruits of the spirit. galatians 5, 16-24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255 fifteenth sunday after trinity.--conduct of christians to one another in church government. sowing and reaping. galatians 5, 25-26 and 6, 1-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257 sixteenth sunday after trinity.--paul's care and prayer for the church that it may continue to abide in christ. ephesians 3, 13-21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259 seventeenth sunday after trinity.--exhortation to live according to the christian calling, and in the unity of the spirit. ephesians 4, 1-6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281 eighteenth sunday after trinity.--the treasure christians have in the preaching of the gospel. the call to fellowship. 1 corinthians 1, 4-9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292 nineteenth sunday after trinity.--putting on the new man and laying off the old man. ephesians 4, 22-28 . . . . . . . . . . 304 twentieth sunday after trinity.--the careful walk of the christian and redeeming the time. ephesians 5, 15-21 . . . . . 317 twenty-first sunday after trinity.--the christian armor and weapons. ephesians 6, 10-17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329 twenty-second sunday after trinity.--paul's thanks and prayers for his churches. philippians 1, 3-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . 330 twenty-third sunday after trinity.--the enemies of the cross of christ and the christian's citizenship in heaven. philippians 3, 17-21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343 twenty-fourth sunday after trinity.--knowledge of god's will and its fruits. prayer and spiritual knowledge. colossians 1, 3-14 358 twenty-fifth sunday after trinity.--christ will take both alike to himself, the dead and living, when he comes. 1 thessalonians 4, 13-18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379 twenty-sixth sunday after trinity.--god's righteous judgment in the future. when christ comes. 2 thessalonians 1, 3-10 . . . . 380 _trinity sunday_ text: romans 11, 33-36. 33 o the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of god! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out! 34 for who hath known the mind of the lord? or who hath been his counsellor? 35 or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 36 for of him and through him, and unto him, are all things. to him be the glory for ever. amen. the article of faith on the trinity. 1. this epistle is read today because the festival of holy trinity, or of the three persons of the godhead--which is the prime, great, incomprehensible and chief article of faith--is observed on this day. the object of its observance is that, by the word of god, this truth of the godhead may be preserved among christians, enabling them to know god as he would be known. for although paul does not treat of that article in this epistle, but touches on it only in a few words in the conclusion, nevertheless he would teach that in our attempts to comprehend god we must not speculate and judge according to human wisdom, but in the light of the word of god alone. for these divine truths are too far above the reach of reason ever to be comprehended and explored by the understanding of man. 2. and although i have, on other occasions, taught and written on this article fully and frequently enough, still i must say a few words in general concerning it here. true, it is not choice german, nor has it a pleasing sound, when we designate god by the word "dreifaltigkeit" (nor is the latin, trinitas, more elegant); but since we have no better term, we must employ these. for, as i have said, this article is so far above the power of the human mind to grasp, or the tongue to express, that god, as the father of his children, will pardon us when we stammer and lisp as best we can, if only our faith be pure and right. by this term, however, we would say that we believe the divine majesty to be three distinct persons of one true essence. 3. this is the revelation and knowledge christians have of god: they not only know him to be one true god, who is independent of and over all creatures, and that there can be no more than this one true god, but they know also what this one true god in his essential, inscrutable essence is. 4. the reason and wisdom of man may go so far as to reach the conclusion, although feebly, that there must be one eternal divine being, who has created and who preserves and governs all things. man sees such a beautiful and wonderful creation in the heavens and on the earth, one so wonderfully, regularly and securely preserved and ordered, that he must say: it is impossible that this came into existence by mere chance, or that it originated and controls itself; there must have been a creator and lord from whom all these things proceed and by whom they are governed. thus god may be known by his creatures, as st. paul says: "for the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity." rom 1, 20. this is (a posteriori) the knowledge that we have when we contemplate god from without, in his works and government; as one, looking upon a castle or house from without, would draw conclusions as to its lord or keeper. 5. but from within (a priori) no human wisdom has been able to conceive what god is in himself, or in his internal essence. neither can anyone know or give information of it except it be revealed to him by the holy spirit. for no one knoweth, as paul says (1 cor 2, 11), the things of man save the spirit of man which is in him; even so the things of god none knoweth save the spirit of god. from without, i may see what you do, but what your intentions are and what you think, i cannot see. again, neither can you know what i think except i enable you to understand it by word or sign. much less can we know what god, in his own inner and secret essence is, until the holy spirit, who searcheth and knoweth all things, yea, the deep things of god--as paul says above--reveals it to us: as he does in the declaration of this article, in which he teaches us the existence in the divine majesty of the one undivided essence, but in such manner that there is, first, the person which is called the father; and of him exists the second person called the son, born from eternity; and proceeding from both these is the third, namely, the holy spirit. these three persons are not distinct from each other, as individual brothers or sisters are, but they have being in one and the same eternal, undivided and indivisible essence. 6. this, i say, is not discovered or attained to by human reason. it is revealed from heaven above. therefore, only christians can intelligently speak of what the godhead essentially is, and of his outward manifestation to his creatures, and his will toward men concerning their salvation. for all this is imparted to them by the holy spirit, who reveals and proclaims it through the word. 7. those who have no such revelation, and who judge according to their own wisdom, such as the jews, turks and heathen, must consider the christian's declaration the greatest error and rankest heresy; they must say that we christians are mad and foolish in imagining that there are three gods, when, according to all reason--yea, even according to the word of god--there can be but one god. it would not be reasonable, they will say, that there should be more than one householder over the same house, more than one lord or sovereign over the same government; much less reasonably should more than one god reign over heaven and earth. they imagine that thus with their wisdom they have completely overthrown our faith and exposed it to the derision and scorn of all the world. as if we were all blockheads and egregious fools and could not see their logic as well as they! but, thank god, we have understanding equal to theirs, and can argue as convincingly, or more so, than they with their alkoran and talmud, that there is but the one god. 8. further, we know, from the testimony of holy writ, that we cannot expound the mystery of these divine things by the speculations of reason and a pretense of great wisdom. to explain this, as well as all the articles of our faith, we must have a knowledge higher than any to which the understanding of man can attain. that knowledge of god which the heathen can perceive by reason or deduce from rational premises is but a small part of the knowledge that we should possess. the heathen aristotle in his best book concludes from a passage in the wisest pagan poet, homer: there can be no good government in which there is more than one lord; it results as where more than one master or mistress attempts to direct the household servants. so must there be but one lord and regent in every government. this is all rightly true. god has implanted such light and understanding in human nature for the purpose of giving a conception and an illustration of his divine office, the only lord and maker of all creatures. but, even knowing this, we have not yet searched out or fathomed the exalted, eternal, divine godhead essence. for even though i have learned that there is an only divine majesty, who governs all things, i do not thereby know the inner workings of this divine essence himself; this no one can tell me, except, as we have said, in so far as god himself reveals it in his word. 9. now we christians have the scriptures, which we know to be the word of god. the jews also have them, from whose fathers they have descended to us. from these, and from no other source, we have obtained all that is known of god and divine works, from the beginning of the world. even among the turks and the heathen, all their knowledge of god--excepting what is manifestly fable and fiction--came from the scriptures. and our knowledge is confirmed and proven by great miracles, even to the present day. these scriptures declare, concerning this article, that there is no god or divine being save this one alone. they not only manifest him to us from without, but they lead us into his inner essence, and show us that in him there are three persons; not three gods or three different kinds of divinity, but the same undivided, divine essence. 10. such a revelation is radiantly shed forth from the greatest of god's works, the declaration of his divine counsel and will. in that counsel and will it was decreed from all eternity, and, accordingly, was proclaimed in his promises, that his son should become man and die to reconcile man to god. for in our dreadful fall into sin and death eternal, there was no way to save us excepting through an eternal person who had power over sin and death to destroy them, and to give us righteousness and everlasting life instead. this no angel or other creature could do; it must needs be done of god himself. now, it could not be done by the person of the father, who was to be reconciled, but it must be done by a second person, with whom this counsel was determined and through whom and for whose sake the reconciliation was to be brought about. 11. here there are, therefore, two distinct persons, one of whom becomes reconciled, and the other is sent to reconcile and becomes man. the former is called the father, being first in that he did not have his origin in any other; the latter is called the son, being born of the father from eternity. to this the scriptures attest, for they make mention of god's son; as, for instance, in psalm 2, 7: "thou art my son; this day have i begotten thee;" and again, galatians 4, 4: "but when the fulness of the time came, god sent forth his son," etc. from this it necessarily follows that the son, who is spoken of as a person, must be distinct from the person of the father. 12. again, in the same manner, the spirit of god is specifically and distinctively mentioned as a person sent or proceeding from god the father and the son: for instance, god says in joel 2, 28: "i will pour out my spirit upon all flesh," etc. here a spirit is poured out who is god's, or a divine spirit, and who must be of the same essence, otherwise he could not say, "my spirit;" and yet he must be a person other than he who sent him or who pours out. again, because when he was sent he manifested himself, and appeared in his descent in a visible form, like that of a dove or tongues of fire, he must be distinct in person from both the father and the son. 13. but in this article of faith, in which we say that the son of god became man and that he was of the same nature as we ourselves are, in order that he might redeem us from sin and death and give us eternal life without any merit or worthiness of our own, we give jews and turks no less occasion for laughter and mockery than when we speak of the three persons. for this is a more absurd assertion by far, in the estimation of human reason, which speculates in its jewish and turkish--yea, heathenish--teachings, on this wise: god is an only, almighty lord of all, who has created all men and given them the law according to which they are to live; accordingly it follows that he will be merciful to the good and obedient, but will condemn and punish the disobedient. therefore, he who does good works and guards himself against sin, god will reward. these are nothing but heathenish conclusions drawn from earthly, worldly experience and observation, as if god's government must be conducted on the same principles as that of a father among his children and domestics; for those are considered good rulers and masters who make a distinction with regard to their own interests. 14. such heathen ideas of wisdom, holiness and service of god are taught and practiced by the pope. and so we believed, myself and others, while we were under him, not knowing any better; otherwise we would have done and taught differently. and, in fact, he who has not this revelation and word of god, can neither believe nor teach other than pagan doctrine. with such a faith, how much better were we than the heathen and turks? yea, how could we guard ourselves against any deception and lying nonsense that might be offered as good works and as service of god? then we had to follow every impostor who came with his cowl and cord, as if christ were represented in him; and we thought that in the observance of these things we would be saved. so the whole world was filled with naught but false service of god--which the scriptures properly call idolatry--the product of human wisdom, which is so easily deceived by that which pretends to be a good work and to be obedience to god. for human wisdom knows no better; and how could it know better without the revelation? even when the revelation was proclaimed, human wisdom would not heed it, but despised it and followed its own fancies. hence it continued to be hidden and incomprehensible to such wisdom, as saint paul says: "for who hath known the mind of the lord?" 15. but to us this counsel and mind of god in giving his son to take upon himself our flesh, is revealed and declared. for from the word of god we have the knowledge that no man of himself can be righteous before god; that our whole life and all our deeds are under wrath and condemnation, because we are wholly born in sin and by nature are disobedient to god; but if we would be delivered from sin and be saved, we must believe on this mediator, the son of god, who has taken our sin and death upon himself, by his own blood and death rendering satisfaction, and has by his resurrection, delivered us. in this truth we will abide, regardless of the ridicule heaped upon us because of such faith, by heathen wisdom, which teaches that god rewards the pious. we understand that quite as well, if not better, than heathenism does. but in these mysteries we need a higher wisdom than our own minds have devised or can devise, a wisdom given to us by grace alone, through divine revelation. 16. for it is not our intention thus to pry into the counsel, thoughts and ways of god with our understanding and opinions, and to be his counselors, as they do who meddle in the affairs that are the prerogative of the godhead, and who even dare, in the face of this passage of saint paul, to refuse to receive or learn of god, but would impart to him that for which he must recompense again. and thus they make gods after their own fancy, as many gods as they have thoughts; so that every shabby monastic cowl or self-appointed work, in their estimation, accomplishes as much and passes for as much as god the father, son and holy spirit, in their eternal divine counsel, determine and accomplish. and they continue to be nothing but wearers of cowls and instructors in works, which works even they can do who know nothing of god and are manifestly scoundrels. and even though they have long been occupied with these things, they still do not know how matters stand between themselves and god. and it will ever be true as saint paul says: "for who hath known the mind of the lord, or who hath been his counselor?" 17. for your own theories--which are no more than what anyone can arrive at, conjecture or conceive in his own mind, without divine revelation--are not a knowledge of the mind of god. and what does it avail if you are not able to say more than that god is merciful to the good and will punish the wicked? who will assure you that you are good and that you are pleasing to god with your papistic, turkish monkery and holiness? is it all that is necessary to assert: god will reward with heaven such as are faithful to the order? no, dear brother, mere presumption, or an expression of your opinion, will not suffice here. i could do that as well as you. indeed, each may devise his own peculiar idea; one a black, and another a gray monk's cowl. but we should hear and know what god's counsel is, what is his will and mind. this none can tell you by his own understanding, and no book on earth can teach it except the scriptures. these god himself has given, and they make known to us that he has sent his son into the world to redeem us from sin and the wrath of god, and that whosoever believes in him should have everlasting life. divine mysteries inexplicable to reason. 18. behold, paul's purpose in this epistle is to show christians that these sublime and divine mysteries--that is, god's actual divine essence and his will, administration and works--are absolutely beyond all human thought, human understanding or wisdom; in short, that they are and ever will be incomprehensible, inscrutable and altogether hidden to human reason. when reason presumptuously undertakes to solve, to teach and explain these matters, the result is worthless, yea, utter darkness and deception. if anything is to be ascertained, it must be through revelation alone; that is, the word of god, which was sent from heaven. 19. we do not apply these words of paul to the question of divine predestination for every human being--who will be saved and who not. for into these things god would not have us curiously inquire. he has not given us any special revelation in regard to them, but refers all men here to the words of the gospel. by them they are to be guided. he would have them hear and learn the gospel, and believing in it they shall be saved. therein have all the saints found comfort and assurance in regard to their election to eternal life; not in any special revelation in regard to their predestination, but in faith in christ. therefore, where saint paul treats of election, in the three chapters preceding this text, he would not have any to inquire or search out whether he has been predestinated or not; but he holds forth the gospel and faith to all men. so he taught before, that we are saved through faith in christ. he says (rom 10, 8): "the word is nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart," and he explains himself by saying that this word should be proclaimed to all men, that they may believe what he says in verses 12 and 13: "for the same lord is lord of all, and is rich unto all that call upon him: for, whosoever shall call upon the name of the lord shall be saved." 20. but he speaks of the marvelous ruling of god in the church, according to which they who have the name and honor of being the people of god, and the church--the people of israel--are rejected on account of their unbelief. others, on the other hand, who formerly were not god's people, but were unbelieving, are now, since they have received the gospel and believe in christ, become the true church in the sight of god, and are saved. consequently it was on account of their own unbelief that the former were rejected. then the grace and mercy of god in christ was offered unto everlasting life, and without any merit of their own, to all such as were formerly in unbelief and sin, if only they would accept and believe it. he declares: "for god hath shut up all unto disobedience, that he might have mercy upon all." rom 11, 32. 21. hereupon follows the text, which saint paul begins with emotions of profound astonishment at the judgment and dealings of god in his church, saying: "o the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of god! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out!" 22. sublime are the thoughts and counsel of god, transcending by far the mind and comprehension of man, yea of all creatures, when he so richly pours forth his goodness and out of pure grace and mercy elects, as beneficiaries of that goodness, the poor and wretched and unworthy, who are concluded under sin--that is, those who acknowledge themselves before god to be guilty and deserving of everlasting wrath and perdition; when he does all this that they might know him in his real divine essence, and the sentiment of his heart--that through his son he will give all who believe everlasting life. and, again, that they might know how he will reject and condemn the others--those who, in pride and security, boast of their own gifts and the fact that they are called the people of god in preference to all other nations; who boast that they have special promises, that they have the prophets, the fathers, etc.; who think that god will acknowledge no nation on earth but themselves as his people and his church. he will reject them on account of their unbelief, in which they are fettered by the pride and imaginations of their own wisdom and holiness. 23. this is that rich, inexpressible, divine wisdom and knowledge which they possess who believe in christ, and by which they are enabled to look into the depths and see what the purposes and thoughts of the divine heart are. true, in their weakness they cannot fully reach it; they only can apprehend it in the revealed word, by faith, as in a glass or image, as saint paul says. 1 cor 13, 12. but to blind, unbelieving reason, divine wisdom will be foreign and hidden; nothing of it will enter reason's consciousness and thoughts, nor will reason desire more though a revelation be given. 24. that attitude saint paul encountered, especially when the arrogant jews opposed themselves so sternly and stubbornly to the preaching of the gospel. filled with astonishment, he exclaimed: what shall i say more? i see indeed that it is but the deep unsearchable wisdom of god, his incomprehensible judgment, his inscrutable ways. so he says elsewhere: "but we speak god's wisdom in a mystery, even the wisdom that hath been hidden, which god foreordained before the world unto our glory: which none of the rulers of this world hath known." 1 cor 2, 7-8. 25. this depth and richness of wisdom and knowledge, we christians apprehend through faith; for, as saint paul says, it cannot be apprehended nor comprehended otherwise. though the world will not do it, we will firmly believe that god is a true god and lord, wise, just and gracious, whose riches and depth are ineffable. we will glorify him with our whole heart, therefore, as he ought justly to be praised and glorified by every creature, for his wonderful government of his church, through his word and revelation. whosoever will hear and receive the same shall have light that will turn them to him and give them a knowledge of their salvation--an experience which others can never realize. and he is to be glorified because he manifests such unutterable goodness to all who are in sin and under god's wrath that he translates them, though they are unworthy and condemned, from the power of death and hell into the kingdom of eternal grace and life, if they will only seek grace and believe on christ his son. and, on the other hand, he is to be glorified because, as a just judge, he rightfully rejects and condemns those who will not believe the revelation and testimony of his will in his son; who insist on, and boast of, their blind fancies, of their own wisdom and righteousness. being accordingly deprived of such light, such grace and consolation, they must forever be separated and cast forth from the kingdom of god, regardless of what great name and fame may have been theirs when they were supposed to be the people and church of god. 26. and such are god's unsearchable judgments and his ways past tracing out. such are his government and works. for by "judgments" is meant that which in his view is right or wrong; what pleases or does not please him; what merits his praise or his censure; in short, what we should follow or avoid. again, by "his ways" is meant that which he will manifest unto men and how he will deal with them. these things men cannot and would not discover by their own reason, nor search out by their own intellect, and never should they oppose their judgments or speculations to god. it is not for them to say what is right or wrong, whether an act or ruling is divine. they should humble themselves before him and acknowledge that they cannot understand, they cannot teach god in such matters; they should give him, as their god and creator, the honor of better understanding himself and his purposes than do we poor, miserable worms. "for who hath known the mind of the lord? or who hath been his counselor? or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?" 27. paul states three propositions which take away from the world all its boasting concerning divine things: to know the mind of the lord--what are his thoughts and purposes, or what he has determined within himself from eternity; to be his counselor--advising or showing him what to do and how to do it; to give to him--assisting him, by one's own ability, to accomplish his divine purpose. all this is impossible to human nature; it cannot know his mind, and how much less will it be able, with all of its wisdom and activity, to counsel him or give him anything. 28. therefore, it is a shameful presumption on the part of the world to presume by its own powers to ascertain and discover god's essence, his will and works, and to counsel him as to his duties and pleasures; and shameful is it that it presumes with its works to have merited something from him, and to have earned a recompense; shameful presumption to expect to be honored as having achieved much for god's kingdom and for the church--strengthening and preserving them and filling heaven with holiness! 29. god must defeat minds so perverted. in his administration he must disregard their opinions and attempts. thus, being made fools by their own wisdom, they may stumble and be offended at it. so would god, by showing us the realities, convince us of the futility of our own endeavors and lead us to acknowledge that we have not fathomed his mind, his counsel and will, and that we cannot counsel him. no man or angel has ever yet first thought out for god his counsel, or offered suggestion to him. much less is he compelled to call us into counsel, or recompense us for anything we have given to him. three classes of people. 30. there are three different kinds of people on earth, among whom christians must live. the first of these are that rude class which is unconcerned about the nature of god and how he rules. they have no regard for god's word. their faith is only in their mammon and their own appetites. they think only of how they may live unto themselves, like swine in the sty. to such we need not preach anything of this text: "o the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of god." they would understand nothing of it though we were to preach it to them everlastingly. they would rather hear of the husks and swill with which they fill themselves. therefore we will let them remain the swine that they are, and separated from others as they are. but it is exasperating to have to encounter them among christians. 31. the second class are they who are still reasonable, concerning themselves, about god's purposes and their fulfilment, and how we may be saved. the heathen, and even we ourselves when under the papacy, contended, according to reason, over these things. here is the beginning of all idolatry on earth; everyone teaches of god according to his own opinion. mohammed says: he that believes his koran and its doctrines is pleasing to god. a monk: he that is faithful to the order and its regulations will be saved. the pope: he who observes his prescriptions and ritual, who makes a pilgrimage to the apostles at rome, buys himself an indulgence; he has acquired the forgiveness of sins: but he who neglects it is under the wrath of god. these observances they call judgments and ways, controlling consciences and directing them to eternal life; and they imagine that they are god's judgments and ways. 32. on the contrary, the word declares that god wants none of these things; that they are error and darkness and a vain service--idolatry, which he hates and which provokes him to the utmost. all must acknowledge who have practiced their own self-appointed observances for any length of time, that they have no real assurance that god will be gracious unto them and take pleasure in them because of their lives and observances. yet, in their blind delusion and presumption, they go on in their vagaries till god touches their hearts by a revelation of his law; then, alarmed, they must admit that they have lived without a knowledge of god and of his will, and that they have no counsel or help unless they lay hold on the words of the gospel of christ. 33. we were all like that heretofore. even i, a learned doctor of divinity, did not know better. i imagined that with my monk's cowl i was pleasing to god and on the way to heaven. i thought that i knew the mind of god well. i wanted to be his counselor, and to earn a recompense of him. but now i realize that my belief was false; it was blindness. i know that i must learn from his word; that nothing else avails before him but faith in the crucified christ, his son; and that in such faith we must live, and do as our respective callings or positions require. thus we may know right and wrong in god's sight; for our knowledge is not of our own invention, but we have it from revelation. by revelation god shows us his mind; as saint paul says (1 cor 2, 16): "we have the mind of christ." and again (verse 10): "but unto us god revealed them through the spirit." 34. the third class are those who transgress, having knowledge. they have the word of revelation. i am not now speaking of those who knowingly persecute the truth--those of the first class, who are unconcerned about god--but i am speaking of those who recognize the revelation but are led by the devil to override it and go around it. they would conceive ways and judgments of god that he has not revealed. if they were christians, they would be satisfied and thank god for having given us his word, in which he shows us what is pleasing to him and how we may be saved. but instead, they allow themselves to be led by the devil to seek for other revelations and to speculate on what god in his invisible majesty is, and how he secretly governs the world, and what he has determined in regard to the future of each particular individual. and so presumptuous is our human nature that it would even interfere, with its wisdom, in god's judgment, and intrude into his most secret counsel, attempting to teach him and direct him. it was because of his arrogance that the devil was cast out into the abyss of hell; because he aspired to interference in the affairs of divine majesty, and would drag down man in the fall with himself. so did he cause man to fall in paradise, and so did he tempt the saints; and so he tempted christ himself when he set him on the pinnacle of the temple. 35. against this third class saint paul directs his words, in answer to the impudent questions of wise reason as to why god punished and rejected the jews, as he did, and allowed the condemned heathen to come into the gospel grace; why he so administers justice as to exalt the godless and allow the godly to suffer and be oppressed; why he elected judas as an apostle and afterwards rejected him and accepted a murderer and malefactor. with these words saint paul would command the wise to cease their impertinent strivings after the things of the secret majesty, and to confine themselves to the revelation he has given us; for all such searching and prying will be in vain and harmful. though you were to search forever you would nowhere attain the secrets of god's purposes, but would only risk your soul. 36. if you, therefore, would proceed wisely, you cannot do better than to be interested in the word and in god's works. in them he has revealed himself, and in them he may be comprehended. for instance, he manifests his son, christ, to you, on the cross. this is the work of your redemption. in it you may truly apprehend god, and learn that he will not condemn you on account of your sins, if you believe, but will give you everlasting life. so christ tells you: "god so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life." jn 3, 16. in this christ, says saint paul (col 2, 3), are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden. herein you will have more than enough to learn, to study and ponder. you will marvel at the wonderful revelation of god, and you will learn to delight in and love him. it is a mine which can never be exhausted in this life by study, and in the contemplation of which, as peter says (1 pet 1, 12), even the angels never tire, but find unceasing joy and pleasure. 37. i say this so that we may be prepared to instruct and direct those we may meet who, assailed and tormented by such thoughts of the devil, are led to tempt god. they are beguiled by the devil to search and grope, in his false ways, after what may be the intention of god concerning them, and thereby they are led into such apprehension and despair that they are unable to endure it. such individuals must be reminded of these words, and be reproved by them. so did paul reprove the jews and cavilers of his day when they presumed to comprehend god with their wisdom, to instruct him as his counselors and masters, to deal with him directly themselves, without any mediator, and to render him such service that he would owe them a recompense. nothing will come of such searching. against its endeavors he has erected barriers that, with all your striving, you will never be able to overcome. and so infinite are his wisdom, his counsel and riches, that you will never be able to fathom nor exhaust them. you ought to rejoice that he gives you some knowledge of his omnipotence in his revelation, as follows: "for of him, and through him, and unto him, are all things. to him be the glory for ever." 38. why should we boast, he would say here, when everything that has being--and our own wisdom and capabilities, of course--did not originate itself but had its origin in him and must be preserved by him, must exist through him? he says (acts 17, 28): "for in him we live, and move, and have our being." and again (ps 100, 3): "it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves." that is, what we are and are able to do, and the fact that we live and have peace and protection--in short, all the good or evil that happens to us--comes to pass not by accident or chance. it all proceeds from his divine counsel and good pleasure. he cares for us as his people and flock. he governs us and gives us good things. he aids and preserves us in every time of need. therefore, all honor and glory are due to him alone, from his creatures. everything is of god. 39. but when he says, of him, through him, in him, are all things--he says in the simplest way that the beginning, middle and end is of god; that all creatures have their origin in him, also their growth and their limitations. to illustrate: every little grain of corn has its beginning. a root springs from the dead seed in the ground; then a shoot comes forth and becomes a stalk, a leaflet, an ear of corn, and here it pauses, having the three parts it is intended to have. all creatures also have their beginning, their continuation and end, filling up the period of their existence. when this order ceases, every creature will cease to exist. that which has a beginning and grows but does not attain its end, does not reach perfection, is nothing. to sum it all up, everything must be of god. nothing can exist without origin in him. nothing that has come into being can continue to exist without him. he has not created the world as a carpenter builds a house and, departing, leaves it to stand as it may. god remains with and preserves all things which he has made; otherwise they would not continue to exist. 40. saint paul does not simply say--as he does elsewhere--of him are all things. he adds two other assertions, making a triple expression, and then unites the three thoughts into one whole when he says, "to him be the glory for ever." no doubt it was his intention therewith to convey the thought of this article of faith and to distinguish the three persons of the godhead, even though he does not mention them by name, which is not necessary here. the ancient teachers also looked upon this passage as a testimony to the holy trinity. their analysis was: all things are created by god the father through the son--even as he does all things through the son--and are preserved, in god's good pleasure, through the holy spirit. so paul is wont to say elsewhere; for example (1 cor 8, 6): "there is one god, the father, of whom are all things, and we unto him; and one lord, jesus christ, through whom are all things." and concerning the holy spirit, genesis 1, 31 says: "and god saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good." 41. the scriptures teach us that all creation is the work of one god, or the whole godhead; and yet, inasmuch as they make a distinction between the three persons of the one godhead, we may properly say that everything had its origin, everything exists and continues, in the father as the first person; through the son, who is of the father; and in the holy spirit, who proceeds from both the father and the son; which three, nevertheless, are comprehended in the one undivided essence. 42. but how such a distinction of persons exists in the divine essence from eternity is a mystery which we shall and must leave unsolved. for we cannot, with our crude understanding, even fathom god's creatures; no creature is wise enough to understand these three parts of itself--the beginning, the middle and the end. though they are distinct from each other, nevertheless they are so closely connected that we cannot with our physical senses separate one from the other. who has ever been able to discover or explain the process by which a leaflet grows from a tree, or a tiny grain of corn becomes a root, or a cherry grows from the blossom to wood and kernel? again, who can explain how the bodily members of a human being manifestly grow; what the sight of the eye is; how the tongue can make such a variety of sounds and words, which enter, with marvelous diversity, into so many ears and hearts? much less are we able to analyze the inner workings of the mind--its thoughts, its meditations, its memory. why, then, should we presume, with our reason, to compass and comprehend the eternal, invisible essence of god? _trinity sunday_ second sermon. text: romans 11, 33-36. the doctrine of the trinity.[1] [footnote 1: this sermon was first printed in 1535, at wittenberg.] 1. this festival requires us to instruct the people in the dogma of the holy trinity, and to strengthen both memory and faith concerning it. this is the reason why we take up the subject once more. without proper instruction and a sound foundation in this regard, other dogmas cannot be rightly and successfully treated. the other festivals of the year present the lord god clothed in his works and miracles. for instance: on christmas we celebrate his incarnation; on easter his resurrection from the dead; on whitsunday the gift of the holy spirit and the establishment of the christian church. thus all the other festivals present the lord in the guise of a worker of one thing or another. but this trinity festival discloses him to us as he is in himself. here we see him apart from whatever guise assumed, from whatever work done, solely in his divine essence. we must go beyond and above all reason, leaving behind the evidence of created things, and hear only god's own testimony concerning himself and his inner essence; otherwise we shall remain unenlightened. 2. upon this subject the foolishness of god and the wisdom of the world conflict. god's declaration that he is one god in three distinct persons, the world looks upon as wholly unreasonable and foolish; and the followers of mere reason, when they hear it, regard every one that teaches or believes it as no more than a fool. therefore this article has been assailed continually, from the times of the apostles and the fathers down to the present day, as history testifies. especially the gospel of st. john has been subjected to attack, which was written for the special purpose of fortifying this dogma against the attacks of cerinthus the heretic, who in the apostolic age already attempted to prove from moses the existence of but one god, which he assigned as reason that our lord jesus cannot be true god on account of the impossibility of god and man being united in one being. thus he gave us the prattle of his reason, which he made the sole standard for heaven to conform to. 3. o shameless reason! how can we poor, miserable mortals grasp this mystery of the trinity? we who do not understand the operation of our own physical powers--speech, laughter, sleep, things whereof we have daily experience? yet we would, untaught by the word of god, guided merely by our fallible head, pronounce upon the very nature of god. is it not supreme blindness for man, when he is unable to explain the most insignificant physical operation daily witnessed in his own body, to presume to understand something above and beyond the power of reason to comprehend, something whereof only god can speak, and to rashly affirm that christ is not god? 4. indeed, if reason were the standard of judgment in such matters, i also might make a successful venture; but when the conclusions of even long and mature reflections upon the subject are compared with scripture, they will not stand. therefore we must repeat, even though a mere stammering should be the result, what the scriptures say to us, namely: that jesus christ is true god and that the holy spirit is likewise true god, yet there are not three gods; not three divine natures, as we may speak of three brothers, three angels, three suns, three windows. there is one indivisible divine essence, while we recognize a distinction as to the persons. scripture proof that christ is god. paul, speaking of christ in hebrews 1, 3, refers to him as the express image of god's substance. again, in colossians 1, 15 he says of christ: "who is the image of the invisible god, the firstborn of all creation." we must take these words for what they say--that all creatures, even angels and men, are ranked below christ. this classification leaves room for god only: taking away the creature, only god remains. it is one and the same thing, then, to say that christ is the firstborn of all creatures and that christ is true and essential god. 5. to make the matter as clear as possible paul uses the expression "image of the invisible god." if christ be the image of god he must be a person distinct from him whose image he is, but at the same time in one divine essence with the father. he and the father are not one person, but two, and yet christ could not be the express image of the father's person, or essence, if he were not equally divine. no creature can be an image of the divine essence, for it does not possess that essence. to repeat, christ could not be called the express image of god if he and the father were not distinct persons; there must be one imaged and one who is the image. expressed more clearly and according to scripture, one person is the father, who in eternity begets the other; the other is the son, begotten in eternity, yet both are equally eternal, mighty, wise and just. 6. though the jews and turks ridicule our doctrine, as if we taught the existence of three brothers in heaven, it does not signify. might i also cavil were it to serve any purpose here. but they do us wrong and falsify our teaching; for we do not conceive of the trinity as in the nature of three men or of three angels. we regard it as one divine essence, an intimacy surpassing any earthly unity. the human body and soul are not so completely one as the triune god. further, we claim the holy scriptures teach that in the one divine essence, god the father begot a son. before any creature was made, before the world was created, as paul says, "before the foundation of the world," in eternity, the father begot a son who is equal with him and in all respects god like himself. not otherwise could paul call christ the express image of the invisible god. thus it is proven that the father and the son are distinct persons, and that nevertheless but one god exists, a conclusion we cannot escape unless we would contradict paul, and would become jews and turks. paul and moses agree in testimony. 7. again, paul makes mention of christ in different phrase, saying: "neither let us tempt christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents." 1 cor 10, 9. now, keeping this verse in mind, note how paul and moses kiss each other, how clearly the one responds to the other. for moses says (num 14, 22): "all those men ... have tempted me these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice," and in this connection the speaker is represented by the term "lord," everywhere in the bible printed by us in capitals to indicate a name belonging only to the eternal, applicable to none but the one true god. other terms used to designate god are sometimes applied also to men, but this word "lord" refers only to god. now, moses says: "and the lord [adonai, the true god] said ... all these men ... have tempted me these ten times." then comes paul explaining who this god is--saying they tempted "christ." crawl through this statement if you may; the fact remains that paul declares it was christ who was tempted, and moses makes him the one eternal and true god. moreover, christ was not at that time born; no, nor were mary and david. nevertheless, the apostle plainly says, they tempted christ, let us not also tempt him. 8. certainly enough, then, christ is the man to whom moses refers as god. thus the testimony of moses long before is identical with that of paul. though employing different terms, they both confess christ as the son of god, born in eternity of the father, in the same divine essence and yet distinct from him. you may call this difference what you will; we indicate it by the term "person." true, we do not make a wholly clear explanation of the mystery; we but stammer when speaking of a "trinity." but what are we to do? we cannot better the attempt. so, then, the father is not the son, but the son is born of the father in eternity; and the holy spirit proceeds from god the father and god the son. thus there are three persons, and yet but one god. for what moses declares concerning god paul says is spoken of christ. 9. the same argument substantially paul employs in acts 20, 28, when, blessing the church of miletus and exhorting the assembled ministers concerning their office, he says: "take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the holy spirit hath made you bishops, to feed the church of the lord which he purchased with his own blood." this, too, is a significant text, proving beyond all controversy that christ our lord, who purchased the church with his blood, is truly god, and to him the church belongs. for the apostle plainly asserts it was god who bought the church with his blood and that the church is his own. now, in view of the fact already established that the persons are distinct, and of the further statement that god has purchased the church through his own blood, we inevitably conclude that christ our saviour is true god, born of the father in eternity, and that he also became man and was born of the virgin mary in time. 10. if such blood--the material, tangible, crimson blood, shed by a real man--is truly to be called the blood of god, then he who shed it must be actually god, an eternal, almighty person in the one divine essence. in that case we truly can say the blood flowing from the side of the crucified one and spilled upon the ground is not merely the blood of an ordinary man, but god's own. paul does not indulge in frivolous talk. he speaks of a most momentous matter; and he is in dead earnest when he in his exhortation reminds us that it is an exalted office to rule the church and to feed it with the word of god. lest we toy in the performance of such an office we are reminded that the flock is as dear to him as the blood of his dear son, so precious that all creatures combined can furnish no equivalent. and if we are indolent or unfaithful, we sin against the blood of god and become guilty of it, inasmuch as through our fault it has been shed in vain for the souls which we should oversee. 11. there are many passages of similar import, particularly in the gospel of john. so we cannot evade the truth but must say god the father, god the son and god the holy spirit are three individual persons, yet of one divine essence. we do not, as the jews and turks derisively allege, worship three gods; we worship only one god, represented to us in the scriptures as three persons. christ said to philip (jn 14, 9), "he that hath seen me hath seen the father." there christ claims unity and equality with the father in the one divine essence. so does paul in colossians 1, 15, where he calls christ "the image of the invisible god," at the same time indicating two distinct persons: the father is not the son and the son is not the father, yet they are one god. such passages, i say, are frequent. by means of them the sainted fathers valiantly maintained this dogma of the trinity against the devil and the world, thus making it our heritage. 12. now, what care we that reason should regard it as foolishness? it requires no skill to cavil over these things; i could do that as well as others. but, praise god, i have the grace to desire no controversy on this point. when i know it is the word of god that declares the trinity, that god has said so, i do not inquire how it can be true; i am content with the simple word of god, let it harmonize with reason as it may. and every christian should adopt the same course with respect to all the articles of our faith. let there be no caviling and contention on the score of possibility; be satisfied with the inquiry: is it the word of god? if a thing be his word, if he has spoken it, you may confidently rely upon it he will not lie nor deceive you, though you may not understand the how and the when. since, then, this article of the holy trinity is certified by the word of god, and the sainted fathers have from the inception of the church chivalrously defended and maintained the article against every sect, we are not to dispute as to how god the father, the son and the holy spirit are one god. this is an incomprehensible mystery. it is enough that god in his word gives such testimony of himself. both his nature and its revelation to us are far beyond our understanding. physical life inexplicable to reason. 13. and why should you presume to comprehend, to exactly understand, the sublime, inconceivable divine essence when you are wholly ignorant of your own body and life? you cannot explain the action of your laughter, nor how your eyes give you knowledge of a castle or mountain ten miles away. you cannot tell how in sleep one, dead to the external world, is yet alive. if we are unable to understand the least detail of our physical selves, anything so insignificant as the growth of a mere hair, for instance, can we, unaided by the revelation of god's word, climb by reason--that reason so blind to things within its natural realm--into the realm of heavenly mysteries and comprehend and define god in his majesty? if you employ reason from mere love of disputation, why not devote it to questions concerning the daily workings of your physical nature? for instance, where are the five senses during sleep? just how is the sound of your own laughter produced? we might without sin occupy ourselves with such questions. but as to the absolute truth in a matter such as this, let us abide patiently by the authority of the word. the word says that christ is the express image of the invisible god, the firstborn of all creatures; in other words, he is god equally with the father. 14. again, john 5, 23 testifies that all should honor the son as they honor the father. and in john 12, 44 we read: "he that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me." also, john 14, 1: "believe in god, believe also in me." and again, john 16, 15: "all things whatsoever the father hath are mine." these and similar passages are armor that cannot be pierced: for they are uttered by god, who does not lie and who alone is qualified to speak the truth concerning himself. thus the dogma of the trinity is thoroughly founded upon the holy scriptures. the third person of the trinity. 15. now, having established the existence of christ in the trinity, we must next consider the third person, the holy spirit, in scripture sometimes termed the "spirit" of god and sometimes his "soul." this person is not spoken of as "born"; he is not born like the son, but proceeds from the father and the son. to express it differently, he is a person possessing in eternity the divine essence, which he derives from the father and son in unity in the same way the son derives it from the father alone. there are, then, three distinct persons in one divine essence, one divine majesty. according to the scripture explanation of the mystery, christ the lord is the son of god from eternity, the express image of the father, and equally great, mighty, wise and just. all deity, wisdom, power and might inherent in the father is also in christ, and likewise in the holy spirit, who proceeds from father and son. now, when you are asked to explain the trinity, reply that it is an incomprehensible mystery, beyond the understanding of angels and creatures, the knowledge of which is confined to the revelations of scripture. 16. rightly did the fathers compose the creed, or symbol, in the simple form repeated by christian children: "i believe in god the father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in jesus christ his only son ... i believe in the holy ghost." this confession we did not devise, nor did the fathers of former times. as the bee collects honey from many fair and gay flowers, so is this creed collected, in appropriate brevity, from the books of the beloved prophets and apostles--from the entire holy scriptures--for children and for unlearned christians. it is fittingly called the "apostle's symbol," or "apostle's creed." for brevity and clearness it could not have been better arranged, and it has remained in the church from ancient time. it must either have been composed by the apostles themselves or it was collected from their writings and sermons by their ablest disciples. 17. it begins "i believe." in whom? "in god the father." this is the first person in the godhead. for the sake of clear distinction, the peculiar attribute and office in which each person manifests himself is briefly expressed. with the first it is the work of creation. true, creation is not the work of one individual person, but of the one divine, eternal essence as such. we must say, god the father, god the son and god the holy spirit created heaven and earth. yet that work is more especially predicated of the person of the father, the first person, for the reason that creation is the only work of the father in which he has stepped forth out of concealment into observation; it is the first work wrought by the divine majesty upon the creature. by the word "father" he is particularly and rightly distinguished from the other persons of the trinity. it indicates him as the first person, derived from no other, the son and the holy spirit having existence from him. 18. continuing, the creed says, i believe in another who is also god. for to believe is something we owe to no being but god alone. who is this second person? jesus christ, god's only begotten son. christians have so confessed for more than fifteen hundred years; indeed, such has been the confession of believers from the beginning of the world. though not employing precisely these words, yet this has been their faith and profession. 19. the first designation of god the son makes him the only son of god. although angels are called sons of the lord our god, and even christians are termed his children, yet no one of these is said to be the "only" or "only-begotten" son. such is the effect of christ's birth from the father that he is unequaled by any creature, not excepting even the angels. for he is in truth and by nature the son of god the father; that is, he is of the same divine, eternal, uncreated essence. 20. next comes the enumeration of the acts peculiar to him: "who was conceived by the holy spirit, born of the virgin mary, suffered under pontius pilate, was crucified, dead and buried. he descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of god the father almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead." the distinct personality of the son is thus demonstrated by acts peculiar to himself. not the father and not the holy spirit, but the son alone, assumed human nature of flesh and blood, like unto ours, to suffer, die, rise again and ascend into heaven. 21. in the third place we confess, "i believe in the holy ghost." here again a distinct person is named, yet one in divine essence with the father and the son; for we must believe in no one but the true god, in obedience to the first commandment: "i am jehovah thy god ... thou shalt have no other gods before me." thus briefly this confession comprehends the unity of the divine essence--we accept and worship only one god--and the revealed truth that in the trinity are three distinct persons. the same distinction is indicated in holy baptism; we are baptized into the faith of one god, yet christ commands us to baptize "into the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit." 22. the peculiarity of this third person is the fact that he proceeds from both the father and the son. he is therefore called also the spirit of the father and the son; he is poured into the human heart and reveals himself in the gathering of the church of christ in all tongues. through the word of the gospel he enlightens and kindles the hearts of men unto one faith, sanctifying, quickening and saving them. 23. so the creed confesses three persons as comprehended in one divine essence, each one, however, retaining his distinct personality; and in order that the simple christian may recognize that there is but one divine essence and one god, who is tri-personal, a special work, peculiar to himself, is ascribed to each person. and such acts, peculiar to each person, are mentioned for the reason that thus a confusion of persons is avoided. to the father we ascribe the work of creation; to the son the work of redemption; to the holy spirit the power to forgive sins, to gladden, to strengthen, to transport from death to life eternal. the thought is not that the father alone is the creator, the son alone redeemer and the holy spirit alone sanctifier. the creation and preservation of the universe, atonement for sin and its forgiveness, resurrection from the dead and the gift of eternal life--all these are operations of the one divine majesty as such. yet the father is especially emphasized in the work of creation, which proceeds originally from him as the first person; the son is emphasized in the redemption he has accomplished in his own person; and the holy spirit in the peculiar work of sanctification, which is both his mission and revelation. such distinction is made for the purpose of affording christians the unqualified assurance that there is but one god and yet three persons in the one divine essence--truths the sainted fathers have faithfully gathered from the writings of moses, the prophets and the apostles, and which they have maintained against all heretics. 24. this faith has descended to us by inheritance, and by his power god has maintained it in his church, against sects and adversaries, unto the present time. so we must abide by it in its simplicity and not be wise. christians are under the necessity of believing things apparently foolish to reason. as paul says (1 cor 1, 21): "it was god's good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save them that believe." how can reason adapt itself to comprehend that three are one, and one is three; that god became man; that he who is washed with water in obedience to christ's command, is washed with the blood of our lord jesus christ and cleansed from all sins? such articles of faith appear utterly foolish to reason. paul aptly calls the gospel foolish preaching wherewith god saves such as do not depend on their own wisdom but simply believe the word. they who will follow reason in the things dealt with in these articles, and will reject the word, shall be defeated and destroyed in their wisdom. 25. now, we have in the holy scriptures and in the creed sufficient information concerning the holy trinity, and all that is necessary for the instruction of ordinary christians. besides, the divinity of our lord jesus christ and that of the holy spirit is also attested by miracles not to be lightly esteemed nor disregarded. the lord our god brings to pass miraculous things for the christian's sake--for the strengthening of his faith--and not merely as a rebuke to false teachers. were he to consider the false teachers alone, he might easily defer their retribution to the future life, since he permits many other transgressors to go unpunished for ten, twenty or thirty years. but the fact is, god openly in this life lays hold upon leaders of sects who blaspheme and slander him with their false doctrines. he inflicts upon them unusual punishments for the sake of warning others. besides being openly convicted of blasphemy and having the condemnation of their own conscience, the misguided ones receive testimony to the fact that these false leaders are instigators of blasphemy against god's name and his word. all men are compelled to admit god can have no pleasure in their doctrine, since he visits them with special marks of his displeasure, destroying them with severer punishments than ordinarily befall offenders. 26. history records that john the evangelist had as contemporary a heretic, by the name of cerinthus, who was the first to arise in opposition to the apostolic doctrine and in blasphemy against the lord jesus with the claim that jesus is not god. this blasphemy spread to such an extent that john saw himself compelled to supplement the work of the other evangelists with his gospel, whose distinct purpose it is to defend and maintain the deity of christ against cerinthus and his rabble. a feature of john's gospel patent to all is the sublime beginning of his gospel which renders it distinct from the others. he does not lay stress upon the miraculous doings of christ, but upon his preaching, wherein he reveals himself powerfully as true god, born of the father from eternity, and his equal in power, honor, wisdom, righteousness and every other divine work. with respect to john and cerinthus it is reported that the former, having gone to a public bath with some of his disciples, became aware that cerinthus and his rabble were there, also. without hesitation he told his disciples to be up and away, and not to abide among blasphemers. the disciples followed his advice and departed. immediately after their departure the room collapsed, and cerinthus with his followers perished, not one escaping. 27. we also read concerning the heretic arius, the chief foe of his time toward the dogma of the deity of christ. the injury done by this man to the cause of christ was such as to occupy the church for four centuries after his death; and still today his heresy has not been altogether rooted out. but the lord took the matter in hand by the performance of a miracle which could not but be understood. history records that arius had ingratiated himself into the favor of constantine, the emperor, and his counselors. with an oath he had succeeded in impressing them with the righteousness of his doctrine, so that the emperor gave command that alexander, bishop of constantinople, should recognize him as a member of the christian church and restore him to the priestly office. when the godly bishop refused to accede to this demand, knowing full well the purpose pursued by arius and his followers, eusebius and the other bishops who supported arius threatened him with the imperial edict and expressed the determination to drive him out by force and to have arius restored by the congregation as such. however, they gave him a day to think the matter over. 28. the godly bishop was fearful. the following of arius was large and powerful, being supported by the imperial edict and the whole court. the bishop, therefore, resolved to seek help from god, where alone it is found in all things relating to god's honor. he fell down upon his face in the church and prayed all night long that god should preserve his name and honor by methods calculated to stem the tide of evil purpose, and to preserve christendom against the heretics. when it was morning, and the hour had come when alexander the bishop should either restore arius to office or be cast out of his own, arius convened punctually with his followers. as the procession was wending its way to the church, arius suddenly felt ill and was compelled to seek privacy. the pompous procession halted, waiting his return, when the message came that his lungs and liver had passed from him, causing his death. the narrative comments: mortem dignam blasphema et foetida mente--a death worthy such a blasphemous and turpid mind. 29. we see, then, that this dogma has been preserved by god first through the writings and the conflicts of the apostles, and then by miracles, against the devil and his blasphemers. and it shall be preserved in the future likewise, so that, without a trace of doubt, we may believe in god the father, god the son, god the holy spirit. this is the faith which we confess with our children daily. to guard against a mixing of persons or the abandonment of the tri-personality, three distinct acts are predicated. this should enable the common christian to avoid confusing the persons, while maintaining the divine unity as to essence. we proclaim these things on this sunday in order to call attention to the fact that we have not come upon this doctrine in a dream, but by the grace of god through his word and the holy apostles and fathers. god help us to be found constant and without blemish in this doctrine and faith to our end. amen. _first sunday after trinity_ text: 1 john 4, 16-21. 16 god is love; and he that abideth in love abideth in god, and god abideth in him. 17 herein is love made perfect with us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as he is, even so are we in this world. 18 there is no fear in love: but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath punishment; and he that feareth is not made perfect in love. 19 we love, because he first loved us. 20 if a man say, i love god, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, cannot love god whom he hath not seen. 21 and this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth god love his brother also. god is love. this epistle text is amply expounded in the "explanation of certain epistles of the apostles" printed in other volumes. those who wish may read there one or more sermons for themselves or their people. they are too long to insert here. _second sunday after trinity_ text: 1 john 3, 13-18. 13 marvel not, brethren, if the world hateth you. 14 we know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. he that loveth not abideth in death. 15 whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. 16 hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 but whoso hath the world's goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how does the love of god abide in him? 18 my little children, let us not love in word, neither with the tongue; but in deed and truth. exhortation to brotherly love. 1. the epistles and gospels selected for the pentecost cycle of sundays have love as their general theme. they deal not only with the love we owe to christ and god, which is only to be thankful for the unspeakable blessing of forgiveness of sins and salvation through christ's blood and death, but also of the love we owe our neighbor; not a love in return for favors, but one that unceasingly gives, forgives and works all good even when unrequited. 2. john here admonishes the christian to exercise the virtue of love. considering the evident rarity of love among men, this admonition is necessary. he particularly warns christians not to wonder at the world's hatred and desire for their death. such was the hate of cain for his brother, of which the apostle has just spoken. the world's hate, it must be admitted, repels love and powerfully obstructs its exercise. 3. is it not surpassing strange that one can hate those who love him and from whom he has received only kindness? such wickedness is almost inconceivable, we say. what incentive is there for any to render the world service when in ingratitude it rewards love with hatred? but let us examine ourselves, who are baptized and have received the gospel, and confess how we requite the supreme love of god in giving us his son. what a beautiful example of glad gratitude we display! for the shame of it we ought to despise ourselves before god and his angels. and what shall we say of those who will not endure the preaching of the glorious message of god's grace and blessing, but condemn it as heresy? to whom they who seek to serve, to benefit and save the world by declaring the good news, must be, as paul says, "as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things," 1 cor 4, 13. indeed, no criminal receives more wretched and ignominious treatment and execution, of which the pope and his followers are a case in point. the world's hatred. 4. while experience has proven this otherwise incredible fact, john vouchsafes the admonition notwithstanding: "marvel not, brethren, if the world hateth you." if we are not to wonder at this, is there anything in the world to incite wonder? i should truly think the hearing of a single sermon on the grace of christ would suffice to bring the world to receive the gospel with intense joy and never to forget the divine mercy and blessing. it would be no wonder should the earth suddenly open and engulf mankind because of its ingratitude to god who has given his son to become man for the purpose of redeeming us condemned mortals from sin and death and restoring us to life and salvation. is it not a horrible thing that any man should shun and oppose such a savior and his doctrine even more than he does the devil himself? 5. but what is god's attitude toward such conduct? well does he say to the jews through the prophet: "o my people, what have i done unto thee? and wherein have i wearied thee? testify against me. for i brought thee up out of the land of egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of bondage; and i sent before thee moses, aaron, and miriam. o my people, remember now what balak, king of moab, devised; and what balaam, the son of beor, answered him; remember from shittim unto gilgal, that ye may know the righteous acts of jehovah." mic 6, 3-5. and well does christ say to his ungrateful people: "o jerusalem, jerusalem, that killeth the prophets, and stoneth them that are sent unto her! how often would i have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" mt 23, 37. as if he would say, "i surely did not come to effect your death and condemnation by my message. i am about to suffer death and god's wrath for your sins. i bring you god's endless grace and blessing for time and eternity. then why this bitter hatred against me and my message?" 6. "since the world hates even god for his kindness," argues john, "marvel not, my beloved, that you suffer the same fate. what does it signify that i show my love by hazarding life and limb to sustain this doctrine of the gospel and help my neighbor? mine is but a poor, mean, uncouth, offensive love in comparison with the love that led christ to die for me and to redeem me from eternal death. if god's supreme, unfathomable love fails to awaken the gratitude of the world, what wonder if the world hates you for all your kindness? why will you bring down your fist and stamp your foot in anger at such ingratitude? you are yourselves of that race for whom the son of god had to die. and even were you to die for the gospel, your sacrifice would be as nothing in comparison to the fact that god, for the sake of the world, spared not his own son but permitted the world to put him to death." 7. but whence arises the world's hatred? john tells us in verse twelve when he mentions the incident of cain, who, he says, "was of the evil one, and slew his brother. and wherefore slew he him? because his works were evil, and his brother's righteous." an excellent reason, indeed, for hating--the hater and murderer is evil and the benefactor good! in civil and domestic affairs it is the evil-doers and disobedient who incur displeasure and receive punishment; and such reward is just. but whenever god has dealings with the world, it shows what a rotten fruit it is by hating, persecuting, and putting to death as evil-doers and impostors its very benefactors. this trait it inherits, john tells us, from its ancestor cain, the great fratricide saint. he is a true picture of the world of all times, and ever its spirit and fashion is patterned after him. 8. when mother eve, the dear, godly woman, bore her first son, she declared in her joy and her hope of god's promise of the future seed that should bruise the serpent's head: "i have gotten a man with the help of jehovah" (gen 4, 1); and she named him cain, which means "obtained," as if she would say, "i have obtained the true treasure." for she had not before seen a human being born; this was the first, precious fruit of man. over cain she rejoiced, pronouncing herself blessed. this son was trained in the hope that he should be a savior of the future race, a comfort to his brothers and sisters with all their offspring. nor was he unaware of these proud hopes. proudly he lorded it over his brother, who in contrast had to bear the ignominious name of abel, meaning "nothing," or "vanity," as if voicing the thought of the parents' hearts: "alas! this one has no future. cain is the rightful heir to the blessing god has promised man; he is lord and master of his brethren." 9. it is likely that the godly father and mother for many years drew their solace from the hope placed in their first-born son, as they looked forward with intensest longing to the redemption from their deplorable fall. doubtless they trained both sons very carefully and instructed them concerning their own sin and fall and the promise god had given them, until they were fully grown and had entered into the priestly office. cain the first-born was particularly zealous in that respect, desiring to be first inasmuch as he offered his first fruits of the earth, given by god and obtained by his own labor, as he no doubt had seen his father offer. abel, however, the inferior, the poor shepherd, offered the firstlings of his sheep, given him of god and obtained without effort and toil of his own. now, god in a wonderful way manifested his preference concerning the gifts upon the altar. fire descended from heaven and consumed abel's offering, but cain's remained. the fire was the sign of god's favor. the text says: "and jehovah had respect unto abel and to his offering: but unto cain and to his offering he had not respect." gen 4, 4-5. 10. thereupon adam and eve saw that the hope and solace centering in their first-born son, were a delusion. they began to learn the wonderful judgments of god, who gave precedence to abel, the male counterpart of cinderella--which is all he was in his own sight when he compared himself with his brother. now cain, with full confidence in his position, spoiled by the delusion of his parents that as the first-born he was god's preference, felt himself outraged. his hypocrisy, hitherto masked, comes to the surface. he burns with secret hate against god, with hate and anger against his brother, which he takes no trouble whatever to disguise. the parents rebuke him, but effect nothing. the flame of his resentment rises higher, and meeting him alone upon the field, he fells him to the ground. far from contemplating amendment of life or seeking grace from god, he has no mercy upon the only brother he has on earth, who has done him no harm whatever. he cannot forgive him and leave him in unenvied possession of the grace of god. 11. such was the solace and joy poor adam and eve lived to experience in their first children! from this time on their earthly life was fraught with gloom and sorrow, particularly since they could not but see the source of these in their own fall and they would have pined to death had not god comforted them with another son. for when it became evident that the hope they had placed in cain was a delusion, and that they were deprived of the son who, beyond a doubt, possessed the grace of god, they, without another son, would not have known where to look for the solace of the promised seed. cain the world, abel the church. 12. note, in this man cain is pictured the world in its true, characteristic colors; in him its true spirit stands reflected. certainly his equal has never been. in him are unquestionably prefigured the very flower, the very quintessence, of holiness on earth--the most pious servants of god. on the other hand, that poor, wretched, abject male counterpart of cinderella, abel, well represents the obscure little brotherhood, the church of christ. she must yield to cain the lord the distinction of being everything before god, of being the recipient of every gift of god, of being entitled to all honor and every privilege. he feels important in his imagined dignity, permits this spirit to pervade his sacrifices and his worships, and thinks that god cannot but favor and accept his offering rather than that of his brother. meanwhile, the pious abel goes his way, meekly suffering his brother's contempt. he willingly yields cain the honor, esteems himself vastly inferior and beholds no consolation for himself aside from the pure mercy and goodness of god. he believes in god and hopes for the promised future seed. in such faith he performs his sacrifice as a confession, a sign, of his gratitude. 13. this illustration is intended by god as solace for his little throng; for the incident is not written for abel's sake but for the sake of the humble children of god, whose condition is like that of abel. god has not forgotten them, though they are haughtily ignored by proud cain, who regards them as nothing in his presence. god graciously looks upon them and rejects proud cain with his birthright and offering. 14. innocent abel becomes the object of anger and hatred when the word of god lays hold of cain revealing god's displeasure where he had fancied himself worthy, and god's unwillingness to regard his offering and devotion as superior to this of his brother and more meritorious. cain begins bitterly to hate and persecute his brother. he finds no rest until abel is laid low and cut off from the earth. now you have the cause of the world's hatred and anger against christians; simply this, as john says of cain: "because his works were evil, and his brother's righteous." 15. what offense had godly abel committed against his brother to be so hated? he had even regarded that brother as the first-born, as vastly superior to himself, and had done him all honor and loved him as became a brother. he was easily satisfied, desiring simply the grace of god. he prayed for the future seed, that is, for the salvation and happiness of his parents, his brother and the entire human race. how could cain be unmerciful and inhuman enough in his frenzy to murder his own flesh and blood? the answer is found in the fact that the devil had filled cain's heart with pride and vanity over his birthright. he considered himself a man of distinction, with every claim upon god's favor and sinless, whilst his brother was nothing whatever. cain's heart is devoid of true brotherly love; he has only contempt for abel. he cannot endure god's manifest favor toward his brother, and will not be moved by the injunction to humble himself and seek god's grace. anger and envy possess him to the extent that he cannot tolerate his brother alive. in violation of god's commandment and his own conscience, he becomes a murderer, and then goes his way as if he had done right. 16. this is what john means when he says that cain had no other cause for his crime than that his own works were evil and his brother's righteous. similarly, that obedient daughter of saint cain, the world, hates the christians; and for no other reason than the latter's love and goodness of heart. witness the examples of the holy patriarchs, the prophets and, most of all, of christ himself. 17. what sin against the world did the beloved apostles commit? they desired the injury of none, but went about in extreme poverty and toil, teaching mankind how, through faith in christ, to be saved from the devil's kingdom and from eternal death. this the world will not hear and suffer; hence the hue and cry: "kill, kill these people! away with them from off the earth! show them no mercy!" why this hostility? because the apostles sought to relieve the world of its idolatry and damnable doings. such good works the world could not tolerate. what it desires is nothing but praise and commendation for its own evil doings, expecting from god the impossible endorsement, "your deeds are good and well-pleasing to me. pious children of mine are you. just keep on cheerfully killing all who believe and preach my word." 18. in the same way does the world conduct itself today with reference to our gospel. for no other reason are we hated and persecuted than because we have, through god's grace, proclaimed his word that recovered us from the blindness and idolatry in which we were sunken as deeply as the world, and because we desire to rescue others. that is the unpardonable sin by which we have incurred the world's irreconcilable anger and its inextinguishable hatred. it cannot permit us to live. we preach no other doctrine than faith in christ, which our children pray and they themselves confess in words. we differ only in our claim that christ having been crucified for us and having shed his blood to redeem us from sin and death, our salvation is not effected by our own works, or holiness or devotion. the fact that we do not regard their faithless worship equal to christ himself, but teach men to trust in the grace of god and not their own worthiness, and to render him gratitude for his grace--this fact is intolerable to the world. it would be well for our adversaries if they would receive such teaching, since it would render them more than ever what they profess to be: our superiors in wisdom, knowledge and reputation--a claim we are willing to concede. but cain's works are evil and abel's righteous. the world simply cannot tolerate the gospel, and no unity or harmony is ever to be hoped for. the world will not forsake its idolatry nor receive the faith. it would force us to renounce the word of god and praise its cain-like worship, or take death at their hands. 19. therefore, john says, "marvel not, brethren, if the world hateth you," for it is compelled to act according to the nature inherited from its father cain. it would have all merits and concede to abel none. the world comprises the exalted, the wise, the learned, the mighty. the scriptures represent these as under necessity to hate and persecute the poor throng of the church of christ by reason of the good works done by them. they can under no consideration tolerate the idea of being taught by this despised and humble throng the doctrine of salvation through the grace and mercy of god alone, not through man's own merits. they cannot endure the teaching that their offering--the mass, regarded by the papists as a work of superlative merit and holiness--avails nothing before god. 20. in the text the nature of the world is portrayed for our recognition. so to understand the world as to know what may be expected from it is essential and valuable knowledge for the christian. thus armed he will not be dismayed and become impatient of suffering, nor permit its malice and ingratitude to mislead him to hate and desire for revenge. he will keep his faith and love, suffering the world to go its way if it refuse to hear his message. the christian should expect nothing better from the world than its bitter persecution in return for his good works and love. the church of christ on earth, let him remember, is never to have an easier lot. he is not to judge according to show and appearance, thinking: "they are the great throng, the wisest and cleverest people on earth; how is it possible that they should all be in error and under condemnation?" 21. it is necessarily true that discipline and peace are impossible without the most excellent, exalted, erudite, clever people--royal, princely, noble in achievement and honor. cain is never plain and lowly. he is always eminently clever, wise, holy and in every way vastly abel's superior. in fact, he must in himself represent all desirable things, as his name indicates. and the same characteristic is manifest in his children, who are ingenious in the invention of every variety of art. deplorable the fact that a man of cain's qualifications, born of godly parents and signally honored of god, should display such hatred and inhumanity toward poor abel merely because of god's word and abel's faith. 22. such knowledge is comforting to the godly little company of christians, who are confident they have god's favor and know it to be the occasion of their persecution; they have no protection and succor but are exposed to the same fate as abel. if they fare better, they may thank god for it. but they are ever to abide in love toward god, whose love they have received and felt, and likewise toward men, their enemies not excepted. this was abel's way; could he have lived again, he would have kept his brotherly love for his murderer, forgiving him and even imploring god's forgiveness for him. "we know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren." love moves christians. 23. to abide in love should be the motive for us christians. john contrasts it with the motive of the world in hating us--its wickedness. the world's hatred of you, as john's words imply, is not strange. the contrast between you and the world is exceedingly great. through its own evil works, unbelief, pride, contempt for the word and grace of god, and the persecution of the godly, the world has become by this time the victim of satan and eternal death. it spurns all counsel and aid directed toward its rescue. stiff-necked and hardened, under evident condemnation by its own conscience, it has chosen to persist in its doom. but we believers in christ, god be praised! are different people. we have come forth from death; we have passed through death and entered into life through the knowledge and faith of the son of god, who has loved us and given himself for us. 24. such grace and goodness of god, says the apostle, should prompt you not to be offended and vanquished by the world's ingratitude, hate and malice, and thus to cease from holy endeavor and become likewise, evil, which course will result in the loss of your treasure. it is yours, not by your own effort, but by grace alone; for at one time you as well as they languished in the kingdom and power of death, in evil works, far from faith and love. remember to comfort yourselves, therefore, with the thought of this great blessing, an advantage you enjoy above the others. what if the world, abiding in death, does hate and persecute you who abide in life? whom can its hatred injure? it cannot take from you the life which it lacks while you possess it, nor deliver you to death, from which you have passed, through christ. when it does its worst it may perhaps falsely slander you, or deprive you of your property, or destroy your corrupt body--the final home of maggots and in any event doomed to corruption--and thus through the death of the body help you gain true life. thus vengeance will be yours rather than its own. yours will be the joy of being transplanted from death into life, whereas the world must abide in death. while they of the world think to deny you both the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of earth, they themselves lose body and soul. what more terrible retribution could their hatred and envy receive? for the sake of denying gratification to the devil and the world, and much more for your own welfare, you must not allow your persecutions to rob you of your peace and salvation, nor to lead you to lose your faith through impatience and desire for revenge. rather, pity their wretchedness and doom. you lose nothing by their oppression; yours is the gain, theirs the loss. for the slight grief inflicted upon you with reference to body and time, it shall dearly pay both here and hereafter. 25. how do we know we have passed from death unto life? john says, because we love the brethren. just what does he mean? is it not our doctrine that christ first loved us, as john elsewhere says? that before we ever loved him he died and rose again for us? when we fully believe in our savior's love, then our own hearts respond with perfect love to god and our neighbor. why, then, does john say, "we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren"? 26. the explanation is found in the words "we know." john says plainly, "from the fact that we love the brethren, we know we have passed out of death into life." love of the brethren is the test whereby we may ascertain who are the true believers. the apostle directed this epistle especially against false christians; many there are who extol christ, as did unbelieving cain, and yet fail to bear the fruit of faith. john's reference is not to the means whereby we pass from sin and death to life, but to the proof whereby we may know the fact--not to the cause, but to the effect. 27. it is not sufficient to boast of having passed from death into life; there must be evidence of the fact. faith is not an inactive and lifeless thing. when there is faith in the heart, its power will be manifest. where power is not in evidence, all boasting is false and vain. when the human heart, in its confidence in divine mercy and love, is thrilled with spiritual comfort, and also warmed into kindness, friendliness, humility and patience towards the neighbor, envying and despising none but cheerfully serving all and ministering unto necessity even to hazarding body and life--when this is the case, then the fruits of faith are manifest. such fruits are proof that the believer has truly passed from death into life. had he not true faith, but doubted god's grace and love, his heart would not prompt him, by reason of his love and gratitude to god, to manifest love for his neighbor. where man has faith, and where he realizes god's infinite mercy and goodness in raising him from death to life, love is enkindled in his heart, and he is prompted to do all manner of good, even to his enemies, as god has done to him. 28. such is the right interpretation and understanding of john's expression: "we know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren." it leaves in its integrity the foundation, justification, or deliverance from death, through faith alone. this is the first element of christian doctrine. granting that faith does justify, the next question is whether the faith is real or simulated, being merely a deceptive show and unsupported claim. the clear information imparted by the apostles is, that love, indeed, does not deliver from death, but that deliverance from death and the presence of life becomes a matter of sight and knowledge in that love has been wrought. with true faith we must have come to the point where we no longer, like cain, in our pride and conceit, despise our neighbor; where we are not filled with envy, hatred and bitterness; where we desire, and to the extent of our power, promote the interests of our neighbor and work him all good. 29. john draws to a close by showing the opposite side of the picture, in that he addresses earnest words that reëcho like peals of thunder to those who make the carnal boast of being christians while destitute of love. he cites several facts as evidence that where love is lacking, necessarily faith and deliverance from death are absent, likewise. thus no opportunity is given for self-deception or a frivolous excuse based upon wordy boasting of one's faith. the reality of the inner life is known by the presence of love, which in turn attests the presence of faith in the heart. i. "he that loveth not abideth in death." 30. here, in clear, decisive words, the conclusion is expressed that no man may boast of life unless he has love. if it is true that faith must be active, it is conversely true that the absence of fruitage demonstrates one's continuance in the old cain-like manner of existence, torpid and dead, bereft of solace and the experience of god's grace and life. let no one presume to think he has passed into life so long as he is devoid of love and the fruits of faith. let him become serious, and in alarm make ready to become a true believer, lest he remain in eternal death and under greater condemnation than those who have never heard the gospel. ii. "whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him." 31. still clearer and stronger becomes the argument that lack of love means continuance in death. the stern and frightful judgment is here expressed that the unloving person is no better than cain the fratricide. his heart is under the influence of deadly hate and murderous malice against the brother who refuses to be subservient to his desires. kindling rage will prove its existence by appropriate works unless restrained by the fear of disgrace and punishment. he wishes his brother nothing good, but rejoices in his misfortune. all this, however, is impossible for one who believes that he has been delivered from death. one who knows the wretchedness and misery of death from experience, but has entered upon life with its solace and joy, blessings he seeks to maintain--such a person will desire for others the same blessing; he cannot rejoice in another's death. therefore it is true conversely: "we know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him." hatred natural to human reason. 32. thus we see the nature of the human heart without faith and the knowledge of christ; at bottom it is but the heart of a cain, murderous toward its neighbor. nor can anything better be expected from him who is not a christian. the scriptures repeatedly denounce such faithless hypocrites as bloodthirsty and deceitful. "jehovah abhorreth the bloodthirsty and deceitful man." ps 5, 6. "for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood." prov 1, 16. see also verse 11. all mankind are by nature the children of the murderer cain. they are, of course, no better than their father. while cain was a man most magnificent, intelligent and wise, being the first fruit born of those holy parents adam and eve, and in his superior endowment with natural virtues infinitely superior to all who come after him, he was nevertheless an unbeliever before god. hence he became the murderer of his brother. iii. "hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. but whoso hath the world's goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how doth the love of god abide in him?" 33. these words delineate true christian love and hold up the sublime example, or pattern, of god's love manifest in christ. christ's blood and death is god's own blood and death. paul in acts 20, 28, speaks of god having purchased the church "with his own blood." the heart of man by faith receives and apprehends this sacrifice. under its transforming influence he is disposed to work good to his neighbor as he has himself received good. he even jeopardizes his life to that end, being conscious of his redemption from eternal death, and knowing physical death powerless to affect his eternal life. but the heart that fails to appropriate christ's sacrifice is without faith and insensible to god's love and eternal life. 34. john uses an illustration plain enough for anyone to understand, and from which we may judge that the soul found wanting in small duties will be deficient in great ones. according to the apostle, if one possesses this world's goods and sees his neighbor want, he being able to render assistance without injury to himself, and yet closes his heart against that neighbor, not assisting him with even the slightest work of love, how can the love of god dwell in him since he appreciates it so little that he will not spare his needy brother a penny? how can he be expected, then, to render a greater service--to even lay down his life for his brother? what right has such a soul to boast--how can he know--that christ has laid down his life for him and delivered him from death? 35. how frequently are such people to be found! having this world's goods and being able to help the needy, they close their hearts against the unfortunate, as did the rich glutton toward poor lazarus. where shall we find in imperial courts, among kings, princes and lords, any who extend a helping hand to the needy church, or give her so much as a crust of bread toward the maintenance of the poor, of the ministry and of schools, or for other of her necessities? how would they measure up in the greater duty of laying down their lives for the brethren, and especially for the christian church? note the terrible judgment that they who are devoid of brotherly love are in god's sight murderers and cannot have eternal life. 36. but the merely selfish may well escape our censure in comparison with those who not only close their purses to the poor but shamelessly and forcibly deprive and rob their needy neighbor of his own by overreaching, by fraud, oppression and extortion; who take from the church the property rightfully hers and especially reserved for her, snatching the bread from her mouth, so to speak. not only is the papistical rabble today guilty of such sin, but many who would be known as evangelical practice the same fraud with reference to the parochial estates and general property of the church, and, in addition, tyrannically harass and torment the poor ministers. but oh, how heavy and terrible the impending judgment for those who have denied to christ the lord in his thirst even the cup of cold water! iv. "my little children, let us not love in word, neither with the tongue; but in deed and truth." 37. the world and the false christians in word pretend great love; but in practice, when love should manifest itself in deeds, it is found to be insincere. so john admonishes that where our love is not ardent enough to lead us to lay down our lives for our brethren, however much we may profess christ, that love is assuredly only a vain show, a false pretense, wherewith we deceive ourselves and remain in infidelity and death, and in a more deplorable condition than those who are wholly ignorant of the gospel. therefore, let him who would proceed safely and prove himself a christian remember to prove himself such by his deeds and works. then men will know that he does not, a murderer and liar, like others, follow the devil. they will know, on the contrary, that he truly and with the heart clings to the word of god, having passed from death to life. _third sunday after trinity_ text: 1 peter 5, 5-11. 5 likewise, ye younger, be subject unto the elder. yea, all of you gird yourselves with humility, to serve one another: for god resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. 6 humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of god, that he may exalt you in due time; 7 casting all your anxiety upon him, because he careth for you. 8 be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 whom withstand stedfast in your faith, knowing that the same sufferings are accomplished in your brethren who are in the world. 10 and the god of all grace, who called you unto his eternal glory in christ, after that ye have suffered a little while, shall himself perfect, establish, strengthen you. 11 to him be the dominion for ever and ever. amen. humility, trust, watchfulness, suffering 1. this is the conclusion of saint peter's epistle. it is an exhortation to good works, such as a christian, or believer, should practice. it is evident that the doctrine of the gospel is not such as is charged by some, forbidding good works, or not earnestly commanding and urging them. most diligently and repeatedly it urges the doctrine of works--such works as are, indeed, good works. there are in this epistle four natural heads which furnish us four good sermons. i. humility. 2. the apostle has, in the verses immediately preceding our text, exhorted the elders, that is, preachers, to be in their lives "ensamples to the flock," not "lording it over the charge allotted" to them, but using their office for the service of others. and here in our text he exhorts the others, especially the young, to "be subject unto the elder." and, in general, he admonishes all to "gird" themselves "with humility, to serve one another." so paul likewise admonishes that we should honor one another. humility is the noblest and sweetest virtue love brings forth, and it is the most essential to peace and discipline. but especially does it become and adorn the young, making them pleasing and precious to god and men, bringing forth an abundance of good fruits. 3. if mankind could be led so to believe this that the virtue of humility would be generally practiced, it would be well everywhere. this would be a beautiful world, filled with discipline and good works. i would much prefer to see a city in which the young are reared in this virtue than a hundred monasteries of barefooted and carthusian friars, though they lived ever so strictly. alas! the greatest and most frequent complaint heard anywhere is concerning the disobedience, wantonness and pride of the younger generation found among all ranks. therefore it is necessary to use all diligence that this exhortation be instilled into the hearts of the young and urged upon them, in the hope that it may benefit them. 4. first of all, peter presents the divine command. we are not left to our own good pleasure in the matter--to show humility or not, as we please. god earnestly asks it of us, and asks that we do it lovingly and willingly. otherwise his anger will be poured out upon us and we will have no happiness nor favor, not even among men. for everyone is a foe to pride and arrogance. these offenses are condemned by the whole world, even by strangers whom they do not concern. one may be guilty of pride and not see his own shame, yet he cannot suffer it in another; he will hate and condemn that one. this vice hurts no one save himself. he makes himself hateful and contemptible before god and men. everyone calls him a great, proud bag of filth and cries shame upon him. god metes out judgment and scorn to him, witnessing that he will not let this vice go unpunished, but will put the offender to shame. as peter here says: "god resisteth the proud." 5. men should be moved by the examples which daily come to light in fulfilment of this passage. if we should have no regard for our own honor and standing before the world, neither for the contempt and the curses of all men; if the illustrious example of the noble character and eternal majesty of god's son, our lord, should not stir us (which ought to move us if we have one spark of christianity in us), as we behold his unspeakable and incomprehensible humility which, rightly viewed, should melt the christian's heart--if all this does not move us, we should be humbled by the many awful examples of god's fearful wrath which, from the beginning, he has hurled against pride. 6. what is more terrible than the eternal, irreparable fall and banishment of once lofty angelic nature that resulted when the devil robbed himself of the honor and glory enjoyed by the noble blessed spirits, and of the contemplation of eternal god, and brought upon himself everlasting and intolerable damnation by seeking to make himself equal with god, and through similar pride, led the human race to its awful fall? but what a blind, condemned creature are you, who, with your filthy, shameful pride and haughtiness, become like the spirit of evil, thereby turning all the world into your enemy and opposing yourself to the divine majesty, before which even the angels must tremble! if you have no fear of losing the favor and prayers of mankind, at least be afraid lest god send down upon your head his lightning and thunder, with which he crushes iron, rocks, and mountains, and hurl you forever into the abyss, as he hurled down the proud spirit and his angels. 7. saint peter exhorts both those who are in the office of the ministry, and other christians, to whom god has given something, that they abide in their calling and office and conduct the same humbly, gladly obeying and serving others. right here this vice of pride is the most hurtful to christianity. for its whole government, life and essence are so ordered by god that no one should exalt himself and lord it over others, as the pope, the true antichrist has done. only humility and deeds of christian love and service should prevail in all classes and in all offices and works. pride opposed to the first table. 8. pride in this order of the church is really and directly opposed to the first table of the law. it is a genuinely devilish pride in god's name and word on the part of such people as would be wise in matters of faith and would lord it over god's word. they puff themselves up if, forsooth, they have a gift more than others, and they hold god and all men as nothing. this vice is common among the great, learned and wise bishops and preachers. it prevails among those who learn of them and cling to them, especially beginners who, inexperienced and undisciplined, are brought into prominence. such puff themselves up and boast: "i also am a learned doctor. i love the spirit and other gifts just as well as, and even in greater measure than, these preachers." so they think they deserve to be heard and honored above others. they consider themselves so wise that all the world, in comparison, are geese and fools. and the greater one's gifts, the greater and more harmful such pride. it is common in other professions, also. he who has a little ability, or bears the title of doctor, makes much ado about it, and despises others. he acts as if what he has were not given him by god, but as if it were his by nature and birth, and therefore he deserves the praise and worship of all men. such persons do not realize they are acting in opposition to god, and that they will themselves plunge into the abyss of hell before they can hurl god down from his heavenly throne. 9. see, from the examples of our own time, how god has overthrown such people. thomas münzer, with his tumultuous prophets, and later the anabaptist faction, were proud of heart, would not listen to admonition, and lo! suddenly they went down to ruin, not only in utter disgrace, but to their own miserable and eternal loss and that of many people who had been misled by them. so, too, there are at the present day many proud spirits. some dare not yet publicly show themselves. such as have perceived that they are learned, or are held in regard by men, thereupon grow boastful and, despite all their skill and learning, abide without the spirit and without fruit, even if they do not work more harm in addition to bringing themselves into condemnation. 10. thus it is in all kinds of gifts and offices where men are not god-fearing and humble. for example, those who are intrusted with the civil government--princes, counselors, lawyers (where they are not "theologians," that is, christians)--are so insolent and proud that they imagine themselves alone to be the people, whom others are to reverence as gods. in their pride, they despise god and men, and by their arrogance they lead the land and the people to destruction. these have already the judgment upon themselves that they, as god's enemies, must be hurled down. for they have cut themselves loose from god's kingdom and grace; and the blessings of baptism and of christ, with his suffering and blood, are lost upon them. 11. we have now shown how pride conflicts with the demands of the first table of the law. men do not employ the spiritual treasures and gifts to god's honor nor to the good of their neighbors. thus they mar these gifts and, in their wicked course, go to the devil, into whose likeness they have grown. pride opposed to the second table. 12. further, this vice is just as general in the sphere of the second table of the law--among the common people and in the temporal life of the world, each one boasting of himself and despising others. prince and nobleman think that all the world is nothing in comparison with themselves. commoner and peasant, puffed up because they have much wealth, imagine they must defy everybody, and do good to nobody. these deserve to be spit upon by all men. such pride does not become them better than ornaments of gold or silver would become an image of stone or a wooden block. finally, the women, with their foolish pride of dress, must not be forgotten. one prides herself on being better or more beautifully adorned than her neighbor. she is, in truth, a finely decorated goose. she imagines that no other woman equals her. yea, there is scarcely a house-servant or maid but brags over others. 13. in short, we have come to the point where all men, with their insolence and boastfulness, seek to lord it over others. none will humble himself to another. each thinks he has full right to act as he does, and is under no obligation to yield to others. and the civil government has grown so weak that there is no hope of restraining the haughtiness of all classes, from the highest to the lowest. at last, god must strike with thunder and lightning to prove to us that he resists such people and will not tolerate pride. therefore the young, who can still be led, should be exhorted and trained, as far as possible, to guard themselves against this vice. 14. peter uses for his purpose a peculiar term when he says, "gird yourselves with humility." "gird" has the meaning of being bound or joined together most firmly; or, as a garment, most carefully woven through and through so that it cannot tear. he illustrates by this term how christians, with all diligence, should strive after the virtue, and manifest and practice it among themselves, as if upon them as a band it was a special obligation. thus, he says, must you be twined together and bound to each other, and your hands clasped together. so must you be joined by humility, which cannot be dissolved, dismembered, or torn, even though occasion be given one, here and there, incited by the devil, or the evil word of someone else, to fly into a passion, and grow defiant and boastful, as if to say: must i suffer such things at the hands of this man? but rather say to yourselves. we are christians, and must bear with each other and yield, in many things; for we are all one body, and we are placed together here on earth for the sole reason that we may, through love, serve one another. 15. and each should recognize his own weakness. he should remember that god has given others also something and can give them yet more, and that therefore he should gladly serve and yield to others, remembering that he needs their help. each one is created for the sake of others, and we are all to serve one another. god gives the same grace and salvation to all, so that none may exalt himself above his neighbor; or, if he lift himself up, that he lose the grace conferred and fall into deeper condemnation. therefore we must hold fast to this humility, so that the unity may not be destroyed. for satan seeks to destroy this also, and uses every possible means to lead people to despise each other and to be proud and insolent in their treatment of each other. and these are things to which flesh and blood, even without special incitement, are inclined. thus humility is easily and quickly lost if men are not alert to fight against the devil and their own flesh. the beauty of humility. 16. humility is one of the beautiful garments and ornaments with which christians should adorn themselves before god and the world. paul, in colossians 3, 12, says, "put on humility." he regards this virtue as more precious than all earthly crowns and splendor. this is the true spiritual life. it is not to be sought elsewhere, by running into the cloisters or the deserts, by putting on gray gown or cowl. peter here admonishes all classes to cultivate this virtue. this sermon on good works concerns every station in every house, city or village. it is for all churches and schools. children, servants and the youth should be humbly obedient to parents, superiors and the aged. on the other hand, it is for those in the higher stations of life who serve their inferiors, even the lowest. if all men so observed this virtue the world would be full of good works. for it is impossible that humility should do evil. it is profitable and pleasant to all men. 17. by this virtue, true saints and christians can better be known than by monastic seclusion and holiness. it requires no great effort to wear a gray cowl. it is not even such a great trial to lie on the ground at night and to arise at midnight; scoundrels, thieves, and murderers must often do the same. but to wear and hold fast to this angelic garment, humility--this the world is not so willing to accept as monasticism and its works. and thus it comes to pass that flesh and blood do not strive after this holy life. each man seeks an easy life, in which he can live to himself and need serve no one nor suffer anything at the hands of others; just as the monks have sought and chosen. 18. peter adds to this admonition the reason: "for god resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble." as i have said above, he strives to show the earnestness of god's command. the command is accompanied by a threat. he does not simply say, god punishes the proud, or god is hostile to them; but he "resisteth" them, he sets himself against them. now, what is the pride of all men toward god? not so much as a poor, empty bubble. their pride puffs itself up and distends itself as though it would storm the sky and contend against the lightning and thunder, that can shatter heaven and earth. what can the combined might of all creatures accomplish if god oppose himself thereto? and how does a miserable man, whose heart is overwhelmed by a small pestilence, rise against the majesty of heaven which can, any moment, cast him down into the abyss? what are earth and ashes proud of? says sirach, 10, 9. 19. is it not enough and more than enough that other sin and disobedience are laid to our account, by which we anger god and merit heavy punishment, without our trying further to provoke him with our pride and haughtiness, so that he must arise in his majesty and resist us? with other sins he can have patience, that he may exhort and incite us to repentance. but if, in hardened impenitence, we defy and oppose him, he cannot but rise up against us. who is there that will bear it, or be able to stand, when god sets his countenance and his power against a poor man already subject, every moment, to death and the power of the devil? the consequence of pride. 20. from the beginning, innumerable instances in history have proved the truth of this saying, "god resisteth the proud." they show how he has always overthrown and destroyed the proud world and has cast down the haughty, scornful kings and lords. the great king of babylon, nebuchadnezzar, was humbled when banished from his royal throne to the companionship of the beasts of the field and compelled to eat grass with them, dan 4, 30ff. again, remember how suddenly the great king alexander was hurled down, when after the victory and good fortune god had given him, he began to grow proud, and wanted to be reverenced as a god? again, there was king herod agrippa, acts 12, 23. the proud, learned emperor julian, a virulent mocker and persecutor of christ, whom he had denied--how soon was he drowned in his own blood! and since then, what has become of all the proud, haughty tyrants, who proposed to oppress and crush christianity? 21. the pope, also, has ever, in devilish pride, exalted himself, and in the temple of god set himself forth as god. further, in worldly pomp and pride he has lifted himself above all others. he has even learned, from heathen emperors, as diocletian and other tyrants, to have men kiss his feet. yea, he has forced emperors and kings to submit to this humiliating act. what open, inhuman insolence and pride pope alexander the third practiced when, by threatening against him his empty ban, he compelled the pious and mighty german emperor, frederick barbarossa, to prostrate himself at his feet while he stepped upon him and said, thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder; and when the emperor protested against such shameful pride and said, non tibi, sed petro (not to thee, but to peter), the pope, with increasing scorn, replied, "et mihi, et petro" (both to me, and to peter). this is pride carried almost to its highest point. 22. the turk, too, is prouder now than ever, and, i hope, has reached the heights of pride, beyond which he cannot and shall not proceed. meantime, may he not attack and humble us! but it will come to pass, in the end, that god will overthrow both pope and turk through his divine power, and, as daniel says, without the aid of men. this word will not fail, "god resisteth the proud." its truth must appear in human events, so that men may see what is meant by the declaration, "god resisteth"; otherwise no one would believe it. though the turk and all the world should be a thousand times more proud and powerful, this should not help them when he who is above sees and grows angry, and lifts his hand. he asks as little about the power of all turkish emperors and of the pope as about a dead fly. 23. "it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living god," heb 10, 31. this, however, is nothing else than with scorn and defiance to oppose his will, so that he, in turn, must set himself against man and must lift his hand. therefore, let everyone beware lest he boast and grow defiant in the presence of the divine majesty. not only must he beware, that he may not awaken god's anger, but that he may have grace and blessing in the things he ought to do. for, if thou beginnest something in thine own power, and wisdom, and haughtiness, think not he will grant thee success and blessing to carry out thy purpose. on the other hand, if thou humblest thyself, and beginnest aught in accordance with his will, in the fear of god and trusting in his grace, there is given thee the promise, "he giveth grace to the humble." so, then, thou shalt not only have favor with men, but success shall crown thine efforts. thou shalt prove a useful man, both to god and to the world, and shalt complete and maintain thy work despite the resistance of the devil. for where god's grace is, there his blessing and protection must follow, and his servant cannot be overthrown or defeated. though he be oppressed for a time, he shall finally come forth again and be exalted. so peter concludes by saying: "humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of god, that he may exalt you in due time." 24. peter shows in these words what true humility is and whence it comes. the heart, through knowledge of its sin, becomes terrified in the presence of god's anger and anxiously seeks grace. thus a humility is born, not merely external and before men, but of the heart and of god, from fear of god and knowledge of one's own unworthiness and weakness. he who fears god and "trembles at his word" (is 66, 5), will surely defy or hector or boast against nobody. yea, he will even manifest a gentle spirit toward his enemies. therefore, he finds favor both with god and men. 25. the cause of this, peter says, shall be "the mighty hand of god." as though he would say: ye may not do nor leave undone this thing for the sake of men, but ye ought to humble yourselves under the hand of god. god's hand is powerful and mighty in a twofold respect: it dashes down and overthrows the proud and self-secure, however hard and iron their heads and hearts may be. they must languish in dust and ashes; yea, must lie despondent and desperate in the anguish and torments of hell, if he touch them but a little with the terrors of his anger. these are experiences through which the saints also pass, and concerning whose severity they make lamentation. "for thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore. there is no soundness in my flesh because of thine indignation," ps 38, 2-3. "for i have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping. because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast taken me up, and cast me away," ps 102, 9-10. "i am consumed by the blow of thy hand. when thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth," ps 39, 10-11. the reward of humility. 26. in the second place, god's hand is mighty to raise, to comfort and strengthen the humbled and the fearful, and, as peter says here, to exalt them. those who in terror have been cast down should not, therefore, despair, or flee before god, but rise again, and be comforted in god. god wants it preached and published that he never lays his hand upon us in order that we may perish and be damned. but he must pursue this course in order to lead us to repentance; otherwise we would never inquire about his word and will. and if we seek grace, he is ready to help us up again, to grant us forgiveness of sins, the holy spirit, and eternal life. the psalms and the prophets here and there speak of this. "jehovah hath chastened me sore; but he hath not given me over unto death," ps 118, 18. "jehovah raiseth up them that are bowed down," ps 146, 8. 27. god will "exalt you in due time," says peter. though god's help be delayed, and the humbled and suffering seem to lie oppressed all too long under god's hand, and on that account to languish, nevertheless, let them hold to the promise paul has given: god "will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able," 1 cor 10, 13, but he will hear your cry, and will, at the right time, help; and with this let them be comforted. but again, let the proud fear, even though he permit them to go unpunished and to continue in their boastful course for a time. he watches their lives, and, when the proper time comes, he will descend all too heavily upon them, so that they cannot bear it. he has already stretched forth his mighty hand, both to cast down the godless and to exalt the humble. ii. "casting all your anxiety upon him, because he careth for you." 28. what will become of him who lives a god-fearing and humble life, suffering the insolence, pride and wantonness of the world? or, where will he find protection and defense, to abide in his godly ways? we see daily how the pious are harassed and persecuted, and are trod on by the world. the apostle says: "ye christians must endure temptation and adversity, want and need, both physical and spiritual, in the world, and your heart is oppressed with anxiety and cares, and ye think within yourselves: o, what will become of me? how shall i be supported? what if i should die?" (the world only concerns itself about how it may be enriched and be filled, and anxious, unbelieving consciences would, through themselves and their own good works, seek to have a gracious god and to die in peace.) "in view of all this," he says, "only hearken, i will counsel and instruct you aright as to what disposition you should make of your troubles." there is a brief passage in the 55th psalm, verse 22, which reads: "cast thy burden upon jehovah, and he will sustain thee: he will never suffer the righteous to be moved." follow ye this advice. let not your burden rest upon yourselves; for ye cannot bear it, and must finally perish beneath its weight. but, confident and full of joy, cast it from you and throw it on god, and say: heavenly father, thou art my lord and god, who didst create me when i was nothing; moreover hast redeemed me through thy son. now, thou hast committed to me and laid upon me, this office or work, and things do not go as well as i would like. there is so much to oppress and worry, that i can find neither counsel nor help. therefore i commend everything to thee. do thou supply counsel and help, and be thou, thyself, everything in these things. 29. such a prayer is pleasing to god, and he tells us to do only what we are commanded, and throw upon him all anxiety as to the issue and what we shall accomplish. as also other passages of scripture declare: "commit thy way unto jehovah, trust also in him, and he will bring it to pass," ps 37, 5. no heathen, philosopher, jurist, if he have not god's word, can throw his care and complaint upon god. he thinks that all the world, especially the great, the wise, who rule, must accomplish everything by their own planning and circumspection. and where trouble arises--for it is quite common for even the greatest and wisest people to make mistakes--he becomes a madman or a fool, and begins to murmur and argue against god and his government, as though god's rule merited criticism. but such men receive their deserts when god permits their calculations and hopes to fail, and lets the reverse obtain. for they will not admit they have need of him. they think they have sufficient wisdom and power, and that god must respect their plans. thus, they spend their lives in many vain, useless cares and projects, and must, in the course of their experience, learn and confess, many a time, that the very opposite of their judgment is the truth. 30. christians have the rare faculty, above all other people on earth, of knowing where to place their care, whilst others vex and torture themselves and at length must despair. such must be the consequence of unbelief, which has no god and would provide for itself. but faith understands this word peter quotes from the scriptures: "because he careth for you." it joyfully meditates thereon and does and suffers faithfully. for faith knows this to be its duty. its trouble, however, it commits to god, and proceeds with vigor against all that opposes. it can call upon god as a father, and it says: i will do what god has commanded me and leave the result with him. 31. the christian must take this course if he would proceed safely and happily in matters of the highest import. in time of danger and in the hour of death, when, with all his worrying, he cannot discover where he is or how he is journeying, he must, with eyes, senses and thoughts closed to the world, surrender himself in faith and confidence and cast himself upon god's hand and care and protection, and say: god has permitted me to live until this hour, without my solicitude. moreover, he has given me his beloved son as a treasure and sure pledge of eternal life. therefore, my dear soul, journey on in joy. thou hast a faithful father and savior, who has taken thee into his own hand, and will preserve thee. 32. the christian church collectively must so proceed in the discharge of its high spiritual office, of which peter speaks here, that no man or creature, by his own wisdom and power, can sustain or accomplish any work. no power, might, or protection that can comfort, or upon which one may rely, is to be sought in the world. wholly in god, and in god alone, must help be sought. by his divine power god must uphold the church. he has, from the beginning, always and wonderfully preserved it in the world, in the midst of great weakness, in disunion occasioned by schismatics and heretics, in persecution by tyrants. and the government is wholly his, though he commits the office and service to men, whom he would summon and use to administer his word and sacrament. therefore, each christian, especially if he fills such an office and partakes of this fellowship, should be intent, in that whereunto god has called and appointed him, upon serving god faithfully and doing that which is commanded him. the anxiety respecting the church's continued existence and her preservation against the devil and the world, can be left to the lord. he has taken this upon himself and thus has removed the burden from our shoulders, that we might be certain of the permanence of the church. if its preservation were committed to human counsel, might and will, the devil, with his power, would soon overthrow and destroy it. 33. likewise, in every office and station, each one should follow this counsel of saint peter. a prince should seek to protect his land and people, to promote god's word, to maintain discipline and peace, to do justice to every man, to punish the disobedient, etc. councils, officials, and those in authority should faithfully advise and direct to this end. pastors and preachers should rightly and fearlessly declare god's word and truth. every citizen and subject should be intent upon his work and duty, and whatever, in connection therewith, is unusual he must simply commit to god. but the world does not pursue this course. each one says: why should i incur so much danger, opposition and hostility? again, why should i labor and toil for naught? i will not accomplish my work at any rate. in this spirit of fear and worry, his proper office and work are delayed, or he is always careless. but let such people know that they are not christians, nor do they promote god's kingdom or profit the offices conferred on them. if they do not propose to mend their ways, they should give up the office bestowed on them by god. it is not enough to simply sit at ease in one's office and accept the plaudits of men. we all like to render esteem and honor to office and station. but know this, that you are not in office to parade about in beautiful garments, to sit in the front row, and be called "gracious master" and "esquire." you are to conduct faithfully the office with which god has clothed and honored you, regardless of human honor and profit, shame or injury. 34. but men are not generally inclined to believe and trust god. they are not inclined to remember that he cares for us; that he has assumed and must bear the greatest of burdens, which no man on earth can bear; that he cared for us before we were born, and could still, of himself, execute all things dispensing with all human help, but he prefers to accomplish his purpose through human means, and to employ us as instruments in these divine works--governing, punishing, teaching, comforting. 35. the world is particularly culpable in this matter of pride. when divinely charged with some great work, it always seeks to determine, in advance, by its own wisdom, all future danger and accidents, and tries to anticipate them. the world looks for man's help, and seeks friendship and assistance wherever it can. it makes alliances, and resorts to other schemes. it puts its trust in these and then considers itself strong enough to meet opposition, and is sure of its cause by reason of its own efforts. this is not showing faith in god. it is not committing our cause and all care for ourselves to him. it is maintaining the cause through one's own anxiety and forethought. it is ignoring and disbelieving the fact that nothing can be accomplished by one's own vexed effort. no human wisdom has power to foresee the future. if we looked back at the examples furnished by history, we should learn how woefully human wisdom is deceived when it relies upon itself. the results are not what was expected, but the very opposite. 36. the scriptures give many pertinent examples of the kings of judah and israel, whom the prophets often and severely rebuked because they sought refuge and help among strange nations and kings. the prophets warned them that they should not trust in human aid, but should do according to god's word and command. they told them he would protect and uphold them. but the kings would not hear. they continued to form friendships and alliances with the kings of egypt, syria, babylon and assyria, and thus invited them as guests into the land, whereupon the heathen kings came with force and led away captive the inhabitants and laid everything desolate. that was their reward for not heeding god's word; for not believing that he cared for them, and desired to protect and defend them if they would but trust and obey him. the wisest and most eminent, even among the heathen, have lamented, in the light of their own experience, that they have been shamefully deluded by their counsels, even though founded on the most careful deliberations. nor can it be said that the world has grown wiser in consequence of its own or others' sufferings. 37. this exhortation is preached to no one except the few who are christians. they have regard for god's word, and, now humbled, have learned that they should not rely on their own wisdom and reason, or upon human help and comfort. they have come to the belief that god cares for them. so they do what they know is right and are in duty bound to do, and suffer themselves not to be hindered by such fears as possess the world concerning dangers, injuries, and adversities. they commend all such things to god, and at his word go right through with courage. 38. let me illustrate from my own experience. what should i have done when i began to denounce the lies of the indulgence system, and later the errors of the papacy, if i had listened and given heed to the terrible things all the world wrote and said would happen to me? how often i heard it said that if i wrote against such and such eminent people i would provoke their displeasure, which would prove too severe for me and the whole german nation. but, since i had not begun this work of myself, being driven and led thereto by reason of my office (otherwise i should have preferred to keep silence), i must continue. i commended the cause to god and let him bear the burden of care, both as to the result of the work and also as to my own fate. thus i advanced the cause farther, despite tumultuous opposition, than i had ever before dared to think or hope. 39. oh, how much good would god accomplish through us if people could be persuaded, especially the eminent lords and kings, that what peter here says is true: "he careth for you!" how much he could do if they believed that truth instead of seeking, through their own wisdom and reason, to equip, strengthen, and compose themselves by aid of human might and assistance, friendship and alliance, for the accomplishment and maintenance of their cause! it is apparent that mortal plans fail and have always failed, and that they accomplish nothing. god hinders and resists man's work when he will not trust him. hence god can grant no success or favor to that which is founded on human wisdom or on trust in human powers. this is a truth men must finally perceive by experience, and they must lament because they would not believe it. 40. let him who would be a christian learn to believe this. let him practice and exhibit faith in all his affairs, bodily and spiritual, in his doing and his suffering, his living and his dying. let him banish cares and anxious thoughts. courageous and cheerful, let him cast them aside; not into a corner, as some vainly think to do, for when burdens are permitted to conceal themselves in the heart they are not really put away. but let the christian cast his heart and its anxieties upon god. god is strong to bear and he can easily carry the burden. besides, he has commanded that all this be put upon himself. the more thou layest upon him, the more pleasing it is to him. and he gives thee the promise that he will carry thy cares for thee, and all things else that concern thee. 41. this is a grand promise, and a beautiful, golden saying, if men would only believe it. if a powerful ruler here on earth were to give such a promise, and were to demand that we let him have all the concern about gold and silver and the needs of this life, how cheerfully and contentedly would every one cling to such promise! but now a greater lord says all this, one who is almighty and truthful, who has power over the body and life, and who can and will give us everything we need, both temporal and eternal. we should have in all this, if we only believed it, half of heaven, yea, a perfect paradise on earth. for what is better and nobler than a quiet, peaceful heart? for this all men are striving and laboring. so have we been doing hitherto, running to and fro after it. yet it is found nowhere except in god's word, which bids us cast our cares and burdens on god and thus seek peace and rest. it counsels us to throw upon him everything that threatens to oppress and worry us. god would not have anxiety dwell in our hearts, for it does not belong there; it is put there by the devil. 42. therefore, a christian, even though obliged to suffer all manner of adversity, temptation and misfortune, can cheerfully go forward and say: dear lord god, thou hast commanded me to believe, to teach, to govern and to act; this i will attempt in thy name, and i will commend to thee whatever may happen to me in the course of duty. there you have a man who is equal to any task, and can do much good. for he is freed from the greatest misfortune and has laid the heaviest weight upon god, whilst another man does nothing except fill his heart with anxiety and gloom. this other can apply himself to no good work. he becomes unfit both to do and to suffer. he is afraid of every trifle and, because of his vexation or impatience, can do nothing worth mentioning. what is the world doing now? princes, lords, counselors, citizens, and peasants--all want only power, honor, and wealth. none desires to render service. everyone fears that this or the other thing might happen to him. though the world never needed more careful rule than at the present time, lords and princes, simply because they are such, idly sit adorned with beautiful crowns, though they have received their trust from god to discharge their princely office. for the world must be governed, the youth must be educated, the wicked must be punished. but if thou desirest the honor only, and art not willing to step in the mire, to suffer people's displeasure, and through it all learn to trust god and for his sake do everything, thou art not worthy of the grace given for the accomplishment of a good and praiseworthy work. in punishment, resting under god's wrath, thou must remain unfit for every good work. iii. "be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom withstand stedfast in your faith." 43. the apostle has set forth two things to be practiced throughout the christian life; namely, christian humility--which is fear of god--and faith and confidence in god. now he admonishes his readers to battle and warfare, that these blessings may be preserved. he shows us our enemy and adversary who seeks to rob us of our treasure and deprive us of our salvation and eternal blessedness. hence he would say: be not concerned about living a life of earthly glory, and let not anxious cares fill your soul. but be intent on humbling yourselves before god. trust in him. let this be your care, that you may abide in the grace of humility. let it never be wrested from you. for the devil seeks to instill these forbidden cares, and to produce disobedience against god, that he may tear faith and god's word out of your heart. watchfulness enjoined. therefore, you must not ignore these facts, and meanwhile strive after something else. you are not to go along in false security or sleep and snore as though there were no danger. you must rather know that you have not been placed in a garden of roses here, but in the midst of heavy conflicts, where you must be on your guard, always watchful and prepared for resistance. for you have an adversary who is not insignificant or to be despised, but is strong, mighty, and moreover wicked and ferocious. he does not fight with stone and wood, destroying rocks and trees, but he has his eye fixed on you christians. he never grows tired or weary, but without rest and ceasing he pursues you; not only to spy upon you and to harass you, in which he can be withstood, but he desires utterly to devour you. 44. his sole purpose and plan is to murder and destroy men, spiritually and bodily; even as, at the beginning, when man had been created, he led and cast him into death. he practices his schemes with awful and deadly effect in the world against those who do not believe in christ, and he will never stop until the judgment day. one can perceive his incessant activity. he bustles about and openly raves and roars against all christendom. he uses for his purpose the turks, and other tyrants and godless people, not to speak of the sorrow and murder he works by so possessing people that in their frenzy they do themselves injury, or without cause murder others. he otherwise, through wicked and shameful snares, leads men into misfortune and sorrow. in short, the world is nothing else than the devil's murderous cave, both spiritually and physically. god, in order to somewhat hinder and restrain physical murder, has ordained temporal government, parental and other authority. these in their office are to be sober, watchful, and diligent. we ought to thank god for his preservation of such authority, for otherwise there would be no peace--everywhere on earth nothing but murder. nevertheless, the awful murder the devil perpetrates on those who are without god's word and faith, is not thereby checked. 45. some other defense and protection, then, another kind of watchfulness, must be sought, in order that men may remain undestroyed and unharmed in the presence of this bloodthirsty murderer. of this peter speaks here to the little company of christians, and says: ye, through christ's blood and death rescued from the devil's lies and murderous intent, have been made alive and have been transplanted into the heavenly life, like your beloved fathers, adam, abel, and others. they are no longer under bondage to satan, but live in christ, though the body lie for a time in the earth and truth and life must be supplied to their body and soul. but because ye still dwell in the world, ye are exposed to all danger. physically, ye are yet in the murderer's house; therefore ye must take good heed, that he may not kill you again, and murder your souls dwelling in these mortal bodies. it shall harm you none that the soul was ruined and the body is yet subject to death. "because i live," says christ (jn 14, 19), "ye shall live also." however, ye must struggle if ye are to abide in the truth and life. to this ye are appointed whilst ye live here on earth; otherwise ye would already be in paradise. but the devil has not yet been consigned wholly to the punishment of his damnation, which will be at the last day, when he will finally be cast down from his airy height, and from the earth, into the abyss of hell. then he will no more be able to attack us, and there will no longer be cloud or veil between us and god and the angels. soberness essential. 46. in order, now, he continues, that ye may be saved from his murderous designs, and may preserve the life you have begun, ye must be sober and watchful; not only mindful of the body, but much rather of the mind and soul. it is true that a christian who is to resist the devil must be physically sober, for a full hog and drunkard cannot be watchful nor can he plan defense against the devil. yet must a christian much more guard himself, lest the soul become sleepy or drunken. as the soul is burdened by the body when the latter is overwhelmed by drunkenness, so, when the soul is watchful and sober, the body also is temperate and prepared to hear god's word. but where the body is oppressed by drunkenness, there the soul must first have been a drunkard, not heeding god's word nor giving attention to prayer. where the soul is drunken and drowned in such security, it will not avail that the body suffer hurt by strict fasting and self-mortification, after the fashion of the carthusians and hermits. 47. saint peter, then, forbids not only bodily drunkenness, but also drunkenness of the soul. one's soul is drunk when he lives in carnal security, without thought and anxiety as to whether he have and hold god's word or not; when he asks no questions, either about god's wrath or his grace; and when he, moreover, lets himself be filled with the sweet poison of false doctrine through the mob of evil spirits satan employs for this purpose, until he grows numb, loses faith and clear judgment and finally becomes overfull of drunkenness and spews it out upon others. 48. the same thing results when men begin to be wise in divine things by following human reason. saint peter aptly describes this false doctrine with the expression, "cunningly devised fables," 2 pet 1, 16. he says: "we did not follow cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our lord jesus christ." such are the beautiful words and sermons which make a great show of wisdom and holiness, and naturally please men. for instance it is a cunningly devised fable when one with the aid of philosophy, which reason can understand, sets forth in grandiloquent words what a fine thing it is for a man to live honorably, chastely, and to practice good works and virtues. the aim is, with such pretense, to have us believe that we, through these works (not alone through faith), are justified before god; that is, are redeemed from sin and death. 49. again, other factious spirits travel about with worthy sayings which they have heard from us--externals do not help souls; the spirit must do the work--and then they proceed to fling contempt on baptism and the lord's supper. so thomas münzer, with his seditious peasants, and the anabaptist rabble, went about, with great demonstration, preaching about the shameful, wicked life of the world, especially of the authorities, declaring that these were godless people and tyrants, and deserved god's wrath and punishment; that therefore men should depose and execute them, and establish a new government, of only pious and holy people. these and similar things peter calls "cunningly devised fables." they are exaggeratingly pretended to be the product of great wisdom and art, and are rendered sweet and palatable to reason. so has all idolatry, heresy, and false doctrine, from the beginning on, prevailed, being fashioned and most beautifully adorned by people learned and wise and held in the esteem of the world. 50. how admirable did the position of arius and his adherents appear in comparison with the true faith concerning the divinity of christ, when they declared that though christ should be exalted above all angels and creatures, and that all honor, dominion and power in heaven and on earth belong to him, yea, that he is quite equal to god--all this, yet he is not "homo-ousios"; that is, he is not in one undivided, divine, eternal essence, which is of such unity that it could be imparted to no one else. it would be too much to say that a man is god, etc. with such pretense was a great multitude of christians seduced. even few bishops remained in the pure doctrine and faith. and afterward this poison prevailed among the wise people of asia and greece, until mohammed, with his saracens and turks, had miserably corrupted the greatest part of the world. 51. likewise the pope has adorned and colored with a glorious form his abominations and idolatry, claiming for his order of service that it is a meritorious and beautiful thing. again, he calls attention to the serviceableness of the beautiful, orderly government and power of the church, with its well regulated gradations of office and position--bishops superior to the ordinary priests, and over the bishops saint peter's chair at rome. in that chair is vested the authority for the convocation of general councils so often as these may be necessary. these councils are to judge and decide in all matters of faith, and their decisions everyone must follow and obey. again, he boasts what great service and consolation to the whole world is the work of the priests in the mass, when they daily renew and offer to god the sacrifice made by christ on the cross. this is the sweet wine in the "golden cup" of the scarlet harlot of babylon, with which she has made drunken all kings and nations, rev 17, 2-4. 52. where the devil finds those who give ear to such fables, he takes them captive and so fills them with these falsehoods that they neither see nor hear anything else. they think their belief is the only one, and they will not suffer themselves to be instructed out of god's word. and so, in their madness, without rightful intelligence of faith and all principles of pure doctrine, they continue in their darkened mind, with their fantastic, lying prattle, without repentance and amendment, having no grace to learn or do anything good. this is amply proved by the example of all seditious spirits. 53. therefore, peter admonishes us to be "sober and watchful," especially in spirit, and to guard ourselves against this sweet poison and these beautiful, adorned lies and fables of the devil. he teaches us how to equip and defend ourselves against his wicked devices. "whom withstand stedfast in your faith." 54. the true defense and resistance, in which we are to be sober and watchful, is to be well grounded in god's word and cling firmly thereto when the devil seeks, with his cunningly devised fables, born of human understanding and reason, to overthrow our faith. reason is the devil's bride, and always vaunts itself wise and skilful in divine things, and thinks what it holds to be right and good must be accounted so before god. but faith holds to god's word alone. it knows that before god, human wisdom, skill and power, and whatever gifts and virtues man may have, count for nothing. only his grace and the forgiveness of sins in christ has value. therefore, faith can repel and defeat all these fine pretensions and cunning fables. 55. worldly dominion and authority boasts before god in this fashion: my crown is a crown in god's sight, for my power and sovereignty have been given me by god. therefore, whatever i say he must respect and regard as valid, and everyone must endorse my words and actions. the wise philosopher or jurist would thus give expression to his boasts and pretensions: we are the learned, the wise rulers of the world, and have admirable laws and statutes. we have superior and beautiful doctrines concerning good works and virtues. men must listen to us and allow our judgment to have precedence. he who can do, or does, such things as we have done is, in god's sight, superior to others. faith, not worldly wisdom, essential. 56. no, dear man, says faith to this, i grant that the things of which thou boastest have been ordained and confirmed by god; but they are not of value save for this temporal life. the world regards it a crown to be known as wise. but in the presence of god thou shouldst lay aside thy crown, let thy might and power, thy law and wisdom, go, and say: god, be merciful to me a poor sinner! reason has this advantage, that it is equipped and adorned with god's promise to confirm its rule here on earth and to be pleased therewith; but with the provision that reason shall not interfere in god's government, or boast over against him. let it be known that what is called wisdom and prudence on earth, is foolishness before god. what in the sight of the world is commended and honored as beautiful, valuable, as of honor and virtue, is before god sin, and subject to his wrath. what on earth is called life, is before god nothing but death. 57. if, now, the parental, governmental, and other authority which he, himself, has arrayed and through his word established, and which is even administered by christians, does not endure before him in that other life, how much less will he allow that to stand which man has devised or subtly contrived out of his own head and heart! wouldst thou be wise and prudent, then cultivate these virtues in the sphere appointed thee, in thy home, the state, and whatever office thou hast. in these temporal things, rule as well as thou canst. thou wilt find little enough to help in all thy books, thy reason and wisdom. but when thou beginnest to devise out of thine own reason the things of god, though they may all seem trustworthy wisdom, yet, as peter says, they are nothing else than fables and lies. 58. for example, a monk's words: whoever dons a cowl can lead a holy life, for he is cut off from the world, can banish all care and sorrow, and can undisturbed, in peace and quietness, serve god--these words appear wisely spoken, but at bottom they are nothing but unreliable and useless chatter. this is proved from god's word, which teaches that god has forbidden us to invent our own worship; also, that god would have us serve him in our ordinary life and station and not by fleeing therefrom. hence, such monkery can not be a holy, godly life. in psalm 119, 85, we read: "the proud have digged pits for me, who are not according to thy law." that is, they preach to me about praiseworthy things, and represent their cause as most worthy, in order to overcome me. but when i look at their words aright, i do not find them to be in accord with thy word and commandments, which (says he) "are faithful." a lie is always beautiful. it attracts and pretends to be truth. it has, further, the advantage that it can adorn itself from the wardrobe of god's word, and, perverting the word, can use it in an uncertain sense. on the other hand, the truth does not so glitter, because it does not make itself plain to reason. for example, a common christian, a type of the brethren, hears the gospel, believes, uses the sacraments, leads a christian life at home with wife and children--that does not shine as does the fascinating lie of a saintly carthusian or hermit, who, separated from his fellow men, would be a holier servant of god than other people. yet the latter is useful to nobody. he lets others preach and rule, and labor in the sweat of their brows. god's word the christian's guide. 59. the one important thing, then, is to see to it that we have god's word, and that we regulate all the teachings and claims of men in accordance therewith. we will thus distinguish between the true and the false. we must remember, also, that human reason holds a far inferior position to faith and is not to be acknowledged as trustworthy, save as it is authorized by god for temporal authority. he who has faith can easily perceive when reason conflicts with god's word or seeks, in its wisdom, to rise superior thereto; just as, in worldly things, each one in his station, office, or calling, knows full well, when another attempts the same work, whether he does it right or not. so every householder well understands that in his home wantonness and wrong-doing on the part of the servants are not to be tolerated. however, in divine things, reason can so attire and adorn itself as not to be recognized except by one who, guided by faith, has a right knowledge of god's word. reason will not refrain from intruding, with its wisdom and prudence, into the affairs of god, where it has no orders. thus the devil creates endless misery, as he did at the beginning in the case of our first parents. and yet reason will not permit, in its own domain, the slightest interference of one unskilled in reason's code. 60. if a cobbler were to arise in the church and censure the people because they did not wear his make of shoes, and should try to convince people that such a procedure was necessary to salvation, they would pursue him out of the church with shoes and slippers, and cry after him: stay at home in your shop with your shoes and lasts! what does that concern the spiritual estate? but when a factious spirit stands up and in his supposed wisdom grunts forth: i am a holy, pious man. i have a special illumination from the spirit. therefore do not believe what the others say, which is nothing but the dead letter, that one person can be god and man; that a virgin can be a mother; that a man can be cleansed from sin by water and the spoken word, etc.,--when he does this, then there is no one to offer resistance. reason then gains the victory if it only claims the glory of guidance by the spirit, of a holy life, etc., even though god's word and faith are not present in their purity. behold, what mischief the turk, with his mohammed, has wrought and is still working, solely by claiming the honor of worshipping the one god, and asserting that he alone has the true god! he declares that only he and his followers are god's people on earth, to honor which god they war and fight against the christians. he presses his cause the more vigorously because he has such large fortune and victory; so even many christians who come among them adopt their faith and become turks. but none of the turks turn christian. 61. therefore, no other counsel can be offered for resisting the devil and escaping destruction by him, than this, that we remain firm in faith, says saint peter. one must have a heart which holds fast to god's word and fully understands the same and holds it to be true. for faith cannot exist or endure without the word, nor can it hear or understand aught else. one must separate the word far from all reason and wisdom, placing it above these. he must hold reason as nothing--yea, as dead--in matters pertaining to god's government and to how man is to escape sin and eternal death. reason must keep silent and give to god's word alone the honor which belongs to the truth, "bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of christ," as saint paul says, 2 cor 10, 5. if reason is to be my teacher in these things, what need is there of faith? and why should i not throw away all the scriptures? we christians, says paul (1 cor 1, 20-21), preach something else and higher than reason comprehends, for the wisdom of the world is mere folly. if reason taught me that the mother of christ is a virgin, the angel gabriel might have remained in heaven and kept silent concerning the matter. your faith, says paul again (1 cor 2, 4), should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of god. now you have seen the tricks and wiles of the devil with which he seeks to devour you, which he bases on reason as opposed to god's word. 62. peter admonishes all christians, especially the preachers, how to defend themselves against the devil's intrigues and artifices, with which he seeks to capture them. in order that christians may be properly equipped, saint peter calls attention to two things: first, we must know the enemy and realize his purpose; second, we must be armed to meet him and defend ourselves, that we may stand before him and conquer. he is a terrible, mighty foe, says peter, and is the god of this world. he has more wisdom and more deceptive snares than all men, and can so blind and unsettle reason that it will cheerfully believe and follow him. he is, moreover, a wicked and bitter enemy to you who in christ have life. he cannot bear to see you christ's. he thinks and plots about nothing else than your overthrow. and think not that he is far from you, or that he will pursue you from a distance. he has encamped close to you and right around you; yea, in your own territory--that is, in your flesh and blood. there he seeks how to reach you, and overtake you when unguarded, attempting now this, now that. misguided faith, doubt, anger, impatience, covetousness, evil passions, etc., are points of attack--any place where he finds an opening or discovers that you are weak. therefore, think not that he is simply jesting. he is more furious and hungry than a famished and angry lion. he does not purpose merely to wound or prick you, but wholly to consume you, so that nothing of body or soul will remain. 63. whoever would withstand such a foe must be equipped with other armor and weapons than those furnished by human wit and understanding, by human powers or ability. your defense is nothing else, says peter, than faith, which holds and grasps god's word. and because the believer holds fast to this, the devil can gain nothing. it is god's truth and power, before which, with his lying and murdering, he cannot stand; he must yield and flee. therefore ephesians 6, 16 says: "taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one." these fiery darts are chiefly those he hurls into the heart through the beautiful thoughts of human reason. he thus transforms himself into an angel of light, to displace right thoughts and faith, and to introduce human whims and false faith. his aim is, also, to lead into doubt, distrust, hatred, and anger toward god. thus it is, too, in the other temptations and trials of life, when satan drives men into sin and disobedience against god's commandment, into such sins as avarice, usury, anger, revengefulness, unchastity, and other vices. here he uses the same insidious arts, first tearing god's word out of the heart, then blinding reason with sweet and beautiful thoughts. he says: the thing proposed is not so wicked. god will not be so angry with you. he can afford to be patient with you, you still love the gospel. with such suggestions as these he carries you away and plunges you under god's fearful anger and condemnation. 64. if you would withstand these wiles, there can be no other plan or counsel than this: fight with god's word in firm faith against these suggestions and allurements. further, keep in mind both your former misery and your present treasures of grace. remember how you were once under god's wrath when, without fear of god and without faith, you were the devil's own, subject to all his will, and must have perished had not god, in boundless goodness, forgiven you your sin and bestowed on you his grace. and now give heed that you may not lose this treasure, to which end the holy spirit has been promised you. you need not succumb if you remain in faith. again, if you experience weakness and suffer want, you are bidden to call upon him, certain that he will hear you. the promise is: "if ye shall ask anything of the father, he will give it you in my name," jn 16, 23. also: "if ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you," jn 15, 7. 65. peter would, with his admonitions, make christians bold and confident for resisting the temptations of the devil and defending themselves. he would not have us feel terrified nor despair before satan, even though that wicked one press us hard through the instrumentality of the world and of our own flesh, as well as by his direct onslaughts. we are not to fear though he seem too strong for us, and though surrender to his prowess seems inevitable. we are to have a manly heart and fight valiantly through faith. we must be assured that, if we remain firm in the faith, we shall have strength and final victory. the devil shall not defeat us; we shall prove superior to him. we have been called of god and made christians to the end that we renounce the devil and contend against him, and thus maintain god's name, word, and kingdom against him. christ, our head, has already, in himself, smitten and destroyed for us the devil and his power. in addition, he gives us faith and the holy spirit, whereby we can wholly defeat satan's further wickedness and his attempts to overthrow us. 66. a christian should bear all this in mind, i say, and learn to experience the strength and power of faith. so will he not yield to temptation and enticement. nor will he, from love of the devil or the world, to his own eternal hurt, and for the sake of small temporal advantage, pleasure, or honor, cast from him god's grace and the holy spirit, and put himself again under god's eternal anger and condemnation. iv. "knowing that the same sufferings are accomplished in your brethren who are in the world." 67. this is a very precious and comforting passage, the truth of which peter learned not only by inspiration of the holy spirit, but from his own experience. one instance of his experience was when, in the high-priest's house, he thrice denied his lord, and soon thereafter fell into such anxiety and despair that he would have followed the traitor judas had not christ turned and looked on him. it was for this reason that christ, so soon after his resurrection, first of all commanded that the glad tidings should be announced to peter. christ also said to him, before all this happened: "simon, ... i made supplication for thee, that thy faith fail not; and do thou, when once thou hast turned again, establish thy brethren," lk 22, 31-32. conduct in suffering. peter makes faithful use of the present passage for his readers' comfort: ye must expect, in the world, says he, to suffer many and severe things, both in temptations of soul and body, against the first and the second table of the law, satan lying in wait for you with his deceitful and murderous arts. 68. weak christians suffer beyond measure because they are plagued and beset so constantly by the devil. their afflictions so sorely oppress them that they conclude that no one suffers so severely as do they. especially does this seem the case in the great spiritual temptations which come to those endowed with peculiar gifts and who are called to positions of prominence in the church. so paul often laments his great temptations, which the common people do not understand and cannot endure. god, moreover, is careful to lay on each one just the cross he is able to carry. still these sufferings are such that even the great and strong must languish and wither beneath them were it not for the comfort god bestows. these troubles grip the heart, and consume the very marrow, as the psalms often lament. 69. some of those living in cloisters, and other pious, tender consciences, have learned by experience how hard such burdens are to bear, especially in the darkness of the papacy, where they receive but little genuine comfort. there are, also, some inexperienced and forward spirits who have seen but have not understood these things, and who yet desire to be regarded as people of large experience. when, however, the test comes, they are found wanting. it is related of one of this class, who heard others bemoaning their temptations, that he prayed god to let temptation visit him also; whereupon god permitted him to be tempted with carnal lust. but when he found he could not bear it, he again prayed god, asking that the burden of his brother, whom he regarded inferior to himself, be given him. but when this request was granted, he prayed yet more earnestly that god would give him back his former burden. 70. amid such temptations peter comforts suffering christians by telling them that they are not the first, nor the only ones, to be thus assailed. they are not to feel as if it were a wonderful, rare, unheard of cross which they bear, or that they bear it alone. they are to know that their brethren, the christians of all times, and scattered through all the world, must, because they are in the world, suffer the same things at the hand of satan and his minions. it assuages and comforts beyond measure for the sufferer to know that he does not suffer alone, but with a great multitude. 71. it is true that in external temptations this comfort is easily grasped, because of the knowledge of others' experiences. but when satan assails thee alone with his poisonous darts--for example, when he tempts thee to doubt god's grace, as if thou alone hadst been cast off; or when he suggests horrible blasphemies, hatred of god, condemnation of his government, and so tortures and fills with anguish thy heart that thou art led to think that no man on earth is more fearfully assailed than thyself--then there is need to make use of this comfort which peter offers thee and all christians. in other words, peter would say: "my friend, let not the devil and thy sufferings terrify thee or lead thee to despair. thou shouldst know this for a certainty, that thou sufferest not alone. no matter how shamefully he attacks thee, he has done and is doing the same to others." the devil seeks, not only our own destruction, but also that of all christendom. it is ever his purpose to tear out of men's hearts, in the midst of their sufferings, god's word and faith. he would rob them of their comfort in christ, and depict god in the most horrible and hostile light, that the heart may have not one kind thought regarding him. and he can do this; not only with lofty, refined, subtle thoughts, but also by gross suggestions from without, before which a man must fear and shudder. i, myself, saw and heard a girl who complained of a temptation of this nature; namely, that while she stood in the church and saw the sacrament elevated, the thought occurred to her: lo, what a big knave the priest is elevating. and she was suddenly so frightened at the terrible thought that she sank to the floor. 72. such terror and anxiety proceed from the fact that one imagines that no one else has ever experienced such dreadful assaults. he thinks he has a special, strange, and unusual affliction. although it is true that men's temptations differ and come from different sources and one may imagine his own a peculiar kind, yet the sufferings and temptations of all christians are alike in this, that the devil tries to drive them all from the fear and confidence of god into unbelief, contempt, hatred, and blasphemy against god. therefore, the apostles are accustomed to call christians' sufferings a fellowship in pain and tribulations. they point all men who suffer to the agonies of christ our lord, as the head and exemplar. peter says in his first epistle, ch. 1, 11: "the spirit of christ ... testified beforehand the sufferings of christ, and the glories that should follow them." and paul says, "i fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of christ in my flesh," col 1, 24. 73. if one would speak of specially severe sufferings, surely no human heart can comprehend, much less tell, how great and heavy were the anxiety and sorrow of our first parents on account of their miserable fall. and what sorrow must adam have witnessed during the nine hundred years of his life in the experiences of his first son cain, and his children! no man has ever borne such a burden as lay on both parents for nearly a hundred years after abel's death, until their third son was born. truly, these nine hundred years were a period of sorrow and misery. perhaps, on the last day, we shall discuss with this our father the solitary suffering of that time, of which we know nothing. and we shall willingly confess that in sorrow's school he stands far above us and we have been only insignificant pupils. it must have been most severe and dangerous for him, since he had no example before him of similar suffering with which to comfort himself. 74. likewise, if thou couldst rightly understand what the other holy patriarchs, the prophets and apostles--especially paul and peter--and later all the beloved martyrs and saints, have endured thou wouldst be forced to say that all thy temptation and suffering are nothing in comparison. but above all these must we reckon the experiences of the lord christ, whose heart was so pierced by satan's fiery darts and bitter thrusts that the bloody drops of sweat were pressed out of his body. he has gone before and surpassed us on the way of sorrow. we, with all our suffering, can only follow his footsteps. of temptation. 75. therefore, learn well this saying of peter, and think not that thou alone endurest this severe, fearful temptation and these onslaughts of the devil. remember that thy brethren, not only they who are dead--who also have set thee a good example--but also those who live with thee in the world, have suffered and do suffer such terror and distress. for they have the very same enemy christ and all christendom have. thou canst be glad and shout: god be praised! i am not the only one that suffers, but with me there is a great multitude, all christians on earth, my beloved brothers and sisters, even down to the last who shall walk this earth. and in this passage peter comforts and strengthens me, as christ commanded him, who also has tasted of these sorrows, and, indeed, in far greater measure than i and others have. 76. i have at times thought, in my trials, that i should like to argue with peter and paul as to whether they were tried more severely than i. for, when he can do nothing else, the devil resorts to the plan of leading a man to fix his attention solely on his own affliction, and oppresses him with the thought: no man has been so cast off by god, or has sunk so deep into anxiety and distress. the devil has often so wearied me with such arguments that at length i could offer no further opposition to him, but simply turned him over to christ, who can quickly silence him with arguments. if we have not christ with us, satan proves far too strong for us. we cannot silence him. he soon renders helpless all our skill, and slays us with our own sword. 77. ah, these seditious leaders and other self-secure spirits are poor, miserable people, who know nothing at all of this conflict! they drown in their own imaginations, and think they are perfect. and some of them are so shameless and without fear as to blaspheme, saying that god himself could not take their virtue from them. the devil simply strengthens them in these thoughts, and hardens them the more. this very thing is a sign that they do not yet know the devil; they are already blinded and taken captive by him, so that he can ruin them when he pleases. 78. genuine christians are not thus self-confident and boastful when they are attacked. in severe conflicts and anxieties they labor that the devil may not deprive them of the sword. i know that i am learned and have seen something of what the devil can do; but i must bear him witness, from my daily experience, that he can overcome me unless i am well established in faith and have christ in my heart. thomas münzer was so firm and inflexible, as he thought, that he dared to say that he would not behold christ, if he did not himself wish to speak with him. but at last, when the devil began to attack him, men saw what his pride and boasts were. no, they are not the ones to accomplish anything, who go about so boastful, as if they had consumed the devil. they do not see that they, themselves, were long since devoured seven times over by him and are held fast in his jaws. 79. the heretic arius was also secure and proud enough against the pious bishops and christians. yea, when he was punished for his error by his bishop, and admonished to desist, he became the more obstinate. he complained about the bitter persecution to which he was subjected. but his suffering was that they would not approve his horrible blasphemy. just so in every age the heretics and blasphemers, yea, even open murderers and tyrants, pose as martyrs when they are not permitted to run against god's word and against pious people. so confident do they try to be that they have no fear of god. they count the devil a dead bee until, at length, he suddenly seizes and destroys them in a moment. 80. but the poor, tempted christians have need of the comfort and the strength furnished by god's word. they must anxiously contend lest they lose, in their hours of severe temptation, god, christ, faith, and our father. therefore, the mission intrusted to peter, to strengthen his brethren, is most needful. so the same comfort was necessary in his own temptations, and he was even given it beforehand by christ, who declared that he had prayed for him that his faith might not be extinguished nor fail, which faith, however, from the time of his denial on to the third day did almost die, and scarcely the smallest spark remained. hence he now, as a true apostle, comforts those who are in the like fears and straits of a sinking and expiring faith. he says to all the suffering and comfortless: my dear brother, think not that thou alone sufferest distress and temptation. many of thy brethren have suffered quite as heavily, perhaps more heavily. i, myself, have been as weak as thou canst ever be. if thou dost not believe this, look and see what occurred in the house of caiaphas, the high-priest, when i, who protested my readiness to go with christ into prison and death, at a word spoken to me by a maid, fell, and denied and abjured most shamefully my beloved lord. for three whole days i lay in misery. i had no one to comfort me and none who suffered equally with myself. i had no consolation except that my dear master gave me, with his eyes, one friendly look. 81. therefore, no one should regard his distress and need as too heavy and fearful, as if it were an entirely new thing, something which had never been experienced by others. to thee it may be something new and untried. but look about thee, at the great multitude of the church, from the beginning until this hour. the church has been set in the world to suffer the attacks of the devil, and without ceasing it must be sifted as wheat, as christ's words suggest, luke 22, 31. my friend, thou hast not yet seen nor experienced what our first parents endured their whole life long, and after them all the holy fathers until christ. peter, also, has been farther in this school than i and thou, and i would say that the same temptation as his could hardly be found. paul says of him and the beloved apostles (1 cor 4, 9): "for, i think, god hath set forth us the apostles last of all, as men doomed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, both to angels and men"--so that satan may torment us according to his will, and thus work out his pleasure upon us. and what are the sufferings of all men combined when compared with christ's agony and conflict, in that he sweat blood for thee? 82. when the devil plagues and assails thee with his manifold temptations, refer him to christ, with whom to dispute about the severe temptations, the death struggle, the anguish of hell, etc. comfort thyself that thou art one of a great company of sufferers, past present and future. o beautiful, glorious company! all under one lord and head, who took from the devil his power and hell-fire. in short, thy affliction cannot prove so great that thou wilt not find it paralleled in the lives of the apostles, prophets, patriarchs and all the saints, especially of christ himself; with whom, if we suffer, let us not doubt, says paul, that we shall "be also glorified," rom 8, 17. _fourth sunday after trinity_ text: romans 8, 18-22. 18 for i reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward. 19 for the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the revealing of the sons of god. 20 for the creation was subjected to vanity not of its own will, but by reason of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of god. 22 for we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. consolation in suffering, and patience.[1] [footnote 1: this sermon was first printed in 1535, at wittenberg.] 1. paul's language here is peculiar. he speaks in a manner wholly different from the other apostles. there is something particularly strange about the first sentences of the passage. his words must be faithfully studied and their meaning learned by personal experience. the christian life consists altogether in the practice and experience of what the word of god tells us. he who has no experimental knowledge of the word will have but little conception and appreciation of paul's words here. indeed, they will be wholly unintelligible to him. 2. up to the point where our text begins, paul has been assuring us in this epistle that through faith in our lord jesus christ we attain the high privilege of calling god our father; that the holy spirit bears witness in our hearts of our sonship, and makes us bold enough to come, by faith in christ the mediator, joyfully before god, trusting him to fill and bless us. then paul draws the conclusion, first, that we are children of god; next, he says: "if children, then heirs; heirs of god, and joint-heirs with christ." the second conclusion is the outcome of the first. for the reason that we have the boldness and assurance to call god our father in sincerity and nothing doubting, we are become not only children but heirs, heirs of god and brethren to christ, joint-heirs with him. but all this, as paul says, is true "if so be that we suffer with him" (verse 17). 3. the high prerogative of heirship, paul faithfully enjoins, is dependent on a sacred duty. let him who would be christ's brother, and joint-heir with him, remember he must also be a joint-martyr and joint-sufferer with christ. the apostle's meaning is: many are the christians, indeed, who would be joint-heirs with christ and gladly enjoy the privilege of sharing his inheritance, but who object to suffering with him; they separate themselves from him because unwilling to participate in his pain. but paul says this will not do. the inheritance follows only as a consequence of the suffering. since christ, our dear lord and savior, had to suffer before he could be glorified, we must be martyrs with him, with him be mocked by the world, despised, spit upon, crowned with thorns and put to death, before the inheritance will be ours. it cannot be otherwise. a consistent sympathy is essential to christian faith and doctrine. he who would be christ's brother and fellow-heir must also suffer with him. he who would live with christ must first die with him. the members of a family not only enjoy good together but also share in their ills. as the saying is, "he who would be a companion in eating must also be a companion in labor." 4. paul would earnestly admonish us not to become false christians who look to find in christ mere pleasure and enjoyment, but to remember that if we are to participate in the "eternal weight of glory" we must first bear the "light affliction, which is for the moment." 2 cor 4, 17. by the words "if so be that we suffer with him" the writer means that we are to do more than exercise the sympathy that grieves over another's misfortune, though such sympathy is binding upon christians and is a superior christian virtue, a work of mercy: we ourselves must suffer, non solum affectu, sed etiam effectu, that is, we are overwhelmed by like sufferings. as christ our lord was persecuted, we also must endure persecution. as the devil harassed him, we also must be harassed unceasingly. and so satan does torment true christians. indeed, were it not for the restraining hand of the lord our god, the devil would suffer us to have no peace. paul has reference to a heartfelt sympathy intense enough to enter into actual suffering. he says to the hebrews (ch. 10, 32-33): "ye endured a great conflict of sufferings; partly, being made a gazing stock both by reproaches and afflictions." 5. and in the verse preceding our text he tells us that as our blissful inheritance through brotherhood and joint-heirship with christ is not a mere fancy and false hope of the heart, but a real inheritance, so our sympathy must amount to real suffering, which we take upon ourselves as befitting joint-heirs. now paul comforts the christian in his sufferings with the authority of one who speaks from experience, from thorough acquaintance with his subject. he seems to view this life as through obscurities, while beholding the life to come with clear and unobstructed vision. he says: "for i reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward [in us]." 6. notice how he turns his back to the world and his face to the future revelation, as if seeing no suffering anywhere, but all joy. "even if it does go ill with us," he would argue, "what indeed is our suffering in comparison with the unspeakable joy and glory to be revealed in us? it is too insignificant to be compared and unworthy to be called suffering." we fail to realize the truth of these words because we do not see with our bodily eyes the supreme glory awaiting us; because we fail to grasp fully the fact that we shall never die but shall have a body that cannot suffer nor be ill. if one could conceive the nature of this reward he would be compelled to say: "were it possible for me to suffer ten deaths by fire or flood, that would be nothing in comparison to the future life of glory. what is temporal suffering, however protracted, contrasted with eternal life? it is not worthy to be called suffering or to be esteemed meritorious." 7. in this light does paul regard suffering, as he says, and he admonishes christians to look upon it similarly. then shall they find the infinite beyond all comparison with the finite. what is a single penny measured by a world of dollars? though this is not an appropriate comparison since the things compared are both perishable. the suffering of the world is always to be counted as nothing measured by the glorious and eternal possessions yet to be ours. "i entreat you, therefore, beloved brethren," paul would say, "to fear no sufferings, not even should it be your lot to be slain. for if you are actually joint-heirs, it must be your fortune, a part of your inheritance, to suffer with others. but what is your pain measured by the eternal glory prepared for you and obtained by the sacrifice of your savior jesus christ? it is too insignificant to be contrasted." so paul makes all earthly suffering infinitely small--a drop, a tiny spark, so to speak; but of yonder hoped-for glory he makes a boundless ocean, an illimitable flame. 8. why cannot we take his view of the insignificance of our afflictions and the magnitude of the future glory? the extravagance of our conduct is apparent in the fact that but a harsh word uttered by one to his fellow will make the injured one ready to overturn mountains and uproot trees in his resentment. to them who are so unwilling to suffer, paul's word of encouragement here is wholly unintelligible. christians are not to conduct themselves in this impatient manner. it ill becomes them to make extravagant complaint and outcry about injustice. "but," you say, "i have truly suffered injustice." very well, so be it. but why do you make so much of your sufferings and never give a thought to what awaits you in heaven? why not exalt the future glory also? if you desire to be a christian, truly it will not do to conduct yourself in this impatient manner. if you must air your grievances, surely you may do it quietly and decorously. 9. in this life it must be otherwise than in the life of glory. if you essay to be a joint-heir with the lord jesus christ and do not suffer with him, to be his brother and are not like unto him, christ certainly will not at the last day acknowledge you as a brother and fellow-heir. rather he will ask where are your crown of thorns, your cross, the nails and scourge; whether you have been, as he and his followers ever have from the beginning of time, an abomination to the world. if you cannot qualify in this respect, he cannot regard you as his brother. in short, we must all suffer with the son of god and be made like unto him, as we shall see later, or we shall not be exalted with him in glory. 10. upon this same topic paul addresses also the galatians (ch. 6, 17): henceforth let no one confuse me, say nothing to me about the doctrine that friendship is rewarded on earth; for i bear branded on my body the marks of my lord jesus christ. his reference is to the signs in ancient paintings of christ, where the savior was represented as bearing his cross upon his shoulders, with the nails, the scourge, the crown of thorns and other emblems in evidence. these marks or signs, paul instructs, all christians as well as himself must exhibit, not painted on a wall but branded in their flesh and blood. they are made when inwardly the devil affrights and assails us with all manner of terrors and overwhelming afflictions, and at the same time outwardly the world slanders us as heretics, laying her hand to our throats whenever possible and putting us to death. the reward. such marks, or scars, for christ the lord, paul admonishes all christians to exhibit. thus he encourages them not to be terrified though they suffer every conceivable wrong, such as our brethren here and there have suffered now for several years. but brighter days are in store for us when once the hour of our enemies and the power of darkness shall come. our adversaries annoy us now with malignant words and slanderous writings, and indeed they may take our lives. so be it. we must in any event suffer if we are ever to attain true glory. but what they will secure by putting us to death they certainly shall experience. 11. in paul's reference to the glory that shall be revealed in us there is a hint as to the cause of man's unwillingness to suffer: faith is yet weak and fails to descry the hidden glory; that glory is yet to be revealed in us. could we but behold it with mortal vision, what noble, patient martyrs we should be! suppose one stood on yonder side of the elbe with a chest full of gold, offering it to him who should venture to swim across for it. what an effort would be made for the sake of that tangible wealth! 12. take the case of the adventurous officer. for a few dollars per month he defies spears and guns, exposing himself to almost certain death. the merchant hurries to and fro in the world in a frenzied effort to amass riches, hazarding life and limb, apparently careless of physical cost so long as god's mercy preserves to him but the shattered hulk of a body. and what must not one endure at court before he realizes, if he ever does, the fulfilment of his ambition? in temporal things man can do and suffer everything for the sake of honor, wealth and power, because these are manifest to earthly vision. but in the spiritual conflict, because the reward is not discernible to the senses it is very difficult for the old man in us to believe that god will finally grant us glorious bodies, pure souls and hearts of gladness, and make us superior to any earthly king. indeed, the very reverse of this condition obtains now. here is one condemned as a heretic; there one is burned or in some other way put to death. glory, wealth and honor are not in evidence now. so it seems hard for us to resign ourselves to suffering and wait for the redemption and glory yet unrevealed. again, no hardship is too great for the world to undergo for the sake of sordid gain; it willingly suffers whatever comes for that which moth and rust consume and thieves steal. 13. paul means to say: "i am certain there is reserved for us exceeding glory, in comparison wherewith all earthly suffering is actually of no consideration; only it is not yet manifest." if we have to face the slightest gale of adversity, or if a trifling misfortune befalls us, we begin to make outcry, filling the heavens with our false complaint of a terrible calamity. were our faith triumphant, we would regard it but as a small inconvenience to suffer, even for thirty or forty years or longer; indeed, we should think our sufferings too trifling to be taken into account. may the lord our god only forbear to reckon with us for the sins we have committed! why will we have so much to say about great sufferings and their merits? how utterly unworthy we are of the free grace and ineffable glory which are ours in the fact that through christ we become children and heirs of god, brethren and joint-heirs with christ! well may we resolve: "i will maintain a cheerful silence about my sufferings, boasting not of them nor complaining about them. i will patiently endure all my merciful god sends upon me, meanwhile rendering him my heartfelt gratitude for calling me to such surpassing grace and blessing." but, as i said, the vision of glory will not enter our hearts because of our weak and miserable flesh, which allows itself to be more influenced by the present than by the future. so the holy spirit must be our schoolmaster to bring the matter home to our hearts. 14. note particularly how paul expressly states that the glory is to be revealed in us. he would remind us that not only such as peter or paul are to participate in the blessing, as we are prone to believe, but that we and all christians are included in the word "us." indeed, even the merest babe obtains at death, wherein it is a joint-sufferer with mankind, this unspeakable glory, which the lord jesus into whose death it was baptized has purchased and bestowed upon it. though in the life beyond one saint may have more glory than another, yet all will have the same eternal life. here on earth men differ in point of strength, comeliness, intellect, yet all enjoy the same animal life. so in the other life there will be degrees of radiance or glory, as paul teaches (1 cor 15, 41), yet all will share the same eternal happiness and joy; there will be one glory for all, for we shall all be the children of god. 15. now the first point of consolation is that we turn our backs upon all suffering, saying: "what is all my pain, though it were tenfold greater, compared to the eternal life unto which i am baptized, to which i am called? my sufferings are not worthy to be so termed in connection with the exceeding glory to be revealed in me." paul magnifies the future glory to make the temporal sufferings the more insignificant. then follows: "for the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the revealing [manifestation] of the sons of god. for the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but by reason of him who subjected it, in hope: [for the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope;]" 16. here is the second point of consolation. paul holds up as an example to us the condition of the whole creation. he exhorts us to endure patiently, as the creature does, all the violence and injustice we suffer from the devil and the world, and to comfort ourselves with the hope of future redemption. remarkable doctrine this, unlike anything elsewhere found in the scriptures, that heaven and earth, sun, moon and stars, leaf and blade, every living thing, waits with sighing and groaning for the revelation of our glory. the travail of creation. 17. such sighing and agony of the creature is not audible to me, nor is it to you. but paul tells us he sees and hears it, not expressed by one creature alone, but by all god has made. what does he mean? what is the sighing and longing of creation? it is not that annually the leaves wither and the fruits fall and decay: god purposes that every year new fruits shall grow; he decrees the shattering of the fallen tree. but paul refers to the creature's unwilling subjection to the ungodly; "subject to vanity," he phrases it. for instance, the blessed sun, most glorious of created things, serves the small minority of the godly, but where it shines on one godly man it must shine on thousands and thousands of knaves, such as enemies of god, blasphemers, persecutors, with whom the world is filled; also murderers, robbers, thieves, adulterers. to these it must minister in all their ungodliness and wickedness, permitting its pure and glorious influence to benefit the most unworthy, most shameful and abandoned profligates. according to the apostle, this subjection is truly painful, and were the sun a rational creature obeying its own volition rather than the decree of the lord god who has subjected it to vanity against its will, it might deny every one of these wicked wretches even the least ray of light; that it is compelled to minister to them is its cross and pain, by reason of which it sighs and groans. just as we christians endure many kinds of injustice and consequently sigh for and implore help and deliverance in the lord's prayer, so do the creatures sigh. although they have not human utterance, yet they have speech intelligible to god and the holy spirit, who mark the creatures' sighs over their unjust abuse by the ungodly. 18. nowhere else in the holy scriptures do we find anything like paul's declaration here concerning the earnest expectation and waiting of the creatures for the revelation of the children of god; which waiting the apostle characterizes as a sighing in eager desire for man's redemption. a little later he compares the state of the creature to a woman in travail, saying it cries out in its anguish. the sun, moon and stars, the heavens and earth, the bread we eat, the water or wine we drink, the cattle and sheep, in short, all things that minister to our comfort, cry out in accusation against the world because they are subjected to vanity and must suffer with christ and his brethren. this accusing cry is beyond human power to express, for god's created things are innumerable. rightly was it said from the pulpit in former times that on the last day all creatures will utter an accusing cry against the ungodly who have shown them abuse here on earth, and will call them tyrants to whom they were unjustly subjected. 19. paul presents this example of the creatures for the comfort of christians. his meaning is: be not sorrowful because of your sufferings; they are small indeed when the ensuing transcendent glory is considered. you are not alone in your tribulation and your complaint at injustice; the whole creation suffers with you and cries out against its subjection to the wicked world. every bleat of the flock, every low of the herd, is an outcry against the ungodly as enemies of god and not worthy to enjoy the creatures' ministrations; not even to receive a morsel of bread or a drink of water. along this line st. augustine is eloquent. "a miserly wretch," he says, "is unworthy the bread he eats, for he is an enemy of god." paul tells us the whole creation groans and travails with us, as if desiring relief from anguish; that it suffers like a woman in travail. for instance: the heavenly planets would gladly be freed from serving, yes, in the extent of their anguish would willingly suffer eclipse; the earth would readily become unfruitful; all waters would voluntarily sink from sight and deny the wicked world a draught; the sheep would prefer to produce thorns for the ungodly instead of wool; the cow would willingly yield them poison rather than milk. but they must perform their appointed work, paul says, because of him who has subjected them in hope. god will finally answer the cry of creation; he has already determined that after the six thousand years of its existence now passed, the world shall have its evening and end. 20. had not our parents sinned in paradise, the world would never be dissolved. but since man has fallen in sin, we all--the whole creation--must suffer the consequence; because of our sins, creation must be subjected to vanity and dissolution. during the six thousand years, which are as nothing compared to eternal life, all created things must be under the power of a condemned world, and compelled to serve with all their energies until god shall overthrow the entire world and for the elect's sake purify again and renew the creature, as peter teaches. 2 pet 3, 13. 21. the sun is by no means as gloriously brilliant as when created. because of man's ungodliness its brightness is to an extent dimmed. but on the day of visitation god will cleanse and purify it by fire (2 pet 3, 10), giving it a greater glory than it had in the beginning. because it must suffer in our sins, and is obliged to shine as well for the worst knave as the godly man, even for more knaves than godly men, it longs intensely for the day when it shall be cleansed and shall serve the righteous alone with its light. neither would the earth produce thistles nor thorns were it not cursed for our sins. so it, with all creatures, longs for the day when it shall be changed and renewed. 22. this is the explanation of paul's remarkable declaration concerning the "earnest expectation of the creation." the creature continually regards the end of service, and freedom from slavery to the ungodly. this event will not take place before the revealing of the sons of god; therefore the earnestly expectant creation desires that revelation to come without delay, at any moment. until such manifestation the world will not consider godly souls as children of the father, but as children of the devil. so it boldly abuses and slanders, persecutes and puts to death, god's beloved children, thinking it thereby does god service. in consequence the whole creation cries: "oh, for a speedy end of this calamity, and the dawning of glory for the children of god!" 23. we have plain authority for the interpretation of the groaning of creation in paul's further words, "the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will." he thus makes all creation--sun and moon, fire, air, water, heaven and earth with all they contain--merely poor, captive servants. and whom do they serve? not our lord god; not for the most part his children, for they are a minority among those ministered unto. to whom, then, is their service given? to the wicked--to vanity. the created things are not, as they would be, in righteous service. the sun, for instance, would choose to shine for paul, peter and other godly ones. it begrudges to wicked characters like judas, pilate, herod, annas and caiaphas the least ray of light; for it is useless service, yielding no good. to serve peter and paul would be productive of pleasure and profit; well may its benefit be bestowed upon these godly ones. but the sun must shine as well for the wicked as for the ungodly. indeed, where it fittingly serves one godly individual, thousands abuse its service. the case is similar with gold and other minerals, and with all the articles of food, drink and clothing. to whom do these minister? wicked desperadoes, who in return blaspheme and dishonor god, condemn his holy gospel and murder his christians. this is wasted service. 24. so paul says, "the creature was made subject to vanity;" it must render service against its consent, having no pleasure therein. the sun does not shine for the purpose of lighting a highway robber to murder. it would light him in godly deeds and errands of mercy; but since he follows not these things the service of the blessed sun is abused and that creature ministers with sincere unwillingness. but how is it to avoid service? a wicked tyrant, a shameful harlot, may wear gold ornaments. is the gold responsible for its use? it is the good creature of the lord our god and fitted to serve righteous people. but the precious product must submit to accommodating the wicked world against its will. yet it endures in hope of an end of such service--such slavery. therein it obeys god. god has imposed the obligation, that man may know him as a merciful god and father, who, as christ teaches (mt 5, 45), makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good. for the father's sake the blessed sun serves wickedness, performing its service and bestowing its favors in vain. but god in his own good time will reckon with those who abuse the glorious sunlight and other creatures, and will richly recompense the created things for their service. 25. beloved, paul thus traces the holy cross among all creatures; heaven and earth and all they contain suffer with us. so we must not complain and excessively grieve when we fare ill. we must patiently wait for the redemption of our bodies and for the glory which is to be revealed in us; especially when we know that all creatures groan in anguish, like a woman in travail, longing for the revealing of the sons of god. for then shall begin their redemption, when they shall not be slaves to wickedness but shall willingly and with delight serve god's children only. in the meantime they bear the cross for the sake of god, who has subjected them in hope. thus we are assured that captivity will not endure forever, but a time must come when the creatures will be delivered. "do ye likewise, beloved christians," paul would advise, "and reflect that as the creature will rejoice with you on the last day, so does it now mourn with you; that not you alone must suffer, but the whole creation suffers with you and awaits your redemption, a redemption so great and glorious as to make your sufferings unworthy to be considered." _fourth sunday after trinity_ second sermon. text: romans 8, 18-22. redemption of the creatures. 1. we have heard how paul comforts the christians in their sufferings, pointing them to the future inconceivable and eternal glory to be revealed in us in the world to come; and how he has, for our greater consolation, reminded us that the whole creation as one being suffers in company with the christian church. we have noted how he sees, with the clear, keen eye of an apostle, the holy cross in every creature. he brings out this thought prominently, telling us it is not strange we christians should suffer, for in our preaching, our reproving and rebuking, we easily merit the world's persecution; but creation must suffer being innocent, must even endure forced subjection to the wicked and the devil himself. 2. could the sun voice its experience from adam's time down, what misery it has witnessed and endured, undoubtedly it would tell of its heavy cross in being compelled to serve innumerable adulterers, thieves, murderers, in fact, the devil's whole kingdom. yet it is a noble and admirable work of creation, fit to serve only god, angels and pious christians, who thank god for it. but it must serve those who blaspheme and dishonor god and who are guilty of all wickedness and lawlessness. notwithstanding its dislike of such service, it is with every other created thing obedient to god. 3. this is a fine and comforting thought of the apostle's, that all creatures are martyrs, having to endure unwillingly every sort of injustice. the creatures do not approve the conduct of the devil and of the wicked in their shameful abuse of creation, but they submit to it for the sake of him who has subjected them to vanity, at the same time hoping for a better dispensation in the fulfilment of time, when they shall again be rightly received and abuse be past. hence paul points to another life for all creation, declaring it to be as weary of this order as we are and to await a new dispensation. by his reference to the earnest expectation of the creature he means that it does not expect to remain in its present condition, but with us looks toward heaven and hopes for a resurrection from this degraded life into a better one where it will be delivered from the bondage of corruption, as he says later. 4. by these sayings paul gives us to understand that all creation is to attain a perfection far beyond its present state where with us it must be subject to tyrants. these tyrants wantonly abuse our characters, our bodies, our property rights, just as the devil abuses our souls. but we must suffer our lot, remembering that mankind is captive on earth in the kingdom of the devil, and all creation with it. the earth must submit to be trodden and to be cultivated by many a wicked one, to whom it must yield subsistence. likewise is this submission true of the elements--air, fire, water--all creation having its cross, yet hoping for the end of the dispensation. 5. there is a refined and comforting perception in the apostle's exposition where he represents the entire creation as one being, with us looking forward to entrance upon another life. we are satisfied that our present life is not all, that we await another and true life. likewise the sun awaits the restoration coming to it, to the earth and all creatures, when they shall be purified from the contaminating abuse of the devil and the world. 6. and this condition is to come about when the children of god are revealed. true, they are god's children on earth, but they have not yet entered into their glory. similarly, the sun is not now in possession of its real glory, for it is subject to evil; it awaits the appointed time when its servitude shall cease. with all creation and with the true saints it waits and longs, being meanwhile subject to vanity--that is, the devil and the wicked world--for the sake of god alone, who subjects, yet leaves hope that the trial shall not continue forever. 7. we are children of god now on earth. we are blessed if we believe and are baptized, as it is written: "he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." mk 16, 16. and again: "as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of god, even to them that believe on his name." jn 1, 12. baptism is a visible rite and we behold with mortal vision those who receive it; the word of the gospel we hear, and we have in ourselves the witness of the holy spirit that our faith, however weak, is acceptable to god. but who among men recognizes us as children of god? who will apply the term to a class imprisoned and tortured and tormented in every conceivable way, as if they were children of the devil, condemned and accursed souls? 8. not without significance is paul's assertion that the glory of god's children is now unmanifest but shall be revealed in them. in colossians 3, 3-4 he declares: "ye died, and your life is hid with christ in god. when christ, who is our life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory." so long as god's children are here upon earth they are not arrayed in the garb of his own, but wear the livery of the devil. it would be fitting for the children of the devil to be bound, fettered and imprisoned and to suffer all manner of misfortune; but it does not so come to pass. they have the world's pleasures. they are wealthy and powerful, have honor and money in plenty and withal bear god's name and wear the garb of his children, as if having his approval. meanwhile they regard us as heretics and enemies of god. thus the rightful order of things is reversed: they who are god's appear to be the devil's, and the devil's to be god's. this condition is painful to the pious. indeed, heaven and earth and all creatures cry out in complaining protest, unwilling to be subject to evil and to suffer the abuse of the ungodly; to endure that dishonor of god that opposes the hallowing of his name, the extension of his kingdom and the execution of his will on earth as in heaven. 9. because god's children are thus unrevealed and denied their true insignia, all creation, as paul says, cries out with them for the lord god to rend the heavens and come down to distinguish his children from those of the devil. considering the unrevealed state of god's own on earth, the ungodly in their great blindness are not able to discern them. the doctrine of the righteous which magnifies god's grace manifest in christ is by the wicked termed error, falsehood, heresy and diabolical teaching. so paul says the whole creation waits for the manifestation of the children of god. the christian's glory to be revealed. john, also, says: "beloved, now are we children of god, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. we know that, if he shall be manifested, we shall be like him." 1 jn 3, 2. that is, when our lord jesus christ comes with his loved angels and we are drawn up into the clouds to meet him in the air, he will bring to god's children a glory consistent with their name. they will be far more splendidly arrayed than were the children of the world in their lifetime, who went about in purple and velvet and ornaments of gold, and as the rich man, in silk. then shall they wear their own livery and shine as the sun in the kingdom of their father. such is the wonderful glory of the revelation that the radiant beauty of poor lazarus who lay in wretchedness at the rich man's gate surpasses all expectation. upon this topic, see wisdom of solomon, chapter 5, 2ff. 10. the hope of this wonderful glory, paul says, is ours and that of all creation with us, for creation is to be purified and renewed for our sakes. then will we be impressed with the grandeur of the sun, the majesty of the trees and the beauty of the flowers. having so much in prospect, we should, in the buoyancy of our hope, attach little importance to the slight suffering that may be our earthly lot. what is it compared to the glory to be revealed in us? doubtless in yonder life we shall reproach ourselves with the thought: "how foolish i was! i am unworthy to be called the child of god, for i esteemed myself all too highly on earth and placed too little value upon this surpassing glory and happiness. were i still in the world and with the knowledge i now have of the heavenly glory, i would, were it possible, suffer a thousand years of imprisonment, or endure illness, persecution or other misfortunes. now i have proven true that all the sufferings of the world are nothing measured by the glory to be manifested in the children of god." 11. we find many, even among nominal christians, with so little patience they scarce can endure a word of criticism, even when well deserved. rather than suffer from the world some slight reproach, some trifling loss, for the sake of the gospel, they will renounce that gospel and christ. but how will it be in the day of revelation? beloved, let us be wise now and not magnify our temporal sufferings; let us patiently submit to them as does creation, according to paul's teaching. we may imagine the earth saying: "i permit myself to be plowed and cultivated for man's benefit, notwithstanding the christians whom i bless are in the minority, the great mass of those profiting by me being wicked men. what am i to do? i will endure the conditions and permit myself to be tilled because my creator so orders; meanwhile i hope for a different order eventually, when i shall no longer be subject to wickedness and obliged to serve god's enemies." 12. peter also alludes to the new order of creation, saying: "the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat ... but according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." 2 pet 3, 10 and 13. in other words: here on earth men as a rule are dishonorable and wicked and obey not the will of the lord god as it is done in heaven; but the day will come when only righteousness and holiness shall dwell on the earth--none but godly, righteous souls. as in heaven all is righteousness, the devil being banished, so on the last day, satan and all the ungodly shall be thrust from the earth. then will there be none but holy ones in both heaven and earth, who will in fullness of joy possess all things. these will be the elect. this is peter's meaning in the words, "according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." paul adds that all creation waits with us for the revelation, groaning and crying out in anguish. 13. but paul protects the creature from condemnation and reproach for sinful submission to abuse. he says, in effect: "true, it is subject to vanity, yet not willingly." likewise i do not desire to suffer reproach as a heretic and a deceiver, but i endure it for god's sake, who permits it. this attitude on my part does not make me partaker of the sin committed against me by enemies of the truth who reproach me. the case is the same as that of the creature suffering abuse for the sake of him who has subjected it. and you christians are to imitate the example of creation. the sun seems to say: "great god, i am thy creature; therefore i will perform, i will suffer, whatsoever is the divine will." so when the lord god sends upon you some affliction and says, "endure a little suffering for my sake; i will largely repay it," you are to say: "yes, gladly, blessed lord. because it is thy will, i will suffer it with a willing heart." of hope. it also belongs to the consolation against suffering to be conscious that the suffering will not last forever, but will sometime have an end--on the day of judgment, when the godless shall be separated from the godly. for this life on earth is nothing else than a masquerade where people walk in masks, and one sees another different than he is. he who appears to be an angel is a devil, and those considered the children of the devil are angels and the children of our dear lord. hence it is that they are attacked, plagued, martyred and put to death as heretics and children of the devil. this masquerade must be tolerated until the day of judgment; when the wicked will be unmasked and will no longer be able to pass as holy people.[1] the text now continues: "that the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of god." "[because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of god.]" [footnote 1: this paragraph is from the pamphlet edition of 1535.] 14. we christians are not the only beings to receive deliverance, paul declares; the creature in bondage has the same hope of release as the poor, enslaved human being. sun, moon and every other created thing is captive to the devil and to wicked people, and must serve them in every form of sin and vice. hence these sigh and complain, waiting for the manifestation of the children of god, when the devil and the ungodly shall be thrust into hell, and for all eternity be denied sight of sun and moon, the enjoyment of a drop of water or a breath of air, and forever deprived of every blessing. 15. so the apostle tells us, "creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption." in other words, creation must now subserve most shameful ends. sun, moon and all creatures must be slaves to the devil and the ungodly because god so desires. he wills for his beautiful creation to lie at the feet of satan and his adherents and to serve them for the present. likewise many a sensitive heart is compelled to obey a tyrant or a turk because the lord has imposed that servitude upon it. some may even have to clean the turk's boots, or perform still more menial duties, and in addition suffer all sorts of indignities from that individual. 16. these words, "creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption," signify that all created things must until the final reckoning be servants and menials, not to the godly, but to the devil and wicked men. paul himself regards with pity the sun and other creatures because of their forced service to satan and to tyrannical beings. the created works no more desire such servility than we desire subjection to the turk. nevertheless, they submit and wait--for what? the glorious liberty of the children of god. then shall they be released from slavery and be no longer bound to serve the wicked and worthless. more than that, in their freedom they will have a grandeur far in excess of their present state and shall minister only unto god's children. they will be done with bondage to the devil. "for we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now." 17. paul uses forcible language here. creation is aware, he says, not only of its future deliverance from the bondage of corruption, but of its future grandeur. it hopes for the speedy coming of its glory, and waits with the eagerness of a maiden for the dance. seeing the splendor reserved for itself, it groans and travails unceasingly. similarly, we christians groan and intensely desire to have done at once with the turks, the pope, and the tyrannical world. who would not weary of witnessing the present knavery, ungodliness and blasphemy against christ and his gospel, even as lot wearied of the ungodliness he beheld in sodom? thus paul says that creation groaneth and travaileth while waiting for the revelation and the glorious liberty of the children of god. 18. "and not only so," he adds, "but ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for our adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body." we pray, we cry with great longing, in the lord's prayer, "thy kingdom come," meaning: "help, dear lord, and speed the blessed day of thy second advent, that we may be delivered from the wicked world, the devil's kingdom, and may be released from the awful distress we suffer--inwardly from our own consciences and outwardly from the wicked. afflict to the limit these old bodies of ours so long as we may obtain others not sinful, as these; not given to iniquity and disobedience; bodies that can never know illness, persecution or death; bodies delivered from all physical and spiritual distress and made like unto thine own glorified body, dear lord jesus christ. thus may we finally realize our glorious redemption. amen." 19. paul uses a peculiar word here in the text, which we cannot render by any other in our language than "travail." it carries the idea of pains and pangs such as a woman knows in childbirth. the mother's ardent desire is to be delivered. she longs for it with an intensity that all the wealth, honor, pleasure and power of the world could not awaken. this is precisely the meaning of the word paul applies to creation. he declares it to be in travail, suffering pain and anguish in the extremity of its desire for release. but who can discern the anguish of creation? reason cannot believe, nor human wisdom imagine, the thing. "it is impossible," declares reason. "the sun cannot be more glorious, more pleasing and beneficent. and what is lacking with the moon and stars and the earth? who says the creature is in travail or unwillingly suffers its present state?" the writer of the text, however, declares creation to be weary of present conditions of servitude, and as eager for liberation as a mother for deliverance in the hour of her anguish. truly it is with spiritual sight, with apostolic vision, that paul discerns this fact in regard to creation. he turns away from this world, oblivious to the joys and the sufferings of earthly life, and boasts alone of the future, eternal life, unseen and unexperienced. thus he administers real and effectual comfort to christians, pointing them to a future life for themselves and all created things after this sinful life shall have an end. 20. therefore, believers in christ are to be confident of eternal glory, and with sighs and groans to implore the lord god to hasten the blessed day of the realization of their hopes. for so christ has taught us to pray in the lord's prayer, "thy kingdom come." may he who has commanded give us grace and strength to perform, and a firm faith in our future glory. our faith is not to be exercised for the attainment of earthly riches, but as a means to bring us into another life. we are not baptized unto the present life, nor do we receive the gospel as ministering to our temporal good; these things are to point us to yonder eternal life. god grant the speedy coming of the glad day of our redemption, when we shall realize all these blessings, which now we hear of and believe in through the word. amen. _fifth sunday after trinity_ text: 1 peter 3, 8-15. 8 finally, be ye all like-minded, compassionate, loving as brethren, tender-hearted, humble-minded: 9 not rendering evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but contrariwise blessing; for hereunto were ye called, that ye should inherit a blessing. 10 for, he that would love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: 11 and let him turn away from evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and pursue it. 12 for the eyes of the lord are upon the righteous, and his ears unto their supplication: but the face of the lord is upon them that do evil. 13 and who is he that will harm you, if ye be zealous of that which is good? 14 but even if ye should suffer for righteousness' sake, blessed are ye: and fear not their fear, neither be troubled; 15 but sanctify in your hearts christ as lord. exhortation to the fruits of faith. 1. here you have enumerated again a long list of eminently good works enjoined upon christians who believe and have confessed their faith in the gospel. by such fruits is faith to be manifest. peter classifies these works according to the obligations of christians to each other, and their obligations to enemies and persecutors. 2. immediately preceding the text, peter has been instructing concerning the domestic relations of husband and wife; how they should live together as christians in love and companionship, giving due honor and patiently and reasonably bearing with each other. now he extends the exhortation to christians in general, enjoining them to live together in christian love, like brothers and sisters of a household. in the rehearsal of many preëminently noble virtues and works, he portrays the ideal church, beautiful in its outward adornment, in the grace wherewith it shines before men. with such virtues the church pleases and honors god, while angels behold with joy and delight. and what earthly thing is more desirable to man's sight? what happier and more pleasing society may he seek than the company of those who manifest a unity of heart, mind and will; brotherly love, meekness, kindliness and patience, even toward enemies? surely, no man is too depraved to command such goodness and to desire companionship among people of this class. 3. the first virtue is one frequently mentioned by the apostles. paul, for instance, in romans 12, 16, says: "be of the same mind one toward another." also in ephesians 4, 3: "giving diligence to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace." harmony is the imperative virtue for the christian church. before the other virtues--love, meekness--can be manifest, there must first be concord and unity of heart among all. it is impossible that outward circumstances of human life be always the same; much dissimilarity in person, station, and occupation is inevitable. to this very unlikeness and to the natural depravity of flesh and blood is due the discord and disagreement of men in this world. let one become conscious of personal superiority in point of uprightness, learning, skill or natural ability, or let him become aware of his loftier station in life, and he immediately grows self-complacent, thinks himself better than his fellows, demands honor and recognition from all men, is unwilling to yield to or serve an inferior and thinks himself entitled to such right and privilege because of his superiority and virtue. 4. pride is the common vice of the world, and the devil fosters it among his numerous followers thereby causing every sort of misery and unhappiness, corrupting all ranks and stations, and rendering men vicious, depraved and incapable of executing good. in opposition to this vice the apostles diligently admonish christians to be of one mind, regardless of station or occupation, since every individual must remain in the position to which he has been ordained and called of god. all ranks and stations cannot be one. particularly is this true in the church; for in addition to the outward difference of person, station, and so on, there are manifold divine gifts unequally distributed and varyingly imparted. yet these many dissimilarities, both spiritual and secular, are to be amenable to the unity of the spirit, as paul calls it, or a spiritual unity. just as the members of the physical body have different offices and perform different functions, no one member being able to do the work of the other, and yet all are in the unity of one bodily life; so also christians, whatever the dissimilarity of language, office and gift among them, must live, increase and be preserved in unity and harmony of mind, as in one body. 5. this matter of harmony is the first and most necessary commandment enjoined by the doctrine of faith; ay, this virtue is the first fruit which faith is to effect among christians, who are called in one faith and baptism. it is to be the beginning of their christian love. for true faith necessarily creates in all believers the spirit that reasons: "we are all called by one word, one baptism and holy spirit, to the same salvation; we are alike heirs of the grace and the blessings of god. although one has more and greater gifts than another, he is not on that account better before god. by grace alone, without any merit of ours, we are pleasing to god. before him none can boast of himself." 6. how can i think myself better than another by reason of my person or my gifts, rank or office? or what more than i has another to boast of before god concerning himself? no one has a different baptism or sacrament, a different christ, from mine, or grace and salvation other than i have. and no individual can have another faith than have christians in general, nor does he hear any other gospel or receive a different absolution, be he lord or servant, noble or ignoble, poor or rich, young or old, italian or german. when one imagines himself different from or better than his fellows, desiring to exalt and glorify himself above others, he is truly no longer a christian; because he is no longer in that unity of mind and faith essential to christians. christ with his grace is always the same, and cannot be divided or apportioned within himself. 7. not without reason did the beloved apostles urge this point. they clearly saw how much depends upon it, and what evil and harm result from disregard of the commandment. where this commandment is dishonored, schisms and factions will necessarily arise to corrupt pure doctrine and faith, and the devil will sow his seed, which afterwards can be eradicated only with difficulty. when once self-conceit rules, and one, pretending more learning, wisdom, goodness and holiness than his fellows, begins to despise others and to draw men to himself, away from the unity of mind which makes us one in christ, and when he desires the first praise and commendation for his own doctrine and works, his own preaching, then the harm is already done; faith is overthrown and the church is rent. when unity becomes division, certainly two sects cannot both be the true church. if one is godly, the other must be the devil's own. on the other hand, so long as unity of faith and oneness of mind survives, the true church of god abides, notwithstanding there may be some weakness in other points. of this fact the devil is well aware; hence his hostility to christian unity. his chief effort is to destroy harmony. "having that to contend with," he tells himself, "my task will be a hard and wearisome one." 8. therefore, christians should be all the more careful to cherish the virtue of harmony, both in the church and in secular government. in each instance there is of necessity much inequality. god would have such dissimilarity balanced by love and unity of mind. let everyone be content, then, with what god has given or ordained for him, and let him take pleasure in another's gifts, knowing that in eternal blessings he is equally rich, having the same god and christ, the same grace and salvation; and that although his standing before god may differ from that of his fellows, he is nevertheless in no way inferior to them, nor is anyone for the same reason at all better than or superior to himself. 9. in temporal affairs, every inequality in the world can be harmonized by a unity of mind and heart. in relations other than spiritual there is mutual love and friendship. how great the outward dissimilarity between man and wife--in person, nature and employment! likewise between masters and their subjects. yet, in mutual conscientiousness they mutually agree and are well satisfied with each other. so it would be possible to enjoy life upon earth in peace and happiness were it not that the devil cannot suffer it. he must divide hearts and alienate love, allowing no one to take pleasure in another. he who is illustrious, of noble birth, or has power or riches, feels bound to despise others as silly geese or witless ducks. sympathy a christian virtue. 10. the other virtues enjoined by peter are easily recognized--"compassionate, loving as brethren, tenderhearted, and humbleminded" [luther translates "friendly"--courteous]. these particularly teach that christians should esteem one another. god has subjected them all to love and has united them, with the design that they shall be of one heart and soul, and each care for the other as for himself. peter's exhortation was especially called for at that time, when christians were terribly persecuted. here a pastor, there a citizen, was thrown into prison, driven from wife, child, house and home, and finally executed. such things happen even now, and may become yet more frequent considering that unfortunate people are harassed by tyrants, or led away by the turks, and christians are thus dispersed in exile here and there. wherever by his word and faith god has gathered a church, and that spiritual unity, the bond of christianity, exists in any measure, there the devil has no peace. if he cannot effect the destruction of that church by factiousness, he furiously persecutes it. then it is that body, life and everything we have must be jeopardized--put to the stake--for the sake of the church. 11. christians, according to peter, should, in the bond of a common heart and mind, sympathetically share the troubles and sufferings of their brethren in the faith, whoever and wherever the brethren may be. they are to enter into such distresses as if themselves suffering, and are to reason: "behold, these suffer for the sake of my precious faith, and standing at the front, are exposed to the devil, while i have peace. it does not become me to rejoice in my security and to manifest my pleasure. for what befalls my dear brethren affects me, and my blessings are the cause of their misfortune. i must participate in their suffering as my own." according to the admonition of hebrews 13, 3: "remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; that is, as if in the same bonds and distress. remember them that are illtreated, as being yourselves also in the body;" as members of the same body. 12. we are all bound to one another, just as in the body one member is bound to another. as you know by your own physical experience, "whether one member suffereth, all the members suffer with it; or one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it," as paul says in 1 corinthians 12, 26. note how, when a foot is trodden upon or a finger pinched, the whole body is affected: eyes twitch, nose is contorted, mouth cries out--all the members are ready to rescue and help. no one member can forsake the others. in reality not the foot or the finger is injured, but the whole body suffers the accident. on the other hand, benefit received by one member is pleasing to all, and the whole body rejoices with it. now the same principle should hold in the church, because it likewise is one body of many members with one mind and heart. such unity naturally entails the participation by each individual in the good and evil of every other one. 13. this virtue of sympathy, resulting as it does from a unity of mind and faith, is impossible to the world. in the world every man looks only upon what benefits himself and regards not how others, especially the godly, fare. indeed, the world is capable of scornful smiles and extreme pleasure at sight of christians in poverty and distress, and in their sufferings it can give them vinegar and gall to drink. but you who claim to be a christian, should know it is yours to share the sufferings of your brethren and to prove your heartfelt sympathy with them. if you cannot do more, at least show it with comforting words or prayer. their suffering concerns you as well as themselves, and you must expect the same afflictions from the devil and the wicked world. of love. 14. "loving as brethren." this virtue must prevail among christians everywhere. they are to manifest toward one another the love and faithfulness of brothers according to the flesh. it is a law of nature that brothers have a peculiar confidence in one another, being of the same blood and flesh and having a common inheritance. particularly is this true when in distress. although they may not be united in other respects, yet when stranger blood assails and necessity comes, they of the same flesh and blood will take one another's part, uniting person, property and honor. 15. likewise christians should exercise a peculiar brotherly love and faithfulness toward one another, as having one father in heaven and one inheritance, and in the bond of christianity being of one faith, united in heart and mind. none may despise another. them among us who are still weak, frail and eccentric in faith and morals, we are to treat with gentleness, kindness and patience. they must be exhorted, comforted, strengthened. we should do by them as do the brothers and sisters of a household toward the member who is weak or frail or in need. indeed we cannot otherwise dwell in peace. if we are to live together we must bear with one another much weakness, trouble and inconvenience; for we cannot all be equally strong in faith and courage and have equal gifts and possessions. there is none without his own numerous weaknesses and faults, which he would have others tolerate. of mercy. 16. "tenderhearted, humbleminded" [friendly]. here peter has in mind mankind in general--friends and enemies, christians and persecutors. owing to original sin, man is naturally disposed to seek revenge, especially upon those who injure him without cause. if he can do no more, he at least maliciously invokes evil upon his enemy and rejoices in his misfortune. now, christians more than any others in this world are innocently persecuted, injured, oppressed and aggrieved, even by those having the name and honor of christians, a thing of frequent occurrence today. god's people are aggrieved by such treatment, and if the natural instinct of flesh and blood could have its way, they would gladly revenge themselves; just as they of the world mutually exercise their revenge, not content until passion is cooled. 17. but a christian should not, and indeed consistently he cannot, be unmerciful and vindictive, for he has become a child of god, whose mercy he has accepted and therein continues to live. he cannot seek pleasure in injury to his neighbor or enjoy his misfortune. he cannot maintain a bitter or hard and stubborn heart toward him. rather he is disposed to show mercy even to his hostile neighbor, and to pity his blindness and misery; for he recognizes that neighbor as under god's wrath and hastening to everlasting ruin and condemnation. thus the christian is already more than revenged on his enemy. therefore he should be friendly towards the hostile neighbor and do him every kindness he will permit, in an effort to lead him to repentance. 18. yet, in showing mercy, as frequently enjoined heretofore we are not to interfere with just and ordained punishments. god's word does not teach us to demand mercy or commend kindness where sin and evil practices call for punishment, as the world would have us believe when their sins merit rebuke, particularly the vices of those in high places. these transgressors claim that when reproved their honor is assailed and occasion is given for contempt of their office and authority, and for rebellion, a thing not to be tolerated. this is not true. the lesson teaches the duty of each individual toward all other individuals, not toward the god-ordained office. office and person must be clearly distinguished. the officer or ruler in his official capacity is a different man from what he is as john or frederick. the apostle or preacher differs from the individual peter or paul. the preacher has not his office by virtue of his own personality; he represents it in god's stead. now, if any person be unjustly persecuted, slandered and cursed, i ought to and will say: "thank god;" for in god i am richly rewarded for it. but if one dishonors my baptism or sacrament, or the word god has commanded me to speak, and so opposes not me but himself, then it is my duty not to be silent nor merciful and friendly, but to use my god-ordained office to admonish, threaten and rebuke, with all earnestness, both in season and out of season--as paul says in 2 timothy 4, 2--those who err in doctrine or faith or who do not amend their lives; and this regardless of who they are or how it pleases them. 19. but the censured may say: "nevertheless you publicly impugn my honor; you give me a bad reputation." i answer: why do you not complain to him who committed the office to me? my honor is likewise dear to me, but the honor of my office must be more sacred still. if i am silent where i ought to rebuke, i sully my own honor, which i should maintain before god in the proper execution of my office; hence i with you deserve to be hanged in mid-day, to the utter extinguishment of my honor and yours. no, the gospel does not give you authority to say the preacher shall not, by the word of god, tell you of your sin and shame. what does god care for the honor you seek from the world when you defy his word with it? to the world you may seem to defend your honor with god and a good conscience, but in reality you have nothing to boast of before god but your shame. this very fact you must confess if you would retain your honor before him; you must place his honor above that of all creatures. the highest distinction you can achieve for yourself is that of honoring god's word and suffering rebuke. 20. "yes, but still you attack the office to which i am appointed." no, dear brother, our office is not assailed when i and you are reminded of our failure to do right, to conduct the office as we should. but the word of god rebukes us for dishonoring that divinely ordained appointment and abusing it in violation of his commandment. therefore you cannot call me to account for reproving you. however, were i not a pastor or preacher, and had i no authority to rebuke you, then it would be my duty and my pleasure to leave your honor and that of every other man unscathed. but if i am to fill a divine office and to represent not my own but god's dignity, then for your own sake i must not and will not be silent. if you do wrong, and disgrace and dishonor come upon you, blame yourself. "thy blood shall be upon thine own head," says scripture, 1 kings 2, 37. certainly when a judge sentences a thief to the gallows, that man's honor is impugned. who robs you of your honor but yourself, by your own theft, your contempt of god, disobedience, murder, and so on? god must give you what you deserve. if you consider it a disgrace to be punished, then consider it also no honor to rob, steal, practice usury and do public wrong; you disgrace yourself by dishonoring god's commandment. 21. this much by way of reminder of the difference between official rebuke and personal anger and revenge. it must constantly be kept before us because of the artfulness of flesh and blood, which ever seeks to disregard that difference. true, god would have all men to be merciful and friendly, to forgive and not to avenge wrong; but the office, which is ordained for the punishment of the wicked, will not always admit of that course. few are willing to forgive, and therefore god must enforce his government over the merciless. they must be punished without mercy. this divine principle must not be restricted. neither must it be applied beyond measure. every official must be careful not to exceed the demands of his office, exercising his own revenge, his own envy and hatred, in the name and under pretense of that position. 22. peter continues to expatiate upon this topic--the good works he has been discussing: gentleness, mercy, friendliness--citing beautiful passages of scripture and using other exhortations--to incite christians to practice these virtues. he says: "not rendering evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but contrariwise blessing: for hereunto were ye called, that ye should inherit a blessing." 23. we have now seen whose prerogative it is to avenge, rebuke and punish evil. this passage does not refer to official duty. when the judge declares sentence of execution upon a thief we have truly an instance of vengeance and reproach, and a public and extreme reflection upon honor. but it is god's judgment and his doing, with which we are not here concerned. the christian of true faith and innocent life, who confesses his doctrine and belief, and as he is commanded rebukes opposing forces, will provoke the devil and the world, and will be persecuted, oppressed and harassed in the name of office and right, even by individuals whose official duty it is to protect the godly and restrain unjust power. if these cannot do more, they will at least annoy, hinder and oppose that christian as far as possible. if the christian be quick-tempered and fail to curb his anger and impatience, he will effect no good. he will only bring upon himself that disquiet of heart which consumes and worries itself with thoughts of revenge and retaliation upon the offender; which when the devil perceives, he rejoices. he so urges and instigates as to cause more mischief on both sides. thus he doubly injures the christian--through his enemy and through the anger wherewith the christian torments himself and spoils his own peace. of patience. 24. what then shall we do, you say, when we must suffer such abuse and without redress? the only resource, peter says, is to possess your heart in patience and commit the matter to god. this is all that remains when they whose duty it is will not help you, nor restrain and punish the wrong, but even do you violence themselves. if the evil receive not judicial punishment, let it go unpunished until god looks into it. only see that you keep a quiet conscience and a loving heart, not allowing yourself, on account of the devil and wicked men, to be disturbed and deprived of your good conscience, your peaceful heart and your god-given blessing. but if in your official capacity you are commanded to punish the evil, or if you can obtain protection and justice from rightful authorities, avail yourself of these privileges without anger, hatred or bitterness, ay, with a heart that prompts to give good for evil and blessing for reviling. 25. such conduct is becoming you as christians, the apostle says, for you are a people called to inherit a blessing. oh, wonderful and glorious fact, that god has decreed and appropriated to you this blessing whereby all the riches of his grace and everything good are yours! and that he will abundantly give you his spirit to remain with you, blessing body and soul, if only you hold fast his grace and do not allow yourselves to be deprived of it. what price would you not gladly pay for this blessing, were it purchasable, instead of being freely given, without your merits, and were you privileged thus to buy the assurance of having a god so gracious, one willing to bless you in time and eternity? who would not willingly give even body and life, or joyfully undergo all suffering to have the perfect assurance of heart which says: "i know i am a child of god, who has received me into his grace and i live in the sure hope that i will be eternally blessed and saved." think, peter says, what a vast difference god makes between you and others because you are christians. he has appointed you to be heirs of everlasting grace and blessing and of eternal life. but they who are not christians--what have they but a terrible sentence like a weight about their necks? the sentence pronouncing them children of the curse and of eternal condemnation. 26. if men would take this to heart, it would be easy by teaching and persuasion to win them to friendship and kindness toward their fellow-men; to induce them not to return evil or reviling from motive of revenge, but when their own privileges and protection and the punishment of evil cannot be obtained, quietly and peaceably to suffer injury rather than lose their eternal comfort and joy. christians have excellent reason, a powerful motive, for being patient and not revengeful or bitter in the fact that they are so richly blessed of god and given that great glory whereof, as peter afterwards remarks, they cannot be deprived, nor can they suffer its loss, if only they abide in it. the apostle emphasizes this fact and further persuades christians by citing the beautiful passage in psalm 34, 12-16: "he that would love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: and let him turn away from evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and pursue it. for the eyes of the lord are upon the righteous, and his ears unto their supplication: but the face of the lord is upon them that do evil." 27. these words the holy spirit uttered long ago through the prophet david, for the instruction and admonition of all saints and children of god. david presents to us the matter as he daily saw it in his own life and learned from his own experience, and as he gathered from examples of the dear fathers from the beginning of the world. "come hither, dear children," he would say, "if you will be taught and advised, i will give you sound instruction as to how we are to fear god and become his children. who desires peace and comfort?" "oh, who would not desire peace and comfort?" cries the world. for these everyone seeks and strives, and all the efforts of the world are directed toward this end. the christian's peace. 28. there are two ways to the goal of peace. one is that chosen by the world. the world seeks to obtain peace by preserving its own with violence. it desires the death of all who oppose it and will suffer injury or evil in word or deed from no one. this method, it is true, is appointed to governmental authority. it is the duty of civil rulers to faithfully employ it to arrest and hinder evil as far as possible. but they can never wholly restrain evil nor punish every offense. much wickedness will remain, particularly secret evil, which must punish itself, either by repentance here or in hell hereafter. by this procedure christians will not accomplish for themselves any personal advantage; the world is too wicked and it will not give them support. 29. therefore, if you desire peace for yourself personally, particularly as a christian, you must choose another way. the psalm shows it to you when it says: "refrain thy tongue from evil, and thy lips that they speak no guile." this injunction really applies to doctrine, meaning that we are to abide by the true word of god and not to allow ourselves to be seduced by false teaching. but peter here extends the application to the outward life and conduct of christians in the work, the circumstances being such as to call for this admonition in the matter of refraining the tongue. on account of the faith and confession for which men are called christians, they must suffer much; they are endangered, hated, persecuted, oppressed and harassed by the whole world. christ foretold (mt 10, 22): "ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake." easily, then, christians, might believe they have cause to return evil, and being still flesh and blood mortals, they are inevitably moved to be angry and to curse, or to forsake their confession and doctrine and with unbelievers to join the false church with its idolatrous teaching. here the psalm admonishes: dear christian, let not all this move you to rave, curse, blaspheme and revile again, but abide in the blessing prepared for you to inherit; for you will not by violence remedy matters or obtain any help. the world will remain as it is, and will continue to hate and persecute the godly and believing. of what use is it for you to hate, chafe and curse against its attitude? you only disturb your own heart with bitterness, and deprive yourself thereby of the priceless blessing bestowed upon you. 30. we have the same teaching in the fourth verse of psalm 4, which comforts saints and strengthens them against the temptation and provocation to anger and impatience which they must experience in the world. "be ye angry," david says, "and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still." that is, although according to the nature of flesh and blood you fret because you are compelled to witness the prosperity of the world in its ungodly life and wickedness, and how it spites, despises and persecutes you with pride and insolence, nevertheless let not yourselves be easily provoked; let wrong, displeasure, vexation and worry remain outside the inner life; let them affect only the outward life, body and possessions. by no means let them become rooted in your heart. still your hearts and content yourselves, and regard all this vexation as not worth losing sleep over. if you desire to serve god truly and to render acceptable sacrifice to him, then with faith in his word place your hope in him as your dear father who cares for you, hears you and will wondrously support you. guarding the lips. 31. but the psalmist's additional words, "refrain your lips that they speak no guile," refer, as i have said, primarily to confession of the doctrine; but there is another thought: when one is prompted to anger and to complaint about injury and wrong, in his impatience and irritation he cannot speak fairly concerning the matter of offense, but invariably exaggerates. so it is with anger and retaliation. one receiving but a pin-point wound will fly into a passion and be ready to break the offender's head. the individual that suffers a single adverse word immediately proceeds to abuse and slander in the extreme his opponent. in short, an angry heart knows no moderation and cannot equally repay, but must make of a splinter, even a mote, a great beam, or must fan a tiny spark into a volcano of flame, by retaliating with reviling and cursing. yet it will not admit that it does wrong. it would, if possible, actually murder the offender, thus committing a greater wrong than it has suffered. 32. so wicked and unjust is human nature that when offended it stops not with equal measure in retribution; it goes beyond and in its anger and revenge spares neither the neighbor's honor nor his body and life. james 1, 20 says: "the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of god"; that is, it suffers not a man to abide in his faith and good conscience. but official indignation, which is god's wrath, does not so. it seeks not the destruction of man, but only the punishment of the actual fault. man's anger and revenge, so wicked and insatiable are they, return ten blows for one, or even double that number, and repay a single abusive word with a hundred. 33. so peter admonishes you to restrain your tongues, to curb them, lest they suddenly escape your control and sin with wicked words, doing injury double that you have received. guard your lips that your mouth utter not guile or falsehood through your anger, and that it may not calumniate, abuse and slander your neighbor contrary to truth and justice and in violation of the eighth commandment. such conduct is, before god and man, unbecoming a christian and leads to that most disgraceful vice of slander, which god supremely hates. it is the devil's own, whence he has his name of liar or slanderer--diabolus, or devil. good works. 34. the psalm says further: "turn away from evil and do good"; that is, beware lest on account of the wickedness of another you also become wicked, for anger and revenge meditate only harm and wickedness. therefore be all the more diligent to do good, if you can, that your heart may retain its honor and joy and that you may abide in righteousness, and not fall from god's grace and from obedience to him into the service of the devil. by anger and revenge the devil tempts you, endeavoring to get you again into his toils and to embitter your heart and conscience until you shall exceed others in sin. 35. "seek peace and pursue it," continues the apostle. this is a sublime exhortation, and faithful, divine counsel. you must not think, peter would say, that peace will run after you, or that the world--much less the devil--will bring it into your house. rather you will find the very opposite true. from without strife will be carried to you in bales, and within your own heart will be kindled anger and bitterness to fill you with everlasting disquiet. therefore if you desire peace, wait not until other people help you to obtain it, nor until you create it for yourself by force and revenge. begin with yourself. turn from the evil to the good. even undergo suffering to provide your heart with the peace which endures in spite of all that would rob you of it. strive ever to keep your heart firm in the resolve: i will not be angry nor seek revenge, but will commit my affairs to god and to those whose duty it is to punish evil and wrong-doing. as for my enemy, may god convert and enlighten him. and however much more of violence and wrong i may suffer, i will not allow my heart to be robbed of its peace. 36. notice, the way to preserve peace and to see good days even in evil times is to keep a silent tongue and a quiet heart through the comfort of divine grace and blessing. no outward occasion may be given for strife, but always peace is to be sought with good words, works and prayers. we must even pursue peace, follow after it, with genuine and strong suffering. thus we preserve it by force. in no other way can a christian see good days and hold fast his blessing. remember you must make strenuous effort if you would not reject your blessing nor be influenced by another to carelessly lie and otherwise sin with your tongue. flesh and blood are weak and sluggish in the matter of preserving peace, therefore peter strengthens his exhortation and further encourages us by the promise of god's help and protection for the faithful and his punishment of their enemies. he says: "for the eyes of the lord are upon the righteous, and his ears unto their supplication." 37. inscribe this verse upon your heart in firm faith and see if it does not bring you peace and blessings. try to believe that god sits above, sleepless and with his vigilant eye ever upon you. with watchful vision he beholds the righteous as they suffer violence and wrong. why will you complain and become discouraged by reason of the harm and grief you experience, when the gracious eyes of the true judge and god are upon you and his intent is to help you? all the wealth of the world would i give, if i might, to purchase that watchful care, or rather to obtain the requisite faith; for surely the lack is not in his regarding, but in our faith. god over all. 38. more than this, god's ears, the apostle tells us, are also open to the prayers of the righteous. as he looks upon you with gracious, winning eyes, so also are his ears alert to even the faintest sound. he hears your complaint, your sighing and prayer, and hears, too, willingly and with pleasure; as soon as you open your mouth, your prayer is heard and answered. 39. again, peter says: "the face of the lord is upon them that do evil." true, god's eyes are upon the righteous, but nevertheless he sees also the others. in this case he beholds not with a friendly look or gracious countenance, but with a displeased and wrathful face. when a man is angry the forehead frowns, the nostrils dilate and the eyes flash. such a manifestation of anger are we to understand by the scripture when it refers here to "the face of the lord." on the other hand it illustrates the pleased and gracious aspect of god by "the eyes of the lord." 40. now, why is "the face of the lord" upon evil-doers and what is its effect? certainly god's purpose is not to heed or to help them, to bestow blessing or success upon their evil-doing. his purpose is, according to the succeeding words in the psalm, "to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth." this is a terrible, an appalling sentence, before which a heart may well be prostrated as from a thunderbolt. and ungodly hearts would be thus appalled were they not so hardened as to despise god's word. 41. notwithstanding the indifference of the wicked, the sentence is passed. verily it is no jest with god. it illustrates how sincerely he cares for the righteous and how he will avenge them on the wicked, toward whom his countenance bespeaks punishment in due time and the cutting off of their memory from the earth. in contrast, the righteous, because they have feared god and abode in their piety though suffering for it, shall, even here upon earth, live to see blessing and prosperity upon their children's children. although for a time the company of the wicked conduct themselves with pride upon the earth, and imagine themselves secure beyond the possibility of being unseated, nevertheless when their hour comes they are suddenly hurled down from earth into the abyss of hell and must suffer the righteous to remain in possession of the earth. so testifies christ in matthew 5, 5, and psalm 37 more fully explains the matter. 42. it is proven by all the examples of scripture and also by the experience of the whole world from the beginning, that god casts down those who seek only to injure. they who have despised god's threats and angry countenance with security and defiance have at last experienced the fulfillment of these warnings and perished thereby. king saul thought to destroy godly david, to exterminate his root and branch and blot out his name as if he had been a rebellious, accursed man. but god effected the very opposite. because david in his sufferings and persecution walked in the fear of god and trusted him with simplicity, desiring no harm to his enemy, god's gracious eye was ever upon him and preserved him from that enemy. on the other hand, the angry face of god was bent upon king saul, and before david was aware of it the king had fallen, and his whole family met ruin with him; they were obliged to surrender crown and kingdom to the persecuted david. 43. christians should strengthen their faith with the comforting thought that god's gracious countenance is over them and he turns eye and ear toward them; and that on the other hand he looks with angry face upon their enemies and those seeking to injure, and will take a hand in their game, obliging them either to refrain from their evil-doing, or to perish by it. such retribution is certain. no one can live long without proving by his own experience and that of other men the truth of the proverb, "right will assert itself." however, we lack in faith and cannot wait god's hour. we think he delays too long and that we suffer too much. but in reality his time will come speedily, and we can well wait and endure if we believe in god, who but grants our enemies a brief opportunity to be converted. but their appointed hour is already at hand and they will not escape if it overtakes them without repentance. "and who is he that will harm you, if ye be zealous of that which is good? but even if ye should suffer for righteousness' sake, blessed are ye." 44. according to peter's words here, you have a very great advantage over all your enemies, whoever they be, in being richly endowed by god with eternal blessing. you know he will protect, support and avenge you, hence you abide in your faith and godliness. although your adversaries think to trouble and harm you, they can do you no real injury whatever they effect. for wherein can persecution harm if you strive for godliness and abide in it? not by malice, might and violence can your enemies take from you, or diminish, your piety and god's grace, his help and blessing. and even from all the bodily and temporal harm they can inflict, you suffer no loss. for the more they seek to injure you, the more they hasten their own punishment and destruction, and the greater is your recompense from god. by the very fact that they slander, disgrace, persecute and trouble you, they multiply your blessing with god and further your cause, for god must the sooner consider your case, supporting you and overthrowing them. they but prepare your reward and benefit by their wicked, venomous hatred, their envy, anger and fury. at the same time they effect for themselves conditions the very reverse. being condemned by their own evil consciences, they cannot in their hearts enjoy one good day, one peaceful hour; and they heap up for themselves god's wrath and punishment. 45. indeed, you are all the more blessed, temporally and eternally, peter declares, for the very reason that you suffer for righteousness' sake. you are so to regard the situation and to praise and thank god for your suffering. the apostle looks upon tribulation in this light and exalts it as supreme blessedness and a glorious thing. christ says in matthew 5, 11-12: "blessed are ye when men shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. rejoice and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven." oh, your adversaries should purchase a little of this comfort regardless of cost and boast of suffering a little for the sake of righteousness! could they understand the promise and be worthy of it, how intensely might they desire to have suffered all and much more than they thought to inflict upon you, if only they might be blessed and prove the comfort of this precious, divine promise! "fear not their fear, neither be troubled; but sanctify in your hearts christ as lord." 46. here again peter resorts to scripture and cites a verse from the prophet isaiah (ch. 8, 12-13) where he admonishes god's people not to be terror-stricken by the wrath and threats of men, but firmly and confidently to trust in god. the prophet speaks similarly in chapter 51, verse 7: "fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye dismayed at their revilings." as if he would say: why will you permit yourselves to be disturbed by the persecutions of men, however great, mighty and terrible enemies they may be, when you are blessed and happy in god to the extent that all creatures must pronounce you blessed? moreover, you know the eyes of your god behold you and his ears are open to your cry, and whatever you desire and pray for is heard and granted. more than this, your adversaries are threatened by his angry face. what are all men--tyrants, pope, turk, tartars, ay, the devil himself--compared to this lord, and what can they do against him, when and wheresoever he chooses to show his power? they are but as a straw to a mighty thunderbolt which makes the earth tremble. therefore, if you are indeed christians and believe in god you ought in no wise to fear all these adversaries, but rather, joyfully and with scornful courage to despise their defiance, their threatening and rage, as something utterly harmless to you; they are but effecting their own destruction in hurling themselves at the majesty before which all creatures must tremble. trust in god enjoined. 47. but this you are to do: sanctify god; that is, regard and honor him as holy. this is nothing else than to believe his word; be confident that in god you have truly one who, if you suffer for righteousness' sake, neither forgets nor forsakes, but graciously looks upon you and purposes to give his support and to revenge you on your enemies. such faith and confession honors him as the true god, upon whom man can confidently and joyfully call for help, reposing his whole trust in him upon the authority of his sure word and promise, which cannot deceive or fail. 48. in contrast, unbelievers cannot sanctify god; they cannot render him due honor, although they may talk much of him and display much divine worship. they do not accept god's word as the truth, but always remain in doubt. in the hour of suffering they deem themselves utterly forgotten and forsaken by the lord. therefore they murmur and fret, being very impatient and disobedient toward god. they rashly seek to protect and revenge themselves by their own power. that very conduct betrays them as beings without a god, as blind, miserable, condemned heathen. such are the great multitude of turks, jews, papists and unbelieving saints today throughout the world. _sixth sunday after trinity_ text: romans 6, 3-11. 3 or are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into christ jesus were baptized into his death? 4 we were buried therefore with him through baptism into death: that like as christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the father, so we also might walk in newness of life. 5 for if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection; 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin; 7 for he that hath died is justified from sin. 8 but if we died with christ, we believe that we shall also live with him; 9 knowing that christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death no more hath dominion over him. 10 for the death that he died, he died unto sin once: but the life that he liveth, he liveth unto god. 11 even so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto god in christ jesus. exhortation to christian living. 1. in this epistle lesson paul gives christians instruction concerning the christian life on earth, and connects with it the hope of the future and eternal life, in view of which they have been baptized and become christians. he makes of our earthly life a death--a grave--with the understanding, however, that henceforth the risen man and the newness of life should be found in us. and he treats of this doctrine because of an error that always prevails: when we preach that upon us is bestowed grace and the forgiveness of sins, without any merit on our part, people are disposed to regard themselves as free from obligation and will do no works except those to which their own desires prompt them. this was saint paul's experience when he so strongly commended the grace of christ and its consolation (ch. 5, 20), declaring that "where sin abounded, grace did abound more exceedingly," and that where there are many and great sins, there also reigns great, abundant and rich grace. the rude crowd cried: oh, is it true that great grace follows upon great sin? in that case we will cheerfully load ourselves with sin so that we may receive the greater grace. grace does not give license to sin. 2. such argument paul now confutes. he says: it is not the intention of the gospel to teach sin or to allow it; it teaches the very opposite--how we may escape from sin and from the awful wrath of god which it incurs. escape is not effected by any doings of our own, but by the fact that god, out of pure grace, forgives us our sins for his son's sake; for god finds in us nothing but sin and condemnation. how then can this doctrine give occasion or permission to sin when it is so diametrically opposed to it and teaches how it is to be blotted out and put away? 3. paul does not teach that grace is acquired through sin, nor that sin brings grace; he says quite the opposite--that "the wrath of god is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men," rom 1, 18. but because the sins of men which are taken away are so grievous and numerous, the grace which drowns and destroys them must be mighty and abundant also. where there is great thirst, a great draft is needed to quench it. where there is a mighty conflagration, powerful streams of water are necessary to extinguish it. in cases of severe illness, strong medicine is essential to a cure. but these facts do not give us authority to say: let us cheerfully drink to satiety that we may become more thirsty for good wine; or, let us injure ourselves and make ourselves ill that medicine may do us more good. still less does it follow that we may heap up and multiply sins for the purpose of receiving more abundant grace. grace is opposed to sin and destroys it; how then should it strengthen or increase it? 4. therefore he begins his sermon by inquiring, in this sixth chapter (verses 1-3): "what shall we say then? shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? god forbid. we who died to sin, how shall we any longer live therein?" in other words: how is it possible that because grace should destroy sin ye should live unto sin? and then, further to illustrate this, he says: "or are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into christ jesus were baptized into his death?" 5. he speaks here in figurative language to clearly and forcibly impress this matter upon us; ordinarily it would have been sufficient for him to ask: "we who died to sin, how shall we any longer live therein?" that is to say, inasmuch as ye have been saved from sin through grace, it is not possible that grace should command you to continue in sin, for it is the business of grace to destroy sin. now, in the figurative words above quoted, he wishes to vividly remind us what christ has bestowed upon us. he would say to us: do but call to mind why you are christians--you have been baptized into christ. do you know why and whereunto you have been baptized, and what it signifies that you have been baptized with water? the meaning is that not only have you there been washed and cleansed in soul through the forgiveness of sins, but your flesh and blood have been condemned, given over unto death, to be drowned, and your life on earth to be a daily dying unto sin. for your baptism is simply an overwhelming by grace--a gracious overwhelming--whereby sin in you is drowned; so may you remain subjects of grace and not be destroyed by the wrath of god because of your sin. therefore, if you let yourself be baptized, you give yourself over to gracious drowning and merciful slaying at the hands of your god, and say to him: drown and overwhelm me, dear lord, for gladly would i henceforth, with thy son, be dead to sin, that i may, with him, also live through grace. the power of baptism. 6. when he says, "all we who were baptized into christ jesus were baptized into his death," and again, "we were buried therefore with him through baptism into death," he speaks in his own pauline style concerning the power of baptism, which derives its efficacy from the death of christ. by his death he has paid for and taken away our sins; his death has been an actual strangling and putting to death of sin, and it no longer has dominion over him. so we, also, through his death have obtained forgiveness of sins; that sin may not condemn us, we die unto sin through that power which christ--because we are baptized into him--imparts to and works in us. 7. yea, he further declares that we are not only baptized into his death, but, by the same baptism, we are buried with him into death; for in his death he took our sins with him into the grave, burying them completely and leaving them there. and it follows that, for those who through baptism are in christ, sin is and shall remain completely destroyed and buried; but we, through his resurrection--which, by faith, gives us the victory over sin and death and bestows upon us everlasting righteousness and life--should henceforth walk in newness of life. 8. having these things through baptism, we dare no longer obey--live unto--the sin which still dwells in our flesh and blood in this life; we must daily strangle it so that it may have no power nor life in us if we desire to be found in the estate and life of christ. for he died unto sin, destroying it by his death and burying it in his grave; and he acquired life and the victory over sin and death by his resurrection, and bestows them upon us by baptism. the fact that christ himself had to die for sin is evidence of the severe wrath of god against sin. sin had to be put to death and laid away in the grave in the body of christ. thereby god shows us that he will not countenance sin in us, but has given us christ and baptism for the purpose of putting to death and burying sin in our bodies. 9. thus paul shows us in these words what has been effected by christ's death and burial, and what is the signification of our being buried with him. in the first place, christ was buried that he might, through forgiveness, cover up and destroy our sin, both that which we have actually committed and that which is inherent in us; he would not have it inculpate and condemn us. in the second place, he was buried that he might, through the holy spirit, mortify this flesh and blood with its inherent sinful lusts; they must no longer have dominion over us, but must be subject to the spirit until we are utterly freed from them. 10. thus, we still lie with christ in the grave according to the flesh. although it be true that we have the forgiveness of sins, that we are god's children and possess salvation, yet all this is not perceptible to our own senses or to the world. it is hidden in christ by faith until the judgment day. for we do not yet experience in ourselves such righteousness, such holiness, such life and such salvation as god's word describes and as faith expects to find. wherefore paul says in colossians 3, 3-4 (as we have heard in the easter sermons), "your life is hid with christ in god. when christ, who is our life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory." 11. on the other hand, we are outwardly oppressed with the cross and sufferings, and with the persecution and torments of the world and the devil, as with the weight of a heavy stone upon us, subduing our old sinful nature and checking us against antagonizing the spirit and committing other sins. "for if we have become united [planted together] with him in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection; knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin; for he that hath died is justified from sin." 12. this is another distinctly apostolic discourse. being baptized into christ's death and buried with him, to which paul had just referred, he here calls being united, or planted together, with christ in the likeness of his death. christ's death and resurrection and our baptism are intimately united with, and related to, one another. baptism is not to be regarded a mere empty sign, as anabaptists erroneously hold. in it is embodied the power of both christ's death and resurrection. hence paul says, "we are planted together with him," engrafted into him as a member of his body, so that he is a power in us and his death works in us. through baptism he dedicates us to himself and imparts to us the power of his death and resurrection, to the end that both death and life may follow in us. hence our sins are crucified through his death, taken away, that they may finally die in us and no longer live. 13. being placed under the water in baptism signifies that we die in christ. coming forth from the water teaches, and imparts to, us a new life in him, just as christ remained not in death, but was raised again to life. such life should not and can not be a life of sin, because sin was crucified before in us and we had to die to it. it must be a new life of righteousness and holiness, christ through his resurrection finally destroyed sin, because of which he had to die, and instead he brought to himself the true life of righteousness, and imparts it to us. hence we are said to be planted together with christ or united with him and become one, so that we both have in us the power of his death and resurrection. the fruits and results of this power will be found in us after we are baptized into him. 14. the apostle speaks consolingly of the death of the christian as a being planted, to show that the christian's death and sufferings on earth are not really death and harm, but a planting unto life; being redeemed, by the resurrection, from death and sin, we shall live eternally. for that which is planted is not planted unto death and destruction, but planted that it may sprout and grow. so christ was planted, through death, unto life; for not until he was released from this mortal life and from the sin which rested on him and brought him into death on our account, did he come into his divine glory and power. since this planting begins in baptism, as said, and we by faith possess life in christ, it is evident that this life must strike root in us and bear fruit. for that which is planted is not planted without purpose; it is to grow and bear fruit. so must we prove, by our new conversation and by our fruits, that we are planted in christ unto life. christian growth. 15. paul gives the reason for new growth. he says: "knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin." it does not become us, as baptized christians, to desire to remain in our old sinful estate. that is already crucified with christ; the sentence of condemnation upon it has been pronounced and carried out. for that is what being crucified means. just so, christ, in suffering crucifixion for our sins, bore the penalty of death and the wrath of god. christ, innocent and sinless, being crucified for our sins, sin must be crucified in our body; it must be utterly condemned and destroyed, rendered lifeless and powerless. we dare not, then, in any wise serve sin nor consent to it. we must regard it as actually condemned, and with all our power we must resist it; we must subdue and put it to death. 16. paul here makes a distinction. he says, "our old man was crucified with him [christ]," and "that the body of sin might be done away." he intimates that the "old man" and "the body of sin" are two different things. by the term "old man" he means not only the body--the grossly sinful deeds which the body commits with its five senses--but the whole tree with all its fruits, the whole man as he is descended from adam. in it are included body and soul, will, reason and understanding. both inwardly and outwardly, it is still under the sway of unbelief, impiety and disobedience. man is called old, not because of his years; for it is possible for a man to be young and strong and vigorous and yet to be without faith or a religious spirit, to despise god, to be greedy and vainglorious, or to live in pride or the conceit of wisdom and power. but he is called the old man because he is unconverted, unchanged from his original condition as a sinful descendant of adam. the child of a day is included as well as the man of eighty years; we all are thus from our mother's womb. the more sins a man commits, the older and more unfit he is before god. this old man, paul says, must be crucified--utterly condemned, executed, put out of the way, even here in this life. for where he still remains in his strength, it is impossible that faith or the spirit should be; and thus man remains in his sins, drowned under the wrath of god, troubled with an evil conscience which condemns him and keeps him out of god's kingdom. 17. the "new man" is one who has turned to god in repentance, one who has a new heart and understanding, who has changed his belief and through the power of the holy spirit lives in accordance with the word and will of god. this new man must be found in all christians; it begins in baptism or in repentance and conversion. it resists and subdues the old man and its sinful lusts through the power of the holy spirit. paul declares, "they that are of christ jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts," gal 5, 24. 18. now, although in those who are new men, the old man is crucified, there yet, paul says, remains in them in this life "the body of sin." by this we understand the remaining lusts of the old man, which are still felt to be active in the flesh and blood, and which would fain resist the spirit. but inasmuch as the head and life of sin are destroyed, these lusts cannot harm the christian. still the christian must take care not to become obedient to them, lest the old man come to power again. the new man must keep the upper hand; the remaining sinful lusts must be weakened and subdued. and this body of ours must finally decay and turn to dust, thereby utterly annihilating sin in it. 19. now, he says, if ye be dead to sin under the reign of the spirit and the new man, and adjudged to death under the reign of the body, ye must no longer permit sin to bring you under its dominion, lest it inculpate and condemn you. but ye must live as those who are wholly released from it, over whom it no longer has any right or power. for we read, "he that hath died is justified from sin." this is said of all who are dead. he that has died has paid for his sin; he need not die for it again, for he no longer commits sin and evil deeds. if sin be destroyed in man by the spirit, and the flesh also is dead and gone, man is completely released and freed from sin. 20. paul comprehends the whole existence of the christian on earth in the death of christ, and represents it as dead and buried, in the coffin; that is, the christian has ceased from the life of sin, and has nothing more to do with it. he speaks of sin as being dead unto the christian and of the latter as being dead unto sin for the reason that christians no longer take part in the sinful life of the world. and, too, they are doubly dead. first, spiritually they are dead unto sin. and this, though painful and bitter to flesh and blood, is a blessed, a comfortable and happy dying, sweet and delightful, for it produces a heavenly life, pure and perfect. secondly, they are physically dead--the body dies. but this is not really death; rather a gentle, soothing sleep. therefore ye are, paul would say, beyond measure happy. in christ ye have already escaped death by dying unto sin; that death ye need die no more. it--the first death, which ye have inherited from adam through sin--is already taken away from you. that being the real, the bitter and eternal death, ye are consequently freed from the necessity of dying. at the same time there is a death, or rather only the semblance of one, which ye must suffer because ye are yet on earth and are the descendants of adam. spiritual and physical resurrection. 21. the first death, inherited from adam, is done away with, changed into a spiritual dying unto sin, by reason of which the soul no longer consents to sin and the body no longer commits it. thus, in place of the death which sin has brought upon us, eternal life is already begun in you. ye are now freed from the dreadful damning death; then accept the sweet, holy and blessed death unto sin, that ye may beware of sin and no longer serve it. such is to be the result of the death of christ into which ye are baptized; christ has died and has commanded you to be baptized in order that sin might be drowned in you. 22. the other, the "little death," is that outward, physical death. in the scriptures it is called a sleep. it is imposed upon the flesh, because, so long as we live on earth, the flesh never ceases to resist the spirit and its life. paul says: "the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary the one to the other; that ye may not do the things that ye would." gal 5, 17. the spirit, or soul, says: i am dead unto sin and will not sin any more. but the flesh says: i am not dead and must make use of my life while i have it. the spirit declares: i believe that god has forgiven my sins and taken them away from me through christ. but the flesh asks: what do i know of god or his will? the spirit resolves: i must be meek, pure, chaste, humble, patient, and seek the future life. but the flesh in reply makes a loud outcry: away with your heaven! if only i had enough of bread and money and property here! thus the flesh does continually, as long as it lives here; it draws and drags sin after itself; it is rebellious and refuses to die. therefore god must finally put it to death before it becomes dead unto sin. 23. and after all, it is but a gentle and easy death. it is truly only a sleep. since soul and spirit are no longer dead, the body shall not remain dead; it shall come forth again, cleansed and purified, on the last day, to be united with the soul. then shall it be a gentle, pure and obedient body, without sin or evil lust. 24. these words of paul are an admirable christian picture of death, representing it not as an awful thing, but as something comforting and pleasant to contemplate. for how could paul present a more attractive description than when he describes it as stripped of its power and repulsiveness and makes it the medium through which we attain life and joy? what is more desirable than to be freed from sin and the punishment and misery it involves, and to possess a joyful, cheerful heart and conscience? for where there is sin and real death--the sense of sin and god's wrath--there are such terror and dismay that man feels like rushing through iron walls. christ says, in luke 23, 30, quoting from the prophet hosea (ch. 10, v. 8), that such a one shall pray that the mountains and the hills may fall on him and cover him. 25. that dreadful death which is called in the scriptures the second death is taken away from the christian through christ, and is swallowed up in his life. in place of it there is left a miniature death, a death in which the bitterness is covered up. in it the christian dies according to the flesh; that is, he passes from unbelief to faith, from the remaining sin to eternal righteousness, from woes and sadness and tribulation to perfect eternal joy. such a death is sweeter and better than any life on earth. for not all the life and wealth and delight and joy of the world can make man as happy as he will be when he dies with a conscience at peace with god and with the sure faith and comfort of everlasting life. therefore truly may this death of the body be said to be only a falling into a sweet and gentle slumber. the body ceases from sin. it no longer hinders or harasses the spirit. it is cleansed and freed from sin and comes forth again in the resurrection clothed with the obedience, joy and life which the spirit imparts. 26. the only trouble is that the stupid flesh cannot understand this. it is terrified by the mask of death, and imagines that it is still suffering the old death; for it does not understand the spiritual dying unto sin. it judges only by outward appearance. it sees that man perishes, decays under the ground and is consumed. having only this abominable and hideous mask before its eyes, it is afraid of death. but its fear is only because of its lack of understanding. if it knew, it would by no means be afraid or shudder at death. our reason is like a little child who has become frightened by a bugbear or a mask, and cannot be lulled to sleep; or like a poor man, bereft of his senses, who imagines when brought to his couch that he is being put into the water and drowned. what we do not understand we cannot intelligently deal with. if, for instance, a man has a penny and imagines it to be a five-dollar gold piece, he is just as proud of it as if it were a real gold piece; if he loses it he is as grieved as if he had lost that more valuable coin. but it does not follow that he has suffered such loss; he has simply deluded himself with a false idea. 27. thus it is not the reality of death and burial that terrifies; the terror lies in the flesh and blood, which cannot understand that death and the grave mean nothing more than that god lays us--like a little child is laid in a cradle or an easy bed--where we shall sweetly sleep till the judgment day. flesh and blood shudders in fear at that which gives no reason for it, and finds comfort and joy in that which really gives no comfort or joy. thus christians must be harassed by their ignorant and insane flesh, because it will not understand its own good or harm. they must verily fight against it as long as they live, at the cost of much pain and weariness. 28. there is none so perfect that he does not flee from and shudder at death and the grave. paul complains and confesses of himself, and in his own person of all christians: "for that which i do i know not: for not what i would, that do i practice." rom 7, 15. in other words: by the spirit, i am well aware that when this body comes to die god simply lays me to rest in sweetest slumber, and i would gladly have my flesh to understand this; but i cannot bring it to it. the spirit indeed is willing and desires bodily death as a gentle sleep. it does not consider it to be death; it knows no such thing as death. it knows that it is freed from sin and that where there is no sin there is no death--life only. but the flesh halts and hesitates, and is in constant dread lest i die and perish in the abyss. it will not allow itself to be tamed and brought into that obedience and into that consoling view of death which the spirit exercises. even saint paul cries out in anxiety of spirit: "wretched man that i am! who shall deliver me out of the body of this death?" rom 7, 24. now we see what is meant by the statement, "the flesh lusteth against the spirit." the flesh must be dragged along and compelled by the spirit to obediently follow, in spite of its resistance and trembling. it must be forced into submission until it is finally overcome. just so the mother so deals with the child that is fretful and restless that she constrains it to sleep. 29. paul says, "knowing this, that our old man was crucified"--that is, we know that, in soul and spirit, we are already dead unto sin--"that the body of sin might be done away." the meaning is: because the body does not willingly and cheerfully follow the spirit, but resists and would fain linger in the old life of sin, it is already sentenced, compelled to follow and to be put to death that sin may be destroyed in it. 30. he does not say that the body is destroyed as soon as a man has been baptized and is become a christian, but that the body of sin is destroyed. the body which before was obstinate and disobedient to the spirit is now changed; it is no longer a body of sin but of righteousness and newness of life. so he adds, "that we should no longer be in bondage to sin." "but if we died with christ, we believe that we shall also live with him; knowing that christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death no more hath dominion over him. for the death that he died, he died unto sin once; but the life that he liveth, he liveth unto god." 31. here he leads us out of the death and grave of sin to the resurrection of spirit and body. when we die--spiritually unto sin, and physically to the world and self--what doth it profit us? is there nothing else in store for the christian but to die and be buried? by all means yes, he says; we are sure by faith that we also shall live, even as christ rose from death and the grave and lives. for we have died with him, or, as stated above, "we have become united with him in the likeness of his death." by his death he has destroyed our sin and death; therefore we share in his resurrection and life. there shall be no more sin and death in our spirit or body, just as there is no more death in him. christ, having once died and been raised again, dieth no more. there is nothing to die for. he has accomplished everything. he has destroyed the sin for which he died, and has swallowed up death in victory. and that he now lives means that he lives in everlasting righteousness, life and majesty. so, when ye have once passed through both deaths, the spiritual death unto sin and the gentle death of the body, death can no more touch you, no more reign over you. 32. this, then, is our comfort for the timidity of the poor, weak flesh which still shudders at death. if thou art a christian, then know that thy lord jesus christ, being raised from the dead, dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. therefore, death hath no more dominion over thee, who art baptized into him. satan is defied and dared to try all his powers and terrors on christ; for we are assured, "death no more hath dominion over him." death may awaken anger, malice, melancholy, fear and terror in our poor, weak flesh, but it hath no more dominion over christ. on the contrary, death must submit to the dominion of christ, in his own person and in us. we have died unto sin; that is, we have been redeemed from the sting and power, the control, of death. christ has fully accomplished the work by which he obtained power over death, and has bestowed that power upon us, that in him we should reign over death. so paul says in conclusion: "even so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto god in christ jesus." 33. "reckon ye also yourselves," he says. ye, as christians, should be conscious of these things, and should conduct yourselves in all your walk and conversation as those who are dead to sin and who give evidence of it to the world. ye shall not serve sin, shall not follow after it, as if it had dominion over you. ye shall live in newness of life, which means that ye shall lead a godly life, inwardly by faith and outwardly in your conduct; ye shall have power over sin until the flesh--the body--shall at last fall asleep, and thus both deaths be accomplished in you. then there will remain nothing but life--no terror or fear of death and no more of its dominion. _seventh sunday after trinity_ text: romans 6, 19-23. 19 i speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye presented your members as servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now present your members as servants to righteousness unto sanctification. 20 for when ye were servants of sin, ye were free in regard of righteousness. 21 what fruit then had ye at that time in the things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22 but now being made free from sin and become servants to god, ye have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end eternal life. 23 for the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of god is eternal life in christ jesus our lord. exhortation to resist sin. 1. the text properly should include several verses preceding. paul has not yet concluded the subject of the epistle for last sunday. there he urges that since we are baptized into christ and believe, we should henceforth walk in a new life; that we are now dead to sin because we are in christ, who by his death and resurrection has conquered and destroyed sin. he illustrates the power of christ's death and resurrection by saying: "for sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under law, but under grace." that is, being in christ and possessed of the power of his resurrection--in other words, having god's grace and the forgiveness of sins--you can now readily resist sin. although you may not perfectly fulfill the letter of the law in its demands, yet it cannot condemn you as a sinner nor subject you to god's wrath. good works not forbidden. 2. then paul presents again the question raised by the obstinate world when it encounters this doctrine. "what then?" he asks, "shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace?" it is the perversity of the world that, when we preach about forgiveness of sins by pure grace and without merit of man, it should either say we forbid good works, or else try to draw the conclusion that man may continue to live in sin and follow his own pleasure; when the fact is, we should particularly strive to live a life the very reverse of sinful, that our doctrine may draw people to good works, unto the praise and honor and glory of god. our doctrine, rightly apprehended, does not influence to pride and vice, but to humility and obedience. 3. in affairs of temporal government, whether domestic or civil, judge or ruler, it is understood that he who asks for pardon confesses himself guilty, acknowledges his error and promises to reform--to transgress no more. for instance, when the judge extends mercy and pardon to the thief deserving of the gallows, the law is canceled by grace. suppose now the thief continues in wrong-doing and boasts, "now that i am under grace i may do as i please, i have no law to fear"; who would tolerate him? for though the law is indeed canceled for him and he receives not merited punishment, though grace delivers him from the rope and the sword, life is not granted him that he may continue to steal, to murder; rather he is supposed to become honest and virtuous. if he does not, the law will again overtake him and punish him as he deserves. in short, where grace fulfills the law, no one is for that reason given license to continue in wrong-doing; on the contrary, he is under increased obligation to avoid occasions of falling under condemnation of the law. 4. everyone can readily comprehend this principle in temporal things; no one is stupid enough to tolerate the idea of grace being granted to extend opportunity to do wrong. it is only the gospel doctrine concerning god's grace and the forgiveness of sin that must suffer the slanderous misrepresentation that makes it abolish good works or give occasion for sin. we are told how god, in his unfathomable grace, has canceled the sentence of eternal death and hell fire which, according to the law and divine judgment, we deserved, and has given us instead the freedom of life eternal; thus our life is purely of grace. yet certainly we are not pardoned that we may live as before when, under condemnation and wrath, we incurred death. rather, forgiveness is bestowed that we in appreciation of the sublimity and sanctity of god's unspeakably great blessing which delivers us from death unto life, should henceforth take heed that we lose it not; that we fall not from grace to pass again under judgment and the sentence of eternal death. we are to conduct ourselves as men made alive and saved. 5. so paul says in verse 16, "know ye not, that to whom ye present yourselves as servants unto obedience, his servants ye are whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" meaning, since you now have, under grace, obtained forgiveness of sin and are become righteous, you owe it to god to live in obedience to his will. necessarily your life must be obedient to some master. either you obey sin, to continue in the service of which brings death and god's wrath, or you obey god, in grace, unto a new manner of life. so, then, you are no more to obey sin, having been freed from its dominion and power. paul continues the topic in this sunday's epistle text, saying: good and evil "after the manner of men." "i speak after the manner of men, because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye presented your members as members to uncleanness," etc. 6. heretofore he had been speaking, under the inspiration of the holy spirit, in language unusual and unintelligible to the world. to the gentiles it was a strange and incomprehensible thing he said about dying with christ unto sin, being buried and planted into his death, and so on. but now, since his former words are obscure to the natural understanding, he will, he says, speak according to human reason--"after the manner of men." 7. even reason and the laws of all the gentiles, he goes on to say, teach we are not to do evil; rather to avoid it and do good. all sovereigns establish laws to restrain evil and preserve order. how could we introduce through the gospel a doctrine countenancing evil? though the wisdom of the gospel is a higher gift than human reason, it does not alter or nullify the god-implanted intelligence of the latter. hence it is a perversion of our doctrine to say it does not teach us to love good works and practice them. "now, if you cannot understand this truth from my explanation," paul would say--"that through faith you have, by baptism, died to the sinful life, even been buried--then learn it through your accustomed exercise of reason. you know for yourselves that pardon for former transgression and release from lawful punishment gives no one license to do evil--to commit theft or murder." 8. it is a commonly recognized fact among men that pardon does not mean license. god's word confirms the same. yet the disadvantage is that although reason teaches, through the law, good works and forbids evil, it is unable to comprehend why its teachings are not fulfilled. it perceives from the results which follow dishonoring of the law, that to honor is best, that it is right and praiseworthy not to steal and commit crime. but it fails to understand why, given the teachings at first, they are not naturally fulfilled. nor, again, does it know how existing conditions may be removed or bettered. it resorts to this expedient and that to restrain evil, but it cannot attain the art of uprooting and destroying it. with the sword, rack and gallows the judge may restrain public crime, but he cannot punish more than what is known and witnessed to before the court. whatever is done secretly and never comes before him, he cannot punish or restrain. the word of god, however, takes hold of the difficulty in a different manner. it teaches how to crush the head of the serpent and to slay the evil. then the judge and the executioner are no longer necessary. but where we may not control the cause of the wrong, we should, nevertheless, restrain so far as possible its manifest workings. now, the utmost reason can teach is that we are not to do evil even in thought or desire, and the extent of its punishment relates only to outward works; it cannot punish the thought and inclination to do evil. 9. "but we preach another doctrine," paul means to say, "a doctrine having power to control the heart and restrain the will. we say you believers in christ, who are baptized into his death and buried with him, are not only to be reckoned dead, but are truly dead unto sin." a christian has certain knowledge that through the grace of christ his sins are forgiven--blotted out and deprived of condemning power. because he has obtained and believes in such grace, he receives a heart abhorrent of sin. although feeling within himself, perhaps, the presence of evil thoughts and lusts, yet his faith and the holy spirit are with him to remind him of his baptism. "notwithstanding time and opportunity permit me to do evil," he says to himself, "and though i run no risk of being detected and punished, yet i will not do it. i will obey god and honor christ my lord, for i am baptized into christ and as a christian am dead unto sin, nor will i come again under its power." so acted godly joseph, who, when tempted by his master's wife, "left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out" (gen 39, 12); whereas another might have been glad of the invitation. he was but flesh and blood and naturally not insensible to her inducement, to the time and opportunity, the friendship of the woman and the offered enjoyment; but he restrained himself, not yielding even in thought to the temptation. such obedience to god destroys indeed the source of evil--sin. reason and human wisdom know nothing of it. it is not to be effected by laws, by punishment, by prison and sword. it can be attained only by faith and a knowledge of christ's grace, through which we die to sin and the world, and restrain the will from evil even when detection and punishment are impossible. 10. now, such doctrine is not to be learned from human reason; it is spiritual and taught of the scriptures. it reveals the source of evil and how to restrain it. since, then, we teach restraint of evil and show withal a way higher and more effectual than reason can find, the accusation that we prohibit good works and license sin is sufficiently answered and disproved. but paul would say to the romans, "if you cannot comprehend our superior doctrine as to the questions raised, then answer them according to the teachings of your own reason, for even that will tell you--and no man will dispute it--we are to do no wrong. the word of god confirms this doctrine." 11. the apostle says he will speak of the point they raise, after the manner of men. that does not mean according to corrupt flesh and blood, which are not capable of speaking anything good, but according to natural reason as god created it, where some good still remains, for there are to be found many upright individuals who make just laws. i speak thus "because of the infirmity of your flesh," paul declares. as if he would say, i have not yet said as much as reason, the teachers of the law and the jurists would demand, but i will go no further because you are yet too weak spiritually, and too unaccustomed to my manner of speech, for all of you to understand it. i must come down to your apprehension and speak according to your capacity. now, i want to say, ask your own statutes, your own laws, whether they authorize the prohibition of good works; if they license evil, though they may not be able to prevent it. thus i convince you that such a pretense regarding our doctrine is not to be tolerated. the teachings of reason. "even reason teaches that your lives must conform to your business; each is in duty bound to obey him whom he serves. as christians you are obliged to render another service than that you gave when under the dominion of sin, and obedient to it; when you were unable to escape its power and to do any work good before god. you have now come out of bondage and are relieved from obedience to sin, through grace, having devoted yourselves to the service of god, to obeying him. therefore, assuredly you must change your manner of life." 12. truly, paul here argues reasonably and within the scope of man's natural understanding. we preach the same truths, but, presenting them in the form of christian doctrine, we necessarily employ different language and a loftier tone, lest it be offensive to the world. we may say that theft, murder, envy, hate and other crimes and vices are transgressions, yet we cannot remedy the evils by the mere prohibitions of the law. the remedy must be effected through god's grace, and is accomplished in the believer, not by our power, but by the holy spirit. but when we so explain, the stupid world immediately blurts out, "oh, if it be true that our works do not remedy evils, let us enjoy ourselves and not bother about good works!" 13. that their implication is false and a wanton perversion of the true doctrine is manifest from the fact that we exalt and endorse the command of god, and also the doctrine of reason, that teach us to do good and avoid evil. indeed, we assist reason, which is powerless to remedy evil. if reason were itself sufficient, men would not permit themselves to be deceived by their own visionary ideas and false doctrines about worthless and vain works, as are followers of the papacy and of all false worship. no doubt such error has its rise in the principle that we are to do good and avoid evil. the principle fundamentally is true, and accepted by all men; but when it comes to the theories we build upon it, the speculations as to how it is to be put into practice, there is disagreement. only the word of god can show how to accomplish it. reason is easily blinded on this point and deceived by false appearances, being led by anything merely called good. even when it has performed all it believes to be right, it is still uncertain of acceptance. indeed, it perceives no fruits, no benefit, to result from its teaching; for at best its achievements extend no farther than outward works--the object being to make the doer appear righteous and respectable before men--while inward sinfulness is unrestrained and the soul remains captive to its former life, obedient to the lusts of sin. and the motive of such a one is not sincere; he would conduct himself quite otherwise were he not restrained by fear of shame and punishment. gospel higher than reason. 14. we present a higher doctrine--the gospel. the gospel teaches first how sin in ourselves is, through christ, slain and buried. thus we obtain a good conscience, a conscience hating and opposing sin, and become obedient to another power. being delivered from sin we would serve god and exert ourselves to do his pleasure, even though no fear, punishment, judge or executioner existed. with this point accepted--with the settlement of this minor subject of controversy as to how we are delivered from sin and attain to truly good works, we unite once more on the fundamental principle that good is to be done and evil avoided. therefore, we immediately conclude: since we are free from sin and converted to god, we must in obedience to him do good and live no more in sin. 15. thus does paul make use of the law, and of human reason so far as it is able to interpret the law, to resist them who speak falsely and pervert the right doctrine. evidently, then, the doctrine of the gospel does not oppose the doctrine of good works, but transcends it. for it reveals the source and inspiration of good works--not human reason, not human ability, but the grace and power of the holy spirit. now paul deduces the point: "for as ye presented [yielded] your members as servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now present [yield] your members as servants to righteousness unto sanctification [holiness]." body not to serve sin. 16. even reason teaches that, being no more subject to sin and unrighteousness, you are no longer to serve them with your body and members--your whole physical life. and further, having yielded yourselves to obey god and righteousness, you are in duty bound to serve them with body and life. to put it concisely and clearly, let him who formerly was evil and lived contrary to his own conscience and to god's will, now become godly and serve the lord with a good conscience. or, as paul says, "let him that stole steal no more," eph 4, 28. 17. formerly, he tells them, their members--eyes, ears, mouth, hands, feet--even the whole body, served uncleanness. for "vice" he uses this term "uncleanness," readily intelligible to reason and inclusive of all forms of sin. "you permitted your members to serve unrighteousness," he would say, "and devoted them to every sort of unholy life, every wicked work, committing one iniquity after another and exercising all manner of villainy that can be named. now reverse the order. reasoning according to your own logic: while before you willingly witnessed, heard and uttered things shameful and unchaste, and sought lewdness, lending your bodies to it, let impurity now be distressing to your sight and hearing; let the body flee from it; be pure in words and works. all the members of the body, all its functions, are to be devoted to righteousness." thus your members, your whole bodies, are to become holy--to be god's own--and given over solely to his service. the longer and the more ardently they serve, the more cheerfully will they honor and obey god, being devoted to all that is divine, praiseworthy, honorable and virtuous. the instructions god has written upon your own heart would teach you this principle, even were there no word of god. it is useless for you to protest: "yes, but you have taught that good works do not save," for that doctrine is not inconsistent, but beyond your understanding. indeed, it is the true light whereby you may fulfill the teachings of reason. "for when ye were servants of sin, ye were free in regard of [free from] righteousness." 18. all these expressions paul uses "after the manner of men," adapting them from the laws and customs of the times concerning slavery, service and freedom. then servants were bondmen, purchased by their masters, with whom they must abide until set at liberty by those owners, or otherwise freed. his allusion to a former service of unrighteousness and a present service of righteousness implies two conditions of servitude and consequently two conditions of freedom. he who serves sin, the apostle teaches, is free from righteousness; that is, he is captive under sin, unable to attain to righteousness and to do righteous works. even reason can comprehend the principle that he is free who does not serve--who is not servant. again, servants of righteousness means service and obedience to righteousness, and freedom from sin. fruits of two kinds of service. paul now puts the matter a little differently, contrasting the experience of the romans in the two forms of service. he leaves it with them to determine which has been productive of benefit and which of injury, and to choose accordingly as to future service and obedience. "what fruit then had ye at that time in the things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. but now being made free from sin and become servants to god, ye have your fruit unto sanctification [holiness], and the end eternal life." 19. rather recall your manner of life when you were free from righteousness and obeyed only the urgings and enticements of sin. what pleasure or gain had you in it? none, except that for which you are now ashamed. further, had you remained in it you would at last have found death. only these two grand results--shame and death. nothing better have you earned in its service. munificent reward indeed for him who, choosing freedom from righteousness, lives to his own pleasure. he is deceived into thinking he has chosen a highly desirable life, for it gratifies the fleshly desires, and he thinks to go unpunished. but gratification is succeeded by two severe punishments: first, shame--confession of disgrace before god and the world. thus adam and eve in paradise, when they chose to violate god's command and, enticed by the devil, followed their desire for a forbidden thing, were made to feel the disgrace of their sin; they were in their hearts ashamed to appear in the presence of god. the other and added punishment is eternal death and the fires of hell, into which also fell our first parents. 20. is it not better, then, to be free from the service of sin and to serve righteousness? so doing, you would never suffer shame nor injury but would receive a double blessing: first, a clear conscience before god and all creatures, proof in itself that you live a holy life and belong to god; second and chief, the rich and incorruptible reward of eternal life. 21. in all these observations paul is still speaking after the manner of men; in a way comprehended and accepted by reason, even without knowledge of christ. it is universally true in the world that evil-doers--thieves, murderers and the like--are punished in addition to the public disgrace they feel. similarly, they who do good receive, in addition to the honor of men, all manner of happy reward. "for the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of god is eternal life in christ jesus our lord." 22. it seems a strange saying, that evil-doers are to receive wages, seemingly implying right and deserving action on their part. ordinarily the term "wages" signifies a good reward, given to those who acquit themselves righteously and bravely. paul uses the word to discomfit them who pervert his teaching. for they say, "ah, paul preaches of grace alone, yet he promises wages to sin." "yes," paul would respond, "boast as you will, you will receive a reward--death and hell-fire. you must confidently expect it if you interpret the gospel to teach that god shall reward you who serve sin." with the convincing words of the text, paul would undeceive those who advocate, or suffer themselves to believe, that man can serve god in sin and can receive a happy reward. he chooses words familiar to them. "yes, if, as you maintain, wages must be the reward of every service, you will of course receive yours--death and hell. these any may have who desire them and regard them precious." 23. paul says further, "the free gift of god is eternal life." observe his choice of words. he does not here use the term "wages," because he has previously taught that eternal life is not the reward of our works, but is given of pure grace, through faith and for christ's sake. so he speaks of it as a "free gift of god, through christ jesus our lord." the soul possessing eternal life is furnished with power to crush the serpent's head, and none can deprive him of his priceless blessing. he has also power to avoid sin and to constantly crucify his flesh. these are things not to be effected by any law, any human ability; faith is requisite. through faith we are incorporated into christ and planted with him in the death of sin, unto eternal life and truly good works. _eighth sunday after trinity_ text: romans 8, 12-17. 12 so then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh: 13 for if ye live after the flesh, ye must die; but if by the spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 for as many as are led by the spirit of god, these are sons of god. 15 for ye received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, abba, father. 16 the spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children of god: 17 and if children, then heirs; heirs of god, and joint-heirs with christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified with him. living in the spirit as god's children. 1. this text, like the preceding one, is an exhortation to christian life and works. the language employed, however, is of different construction. the hateful machinations of the devil, by which he produces so much disaster in the world, make it necessary to urge this exhortation in many different forms upon those who have become christians. for when god out of grace, without any merit on our part, bestows upon us the forgiveness of sins which we ourselves are unable to buy or acquire, the devil instigates men at once to conclude and exclaim: oh, in that case we need no longer do good! whenever, therefore, the apostle speaks of the doctrine of faith, he is obliged continually to maintain that grace implies nothing of that kind. for our sins are not forgiven with the design that we should continue to commit sin, but that we should cease from it. otherwise it would more justly be called, not forgiveness of sin but permission to sin. 2. it is a shameful perversion of the salutary doctrine of the gospel and great and damnable ingratitude for the unfathomable grace and salvation received, to be unwilling to do good. for we ought in fact to be impelled by this very grace to do, with all diligence and to the utmost of our knowledge and ability, everything that is good and well-pleasing to god, to the praise and glory of his name. 3. of this paul reminds and admonishes us here, in plain and simple but earnest and important words, in which he points out to us how much we owe to god for that which we have received from him, and what injury we shall suffer if we do not value it as we should, and act accordingly. he says: "we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh." 4. because we have been redeemed from the condemnation we deserved by our sins, and now have eternal life through the spirit of christ dwelling in us (he speaks of this in the preceding verses), therefore we are debtors to live after the spirit and obey god. this paul declares also in the text for last sunday: "now being made free from sin and become servants to god, ye have your fruit unto sanctification." rom 6, 22. therefore, he says, ye are debtors; your new calling, station, and nature require of you that, since ye have become christians and have the holy spirit, ye should live as the holy spirit directs and teaches. it is not left to your own caprice to do or to leave undone. if ye desire to glory in the possession of grace and the holy spirit, ye must confess yourselves debtors to live, not after the flesh, the only desire of which is to continue in sin, but after the spirit; the spirit shows you that, having been baptized and redeemed from sin, ye must turn from sin to the new life of righteousness and not from that new life to sin. "for if ye live after the flesh, ye must die." 5. here judgment is plainly and tersely pronounced on the pretensions of those foolish people who seek to make the freedom of grace a pretext for giving license to the flesh. the apostle speaks these words that he may deter them from presumption, lest in place of the life and grace in which they pride themselves, they bring upon themselves again eternal wrath and death. it would be utterly inconsistent in you who are now saved and freed from eternal death to desire henceforth to live after the flesh. for if ye do that, ye need not imagine that ye shall retain eternal life; ye will be subject to death and condemned to hell. for ye know that it was solely because of your sins that ye lay under the wrath of god and had incurred death, and that it was because ye lived after the flesh that ye deserved condemnation. most assuredly christ has not died for those who are determined to remain in their sins; he has died that he might rescue from their sins those who would gladly be released but cannot liberate themselves. 6. therefore, let him that is a christian take care not to be guilty of such nonsense as to say: i am free from the law, therefore i may do as i please. rather let him say and do the contrary. let him, because he is a christian, fear and shun sin, lest he fall from his freedom into his former state of bondage to sin under the law and god's wrath; or lest the life, begun in god, lapse again into death. for here stands the express declaration, "if ye live after the flesh, ye must die;" as if the apostle meant: it will not avail you that ye have heard the gospel, that ye boast of christ, that ye receive the sacraments, so long as ye do not, through the faith and holy spirit received, subdue your sinful lusts, your ungodliness and impiety, your avarice, malice, pride, hatred, envy and the like. 7. for the meaning of "living after the flesh" has been repeatedly stated and is readily understood. it includes not only the gross, sensual lust of fornication or other uncleanness, but everything man has inherited by his natural birth; not only the physical body, but also the soul and all the faculties of our nature, both mental and corporal--our reason, will and senses--which are by nature without the spirit and are not regulated by god's word. it includes particularly those things which the reason is not inclined to regard as sin; for instance, living in unbelief, idolatry, contempt of god's word, presumption and dependence on our own wisdom and strength, our own honor, and the like. everything of this nature must be shunned by christians (who have the holy spirit and are hence able to judge what is carnal) as a fatal poison which produces death and damnation. putting to death sin. "but if by the spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live." 8. here the apostle confesses that even in the christian there is a remnant of the flesh, that must be put to death--all manner of temptation and lusts in opposition to god's commandments. these are active in the flesh and prompt to sin. they are here called the "deeds of the body." of this nature are thoughts of unbelief and distrust, carnal security and presumption instead of the fear of god, coldness and indolence with respect to god's word and prayer, impatience and murmurings under suffering, anger and vindictiveness or envy and hatred against our neighbor, avarice, unchastity and the like. such inclinations as these dwell in flesh and blood and cease not to move and tempt man. yea, because of human infirmity they at times overtake him when he is not careful enough about transgression. they will certainly overpower him unless he resolutely opposes them and, as here stated, "puts to death the deeds of the body." to do this means a severe struggle, a battle, which never abates nor ceases so long as we live. the christian dare never become slothful or negligent in this matter. he must arouse himself through the spirit so as not to give place to the flesh. he must constantly put to death the flesh lest he himself be put to death by it. the apostle declares, "if ye live after the flesh, ye must die," and again comforts us, "if by the spirit ye put to death [mortify] the deeds of the body, ye shall live." for the christian receives the gift of the holy spirit that he may become willing and able to mortify these sinful lusts. 9. this mortifying of sin through the spirit is accomplished on this wise: man recognizes his sin and infirmity, at once repents, remembers god's word, and, through faith in the forgiveness of sins, strengthens himself against sin, and so resists it that he does not consent to it nor permit it to come to deeds. 10. this constitutes the difference between those who are christians and sanctified and those who are without faith and the holy spirit or who grieve and lose the spirit. for although believers, as well as unbelievers, are not wholly free from the sinful lusts of the flesh, they yet remain in repentance and the fear of god; they hold fast to the belief that their sins are forgiven, for christ's sake, because they do not yield to them but resist them. therefore they continue under forgiveness, and their remaining infirmity is not fatal nor damning to them as it is to those who, without repentance and faith, go on in carnal security and purposely follow their evil lusts against their own conscience; who thus cast away from themselves both faith and the holy spirit. 11. so paul admonishes the christians to remember what they have received, and whereunto they are called. having received the forgiveness of sins and the holy spirit, they are to be careful not to lose these again; they must use them in contending against the sinful lusts of the flesh. they are to comfort themselves with the fact that they have the holy spirit, that is, have help and strength by means of which they can resist and mortify sin. these things are impossible to those who have not faith. therefore paul declares further: "for as many as are led by the spirit of god, these are the sons of god." 12. like ourselves, paul had to deal with two classes of people, the true and the false christians. there is not so much danger from the adversaries of the doctrine; for instance, from popery: their opposition is so open that we can readily beware of them. but since the devil sows even among us his seed--they are called christians and boast of the gospel--it behooves us to take heed, not to the mouth, but to the works, of those who claim to be christians. not what they say, but what they do, is the question. it is easy enough to boast of god and of christ and of the spirit. but whether such boasting has any foundation or not, depends on whether or not the spirit so works and rules in one as to subdue and mortify sin. for where the spirit is, there assuredly the spirit is not idle nor powerless. he proves his presence by ruling and directing man and prevailing on man to obey and follow his promptings. such a man has the comfort that he is a child of god, and that god so reigns and works in him that he is not subject to death; he has life. meaning of "led by the spirit of god." 13. to be "led by the spirit of god" means, then, to be given a heart which gladly hears god's word and believes that in christ it has grace and the forgiveness of sins; a heart which confesses and proves its faith before the world; a heart which seeks, above all things, the glory of god, and endeavors to live without giving offense, to serve others and to be obedient, patient, pure and chaste, mild and gentle; a heart which, though at times overtaken in a fault and it stumble, soon rises again by repentance, and ceases to sin. all these things the holy spirit teaches one if he hears and receives the word, and does not wilfully resist the spirit. 14. on the other hand, the devil, who also is a spirit, persuades the hearts of the worldlings. but it soon becomes evident that his work is not that of a good spirit or a divine spirit. for he only leads men to do the reverse of that which the spirit of god leads them to do; then they find no pleasure in hearing and obeying god's word, but despise god, and become proud and haughty, avaricious, unmerciful. 15. let every one therefore take heed that he do not deceive himself. for there are many who claim to be christians and yet are not. we perceive this from the fact that not all are led by the spirit of god. some spirit there must be by which men are led. if it is not the spirit of god leading them to oppose the flesh, then it must be the other and evil spirit leading them to give way to the flesh and its lusts and to oppose the spirit of god. they must, therefore, either be god's own, his dear children, his sons and his daughters, called to eternal life and glory; or they must be rejected and abandoned, children of the devil, and with him heirs of eternal fire. 16. paul takes occasion to speak more at length on the words "sons of god," and proceeds in beautiful and comforting words to describe the nature and glory of this sonship. he only begins the subject, however, in today's text. he says: "for ye received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, abba, father." 17. this is a noble and comforting text, worthy of being written in letters of gold. because ye now through faith, he means to say, have the holy spirit and are led by him, ye are no longer in bondage as ye were when under the law; ye need no longer be afraid of its terrors and its demands, as if god would condemn and reject you on account of your unworthiness and the remaining infirmity of your flesh. on the contrary, ye have the consolation that, through faith, ye have the assurance of god's grace, and may consider god your father and call upon him as his children. two kinds of preaching and of works. 18. thus he contrasts the two kinds of works which spring from the two kinds of preaching and doctrine--of the law and of the gospel--and which constitute the difference between the christians and those still without faith and the knowledge of christ. they who have nothing and know nothing but the law, can never attain to true, heartfelt trust and confidence in god, though they do ever so much and exercise themselves ever so earnestly in the law. for when the law shines upon them in real clearness and they see what it demands of them and how far they come short of its fulfilment, when it thus discloses to them god's wrath, it produces in them only a terror, a fear and dread, of god under which they must at last perish if they be not rescued by the gospel. this is what paul here terms "the spirit of bondage," one that produces only fear and dread of god. but, on the other hand, if the heart grasps the preaching of the gospel, which declares that, without any merit or worthiness on our part, god forgives us our sins, for christ's sake, if we believe in him--then it finds in god's grace comfort against the terrors of the law; then the holy spirit enables it to abide in that confidence, to hold fast to that comfort, and to call upon god sincerely in that faith, even though it feels and confesses to be still weak and sinful. this is what is meant by receiving "the spirit of adoption." 19. paul speaks of the "spirit of bondage" and the "spirit of adoption" according to the customs of his times. in those days men-servants and maid-servants were the property of the master of the house in the same sense that a cow was his property. he bought them with his money; he did with them as he pleased, just as with his cattle. they were afraid of their master and had to expect stripes, imprisonment and punishment even unto death. they could not say, so much of my master's property belongs to me, and he must give it to me. but they had always to reflect: here i serve for my bread only; i have nothing to expect but stripes, and must be content to have my master cast me out or sell me to someone else whenever he chooses. they could never have a well-grounded hope of release from such fear and bondage and coercion. 20. such a slavish spirit, such a captive, fearful and uncertain spirit, ye do not have, says the apostle. ye are not compelled to live continually in fear of wrath and condemnation as are the followers of moses and all who are under the law. on the contrary, ye have a delightful, free spirit, one confident and contented, such as a child entertains toward its father, and ye need not fear that god is angry with you or will cast you off and condemn you. for ye have the spirit of his son (as he says above and in galatians 4, 6) in your heart and know that ye shall remain in his house and receive the inheritance, and that ye may comfort yourselves with it and boast of it as being your own. children of god. 21. on this "spirit of adoption," that is on what the apostle means when he says "whereby we cry, abba, father," i have spoken at some length in my sermon on the text galatians 4, 6, where the same words are used. in short, paul describes here the power of the kingdom of christ, the real work and the true exalted worship the holy spirit effects in believers: the comfort by which the heart is freed from the terror and fear of sin and given peace, and the heartfelt supplication which in faith expects of god an answer and his help. these blessings cannot be secured through the law or our own holiness. by such means man could never obtain the comfort of god's grace and love to him; he would always remain in fear and dread of wrath and condemnation, and, because of such doubt, would flee from god, not daring to call upon him. but where there is faith in christ, there the holy spirit brings the comfort spoken of, and a childlike trust which does not doubt that god is gracious and will answer prayer, because he has promised all these--grace and help, comfort, and answer to prayer--not for the sake of our worthiness, but for the sake of the name and merit of christ, his son. 22. of these two works of the holy spirit, comfort and supplication, the prophet zechariah (ch. 12, 10) said that god would establish a new dispensation in the kingdom of christ when he should pour out "the spirit of grace and of supplication." the spirit he speaks of is the same who assures us that we are god's children, and desires us to cry to him with heartfelt supplications. 23. the hebrew word "abba"--which, as the apostle himself interprets it, means "father"--is the word which the tiny heir lisps in childlike confidence to its father, calling him "ab, ab"; for it is the easiest word the child can learn to speak: or, as the old german language has it, almost easier still, "etha, etha." such simple, childlike words faith uses toward god through the holy spirit, but they proceed out of the depth of the heart and, as afterwards stated, "with groanings which cannot be uttered." rom 8, 26. especially is this the case when the doubtings of the flesh and the terrors and torments of the devil bring conflict and distress. man must defend himself against these and cries out: o dear father! thou art, indeed, my father, for thou hast given thine only and beloved son for me. thou wilt not be angry with me or disown me. or: thou seest my distress and my weakness; do thou help and save me. "the spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children of god." 24. that we are children of god and may confidently regard ourselves as such, we do not learn from ourselves nor from the law. we learn it from the witness of the spirit, who, in spite of the law and of our unworthiness, testifies to it in our weakness and assures us of it. this witness is the experience within ourselves of the power of the holy spirit working through the word, and the knowledge that our experience accords with the word and the preaching of the gospel. for thou art surely aware whether or no, when thou art in fear and distress, thou dost obtain comfort from the gospel, and art able to overcome thy doubts and terror; to so overcome that thy heart is assured of god's graciousness, and thou no longer fleest from him, but canst cheerfully call upon him in faith, expecting help. where such a faith exists, consciousness of help must follow. so saint paul says, rom 5, 4-5: "stedfastness worketh approvedness; and approvedness, hope: and hope putteth not to shame." 25. this is the true inward witness by which thou mayest perceive that the holy spirit is at work in thee. in addition to this, thou hast also external witnesses and signs: for instance, it is a witness of the holy spirit in thee that he gives thee special gifts, acute spiritual understanding, grace and success in thy calling; that thou hast pleasure and delight in god's word, confessing it before the world at the peril of life and limb; that thou hatest and resistest ungodliness and sin. those who have not the holy spirit are neither willing nor able to do these things. it is true, that even in the christian, these things are accomplished in great weakness; but the holy spirit governs them in their weakness, and strengthens in them this witness, as paul says again: "the spirit also helpeth our infirmity." rom 8, 26. heirs of god. "and if children, then heirs; heirs of god, and joint-heirs with christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified with him." 26. here, then, thou hast the high boast, the honor and the glory of the christian. leave to the world its splendor, its pride and its honors, which mean nothing else--when it comes to the point--than that they are the children of the devil. but do thou consider the marvel of this, that a poor, miserable sinner should obtain such honor with god as to be called, not a slave nor a servant of god, but a son and an heir of god! any man, yea the whole world, might well consider it privilege enough to be called one of god's lowest creatures, only so that they might have the honor of being god's property. for who would not wish to belong to such a lord and creator? but the apostle declares here that we who believe in christ shall be not his servants, but his own sons and daughters, his heirs. who can sufficiently magnify or utter god's grace? it is beyond the power of our expression or comprehension. 27. yet here our great human weakness discovers itself. if we fully and confidently believed this, then of what should we be afraid or who could do us harm? he who from the heart can say to god, thou art my father and i am thy child--he who can say this can surely bid defiance to all the devils in hell, and joyfully despise the threatenings and ragings of the whole world. for he possesses, in his father, a lord before whom all creatures must tremble and without whose will they can do nothing; and he possesses a heritage which no creature can harm, a dominion which none can reduce. 28. but the apostle adds here the words, "if so be that we suffer with him," to teach us that while we are on earth we must so live as to approve ourselves good, obedient children, who do not obey the flesh, but who, for the sake of this dominion, endure whatever befalls them or causes pain to the flesh. if we do this, then we may well comfort ourselves and with reason rejoice and glory in the fact the apostle declares, that "as many as are led by the spirit of god," and do not obey the promptings of the flesh, "these are the sons of god." 29. o how noble it is in a man not to obey his lusts, but to resist them with a strong faith, even though he suffer for it! to be the child of a mighty and renowned king or emperor means to possess nobility, honor and glory on earth. how much more glorious it would be, could a man truthfully boast that he is the son of one of the highest of the angels! yet what would be all that compared with one who is named and chosen by god himself, and called his son, the heir of exalted divine majesty? such sonship and heritage must assuredly imply great and unspeakable glory and riches, and power and honor, above all else that is in heaven or in earth. this very honor, even though we had nothing but the name and fame of it, ought to move us to become the enemies of this sinful life on earth and to strive against it with all our powers, notwithstanding we should have to surrender all for its sake and suffer all things possible for a human being to suffer. but the human heart cannot grasp the greatness of the honor and glory to which we shall be exalted with christ. it is altogether above our comprehension or imagination. this paul declares in what follows, in verse 18, where he says: "i reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward," as we have heard in the text for the fifth sunday after trinity. _ninth sunday after trinity_ text: 1 corinthians 10, 6-13. 6 now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 7 neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 8 neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. 9 neither let us make trial of the lord, as some of them made trial, and perished by the serpents. 10 neither murmur ye, as some of them murmured, and perished by the destroyer. 11 now these things happened unto them by way of example; and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come. 12 wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 13 there hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear: but god is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, that ye may be able to endure it. carnal security and its vices. 1. here is a very earnest admonition, a message as severe as paul ever indited, although he is writing to baptized christians, who always compose the true church of christ. he confronts them with several awful examples selected from the very church, from israel the chosen people of god. 2. paul's occasion and meaning in writing this epistle was the security of the corinthians. conscious of their privileged enjoyment of christ, of baptism and the sacrament, they thought they lacked nothing and fell to creating sects and schisms among themselves. forgetting charity, they despised one another. so far from reforming in life, and retrieving their works of iniquity, they became more and more secure, and followed their own inclinations, even allowing a man to have his father's wife. at the same time they desired to be regarded christians, and boastfully prided themselves on having received the gospel from the great apostles. so paul was impelled to write them a stern letter, dealing them severity such as he nowhere else employs. in fact, it seems almost as if it were going too far to so address christians; the rebuke might easily have struck weak and tender consciences with intolerable harshness. but, as in the second epistle, seeing how his sternness has startled the corinthians, he modifies it to some extent, and deals tenderly with the repentant. 3. however, in the striking scripture examples of the text here, he sufficiently shows the need for such admonition to them who would, after having received grace, become carnally secure and abandon the repentant life. 4. the text should properly include the beginning of this tenth chapter, which is read in the passage for third sunday before lent. he begins with: "i would not, brethren, have you ignorant, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual food; and did all drink the same spiritual drink.... howbeit with most of them god was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness." then follows our text here--"now these things were our examples." 5. as we said, the admonition is to those already christians. paul would have them know that although they are baptized unto christ, and have received and still enjoy his blessing through grace alone, without their own merit, yet they are under obligation ever to obey him; they are not to be proud and boastful, nor to misuse his grace. christ desires obedience on our part, though obedience does not justify us in his sight nor merit his grace. for instance, a bride's fidelity to her husband cannot be the merit that purchased his favor when he chose her. she is the bridegroom's own because it pleased him to make her so, even had she been a harlot. but now that he has honored her, he would have her maintain that honor henceforth by her purity; if she fails therein, the bridegroom has the right and power to put her away. again, a poor, wretched orphan, a bastard, a foundling, may be adopted as a son by some godly man and made his heir, though not meriting the honor. now, if in return for such kindness the child becomes disobedient and refractory, he justly may be cut off from the inheritance. not by the merit of their devotion, as moses often hinted, did the jews become the people of god; they were ever stiff-necked and continually rebelled against him. god, having chosen them and led them out of egypt, urgently commanded them to serve him and obey his word. but when they failed to fulfil the commandments, they had to feel the terrific force of his punishment. israel's carnal security a warning to us. 6. their example paul here, with great earnestness, holds up to the world as a warning against carnally and confidently presuming upon the grace and goodness of god because we have already received of them. in unmistakable colors the apostle portrays the teaching of this striking and important, this weighty and specific, example. rightly viewed, there certainly is no greater, more wonderful, story from the creation of the world down to the present time, nothing more marvelous to be found in any book--except that supremely wonderful work, the death and resurrection of the son of god--than this history of a people led by god's power out of egypt, through the wilderness and into the promised land. it is filled with the remarkably wonderful works of god, with striking examples of his anger and of his great kindness. 7. referring to these examples, paul goes on to imply: "as christians and baptized, you should be familiar with them. if you are not, i would not fail to bring them before you for reflection on what befell other people of god, according to the scripture record. they were our fathers, a noble, intelligent and great company and congregation of men, numbering over six hundred thousands, not counting wives and children." they, paul tells us, were termed, and rightly, the holy people of god. god designed their welfare; and through moses, their bishop and pope, they had the word of god, the promise and the sacrament. under moses they were all baptized, when he led them through the sea, and by the cloud, under the shadow of which, sheltered from the heat, they daily pursued their journey. at night a beautiful pillar of fire, an intense lightning-like brilliance, protected them. in addition, their bread came daily from heaven and they drank water from the rock. these providences were their sacrament, and their sign that god was with them to protect. they believed on the promised christ, the son of god, their guide in the wilderness. thus they were a noble, highly-favored and holy people. 8. but with the great mass of the people, how long did faith last? no longer than until they came into the wilderness. there they began to despise god's word, to murmur against moses and against god and to fall into idolatry. whereupon god vindicated himself among them; of all that great nation which came out from egypt, of all the illustrious ones who assisted moses in leading and governing, only two individuals passed from the wilderness into canaan. plainly, then, god had no pleasure in the great mass of that host. it did not avail them to be called the people of god, a holy people, a company to whom god had shown marvelous kindness and great wonders; because they refused to believe and obey the word of god. the prospect was good when they were so wonderfully and gloriously delivered from their enemies, and had at mount sinai received from god the law and a noble order of worship--their prospect was good for them to enter into the land; they were already at the gate. but even in that auspicious moment they provoked god until he turned them back to wander forty years in the wilderness, where they perished. 9. their punishment was wholly the result of their odious arrogance in boasting in the face of god's word, of their privileges as the people of god, upon whom he daily bestowed great kindness. "do you not recognize," they bragged, "the holiness of this entire congregation, among whom god dwells, daily performing his marvelous wonders?" in their pride and defiance they became stiff-necked and obstinate enough to continually complain against moses and to oppose him whatever course he took with them. thus they day by day awakened god's wrath against themselves, forcing him to visit them with many terrible plagues. these failing to humble, he was compelled to remove the entire nation. many times god would have destroyed them all at once had not moses prostrated himself before him in their behalf and with earnest entreaty and strong supplication turned aside his wrath. because of their perversity, moses was a most wretched and harassed man. "the man moses was very meek, above all the men that were upon the face of the earth." num 12, 3. for he was daily vexed with the defiance, disobedience and opposition of this great company of people; and further, he had to witness and endure for the entire forty years the numerous and awful plagues sent upon his people, his heart being filled with anguish for them. then, too, it was his continually to withstand god's wrath. 10. terrible indeed is the thing we learn of this famously great people--god's own nation, unto whom he reveals himself, to whom god and christ himself are revealed; a nation god governs and leads by his angels; a people he honors by wonders marvelous beyond anything ever heard on earth of any nation. as moses says in deuteronomy 4, 7: "what great nation is there, that hath a god so nigh unto them, as jehovah our god is whensoever we call upon him?" yet all who came out of egypt and had witnessed the mighty wonders god wrought among themselves and among their enemies, fell and glaringly sinned; not according to the measure of the mere weakness and imperfection of human nature, but they sinned disobediently and in willful contempt of god. hardened in unbelief unto insensibility, they brought upon themselves overwhelming punishment. 11. paul mentions several instances of the sin whereby they merited the wrath of god, to illustrate how they fell from faith and disregarded god's word. first, he makes the general assertion that with many of them god was not well pleased. he means to include the great mass of the people; particularly the officials and leaders, the eminent of their number, individuals looked up to as the worthiest and holiest of the congregation, and who actually had wrought great things. many of these fell into hypocrisy through boasting of the divine name, the divine office and spirit; korah, for instance, with his faction, including two hundred and fifty princes of the congregation. num 16, 1-2. he and his leaders claimed right to the priesthood and government equal with moses and aaron, and so ostentatiously and boastfully that only god could say whether they were right. necessarily god had to make it manifest that he had no pleasure in them; for they boasted until the earth swallowed them up alive, and many who adhered to and upheld them were consumed by fire. israel's vices in the wilderness punished. 12. proceeding, paul recounts the vices which occasioned god's punishment and overthrow of the people in the wilderness. first, he says, they lusted after evil things. in the second year from the departure, when they actually had come into canaan, they forgot god's kindness and wonderful works in their behalf and, becoming dissatisfied, longed to be back in egypt to sit by the flesh-pots. they murmured against god and moses until god was forced summarily to stop them with fire from heaven. many of the people were consumed and a multitude more were smitten with a great plague while yet they ate of the flesh they craved; therefore the place of the camp was named the "graves of lust." num 11. such was the reward of their concupiscence, which paul here aptly explains as "lusting after evil things." 13. truly it is but lusting after the wrath and punishment of god when, in forgetfulness of and ingratitude for his grace and goodness we seek something new. the world is coming to be filled with the spirit of concupiscence, for the multitude is weary of the gospel. particularly are they dissatisfied with it because it profits not the flesh; contributes not to power, wealth and luxury. men desire again the old and formal things of popery, notwithstanding they suffered therein extreme oppression and were burdened not less than were the people of israel in egypt. but they will eventually have to pay a grievous penalty for their concupiscence. 14. in the third place, the apostle mentions the great sin--idolatry. "neither be ye idolaters," he counsels, "as were some of them." not simply the lower class of people were guilty in this respect, but the leaders and examples. as they led, the multitude followed. even aaron, the brother of moses, himself high-priest, swayed by the influential ones, yielded and set up the golden calf (ex 32, 4) while moses tarried in the mount. we are astounded that those eminently worthy individuals, having heard god's word and seen his wonders liberally displayed, should so soon fall unrestrainedly into the false worship of idolatry, as if they were heathen and possessed not the word. much less need we wonder that the blind world always is entangled with idol-worship. 15. where the word of god is lacking or disregarded, human wisdom makes for itself a worship. it will find its pleasure in the thing of its own construction and regard it something to be prized, though it may be imperatively forbidden in god's word, perhaps even an abomination before him. human reason thinks it may handle divine matters according to its own judgment; that god must be pleased with what suits its pleasure. accordingly, to sanction idolatry, it appropriates the name of the word of god. the word must be forced into harmony with the false worship to give the latter an admirable appearance, notwithstanding the worship is essentially the reverse of what it is made to appear. similarly popery set off its abominations of the mass, of monkery and the worship of saints; and the world in turn seeks to set off that idolatry to make it stand before god's word. such is the conduct of the eminent aaron when he makes for the people the golden calf (ex 32, 5-6), an image or sign of their offerings and worship. he builds an altar to it and causes to be proclaimed a feast to the lord who has led them out of the land of egypt. they must imitate the worship of the true god, a worship of sincere devotion and honest intention, with their offering, the calf, in the attempt to introduce a refined and ennobling worship. 16. thereupon follows what is recorded in exodus 32, 6, to which paul here refers: "and they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play." that is, they rejoiced and were well pleased with themselves, content to have performed such worship, and deemed they had done well. next they proceed to their own pleasure, as if having provided against god's anger. thenceforth they would live according to their inclinations, wholly unrestrained and unreproved by the word of god; for, as they said, aaron made the people free. 17. such is the usual course of idolatry. refusing to be considered a sin, it presumes to merit grace and boasts of the liberty of the people of god. it continues unrepentant and self-assured, even in the practice of open vice, imagining every offense to be forgiven before god for the sake of its holy worship. thus have the priestly rabble of popery been doing hitherto; and they still adorn--yes, strengthen and defend--their shameful adultery, unchastity and all vices, with the name of the church, the holy worship, the mass, and so on. israel's trial of god. 18. in the fourth admonition, the apostle says, "neither let us make trial of the lord, as some of them made trial, and perished by the serpents." this, too, is a heinous sin, as is proven by the terrible punishment. in numbers 21 we read that after the people had journeyed for forty years in the wilderness and god had brought them through all their difficulties and given them victory over their enemies, as they drew near to the promised land, they became dissatisfied and impatient. they were setting out to go around the land of the edomites, who refused them a passage through their country, when they began to murmur against god and moses for leading them out of egypt. thereupon god sent among them fiery serpents and they were bitten, a multitude of the people perishing. complaining against god is here called tempting him. men set themselves against the word of god and blaspheme as if god and his word were utterly insignificant, because his disposing is not as they desire. properly speaking, it is tempting god when we not only disbelieve him but oppose him, refusing to accept what he says as true and desiring that our own wisdom rule. that is boasting ourselves against him. paul says in 1 corinthians 10, 22: "do we provoke the lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?" 19. such was the conduct of the jews. notwithstanding god's promise to be their god, to remain with them and to preserve them in trouble, if only they would believe in him and trust him; and notwithstanding he proved his care by daily providences expressed as special blessings and strange wonders, yet all these things availed not to save them from murmuring. when the ordering of events accorded not exactly with their wisdom or desire, or when, perhaps, disaster or failure threatened, immediately they began to make outcry against moses; in other words, against his god-given office and message. "why have you led us out of egypt?" they would complain, meaning: "if you bore, as you say you do, the word and command of god and if he truly designed to work such marvels with us, he would not permit us to suffer want like this." in fact, they could not believe god's dealings with them were in accord with his promise and design. they insisted that he should, through moses, perform what they dictated; otherwise he should not be their god. at the outset, when they entered the wilderness, after having come out of egypt and having experienced god's wonderful preservation of them in the red sea and his deliverance from their enemy, and having received from him bread and flesh, they immediately began to murmur against moses and aaron and to chide them for leading into the wilderness where no water was. "is jehovah among us, or not?" they burst forth. ex 17, 7. this was, indeed, as our text says, tempting god; for abundantly as his word and his wonders had been revealed to them, they refused to believe unless he should fulfil their desires. 20. and they persisted in so opposing and tempting god as long as they were in the wilderness, unto the fortieth year; to which god testifies when he says to moses: "because all those men that have seen my glory, and my signs, which i wrought in egypt and in the wilderness, yet have tempted me these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice," etc., num 14, 22. it was in the second year after the departure from egypt that the jews murmured about the water, and now in the fortieth year, when they should have been humbled after so long experience, and when they whose lives covered that period ought to have been conscious of the wonderful deliverances they had experienced in not being destroyed with others of their number, but being brought safely to the promised land--now they begin anew to complain with great impatience and bitterness: "why have you brought us up out of egypt to die in the wilderness?" or, in other words: "you often remind us you represent god's command, and you have promised us great things. this is a fine way you take to lead us into the land when here we have yet farther to journey and are all going to die in the wilderness!" 21. notice, paul in speaking of how they tempted god says, "they tempted christ," pointing to the fact that the eternal son of god was from the beginning with his church and with the people who received from the ancient fathers the promise of his coming in the form of man. they believed as we do that christ--to use paul's words in the beginning--was the rock that followed them. therefore the apostle gives us to understand, the point of the israelites' insult was directed against faith in christ, against the promise concerning him. moses was compelled to hear them protest after this manner: "yes, you boast about a messiah who is one with god, and who is with us to lead us; one revealed to the fathers and promised to be born unto us of our flesh and blood, to redeem us and bring relief to all men; a messiah who for that reason adopts us for his own people, to bring us into the land; but where is he? this is a fine way he relieves us! is our god one to permit us to wander for forty years in the wilderness until we all perish?" 22. that such sin and blasphemy was the real meaning of their murmurings is indicated by the fact that moses afterward, in the terrible punishment of the fiery serpents by which the people were bitten and died, erected at god's command a brazen serpent and whoever looked upon it lived. it was to them a sign of christ who was to be offered for the salvation of sinners. it taught the people they had blasphemed against god, incurred his wrath and deserved punishment, and therefore in order to be saved from wrath and condemnation, they had no possible alternative but to believe again in christ. murmuring against god open revolt. 23. this last point is akin to the one preceding. paul defines murmuring against god as an open revolt actuated by unbelief in the word, a manifestation of anger and impatience, an unwillingness to obey when events are not ordered according to the pleasure of flesh and blood, and a readiness instantly to see god as hating and unwilling to help. just so the jews persistently behaved, despite moses' efforts to reconcile. being also continually punished for their perversity, they ought prudently to have abandoned their murmurings; but they only murmured the more. 24. the apostle's intent in the narration is to warn all who profess to be christians, or people of god, as we shall hear later. he holds that the example of the israelites ought deeply to impress us, teaching us to continue in the fear of god and to be conscious of it, and to guard against self-confidence. for god by the punishments mentioned shows forcibly enough to the world that he will not trifle with, nor excuse, our sin--as the world and our own flesh fondly imagine--if we, under cover of his high and sacred name, dare despise and pervert his word; if we, actuated by presumptuous confidence in our own wisdom, our own holiness and the gifts of god, follow our private opinions, our own judgment and inclinations, and vainly satisfy ourselves with the delusion: "god is not angry with me, one so meritorious, so superior, in his sight." 25. you learn here that god spared none of the great throng from egypt, among whom were many worthy and eminent individuals, even the progenitors of christ in the tribe of judah. he visited terrible punishment upon the distinguished princes and the leaders among the priesthood and other classes, and that in the sight of the entire people among whom he had performed so many marvelous wonders. having by moses delivered them from temporal bondage in egypt, and through his office spiritually baptized and sanctified them; having given christ, to speak with, lead, defend and help them; having dealt kindly with them as would a father with his children: yet he visits terrible destruction upon these jews because they have abused his grace and brought forth no fruits of faith, and have become proud, boasting themselves the people of god, children of abraham and circumcised, sole possessors of the promise of a messiah, and consequently sure of participating in the kingdom of god and enjoying his grace. 26. now, as paul teaches, if terrible judgment and awful punishment came upon these illustrious and good people, let us not be proud and presumptuous. we are far inferior to them and cannot hope, in these last ages of the world, to know gifts and wonders as great and glorious as they knew. let us see ourselves mirrored in them and profit by their example, being mindful that while we are privileged to glory in christ, in the forgiveness of sins and the grace of god, we must be faithfully careful not to lose what we have received and fall into the same condemnation and punishment before god which was the fate of this people. for we have not yet completed our pilgrimage; we have not arrived at the place toward which we journey. we are still on the way and must constantly go forward in the undertaking, in spite of dangers and hindrances that may assail. the work of salvation is indeed begun in us, but as yet is incomplete. we have come out of egypt and have passed through the red sea; that is, have been led out of the devil's dominion into the kingdom of god, through christian baptism. but we are not yet through the wilderness and in the promised land. there is a possibility of our still wandering from the way, into defeat, and missing salvation. 27. nothing is lacking on god's part; he has given us his word and the sacraments, has bestowed the spirit, given grace and the necessary gifts, and is willing to help us even further. it rests with ourselves not to fall from grace, not to thrust it from us through unbelief, ingratitude, disobedience and contempt of god's word. for salvation is not to him who only begins well, but, as christ says (mt 24, 13), "he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved." but the apostle continues: "now these things happened unto them by way of example; and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come." israel's career an admonition to individuals. 28. when you read or hear this historical example, the terrible punishment the jewish people suffered in the wilderness, think not it is an obsolete record and without present significance. the narrative is certainly not written for the dead, but for us who live. it is intended to restrain us, to be a permanent example to the whole church. for god's dealings with his own flock are always the same, from the beginning of time to the end. likewise must the people of god, or the church, be always the same. this history is a portrait of the church in every age, representing largely its actual life--the vital part; for it shows on what the success of the church on earth always depends and how it acts. the record teaches that the church is at all times wonderfully governed and preserved by god, without human agency, in the midst of manifold temptations, trials, suffering and defeat; that it does not exist as an established government regulated according to human wisdom, with harmony of parts and logical action, but is continually agitated, impaired and weakened in itself by much confusion and numerous penalties; that the great and best part, who bear the name of the church, fall and bring about a state of things so deplorable god can no longer spare, but is compelled to send punishments in the nature of mutinies and similar disorders, the terrible character of which leaves but a small proportion of the people upright. 29. now, if such disaster befell the nation selected of god, chosen from the first as his people, among whom he performed works marvelous and manifest beyond anything ever known since, what better thing may we expect for ourselves? indeed, how much greater the danger threatening us; how much reason we have to take heed that the same fate, or worse, overtake not ourselves! with reference to the things chronicled in our text, paul tells us: "they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come." that is, we are now in the last and most evil of days, a time bringing many awful dangers and severe punishments. it is foretold in the scriptures, predicted by christ and the apostles, that awful and distressing times will come, when there shall be wide wanderings from the true faith and sad desolations of the church. and, alas, we see the prophecies only too painfully fulfilled in past heresy, and later in mohammedanism and the papacy. 30. the era constituting the "last time" began with the apostles. the christians living since christ's ascension constitute the people of the latter times, the little company left for heaven; and we gentiles, amidst the innumerable multitude of the ungodly generation in the wide world, must experience worse calamities than befell the jews, who lived under the law of moses and the word of god, under an admirable external discipline and a well-regulated government. yet even in this final age so near the end of time, when we should be occupied with proclaiming the gospel everywhere, the great multitude are chiefly employed with boasting their christian name. we see how extravagantly the pope extols his church, teaching that outside its pale no christians are to be found on earth, and that the entire world must regard him as the head of the church. 31. true, his subjects were baptized unto christ, called to the kingdom of god and granted the sacrament and the name of christ. but how do they conduct themselves? under that superior name and honor, they suppress christ's word and his kingdom. for more than a thousand years now they have desolated the church, and to this hour most deplorably persecute it. on the other hand, great countries, vast kingdoms, claiming to be christian but disregarding the true doctrine of faith, are punished by the turk's desolating hand, and instead of the incense of christianity, with them is the revolting odor of mohammed's faith. 32. great and terrible was the punishment of the jewish people. seemingly no disaster could befall man more awful than overtook them in the wilderness. yet it was physical punishment, and although many, through unbelief and contempt of god, fell and incurred everlasting condemnation, still the word of god remained with a remnant--moses and the true church. but the punishment of this last age is infinitely more awful, for god permits the pure doctrine to be lost, and sends strong delusions, that they who receive not the truth nor love it shall believe falsehood and be eternally lost. 2 thes 2, 10. such has been our reward; we have only too terribly suffered punishment. and if we are not more thankful for the grace god extends in his word--a last gleam of light, on the point of extinction--we shall meet with retribution even more appalling. "wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." 33. here is summed up the teaching of the above examples. the sermon is directed against the self-confident. some there were among the christian corinthians who boasted they were disciples of the great apostles, and who had even received the holy spirit, but who stirred up sects and desired to be commended in all their acts. to these paul would say: "no, dear brother, be not too secure, not too sure where you stand. when you think you stand most firmly you are perhaps nearest to falling, and you may fall too far to rise again. they of the wilderness were worthy people and began well, doing great deeds, yet they fell deplorably and were destroyed. therefore, be cautious and suffer not the devil to deceive you. you will need to be vigilant, for you are in the flesh, which always strives against the spirit; and you have the devil for enemy, and dangers and difficulties beset you on all sides. be careful lest you lose what you have received. you have only made a beginning; the end is yet to be attained." so we must be wary and steadfast, that we may, as paul has it, work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. phil 2, 12. "there hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear [such as is common to man]: but god is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able." 34. paul's meaning is: i must not terrify you too much. i would in a measure comfort you. so far you have had no temptations greater than flesh and blood offer. they have risen among yourselves--one holding another in contempt, one doing another injustice; allowing adulteries and other evils to creep in, which things are indeed not right nor decent. you must resolve to reform in these things lest worse error befall you. for should satan get hold of you in earnest with his false doctrine and spiritual delusions, his strong temptations of the soul--contempt of god, for instance--such as assailed peter and many others of the saints, you could not stand. you are yet weak; you are new and untried christians. then thank god who gives you strength to bear your present temptations; who, to retain you, presents what is best for you, admonishing you, through his word, to be on your guard against falling yet deeper into temptation. _tenth sunday after trinity_ text: 1 corinthians 12, 1-11. 1 now, concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, i would not have you ignorant. 2 ye know that when ye were gentiles ye were led away unto those dumb idols, howsoever ye might be led. 3 wherefore i make known unto you, that no man speaking in the spirit of god saith, jesus is anathema [accursed], and no man can say, jesus is lord, but in the holy spirit. 4 now there are diversities of gifts, but the same spirit. 5 and there are diversities of ministrations, and the same lord. 6 and there are diversities of workings, but the same god, who worketh all things in all. 7 but to each one is given the manifestation of the spirit to profit withal. 8 for to one is given through the spirit the word of wisdom; and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same spirit; 9 to another faith, in the same spirit; and to another gifts of healings, in the one spirit; 10 and to another workings of miracles; and to another prophecy; and to another discernings of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; and to another the interpretation of tongues; 11 but all these worketh the one and the same spirit, dividing to each one severally even as he will. spiritual counsel for church officers. 1. this epistle selection treats of spiritual things, things which chiefly pertain to the office of the ministry and concern the church authorities. paul instructs how those in office should employ their gifts for the benefit of one another and thus further the unity and advancement of the churches. inharmony is a deplorable offense in the case of christians, putting them in the worst possible light, and making it impossible for them to steer clear of factions. divisions are an offense to the world's wisest and best, who cry out, "if the christians' doctrine were true, they would preserve unity among themselves, but as it is they envy and slander and devour one another." for, though the world carries its own great beam in its eye, it cannot refrain from judging us for our mote, and thus exalting itself as if it were pure and beautiful. perfect harmony not to be expected. 2. well, we cannot altogether prevent inharmony in the church. paul says (1 cor 11, 19), "for there must be also factions among you, that they that are approved may be made manifest among you." wherever the word of god has a foothold, there the devil will be. by the agency of his factions he will always build his taverns and kitchens beside god's house. so he did at first, in paradise. in the family of adam he entrenched himself, establishing there his church. and such has been his practice ever since, and doubtless will ever be. he who takes offense at differences in the church, who when he sees any inharmony at once concludes there is no church there, will in the end miss both the church and christ. you will never find any congregation of such purity that all its members are unanimous on every point of belief and teaching and all live in perfect harmony. 3. paul had experience in this matter in the case of the beautiful and famed church at corinth in achaia, which he himself planted and where he taught two years. soon after his departure they began to disagree about their preachers and to attach themselves to certain ones--some to paul, some to peter, some to apollos. though these had all taught correctly, though they had been unanimous in their doctrine, yet men would cleave to a certain one because he was more or differently gifted than the others, could speak better, or was more attractive in personal appearance. and among the ministers of the church, if one had a special gift or office, he thought he ought to be a little better and a little greater than the others. necessarily, from such division and inharmony, grew hatred, strife and jealousy, resulting in great injury and disorder to the church. 4. we must, then, so far as possible, guard against this fatal evil, though we cannot altogether keep it out of the church. were we to offer no resistance at all, the devil would seize all authority and bring every element into discord. but when we resist satan, god will continue to extend his grace and favor, and some fruit and improvement will follow. even were it not possible for us to accomplish anything, yet as faithful ministers we must not keep silent if we would not be regarded indolent hirelings who flee when the wolf comes. see jn 10, 12. 5. such is the tenor of this text from paul. he begins by preaching on spiritual gifts and admonishing the corinthians how to conduct themselves in respect to them. in proportion to the greatness and excellence of the gifts are flesh and blood inclined to discord and to coveting personal honor. let one have a good understanding of the scriptures and be able to explain them, or let him have the power to work miracles, and he will soon begin to have an extravagantly good opinion of himself, deeming himself worthy the honor of all men, desiring the multitude to follow only him, and positively refusing to regard anyone his equal. he will seek to create something new in doctrine, to change the old order, as if he could introduce something better than others, who must be infinitely below him or at least his inferiors. 6. the same thing has taken place in our day--and will continue to take place--with respect to the gospel. but through the grace of god that gospel is brought to light again, and rightly instructs and harmonizes the people. the devil, unable to rest, had to rouse his factious rabble, his selfish souls, who desired the name of being superior and inspired people, a people who could preach, write and explain the scriptures better than others; for they had learned a little from us. they conceded that the gospel had indeed made a beginning, had somewhat purified ecclesiastical doctrine, but claimed it had not gone far enough; it was necessary that greater improvement be made--church doctrine must be brought to far greater perfection. but as paul says (1 cor 3, 11), they could, with their doctrine, lay no other foundation, could preach no other christ, than the christ of the gospel. nevertheless, they pretended to teach something better and higher. they hindered and perverted the true doctrine. their work could not be called building up the faith, but was rather breaking up and destroying its foundation and leading the people back into error and blindness. so paul begins his admonition in these words: "ye know that when ye were gentiles ye were led away unto those dumb idols, howsoever ye might be led." 7. paul reminds the corinthians of their manner of life before they became christians, for he would have them pause to think that their gifts, past and present, are not of their own procuring, nor are any gifts bestowed upon them because of merit on their part. it is his intent to restrain them from pride in their gifts and from disputations concerning them; to keep them from divisions and from pretending to teach and introduce into the church something new and better. but at the same time he deals a blow to those who take offense at inharmony among christians. 8. "recall, all of you," paul would say, "your manner of life before you came to christ. what were you? mere darkened heathen, having no knowledge of god but suffering yourselves blindly to be led by anyone who should say aught to you of god. all your devotion was but a discordant worship. each one--even the child in the cradle, the infant at the mother's breast--must find his own idol wherever he might turn." st. augustine tells us that the city of rome alone had more than four hundred gods, and that it erected a church for all the gods in the world, which building still stands--the pantheon. "these superstitions," paul's words imply, "you followed as you were led; you flocked after them, praying and sacrificing, hanging your hearts upon dumb idols which could not teach and advise you, could not comfort, relieve or help you. in return for your devotion you obtained only the privilege of being a blind, wretched, divided, miserable people, unable to fortify yourselves against any error, and allowing yourselves to be distracted by the advocate of any doctrine. you were like a flock of helpless sheep scattered by wolves. 9. "but now you have been turned from that manifold idolatry to the one true worship and have been enlightened by god's word. more than that, in christ have been bestowed upon you great and glorious gifts--discerning of the scriptures, diversities of tongues, power to work miracles--things impossible to the world. it is unmistakably evident that you embrace the true god, who does not, like dumb idols, leave you to wander in the error of your own speculations, uncounseled by the word; a living god, who speaks to you that you may know what to expect from him, and works among you publicly and visibly. "therefore, it is not for you to make divisions among yourselves after the manner of the heathen as you see in the great babel confusion and divisions of the world, where no one agrees with another, where one runs to this his idol and another to that, each claiming superiority for his own. knowing that you all embrace the one true god and his word, you are to hold together in one faith and one mind, not disagreeing among yourselves as if you had a variety of gods, of faiths, of baptisms, spirits and salvations." cavilers themselves led astray. 10. paul speaks with particular plainness to the fault-finding and insolent cavilers against christians and to other factious leaders when he says, "ye were led away unto those dumb idols, howsoever ye might be led." this class peremptorily judge and criticise the life and doctrine of the church because they see therein a measure of defects, and even some divisions and disagreements; notwithstanding the fact is plainly evident to them that the church possesses the word of god in purity, a knowledge of christ, an illumined understanding of god's will and his grace, and true comfort for all distress of conscience, and that, in addition to all these, the holy spirit manifestly operates with them. at the same time, these same uncalled-for and self-constituted critics would never have been able to say anything about the christian religion had they not witnessed that religion in the little company of christians who have the word of god and the spirit's gifts. 11. these fault-finders were individuals who, undoubtedly to a greater extent than others, suffered themselves to be blindly led in whatever way was pointed out, and who gave credence to what was taught and preached to them concerning the way to serve god, yet who all the time were but worshipers of dumb idols, possessing not the word of god and having no witness to the truth of their faith and their works. each believed and followed the devices of his own imagination or the popular choice. no man was able to teach anything certain and steadfast, anything to give the heart satisfaction and perfect security. they continually changed from one thing to another, accepting every new thing presented as real worship and true doctrine. 12. and the world, ever from the beginning, has had naught but dumb idols in the countless forms of worship offered to the numerous gods--gods which never existed, but of which images were made and to which divine honors were shown. worship has been rendered to the mere names of misfortune, disaster and disease, of all sorts; yes, to insects, and to garlic and onions even. yet, in the practice of all this idolatry, supposed to be evidence of great holiness, each one sacrificing to the idol of his choice--in it all no one could have the assurance of being heard and answered by his god. men had no word or sign of the divine will or work; they possessed naught but a vain dream and delusion of the human imagination; man devised and made his own idols. 13. and what did we under the papacy but walk blindly? we suffered ourselves to be led just as we were directed by the names of god and the saints. i was myself a pious monk and priest, holding mass daily, wherein i worshiped st. barbara, st. anna, st. christopher and others--more saints than the calendar mentions, some of whom no one knew anything about. i had no knowledge of christ, i knew not why i should find comfort in him nor what i should expect of him. i was as much afraid of him as of the devil himself, regarding him more a stern judge than a saviour. how many shameful pilgrimages were made to dead idols of wood and stone, images of mary and of the saints! how many were the pilgrimages to the graves of the dead, and to bones called "holy relics"! these relics were mere open deception, devised by shameless impostors; yet such worship was established by popes and bishops, and indulgences granted therefor. 14. how many new saints, new brotherhoods, new psalms to mary, and new rosaries and crowns did the monks daily invent? in fact, everything each individual monk might dream of had to be a special form of worship, and no one inquired whether or not it was at all authorized by god's word. when we had done all, we were uncertain that we had pleased god. what was this sort of worship but a worship of dumb idols in the place of the living god--idols which could not talk with us and could not give any definite information or comfort, but left the people fettered and ruined with eternal doubts? faith in the one christ productive of unity. 15. but christians, as paul says, have not a dead and dumb god, for which the lord be praised! nor will we countenance such idols. we have a living, speaking god, who gives us his infallible word. we know how he is disposed toward us and what we may expect from him; namely: through faith in christ we have forgiveness of sins and are his beloved children; and as evidence of acceptance with god, we have baptism and the holy supper, the office and gifts of the holy spirit, by which he works in our hearts. we know that in the faith of christ our works and lives are pleasing to god, and that he will hear and help when in our distress and weakness we cry unto him. 16. where this confidence obtains, where hearts enjoy such faith, there will be unity in the church; for verily no one then will allow himself to be led into the manifold doctrines of insensible idols. but dissensions, sects and divisions are sure signs that the true doctrine is either ignored or misunderstood, men thus being left in a condition to be "tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine," as paul says (eph 4, 14); which is indisputably the case with these same schismatics who condemn the church and her doctrines because of some discordant ones. the schismatics show by their very instability that they do not embrace the true, uniform and established doctrine, nor can exhibit any substitute for it. they refuse to see that in cases where the christian doctrine does not obtain, there is only blindness, distraction and confusion, and warring factions and sects, none agreeing with another, each claiming to be better than the other. numerous have been the sects of monks, and of saints of the pope and his god the devil, no two of which agreed. each class regarded its own whims and speculations, and claimed to be holier than the others. the pope, however, gave validity to them all, granting great indulgence to these factious fraternities. and i am not saying anything of other discords in the papacy--among the monasteries and in the parishes, and between these and the cloisters everywhere, perpetual quarreling, rioting and bitter contention. such is inevitably the case when righteousness and divine worship are made to consist in external self-devised works and forms, for then each individual, pleased with his own ideas, thinks his way right; under such circumstances, there can never be unanimity of opinion as to what is right and the best. 17. "from these numerous sources of disunion and idolatry," paul would say to the corinthians, "you are now delivered. you know you embrace the real word of god, the true faith. you worship one god, one lord, and enjoy the same grace, the same spirit, the same salvation. you need not seek other forms and ceremonies as essential to salvation--wearing a white or a gray cowl, refraining from this or that food, forbearing to touch certain things. no diversity of external service, of persons, offices and conditions, destroys the unity in christ. "but take heed to continue in unity, to hold fast to it. unquestionably, you should be made wiser by the experience you have had with error; in the future you ought to be prudent, and watchful against being allured from the unity of this settled mind and true faith into your former blindness again. but so it will certainly befall you if you forget such grace and seek your own honor and praise more than the doctrine of the holy spirit and his gifts, and come to despise one another and to conduct yourselves as if you had many and not the same god, the same christ, the same spirit. god's gifts cannot be different from, but must be one with his nature, and hence he cannot give to one a better gospel or a different baptism from that given another." in short, paul teaches there must be unity in christ, otherwise we have no christ, no god and holy spirit, no grace nor salvation; as the next verse emphasizes. "wherefore i make known unto you that no man speaking in the spirit of god saith, jesus is anathema [calleth jesus accursed]; and no man can say, jesus is lord, but in the holy spirit." 18. "why make divisions and differences," paul inquires, "in the doctrine and faith of the church, which rests wholly upon the one christ? in him you are to be one if you are christians at all; you must harmoniously praise him, according to your individual gifts. no one can possibly possess the holy spirit if he does not regard christ as the lord, much less if he call him accursed. destroy the foundation and you destroy all; there will be no god, no spirit, and all your claims, teaching and works are naught. you must recognize and be governed by the fact that either christ must be received and believed in as the one true lord, and praised and glorified as such, or else he will be cursed; between these alternatives is no medium." the spirit, the test of the true teacher. it is easy, then, to judge the doctrine of every official teacher of the christian church. no one need resort to faction, no one need gaze hither and thither in uncertainty and hesitate as to which gift or which person is most to be regarded. we are to make the doctrine of this verse the standard and authority as to what and how we preach concerning christ. he who speaks by inspiration of the holy spirit certainly will not curse christ; he will glorify and praise him. so doing, he surely will not teach error, or give occasion for divisions. if his teaching is not to the glory of god, you may safely conclude that he is not true, not inspired by the holy spirit. 19. thus paul rejects the glorying and boasting of the sects over their offices and gifts--they who pretend to be filled with the spirit and to teach the people correctly, and who make out that paul and other teachers are of no consequence. themselves the chief of apostles, the people must hear them and accept their baptism. more than that, they demand a higher attainment in the spirit for gospel ministers, deeming faith, the sacrament and the outward office not sufficient. but paul says: "boast as you will about the great measure of the spirit you possess, it is certain that the spirit-inspired teacher will not curse christ." in other words, such boasting of the spirit will not answer the purpose. what you believe and teach concerning christ must receive attention. you are either reproaching and cursing jesus, or praising him and owning him your lord. if your preaching and teaching fail to point to christ, something else being offered, and you nevertheless boast of the spirit, you are already judged: the spirit you boast is not the holy spirit, not the true spirit, but a false one. to it we are not to listen. rather we are to condemn it to the abyss of hell, as paul declares (gal 1, 8), saying: "but though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach unto you any gospel other than that which we preached unto you, let him be anathema." 20. when paul here speaks of calling jesus accursed, he does not only have reference to openly blaspheming or cursing christ's name or person after the manner of heathen and of ungodly jews; with them paul has nothing to do here, nor are the corinthians supposed to be of that character. paul refers rather to the christian who, though boasting of the holy spirit, does not preach christ as the ground of our salvation as he should, but, neglecting this truth, points the soul away to something else, pretending that this substitute is of the holy spirit and is something better and more essential than the common doctrine of the gospel. all such teachers are in reality simply guilty of condemning, reproaching and cursing christ, though themselves bearing and boasting that name. to slight christ's word and ministry, and exalt in their stead other things as mediums for obtaining the holy spirit and eternal life, or at least as being equally efficacious and essential--what is this but scorning christ and making him of no consequence? indeed, according to hebrews 6, 6 and 10, 29, it is crucifying the son of god afresh, and treading under foot his blood. 21. christ himself explains the office and ministry of the holy spirit--what he is to teach in the church--saying (jn 15, 26), "he shall bear witness of me." again (jn 16, 14): "he shall glorify me: for he shall take of mine, and shall declare it unto you." the tongue of a minister of christ--the language he employs--must be of that simplicity which preaches naught but christ. if he is to testify of the saviour and glorify him, he cannot present other things whereby christ would be ignored and robbed of his glory. he who does so, certainly is not inspired by the holy spirit, even though he possess great gifts and be called a teacher, a bishop, a pope, a council, an apostle even--yes, an angel from heaven. there were among the corinthians some who thus neglected to preach only christ, and presented instead the apostles, making choice of them--one cephas, another apollos and a third paul. and just so our monks have done. they have in a way highly extolled jesus, have in words honored and worshiped his name and used it to clothe all their lying nonsense and idolatry. for instance, they exalt mary as the mother of jesus and anna as his grandmother. but they have thus torn men's hearts away from christ, turning over to mary and the saints the honor due him alone, and teaching the people to invoke these as mediators and intercessors having power to protect us in the hour of death. this is substituting dumb idols for christ. no saint has ever taught such things; still less does the word of god enjoin them. thus the monks really curse and insult christ. 22. the pope, throughout his whole administration, has been guilty of such insult to christ, notwithstanding his boast that his kingdom represents the christian church, that he truly possesses the holy spirit and that his decrees and ordinances must be respected. nothing can dissuade the papists from their practice. they ever boast of being led by the spirit, yet their vaunting is mere malediction, not only of christ in person, but of his word and his sacraments. for they openly condemn, and denounce as heresy, the doctrine of the gospel, which gospel assures us that to christ alone we owe the unmerited forgiveness of our sins; they condemn also the use of the sacraments according to christ's command and institution. and they destroy the people who thus offend them. the fact is, the pope has in our doctrine nothing to curse but jesus christ, its foundation and principle, expressed by his word and sacraments. the same is true of other factions--the anabaptists and similar sects. what else do they but slander baptism and the lord's supper when they pretend that the external word and outward sacraments do not benefit the soul, that the spirit alone can do that? but in these matters you have paul's sure word of judgment to strengthen your faith. you may be assured that the factions of the pope and other sects are not, as they boast, the church of christ, but accursed schisms of the devil. the true church, the righteous bride of christ, certainly will not curse him nor persecute his word. let no one be moved by hearing men loudly boast about christ after the manner of the false apostles who called themselves disciples of the true apostles of jesus, and claimed that certain of their number had even seen christ in person. the saviour himself warns us against this class when he says (mt 24, 5-24), "many shall come in my name ... and shall show wonders"; and (mt 7, 21), "not every one that saith unto me, lord, lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven." holy spirit alone gives assurance. 23. paul has the same thought here when he says, "no man can say, jesus is lord, but in the holy spirit." to call jesus "lord" is to confess one's self his servant and to seek his honor alone; to act as his messenger or the bearer of his word and command. paul's reference here is chiefly to the office representative of christ and bearing his word. where the office answers these conditions and points to christ as the lord, it is truly the message of the holy spirit, even though the occupant of the office does not in his own person possess the spirit; the office itself is essentially the holy spirit. hypocrisy and invention have no place here. one must proceed in sincerity if he would be certain he is christ's minister, or apostle, and really handles his word. only the inspiration of the holy spirit can give one this assurance. 24. all christians--each in his own work or sphere--equally may call christ "lord." one may be assured he serves christ if he can call him "lord," for only by the holy spirit is he enabled to do that. let him try for a single day--from morning until evening--whether or no he can truly say at all times that he is the servant of god and of christ in what he does. when delivering a sermon or listening to one, when baptizing a child or bringing a child to baptism, when pursuing your daily home duties, ask yourself if the act is attended by such faith that you can, without misgiving and not hypocritically nor mechanically, boast--and if necessary die by your word--that you serve and please christ therein. this is calling christ "lord." unquestionably you will often feel your heart doubting and trembling over the matter. 25. in the papacy we were altogether hindered from feeling thus confident--yes, frightened from it by accursed scepticism. no one could--no one dared--say, "i know i am a servant, a bondsman, of christ, and that my conduct pleases him." flesh and blood are too weak to obtain this glorious confidence; the holy spirit is essential. reason and our own hearts cry out in protest: "alas, i am far too evil and unworthy! how could i be proud and presumptuous enough to boast myself the servant of the lord jesus christ? i might if i were as holy as st. peter, st. paul and others." 26. i used often to wonder that st. ambrose was so bold as, in his letters, to call himself a servant of jesus christ. i supposed we all ought to be terrified at thoughts of this kind, and that none but the apostles might boast of such honor. but the fact is, we must all say to christ: "thou art my lord and i am thy servant; for i believe on thee and aspire to be with thee and all the faithful and to possess thy word and sacrament." otherwise christ will not acknowledge us. christians to give all glory to god. it is written (mt 4, 10)--indeed, it is the first commandment--"thou shalt worship the lord thy god, and him only shalt thou serve." there christ requires of us, under the penalty of forfeiting eternal life, to honor him as our lord and so to regulate our lives that we shall know we serve him. peter also teaches (1 pet 4, 11) that all the christian's words and deeds should be regarded not as his own, but as god's. the word and the act are to be of the ability which god gives, that in it all god may be glorified. of necessity this condition can obtain only through the holy spirit. 27. in this point--the glorification of christ--do the true christians distinguish themselves from false christians, hypocrites and factious spirits, who likewise triumphantly boast of the spirit and of their divine office. but the vanity of their boasting is evident from the fact that they do not hold to the doctrine that glorifies christ, but preach that which leads to other evils and deceives; yes, which condemns and persecutes the right doctrine and the true faith of christ. further evidence of the emptiness of their boasting is apparent in the fact that they have no conscious testimony that they serve christ, nor can their followers give assurance on the same point. you have here the clear sentence of paul declaring this class devoid of the holy spirit and thus separated from the true church and from christians. he exhorts us to be on our guard against them, and would bring christians together in one faith and under one lord and spirit. now he teaches how to employ rightly the manifold gifts of a united church for the general benefit of its members. "now there are diversities of gifts, but the same spirit." 28. "in former time, when you were heathen, you followed many kinds of idolatrous worship, many doctrines and spirits; but it was only a divided religion, and representative of blindness and error. now, however, you possess various beautiful divine gifts and offices. these are mutually related and all emanate, not from man's reason or faculties, but from the one true god. they are his work--the expression of his power. notwithstanding the dissimilarity of gifts, offices and works, of a certain order in one and otherwise in another, many and few, great and small, weak and strong--notwithstanding all, we are not to divide the spirit, god and faith; we are not to create factions, exalting this individual or that one solely because of his gifts, and despising others. all gifts are direct from one god, one lord, one spirit, and to serve the same purpose--to bring men to the knowledge of the one god and to build up the church in the unity of faith. therefore, you are united in the one doctrine, your object being to serve god and the church in a harmonious way." this verse is briefly the substance of all that follows in the text. the trinity. 29. paul presents three different points: "diversities of gifts, but the same spirit;" "diversities of administrations, and the same lord;" "diversities of workings, but the same god." unquestionably, paul touches the article of faith concerning the trinity, or three persons in the divine essence, and shows that both christ and the holy spirit are true god and yet different in person from the father and from each other. he teaches the same elsewhere (1 cor 8, 5-6), saying: "for though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or on earth; as there are gods many, and lords many; yet to us there is one god, the father, of whom are all things, and we unto him; and one lord, jesus christ, through whom are all things, and we through him." 30. in the text before us, the apostle likewise distinguishes the three--one god, one lord, one spirit. he assigns to each the particular operation whereby he manifests himself. one is god the father, and from him as the origin and first person emanates all power. another is the lord, christ the son of god, who as the head of the church appoints all offices. the third is the spirit, who produces and dispenses all gifts in the church. yet all three are of one divine, almighty and eternal essence. they are of the same name, and are truly one since god must be an indivisible essence. to each individual is attributed only the characteristics of the divine majesty. as he who is the source of all operative power in the church and in the entire creation is true god; so also must the lord who appoints all offices, and the spirit who confers all gifts, be true god. no creature is able to impart spiritual offices and gifts; that is impossible to any but god. these three--god, lord and spirit--are not gods of unlike nature, but one in divine essence. the lord is no other god than god the father; and the spirit is none other than god and the lord. but more on this topic elsewhere. spiritual gifts specified. 31. the names and nature of the spiritual gifts, the apostle here specifies. he names wisdom, knowledge, prophecy, power to discern spirits, capacity to speak with tongues and to interpret, extraordinary gifts of faith, and power to work miracles. "the word of wisdom" is the doctrine which teaches a knowledge of god, revealing his will, counsel and design. it embraces every article of belief and justification. the world knows nothing of this loftiest, most exalted gift of the spirit. the word of knowledge. the "word of knowledge" also teaches of the outward life and interests of the christian: how we are to conduct ourselves toward all others, making a profitable use of the gospel doctrine according as necessity of time and person demands; it teaches us the wisest course toward the weak and the strong, the timid and the obstinate. the gift of prophecy. the gift of prophecy is the ability to rightly interpret and explain the scriptures, and powerfully to reveal therefrom the doctrine of faith and the overthrow of false doctrine. the gift of prophecy includes, further, the ability to employ the scriptures for admonition and reproof, for imparting strength and comfort, by pointing out, on the one hand, the certainty of future indignation, vengeance and punishment for the unbelieving and disobedient, and on the other hand presenting divine aid and reward to godly believers. thus did the prophets with the word of god, both the law and the promises. the gift of faith. 32. paul is making mention of gifts not common to all. only to certain ones are they given, and the gifts in themselves are unlike. "to another faith," he says, "to another workings of miracles, and to another prophecy." in "faith" here the reference is not to ordinary faith in christ which brings justification before god and forgiveness of sin; such faith is essentially the property of every christian, even if they do not possess the particular gifts here enumerated. paul is speaking of a particular virtue or power of the spirit operating in the church, whereby certain ones can effect great and glorious things by reason of their remarkable and confident courage; as instanced in paul's words later on (1 cor 13, 2), "if i have all faith, so as to remove mountains." to work such wonders, a very strong and sure faith is certainly necessary. an unwavering, vigorous, courageous faith may accomplish a special work in the name and power of christ although the worker may not himself be truly repentant nor possess the right kind of faith to secure forgiveness of sins and grace in christ. he may be a hypocrite, a false saint. christ says (mt 7, 22), "many will say to me in that day, lord, lord, did we not prophesy by thy name, and by thy name cast out demons, and by thy name do many mighty works?" it is true that such gifts are exercised, such works performed, in the name of christ, and that the gifts are granted to none but individuals in the church of christ, and yet the possessor may not be altogether righteous, may even be a false christian. for the effects wrought do not emanate from the individual but from the office he represents, being the operation of the spirit given in behalf of the church. thus, as occupants of the office and by virtue of the church, these persons perform many and great works, benefiting not themselves but others. 33. paul says of all these, "there are diversities of gifts, but the same spirit," by way of admonishing us against creating sects. the spirit is equally effective through him whose gifts are few and less significant and through him of remarkable gifts. and as with gifts, so it is with workings and ministrations. meaning of "workings." 34. the term "workings," or operations, has reference to remarkable works of god wrought through certain individuals in an exceptional way. for instance, he grants to paul a ministerial office of unusual influence: paul is permitted to convert more souls than other apostles, to perform more wonders and accomplish more. he says himself (1 cor 15, 10) that by the grace of god he labored more abundantly than all. meaning of "administrations." 35. the meaning of "administrations" is easily apparent. office is an ordained and essential feature of every government. it represents various duties imposed and commanded by sovereign authority. it may have reference to the duties enjoined upon a society collectively, in the service of others. there are various offices in the church; for instance, one individual is an apostle, another an evangelist, another a teacher, as paul mentions in ephesians 4, 11. and as he says in first corinthians 14, 26 and also hints in this text, the office of one is to read the scriptures in different languages, of another to interpret and explain. so it was ordained in the church at that time, and similarly today are ordained certain offices--of pastors, preachers, deacons or priests, their duties being to hear confessions, to administer the sacrament, and so on. 36. not every christian is obliged, nor is able, to execute such duties; only upon certain ones are they enjoined. "administrations" differ from what paul terms "workings" and gifts. there have ever been many christians who, though possessing the holy spirit, were not "administrators;" for instance, virgins and wives--agnes anastasia and others--and martyrs, many of whom wrought miracles and had other gifts. true, both gifts and workings are imparted chiefly for the execution of christian duties. it is essential here, especially in the superior office of preaching, that the occupant be peculiarly qualified for the place. the preacher must be able to understand and explain the scriptures and be familiar with the languages. it is necessary to the effectiveness of his labors that he be accompanied by god's operative power. thus the three--gifts, workings, administrations--are harmonious features of one divine government in the church; christ is the lord, who regulates and maintains the offices, while god works and the holy spirit bestows his gifts. diversity of gifts no reason for sects. 37. as we said, offices are many and varied, even as one gift is greater than another: an apostle, for instance, is superior to a teacher or expounder, while the office of a baptizer is inferior to that of a preacher. yet notwithstanding, we are to remember, paul says, that all are ordained of the same lord, and the occupant of a superior office is not to consider himself any better by reason of his position and to despise others. he must bear in mind that all serve the same lord, the least as well as the greatest, and consequently the holder of the inferior office is not necessarily inferior with his lord, nor the executor of the higher office greater with him. christ is ever lord of all; one belongs as much to his realm as another. therefore he will have no divisions and sects over this point; rather he wills that such diversity of gifts and offices be promotive of unity. 38. when i preach and you listen, we are not exercising the same gift and office, yet you as truly serve christ by listening as i by preaching. if you preach, explain the scriptures, baptize, comfort or aught else, through you works the same christ who works through another. all is wrought in obedience to the order of him who commands me to hear his word as well as to preach to you, and to exercise the same faith and spirit with you. thus all alike praise the one lord. you say, "the word i hear is the true word of god," and i as a preacher prove and declare the very same thing. when i baptize, administer the sacrament or absolve, and you accept my administrations, we are both engaged in the service of the same lord and harmoniously execute his command. you and i, however, so far as office and gifts are considered, may be of different capacities. 39. a peculiarity of the christian profession, and the chief point of distinction between christians and the heathen, is their recognition of the fact that workings, offices and gifts are of god, christ the lord and the holy spirit. the world does not perceive this truth, though it, too, enjoys the gifts of god. for god remembers all his creatures, though, like swine that enter the trough on all fours with no thought but of eating and rooting therein, not even lifting their eyes, they cannot raise their thoughts to the source of all their good and have not a thought as to whom they should thank for it. he who is not a christian comes before god in an insensible and beastly attitude. the world is but a pen of animals indifferent to the kingdom of god and with no idea of gratitude for his rich beneficence, his gifts for body and soul. the worldly seek only their husks and their troughs. to these they cleave like fattening swine intended for slaughter. jeremiah (ch. 12, 3) says concerning the ungodly, who with great satisfaction persecute the righteous: "pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter." 40. god gives the ungodly mighty kingdoms, riches, lands and houses, making them to enjoy greatness and abundance. but when the swine are fed and fat, the question of bacon and sausage introduces a struggle. a slaughterer--a sausage-maker--appears, perchance, to slaughter the swine in their sty; one comes desolating the country, overthrowing the kingdom, destroying people and all; for, desiring to be but swine, the people must be destroyed like swine. even though the world have personal knowledge of such punishment, it continues its course so long as possible--until the slaughterer comes. swine remain swine; they are capable of standing ever unmoved by their trough, one perfectly indifferent if another be struck dead before its eyes. christians recognize the divine source of their gifts. 41. christians, however, though obliged to live among swine and to be at times trampled under foot and rooted about, have nevertheless surpassing glory; for they can look up and intelligently behold their lord and his gifts. they are not of the pen of swine intended only for slaughter; they know themselves children of god, adorned by him with gifts and graces not merely temporal. they are conscious that, having given them body and life--for these they realize are not of their own obtaining--he will also supply their further needs, providing for them forever. 42. christians are able to recognize even god's least blessing as most precious, as truly excellent; not only because it comes from him, but because of its inherent value. no one who recognizes even temporal blessings would give an eye, or a less important member of the body, to redeem the riches of the entire world. how much loftier and more precious to the christian are the spiritual gifts concerning which paul here speaks--gifts bestowed as means unto salvation! the baptizing of a child or the absolution of a penitent makes no great show, but were the office viewed in the true light, the bestowed treasure rightly appreciated, all the officers, authority and riches of kings and emperors would be nothing at all in comparison. 43. regarding the baptizer--who may be a woman even--and the baptized, we certainly can see nothing wonderful. the humanity in the case does not effect any great work; the work is wrought by him who is god, lord and spirit. it is he who gives to the office power and greatness above that of all emperors, kings and lords, however inferior the instrumentality--the occupants of the sacred offices. by these ministrations souls are won from the devil, snatched out of hell and transformed into saints blessed forever. person and office may be apparently inferior, but the office is of god and god is no inferior being. his greatness cannot be equaled by a hundred thousand worlds. he accomplishes things incomprehensible to the world and impossible to angels. the combined efforts of all creation could not produce baptism. were the world to unite in baptizing an infant, the infant would receive no good therefrom unless god the lord commanded the deed. let the sultan be many thousands of times more powerful than at present and he could not, with all his riches, his dominion and peoples, free himself or any other from the power of the least sin. he could not effectively pronounce the absolution, "god has forgiven you your sins." for the sultan has neither gift, office nor work; indeed, he knows nothing about them. they belong to god alone, though human mouths and hands are instrumental therein. 44. note why paul boasts of the fact that god bestows such great blessings. it is that christians may discern them and thank him; and that such discernment may lead them to serve one another in humility, with mutual faith and love, each one learning to praise god fervently wherever he beholds god's gifts and offices operative in the church, and to esteem them as he would esteem god himself. for, unquestionably, none would possess office and gifts had not god ordained and bestowed them. 45. how we have exalted our own nonsense--pilgrimages, cloisters, cords, cowls, running to the dead in the wilderness and so on! but to what purpose? what benefit have we derived therefrom, notwithstanding we walked until our feet were bleeding, and watched and fasted and tormented ourselves to death? such a life, it is true, may be called holy, divine, yet it is not at all the gift, the work, the office, of god. no god, no lord, no spirit, is in that practice. god has nowhere commanded such a life. we have devised it and may reward and help ourselves for so doing. we cannot boast his authority for it nor find divine comfort therein. but the discerning christian can with satisfaction boast on this wise: "my baptism or my absolution is not of my own devising or ordaining, nor of another man's. it is of christ my lord. for here is his command ordaining the office: 'go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit.' mt 28, 19. upon authority of the office, work and gift here presented, i can boast and be strong in faith against the devil and all the gates of hell; otherwise i cannot withstand satan for one moment. he would not be afraid of me and my works though i should be able to boast of having lived seventy years as a member of a holy order, serving god every day and hour, praying, fasting, and so on." 46. the devil hurls both person and work, as he finds them, into the abyss of hell. if he ask you where god has commanded such works as yours, you have no answer. but let him hear you boast in the confident faith god's command inspires: "i have received from christ my lord baptism and absolution; of this i am certain, and what i do is done at his command and by his power"--let him hear that and he is forced immediately to leave you. he must flee, not from your person or works, but from christ's office and gifts found with you. 47. paul presents these thoughts to teach us what we christians have from god in the three forms, blessings superior to those enjoyed by all others in the world. the apostle would have us be grateful for these things and make use of them in a spirit of christian love. he desires that the possessor of gifts devote them to the service of others. he teaches we are to honor god in the gifts another possesses; that we are highly to esteem them, remembering they are not of man's production, not wrought of man's ability or skill, but are the offices, gifts and works of god. they are not the inferior and trivial things they seem to the world because making no show and noise. god does not give unredeemable coin or empty shells and mere husks. his gifts and works in his church must effect inexpressible results, taking souls from the jaws of the devil and translating them into eternal life and glory. _eleventh sunday after trinity_ text: 1 corinthians 15, 1-10. 1 now i make known unto you, brethren, the gospel which i preached unto you, which also ye received, wherein also ye stand, 2 by which also ye are saved, if ye hold fast the word which i preached unto you, except ye believed in vain. 3 for i delivered unto you first of all that which also i received: that christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 and that he was buried; and that he hath been raised on the third day according to the scriptures; 5 and that he appeared to cephas; then to the twelve; 6 then he appeared to above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain until now, but some are fallen asleep; 7 then he appeared to james; then to all the apostles; 8 and last of all, as to the child untimely born, he appeared to me also. 9 for i am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because i persecuted the church of god. 10 but by the grace of god i am what i am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not found vain; but i labored more abundantly than they all: yet not i, but the grace of god which was with me. paul's witness to christ's resurrection. this text is fully explained in the sermons on the entire chapter, which have been published separately. he who desires may read them there. it speaks almost exclusively of the resurrection of the dead, and therefore ought properly to be read and preached at the easter season. the reason of its selection for this sunday seems to be that the latter part of it corresponds with the gospel for this sunday. for saint paul, though he was an exalted apostle, and had labored in that office more than all the others together, boasts not of his own deeds, as did the proud pharisee. like the poor publican he confessed his sin and unworthiness, and ascribed all that he is to the grace of god alone, which made a christian and an apostle of him who had been a persecutor. _twelfth sunday after trinity_ text: 2 corinthians 3, 4-11. 4 and such confidence have we through christ to god-ward: 5 not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from god; 6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. 7 but if the ministration of death, written, and engraven on stones, came with glory, so that the children of israel could not look stedfastly upon the face of moses for the glory of his face; which glory was passing away: 8 how shall not rather the ministration of the spirit be with glory? 9 for if the ministration of condemnation hath glory, much rather doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. 10 for verily that which hath been made glorious hath not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasseth. 11 for if that which passeth away was with glory, much more that which remaineth is in glory. gospel transcends law. 1. this epistle lesson sounds altogether strange and wonderful to individuals unaccustomed to scripture language, particularly to that of paul. to the inexperienced ear and heart it is not intelligible. in popedom thus far it has remained quite unapprehended, although reading of the words has been practiced. 2. that we may understand it, we must first get an idea of paul's theme. briefly, he would oppose the vain boasting of false apostles and preachers concerning their possession of the spirit and their peculiar skill and gifts, by praising and glorifying the office of a preacher of the gospel with which he is intrusted. for he found that, especially in the church at corinth, which he had converted by the words of his own lips and brought to faith in christ, soon after his departure the devil introduced his heresies whereby the people were turned from the truth and betrayed into other ways. since it became his duty to make an attack upon such heresies, he devoted both his epistles to the purpose of keeping the corinthians in the right way, so that they might retain the pure doctrine received from him, and beware of false spirits. the main thing which moved him to write this second epistle was his desire to emphasize to them his apostolic office of a preacher of the gospel, in order to put to shame the glory of those other teachers--the glory they boasted with many words and great pretense. 3. he starts in on this theme just before he reaches our text. and this is how it is he comes to speak in high terms of praise of the ministration of the gospel and to contrast and compare the twofold ministration or message which may be proclaimed in the church, provided, of course, that god's word is to be preached and not the nonsense of human falsehood and the doctrine of the devil. one is that of the old testament, the other of the new; in other words, the office of moses, or the law, and the office of the gospel of christ. he contrasts the glory and power of the latter with those of the former, which, it is true, is also the word of god. in this manner he endeavors to defeat the teachings and pretensions of those seductive spirits who, as he but lately foretold, pervert god's word, in that they greatly extol the law of god, yet at best do not teach its right use, but, instead of making it tributary to faith in christ, misuse it to teach work-righteousness. 4. since the words before us are in reality a continuation of those with which the chapter opens, the latter must be considered in this connection. we read: "are we beginning again to commend ourselves? or need we, as do some, epistles of commendation to you or from you? ye are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men; being made manifest that ye are an epistle of christ, ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the spirit of the living god; not in tables of stone, but in tables that are hearts of flesh." "we, my fellow-apostles and co-laborers and i," he says, "do not ask for letters and seals from others commending us to you, or from you commending us to others, in order to seduce people after gaining their good will in your church and in others as well. such is the practice of the false apostles, and many even now present letters and certificates from honest preachers and churches, and make them the means whereby their unrighteous plotting may be received in good faith. such letters, thank god, we stand not in need of, and you need not fear we shall use such means of deception. for you are yourselves the letter we have written and wherein we may pride ourselves and which we present everywhere. for it is a matter of common knowledge that you have been taught by us, and brought to christ through our ministry." paul's converts living epistles. 5. inasmuch as his activity among them is his testimonial, and they themselves are aware that through his ministerial office he has constituted them a church, he calls them an epistle written by himself; not with ink and in paragraphs, not on paper or wood, nor engraved upon hard rock as the ten commandments written upon tables of stone, which moses placed before the people, but written by the holy spirit upon fleshly tables--hearts of tender flesh. the spirit is the ink or the inscription, yes, even the writer himself; but the pencil or pen and the hand of the writer is the ministry of paul. 6. this figure of a written epistle is, however, in accord with scripture usage. moses commands (deut 6, 6-9; 11, 18) that the israelites write the ten commandments in all places where they walked or stood--upon the posts of their houses, and upon their gates, and ever have them before their eyes and in their hearts. again (prov 7, 2-3), solomon says: "keep my commandments and ... my law as the apple of thine eye. bind them upon thy fingers; write them upon the tablet of thy heart." he speaks as a father to his child when giving the child an earnest charge to remember a certain thing--"dear child, remember this; forget it not; keep it in thy heart." likewise, god says in the book of jeremiah the prophet (ch. 31, 33), "i will put my law in their inward parts, and in their heart will i write it." here man's heart is represented as a sheet, or slate, or page, whereon is written the preached word; for the heart is to receive and securely keep the word. in this sense paul says: "we have, by our ministry, written a booklet or letter upon your heart, which witnesses that you believe in god the father, son and holy ghost and have the assurance that through christ you are redeemed and saved. this testimony is what is written on your heart. the letters are not characters traced with ink or crayon, but the living thoughts, the fire and force of the heart." 7. note further, that it is his ministry to which paul ascribes the preparation of their heart thereon and the inscription which constitutes them "living epistles of christ." he contrasts his ministry with the blind fancies of those fanatics who seek to receive, and dream of having, the holy spirit without the oral word; who, perchance, creep into a corner and grasp the spirit through dreams, directing the people away from the preached word and visible ministry. but paul says that the spirit, through his preaching, has wrought in the hearts of his corinthians, to the end that christ lives and is mighty in them. after such statement he bursts into praise of the ministerial office, comparing the message, or preaching, of moses with that of himself and the apostles. he says: "such confidence have we through christ to god-ward: not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from god." true preachers commissioned by god. 8. these words are blows and thrusts for the false apostles and preachers. paul is mortal enemy to the blockheads who make great boast, pretending to what they do not possess and to what they cannot do; who boast of having the spirit in great measure; who are ready to counsel and aid the whole world; who pride themselves on the ability to invent something new. it is to be a surpassingly precious and heavenly thing they are to spin out of their heads, as the dreams of pope and monks have been in time past. "we do not so," says paul. "we rely not upon ourselves or our wisdom and ability. we preach not what we have ourselves invented. but this is our boast and trust in christ before god, that we have made of you a divine epistle; have written upon your hearts, not our thoughts, but the word of god. we are not, however, glorifying our own power, but the works and the power of him who has called and equipped us for such an office; from whom proceeds all you have heard and believed." 9. it is a glory which every preacher may claim, to be able to say with full confidence of heart: "this trust have i toward god in christ, that what i teach and preach is truly the word of god." likewise, when he performs other official duties in the church--baptizes a child, absolves and comforts a sinner--it must be done in the same firm conviction that such is the command of christ. 10. he who would teach and exercise authority in the church without this glory, "it is profitable for him," as christ says (mt 18, 6), "that a great millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be sunk in the depths of the sea." for the devil's lies he preaches, and death is what he effects. our papists, in time past, after much and long-continued teaching, after many inventions and works whereby they hoped to be saved, nevertheless always doubted in heart and mind whether or no they had pleased god. the teaching and works of all heretics and seditious spirits certainly do not bespeak for them trust in christ; their own glory is the object of their teaching, and the homage and praise of the people is the goal of their desire. "not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves." 11. as said before, this is spoken in denunciation of the false spirits who believe that by reason of eminent equipment of special creation and election, they are called to come to the rescue of the people, expecting wonders from whatever they say and do. human doctrine no place in the church. 12. now, we know ourselves to be of the same clay whereof they are made; indeed, we perhaps have the greater call from god: yet we cannot boast of being capable of ourselves to advise or aid men. we cannot even originate an idea calculated to give help. and when it comes to the knowledge of how one may stand before god and attain to eternal life, that is truly not to be achieved by our work or power, nor to originate in our brain. in other things, those pertaining to this temporal life, you may glory in what you know, you may advance the teachings of reason, you may invent ideas of your own; for example: how to make shoes or clothes, how to govern a household, how to manage a herd. in such things exercise your mind to the best of your ability. cloth or leather of this sort will permit itself to be stretched and cut according to the good pleasure of the tailor or shoemaker. but in spiritual matters, human reasoning certainly is not in order; other intelligence, other skill and power, are requisite here--something to be granted by god himself and revealed through his word. 13. what mortal has ever discovered or fathomed the truth that the three persons in the eternal divine essence are one god; that the second person, the son of god, was obliged to become man, born of a virgin; and that no way of life could be opened for us, save through his crucifixion? such truth never would have been heard nor preached, would never in all eternity have been published, learned and believed, had not god himself revealed it. 14. for this season they are blind fools of first magnitude and dangerous characters who would boast of their grand performances, and think that the people are served when they preach their own fancies and inventions. it has been the practice in the church for anyone to introduce any teaching he saw fit; for example, the monks and priests have daily produced new saints, pilgrimages, special prayers, works and sacrifices in the effort to blot out sin, redeem souls from purgatory, and so on. they who make up things of this kind are not such as put their trust in god through christ, but rather such as defy god and christ. into the hearts of men, where christ alone should be, they shove the filth and write the lies of the devil. yet they think themselves, and themselves only, qualified for all essential teaching and work, self-grown doctors that they are, saints all-powerful without the help of god and christ. "but our sufficiency is from god." 15. of ourselves--in our own wisdom and strength--we cannot effect, discover nor teach any counsel or help for man, whether for ourselves or others. any good work we perform among you, any doctrine we write upon your heart--that is god's own work. he puts into our heart and mouth what we should say, and impresses it upon your heart through the holy spirit. therefore, we cannot ascribe to ourselves any honor therein, cannot seek our own glory as the self-instructed and proud spirits do; we must give to god alone the honor, and must glory in the fact that by his grace and power he works in you unto salvation, through the office committed unto us. 16. now, paul's thought here is that nothing should be taught and practiced in the church but what is unquestionably god's word. it will not do to introduce or perform anything whatever upon the strength of man's judgment. man's achievements, man's reasoning and power, are of no avail save in so far as they come from god. as peter says in his first epistle (ch. 4, 11): "if any man speaketh, speaking as it were oracles of god; if any man ministereth, ministering as of the strength which god supplieth." in short, let him who would be wise, who would boast of great skill, talents and power, confine himself to things other than spiritual; with respect to spiritual matters, let him keep his place and refrain from boasting and pretense. for it is of no moment that men observe your greatness and ability; the important thing is that poor souls may rest assured of being presented with god's word and works, whereby they may be saved. "who also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." the new covenant. 17. paul here proceeds to exalt the office and power of the gospel over the glorying of the false apostles, and to elevate the power of the word above that of all other doctrine, even of the law of god. truly we are not sufficient of ourselves and have nothing to boast of so far as human activity is considered. for that is without merit or power, however strenuous the effort may be to fulfil god's law. we have, however, something infinitely better to boast of, something not grounded in our own activity: by god we have been made sufficient for a noble ministry, termed the ministry "of a new covenant." this ministry is not only exalted far above any teaching to be evolved by human wisdom, skill and power, but is more glorious than the ministry termed the "old covenant," which in time past was delivered to the jews through moses. while this ministry clings, in common with other doctrine, to the word given by revelation, it is the agency whereby the holy spirit works in the heart. therefore, paul says it is not a ministration of the letter, but "of the spirit." "spirit" and "letter." 18. this passage relative to spirit and letter has in the past been wholly strange language to us. indeed, to such extent has man's nonsensical interpretation perverted and weakened it that i, though a learned doctor of the holy scriptures, failed to understand it altogether, and i could find no one to teach me. and to this day it is unintelligible to all popedom. in fact, even the old teachers--origen, jerome and others--have not caught paul's thought. and no wonder, truly! for it is essentially a doctrine far beyond the power of man's intelligence to comprehend. when human reason meddles with it, it becomes perplexed. the doctrine is wholly unintelligible to it, for human thought goes no farther than the law and the ten commandments. laying hold upon these it confines itself to them. it does not attempt to do more, being governed by the principle that unto him who fulfils the demands of the law, or commandments, god is gracious. reason knows nothing about the wretchedness of depraved nature. it does not recognize the fact that no man is able to keep god's commandments; that all are under sin and condemnation; and that the only way whereby help could be received was for god to give his son for the world, ordaining another ministration, one through which grace and reconciliation might be proclaimed to us. now, he who does not understand the sublime subject of which paul speaks cannot but miss the true meaning of his words. how much more did we invite this fate when we threw the scriptures and saint paul's epistles under the bench, and, like swine in husks, wallowed in man's nonsense! therefore, we must submit to correction and learn to understand the apostle's utterance aright. 19. "letter" and "spirit" have been understood to mean, according to origen and jerome, the obvious sense of the written word. st. augustine, it must be admitted, has gotten an inkling of the truth. now, the position of the former teachers would perhaps not be quite incorrect did they correctly explain the words. by "literary sense" they signify the meaning of a scripture narrative according to the ordinary interpretation of the words. by "spiritual sense" they signify the secondary, hidden, sense found in the words. for instance: the scripture narrative in genesis third records how the serpent persuaded the woman to eat of the forbidden fruit and to give to her husband, who also ate. this narrative in its simplest meaning represents what they understand by "letter." "spirit," however, they understand to mean the spiritual interpretation, which is thus: the serpent signifies the evil temptation which lures to sin. the woman represents the sensual state, or the sphere in which such enticements and temptations make themselves felt. adam, the man, stands for reason, which is called man's highest endowment. now, when reason does not yield to the allurements of external sense, all is well; but when it permits itself to waver and consent, the fall has taken place. 20. origen was the first to trifle thus with the holy scriptures, and many others followed, until now it is thought to be the sign of great cleverness for the church to be filled with such quibblings. the aim is to imitate paul, who (gal 4, 22-24) figuratively interprets the story of abraham's two sons, the one by the free woman, or the mistress of the house, and the other by the hand-maid. the two women, paul says, represent the two covenants: one covenant makes only bond-servants, which is just what he in our text terms the ministration of the letter; the other leads to liberty, or, as he says here, the ministration of the spirit, which gives life. and the two sons are the two peoples, one of which does not go farther than the law, while the other accepts in faith the gospel. true, this is an interpretation not directly suggested by the narrative and the text. paul himself calls it an allegory; that is, a mystic narrative, or a story with a hidden meaning. but he does not say that the literal text is necessarily the letter that killeth, and the allegory, or hidden meaning, the spirit. but the false teachers assert of all scripture that the text, or record itself, is but a dead "letter," its interpretation being "the spirit." yet they have not pushed interpretation farther than the teaching of the law; and it is precisely the law which paul means when he speaks of "the letter."[1] [footnote 1: what luther means is that the popish theologians with their vaunted "spiritual" interpretation had never penetrated to the gospel, which confers the life in the spirit, but had satisfied themselves with so literal and superficial an interpretation of the law as to seek salvation through work-righteousness.] 21. paul employs the word "letter" in such contemptuous sense in reference to the law--though the law is, nevertheless, the word of god--when he compares it with the ministry of the gospel. the letter is to him the doctrine of the ten commandments, which teach how we should obey god, honor parents, love our neighbor, and so on--the very best doctrine to be found in all books, sermons and schools. the word "letter" is to the apostle paul everything which may take the form of doctrine, of literary arrangement, of record, so long as it remains something spoken or written. also thoughts which may be pictured or expressed by word or writing, but it is not that which is written in the heart, to become its life. "letter" is the whole law of moses, or the ten commandments, though the supreme authority of such teaching is not denied. it matters not whether you hear them, read them, or reproduce them mentally. for instance, when i sit down to meditate upon the first commandment: "thou shalt have no other gods before me," or the second, or the third, and so forth, i have something which i can read, write, discuss, and aim to fulfil with all my might. the process is quite similar when the emperor or prince gives a command and says: "this you shall do, that you shall eschew." this is what the apostle calls "the letter," or, as we have called it on another occasion, the written sense. 22. now, as opposed to "the letter," there is another doctrine or message, which he terms the "ministration of a new covenant" and "of the spirit." this doctrine does not teach what works are required of man, for that man has already heard; but it makes known to him what god would do for him and bestow upon him, indeed what he has already done: he has given his son christ for us; because, for our disobedience to the law, which no man fulfils, we were under god's wrath and condemnation. christ made satisfaction for our sins, effected a reconciliation with god and gave to us his own righteousness. nothing is said in this ministration of man's deeds; it tells rather of the works of christ, who is unique in that he was born of a virgin, died for sin and rose from the dead, something no other man has been able to do. this doctrine is revealed through none but the holy spirit, and none other confers the holy spirit. the holy spirit works in the hearts of them who hear and accept the doctrine. therefore, this ministration is termed a ministration "of the spirit." 23. the apostle employs the words "letter" and "spirit," to contrast the two doctrines; to emphasize his office and show its advantage over all others, however eminent the teachers whom they boast, and however great the spiritual unction which they vaunt. it is of design that he does not term the two dispensations "law" and "gospel," but names them according to the respective effects produced. he honors the gospel with a superior term--"ministration of the spirit." of the law, on the contrary, he speaks almost contemptuously, as if he would not honor it with the title of god's commandment, which in reality it is, according to his own admission later on that its deliverance to moses and its injunction upon the children of israel was an occasion of surpassing glory. 24. why does paul choose this method? is it right for one to despise or dishonor god's law? is not a chaste and honorable life a matter of beauty and godliness? such facts, it may be contended, are implanted by god in reason itself, and all books teach them; they are the governing force in the world. i reply: paul's chief concern is to defeat the vainglory and pretensions of false preachers, and to teach them the right conception and appreciation of the gospel which he proclaimed. what paul means is this: when the jews vaunt their law of moses, which was received as law from god and recorded upon two tables of stone; when they vaunt their learned and saintly preachers of the law and its exponents, and hold their deeds and manner of life up to admiration, what is all that compared to the gospel message? the claim may be well made: a fine sermon, a splendid exposition; but, after all, nothing more comes of it than precepts, expositions, written comments. the precept, "thou shalt love the lord thy god with all thy heart, and thy neighbor as thyself," remains a mere array of words. when much time and effort have been spent in conforming one's life to it, nothing has been accomplished. you have pods without peas, husks without kernels. 25. for it is impossible to keep the law without christ, though man may, for the sake of honor or property, or from fear of punishment, feign outward holiness. the heart which does not discern god's grace in christ cannot turn to god nor trust in him; it cannot love his commandments and delight in them, but rather resists them. for nature rebels at compulsion. no man likes to be a captive in chains. one does not voluntarily bow to the rod of punishment or submit to the executioner's sword; rather, because of these things, his anger against the law is but increased, and he ever thinks: "would that i might unhindered steal, rob, hoard, gratify my lust, and so on!" and when restrained by force, he would there were no law and no god. and this is the case where conduct shows some effects of discipline, in that the outer man has been subjected to the teaching of the law. 26. but in a far more appalling degree does inward rebellion ensue when the heart feels the full force of the law; when, standing before god's judgment, it feels the sentence of condemnation; as we shall presently hear, for the apostle says "the letter killeth." then the truly hard knots appear. human nature fumes and rages against the law; offenses appear in the heart, the fruit of hate and enmity against the law; and presently human nature flees before god and is incensed at god's judgment. it begins to question the equity of his dealings, to ask if he is a just god. influenced by such thoughts, it falls ever deeper into doubt, it murmurs and chafes, until finally, unless the gospel comes to the rescue, it utterly despairs, as did judas, and saul, and perhaps pass out of this life with god and creation. this is what paul means when he says (rom 7, 8-9) that the law works sin in the heart of man, and sin works death, or kills. 27. you see, then, why the law is called "the letter": though noble doctrine, it remains on the surface; it does not enter the heart as a vital force which begets obedience. such is the baseness of human nature, it will not and cannot conform to the law; and so corrupt is mankind, there is no individual who does not violate all god's commandments in spite of daily hearing the preached word and having held up to view god's wrath and eternal condemnation. indeed, the harder pressed man is, the more furiously he storms against the law. 28. the substance of the matter is this: when all the commandments have been put together, when their message receives every particle of praise to which it is entitled, it is still a mere letter. that is, teaching not put into practice. by "letter" is signified all manner of law, doctrine and message, which goes no farther than the oral or written word, which consists only of the powerless letter. to illustrate: a law promulgated by a prince or the authorities of a city, if not enforced, remains merely an open letter, which makes a demand indeed, but ineffectually. similarly, god's law, although a teaching of supreme authority and the eternal will of god, must suffer itself to become a mere empty letter or husk. without a quickening heart, and devoid of fruit, the law is powerless to effect life and salvation. it may well be called a veritable table of omissions (lass-tafel); that is, it is a written enumeration, not of duties performed but of duties cast aside. in the languages of the world, it is a royal edict which remains unobserved and unperformed. in this light st. augustine understood the law. he says, commenting on psalm 17, "what is law without grace but a letter without spirit?" human nature, without the aid of christ and his grace, cannot keep it. 29. again, paul in terming the gospel a "ministration of the spirit" would call attention to its power to produce in the hearts of men an effect wholly different from that of the law: it is accompanied by the holy spirit and it creates a new heart. man, driven into fear and anxiety by the preaching of the law, hears this gospel message, which, instead of reminding him of god's demands, tells him what god has done for him. it points not to man's works, but to the works of christ, and bids him confidently believe that for the sake of his son god will forgive his sins and accept him as his child. and this message, when received in faith, immediately cheers and comforts the heart. the heart will no longer flee from god; rather it turns to him. finding grace with god and experiencing his mercy, the heart feels drawn to him. it commences to call upon him and to treat and revere him as its beloved god. in proportion as such faith and solace grow, also love for the commandments will grow and obedience to them will be man's delight. therefore, god would have his gospel message urged unceasingly as the means of awakening man's heart to discern his state and recall the great grace and lovingkindness of god, with the result that the power of the holy spirit is increased constantly. note, no influence of the law, no work of man is present here. the force is a new and heavenly one--the power of the holy spirit. he impresses upon the heart christ and his works, making of it a true book which does not consist in the tracery of mere letters and words, but in true life and action. 30. god promised of old, in joel 2, 28 and other passages, to give the spirit through the new message, the gospel. and he has verified his promise by public manifestations in connection with the preaching of that gospel, as on the day of pentecost and again later. when the apostles, peter and others, began to preach, the holy spirit descended visibly from heaven upon their hearts. acts 8, 17; 10, 44. up to that time, throughout the period the law was preached, no one had heard or seen such manifestation. the fact could not but be grasped that this was a vastly different message from that of the law when such mighty results followed in its train. and yet its substance was no more than what paul declared (acts 13, 38-39): "through this man is proclaimed unto you remission of sins: and by him every one that believeth is justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of moses." 31. in this teaching you see no more the empty letters, the valueless husks or shells, of the law, which unceasingly enjoins, "this thou shalt do and observe," and ever in vain. you see instead the true kernel and power which confers christ and the fullness of his spirit. in consequence, men heartily believe the message of the gospel and enjoy its riches. they are accounted as having fulfilled the ten commandments. john says (jn 1, 16-17): "of his fullness we all received, and grace for grace. for the law was given through moses; grace and truth came through jesus christ." john's thought is: the law has indeed been given by moses, but what avails that fact? to be sure, it is a noble doctrine and portrays a beautiful and instructive picture of man's duty to god and all mankind; it is really excellent as to the letter. yet it remains empty; it does not enter into the heart. therefore it is called "law," nor can it become aught else, so long as nothing more is given. christ supersedes moses. before there can be fulfilment, another than moses must come, bringing another doctrine. instead of a law enjoined, there must be grace and truth revealed. for to enjoin a command and to embody the truth[2] are two different things; just as teaching and doing differ. moses, it is true, teaches the doctrine of the law, so far as exposition is concerned, but he can neither fulfil it himself nor give others the ability to do so. that it might be fulfilled, god's son had to come with his fullness; he has fulfilled the law for himself and it is he who communicates to our empty heart the power to attain to the same fullness. [footnote 2: es ist zweirlei, gesetz geben, und, wahrheit werden.] this becomes possible when we receive grace for grace, that is, when we come to the enjoyment of christ, and for the sake of him who enjoys with god fullness of grace, although our own obedience to the law is still imperfect. being possessed of solace and grace, we receive by his power the holy spirit also, so that, instead of harboring mere empty letters within us, we come to the truth and begin to fulfil god's law, in such a way, however, that we draw from his fullness and drink from that as a fountain. christ the source of life greater than adam the source of death. 32. paul gives us the same thought in romans 5, 17-18, where he compares adam and christ. adam, he says, by his disobedience in paradise, became the source of sin and death in the world; by the sin of this one man, condemnation passed upon all men. but on the other hand, christ, by his obedience and righteousness, has become for us the abundant source wherefrom all may obtain righteousness and the power of obedience. and with respect to the latter source, it is far richer and more abundant than the former. while by the single sin of one man, sin and death passed upon all men, to wax still more powerful with the advent of the law, of such surpassing strength and greatness, on the other hand, is the grace and bounty which we have in christ that it not only washes away the particular sin of the one man adam, which, until christ came, overwhelmed all men in death, but overwhelms and blots out all sin whatever. thus they who receive his fullness of grace and bounty unto righteousness are, according to paul, lords of life through jesus christ alone. the law ineffectual. 33. you see now how the two messages differ, and why paul exalts the one, the preaching of the gospel, and calls it a "ministration of the spirit," but terms the other, the law, a mere empty "letter." his object is to humble the pride of the false apostles and preachers which they felt in their judaism and the law of moses, telling the people with bold pretensions: "beloved, let paul preach what he will, he cannot overthrow moses, who on mount sinai received the law, god's irrevocable command, obedience to which is ever the only way to salvation." 34. similarly today, papists, anabaptists and other sects make outcry: "what mean you by preaching so much about faith and christ? are the people thereby made better? surely works are essential." arguments of this character have indeed a semblance of merit, but, when examined by the light of truth, are mere empty, worthless twaddle. for if deeds, or works, are to be considered, there are the ten commandments; we teach and practice these as well as they. the commandments would answer the purpose indeed--if one could preach them so effectively as to compel their fulfilment. but the question is, whether what is preached is also practiced. is there something more than mere words--or letters, as paul says? do the words result in life and spirit? this message we have in common; unquestionably, one must teach the ten commandments, and, what is more, live them. but we charge that they are not observed. therefore something else is requisite in order to render obedience to them possible. when moses and the law are made to say: "you should do thus; god demands this of you," what does it profit? ay, beloved moses, i hear that plainly, and it is certainly a righteous command; but pray tell me whence shall i obtain ability to do what, alas, i never have done nor can do? it is not easy to spend money from an empty pocket, or to drink from an empty can. if i am to pay my debt, or to quench my thirst, tell me how first to fill pocket or can. but upon this point such prattlers are silent; they but continue to drive and plague with the law, let the people stick to their sins, and make merry of them to their own hurt. 35. in this light paul here portrays the false apostles and like pernicious schismatics, who make great boasts of having a clearer understanding and of knowing much better what to teach than is the case with true preachers of the gospel. and when they do their very best, when they pretend great things, and do wonders with their preaching, there is naught but the mere empty "letter." indeed, their message falls far short of moses. moses was a noble preacher, truly, and wrought greater things than any of them may do. nevertheless, the doctrine of the law could do no more than remain a letter, an old testament, and god had to ordain a different doctrine, a new testament, which should impart the "spirit." "it is the letter," says paul, "which we preach. if any glorying is to be done, we can glory in better things and make the defiant plea that they are not the only teachers of what ought to be done, incapable as they are of carrying out their own precepts. we give direction and power as to performing and living those precepts. for this reason our message is not called the old testament, or the message of the dead letter, but that of the new testament and of the living spirit." 36. no seditious spirit, it is certain, ever carries out its own precepts, nor will he ever be capable of doing so, though he may loudly boast the spirit alone as his guide. of this fact you may rest assured. for such individuals know nothing more than the doctrine of works--nor can they rise higher and point you to anything else. they may indeed speak of christ, but it is only to hold him up as an example of patience in suffering. in short, there can be no new testament preached if the doctrine of faith in christ be left out; the spirit cannot enter into the heart, but all teaching, endeavor, reflection, works and power remain mere "letters," devoid of grace, truth, and life. without christ the heart remains unchanged and unrenewed. it has no more power to fulfil the law than the book in which the ten commandments are written, or the stones upon which engraved. "for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." 37. here is yet stronger condemnation of the glory of the doctrine of the law; yet higher exaltation of the gospel ministry. is the apostle overbold in that he dares thus to assail the law and say: "the law is not only a lifeless letter, but qualified merely to kill"? surely that is not calling the law a good and profitable message, but one altogether harmful. who, unless he would be a cursed heretic in the eyes of the world and invite execution as a blasphemer, would dare to speak thus, except paul himself? even paul must praise the law, which is god's command, declaring it good and not to be despised nor in any way modified, but to be confirmed and fulfilled so completely, as christ says (mt 5, 18), that not a tittle of it shall pass away. how, then, does paul come to speak so disparagingly, even abusively, of the law, actually presenting it as veritable death and poison? well, his is a sublime doctrine, one that reason does not understand. the world, particularly they who would be called holy and godly, cannot tolerate it at all; for it amounts to nothing short of pronouncing all our works, however precious, mere death and poison. 38. paul's purpose is to bring about the complete overthrow of the boast of the false teachers and hypocrites, and to reveal the weakness of their doctrine, showing how little it effects even at its best, since it offers only the law, christ remaining unproclaimed and unknown. they say in terms of vainglorious eloquence that if a man diligently keep the commandments and do many good works, he shall be saved. but theirs are only vain words, a pernicious doctrine. this fact is eventually learned by him who, having heard no other doctrine, trusts in their false one. he finds out that it holds neither comfort nor power of life, but only doubt and anxiety, followed by death and destruction. terrors of the law. 39. when man, conscious of his failure to keep god's command, is constantly urged by the law to make payment of his debt and confronted with nothing but the terrible wrath of god and eternal condemnation, he cannot but sink into despair over his sins. such is the inevitable consequence where the law alone is taught with a view to attaining heaven thereby. the vanity of such trust in works is illustrated in the case of the noted hermit mentioned in vitæ patrum (lives of the fathers). for over seventy years this hermit had led a life of utmost austerity, and had many followers. when the hour of death came he began to tremble, and for three days was in a state of agony. his disciples came to comfort him, exhorting him to die in peace since he had led so holy a life. but he replied: "alas, i truly have all my life served christ and lived austerely; but god's judgment greatly differs from that of men." 40. note, this worthy man, despite the holiness of his life, has no acquaintance with any article but that of the divine judgment according to the law. he knows not the comfort of christ's gospel. after a long life spent in the attempt to keep god's commandments and secure salvation, the law now slays him through his own works. he is compelled to exclaim: "alas, who knows how god will look upon my efforts? who may stand before him?" that means, to forfeit heaven through the verdict of his own conscience. the work he has wrought and his holiness of life avail nothing. they merely push him deeper into death, since he is without the solace of the gospel, while others, such as the thief on the cross and the publican, grasp the comfort of the gospel, the forgiveness of sins in christ. thus sin is conquered; they escape the sentence of the law, and pass through death into life eternal. efficacy of the gospel. 41. now the meaning of the contrasting clause, "the spirit giveth life," becomes clear. the reference is to naught else but the holy gospel, a message of healing and salvation; a precious, comforting word. it comforts and refreshes the sad heart. it wrests it out of the jaws of death and hell, as it were, and transports it to the certain hope of eternal life, through faith in christ. when the last hour comes to the believer, and death and god's judgment appear before his eyes, he does not base his comfort upon his works. even though he may have lived the holiest life possible, he says with paul (1 cor 4, 4): "i know nothing against myself, yet am i not hereby justified." 42. these words imply being ill pleased with self, with the whole life; indeed, even the putting to death of self. though the heart says, "by my works i am neither made righteous nor saved," which is practically admitting oneself to be worthy of death and condemnation, the spirit extricates from despair, through the gospel faith, which confesses, as did st. bernard in the hour of death: "dear lord jesus, i am aware that my life at its best has been but worthy of condemnation, but i trust in the fact that thou hast died for me and hast sprinkled me with blood from thy holy wounds. for i have been baptized in thy name and have given heed to thy word whereby thou hast called me, awarded me grace and life, and bidden me believe. in this assurance will i pass out of life; not in uncertainty and anxiety, thinking, who knows what sentence god in heaven will pass upon me?" the christian must not utter such a question. the sentence against his life and works has long since been passed by the law. therefore, he must confess himself guilty and condemned. but he lives by the gracious judgment of god declared from heaven, whereby the sentence of the law is overruled and reversed. it is this: "he that believeth on the son hath eternal life." jn 3, 36. 43. when the consolation of the gospel has once been received and it has wrested the heart from death and the terrors of hell, the spirit's influence is felt. by its power god's law begins to live in man's heart; he loves it, delights in it and enters upon its fulfilment. thus eternal life begins here, being continued forever and perfected in the life to come. 44. now you see how much more glorious, how much better, is the doctrine of the apostles--the new testament--than the doctrine of those who preach merely great works and holiness without christ. we should see in this fact an incentive to hear the gospel with gladness. we ought joyfully to thank god for it when we learn how it has power to bring to men life and eternal salvation, and when it gives us assurance that the holy spirit accompanies it and is imparted to believers. "but if the ministration of death, written, and engraven on stones, came with glory, so that the children of israel could not look stedfastly upon the face of moses for the glory of his face; which glory was passing away: how shall not rather the ministration of the spirit be with glory? for if the ministration of condemnation hath glory, much rather doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory." glory of the gospel. 45. paul is in an ecstasy of delight, and his heart overflows in words of praise for the gospel. again he handles the law severely, calling it a ministration, or doctrine, of death and condemnation. what term significant of greater abomination could he apply to god's law than to call it a doctrine of death and hell? and again (gal 2, 17), he calls it a "minister (or preacher) of sin;" and (gal 3, 10) the message which proclaims a curse, saying, "as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse." absolute, then, is the conclusion that law and works are powerless to justify before god; for how can a doctrine proclaiming only sin, death and condemnation justify and save? 46. paul is compelled to speak thus, as we said above because of the infamous presumption of both teachers and pupils, in that they permit flesh and blood to coquet with the law, and make their own works which they bring before god their boast. yet, nothing is effected but self-deception and destruction. for, when the law is viewed in its true light, when its "glory," as paul has it, is revealed, it is found to do nothing more than to kill man and sink him into condemnation. 47. therefore, the christian will do well to learn this text of paul and have an armor against the boasting of false teachers, and the torments and trials of the devil when he urges the law and induces men to seek righteousness in their own works, tormenting their heart with the thought that salvation is dependent upon the achievements of the individual. the christian will do well to learn this text, i say, so that in such conflicts he may take the devil's own sword, saying: "why dost thou annoy me with talk of the law and my works? what is the law after all, however much you may preach it to me, but that which makes me feel the weight of sin, death and condemnation? why should i seek therein righteousness before god?" 48. when paul speaks of the "glory of the law," of which the jewish teachers of work-righteousness boast, he has reference to the things narrated in the twentieth and thirty-fourth chapters of exodus--how, when the law was given, god descended in majesty and glory from heaven, and there were thunderings and lightnings, and the mountain was encircled with fire; and how when moses returned from the mountain, bringing the law, his face shone with a glory so dazzling that the people could not look upon his face and he was obliged to veil it. 49. turning their glory against them, paul says: "truly, we do not deny the glory; splendor and majesty were there; but what does such glory do but compel souls to flee before god, and drive into death and hell?" we believers, however, boast another glory,--that of our ministration. the gospel record tells us (mt 17, 2-4) that christ clearly revealed such glory to his disciples when his face shone as the sun, and moses and elijah were present. before the manifestation of such glory, the disciples did not flee; they beheld with amazed joy and said: "lord, it is good for us to be here. we will make here tabernacles for thee and for moses," etc. 50. compare the two scenes and you will understand plainly the import of paul's words here. as before said, this is the substance of his meaning: "the law produces naught but terror and death when it dazzles the heart with its glory and stands revealed in its true nature. on the other hand, the gospel yields comfort and joy." but to explain in detail the signification of the veiled face of moses, and of his shining uncovered face, would take too long to enter upon here. 51. there is also especial comfort to be derived from paul's assertion that the "ministration," or doctrine, of the law "passeth away"; for otherwise there would be naught but eternal condemnation. the doctrine of the law "passes away" when the preaching of the gospel of christ finds place. to christ, moses shall yield, that he alone may hold sway. moses shall not terrify the conscience of the believer. when, perceiving the glory of moses, the conscience trembles and despairs before god's wrath, then it is time for christ's glory to shine with its gracious, comforting light into the heart. then can the heart endure moses and elijah. for the glory of the law, or the unveiled face of moses, shall shine only until man is humbled and driven to desire the blessed countenance of christ. if you come to christ, you shall no longer hear moses to your fright and terror; you shall hear him as one who remains servant to the lord christ, leaving the solace and the joy of his countenance unobscured. in conclusion: "for verily that which hath been made glorious hath not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasseth." 52. the meaning here is: when the glory and holiness of christ, revealed through the preaching of the gospel, is rightly perceived, then the glory of the law--which is but a feeble and transitory glory--is seen to be not really glorious. it is mere dark clouds in contrast to the light of christ shining to lead us out of sin, death and hell unto god and eternal life. _thirteenth sunday after trinity_ text: galatians 3, 15-22. 15 brethren, i speak after the manner of men: though it be but a man's covenant, yet when it hath been confirmed, no one maketh it void, or addeth thereto. 16 now to abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed. he saith not, and to seeds, as of many; but as of one, and to thy seed, which is christ. 17 now this i say: a covenant confirmed beforehand by god, the law, which came four hundred and thirty years after, doth not disannul, so as to make the promise of none effect. 18 for if the inheritance is of the law, it is no more of promise: but god hath granted it to abraham by promise. 19 what then is the law? it was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise hath been made; and it was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator. 20 now a mediator is not a mediator of one; but god is one. 21 is the law then against the promises of god? god forbid: for if there had been a law given which could make alive, verily righteousness would have been of the law. 22 but the scripture shut up all things under sin, that the promise by faith in jesus christ might be given to them that believe. god's testament and promise in christ. 1. this is a keen, severe epistle, one that is unintelligible to the ordinary man. because the doctrine it contains has not hitherto been employed and enforced, it has not been understood. it is also too long and rich to be treated briefly. but it is fully explained in the complete commentary on this epistle to the galatians, where those who will may read it. the substance of it is, that here, as in the whole epistle, paul would earnestly constrain the christian to distinguish between the righteousness of faith and the righteousness of works or of the law. in order that we may note to some extent the main points paul makes in this text, we remark that he emphasizes two things. he treats first of the doctrine that we are justified by faith alone, and he maintains this, after giving many reasons and proofs, by saying in effect: 2. in this connection you should note that no one, whether jew or gentile, is justified by works or by the law. for the law was given four hundred and thirty years after the promise of a savior had been made to abraham (who was to be the father of all the people of god) and the assurance that all nations should be blessed in him. it was given after it had been testified of abraham that his faith was imputed to him for righteousness. and as he was justified and received the blessing by reason of his faith, so also his children and descendants were justified and received the blessing through the same faith in that seed for whose sake the blessing had been promised to all the world. for in his dealings with the jews and with the whole world, god always promised his grace and the forgiveness of sins (and that means to be blessed of god) even when there was as yet no law by which they might pretend to become righteous, and before moses was born. 3. therefore the law, being given to this people only after the lapse of so long a period, could not have been given to them for justification; otherwise it would have been given earlier. or if it had been necessary for righteousness, then abraham and his children up to that date could not have been justified at all. indeed god designed that the law should be given so long after abraham. undoubtedly he would have been able to give it to the fathers much earlier if he had seen fit to do so. apparently he desired thereby to teach that the law was not given to the end that god's grace and blessing should be acquired through it, but that these come from the pure mercy of god which was promised and bestowed so long before upon abraham and those who believed. 4. therefore paul concludes: how could the law produce righteousness for those who lived before moses, since moses was the first through whom the law was given; and since even before his time there were holy people and people who were saved? whence did they derive their righteousness? certainly not from the fact that they had offered sacrifice at jerusalem, but from the fact that they believed the word in which god promised to bless them through the coming seed, christ. hence, those also who lived afterwards could not have been justified by the law; for they did not receive the grace of god in a different way from that in which those who went before had received it. god did not annul or revoke by the law the promise of blessing which he had made and freely bestowed without the law. 5. here some might desire to show their wisdom and say to paul: although the fathers did not have the law of moses, they had the same word of god which teaches the ten commandments and which was implanted in the human heart from the beginning of the world, whence also it is called the law of nature or the natural law; and the same law was afterwards given publicly to the jewish people and comprehended in the ten commandments. it might also be said that moses borrowed the ten commandments from the fathers, to which christ testifies in john 7, 22. for it is certain that the fathers from the beginning taught them and urged them upon their children and descendants. with what consistency, then, does paul conclude that the fathers were not justified by the law because it was not given until four hundred years after abraham's time; as if the fathers before that time had no law? 6. to answer this question we must observe the meaning and purpose of paul's words; for he so speaks because of the boasting of the jews, who placed their dependence on the law and claimed that it was given to them that they might be god's people. they considered their attempts at keeping his law, sufficient to procure justification. why else did god give the law, they said, and distinguish us from all heathen peoples, if we were not thereby to be preëminent before god and more pleasing to him than they who have it not? they made so much of this boasting that they paid no respect at all to the promise of blessing in the coming seed, given to the fathers, nor thought that faith therein was necessary to their justification. thus they practically considered it as annulled and made void, excepting for a temporal interpretation which they put upon it--that the messiah would come and, because of their law and piety, give to them the dominion of the world and other great rewards. the jews god's people by promise. 7. to rout such vain delusions and boasts, and to show that the jews were not justified through the law and did not become god's children thereby, paul cites the fact that the holy patriarchs, their fathers, were justified neither by the law of which they boast, because it was not yet given, nor by their own deeds, whether of the natural law or the ten commandments. god had based no promise of blessing or salvation on their works. he had promised out of pure grace to give them the blessing freely (that is, to give them grace or righteousness and all eternal blessing), through the coming seed, which had been promised also to our first parents without their merit, when by their transgression they had fallen under god's wrath and condemnation. therefore, although the fathers had a knowledge of the law, or god's commandments, these did not help them to become righteous before god. they had to hear and apprehend by faith the promise of god, which was based not on works but only on the coming seed. for if they had been able by means of the law or of good works to become righteous, it would have been wholly unnecessary to give the promise of blessing in christ. 8. now, if abraham and the fathers could not be justified by works, and in fact were not justified by them, no more were their children and descendants justified by the law or by works. they were justified in no other way than by faith in the promise given to abraham and to his seed, a promise by which not only the jews but all the heathen (through the same faith) were blessed. 9. this truth paul now further enforces and establishes on the basis of these two particulars--god's promise, and his free grace or gift--in opposition to the boasting of the law and our own merit. first, he makes a declaration concerning the value and weight which every testament or promise of the last will possesses. likewise in the fourth commandment is implied an ordinance that the last will of parents should be honored by their children and heirs. 10. in regard to this subject he asserts that the rule is, if a man's testament be confirmed (and it is confirmed by his death) no man dare alter it nor add to it nor take away from it. so the jurists declare it to be a divine law that no one should break a man's last will. how much more then should god's testament be honored intact? now, god has made a testament, which is to be his final last will; namely, that he will bless all nations through the seed which at first he promised to the fathers. this he determined upon, and assured to abraham, and in him to all the world--to us all. and he has confirmed it by the death of this seed, his only son, who had to become man and die (as was typified by the sacrifice of isaac on the part of abraham) in order that the inheritance of the blessing and eternal life might be bestowed upon us. this is god's last will. he does not desire to make any other. therefore, no man can or dare change it or add anything to it. now, it is adding to it, it is breaking or revoking it--since this testament has been opened and the blessing proclaimed to all the world--if anyone claims that we must first earn that blessing through the law, proceeding as if, without the law, this testament, by mere virtue of its promise and will, had no force at all. 11. in short, this testament, paul concludes, is a simple promise of blessing and sonship with god. accordingly, there is no law which we must keep in order to merit it. here nothing avails but the will which promises saying, i will not regard your deeds, but promise the blessing--that is, grace and eternal life--to you who are found in sin and death. this i will confirm by the death of my son, who shall merit and obtain this inheritance for you. now, god made this testament in the first place without the law, and has thus confirmed it; therefore, the law, published and confirmed long afterwards, cannot take aught from it, much less annul or revoke it. and he who declares or teaches that we are to be justified by the law--are to obtain god's blessing by it--does nothing else but interfere with god's testament and destroy and annul his last will. this is one argument of paul, based on the word "promise," or "testament," and is readily understood; for no one is so stupid that he cannot distinguish between these two--law or commandment, and promise. 12. the second argument of paul is based on the words, "god gave it to abraham by promise." here also it is easy for one who is possessed of common sense to perceive there is a marked difference between receiving something as a gift and earning it. what is earned is given because of obligation and debt, as wages, and he who receives it may boast of it, rather than he who gives it, and may insist upon his right. but when something is given for nothing and, as paul here says, is bestowed freely--out of grace--then there can be no boasting of right or of merit on the part of the recipient. on the contrary, he must praise the goodness and kindness of his benefactor. so paul concludes: god freely gave the blessing and the inheritance to abraham by promise. therefore, abraham did not earn it by his works; nor was it given to him as a reward, much less to his children. 13. it is evident enough to even a child that what is earned by works as a reward is not identical with what is promised or bestowed gratis, out of grace and pure free will. there is a distinction between them. god has stopped the mouth of all the world and deprived it of all occasion for boasting that it has received god's grace by reason of the law. for he promised and bestowed that as a gift, before the law or merit through the law had any existence. in his dealings with his own people, with abraham and his descendants, god promised to bless the patriarch and all his race and said nothing of any law, works or reward; he based all solely on the coming seed. 14. in the faith of this promise they lived and died--abraham himself and his children's children--till over four hundred and thirty years had elapsed. then only did god give the law, institute an outward form of worship, a priesthood, etc., and direct them how to live and govern themselves. they had now become a separate people, released from foreign domination, and brought into their own land, and they needed an external form of government. it was not intended that only now and by means of these gifts they should obtain forgiveness of sins and god's blessing. 15. this is the substance of the first part of this epistle. in teaching how we are to be justified before god, paul would have us distinguish well these two points, promise and law; or again, gift and reward. if we teach that god, out of pure grace, and not because of any law or merit, bestows forgiveness of sins and eternal life, the question at once presents itself: why is the law given, or of what use is it? shall we not perform any good works? why do we teach the ten commandments at all? paul takes up this matter and asks the question, "what then is the law?" then he proceeds to discuss at length what is the office and use of the law, and shows the difference between it and the gospel. of this enough has been said elsewhere, in other postils. _fourteenth sunday after trinity_ text: galatians 5, 16-24. 16 but i say, walk by the spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 for the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary the one to the other; that ye may not do the things that ye would. 18 but if ye are led by the spirit, ye are not under the law. 19 now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousies, wraths, factions, divisions, parties, 21 envyings, drunkenness, revellings, and such like; of which i forewarn you, even as i did forewarn you, that they who practise such things shall not inherit the kingdom of god. 22 but the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 meekness, self-control; against such there is no law. 24 and they that are of christ jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts thereof. works of the flesh and fruits of the spirit. this epistle has been treated at length in the complete commentary (luther's commentary on galatians). it exhorts to good works or fruits of faith in those who have the holy spirit through faith. and it does so in a way to show that it is not the design of this doctrine to forbid good works or to tolerate and refrain from censuring bad ones, or to prevent the preaching of the law. on the contrary it shows clearly that god earnestly wills that christians should flee and avoid the lusts of the flesh, if they would remain in the spirit. to have and retain the spirit and faith, and yet to fulfil the lusts of the flesh, are two things that cannot harmonize; for "these," paul says, "are contrary the one to the other," and there is between them a vehement conflict. they cannot tolerate each other; one must be supreme and cast the other out. for this reason he clearly mentions some works of the flesh which plainly and evidently are not of the spirit, and immediately concludes that those who commit and practice these are not in a condition to inherit god's kingdom. they have lost the holy spirit and faith. but he also shows whence the christians obtain strength to enable them to resist the lusts of the flesh; namely, from the fact that they have received the holy spirit through faith, and from the knowledge that they have a gracious god. thus their hearts become filled with love and a desire to obey god and to shun sin. consequently they resist and refuse to obey the lusts of the flesh, lest they make god angry again. and although in this conflict they still feel their weakness, the law nevertheless cannot condemn them, because through faith they are and remain in christ. _fifteenth sunday after trinity_ text: galatians 5, 25-26 and 6, 1-10. 25 if we live by the spirit, by the spirit let us also walk. 26 let us not become vainglorious, provoking one another, envying one another. 1 brethren, even if a man be overtaken in any trespass, ye who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 2 bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of christ. 3 for if a man thinketh himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. 4 but let each man prove his own work, and then shall he have his glorying in regard of himself alone, and not of his neighbor. 5 for each man shall bear his own burden. 6 but let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. 7 be not deceived; god is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 for he that soweth unto his own flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth unto the spirit shall of the spirit reap eternal life. 9 and let us not be weary in well-doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 10 so then, as we have opportunity, let us work that which is good toward all men, and especially toward them that are of the household of the faith. church officers warned of vain-glory. the chief aim of this epistle text is to instruct those in official authority in the church. since christians are under obligation to honor their pastors and teachers, they are admonished by the apostle to guard against the sin of vain-glory, that those in authority may not become proud nor misuse their office against unity in doctrine and in love, and that they may not despise or pass by the wounded and helpless, as the priest and levite did. lk 10, 31-32. finally, paul exhorts all diligently to do the good and thus serve everyone, as christ also teaches in the gospel (mt. 6, 34) that everyone should do the work of each day and not be anxious about the future. [see the explanation of these verses in luther's commentary on the galatians.] _sixteenth sunday after trinity_ text: ephesians 3, 13-21. 13. wherefore i ask that ye may not faint at my tribulations for you, which are your glory. 14 for this cause i bow my knees unto the father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 and that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that ye may be strengthened with power through his spirit in the inward man; 17 that christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all the fulness of god. 20 now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21 unto him be the glory in the church and in christ jesus unto all generations for ever and ever. amen. paul's care and prayer for the church.[1] [footnote 1: this sermon appeared in three editions the first year it was printed in 1525, at wittenberg.] 1. up to this time paul has been extolling the office of the ministry, which proclaims the gospel of the new testament. in lofty and impressive terms he introduces its purpose, power and wisdom--in a word, the great benefits the office effects, since god thereby bestows upon us abundantly all manner of wisdom, strength and blessings, all which things, in heaven or earth, are of his dispensing. the gospel proclaims to us life from death, righteousness from sin, redemption from hell and all evil, and brings us out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of god. so sublime is the whole subject, paul does not venture to compass it with words but in the loftiest of language suggests much. 2. in the first part of the text he shows the depth of his concern that the ephesians should retain the gospel preaching received from him, not allowing themselves to be torn away from it. to this end he employs two expedients: first, he consoles and admonishes; second, he prays and desires. "wherefore i ask that ye may not faint at my tribulations for you, which are your glory." paul consoles his converts. 3. having been imprisoned at rome by order of the emperor, paul thus consoles his beloved converts at ephesus, admonishing them to cleave to the doctrine learned from him; not to be frightened from it by beholding his fate, nor permit themselves to be alienated by such comment as this: "this man paul in his preaching to you made great pretentions to being commissioned of christ himself, and to outdoing all the other apostles. and you made your boast in him and relied upon him as if he were the only and all-deserving one. where is he now? what assistance can he render you? there he lies in rome, by the jews condemned to death; more than that, he is in the hands of that cruel tyrant, emperor nero. did we not long ago tell you he would meet such fate? presumably this puts an end to his boastings over every other man." 4. to prevent the offense that threatened, paul writes from his prison, and his message is, in effect, this: "dear friends, you see i am imprisoned; the devil and the world have me in their hands. this may perhaps alarm you, and rouse in you the evil suspicion, 'if his doctrine were all right and if he were the great apostle of christ he claims to be, god would not permit him to suffer such fate.'" for some of the false apostles thus taunted paul's disciples. "but i entreat and exhort you," paul would say, "not to be offended, or alarmed, not to grow faint, though i am in prison. whether we be tempted and suffer tribulation, whether we be honored or dishonored, no matter what comes, only cleave to the doctrine i have preached to you--the gospel, god's sure word, as you know." he reminds them, as before he has done, of that whereunto god has called them, and of what they have received through his preaching. 5. such admonition is still, and will ever be, necessary in the christian community. the weak must endure severe conflicts in the tribulations the gospel inevitably entails. the trial is especially hard when they must lose their leaders and teachers, and in addition hear the shameful, bitter taunts of the calumniators. we in this day have to expect that some will be offended when teachers are assailed. we should therefore be prepared, and when any of our number fall away from our faith to flatter tyrants and the pope, and to become liars and knaves, we must individually lay hold of the gospel in a way to enable us to stand and say: "not because a certain one has so taught, do i believe. it matters not what becomes of him or what he may be, the doctrine itself is right. this i know, whatever god may permit to befall myself or others because of it." the christian's confidence must be in god. 6. so have i personally had to do, and must still do. otherwise i would have been terrified and enervated when i saw the pope, and bishops, emperors, kings and all the world, opposed to the doctrine they ought to sustain. i would have been overwhelmed, thinking, "they, too, are men and cannot all be followers of the devil." how could i comfort myself and stand firm unless i were able to say: "though ten other worlds and everything great, lofty, wise and prudent, and all my dear friends and brethren as well, should turn from me, the doctrine still remains true. it stands: it will not, like men, totter and fall. i will adhere to the word of god, stand or fall what may." 7. the christian must be discerning enough to strip the individual of his mask--of his great pomp and majesty--and distinguish it from the word. he who cannot so do, cannot stand under temptation; let one fall, and he will soon follow suit. 8. such is the nature of the church in its earthly government that human wisdom must stumble thereat; various sects of the offended must rise in opposition to the faith. but god delights to rule, not with the sword or with visible power, but through weakness and in opposition to the devil and the world. seemingly, he would permit his church to be utterly overthrown. guard against and resist offenses as well as we may--and the practice is not without its efficacy--still we must ultimately be driven to say defiantly: "he who established the church and has to this time preserved it, will continue to protect it. man would not rule it wisely, but the living christ is seated upon the throne whereon god placed him, and we shall see who can pull him down and destroy his church." paul's sufferings for the church's good. 9. when the trying hour arrives, we are able to accomplish about as little against the enemy as paul when he lay in chains powerless to succor a soul. he was obliged to commit his cause to the lord. at the same time, as a faithful apostle, he ceased not, though removed from his followers, to admonish and warn to the full extent of his power. well he knew that many false apostles were ready, so sure as he said a word, to pervert it and to fill the ears of the people with their own empty words and poisonous teaching. he elsewhere complains (2 tim 1, 15) that by the influence of this class all asia was turned away from him. he had reference to the nearest neighbors of the ephesians in asia. 10. for the sake of affording his converts comfort and strength, paul proceeds to make his sufferings and tribulations pleasing to them by speaking of these afflictions in unusual and beautiful terms. he presents a view quite opposed to the opinion of the world and the judgment of calumniators. "my sufferings and tribulations," says paul, "which to you and the world, viewed in a fleshy way, are most disastrous, really work you no injury nor disadvantage, notwithstanding what the pernicious babblers claim about such trials. rather, they are beneficial to you and me. though your enemies seek thus to injure you to the fullest extent, benefits they never foresee will accrue to us. "my sufferings are not for my own sake, but yours. they work your benefit; it is better for you as it is, than for me to be present and preach to you. and how so? because i suffer only for the sake of the ministry, for that gospel i delivered you. i risk my life and all i have that you may hold it fast; such is my earnest desire. i contend for and cleave to, at the risk of my life, that which christ gave me and enjoined upon me. thus by my chains and bands i honor and establish the gospel, that you may be strengthened and may cleave more firmly to it. 11. "so we shall joyfully transform the tribulation imposed by the world in an attempt to inflict great evils: god will have to pronounce the sentence: 'hear, o world, devil, emperor, tyrant! thou hast imprisoned my apostle paul for the sake of my godly christians. what injury have they done thee? what fault committed? with no wrong on their part, thou persecutest them. it is simply because i gave them my word; therefore thou art opposing and defying me. what shall i say but that thou hast imprisoned and bound, not paul, but me? is it not insupportable that a perishable worm, be he emperor or prince, should presume to apprehend god in heaven? but thinkest thou i will remain silent and unprotesting? thinkest thou i will not break chains, stocks and bands, and give command: hold thou, devil and tyrant, and submit! let me rule, substituting for one paul, ten; and for one church at ephesus establishing thirty, yes, a hundred.'" 12. and as in paul's time, so today: when our enemies get hold of an evangelical preacher, either he must secretly be drowned or murdered, or he must publicly be hanged or burned. why is it? because of the christians to whom he has taught his doctrine. for a while god looks on serenely. he says: "beloved lords, be not enraged. know you whom you have apprehended and murdered? it is i, the divine majesty. it was not their own word and command but mine which these preachers taught and my christians believed. you cannot deny the fact. i must, then, consider how to secure myself against your wrath. how shall i do it? indeed, by way of returning your favors and kindnesses, i must so arrange that where one town had a minister and the gospel, ten, yes twenty, towns must have their pastor and preachers. i will, o pope and bishops, invade your own dioceses and you must tolerate and accept the gospel, whether to your joy or your grief. if you begin to rave, i will give you cause for alarm, for you shall be overthrown, bishops, hats and all." 13. note, when paul says he suffers for the ephesians, he means that his suffering is for their profit, to teach them they have nothing to fear in suffering. they, not he, are the subjects of concern in this matter. his pains are not merely those of paul--upon whom not so much depends--but of an apostle or preacher of the church of christ. when the latter name is associated with the suffering, when it is not john or peter who is cast into prison--that god might tolerate--but a minister of the church, then the deed is a too gross jesting with the majesty of god; it is tempting him too far, yes apprehending him. 14. it was necessary that paul give his converts this admonition: "dear children, fear not. do not be alarmed at my arrest and intended execution. let our enemies put forth their utmost effort. you shall see how i will rend the cords and burst the prison, humiliating them until they lie in ashes; the place of one resister of the gospel will be filled by ten who preach it." christ persecuted in christians. since paul's enemies refuse instruction and will not cease their raging, since they refuse to learn against whom they rage, he must make known to them who is the object of their persecution. it is neither paul nor an apostle, but he to whom it was said (ps 110, 1), "sit thou at my right hand." it is a perilous thing to take liberties with him. he is now seated where he will brook no suffering. the enemies of the christians must behold such things as did the jews who delivered paul into the emperor's hands, and as the romans witnessed. soon after paul's execution, jerusalem lay in ashes, and not a great while after, the city of rome was destroyed. for when christ was oppressed, when in the person of his apostles and martyrs he was seized and put to death, he had no alternative but to destroy a whole city. and germany may expect a similar fate. no man can merit eternal life for another. 15. it is unnecessary here to reply to those wicked and illiterate dolts, the papists and anabaptist factions, who explain paul's words, "my tribulations for you," and similar passages, as teaching that one christian can by his sufferings merit or aid in the salvation of others. paul does not say, "my tribulations for you are designed to secure for you forgiveness of sins and salvation." he clearly declares, as the scriptures everywhere do, that only christ's sufferings are thus effective and for all men. paul's thought may well be expressed--and every minister may say the same--in these words: "my preaching and my suffering are for your sake." just as a parent may say to a child, "i must do or endure this for you." true, works wrought and sufferings endured for another's sake are productive of the good and comfort of that one or of many, but the worker or sufferer does not thereby merit, either for himself or another, god's grace and eternal life. no, these things demand the offices of a being of another order--christ. he through his sufferings exterminates your sins, and through his death gives you life. then again, paul is addressing those already christians and having forgiveness of sins and all the requirements of a christian; yet he suffers for them; that is, for their good--that in proportion as his enemies seek to oppose the gospel, its influence may be widened and the faith of his followers strengthened. 16. in the effort to comfort and strengthen the ephesians, paul yet further glorifies and extols his tribulations in the words "which are your glory." what unheardof talk is this? is it not much rather, as reason dictates and as all the world affirms, a disgrace to his followers that he lies there in prison? what greater dishonor can christians suffer than to have their ministers and pastors--their instructors and consolers--shamefully arrested? so it seems to the world, it is true; but i tell you, in god's sight and in reality, this trial is a great honor to you, one of which you may proudly boast. this very disgrace and provocation you may turn squarely to your good, saying: "from the very fact of our disgrace, i know the doctrine is true and divine. for it is the lot of the word of god and of salutary doctrine, together with the supporters of the same, to be defamed and persecuted by the world and the devil." such persecution is but glory and honor to christians. paul says in romans 5, 3, "we rejoice in our tribulations." in other words, we regard them as glorious, beneficial, precious, blessed. christians to rejoice in persecutions. 17. christians should not, and cannot, have their glory in the things the world esteems and honors; for the world will not, nor can it, honor even god and his word. christ's followers, then, should not be terrified at such treatment as paul received nor feel disgraced. let them rather rejoice, deriving comfort and glory therefrom, as did the apostles. we read (acts 4, 13) of their boldness, and (acts 5, 41) that they rejoiced in being "counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name." so it fared with christ himself, and christians ought to be grieved if it be otherwise with them and if the world regard them in a kindly way. in proportion as the world persecutes them and heaps upon them its malice, should they rejoice. let them accept persecution as a good indication, regarding themselves blessed, as christ teaches in matthew 5, 11. so much for the first part of our text; now follows the second: "for this cause i bow my knees unto the father [of our lord jesus christ], from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named." preaching must be followed by practice. 18. having comforted his followers concerning his tribulations, paul tells them it is his earnest petition, his longing, that god would grant them power to cleave in firm faith to the gospel, not forsaking it or growing weary when they have to endure affronts and tribulations, but firmly resisting these. it is not enough merely to accept the gospel, or even to preach it. acceptance must be followed by that spiritual power which renders faith firm and manifests steadfastness in conflicts and temptations; for "the kingdom of god is not in word, but in power," as paul says, 1 cor 4, 20. there must be a motive force consisting of the inner belief of the heart and the outward proofs of faith: not mere speaking, but doing: not mere talking, but living. conditions must be such that the word does not simply remain on the tongue and in the ears, but becomes operative and accomplishes something. in the old testament dispensation, moses preached much indeed, and the people practiced little; but here paul desires that much be done and little said. he would not have the gospel preached in vain, but desires that it accomplish the object of its revelation. 19. note how paul devotes himself to the welfare of the christian community. he sets an example, to us ministers in particular, of how to effect the good of the people. but we do not rightly heed his example. we imagine it sufficient to hear the gospel and be able to discourse about it; we stop at the mere knowledge of it; we never avail ourselves of the gospel's power in the struggles of life. unquestionably, the trouble is, we do not earnestly pray. we ought constantly to come to god with great longing, entreating him day and night to give the word power to move men's hearts. david says (ps 68, 33), "lo, he uttereth his voice, a mighty voice." 20. not only preachers, but all christians, should constantly entreat the god who grants knowledge to grant also efficacy; should beseech him that the word may not pass with the utterance, but may manifest itself in power. the prevailing complaint at present is that much preaching obtains, but no practice; that the people are shamefully rude, cold and indolent, and less active than ever, while at the same time they enjoy the strong, clear light of revelation concerning all right and wrong in the world. well may we pray, then, as paul does here. he says, in effect: "you are well supplied: the word is richly proclaimed to you--abundantly poured out upon you. but i bend my knees to god, praying that he may add his blessing to the word and grant you to behold his honor and praise and to be firmly established, that the word may grow in you and yield fruit." 21. feelingly does paul speak of praying for his followers. he seems to say: "i must lie here imprisoned, not privileged to be with you or to aid you in any way but by bending my knees--that is, entreating and imploring god earnestly and in deep humility--to the end that god may grant you, may effect in you, what neither myself nor any other human being can accomplish--what i could not do even were i free and ever present with you." true prayer consists not in outward things. 22. observe, the apostle alludes to his prayer by naming its outward expression--bending the knees. but the external posture, if accompanied by nothing else, is sheer hypocrisy. when prayer is genuine, possessing the fire by which it is kindled, prompted by a sincere heart which recognizes its need and likewise the blessings that are ours as proclaimed in the word, and when faith in god's word--in his promise--revives, then the individual will be possessed with a fervor prompting him to fall upon his knees and pray for strength and for the power of the spirit. when the spirit of prayer is enkindled and burns within the heart, the body will responsively assume the proper attitude; involuntarily, eyes and hands will be upraised and knees bended. witness the examples of moses, david and even christ himself. when we pray with glowing hearts, external gestures will take care of themselves. they are prompted by the spirit, and therefore are not to be denounced. if assumed, unbidden of the spirit, they are hypocritical; as, for instance, when one presumes outwardly to serve god and perform good works while his heart is far away. the prophet says (is 29, 13), "this people draw nigh unto me, and with their mouth and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me." 23. by the declaration, "i bow my knees unto the father of our lord jesus christ," paul establishes the doctrine that no one should presume to speak to god, to entreat him for any favor, unless approaching, as paul does here, in the name of "the father of our lord jesus christ." for christ is our sole mediator, and no one need expect to be heard unless he approach the father in the name of that mediator and confess him lord given of god as intercessor for us and ruler of our bodies and souls. prayer according to these conditions is approved. strong faith, however, is necessary to lay hold of the comforting word, picturing god in our hearts as the father of our lord jesus christ. 24. the statement that christ is our lord is very comforting, though we have made it terrifying by regarding christ as a stern and angry judge. but the fact is, he is lord for the sole purpose of securing us against harsh lords, tyrants, the devil, the world, death, sin and every sort of misfortune. we are his inheritance, and therefore he will espouse our cause, deliver us from violence and oppression of all kinds and better our condition. the name "lord," then, is altogether lovable and comforting to us who believe, and gives us confidence of heart. but still more comforting is it to know that our god, our lord, is the father of our lord jesus christ. the name "lord" stands for the complete godhead, who gives himself to us. therefore, all we ask in this name must be abundantly bestowed. naught is here for me but real help and pure grace. for god designs to have me his child in christ, placed above all things temporal and eternal. god our father. 25. paul further declares that god is not merely a father, but the true father, "from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named." earthly fathers are so called because in a flesh and blood way they have begotten us, or on account of their age and their claim to honor. it is the universal custom to apply the term "father" to an old master. in second kings 5, 13, for instance, the servants of naaman called their lord "father." paul's thought is: "all fatherhood on earth is but a semblance, a shadow, a painted image, in comparison with the divine fatherhood of god." 26. but reason can never see it so. and only by the spirit's work can the heart recognize the fact. reason may go so far as to regard god an angry and terrible judge, one who makes the world, even hell itself, too narrow for it and leaves it without a foothold. but it is impossible for natural reason to call god a father in sincerity; much less to regard him the divine father, preëminent over all who bear the name of "father" in heaven or on earth, of whom all other fathers are as mirror reflections. 27. think of the attitude of an earthly father toward his child, and of the child toward his father. even where actual parenthood is lacking, the name engenders a confidence affectionate and pleasing enough to kindle the brightest anticipations of great good to be received. now, if the sincere, loyal designs of earthly fathers for their children are mere pretense compared to the blessed purposes of our heavenly father, what must we look for from this heavenly father, this father above all others? paul would teach us to look at the proportions, and from the confidence we repose in our natural fathers estimate the character of god as a father and what we may expect from him. 28. he who can put his trust in god, who can confidently rely upon him and sincerely cry, "thou art my beloved father!" need not fear to ask anything of god, or that god will at all deny him. his own heart will tell him that his petitions will be granted. because of the strength of his confidence, he cannot fail to secure his heart's desires. thus god himself teaches us to break open heaven and lay him bare before our eyes that we may see who this father is. [thus paul is confident what he asks is pleasing to god and will be granted. if we did the same we would, doubtless, have a like experience. there are still people who pray. it would be a blessing if there were many more. then the gospel would make greater progress and impart to us greater power. it is evident, god be praised, that all who rage against the gospel must be put to shame. the more they rage, the more the gospel spreads, and all without our help or counsel, only because god awakens hearts to pray that it may prosper, even without our help. the more fervently we pray, the greater is god's pleasure to hear.] 29. what is the nature of the prayer paul here presents? it is the same as the lord's prayer, being particularly identical with the first, second and third petitions. in words of different sound but implying the very same thing, paul briefly embraces these petitions--the hallowing of god's name and word in our midst, and the destruction of the devil's kingdom and all evil--whatever is opposed to the word and will of god. he says: "that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that ye may be strengthened with power." god lavish in his blessings. 30. sublime words are these, wrung from a fervent heart. evidently, in the effort to express himself fully, clearly and in language worthy of his subject, the apostle finds words too weak and rare. the fervor of his heart can be but poorly portrayed. by the phrase, "according to the riches of his glory," paul means to say: "such is the greatness of god's glory, it deserves the title of riches. for it is conducive to god's honor and praise that he gives abundantly." these words reveal the nature of god, proclaiming him the source whence we may expect all good, and all aid in time of need. he is god of all the world. the reason the world has made many gods, has invoked many saints, is because it looks to them for aid and benefit. the scriptures term "gods" certain individuals who do good and lend assistance to their fellows. god says to moses (ex 7, 1), "i have made thee as god [a god] to pharaoh." 31. but god, because of the abundance and lavishness of his gifts, is entitled to greater honor and glory. he is the true god, to whom alone belongs all glory; yea, the riches of glory. he pours out his blessings abundantly and above measure; he is the source of all blessings in heaven and on earth. even his most inferior creatures--water, air, the earth and its products--are so generously bestowed that we can appropriate only an infinitesimal part of them. yet in our blindness and stupidity we do not see, yea, we utterly ignore the fact that god is the giver of these. now, how much more generous is god in spiritual blessings! he has freely given himself--poured out himself--for us, and also gifts and blessings of the highest order. he has illumined us with a light bright enough to reveal to us the real character of the world, the devil and the angels. yes, to show to us god's purposes, present, past and future. thus we have all wisdom and all power over sin, the devil and death, being lords of all creatures. in a word, our riches are inexpressibly great. 32. paul employs forcible words to record his prayer here. he has firm confidence in god that the petition must be efficacious, must penetrate the clouds and open heaven. he does not say that god looks upon our merit and worthiness and for the sake of these grants our requests; but for the sake of the riches of his glory. we are not worthy his favors, but his glory is worthy of our recognition, and we are to honor him because he gratuitously lavishes his blessings upon us, that his name alone may be hallowed. only with a recognition of these facts may prayer be offered if it is to avail before god. if god were to consider our merit, very small would be the portion due us. but if we are to be richly blessed, it must come about through our recognition of pure grace as the source of our gifts, and our praise of god's exceeding glory. 33. but what are the blessings for which paul's prayer entreats? something more than continuance of the word with his followers, though it is a great and good gift even to have the word thoroughly taught: he prays that the heart may taste the word and that it may be effectual in the life. thus the apostle contrasts a knowledge of the word with the power of the word. many have the knowledge, but few the impelling and productive power that the results may be as we teach. hence they are criticised and not without reason. but our enemies cannot censure and reproach us to greater extent than to say that we preach and accept much good doctrine to no purpose; that no one practices it and profits thereby; that in fact we are morally worse than before we heard the doctrines, and consequently it would have been better had things remained as they were. we should pray for the power of the word. 34. what answer shall we make? this: in the first place, considering our unsatisfactory condition and the lack of power with the word, we have great reason to pray with the earnestness paul's example teaches. and secondly, though our enemies see little improvement and few fruits of the gospel, it is not theirs to judge. they think we ought to do nothing but work miracles--raising the dead and bordering the christian's walk with roses, until naught but holiness obtains everywhere. this being the case, where would be the need to pray? we cannot, nor dare we, pray for what we already have, but must thank god for it. but, since paul and other scripture authorities command us to pray, a defect somewhere in our strength is indicated. otherwise why say they so much about it? thus paul himself acknowledges the ephesians were weak. he complains of the same weakness in other epistles and especially in those to the corinthians. everywhere he urges them to do and live as they had been taught. the only reason paul advocates this is that he saw, as we now see, that everywhere they fail, and things are not as they should be. in spite of the fact that not everyone's conduct is satisfactory, some do mend their ways; and the happy condition obtains that many consciences are assured and many former evils are now avoided. if the two sides of the question were carefully compared, we would see much advantage with us not now noticed. again, even though we are somewhat weak, is that any reason for saying all is lost? further, there is naught else but filth and corruption in the ranks of our enemies, which they would gladly adorn with our weakness even. but they must look upon their way as excellent and ours as odious. 35. let them go on with their judging. we admit we are not all strong, but it is also true that were there no weakness in our ranks, we would have no need of prayer, perseverance, exhortation and daily preaching. in condemning the gospel because of our admitted weakness, something we ourselves confess, our enemies are themselves judged before god by their judging us. it is possible for me to be truly in the kingdom of grace and at the same time outwardly weak enough to be regarded of men as a knave. my faith is not apparent to men, but god sees it and i am myself sensible of it. you meantime erroneously judge me by my outward conduct, thus bringing judgment upon yourself. we are aware of, and also lament, our weakness and imperfection. hence we cry and groan, and pray to god to grant us strength and power. world sees not inner marks of christians. 36. a third answer to our enemies is: we are certain that wherever the word of god is proclaimed, the fruits of the same must exist. we have the word of god, and therefore the spirit of god must be with us. and where the spirit is, faith must obtain, however weak it may be. though visible evidence may be lacking, yet inevitably there must be some among us who daily pray, while we may not be aware of it. it is reasonably to be expected that our enemies should judge erroneously, because they look for outward evidences of christianity, which are not forthcoming. the word is too sublime to pass under our judgment; it is the province of the word to judge us. the world, however, while unwilling to be judged and convicted by us, essays to judge and convict the word of god. here god steps in. it would be a pity for the worldly to see a godly christian, so god blinds them and they miss his kingdom. as isaiah says (ch. 26, 10): "in the land of uprightness will he deal wrongfully, and will not behold the majesty of jehovah." for this reason, few real christians come under the observation of cavilers; the latter, in general, observe fools and fanatics, at whom they maliciously stumble and take offense. they are unworthy to behold god's honor in a godly christian upon whom the lord has poured out himself in fullness of blessing. 37. let the real christian come into the presence of the caviler, stand before his very eyes, and the caviler will not see him. let the fault-finder hear that one leads an irreproachable life and he will say: "heretics have behaved similarly, but under a good appearance concealed poison." let one be refractory and reckless, and he must be a knave. whatever we do, they are not satisfied. if we pipe, they will not dance; if we mourn, they will not lament. neither sweet nor sour appeals to them. wisdom must permit herself to be schooled and governed by these cavilers, as christ says in matthew 11, 19. thus god confounds and shames the world; while all the time tolerating its judgment of himself, he is ever careful to have the gospel inculcated, even though the worldly burst with rage. i say these things to teach us to be careful not to join the caviler in judging presumptuously the work and word of god. notwithstanding our weakness, we are yet certain the kingdom of god is in our midst so long as we have his word and daily pray for its efficacy and for an increase of our faith, as the following words recommend: "that ye may be strengthened with power through his spirit in the inward man." the spirit imparts real strength. 38. the apostle here speaks with varied expression. he leaves little honor and glory, as it were, for free-will, but desires for his followers the heavenly power imparted through the holy spirit. there is also a power of the world, and a spirit--the devil, the prince of the world, who blinds and hardens men's hearts. he boasts of himself and imparts to men a spirit of daring in his purpose to suppress and exterminate christian doctrine. but while worldings are courageous and daring, so are christians, and the latter are greater and far more powerful through the holy spirit, and are undaunted by the world, the devil, death and all kinds of misfortune. this is real spiritual strength. the hebrew word "spirit" might well be rendered "bold, undaunted courage." spiritual strength is not the strength of muscle and bone; it is true courage--boldness of heart. weakness, on the contrary, is faint-heartedness, timidity, lack of courage. 39. paul's meaning, then, is: "i desire for you, and pray god to grant you, that bold, dauntless courage and that strong, cheerful spirit which will not be terrified by poverty, shame, sin, the devil or death, but is confident that nothing can harm us and we will never be in need." the courage of the world--the spirit of the world--holds out only until exhaustion of the stores whereon it relies. as the saying is, "wealth gives temporal boldness, but the soul must rely on god alone." the boldness resulting from riches and worldly power is haughty and makes its boast in earthly things. but the soul has no hoarded treasure. in god alone it braves every evil; it has a courage and heart very different from that of the world. this is the strength for which paul prays on behalf of his converts, a strength not inherent in flesh and blood. the possessor thereof does not rely and build on his own powers and riches, nor upon any human help and support. this strength dwells in the inner man. it is the trust of the dauntless, cheerful heart in god's grace and assistance, and in these alone. the heart which so trusts has no fear. it possesses by faith abundance of riches and pleasures--god himself with all his blessings. at the same time, to human sight only want, weakness and terror may be apparent. "that christ may dwell in your hearts through faith." 40. the holy spirit brings christ into the heart and teaches it to know him. he imparts warmth and courage through faith in christ. paul everywhere intimates that no man should presume to approach god otherwise than through christ, the one mediator. now, if christ dwells in my heart and regulates my entire life, it matters not though my faith be weak. christ is not mere bone but also flesh. yes, he has blisters and boils and sins of which he is not ashamed, notwithstanding the eminent saints may hold their noses thereat. and where he dwells all fullness is, let the individual be weak or strong as god permits. christ embraced only by the heart. 41. for christ to dwell in the heart is simply for the heart to know him; in other words, to understand who he is and what we are to expect from him--that he is our saviour, through whom we may call god our father and may receive the spirit who imparts courage to brave all trials. it is thus that christ dwells with us, in our hearts. only so can he be embraced; for he is not an inanimate thing, but the living god. how does man lay hold of the saviour in the heart? not by embracing him intellectually. it is accomplished only by living faith. christ will not permit himself to be received by works, nor to be apprehended with mental vision; he will consent only to be embraced by the heart. if your faith be true and on a firm foundation, you have and feel christ in your heart and are aware of all he thinks and does in heaven and on earth--how he rules through his word and his spirit, and the attitude of those who have christ and those who have him not. 42. paul desires christ to be efficacious in the hearts of his followers unto the full realization of the promises of the word--liberation from sin and death, and assurance of grace and eternal life. it is impossible for the heart having such experience to be other than firm and courageous to oppose the terrors of the devil and the world. but the heart which has not yet arrived at this point is here advised what course to take, namely, to pray god for such faith and strength, and to avail himself of the prayers of others to the same end. so much in regard to faith; now follows the mention of love. "that ye, being rooted and grounded in love." love, the expression of faith. 43. this is an unusual way of speaking. is it not in faith that we are to be rooted, engrafted and grounded? why, then, does paul here substitute "love?" i reply: faith, it is true, is the essential thing, but love shows whether or no faith is real and the heart confident and courageous in god. where one has an unquestioning confidence that god is his father, necessarily, be his faith never so weak, that faith must find expression in word and deed. he will serve his neighbor in teaching and in extending to him a helping hand. this is what paul calls being rooted and grounded in love--having the conscious experience of possessing true faith. love is the test that determines the reality of faith. peter says (2 pet 1, 10), "give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure." that is, proceed to good works that others may see and you experience that you have true faith. until you do, you will always be uncertain, vacillating, superficial in heart, not rooted and grounded. so by these two clauses paul teaches, first, that we should have in our hearts genuine faith toward god; and second, that faith should find expression in loving service to one's neighbor. "may be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth." true christians find christ everywhere. 44. these words represent another feature of the apostle's desire for his christians to be established and comforted in god through faith, and rooted and grounded in love toward their neighbors. "when you are thus strengthened," he would say, "and are perseveringly pressing forward, you will be able to grasp with all saints the four parts, to increase therein and to appreciate them more and more." faith alone effects this apprehension. love is not the moving force here, but it contributes by making faith manifest. 45. some teachers would make these words reflect and measure the holy cross. but paul does not say a word about the cross. he simply says, in effect: "that you may apprehend all things; may see the length and breadth, the height and depth, of christ's kingdom." this condition obtains when my heart has reached the point where christ cannot make the spiritual life too long or too wide for me to follow, nor high enough or deep enough to cause my fall from him or his word; the point where i may be satisfied that wherever i go he is, and that he rules in all places, however long or broad, deep or high, the situation from either a temporal or eternal point of view. no matter how long or wide i measure, i find him everywhere. david says (ps 139, 7-8): "whither shall i go from thy spirit? or whither shall i flee from thy presence? if i ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if i make my bed in sheol, behold, thou art there." christ rules eternally. his length and breadth, his depth and height, are unlimited. if i descend into hell, my heart and my faith tell me he is there. 46. the sum of the matter is this: depressed or exalted, circumscribed in whatsoever way, dragged hither or thither, i still find christ. for he holds in his hands everything in heaven or on earth, and all are subject to him--angels, the devil, the world, sin, death and hell. therefore, so long as he dwells in my heart, i have courage, wherever i go, i cannot be lost. i dwell where christ my lord dwells. this, however, is a situation impossible to reason. should reason ascend a yard above the earth or descend a yard below, or be deprived of the tangible things of the present, it would have to despair. we christians are, through christ, better fortified. we are assured that he dwells everywhere, be it in honor or dishonor, hunger, sorrow, illness, imprisonment, death or life, blessing or affliction. it is paul's desire for the ephesians that god give them grace and strength to have such heart-apprehension of his kingdom. he concludes the details of his prayer in these words: "and to know the love of christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all the fulness of god." 47. he means: "i desire you, in addition to having faith and apprehending the four proportions of christ's kingdom, to know the love of christ we should have--the love christ bears toward us, and the love we owe our neighbor. this knowledge transcends all other, even familiarity with the gospel; for, know as much as you may, your knowledge will avail little or nothing without love." 48. paul's desire, briefly summed up, is that the faith of christians may be strengthened unto efficacy, and that love may be warm and fervent, and the heart filled with the fullness of god. "filled unto all the fullness of god" means, if we follow the hebrew, filled with everything god's bounty supplies, full of god, adorned with his grace and the gifts of his spirit--the spirit who gives us steadfastness, illuminates us with his light, lives within us his life, saves us with his salvation, and with his love enkindles love in us; in short, it means having god himself and all his blessings dwelling in us in fullness and being effective to make us wholly divine--not so that we possess merely something of god, but all his fullness. christian perfection. 49. much has been written about the way we are to become godlike. some have constructed ladders whereby we are to ascend to heaven, and others similar things. but this is all patchwork. in this passage is designated the truest way to attain godlikeness. it is to become filled to the utmost with god, lacking in no particular; to be completely permeated with him until every word, thought and deed, the whole life in fact, be utterly godly. 50. but let none imagine such fullness can be attained in this life. we may indeed desire it and pray for it, like paul here, but we will not find a man thus perfect. we stand, however, upon the fact that we desire such perfection and groan after it. so long as we live in the flesh, we are filled with the fullness of adam. hence it is necessary for us continually to pray god to replace our weakness with courage, and to put into our hearts his spirit to fill us with grace and strength and rule and work in us absolutely. we ought all to desire this state for one another. to this end may god grant us grace. amen. _seventeenth sunday after trinity_ text: ephesians 4, 1-6. 1 i, therefore, the prisoner in the lord, beseech you to walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called, 2 with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3 giving diligence to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. 4 there is one body, and one spirit, even as also ye were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one god and father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all. the christian calling and unity. 1. this, too, is a beautiful sermon, delivered by paul to the ephesians, concerning the good works of christians, who believe and are obedient to the doctrine of the gospel. in the knowledge of good works paul desires christians to grow and increase, as we learned in the epistle for last sunday. the ground of all doctrine, of all right living, the supreme and eternal treasure of him who is a christian in the sight of god, is faith in christ. it alone secures forgiveness of sins and makes us children of god. now, where this faith is, fruits should follow as evidence that christians in their lives honor and obey god. they are necessary for god's glory and for the christian's own honor and eternal reward before him. 2. paul, remembering the imprisonment and tribulations he suffered because of the gospel and for the advantage, as he before said, of the ephesians, gives the admonition here. he would have them, in return for his sufferings, honor the gospel in their lives. first he names a general rule of life for christians. "to walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called." the christian calling. 3. the chief thing that should influence a christian's outward walk is the remembrance of his calling and appointment by god. he should be mindful of why he is called a christian, and live consistently. he must shine before the world; that is, through his life and god's work, the word and the name of christ the lord must be exalted. christ exhorts his disciples: "even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your father who is in heaven." mt 5, 16. 4. similarly, paul would say: "you have received god's grace and his word and are a blessed people. in christ all your needs are blessedly supplied. be mindful of this and remember you are called to a far different and vastly higher life than others know. show by your manner of living that you seek a higher good than the world seeks--indeed, that you have received far greater blessings. let your lives honor and glorify the lord who has given you such blessings. give no occasion for dishonoring your treasured faith, or for scorning his word. rather, influence men by your godly walk and good works to believe in christ and to glorify him." 5. let the christian know his earthly life is not unto himself, nor for his own sake; his life and work here belong to christ, his lord. hence must his walk be such as shall contribute to the honor and glory of his master, whom he should so serve that he may be able to say with paul, not only with respect to the spiritual life--the life of faith and of righteousness by grace--but also with respect to its fruits--the outward conduct: "it is no longer i that live, but christ liveth in me." gal 2, 20. the christian's manner of life may be styled "walking in christ"; yes, as paul elsewhere has it (rom 13, 14), "putting on" the lord jesus christ, like a garment or an ornament. the world is to recognize christ by his shining in us. 6. but the so-called christian life that does not honor christ makes its sin the more heinous for the name it bears. every sin the people of god commit is a provocation of jehovah; not only in the act of disobedience itself, but also in the transgression of the second commandment. the enormity of the sin is magnified by the conditions that make it a blasphemy of god's name and an occasion of offense to others. paul says in romans 2, 24: "for the name of god is blasphemed among the gentiles because of you." so a christian should, in his life, by all means guard the honor of god--of christ. he must take heed that he be not guilty of blaspheming that name and of doing wickedness. the devil, aided by the world, construes every act, when possible, to reflect upon god's honor and glory. his purpose is to manifest his bitter hatred against christ and the word; also to injure the church by charging offenses, thus deterring unbelievers from embracing the gospel and causing the weak to fall away. 7. to guard against such disaster, christians should be particularly careful to give, in their conduct, no occasion for offense, and to value the name and honor of their god too highly to permit blasphemy of them. they should prefer to lose their own honor, their wealth, their physical well-being, even their lives, rather than that these, their most precious possessions and greatest blessings, should suffer disgrace. let them remember that upon keeping sacred the name and honor of god depends their own standing before god and men. god promises (1 sam 2, 30), "them that honor me i will honor." but pursuing the opposite course, christians bring upon themselves god's sternest wrath and effect their own rejection and shame. for he says further: "they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed." and in the second commandment god threatens certain and terrible punishment to abusers of his name; that is, to them who do not employ it to his honor and praise. 8. well may every christian examine his own life to see if he is careful to guard against offense to the gospel and to regulate his words and conduct by god's first commandment, making them contribute to the honor and praise of the divine name and the holy gospel. weighty indeed and well calculated to cause complaint are the sins to which every christian is liable in this respect; well may he avoid them lest he heap to himself the wrath of god. especially need we be careful in these last and evil times when the gospel is everywhere suppressed by great offenses. man was created to be the image of god, that through this his image god might himself be expressed. god's image, then, should be reflected in the lives of men as a likeness in a glass, and a christian can have no higher concern than to live without dishonor to the name of god. admonition to special christian virtues. 9. such is the first part of paul's admonition concerning the general life of christians. he goes on to make special mention of several good works which christians should diligently observe: humility, meekness, long-suffering, preservation of the unity of the spirit, and so on. these have been specially treated before, in other epistle lessons, particularly those from peter. humility, for instance--mentioned in today's lesson--is taken up the third sunday after trinity; patience and meekness, the second sunday after easter, and the fifth sunday after trinity. 10. the text here presents good works sufficient to occupy all christians in every station of life; we need not seek other nor better ones. paul would not impose upon christians peculiar works, something unrelated to the ordinary walks of life, as certain false saints taught and practiced. these teachers commanded separation from society, isolation in the wilderness, the establishment of monkeries and the performance of self-appointed works. such works they exalted as superior to ordinary christian virtues. indeed, their practice amounted to rejection of the latter, and they actually regarded them as dangerous. the papacy has in the past shamelessly styled the observance of christian good works as worldly living, and men were compelled to believe they would find it hard to reach heaven unless they became ecclesiasts--for they regarded only the monks and priests worthy--or at least made themselves partakers of the works of ecclesiasts by purchasing their merits. but paul--in fact, the entire scriptures--teaches no other good works than god enjoins upon all men in the ten commandments, and which pertain to the common conditions of life. true, these make not such brilliant show in the eyes of the world as do the self-appointed ceremonials constituting the divine service of hypocrites; nevertheless, they are true, worthy, good and profitable works in the sight of god and man. what can be more acceptable to god and advantageous to man than a life lived, in its own calling, in the way that contributes to the honor of god, and that by its example influences others to love god's word and to praise his name? moreover, what virtues, of all man possesses, serve him better than humility, meekness, patience and harmony of mind? 11. now, where is a better opportunity for the exercise of these virtues than amidst the conditions in which god destined us to live--in society, where we mingle with one another? upon these conditions, self-appointed, unusual lives and monastic holiness have no bearing. for what other person is profited by your entering a cloister, making yourself peculiar, refusing to live as your fellows do? who is benefited by your cowl, your austere countenance, your hard bed? who comes to know god or to have a peaceful conscience by such practices on your part, or who is thereby influenced to love his neighbor? indeed, how can you serve your neighbor by such a life? how manifest your love, humility, patience and meekness if you are unwilling to live among men? if you so strenuously adhere to your self-appointed orders as to allow your neighbor to suffer want before you would dishonor your rules? 12. astonishing fact, that the world is merged in darkness so great it utterly disregards the word of god and the conditions he designed for our daily living. if we preach to the world faith in god's word, the world receives it as heresy. if we speak of works instituted of god himself and conditions of his own appointing, the world regards it as idle talk; it knows better. to live a simple christian life in one's own family, to faithfully perform the duties of a man-servant or maid-servant--"oh, that," it says, "is merely the following of worldly pursuits. to do good works you must set about it in a different way. you must creep into a corner, don a cap, make pilgrimages to some saint; then you may be able to help yourself and others to gain heaven." if the question be asked, "why do so? where has god commanded it?" there is, according to their theory, really no answer to make but this: our lord god knows nothing about the matter; he does not understand what good works are. how can he teach us? he must himself be tutored by these remarkably enlightened saints. fruits of original sin. 13. but all this error results from that miserable inherent plague, that evil termed "original sin." it is a blind wickedness, refusing to recognize the word of god and his will and work, but introducing instead things of its own heathenish imagination. it draws such a thick covering over eyes, ears and hearts that it renders men unable to perceive how the simple life of a christian, of husband or wife, of the lower or the higher walks of life, can be beautified by honoring the word of god. original sin will not be persuaded to the faithful performance of the works that god testifies are well pleasing to him when wrought by believers in christ. in a word, universal experience proves that to perform really good works is a special and remarkable grace to which few attain; while the great mass of souls aspiring after holiness vainly busy themselves with worthless works, being deceived into thinking them great, and thus make themselves, as paul says, "unto every good work reprobate." tit 1, 16. this fruitless effort is one evil result of the error of human ideas of holiness and the practice of self-chosen works. 14. another error is the hindrance--yes, the suppression and destruction--of the beautiful virtues of humility, meekness, patience and spiritual harmony here commended of paul. at the same time the devil is given occasion to encourage fiendish blasphemy. in every instance where the word of god is set aside for humanly-appointed works, differing views and theories must obtain. one introduces this and another that, each striving for first recognition; then a third endeavors to improve upon their doctrine. consequently divisions and factions ensue as numerous as the teachers and their creeds; as exemplified in the countless sects to this time prevalent in popedom, and in the factious spirits of all time. under such circumstances, none of the virtues like humility, meekness, patience, love, can have place. opposite conditions must prevail, since harmony of hearts and minds is lacking. one teacher haughtily rejects another, and if his own opinions fail to receive recognition and approval, he displays anger, envy and hatred. he will neither affiliate with nor tolerate him whose practices accord not with his own. 15. on the other hand, the christian life, the life of faith with its fruits, controlled as it is by the word of god, is in every way conducive to the preservation of love and harmony, and to the promotion of all virtues. it interferes not with the god-ordained relations of life and their attendant obligations upon men--the requirements of social order, the duties of father and mother, of son and daughter, master and mistress, servant and maid. all life's relations are confirmed by it as valid and its duties as vital. the christian faith bids each person in his life, and all in common, to be diligent in the works of love, humility, patience. it teaches that one be not intolerant of another, but rather render him his due, remembering that he whose condition in life is the most insignificant can be equally upright and blessed before god with the occupant of the most significant position. again, it teaches that man must have patience with the weakness of his fellow, being mindful of how others must bear with his own imperfections. in short, it says one must manifest to another the love and kindness he would have that other extend to him. 16. to this christian attainment, contributes very largely the single fact that a christian is conscious he has, through christ, the grace of god, the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. and these not for his own merits or peculiar life and works, but because he is, no matter how insignificant in condition before the world, a child of god and blessed; a partaker, if he but believes, in all the blessings of christ, sharing equally with the most eminent saint. so, then, he need not look about for works not enjoined upon him. he need not covet those wrought in prominence and by the aid of great gifts of god--of unusual attainments. let him confine himself to his own sphere; let him serve god in his vocation, remembering that god makes him, too, his instrument in his own place. again, the occupant of a higher sphere, the possessor of higher gifts and accomplishments, who likewise serves in his vocation received from god, should learn and exhibit harmony of mind. so shall he continue humble and be tolerant of others. he should remember that he is not worthier in the eyes of god because of his greater gifts, but rather is under deeper obligation to serve his fellows, and that god can use the possessor of lesser gifts for even greater accomplishments than himself can boast. having so learned, he will be able to manifest patience, meekness and love toward his weak and imperfect neighbors, considering them members of christ with him, and partakers of the same grace and salvation. the unity of the spirit. 17. now you have the reason why the apostles paul and peter everywhere so faithfully enforce this virtue, the unity of the spirit. it is the most necessary and beautiful grace that christians possess. it holds together the christian community, preventing factions and schisms, as before explained. so paul here admonishes men to be careful for harmony, making every endeavor to preserve it. the term "unity of the spirit" is used to make plain the apostle's meaning. he would thus emphasize oneness of doctrine--the one true faith. since the holy spirit is present only where there is knowledge of and faith in the gospel of christ, "unity of the spirit" implies a unity of faith. above all things, then, the effort must be to preserve, in the church, the doctrine of the scriptures, pure and in its unity. 18. one of the wickedest offenses possible to commit against the church is the stirring up of doctrinal discord and division, a thing the devil encourages to the utmost. this sin usually has its rise with certain haughty, conceited, self-seeking leaders who desire peculiar distinction for themselves and strive for personal honor and glory. they harmonize with none and would think themselves disgraced were they not honored as superior and more learned individuals than their fellows, a distinction they do not merit. they will give honor to no one, even when they have to recognize the superiority of his gifts over their own. in their envy, anger, hatred and vengefulness, they seek occasion to create factions and to draw people to themselves. therefore paul exhorts first to the necessary virtue of love, having which men will be enabled to exercise humility, patience and forbearance toward one another. 19. the character of the evils resulting to the church from divisions and discords in doctrine is evident from the facts. many are deceived; the masses immediately respond to new doctrine brilliantly presented in specious words by presumptuous individuals thirsting for fame. more than that, many weak but well-meaning ones fall to doubting, uncertain where to stand or with whom to hold. consequently men reject and blaspheme the christian doctrine and seek occasion to dispute it. many become reckless pleasure-lovers, disregarding all religion and ignoring the word of god. further, even they who are called christians come to have hard feelings against one another, and, figuratively, bite and devour in their hate and envy. consequently their love grows cold and faith is extinguished. 20. of so much disturbance in the church, and of the resulting injuries to souls, are guilty those conceited, factious leaders who do not adhere to the true doctrine, preserving the unity of the spirit, but seek to institute something new for the sake of advancing their own ideas and their own honor, or gratifying their revenge. they thus bring upon themselves damnation infinitely more intolerable than others suffer. christians, then, should be careful to give no occasion for division or discord, but to be diligent, as paul here admonishes, to preserve unity. and this is not an easy thing to do, for among christians occasions frequently arise provoking self-will, anger and hatred. the devil is always at hand to stir and blow the flame of discord. let christians take heed they do not give place to the promptings of the devil and of the flesh. they must strive against them, submitting to all suffering, and performing all demands, whether honor, property, physical welfare or life itself be involved, in the effort to prevent, so far as in them lies, any disturbance of the unity of doctrine, of faith and of spirit. "there is one body, and one spirit, even as also ye were called in one hope of your calling; one lord, one faith, one baptism, one god and father of all." 21. christians should feel bound to maintain the unity of the spirit, since they are all members of one body and partakers of the same spiritual blessings. they have the same priceless treasures--one god and father in heaven, one lord and savior, one word, baptism and faith; in short, one and the same salvation, a blessing common to all whereof one has as much as another, and cannot obtain more. what occasion, then, for divisions or for further seeking? 22. here paul teaches what the true christian church is and how it may be identified. there is not more than one church, or people of god, one earth. this one church has one faith, one baptism, one confession of god the father and of jesus christ. its members faithfully hold, and abide by, these common truths. every one desiring to be saved and to come to god must be incorporated into this church, outside of which no one will be saved. 23. unity of the church does not consist in similarity of outward form of government, likeness of law, tradition and ecclesiastical customs, as the pope and his followers claim. they would exclude from the church all not obedient to them in these outward things, though members of the one faith, one baptism, and so on. the church is termed "one holy, catholic or christian church," because it represents one plain, pure gospel doctrine, and an outward confession thereof, always and everywhere, regardless of dissimilarity of physical life, or of outward ordinances, customs and ceremonies. 24. but they are not members of the true church of christ who, instead of preserving unity of doctrine and oneness of christian faith, cause divisions and offenses--as paul says (rom 16, 17)--by the human doctrines and self-appointed works for which they contend, imposing them upon all christians as necessary. they are perverters and destroyers of the church, as we have elsewhere frequently shown. the consolation of the true doctrine is ours, and we hold it in opposition to popedom, which accuses us of having withdrawn from them, and so condemns us as apostates from the church. they are, however, themselves the real apostates, persecuting the truth and destroying the unity of the spirit under the name and title of the church and of christ. therefore, according to the command of god, all men are under obligation to shun them and withdraw from them. _eighteenth sunday after trinity_ text: 1 corinthians 1, 4-9. 4 i thank my god always concerning you, for the grace of god which was given you in christ jesus; 5 that in everything ye were enriched in him, in all utterance and all knowledge; 6 even as the testimony of christ was confirmed in you: 7 so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the revelation of our lord jesus christ; 8 who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye be unreprovable in the day of our lord jesus christ. 9 god is faithful, through whom ye were called into the fellowship of his son jesus christ our lord. treasure christians have in the gospel. 1. we have before us the opening words of the epistle to the corinthians, which paul was moved to write because of unpleasant conditions in the church at corinth after his departure. divisions had arisen and sad confusion prevailed in doctrine and life. hence the apostle was constrained to rebuke their wickedness and correct their infirmities. because of these wholesome admonitions, the reading and heeding of this epistle is not only profitable but essential to this day; for the devil takes no respite, but whenever the gospel is preached in its purity he mixes with the children of god and sows his seed. 2. paul intends to be rather severe--even caustic--but he begins very leniently, showing them what they have received through the gospel. his purpose is to arouse their gratitude to god, and to induce them, for his honor and glory, to be harmonious in doctrine and life, avoiding divisions and other offenses. "i thank my god always concerning you, for the grace of god which was given you in christ jesus," etc. 3. in other words, paul would say: dear brethren, consider, i pray you, what abundant grace and gifts have been given you of god. they are bestowed not because of the law, or because of your righteousness, your merits and works; you are given no reason to exalt yourselves above others, or to originate sects or schisms. nay, all these blessings have been freely given you in christ and for his sake, through the preaching of the gospel. the gospel is a grace which brings to you all manner of gifts, by him enriching you in everything. you lack nothing from god, but you await this one thing, that blessed day when christ will reveal himself to you with all those heavenly gifts which you now possess in faith. 4. in this wise he extols to them the preaching of the gospel (as indeed he does on different occasions); his purpose is to induce them to regard it most appreciatively. he gives them an example of his own gratitude, thanking god on their behalf, for the purpose of calling forth their especial gratitude when they should consider what they formerly were and what they now had received through the gospel. and again, he would have them beware lest, forgetful of their former misery and present grace, they relapse into their old blindness. a sad beginning in such backsliding had been made by factions in their midst, who, satiated with the gospel and indifferent to the abundant grace they enjoyed, began to cast about for something else. 5. now observe: if the exalted apostle and venerable teacher of the gentiles in his day had to witness in his own parish such factions and sects as those which, in sinful security and ingratitude toward the gospel, arose during his life, what wonder is it that today, when we do not have the excellent preachers and pious christians of those times, there are similar sects? we are aware of the great benefits bestowed upon us, but at the same time we see and realize that the devil instigates divisions and scandals. and the cause of these evils may be traced to our ingratitude; we have quickly forgotten the ills we endured under the blindness of popery, and how miserably we were deluded and tormented. necessarily, where god's mercies are lightly dismissed from the mind and disregarded, gratitude and regard for god's word cannot be the result; satiated, listless christians go their way fancying that spiritual conditions always were and always will be as now. 6. the people, therefore, must be awakened to consider their former destitution, the very wretchedness they were in. the apostle later on vividly pictures such condition to his corinthians, while here, in the opening chapter, he intimates to them, in kind and courteous words, to consider, in the light of the gospel benefits they now enjoy, what they lacked before and might be deprived of again. 7. therefore he says, you now have received the grace whereby in everything ye are enriched. formerly you had not this grace and would not have it today had not the gospel been preached to you. you are enriched in everything pertaining to yonder life, for it is not the purpose of the gospel to give earthly riches. but in spiritual blessings ye come behind in no gift and have need of naught except this one thing, that the lord himself should come. this blessing you are yet to have, and biding its advent you here live by the gifts and grace with which you were enriched, until you are finally redeemed from the sinful, wicked life of the world and from all its oppressions. you must know, and must thank god for it, that you need not seek after any higher calling or better gifts, thinking you have not all that is essential, as the factious spirits would have you believe. 8. for in your own judgment, what better thing could you have than is the christian's in his gospel and his faith? he has assurance of sins forgiven and washed away in holy baptism, of justification and holiness before god, and of the fact that he is god's child and heir to eternal life. furthermore, although the christian is conscious of remaining weakness and sin, yea, although he be overcome by a fault, he may avail himself of absolution, comfort and strength through his fellow christians and by the aid of the sacraments; and he has daily guidance for his conduct and faith in all the walks of life. again, he can call upon god in prayer in the day of trouble, and the firm assurance is his that god will hear and help him. what further can one desire, or what more does he need, than the knowledge that he is god's child through baptism and has god's word at hand for comfort and strength in weakness and sin? do you consider it slight enrichment to have assurance of the fact that god himself is speaking to you and, by means of the office of the ministry, is effective in you, teaching, admonishing, comforting, sustaining you, yea, granting you victory over the devil, death and all evil influences on earth? 9. formerly what would we not gladly have given and done for but a single gospel truth in our distress and trials of conscience! true, when one was discouraged or perplexed he was advised to seek and follow the counsel of some intelligent and judicious mind; but such judicious one who might assist with his counsel was nowhere to be found. for a wise man's counsel does not answer in such case. the word of god alone suffices, and you are to rely on it as if god himself revealed his counsel to you from heaven. 10. as paul says, it is great riches, a precious treasure, to possess in very fact the word of god and not to doubt that it is the word of god. it is this that will answer; this can comfort your heart and support it. of spiritual benefits you know we had none under the tyranny and darkness of the pope. at that time we suffered ourselves to be led and driven by his commandments, vain human baubles, by bulls, lies, invocation of saints, indulgences, masses, monkery. and we did whatever was enjoined in the name of the church, solely to gain comfort and help, that we might not despair of god's grace. but instead of comforting us, these things led us to the devil and thrust us into greater anguish and terror; for there was nothing in the doctrine of the papists that could give us certainty. indeed, they themselves had to confess that by its teachings no man could or should be certain of his state of grace. 11. yea, they forced poor, timid, tempted hearts to dread and fear christ more than the devil even, as i myself experienced full well. i resorted to the dead--st. barbara, st. ann and other departed saints--regarding them as mediators between me and christ's wrath. but this availed me nothing, nor did it free me from a fearful and fugitive conscience. there was not one among us all--and we were called very learned doctors of holy writ--who could have given true comfort from god's word, saying: this is god's word; this one thing god asks of you, that you honor him by accepting comfort; believe and know that he forgives your transgressions and has no wrath against you. if someone could have told me this, i would have given all i possessed for the knowledge; yea, for such word of comfort i would not have taken in exchange the glory and the crowns of all kings, for it would have restored my soul, it would have refreshed and sustained my body and life. 12. all this we should bear in mind, by no means should we forget it; that we may return thanks to god, recounting the superior and wonderful gifts which have enriched us in all things. we have besides the word, free prayer and the lord's prayer, knowing what to pray for and how to pray--knowledge common to the very children today, thank god. in former times, all men, especially we monks, tormented themselves with lengthy repetitions in reading and singing; yet our prayers were but chattering, as the noise of geese over their food, or of monks repeating a psalm. 13. i, too, wanted to be a pious and godly monk and i prepared with earnest devotion for mass and for prayers. but when most devout i went to the altar a doubter and left the altar a doubter. when i had rendered my confession i still doubted, and i doubted when i did not render it. for we were wholly wrapped up in the erroneous idea that we could not pray and would not be heard unless we were absolutely clean and without sin, like the saints in heaven. it would have been much better not to pray at all and to have done something else, than thus to take god's name in vain. still, we monks--in fact all the ecclesiastics--deluded the people, promising them our prayers for their money and possessions, actually selling our prayers, though we did not even know that we prayed in a manner acceptable to god. but today, thank god, we do know and understand, not only what to pray for and how to approach god "nothing doubting," but we can also add a hearty amen, believing that according to his promise he will certainly hear us. the christian's treasure. 14. the christian has indeed inestimable treasure. in the first place he has the testimony of the word of god, which is the word of eternal grace and comfort, that he has a right and true conception of baptism, the lord's supper, the ten commandments and the creed. in addition he has the sure refuge of god's promise to deliver us from every trouble in which we shall call upon him, and to give us, as he promised by the prophet zechariah (12, 10), the spirit of grace and of prayer. and the christian, by virtue of his enlightened understanding, can wisely discern what are good works and what callings are pleasing to god; on the other hand, his judgment is equally true as to unprofitable and vain works and false services. before, we had not this wholesome knowledge. we knew not what we believed, or how we prayed and lived. we sought comfort and salvation in self-devised trivialities, in penances, confessions and satisfactions, in self-righteous works of monkery and in obedience to the commands of the pope. we believed such works to be fully satisfactory and, indeed, the only things that were holy; the pursuits of common christians we considered worldly and dangerous. 15. in illustration of this idea, a picture was exhibited--with the sanction of the pope--representing a great ship in the wild, wide sea, containing only the holy monks and the super-holy popes, cardinals, bishops, etc., who were throwing their merits to those in peril struggling in the water, or extending a hand, or by means of ropes and their stoles drawing the drowning to safety in the boat. 16. in contrast to this darkness, consider the priceless and to-be-cherished blessing of knowing with certainty wherein the heart is to take comfort, how to seek help in distress and how to conduct one's self in one's own station. if, though provided with spiritual riches on all sides, you are not sufficient of yourself at all times to grasp them, you can, nevertheless, always reach and appropriate them by means of the ordinary ministry and office of the church, yes, by the aid of your fellow-christians. again, it is productive of the greatest happiness to know that when living aright in the ordinary walks of life established by god, you are more acceptable and pleasing to him than you would be to purchase the works and merits of all the monks and hermits. 17. what paul terms being "enriched," first, "in all utterance," or knowledge--which, in the exalted spiritual meaning of the words, bears on life everlasting--is having the comfort of faith in christ and of invocation and prayer. and enriched in "all knowledge," means having true conception and right judgment in all things of our physical life and in all our earthly relations. all things that a christian should know and should possess are comprehended in these two terms. these blessings are gifts and treasures indescribably great. he who will contrast them with the destitution of our former condition cannot but be joyful and thankful. i remember the time when i, engaged in earnest study of holy writ, would have given a great deal for the right exposition of a psalm; and when had i but begun to understand a verse aright, i would have been as rejoiced as if born to life anew. 18. truly, then, we should now render to god heartfelt thanks for the great favor and blessing of restored light and understanding in scripture, and the right conception of doctrinal matters. but, alas! it is likely to be with us as with the corinthians, who had received most abundantly from paul but by way of return had made ill use of it and proved shamefully unthankful. and they met with retribution, the worst of it being false doctrine and seductions, until at last that grand congregation was wholly ruined and destroyed. a similar retribution threatens us, yes, is before the door with appalling knock, in the instance of the turks and in other distress and calamity. for this reason we should, with a thankful heart and serious mind, pray, as paul here does for his corinthians, that god would keep us steadfast in the possession of his gifts and blameless in the day of our lord jesus christ. 19. paul admonishes us to continue in this knowledge and appreciation of the grace and gifts of god. since by these blessings we have received riches and happiness to the satisfying of all our need, the apostle further admonishes us to look only for the lord to reveal to us publicly by his coming that which he has promised and through faith already granted us. 20. in the past, much has been written and ingeniously devised on the topic of preparing for death and the final judgment. but it has only served to further confuse timid consciences. for these comforters were not able to show anything of the comfort to be found in the riches of grace and bliss in christ. they directed the people to oppose with their own works and good life, death and god's judgment. in place of this delusion is now evident the precious truth; he who knows the gospel doctrines, goes on and performs his own work and duty in his respective calling. he takes comfort in the fact that through baptism he is engrafted into christ; he receives absolution and partakes of the holy supper for the strengthening of his faith, commending his soul and body to christ. why should such a one fear death? though it come at any time, in form of pestilence or accident, it will always find the christian ready and well prepared, be he awake or asleep; for he is in christ jesus. 21. for all these things the christian may well thank and bless god, realizing that he has no further need, nor can he gain anything better than he already has in the remission of sins, the gift of the holy spirit and the faithful prosecution of his calling; however, he should remain in, and daily grow in, faith and supplication. but he cannot hope to attain to another and better doctrine, faith, spirit, prayer, sacrament, reward, etc., than had all the saints, john the baptist, peter, paul, or in fact than has now every christian that is baptized. therefore i need not idly spend time in trying to prepare people for death and inspire them with courage by such commonplaces as recalling and relating the innumerable daily accidents, ills and dangers of this life. this method will not answer; death will not thereby be frightened away, nor will the fear of death be removed. the gospel teaching is: believe in christ, pray and live in accordance with god's word, and then, when death overtakes and attacks you, you will know that you are christ the lord's. paul says (rom 14, 8): "whether we live ... or die, we are the lord's." indeed, we christians live upon this earth to the very end that we may have assured comfort, salvation and victory over death and hell. 22. of this paul here reminds us, and dwells on it more fully later in this epistle; he would have us duly thankful for this great grace and living among ourselves in a christian and brotherly manner, in doctrine and practice, ignoring and avoiding that wild, disorderly conduct of the contentious and disorderly. he who recognizes such grace and blessing cannot but love and thank god and conduct himself aright toward his neighbor; and when he finds himself falling short in this he will, by admonition and the word of god, make amends. 23. here you might put the question: why does paul speak in such a commendatory way of the corinthians, saying that they were enriched in everything and came behind in no gift, when he himself confesses later on that they had contentions and schisms--in regard to baptism, to the sacrament, to the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead and in regard to abuse of liberty, and some lived as they pleased. would you not call these things faults and shortcomings? how, then, is he in a position to say that they were abundantly supplied with all things spiritual, lacking not one thing? 24. well, you should recall what i have repeatedly stated: christendom is never so spotless that there are not some spurious and wicked admixed, just as you will always find weeds, darnel, tares, or wild mustard together with pure grain. and he who will examine the church with only a view of finding faults and frailties among those called christians, will miss the church, yes, the gospel and christ, and never discover a church at all. 25. but we have the consolation of knowing that if we have the gospel pure, we have the treasure god gives his church and we cannot go astray nor want. but as yet we have not reached that degree of perfection where all hearers of the gospel will grasp it fully and wholly or are faultless in faith and life; at all times there will be some who do not believe and some who are weak and imperfect. however, that great treasure and rich blessing of doctrine and knowledge is present. there is no defect in this, and it is effective and fruitful. the fact that some do not believe, does not weaken baptism or the gospel or the church; they only harm themselves. to sum up, where the word remains, there most assuredly is also the church. for wherever the doctrine is pure, there you can also keep purity in baptism, the sacrament, absolution, the ten commandments, the lord's prayer, good works and all callings; and wherever you find a defect or an irregularity, you can admonish, amend and rectify by means of the word. 26. some there must be who have the word and sacraments pure and unadulterated, who have faith, pray aright, keep god's commandments and do other things, as, thank god, we have with us. then we may firmly conclude: if the true church were not here, these characteristics would be lacking; therefore we must have among ourselves true members of the church and true saints. now even though children of the world intermingle (as will be the case always and in all places), who show neither faith nor a godly life, it would corrupt neither faith, nor baptism, nor doctrine, nor would the church perish on that account--the treasure remains in its integrity and efficacy, and god may graciously cause some to turn from their unbelief and wicked life and be added to the faithful and to mend their ways. 27. again, they with whom this treasure--the word or doctrine and its knowledge--is not found, cannot be the christian church nor members of it, and for that reason they cannot pray or believe aright or do good works pleasing to god. it follows that their whole lives are in god's sight lost and condemned, though they may assiduously extol god and the church and before the world may have the appearance and reputation of leading particularly holy lives and excelling even the upright christians in virtues and honor. it is a settled fact that outside the church of christ there is no god, no grace, no bliss; as paul says (eph 4, 5): "one lord, one faith, one baptism, one god and father of all," etc. and acts 4, 12 says: "and in none other is there salvation: for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved." 28. and so paul, when here extolling the corinthians, has not an eye to the contentious, the epicureans, or to those who give public offense, as the man that "had his father's wife;" but the apostle looks to the fact that a few remain who have the pure word of god, faith, baptism and the sacrament, though some hypocrites be among them. because of these few--and few indeed there may be--we recognize the presence of that inestimable treasure of which the apostle speaks. it is found as well where two or three are gathered together as with thousands. neither the gospel nor the ministers nor the church is to be blamed that the multitude miss this treasure; the multitude have but themselves to blame, for they close their ears and eyes. 29. now behold how loftily paul has extolled and how beautifully portrayed the christian church--where she is to be found on earth and what inestimable blessings and gifts she has received of christ, for which she is in duty bound to thank and praise him in her confession and in her life. this subject the apostle concludes with the words: "god is faithful, through whom ye were called into the fellowship of his son jesus christ our lord." 30. the good work which christ has begun in you and already assured to you, he will without fail establish in you until the end and for ever, if you but do not fall away through unbelief, or cast grace from you. for his word or promise given to you, and his work begun in you, are not changeable as is man's word and work, but are firm, certain, divine, immovable truth. since you are in possession of this your divine calling, draw comfort therefrom and rely on it without wavering. amen. _nineteenth sunday after trinity_ text: ephesians 4, 22-28. 22 that ye put away, as concerning your former manner of life, the old man, that waxeth corrupt after the lusts of deceit; 23 and that ye be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new man, that after god hath been created in righteousness and holiness of truth. 25 wherefore, putting away falsehood, speak ye truth each one with his neighbor: for we are members one of another. 26 be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27 neither give place to the devil. 28 let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have whereof to give to him that hath need. duty to new and old man. 1. here again is an admonition for christians to follow up their faith by good works and a new life, for though they have forgiveness of sins through baptism, the old adam still adheres to their flesh and makes himself felt in tendencies and desires to vices physical and mental. the result is that unless christians offer resistance, they will lose their faith and the remission of sins and will in the end be worse than they were at first; for they will begin to despise and persecute the word of god when corrected by it. yea, even those who gladly hear the word of god, who highly prize it and aim to follow it, have daily need of admonition and encouragement, so strong and tough is that old hide of our sinful flesh. and so powerful and wily is our old evil foe that wherever he can gain enough of an opening to insert one of his claws, he thrusts in his whole self and will not desist until he has again sunk man into his former condemnable unbelief and his old way of despising and disobeying god. 2. therefore, the gospel ministry is necessary in the church, not only for instruction of the ignorant--such as the simple, unlettered people and the children--but also for the purpose of awakening those who know very well what they are to believe and how they are to live, and admonishing them to be on their guard daily and not to become indolent, disheartened or tired in the war they must wage on this earth with the devil, with their own flesh and with all manner of evil. 3. for this reason paul is so persistent in his admonitions that he actually seems to be overdoing it. he proceeds as if the christians were either too dull to comprehend or so inattentive and forgetful that they must be reminded and driven. the apostle well knows that though they have made a beginning in faith and are in that state which should show the fruits of faith, such result is not so easily forthcoming. it will not do to think and say: well, it is sufficient to have the doctrine, and if we have the spirit and faith, then fruits and good works will follow of their own accord. for although the spirit truly is present and, as christ says, willing and effective in those that believe, on the other hand the flesh is weak and sluggish. besides, the devil is not idle, but seeks to seduce our weak nature by temptations and allurements. 4. so we must not permit the people to go on in their way, neglecting to urge and admonish them, through god's word, to lead a godly life. indeed, you dare not be negligent and backward in this duty; for, as it is, our flesh is all too sluggish to heed the spirit and all too able to resist it. paul says (gal 5, 17): "for the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh ... that ye may not do the things that ye would." therefore, god is constrained to do as a good and diligent householder or ruler, who, having a slothful man-servant or maid-servant, or careless officers, who otherwise are neither wicked nor faithless, will not consider it sufficient once or twice to direct, but will constantly be supervising and directing. 5. nor have we as yet arrived at the point where our flesh and blood will joyfully and gladly abound in good works and obedience to god as the spirit is inclined and faith directs. even with the utmost efforts the spirit scarce can compel our old man. what would be the result if we were no more urged and admonished but could go our way thinking, as many self-satisfied persons do: i am well acquainted with my duties, having learned them many years ago and having heard frequent explanations of them; yea, i have taught others? it might be that one year's intermission of preaching and admonition would place us below the level of the heathen. 6. now, this exhortation in itself is simple and easy of comprehension. the apostle is but repeating his exhortations of other places--on the fruits of faith, or a godly walk--merely in different terms. here he speaks of putting away the old man and putting on the new man, of being "renewed in the spirit of your mind." "the old man." 7. what he calls "the old man" is well known to us; namely, the whole nature of man as descended from adam after his fall in paradise, being blinded by the devil, depraved in soul, not keeping god before his eyes nor trusting him, yes, utterly regardless of god and the judgment day. though with his mouth he may honor god's word and the gospel, yet in reality he is unchanged; if he does have a little additional knowledge, he has just as little fear, love and trust in god as heretofore. 8. such a life and such conduct should not be found among you, says the apostle; you are not to continue with "the old man." he must be put off and laid aside. your former manner of life, inherited of adam, consisted in disobeying god, in neither fearing, trusting nor calling upon him. again, in your body you obeyed not god's commandments, being given to lust, pride, insatiable greed, envy, hatred, etc. a life and walk of this nature is not becoming a christian who is regarded as, and truly is, a different order of being from his former self, as we shall hear. necessarily he should walk differently. 9. in this respect a christian must take heed that he does not deceive himself; the true christian differs from the hypocrite. true christians so live that it is apparent from their lives that they keep god before their eyes and truly believe the gospel, while hypocrites likewise show by their walk that their pretensions of faith and forgiveness of sin are hollow. no proof is seen in their lives and works showing that they have in any wise mended their former ways; they merely deck themselves with a pretense, with the name of gospel, of faith, of christ. 10. now, the apostle has two things to say of the old man: that he corrupts himself in error as to the soul and in lusts as to the body. paul portrays the old man--meaning every man without true faith though he bear the name of a christian--as in the first place given to error: coming short of the truth, knowing naught of the true knowledge of christ and faith in him, indifferent alike to god's wrath and god's grace, deceiving himself with his own conceit that darkness is light. the old man believes that god will not be moved to vengeance though he do as he pleases, even to decorating vices with the names of virtues. haughtiness, greed, oppressing and tormenting the poor, wrath, envy--all this he would call preserving his dignity, exercising strict discipline, honestly and economically conducting his domestic affairs, caring for his wife and children, displaying christian zeal and love of justice, etc. in short, he proceeds in the perfectly empty delusion and self-conceit that he is a christian. 11. out of this error proceeds the other corruption, the lusts of the body, which are fruits of unbelief. unbelief causes men to walk in sinful security and yield to all the appetites of their flesh. such have no inclination toward what is good, nor do they aim to promote orderliness, honor or virtue. they take desperate chances on their lives, wanting to live according to the lusts of their flesh and yet not be reprimanded. 12. this, says the apostle, is the old man's course and nature. he will do naught but ruin himself. the longer continued, the greater his debasement. he draws down upon himself his own condemnation and penalty for body and soul; for in proportion as he becomes unbelieving and hard-hearted, does he become haughty, hateful and faithless, and eventually a perfect scoundrel and villain. this was your former manner of life, when as yet you were heathen and non-christians. therefore you must by all means put off the old man and cast him far from you; otherwise you cannot remain a christian. for glorying in the grace of god and the forgiveness of sin is inconsistent with following sin--remaining in the former old un-christian life and walking in error and deceitful lusts. the growth of "the new man." "and that ye be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man, that after god hath been created in righteousness and holiness of truth." 13. having put away the old man, the apostle exhorts us further to put on the new man, that day by day we may grow as new creatures. this is effected by first being delivered from error--from the erroneous thoughts and ideas incident to our corrupt nature with its false conceptions of god, wherein we do not fear nor believe him--and then from god's word receiving the right understanding of him. when we rightly understand, we shall fear his wrath against sin and rely on his grace in true faith, believing that he will forgive our sins for christ's sake and will hear our prayer for strength and assistance to withstand and conquer, and to continually grow in faith. 14. this change paul calls being "renewed in the spirit of your mind"; that is, constantly growing and becoming established in that true conception and clear knowledge of christ begun in us, in opposition to error and idle vaporings. he who is thus received, says the apostle, is a man "that after god hath been created in righteousness and holiness of truth." in the old man there is naught but error, by means of which the devil leads to destruction. but the new man has the spirit and the truth, by which the heart is illumined unto righteousness and holiness, wherein man follows the guidance of god's word and feels a desire for a godly walk and good life; just as, on the other hand, the desire and love for sin and wickedness is the product of error. this new man is created after god, as an image of god, and must of necessity differ from such as live in error and in lusts, without the knowledge of god and disobedient to him. for if god's image is in man, man must consequently have the right knowledge of god and right conceptions and ideas, and lead a godly life consistent with holiness and righteousness as found in god himself. 15. such an image of god adam was when first created. he was, as to the soul, truthful, free from error, and possessed of true faith and knowledge of god; and as to the body, holy and pure, that is, without the impure, unclean desires of avarice, lasciviousness, envy, hatred, etc. and all his children--all men--would have so remained from their birth if he had not suffered himself to be led astray by the devil and to be thus ruined. but since christians, by the grace and spirit of god, now have been renewed to this image of god, they are so to live that soul and spirit are righteous and pleasing to god through faith in christ; and that also the body--meaning the whole external life--be pure and holy, which is genuine holiness. 16. some there are who pretend to great holiness and purity, but it is mere pretense, deceiving the people in general. such are the factious spirits and monastic saints, who base their holiness and uprightness solely on an external, peculiar life and on self-elected works. theirs may be apparently a commendable, holy and pure way of praying and fasting, of denying self, etc., and the people may call it so; but inwardly they are and remain haughty, venomous, hateful, filled with the filth of human lust and evil thoughts, as christ says of such. mt 15, 19; lk 16, 15. likewise their righteousness on which they pride themselves before god has a certain gloss, on the strength of which they presume to merit the grace of god for themselves and others; but inwardly they have no true conception of god, being in rank unbelief, that is, false and vain suppositions, or doubts. such righteousness, or holiness, is not true nor honest. it is made up wholly of hypocrisy and deceit. it is built, not of god nor after god, but after that lying spirit, the devil. 17. the true christian, paul asserts, has been molded through faith in christ into a new man, like unto god, truly justified and holy in his sight; even as adam originally was in perfect harmony of heart with god, showing true, straightforward confidence, love and willingness. and his body was holy and pure, knowing naught of evil, impure or improper desire. thus the whole life of the man was a beautiful portrait of god, a mirror wherein god himself was reflected; even as the lives and natures of the holy spirits the angels are wrapped up in god and represent true knowledge of him, assurance, and joy in him and utterly pure and holy thoughts and works according to the will of god. 18. but since man is now so grievously fallen from this cheerful confidence, this certainty and joy, into doubts or into presumption toward god, and from unspotted, noble obedience into the lusts of iniquity and ungodliness, it follows that not from mankind can come help or relief. nor can any one hope for remedy except the christians, who through faith in christ begin again to have a joyful and confident heart toward god. they thus enter again into their former relation and into the true paradise of perfect harmony with god and of justification; they are comforted by his grace. accordingly they are disposed to lead a godly life in harmony with god's commandments and to resist ungodly lusts and ways. these begin to taste god's goodness and loving kindness, as paul says, and realize what they lost in paradise. he, therefore, that would be a christian should strive to be found in this new man created after god; not in blind error and vain conceit, but in the very essence of righteousness and holiness before god. two classes of sins. "wherefore, putting away falsehood, speak ye truth each one with his neighbor: for we are members one of another." 19. lest there might be one who failed to understand the meaning of the old and the new man, or of true and false righteousness and holiness, the apostle now proceeds to give an example or two, making it easier for us to grasp the idea. all sin comes under one of two classes: first, that of the devil's own making, such as murder and deceit; for by lies he establishes all idolatry, error, false faith and holiness, and among men he creates faithlessness, deceit, malice, etc. secondly, those sins which he instigates man to commit against man; deeds of wrath, hatred, vengeance and murder. paul combines these two classes. 20. now, when a man does not deal fairly with his neighbor, but practices dishonesty and deceit, be it in matters spiritual or temporal (and the world is ever deceitful in all transactions), then certainly the old man holds sway and not righteousness nor holiness, however much the man may effect a good appearance and evade the courts. for such conduct does not reflect god's image, but the devil's. for the heart does not rely on god and his truth, otherwise it would war with fraud and deception; but its object is to clothe itself with a misleading garb, even assuming the name of god, and thus to deceive, belie, betray and forsake its neighbor at the bidding of every fiendish whim, and all for the satisfaction of its avarice, selfishness and pride. 21. in contrast thereto you can recognize the new man. he speaks the truth and hates lies, not only those momentous lies against the first table of the ten commandments, but also those against the second table; for he deals faithfully and in a brotherly way with others, doing as he would be done by himself. thus should christians live with each other, as members of one body, according to the apostle, and as having in christ all things common and alike. "be ye angry and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath." 22. half the sins which the world has learned of its lord and master, the devil, consist in lying and deceiving, and that in the name and appearance of truth. no one wants to be called a liar, and even the devil covers his lies with the name of truth. the other half, which is easier to recognize, consists in wrath and its fruits. and this class is usually the result of the other. the world, for its own advantage, lies and deceives; and when it sees mankind acting in opposition to its wishes, or beholds its lies exposed and its schemes thwarted, it begins to rage in wrath against god, endeavoring to avenge itself and inflict harm, but fraudulently disguising its wicked motive under the plea of having good and abundant reasons for its action. 23. therefore paul admonishes the christians as new creatures, to guard against this vice of wrath, adducing the fourth verse of the fourth psalm: "stand in awe and sin not." the repetition of this passage sounds, in paul's rendering, as if permission to be angry were given; he says: "be ye angry, and sin not." but paul is taking into consideration the way of the world. men are tempted and moved to anger. there are no clean records. under sudden provocation the heart swells with ire, while the devil busily fans the flame; for he is ever alert to stamp upon us his seal and image and make us like unto him, either through error and false doctrine, or through wrath and murder in conflict with love and patience. these two forms of evil you will encounter, especially if you make an effort to be a godly christian, to defend the truth and to live uprightly in the sight of all. you will meet with all manner of malice aforethought and deceit, and with faithlessness and malignity on the part of those you have benefited; again, with unmasked violence and injustice on the part of those who should protect you and see to your interests. this will hurt and move you to wrath. yea, in your own house and among your dear christian brethren you will often meet with that which vexes you; again, a word of yours may hurt their feelings. and it will not be otherwise. this life of ours is so constituted that such conditions must be. flesh and blood cannot but be stirred at times by wrath and impatience, especially when it receives evil for good; and the devil is ever at hand kindling your anger and endeavoring to fan into a blaze the wrath and ill humor between yourself and your neighbor. 24. but right here, says the apostle, you should beware and not sin; not give rein, nor yield to the impulse and promptings of wrath. that you may indeed be moved, the apostle would say, i well know, and you may fancy to have the best of reasons for exhibiting anger and vengeance; but beware of doing what your wrath would have you do: and if overcome by wrath and led to rashness, do not continue in it, do not harbor it, but subdue and restrain it, the sooner the better; do not suffer it to take root or to remain with you over night. 25. if followed, wrath will not suffer you to do a single right thing, as james affirms (ch. 1, 20). it causes man to fall and sin against god and his neighbor. even the heathen have seen that wrath gets the better of reason and is never the source of good counsel. in line with this, we read that st. ambrose reproved the emperor theodosius for having, while in a rage, caused the execution of many persons in thessalonica; and that he succeeded in having the emperor issue a rescript to the effect that no one should be executed, even on his imperial order and command, until a full month had passed by, thus affording an opportunity to rescind the order if given in haste and wrath. 26. therefore the psalm says: when wrath attacks and moves you, do not at once give it leave to do its will. therein you would certainly commit sin. but go into your chamber, commune and take counsel with yourself, pray the lord's prayer, repeat some good passages from god's word, curb yourself and confide in god; he will uphold your rights. 27. it is this the apostle has in mind when saying: "let not the sun go down upon your wrath." a christian must not entertain wrath; he should instantly quench and stifle it. it is the part of the new man to control anger, that the devil may not move him from his new-found faith and make him lose what he has received. if he yields to these instigations of his flesh, he thereby returns to the error and condemnation in the old man and loses control of himself, following his own desires. then he adorns a lie with the appearance of truth, claiming the right to be angry and take revenge; just as the world does when it asserts: this fellow has done me infinite violence and injustice; am i to suffer it? i have a just cause and shall not recline my head in ease until he is repaid! by such talk it loses its case before both god and men; as the saying goes: he that strikes back has the most unjust cause. 28. both divine and human justice forbids that a man be judge in his own case. for this very reason god has established governmental and judicial authority, in his stead to punish transgressions, which--when properly administered--is not man's but god's judgment. he therefore that invades such judgment, invades the authority of god himself; he commits a double wrong and merits double condemnation. if you desire to seek and obtain redress in the courts, you are at liberty to do so, provided you proceed in the proper way, at the proper place and with those to whom god has entrusted authority. to these authorities you may appeal for redress. if you obtain it according to law, well and good; if not, you must suffer wrong and commit your case to god, as we have explained more fully elsewhere. 29. in short, we find in this unique passage a statement to the effect that he who curbs not his wrath but retains it longer than a day, or over night, cannot be a christian. where then do they stand who entertain wrath and hatred indefinitely, for one, two, three, seven, ten years? such is no longer human wrath but fiendish wrath from hell; it will not be satisfied nor extinguished, but when it once takes possession of a man he would, if able, destroy everything in a moment with his hellish fire. even so the arch-fiend is not satisfied with having cast the whole human race into sin and death, but will not rest content unless he can drag all human beings into eternal damnation. 30. a christian therefore has ample cause to carefully guard against this vice. god may have patience with you when wrath wells up in your heart--although that, too, is sinful--but take heed that wrath does not overcome you and cause you to fall. rather take serious counsel with yourself and extinguish and expel your anger by applying passages of holy writ and calling upon your faith. when alone or about to retire, repeat the lord's prayer, ask for forgiveness and confess that god daily forgives you much oftener than your neighbor sins against you. "neither give place to the devil. let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have whereof to give to him that hath need." 31. this thought is brought out also in the next epistle, namely, that a christian should guard against giving offense to anybody by his life, lest god's name be blasphemed. it is a grand thing to be a christian, who, as has been stated, is a new man created after god and a true image of god, wherein god himself desires to be reflected. therefore, whatever of good a christian does, or whatever of evil he does, under the name of a christian, either honors or disgraces god's name. now, says paul, whenever you follow your lusts, in obedience to your old adam, you do naught but give occasion to the slanderers--the devil and his troop--to blaspheme the name of god. for the devil, even without your assistance, at all times seeks opportunity--nor can he desist--to befoul our dear gospel and the name of god with his slanderous tales, composed, if need be, entirely of lies. but where he finds the semblance of occasion he knows how to profit by it. he will then open his mouth wide and cry: behold, these are your gospel people! here you have the fruits of this new doctrine! is their christ such a one as they honor by their lives? 32. so then a christian should be exceedingly careful and cautious for this reason, if for no other: to protect the name and honor of his dear god and saviour and not to do the devil the favor of letting him whet his slanderous tongue on christ's name. how shall we stand and answer in his sight when we cannot deny the fact that our life gives just cause for complaint and offense? by such a life we intentionally bring disgrace and shame upon god's name and word, which things should be our highest treasures and most valuable possessions. 33. when the apostle says, "let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have whereof to give to him that hath need," he indicates the true fruit of repentance, which consists in abandoning and utterly abstaining from evil and in doing good. he at the same time attacks and reproves the sin of theft so common in all walks of life. and them who idle away their time and neglect their duty of serving and helping their fellow-beings, he calls--and rightfully--thieves in god's sight. 34. for the right interpretation of the commandment, thou shalt not steal, is this: thou shalt live of thine own work, that thou mayest have to give to the needy. this is your bounden duty, and if you do not so god will pronounce you not a christian but a thief and robber. in the first place, because you are an idler and do not support yourself, but live by the sweat and toil of others; in the second place, because you withhold from your neighbor what you plainly owe him. where now shall we find those who keep this commandment? indeed, where should we dare look for them except where no people live? but such a class of people should christians be. therefore, let each of us beware lest he deceive himself; for god will not be mocked nor deceived. gal 6, 7. _twentieth sunday after trinity_ text: ephesians 5, 15-21. 15 look therefore carefully how ye walk [see then that ye walk circumspectly], not as unwise, but as wise; 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 wherefore be ye not foolish, but understand what the will of the lord is. 18 and be not drunken with wine, wherein is riot, but be filled with the spirit; 19 speaking one to another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the lord; 20 giving thanks always for all things in the name of our lord jesus christ to god, even the father; 21 subjecting yourselves one to another in the fear of christ. the careful walk of the christian. 1. paul's admonition here is designed for those who, having heard the gospel and made a fine start in believing, immediately imagine themselves secure and think they have accomplished all. forgetful that they are still flesh and blood, and in the world and in contact with the devil's kingdom, they live in unconcern, as if delivered from all danger, and the devil far fled. by the very reason of their security they are overcome of the devil and their own flesh, and fall unawares from the gospel. they have just enough connection with it to be able to prate of it, boasting themselves christians but giving no indication of the fact in their conduct. 2. paul would tell them how, in view of these things, vigilance is essential to the christian life. to regulate the life by keeping god's will ever before the eyes, always conforming the conduct to it--this he calls walking circumspectly and being wise. if you for a moment lose sight of god's will, the devil immediately possesses you and works pernicious results, transforming a christian into an indolent, self-secure hypocrite; a hypocrite into a heretic and factionist; and a heretic into an open enemy. so the apostle here teaches that in all seriousness if we would secure ourselves against the craft and power of the devil we must be vigilant; we must be careful how we walk. in satan we have an enemy bent on hindering us; on undermining our very foundation. 3. consequently they who fail to keep earnest watch over their christian life--that is, to have a care for soundness of belief and to gladly hear and obey the word of god--are unwise, even foolish, and have no knowledge of god's will. they have removed the light from before their eyes to behold instead a thing of their own imagination. they see as through a painted glass, presuming they do well in following such phantoms of their reason, until they are misled and defeated of the devil. the word, the guide of the christian. 4. therefore, not without reason does paul warn christians to be always wise and circumspect--to keep the word of god before them. upon so doing depends their wisdom and understanding. let each one make it a matter of personal concern, and especially should it be the general interest of the congregation. where care is not observed to retain the word in the church, but there are admitted to the pulpit brawlers who set forth their own fraudulent doctrines, the church is injured; the congregation will soon be as the preacher. again, if the individual fails to regulate his daily life--the affairs of his calling--by the word of god; if he forgets the word and absorbs himself in accumulating wealth; if he is tangled with secular interests, he soon becomes a cold and indolent christian, then an erring soul, and finally utterly disregards god's will and his word. it is for these reasons god so frequently commands us in the scriptures continually to explain and apply his word, to hear it willingly and practice it faithfully, and to meditate upon it day and night. he would have our lives emanate from the word in honor to god and gratitude to him--from the word wherein we daily look as in a mirror. but care and diligence are necessary to bring it to pass, and we should faithfully assist each other by instruction, advice, and in other ways. 5. in my admonitions i have often enough urged those who have influence, to use all diligence in drawing the young to school, where they may receive proper instruction to become pastors and preachers; and i have earnestly advised that in cases of necessity ample financial provision be made for students. but, alas, few communities, few states, are interested in the matter. in all germany, look at the bishops, princes, noblemen, the inhabitants of town and country--how confidently they go on sleeping and snoring in their indifference to the question. they presume to think there is no need for action; the matter will adjust itself; there will always be pastors and preachers. but assuredly they deceive themselves if they think they are consulting their best interests in this affair; for they will, as the text says, become foolish and fail to recognize the will of god. therefore they will some day have to experience what they do not now believe: in a few years after our day they will seek preachers and find none; they will have to hear rude, illiterate dolts who, lacking understanding of the word of god, will, like all stupid papists, preach the vile, offensive things of the pope, about consecrated water and salt, about gray gowns, new monasteries and the like. 6. cry, preach and admonish as we will, no one will hear; foreseeing which, paul prophesies that they who observe not god's will, become unwise, foolish, and consequently waste the day of grace and neglect their salvation. now, it is god's will we should sanctify his name, love and advance his word, and so aid in building up his kingdom. when we fulfill his will in these things, he will regard our desires, providing us with daily bread and granting peace and happiness. 7. now, it should be our chief concern to preserve to ourselves the word and will of god. that would truly be wisdom, and redeeming the time. but failing therein, it must be with us as with the unwise and fools; we will have to hear the declaration: "since you refuse to sanctify my name, to advance my kingdom and to do my will, neither will i provide you daily bread, nor forgive your sins, nor keep from temptation and deliver from evil." god will then permit us to deplore the great calamities of the world--its turmoil and wickedness, the cause whereof the world attributes to the gospel. but the punishment just mentioned must be visited upon them who will not recognize the will of god and submit to it. these, however, desire to justify themselves and are unwilling to receive censure for having conducted themselves unwisely, even foolishly. 8. so much for a general observation upon the expression "walking wisely and circumspectly"; so much upon unwise conduct in regard to matters of vital importance to the church, which have to do with the office of the ministry and with god's word. where the ministry and the word of god are preserved, there will always be some among the masses to attend upon the preaching of the word and to conform their lives to it. but when the bible leaves the pulpit, little good will be accomplished, even though one here and there be able to read the scriptures for themselves and imagine they have no need of the preached word. where will the untaught masses stand? note how it has been with the poor people in our time who were misled by münzer and munster, and their prophets and factionists. public preaching of the word enjoined. then let everyone lend earnest effort to promote public preaching of the word everywhere, and public attendance upon that preaching; and thus rightly to found and build up the church. let him also put on the wedding garment himself (mentioned in the gospel for today); let him take care to be found an earnest advocate of the word of god, uninfluenced by thoughts common to the secure spirit: "oh, there are pastors and preachers enough for me. i can hear or read the word when i please; have access to it any day. i must give first attention to bread-winning and like things. let others look out for themselves." take care, my dear sir; you can easily fail by carelessness here and be found without the wedding garment, perhaps may die without it, unaware how you are being deceived. whose fault will it be but your own since you would not hear paul's admonition to walk wisely and circumspectly? 9. we should make provision while the opportunity is at our doors, for, judging from the present course of the world, it will not long retain what it has. everywhere men are diligently helping to hunt down ministers, or at least to so bring to bear upon them hunger and poverty, to so oppose them with secret fraud, as to drive them from the land. and little trouble and labor will be required to accomplish it. we shall only too soon be rid of our ministers and have their places amply supplied by deceivers. i would much rather suffer in hell with judas the betrayer than to bear the guilt of accomplishing one minister's death or of being instrumental in offering place to one deceiver. for it would not be so intolerable to suffer the anguish of the betrayer of christ as to endure that of one who, by his sin in this respect, is responsible for the loss of countless souls. necessity of improving the time. 10. paul goes on to elaborate his admonition by explaining what it is to walk circumspectly and wisely--to "redeem the time, because the days are evil." in other words: think not happy days are in store for you and you may defer duty till better times; better times will never be. the devil is always in the world to hinder your every effort to do good, and his opposition increases with time. the longer you tarry, the less your power to accomplish good; wasted time only makes matters worse. then redeem the time; grasp your opportunities as best you can. let no interest be so dear to you as the promotion of god's kingdom and the serving of the public in every good and useful way possible, whatever befall yourself. 11. christ in like manner says to the jews: "while ye have the light, believe on the light, that ye may become sons of light." jn 12, 36. and paul, after quoting from isaiah 49, 8, adds: "behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation." 2 cor 6, 2. so his counsel in our text means: take heed you receive not the grace of god in vain. or, neglect not the matter of your salvation; enjoy while you may the opportunity of furthering the kingdom of god, for the sake of your own and others' salvation. defer not the thing to another time, lest the opportunity escape you. elsewhere (gal 6, 10) the apostle says, "as we have opportunity, let us work that which is good." in other words: act now, while you may. your time passes with astonishing rapidity. be not deceived, then, by the thought, "oh, i can attend to the matter a year from now--two years--three." that is simply foolish. it is an unwise conclusion of the thoughtless. before they are aware, they have lost the salvation extended them. they defer to consider god's will, putting it off for a season, until they shall have accomplished their own aims; then they have deferred too long. 12. the lord comes to your door. you do not have to seek him. if you are grateful he tarries to speak with you. but if you let him pass by you will have to complain as did the bride in song of solomon 5, 6: "i opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone ... i sought him, but i could not find him; i called him, but he gave me no answer." think not you will find the lord when he has once gone, though you traverse the world. but while he is near you may seek and find; as isaiah says (ch. 55, 6), "seek ye jehovah while he may be found." if through your neglect he pass by, all seeking then will be vain. for more than twenty years in my cloister i experienced the meaning of such disappointment. i sought god with great toil and with severe mortification of the body, fasting, watching, singing and praying. in this way i shamefully wasted my time and found not the lord. the more i sought and the nearer i thought i was to him, the farther away i got. no, god does not permit us to find him so. he must first come and seek us where we are. we may not pursue and overtake him. that is not his will. 13. then be careful to avail yourself of the present opportunity. embrace it while he is near, and faithfully consider what he requires of you. to ascertain this, go to the creed and the ten commandments. they will tell you. regulate your life by them. be helped by the lord's prayer. begin with yourself; then pray for the church. let it be your desire that god's name be everywhere sanctified and that your life conform to his will. if you are faithful in these things, assuredly you will walk wisely; you will avoid sin and do good. for the study and practice of these precepts will leave you no opportunity to do evil. god's word will soon teach you to sanctify his name, to extend his kingdom, to do your neighbor no injury in mind, body or estate. 14. observe this is "redeeming the time." this is employing it well, while the golden days last in which we have remission from pain and sin. not such remission as the pope grants in his jubilees, wherein he deceives the world. right here let us be careful not to cheat ourselves with the false idea that salvation cannot escape us. let it not be with us as befell the children of israel, of whom it is said in psalms 95, 11 and hebrews 4, 3 that because of their unbelief they entered not into the rest of god. they would not accept their opportunity in the forty years wherein he gave them his word and showed them his wonders, daily admonishing them and calling to repentance and faith. they but tempted and provoked him the more. hence another admonition was given the people of god and a certain day appointed: "today if ye shall hear his voice, harden not your hearts." heb 4, 7. every day with us is "today" and we are permitted to hear god's voice still imploring us not to waste the time. 15. surely we ought supremely to thank god, as the latter part of our text enjoins, for the great blessing of his nearness to us. we have his presence in our homes. he is with us at our board, by our couch--anywhere we desire him. he offers us all assistance and grants all we may ask. so gracious a guest should indeed receive our high esteem. we ought to honor him while he is with us. 16. well may we pray, as i have said. there is too much slumbering everywhere in germany. we cannot perceive how it is possible to preserve the gospel and fill the pulpits for ten years longer. to such extent does wickedness rage in the world that blindness and error must sweep it as before. and no one will be to blame but the stupid bishops and princes, and those of us who esteem not the word of god. ingratitude will be punished. alas, that i am compelled against my will to be a prophet of ill to germany. yet it is not i, but the prayer of my lord and your lord; for according to its teachings he will say: "you neglected my word. unwilling to tolerate it, you persecuted and starved out its messengers. therefore i will withhold your daily bread and give instead famine and war and murder, unto utter desolation; for you wish to have it so. then when you cry for forgiveness of sins and deliverance from the evils come upon you, i will hear you as you heard my word, my entreaties. i will leave you in your misfortunes as you left me and my word." 17. in fact, no one for a moment thinks of how god has signally, richly and graciously blessed us; how we are in possession of actual paradise--yes, the entire kingdom of heaven--if we only recognized the fact: and yet we shamefully, ungratefully and unreasonably reject the kingdom; as if it were not enough for us to overstep the ten commandments in our disobedience, but must even trample under foot the mercy god offers in the gospel. then why should we be surprised if he send down wrath upon us? what else is he to do but fulfill our gospel passage for today, which threatens every individual rejecter and persecutor of god's son and his servants, by whom we are invited to the marriage--what else is god to do but send out a divine army of servants to arrest the career of such murderers and to terminate their existence? we are given a special illustration--an example to the world--in the instance of the fate of jerusalem, and in fact of the entire jewish nation. they sinned unceasingly against all god's commandments, and when he proclaimed grace and offered forgiveness of sins, they trampled upon his mercy. should christ not revenge himself when they shamed and mocked his precious blood? 18. unto all the abominable sins mentioned, we must heap blasphemies; for when wrath and punishment come upon us we make outcry, complaining that the gospel--or the new doctrine, as it is now called--is responsible. the jews blame us christians alone for the fact that they are scattered throughout the world. their prayers day and night are directed against us, in blasphemies and reproaches inexpressible. nevertheless, it was not the christians who harassed and scattered them, but the heathenish roman emperor. but whom other than themselves have the jews to blame for their condition? for they would not tolerate christ, when he brought them only help and boundless grace. refusing to accept him whom god gave and in whom he promised all blessings, they necessarily lost their daily bread from god, except as they rebelliously extort it by usury and wickedness. they had also to suffer the loss of their national life, their priesthood and public worship, forgiveness of sins and redemption, and so remain eternally captive under the wrath and condemnation of god. such is the just and inevitable punishment of the unwise--the foolish--who refused to recognize their opportunity when christ was with them. 19. with this terrible example before our eyes, we are still unrepentant, pursuing the same course the jews followed, not only in disobedience to the will of god, but in rejecting his grace. for that grace we should earnestly long and pray, striving to secure to our children after us baptism, the ministry and the sacrament, in their purity. in return for our perversity, it will eventually be with us as with the jews and other ungrateful persecutors and rejecters. 20. then let him who will receive advice and help, faithfully heed paul's counsel and redeem the time, not sleeping away the blessed golden hour of grace; as christ earnestly admonishes in the parable of the five foolish virgins. mt 25, 13. the foolish virgins might have made their purchases in season, before the bridegroom's arrival; but failing to attend to the matter until time to meet the bridegroom, they missed both the market and the wedding. 21. the ancient poets and sages make use of a similar illustration at the expense of the cricket or grasshopper. as the fable runs, when winter came the grasshoppers, having nothing to eat, went to the ants and asked them to divide their gathered store. "what did you in the summer time that you gathered nothing?" asked the ants. "we sang," the grasshoppers replied. "if you sang in the summer, you must dance for it in the winter," was the response. similarly should fools unwilling to learn the will of god be answered. terrible and alarming is the wrath of god when with scorn and mockery he turns away a soul. in proverbs 1, 24 and 26 he threatens: "because i have called, and ye have refused; i have stretched out my hand, and no man hath regarded.... i also will laugh in the day of your calamity; i will mock when your fear cometh." 22. some may ask what paul means by adding to the phrase, "redeeming the time," the modifier, "because the days are evil"; if we are to regard the present opportunity golden, why are the days evil? evil doctrines ever oppose the christian. 23. i answer: the time is unquestionably good so long as the gospel is sounded--is faithfully preached and received. at the same time, even today the world is filled with evils, factions, false theories and bad examples of every sort; much of this wickedness is inherent in ourselves. with these things the christian must always contend; the devil pursues, and our own flesh discourages us and allures from recognition and observance of the divine will. if we strive not against it, we shall soon lose sight of god's will, to our own injury, even while listening to the gospel. for the devil's strongest fury is exerted to befoul the world with fanaticism, and to draw from the pure doctrine of faith into that evil even them who possess the gospel. moreover, being still flesh and blood we are always self-secure, unwilling to be led by the spirit, and indolent and unresponsive in relation to the word of god and to prayer. again, in the outward walks of life, in temporal conditions, only obstacles and evils meet us everywhere, impeding our spiritual progress and impelling us to suppress the gospel and to rend the church. 24. let no one, then, expect to enjoy an era of peace and pleasure here on earth. although the present time is in itself good, and god bestows upon us the golden year of his word and his grace, yet the devil is here with his factions and followers, and our own flesh supports him. he corrupts the blessed days of grace at every possible opportunity, and so oppresses christians that they must contend against him with their utmost strength and vigilance if they would not, through the influence of evils and obstacles, be wrested from the gospel they have received, and if they would persevere therein unto the end. wherefore, we have the best reasons to adapt ourselves to the present time in the best possible way; to walk wisely and circumspectly, showing all faithfulness to the will of god; obeying it while we have opportunity--while still in possession of god's word, his grace and his spirit. being opposed and obstructed by the devil and our own flesh, we must, as paul implies, be wise and careful; we must guard against following them. if we fail in this respect, it will not avail us to pretend we did not know our duty, or had not time to perform it and consequently could not cope with them. so, then, we are to understand by "evil days" the allurements that lead us away from god's word and his will. "and be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess." 25. the apostle touches upon several evils strongly tending to waste of time and neglect of the golden opportunity. especially is drunkenness one, for drink makes men particularly self-secure, reckless and disorderly. the evil was formerly common in greece, and in germany today are men who delight in being riotously drunk night and day. such individuals are utterly lacking in the faithfulness and interest essential to following the will of god. they are unable, even in temporal affairs, to persistently apply themselves, much less to be opportune. indeed, so beastly and swinish do they become, they lose all sense of either shame or honor; they have no modesty nor any human feeling. alas, examples are before our eyes plainer and more numerous than we can depict. 26. paul's words of admonition, "speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs," are treated in the epistle passage for the fifth sunday after epiphany, where the text is similar. _twenty first sunday after trinity_ text: ephesians 6, 10-17. 10 finally, be strong in the lord, and in the strength of his might. 11 put on the whole armor of god, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 for our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the worldrulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 wherefore take up the whole armor of god, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand. 14 stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your foot with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of god. the christian armor and weapons. this epistle text is fully expounded in "the explanations and sermons on paul's epistles"--in the sermon on ephesians 6, 10-17, entitled "the christian armor and weapons," preached in the year 1533. _twenty second sunday after trinity_ text: philippians 1, 3-11. 3 i thank my god upon all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every supplication of mine on behalf of you all making my supplication with joy, 5 for your fellowship in furtherance of the gospel from the first day until now; 6 being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of jesus christ: 7 even as it is right for me to be thus minded on behalf of you all, because i have you in my heart, inasmuch as, both in my bonds and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers with me of grace. 8 for god is my witness, how i long after you in all the tender mercies of christ jesus. 9 and this i pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment; 10 so that ye may approve the things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and void of offence unto the day of christ; 11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are through jesus christ, unto the glory and praise of god. paul's thanks and prayers for churches. 1. first, the apostle paul thanks god, as his custom is in the beginning of his epistles, for the grace whereby the philippians came into the fellowship of the gospel and were made partakers of it. secondly, his desire and prayer to god is for their increase in the knowledge of the gospel, and their more abundant fruits. his intent in extolling the gospel is to admonish them to remain steadfast in their faith, continuing as they have begun and as they now stand. apparently this is a simple passage, especially to learned and apt students of the scriptures. they may not think it holds any great truth to be discovered. yet we must explain this and like discourses for the benefit of some who do not fully understand it, and who desire to learn. 2. these words give us an exact delineation of the christian heart that sincerely believes in the holy gospel. such hearts are rare in the world. it is especially difficult to find one so beautiful as we observe here unless it be among the beloved apostles or those who approached them in christ-likeness. for in the matter of faith we today are entirely too indolent and indifferent. 3. but the christian heart is such as inspired paul's words; here its characteristics are shown. he rejoices in the gospel with his inmost soul. he thanks god that others have come into its fellowship. his confidence is firm regarding certain beginners in the faith, and he is so interested in their salvation he rejoices in it as much as in his own, seeming unable to thank god sufficiently for it. he unceasingly prays that he may live to see many come with him into such fellowship and be preserved therein until the day of the lord jesus christ, who shall perfect and complete all the defects of this earthly life. he prays these beginners may go forth faultlessly in faith and hope until that joyful day. 4. thus the godly apostle expresses himself, pouring out the depths of his heart--a heart filled with the real fruits of the spirit and of faith. it burns with love and joy whenever he sees the gospel recognized, accepted and honored, and the church flourishing. paul can conceive for the converts no loftier desire--can offer no greater petition for them than to implore god they may increase and persevere in the gospel faith. such is the inestimable value he places upon possessing and holding fast god's word. and christ in luke 11, 28 pronounces blessed those who keep the word of god. i. the duty of gratitude. 5. now, the first thing in which paul is here an example to us is his gratitude. it behooves the christian who recognizes the grace and goodness of god expressed in the gospel, first of all to manifest his thankfulness therefor; toward god--his highest duty--and toward men. as christians who have abandoned the false services and sacrifices that in our past heathenish blindness we zealously practiced, let us remember our obligation henceforth to be the more fervent in offering true service and right sacrifices to god. we can render him no better--in fact, none other--service, or outward work, than the thank-offering, as the scriptures term it. that is, receiving and honoring the grace of god and the preaching and hearing of his word, and furthering their operation, not only in word, but sincerely in our hearts and with all our physical and spiritual powers. this is the truest gratitude. 6. god calls that a "pure offering" which is rendered to him "among the gentiles" (mal 1, 11), where his name is not preached and praised from avariciousness, not from pride and presumption in the priesthood and in the holiness of human works. these motives actuated the boasting jews, who, as god charges in this reference, presumptuously thought to receive honor from him for every trivial service like closing a door or opening a window. but the offering of the gentiles is joyfully rendered from a sincere, willing heart. this kind of thanksgiving and sacrifices are acceptable to god, for he says in psalms 110, 3, "thy people shall be willing"; and in second corinthians 9, 7, "god loveth a cheerful giver." the knowledge of the gospel should inspire us with gratitude of this order. let us not be found unthankful, and forgetful of god's infinite goodness. ingratitude denounced by the heathen. 7. the heathen everywhere, despite their ignorance of god and his grace, condemned to the utmost the evil of ingratitude. they regarded it the mother of evils, than which was none more malevolent and shameful. among many examples in this respect is one left us by a people in arabia called nabathians, who had an excellent form of government. so strict were they in regard to this evil that anyone found guilty of ingratitude to his fellows was looked upon as a murderer and punished with death. 8. no sin is more abominable to human nature, and of none is human nature less tolerant. it is easier to forgive and to forget the act of an enemy who commits a bodily injury, or even murders one's parents, than it is to forget the sin of him who repays simple kindness and fidelity with ingratitude and faithlessness; who for love and friendship returns hatred. in the sentiment of the latin proverb, to be so rewarded is like rearing a serpent in one's bosom. god likewise regards this sin with extreme enmity and punishes it. the scriptures say: "whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house." prov 17, 13. 9. thus we have the teaching of nature and of reason regarding the sin of men's ingratitude toward one another. how much greater the evil, how much more shameful and accursed, when manifested toward god who, in his infinite and ineffable goodness, conferred upon us while yet enemies to him and deserving of the fires of hell--conferred upon us, i say, not ten dollars, not a hundred thousand dollars even, but redemption from divine wrath and eternal death, and abundantly comforted us, granting us safety, a good conscience, peace and salvation! these are inexpressible blessings, incomprehensible in this life. and they will continue to occupy our minds in yonder eternal life. how much more awful the sin of ingratitude for these blessings, as exemplified in the servant mentioned in the gospel passage for today, to whom was forgiven the debt of ten thousand talents and who yet would not forgive the debt of his fellow-servant who owed him a hundred pence! 10. is it not incredible that there are to be found on earth individuals wicked enough to manifest for the highest and eternal blessings such unspeakable ingratitude? but alas, we have the evidence of our own eyes. we know them in their very dwelling-places. we see how the world abounds with them. not only are the ingrates to be found among deliberate rejecters of the acknowledged truth of the gospel, concerning god's grace, an assured conscience and the promise of eternal life, terrible as such malice of the devil is, but they are present also in our midst, accepting the gospel and boasting of it. such shameful ingratitude prevails among the masses it would not be strange were god to send upon them the thunders and lightnings of his wrath, yes, all the turks and the devils of hell. there is a generally prevalent ingratitude like that of the wicked servant who readily forgot the straits he experienced when, being called to account for what he could not pay, the wrathful sentence was pronounced against him that he and all he possessed must be sold, and he be indefinitely imprisoned. nor have we less readily forgotten how we were tortured under the papacy; how we were overwhelmed, drowned as in a flood, with numberless strange doctrines, when our anxious consciences longed for salvation. now that we are, through the grace of god, liberated from these distresses, our gratitude is of a character to increasingly heap to ourselves the wrath of god. so have others before us done, and consequently have endured terrible chastisement. 11. only calculate the enormity of our wickedness when, god having infinitely blessed us in forgiving all our sins and making us lords over heaven and earth, we so little respect him as to be unmindful of his blessings; to be unwilling for the sake of them sincerely to forgive our neighbor a single slighting word, not to mention rendering him service. we conduct ourselves as if god might be expected to connive at our ingratitude and permit us to continue in it, at the same time conferring upon us as godly and obedient children, success and happiness. more than this, we think we have the privilege and power to live and do as we please. indeed, the more learning and power we have and the more exalted our rank, the greater knaves we are; perpetrating every wicked deed, stirring up strife, discord, war and murder for the sake of executing our own arbitrary designs, where the question is the surrender of a penny in recognition of the hundreds of thousands of dollars daily received from god notwithstanding our ingratitude. 12. two mighty lords clash with each other like powerful battering rams, and for what? perhaps for undisputed possession of a city or two, a matter they must be ashamed of did they but call to mind what they have received from god. they would be constrained to exclaim: "what are we doing that we injure one another--we who are all baptized in one name, the name of christ, and pledged to one lord?" but no, it will not do for them to consider this matter; not even to think of it. they must turn their eyes away from it, and put it far from their hearts. wholly forgetting god's benefits, they must wage war against each other, involving nations, and subjecting people to the turk. and all for sake of the insignificant farthing each refused to yield to the other. 13. the world permits the very devil to saddle and ride it as he pleases. it seems to be characteristic of every phase of life that one will not yield to another--will not submit to any demand. everyone is disposed to force his arrogant authority. the presumption is that supreme honor and final success depend upon an unyielding, unforgiving disposition, and that to seek to retain our possessions by peaceable means will prove our ruin. even the two remaining cows in the stall must be brought into requisition, and war waged to the last stick, until when the mutineer comes and we have neither cow nor stall, nor house nor stick, we are obliged to cease. retribution follows ingratitude. oh, had we but grace enough to reflect on how it would be with us did god require us, as he has a perfect right to do, to pay our whole indebtedness, none being forgiven! grace enough to think whether we would not this very moment be in the abyss of hell! but so must it finally be with those who disregard the question and continually heap to themselves the wrath of god, being at the same time unwilling for him to deal otherwise with them than he did with the servant he forgave. but against that servant was finally passed the irrevocable sentence which, without mercy, delivered him to the tormentor till he should pay the debt, something he could never do. 14. nor is there any wrong or injustice in this ruling. for, as st. bernhard says, ingratitude is an evil damnable and pernicious enough to quench all the springs of grace and blessing known to god and men; it is like a poison-laden, burning, destructive wind. human nature will not tolerate it. nor can god permit you, upon whom he has bestowed all grace and goodness, all spiritual and temporal blessing, to go on continually in wickedness, defiantly abusing his benevolence and dishonoring him; you thus recklessly bring upon yourself his wrath. for god cannot bless you if you are ungrateful, if you reject his goodness and give it no place in your heart. in such case the fountain of grace and mercy that continually springs for all who sincerely desire it, must be quenched for you. you cannot enjoy it. it would afford you an abundant and unceasing supply of water did you not yourself dry it up by the deadly wind of your ingratitude; by shamefully forgetting the ineffable goodness god bestows upon you; and by failing to honor the blood of christ the lord, wherewith he purchased us and reconciled us to god--failing to honor it enough to forgive your neighbor, for christ's sake, a single wrong word. 15. what heavy burden is there for the individual who, in submission and gratitude to his god, and in honor to christ, would conduct himself something like a christian? it will cost him no great effort nor trouble. it will not break any bones nor injure him in property or honor. even were it to affect him to some trifling extent, to incur for him some slight injustice, he should remember what god has given him, and will still give, of his grace and goodness. yes, why complain even were you, in some measure, to endanger body and life? what did not the son of god incur for you? it was not pleasure for him to take upon himself the wrath of god, to bear the curse for you. it cost him bloody sweat and unspeakable anguish of heart, as well as the sacrifice of his body, the shedding of his blood, when he bore for you the wrath and curse of god, which would have rested upon you forever. yet he did it cheerfully and with fervent love. should you not, then, be ashamed in your own heart, and humiliated before all creatures, to be so slow and dull, so stock-and-stone-hardened, about enduring and forgiving an occasional unkind word--something to be suffered in token of honor and gratitude to him? what more noble than, for the sake of christ, to incur danger, to suffer injury, to aid the poor and needy? in particular to further the word of god and to support the ministry, the pulpit and the schools? 16. it would be no marvel had germany long ago sunk to ruin, or had it been razed to its very foundations by turks and tartars, because of its diabolical forgetfulness, its damnable rejection, of god's unspeakable grace. indeed, it is a wonder the earth continues to support us and the sun still gives us light. because of our ingratitude, well might the heavens become dark and the earth be perverted--as the scriptures teach (ps 106)--and suffer the fate of sodom and gomorrah, no longer yielding a leaf nor a blade of grass, but completely turned from its course--well might it be so did not god, for the sake of the few godly christians known and acknowledged of him, forbear and still delay. examples of ingratitude for the gospel. 17. wherever we turn our eyes we see, in all conditions of life, a deluge of terrible examples of ingratitude for the precious gospel. we see how kings, princes and lords scratch and bite; how they envy and hate one another, oppressing their own people and destroying their own countries; how they tax themselves with not so much as a single christian thought about ameliorating the wretchedness of germany and securing for the oppressed church somewhere a shelter of defense against the murderous attacks of devil, pope and turks. the noblemen rake and rend, robbing whomever they can, prince or otherwise, and especially the poor church; like actual devils, they trample under foot pastors and preachers. townsmen and farmers, too, are extremely avaricious, extortionate and treacherous; they fearlessly perpetrate every sort of insolence and wickedness, and without shame and unpunished. the earth cries to heaven, unable longer to tolerate its oppression. 18. but why multiply words? it is in vain so far as the world is concerned; no admonition will avail. the world remains the devil's own. we must remember we shall not by any means find with the world that christian heart pictured by the apostle; on the contrary we shall find what might be represented by a picture of the very opposite type--the most shameless ingratitude. but let the still existing god-fearing christians be careful to imitate in their gratitude the spirit of the apostle's beautiful picture. let them give evidence of their willingness to hear the word of god, of pleasure and delight in it and grief where it is rejected. let them show by their lives a consciousness of the great blessing conferred by those from whom they received the gospel. as recipients of such goodness, let their hearts and lips ever be ready with the happy declaration: "god be praised!" for thereunto are we called. as before said, praise should be the constant service and daily sacrifice of christians; and according to paul's teaching here, the christian's works, his fruits of righteousness, should shine before men. such manifestation of gratitude assuredly must result when we comprehend what god has given us. 19. notwithstanding the world's refusal to be influenced by the recognition of god's goodness, and in spite of the fact that we are obliged daily to see, hear and suffer the world's increasing ungratefulness the longer it stands, we must not allow ourselves to be led into error; for we will be unable to change it. we must preach against the evil of ingratitude wherever possible, severely censuring it, and faithfully admonish all men to guard against it. at the same time we have to remember the world will not submit. although compelled to live among the ungrateful, we are not for that reason to fall into error nor to cease from doing good. let our springs be dispersed abroad, as solomon says in proverbs 5, 16. let us continually do good, not faltering when others receive our good as evil. just as god causes his sun to rise on the thankful and the unthankful. mt 5, 45. 20. but if your good works are wrought with the object of securing the thanks and applause of the world, you will meet with a reception quite the reverse. your reward will justly be that of him who crushes with his teeth the hollow nut only to defile his mouth. now, if when ingratitude is met with, you angrily wish to pull down mountains, and resolve to give up doing good, you are no longer a christian. you injure yourself and accomplish nothing. can you not be mindful of your environment--that you are still in the world where vice and ingratitude hold sway? that you are, as the phrase goes, with "those who return evil for good"? he who would escape this fact must flee the boundaries of the world. it requires no great wisdom to live only among the godly and do good, but the keenest judgment is necessary to live with the wicked and not do evil. 21. christianity should be begun in youth, to give practice in the endurance that will enable one to do good to all men while expecting evil in return. not that the christian is to commend and approve evil conduct; he is to censure and restrain wickedness to the limit of the authority his position in life affords. it is the best testimony to the real merit of a work when its beneficiaries are not only ungrateful but return evil. for its results tend to restrain the doer from a too high opinion of himself, and the character of the work is too precious in god's sight for the world to be worthy of rewarding it. ii. the duty of prayer. 22. the other christian duty named by paul in this passage is that of prayer. the two obligations--gratitude for benefits received, and prayer for the preservation and growth of god's work begun in us--are properly related. prayer is of supreme importance, for the devil and the world assail us and delight in turning us aside; we have continually to resist wickedness. so the conflict is a sore one for our feeble flesh and blood, and we cannot stand unvanquished unless there be constant, earnest invocation of divine aid. gratitude and prayer are essential and must accompany each other, according to the requirements of the daily sacrifice of the old testament: the offering of praise, or thank-offering, thanks to god for blessings received; and the sacrifice of prayer, or the lord's prayer--the petition against the wickedness and evil from which we would be released. 23. our life has not yet reached the heights it is destined to attain. we know here only its incipient first-fruits. desire is not satisfied; we have but a foretaste. as yet we only realize by faith what is bestowed upon us; full and tangible occupancy is to come. therefore, we need to pray because of the limitations that bind our earthly life, until we go yonder where prayer is unnecessary, and all is happiness, purity of life and one eternal song of thanks and praise to god. but heavenly praise and joy is to have its inception and a measure of growth here on earth through the encouragement of prayer--prayer for ourselves and the church as a whole; that is, for them who have accepted and believe the gospel and are thus mutually helpful. for the gospel will receive greater exaltation and will inspire more joy with the individual because of its acceptance by the many. so paul says he thanks god for the fellowship of the philippians in the gospel, and offers prayer in their behalf. prayer for others. 24. yes, it should be the joy of a christian heart to see multitudes accept the offer of mercy, and praise and thank god with him. this desire for the participation of others in the gospel promotes the spirit of prayer. the christian cannot be a misanthrope, wholly unconcerned whether his fellows believe or not. he should be interested in all men and unceasingly long and pray for their salvation; for the sanctification of god's name, the coming of his kingdom, the fulfilment of his will; and for the exposure everywhere of the devil's deceptions, the suppression of his murderous power over poor souls and the restraint of his authority. 25. this prayer should be the sincere, earnest outflow of the true christian's heart. note, paul's words here indicate that his praise and prayer were inspired by a fervent spirit. it is impossible that the words "i thank my god upon all my remembrance of you, always in every supplication" be the expression of any but a heart full of such sentiments. truly, paul speaks in a way worthy of an apostle--saying he renders praise and prayer with keenest pleasure. he rejoices in his heart that he has somewhere a little band of christians who love the gospel and with whom he may rejoice; that he may thank god for them and pray in their behalf. was there not much more reason that all they who had heard the gospel should rejoice, and thank paul in heart and in expression for it, praying god in his behalf? should rejoice that they became worthy of the apostle's favor, were delivered from their blindness and had now received from him the light transferring from sin and death into the grace of god and eternal life? 26. but paul does not wait for them to take the initiative, as they ought to have done to declare their joy and their gratitude to him. in his first utterance he pours out the joy of his heart, fervently thanking god for them, etc. well might they have blushed, and reproached themselves, when they received the epistle beginning with these words. well might they have said, "we should not have permitted him to speak in this way; it was our place first to show him gratitude and joy." few believers no reason for discouragement. 27. we shall not soon be able to boast the attainment of that beautiful, perfect christian spirit the apostle's words portray. seeing how the apostle rejoices over finding a few believers in the gospel, why should we complain because of the smaller number who accord us a hearing and seriously accept the word of god? we have no great reason to complain nor to be discouraged since christ and the prophets and apostles, meeting with the same backwardness on the part of the people, still were gratified over the occasional few who accepted the faith. we note how christ rejoiced when now and then he found one who had true faith, and on the other hand was depressed when his own people refused to hear him, and reluctantly censured them. and paul did not meet with more encouragement. in all the roman empire--and through the greater part of it he had traveled with the gospel--he only occasionally found a place where was even a small band of earnest christians; but over them he peculiarly rejoices, finding in them greater consolation than in all the treasures on earth. 28. but it is a prophecy of good to the world, a portent of ultimate success, that christ and his apostles and ministers must rejoice over an occasional reception of the beloved word. such acceptance will tell in time. one would think all men might eagerly have hastened to the ends of the earth to be afforded an opportunity of hearing an apostle. but paul had to go through the world himself upon his ministry, enduring great fatigue and encountering privations and grave dangers, being rejected and trampled upon by all men. however, disregarding it all, he rejoiced to be able now and then to see some soul accept the gospel. in time past it was not necessary for the pope and his officials to run after anyone. they sat in lordly authority in their kingdom, and all men had to obey their summons, wherever wanted, and that without thanks. 29. what running on the part of our fathers, even of many of us, as if we were foolish--running from all countries, hundreds of miles, to jerusalem, to the holy sepulcher, to compostella, st. james, rome, to the heads of st. peter and st. paul; some barefooted and others in complete armor--all this, to say nothing of innumerable other pilgrimages! we thus expended large sums of money, and thanked god, and rejoiced to be able thereby to purchase the wicked indulgences of the pope and to be worthy to look upon or to kiss the bones of the dead exhibited as holy relics, but preferably to kiss the feet of his most holy holiness, the pope. this condition of things the world desires again, and it shall have nothing better. _twenty third sunday after trinity_ text: philippians 3, 17-21. 17 brethren, be ye imitators [followers] together of me, and mark them that so walk even as ye have us for an ensample. 18 for many walk, of whom i told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of christ: 19 whose end is perdition, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things. 20 for our citizenship [conversation] is in heaven; whence also we wait for a saviour, the lord jesus christ: 21 who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation [change our vile body], that it may be conformed [fashioned] to the body of his glory, according to the working whereby he is able even to subject all things unto himself. enemies of the cross of christ and the christian's citizenship in heaven. 1. paul immeasurably extols the philippians for having made a good beginning in the holy gospel and for having acquitted themselves commendably, like men in earnest, as manifest by their fruits of faith. the reason he shows this sincere and strong concern for them is his desire that they remain steadfast, not being led astray by false teachers among the roaming jews. for at that time many jews went about with the intent of perverting paul's converts, pretending they taught something far better; while they drew the people away from christ and back to the law, for the purpose of establishing and extending their jewish doctrines. paul, contemplating with special interest and pleasure his church of the philippians, is moved by parental care to admonish them--lest they sometime be misled by such teachers--to hold steadily to what they have received, not seeking anything else and not imagining, like self-secure, besotted souls who allow themselves to be deceived by the devil--not imagining themselves perfect and with complete understanding in all things. in the verses just preceding our text he speaks of himself as having not yet attained to full knowledge. purity of doctrine enjoined. 2. he particularly admonishes them to follow him and to mark those ministers who walk as he does; also to shape their belief and conduct by the pattern they have received from him. not only of himself does he make an example, but introduces them who similarly walk, several of whom he mentions in this letter to the philippians. the individuals whom he bids them observe and follow must have been persons of special eminence. but it is particularly the doctrine the apostle would have the philippians pattern after. therefore we should be chiefly concerned about preserving the purity of the office of the ministry and the genuineness of faith. when these are kept unsullied, doctrine will be right, and good works spontaneous. later on, in chapter 4, verse 8, paul admonishes, with reference to the same subject: "if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." 3. apparently paul is a rash man to dare boast himself a pattern for all. other ministers might well accuse him of desiring to exalt his individual self above others. "think you," our wise ones would say to him, "that you alone have the holy spirit, or that no one else is as eager for honor as yourself?" just so did miriam and aaron murmur against moses, their own brother, saying: "hath jehovah indeed spoken only with moses? hath he not spoken also with us?" num 12, 2. and it would seem as if paul had too high an appreciation of his own character did he hold up his individual self as a pattern, intimating that no one was to be noted as worthy unless he walked as he did; though there might be some who apparently gave greater evidence of the spirit, of holiness, humility and other graces, than himself, and yet walked not in his way. 4. but he does not say "i, paul, alone." he says, "as ye have us for an example", that does not exclude other true apostles and teachers. he is admonishing his church, as he everywhere does, to hold fast to the one true doctrine received from him in the beginning. they are not to be too confident of their own wisdom in the matter, or to presume they have independent authority; but rather to guard against pretenders to a superior doctrine, for so had some been misled. righteousness of the law is vain. 5. in what respect he was a pattern or example to them, he has made plain; for instance, in the beginning of this chapter, in the third verse and following, he says: "for we are the circumcision, who worship by the spirit of god, and glory in christ jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh: though i myself might have confidence even in the flesh: if any other man thinketh to have confidence in the flesh, i yet more: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of israel, of the tribe of benjamin, a hebrew of hebrews." that is, he commands the highest honor a jew can boast. "as touching the law," he goes on, "a pharisee; as touching zeal, persecuting the church; as touching the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless. howbeit what things were gain to me, these have i counted loss for christ. yea verily, and i count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of christ jesus my lord: for whom i suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but refuse, that i may gain christ, and be found in him, not having a righteousness of mine own, even that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in christ, the righteousness which is from god by faith." 6. "behold, this is the picture or pattern," he would say, "which we hold up for you to follow, that remembering how you obtained righteousness you may hold to it--a righteousness not of the law." so far as the righteousness of the law is concerned, paul dares to say he regards it as filth and refuse (that proceeds from the human body); notwithstanding in its beautiful and blameless form it may be unsurpassed by anything in the world--such righteousness as was manifest in sincere jews, and in paul himself before his conversion; for these in their great holiness, regarded christians as knaves and meriting damnation, and consequently took delight in being party to the persecution and murder of christians. 7. "yet," paul would say, "i who am a jew by birth have counted all this merit as simply loss that i might be found in 'the righteousness which is from god by faith'." only the righteousness of faith teaches us how to apprehend god--how to confidently console ourselves with his grace and await a future life, expecting to approach christ in the resurrection. by "approaching" him we mean to meet him in death and at the judgment day without terror, not fleeing but gladly drawing near and hailing him with joy as one waited for with intense longing. now, the righteousness of the law cannot effect such confidence of mind. hence, for me it avails nothing before god; rather it is a detriment. what does avail is god's imputation of righteousness for christ's sake, through faith. god declares to us in his word that the believer in his son shall, for christ's own sake, have god's grace and eternal life. he who knows this is able to wait in hope for the last day, having no fear, no disposition to flee. 8. but is it not treating the righteousness of the law with irreverence and contempt to regard it--and so teach--as something not only useless and even obstructive, but injurious, loathsome and abominable? who would have been able to make such a bold statement, and to censure a life so faultless and conforming so closely to the law as paul's, without being pronounced by all men a minion of the devil, had not the apostle made that estimation of it himself? and who is to have any more respect for the righteousness of the law if we are to preach in that strain? 9. had paul confined his denunciations to the righteousness of the world or of the heathen--the righteousness dependent upon reason and controlled by secular government, by laws and regulations--his teaching would not have seemed so irreverent. but he distinctly specifies the righteousness of god's law, or the ten commandments, to which we owe an obligation far above what is due temporal powers, for they teach how to live before god--something no heathenish court of justice, no temporal authority, knows anything about. should we not condemn as a heretic this preacher who goes beyond his prerogative and dares find fault with the law of god? who also warns us to shun such as observe it, such as trust in its righteousness, and exalts to sainthood "enemies of the cross of christ ... whose god is the belly"--who serve the appetites instead of god? 10. paul would say of himself: i, too, was such a one. in my most perfect righteousness of the law i was an enemy to and persecutor of the congregation, or church, of christ. it was the legitimate fruit of my righteousness that i thought i must be party to the most horrible persecution of christ and his christians. thus my holiness made me an actual enemy of christ and a murderer of his followers. the disposition to injure is a natural result of the righteousness of the law, as all scripture history from cain down testifies, and as we see even in the best of the world who have not come to the knowledge of christ. princes, civil authorities in proportion to their wisdom, their godliness and honor are the bitter and intolerant enemies of the gospel. 11. of the sensual papistical dolts at rome, cardinals, bishops, priests and the like, it is not necessary to speak here. their works are manifest. all honorable secular authorities must confess they are simply abandoned knaves, living shameless lives of open scandal, avarice, arrogance, unchastity, vanity, robbery and wickedness of every kind. not only are they guilty of such living, but shamelessly endeavor to defend their conduct. they must, then, be regarded enemies of christ and of all honesty and virtue. hence every respectable man is justly antagonistic toward them. but, as before said, paul is not here referring to this class, but to eminent, godly individuals, whose lives are beyond reproach. these very ones, when christians are encountered, are hostile and heinous enough to be able to forget all their own faults in the sight of god, and to magnify to huge beams the motes we christians have. in fact, they must style the gospel heresy and satanic doctrine for the purpose of exalting their own holiness and zeal for god. righteousness of the law opposes the cross. 12. the thing seems incredible, and i would not have believed it myself, nor have understood paul's words here, had i not witnessed it with my own eyes and experienced it. were the apostle to repeat the charge today, who could conceive that our first, noblest, most respectable, godly and holy people, those whom we might expect, above all others, to accept the word of god--that they, i say, should be enemies to the christian doctrine? but the examples before us testify very plainly that the "enemies" the apostle refers to must be the individuals styled godly and worthy princes and noblemen, honorable citizens, learned, wise, intelligent individuals. yet if these could devour at one bite the "evangelicals," as they are now called, they would do it. 13. if you ask, whence such a disposition? i answer, it naturally springs from human righteousness. for every individual who professes human righteousness, and knows nothing of christ, holds that efficacious before god. he relies upon it and gratifies himself with it, presuming thereby to present a flattering appearance in god's sight and to render himself peculiarly acceptable to him. from being proud and arrogant toward god, he comes to reject them who are not righteous according to the law; as illustrated in the instance of the pharisee. lk 18, 11-12. but greater is his enmity and more bitter his hatred toward the preaching that dares to censure such righteousness and assert its futility to merit god's grace and eternal life. 14. i myself, and others with me, were dominated by such feelings when, under popery, we claimed to be holy and pious; we must confess the fact. if thirty years ago, when i was a devout, holy monk, holding mass every day and having no thought but that i was in the road leading directly to heaven--if then anyone had accused me--had preached to me the things of this text and pronounced our righteousness--which accorded not strictly with the law of god, but conformed to human doctrine and was manifestly idolatrous--pronounced it without efficacy and said i was an enemy to the cross of christ, serving my own sensual appetites, i would immediately have at least helped to find stones for putting to death such a stephen, or to gather wood for the burning of this worst of heretics. 15. so human nature ever does. the world cannot conduct itself in any other way, when the declaration comes from heaven saying: "true you are a holy man, a great and learned jurist, a conscientious regent, a worthy prince, an honorable citizen, and so on, but with all your authority and your upright character you are going to hell; your every act is offensive and condemned in god's sight. if you would be saved you must become an altogether different man; your mind and heart must be changed." let this be announced and the fire rises, the rhine is all ablaze; for the self-righteous regard it an intolerable idea that lives so beautiful, lives devoted to praiseworthy callings, should be publicly censured and condemned by the objectionable preaching of a few insignificant individuals regarded as even pernicious, and according to paul, as filthy refuse, actual obstacles to eternal life. 16. but you may say: "what? do you forbid good works? is it not right to lead an honorable, virtuous life? do you not acknowledge the necessity of political laws, of civil governments? that upon obedience to them depends the maintenance of discipline, peace and honor? indeed, do you not admit that god himself commands such institutions and wills their observance, punishing where they are disregarded? much more would he have his own law and the ten commandments honored, not rejected. how dare you then assert that such righteousness is misleading, and obstructive to eternal life? what consistence is there in teaching people to observe the things of the law, to be righteous in that respect, and at the same time censuring those things as condemned before god? how can the works of the law be good and precious, and yet repulsive and productive of evil?" 17. i answer, paul well knows the world takes its stand on this point of righteousness by the law, and hence would contradict him. but let him who will, consult the apostle as to why he makes such bold assertions here. for indeed the words of the text are not our words, but his. true, law and government are essential in temporal life, as paul himself confesses, and god would have everyone honor and obey them. indeed, he has ordained their observance among turks and heathen. yet it is a fact that these people, even the best and most upright of them, they who lead honorable lives, are naturally in their hearts enemies to christ, and devote their intellectual powers to exterminating god's people. it must be universally admitted that the turks, with all the restrictions and austerity of life imposed upon them by the koran, a life more rigorous even than that of christians--it must be admitted they belong to the devil. in other words, we adjudge them condemned with all their righteousness, but at the same time say they do right in punishing thieves, robbers, murderers, drunkards and other offenders; more, that christians living within their jurisdiction are under obligation to pay tribute, and to serve them with person and property. precisely the same thing is true respecting our princes who persecute the gospel and are open enemies to christ: we must be obedient to them, paying the tribute and rendering the service imposed; yet they, and all obedient followers willingly consenting to the persecution of the gospel, must be looked upon as condemned before god. 18. similarly does paul speak concerning the righteousness of all the jews and pious saints who are not christians. his utterance is bold and of certain sound. he censures them and, weeping, deprecatingly refers to certain who direct the people to the righteousness of the law with the sole result of making "enemies to the cross of christ." 19. again, all the praise he has for them is to say that their "end is perdition"; they are condemned in spite of strenuous efforts all their lives to teach and enforce the righteousness of works. here on earth it is truly a priceless distinction, an admirable and noble treasure, a praiseworthy honor, to have the name of being a godly and upright prince, ruler or citizen; a pious, virtuous wife or virgin. who would not praise and exalt such virtue? it is indeed a rare and valuable thing in the world. but however beautiful, priceless and admirable an honor it is, paul tells us, it is ultimately condemned and pertains not to heaven. human righteousness idolatrous. 20. the apostle makes his accusation yet more galling with the words "whose god is their belly." thus you hear how human righteousness, even at its best, extends no higher than to service of the sensual appetites. take all the wisdom, justice, jurisprudence, artifice, even the highest virtues the world affords, and what are they? they minister only to that god, carnal appetite. they can go no farther than the needs of this life, their whole purpose being to satisfy physical cravings. when the physical appetites of the worldly pass, they pass likewise, and the gifts and virtues we have mentioned can no longer serve them. all perish and go to destruction together--righteousness, virtues, laws and physical appetites which they have served as their god. for they are wholly ignorant of the true and eternal god; they know not how to serve him and receive eternal life. so then in its essential features such a life is merely idolatrous, having no greater object than the preservation of this perishable body and its enjoyment of peace and honor. 21. the fourth accusation is, "whose glory is in their shame." that is all their glory amounts to. let wise philosophers, scrupulous heathen, keen jurists, receive the acme of praise and honor--it is yet but shame. true, their motto is "love of virtue"; they boast strong love of virtue and righteousness and may even think themselves sincere. but judged by final results, their boast is without foundation and ends in shame. for the utmost their righteousness can effect is the applause of the world--here on earth. before god it avails nothing. it cannot touch the life to come. ultimately it leaves its possessor a captive in shame. death devours and hell clutches him. 22. you may again object, "if what you say is true, why observe temporal restrictions? let us live in indulgent carelessness following our inclinations. let pass the godly, honorable man; the virtuous, upright wife or virgin." i answer, by no means; that is not the design. you have heard it is god's command and will that there be temporal righteousness even among turks and heathen. and later on (ch. 4, 8) paul admonishes christians to "think on these things," that is, on what is true. he says: "whatsoever things are honorable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." and continuing, in verse 9, he refers them to his own example, saying, "which ye both learned and received and heard and saw in me." fruits of faith. 23. with the believers in christ, them who have their righteousness in him, there should follow in this life on earth the fruits of upright living, in obedience to god. these fruits constitute the good works acceptable to god, which, being works of faith and wrought in christ, will be rewarded in the life to come. but paul has in mind the individuals who, rejecting faith in christ, regard their self-directed lives, their humanly-wrought works, which conform to the law, as righteousness availing in the sight of god. his reference is to them who so trust, though wholly ignorant of christ, for whose sake, without any merit on our part, righteousness is imputed to us by god. the only condition is we must believe in christ; for he became man, died for our sins and rose from the dead, for the very purpose of liberating us from our sins and granting us his resurrection and life. toward the heavenly life we should tend, in our life here walking in harmony with it; as paul says in conclusion: "our citizenship is in heaven [not earthly and not confined to this temporal life only]; whence also we wait for a saviour, the lord jesus christ." if we have no knowledge, no consciousness, of this fact, it matters not how beautiful and praiseworthy our human, earthly righteousness may be, it is merely a hindrance and an injury. for flesh and blood cannot help relying on its own righteousness and arrogantly boasting in this strain: "we are better, more honorable, more godly, than others. we jews are the people of god and keep his law." even christians are not wholly free from the pernicious influence of human holiness. they ever seek to bring their own works and merits before god. i know for myself what pains are inflicted by this godless wisdom, this figment of righteousness, and what effort must be made before the serpent's head is bruised. 24. now, this is the situation and there is no alternative: either suffer hell or regard your human righteousness as loss and filth and endeavor not to be found relying on it at your last hour, in the presence of god and judgment, but rather stand in the righteousness of christ. in the garment of christ's righteousness and reared in him you may, in the resurrection from sin and death, meet christ and exclaim: "hail, beloved lord and saviour, thou who hast redeemed me from the wretched body of sin and death, and fashioned me like unto thy holy, pure and glorious body!" god's patience with human righteousness. 25. meantime, while we walk in the faith of his righteousness, he has patience with the poor, frail righteousness of this earthly life, which otherwise is but filth in his sight. he honors our human holiness by supporting and protecting it during the time we live on earth; just as we honor our corrupt, filthy bodies, adorning them with beautiful, costly garments and golden ornaments, and reposing them on cushions and beds of luxury. though but stench and filth encased in flesh, they are honored above everything else on earth. for their sake are all things performed--the ordering and ruling, building and laboring; and god himself permits sun and moon to shine that they may receive light and heat, and everything to grow on earth for their benefit. what is the human body but a beautiful pyx containing that filthy, repulsive object of reverence, the digestive organs, which the body must always patiently carry about; yes, which we must even nourish and minister to, glad if only they perform their functions properly? 26. similarly god deals with us. because he would confer eternal life upon man, he patiently endures the filthy righteousness of this life wherein we must dwell until the last day, for the sake of his chosen people and until the number is complete. for so long as the final day is deferred, not all to have eternal life are yet born. when the time shall be fulfilled, the number completed, god will suddenly bring to an end the world with its governments, its jurists and authorities, its conditions of life; in short, he will utterly abolish earthly righteousness, destroying physical appetites and all else together. for every form of human holiness is condemned to destruction; yet for the sake of christians, to whom eternal life is appointed, and for their sake only, all these must be perpetuated until the last saint is born and has attained life everlasting. were there but one saint yet to be born, for the sake of that one the world must remain. for god regards not the world nor has he need for it, except for the sake of his christians. 27. therefore, when god enjoins upon us obedience to the emperor, and godly, honest lives on earth, it is no warrant that our subjection to temporal authority is to continue forever. instead, god necessarily will minister to, adorn and honor this wretched body--vile body, as paul here has it--with power and dominion. yet the apostle terms human righteousness "filth," and says it is not necessary to god's kingdom; indeed, that it is condemned in the sight of god with all its honor and glory, and all the world must be ashamed of it in his presence, confessing themselves guilty. paul in romans 3, 27 and 4, 2 testifies to this fact when he tells how even the exalted, holy fathers--abraham, and others--though having glory before the world because of their righteous works, could not make them serve to obtain honor before god. much less will worldly honor avail with god in the case of individuals who, being called honorable, pious, honest, virtuous--lords and princes, wives and husbands--boast of such righteousness. 28. outwardly, then, though your righteousness may appear dazzlingly beautiful before the world, inwardly you are but filth. illustrative of this point is the story told of a certain nun regarded holy above all others. she would not fellowship with anyone else, but sat alone in her cell in rapt devotion, praying unceasingly. she boasted special revelations and visions and had no consciousness of anything but that beloved angels hovered about and adorned her with a golden crown. but some outside, ardently desiring to behold such sights, peeped through holes and crevices, and seeing her head but defiled with filth, laughed at her. 29. notice, the reason paul calls the righteousness of the law filth and pollution, is his desire to denounce the honor and glory claimed for it in god's sight; notwithstanding he honors before the world the observance of the law by styling it "righteousness." but if you ostentatiously boast of such righteousness to him, he pronounces his sentence of judgment making you an abomination, an enemy of the cross of christ, and shaming your boasted honor and finally casting you into hell. concerning the righteousness of faith, however, which in christ avails before god, he says: "our citizenship [conversation] is in heaven, from whence also we look for the saviour, the lord jesus christ; who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body." 30. we who are baptized and believe in christ, paul's thought is, do not base our works and our hope on the righteousness of this temporal life. through faith in christ, we have a righteousness that holds in heaven. it abides in christ alone; otherwise it would avail naught before god. and our whole concern is to be eternally in christ; to have our earthly existence culminate in yonder life when christ shall come and change this life into another, altogether new, pure, holy and like unto his own, with a life and a body having the nature of his. the christian a citizen of heaven. 31. therefore we are no longer citizens of earth. the baptized christian is born a citizen of heaven through baptism. we should be mindful of this fact and walk here as if native there. we are to console ourselves with the fact that god thus accepts us and will transplant us there. meantime we must await the coming again of the saviour, who is to bring from heaven to us eternal righteousness, life, honor and glory. 32. we are baptized and made christians, not to the end that we may have great honor, or renown of righteousness, or earthly dominion, power and possessions. notwithstanding we do have these because they are requisite to our physical life, yet we are to regard them as mere filth, wherewith we minister to our bodily welfare as best we can for the benefit of posterity. we christians, however, are expectantly to await the coming of the saviour. his coming will not be to our injury or shame as it may be in the case of others. he comes for the salvation of our unprofitable, impotent bodies. wretchedly worthless as they are in this life, they are much more unprofitable when lifeless and perishing in the earth. 33. but, however miserable, powerless and contemptible in life and death, christ will at his coming render our bodies beautiful, pure, shining and worthy of honor, until they correspond to his own immortal, glorious body. not like it as it hung on the cross or lay in the grave, blood-stained, livid and disgraced; but as it is now, glorified at the father's right hand. we need not, then, be alarmed at the necessity of laying aside our earthly bodies; at being despoiled of the honor, righteousness and life adhering in them, to deliver it to the devouring power of death and the grave--something well calculated to terrify the enemies of christ: but we may joyfully hope for and await his speedy coming to deliver us from this miserable, filthy pollution. "according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." the glorified body of the christian. 34. think of the honor and the glory christ's righteousness brings even to our bodies! how can this poor, sinful, miserable, filthy, polluted body become like unto that of the son of god, the lord of glory? what are you--your powers and abilities, or those of all men, to effect this glorious thing? but paul says human righteousness, merit, glory and power have nothing to do with it. they are mere filth and pollution, and condemned as well. another force intervenes, the power of christ the lord, who is able to bring all things into subjection to himself. now, if he has power to subject all things unto himself at will, he is also able to glorify the pollution and filth of this wretched body, even when it has become worms and dust. in his hands it is as clay in the hands of the potter, and from the polluted lump of clay he can make a vessel that shall be a beautiful, new, pure, glorious body, surpassing the sun in its brilliance and beauty. 35. through baptism christ has taken us into his hands, actually that he may exchange our sinful, condemned, perishable, physical lives for the new, imperishable righteousness and life he prepares for body and soul. such is the power and the agency exalting us to marvelous glory--something no earthly righteousness of the law could accomplish. the righteousness of the law leaves our bodies to shame and destruction; it reaches not beyond physical existence. but the righteousness of christ inspires with power, making evident that we worship not the body but the true and living god, who does not leave us to shame and destruction, but delivers from sin, death and condemnation, and exalts this perishable body to eternal honor and glory. _twenty fourth sunday after trinity_ text: colossians 1, 3-14. 3 we give thanks to god the father of our lord jesus christ, praying always for you, 4 having heard of your faith in christ jesus, and of the love which ye have toward all the saints, 5 because of the hope which is laid up for you in the heavens, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, 6 which is come unto you; even as it is also in all the world bearing fruit and increasing, as it doth in you also, since the day ye heard and knew the grace of god in truth; 7 even as ye learned of epaphras our beloved fellow-servant, who is a faithful minister of christ on our behalf, 8 who also declared unto us your love in the spirit. 9 for this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray and make request for you, that ye may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 to walk worthily of the lord unto all pleasing, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of god; 11 strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory, unto all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks unto the father, who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; 13 who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the son of his love; 14 in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins. prayer and spiritual knowledge. 1. in this short epistle to the colossians paul treats of many things, but particularly of faith, love, patience and gratitude. upon these topics he is remarkably eloquent, for as god himself declares in acts 9, 15, paul is a chosen vessel, or instrument, of god--his best preacher on earth. he is particularly strong in his discussion of the main principle of the gospel, faith in christ. and he exalts christ supremely, in person and kingdom, making him all in all in his church--god, lord, master, head and example, and everything mentionable in goodness and divinity. 2. the apostle's first words are praise for the colossians. he remarks upon the good report he has heard of them, how they have faith in christ and love for all saints, and hold fast the hope of eternal life reserved for them in heaven: in other words, that they are true christians, who have not allowed themselves to be led away from the pure word of god but who earnestly cling to it, proving their faith by their fruits; for they love the poor christians, and for christ's sake have endured much in the hope of the promised salvation. so he exalts them as model christians, a mirror of the entire christian life. 3. "hearing these things of you," paul would say, "i heartily rejoice in your good beginning." apparently he was not the one who first preached to them. in the first verse of the second chapter he speaks of his care for them and others who have not seen his face, and he also intimates here that the colossians learned of christ and the gospel from epaphras, paul's fellow-servant. 4. "and therefore i always pray for you," he writes, "that you may continue in this way; may increase and be steadfast." he is aware of the necessity for such prayer and exhortation in behalf of christians if they are to abide firm and unchangeable in their new-found faith, against the ceaseless assaults of the devil, the wickedness of the world, and the weakness of the flesh in tribulation and affliction. "that ye may be filled," paul continues, "with the knowledge of his will." 5. this is his chief prayer and desire for them and if it is fulfilled there can be no lack. the words are, "be filled"; that is, not only hear and understand god's will, but become rich in the knowledge of it, with ever-increasing fullness. "you have begun well; you are promising shoots." but something more than a good beginning is required, and the knowledge of god's will is not to be exhaustively learned immediately on hearing the word. on the contrary it must be constantly pursued and practiced as long as we live if it is ever to be rounded and perfected in us. knowledge of god's will imposes obligation. 6. "knowing the will of god" means more than simply knowing about god, that he created heaven and earth and gave the law, and so on, a knowledge even the jews and turks possess. for doubtless to them has been revealed that knowledge of god and of his will concerning our conduct which nature--the works of creation--can teach. rom 1, 20. but if we fail to do god's revealed will, the knowledge of it does not benefit us. such mere mental consciousness is a vain, empty thing; it does not fulfil god's will in us. indeed, it eventually becomes a condemnatory knowledge of our own eternal destruction. when this point has been reached, further enlightenment is necessary if man is to be saved. he must know the meaning of christ's words in john 6, 40: "this is the will of my father, that every one that beholdeth the son, and believeth on him, should have eternal life"; and in matthew 18, 14: "it is not the will of your father, that one of these should perish, which believe on me." 7. since we have not done god's will according to the first revelation and must be rejected and condemned by his eternal, unendurable wrath, in his divine wisdom and mercy he has determined, or willed, to permit his only son to take upon himself our sin and wrath; to give christ as a sacrifice for our ransom, whereby the unendurable wrath and condemnation might be turned from us; to grant us forgiveness of sins and to send the holy spirit into our hearts, thus enabling us to love god's commandments and delight in them. this determination or will he reveals through the son, and commands him to declare it to the world. and in matthew 3, 17 he directs us to christ as the source of all these blessings, saying: "this is my beloved son, in whom i am well pleased: hear ye him." spiritual knowledge enjoined. 8. paul would gladly have a spiritual knowledge of these things increase in us until we are enriched and filled--wholly assured of their truth. sublime and glorious knowledge this, the experience of a human heart which, born in sins, boldly and confidently believes that god, in his unfathomable majesty, in his divine heart, has irrevocably purposed--and wills for all men to accept and believe it--that he will not impute sin, but will forgive it and be gracious, and grant eternal life, for the sake of his beloved son. 9. this spiritual knowledge or confidence, is not so easily learned as are other things. it is not so readily apprehended as the knowledge of the law written in nature, which when duly recognized by the heart overpowers with the conviction of god's wrath. indeed, that more than anything else hinders christians and saints from obtaining the knowledge of god's will in christ, for it compels heart and conscience to plead guilty in every respect and to confess having merited the wrath of god; therefore the soul naturally fears and flees from god. then, too, the devil fans the flame of fear and sends his wicked, fiery arrows of dismay into the heart, presenting only frightful pictures and examples of god's anger, filling the heart with this kind of knowledge to the exclusion of every other thought or perception. thus recognition of god's wrath is learned only too well, for it becomes bitterly hard for man to unlearn it, to forget it in the knowledge of christ. again, the wicked world eagerly contributes its share of hindrance, its bitter hatred and venomous outcry against christians as people of the worst type, outcast, condemned enemies of god. moreover, by its example it causes the weak to stumble. our flesh and blood also is a drawback, being waywardly inclined, making much of its own wisdom and holiness and seeking thereby to gain honor and glory or to live in security a life of wealth, pleasure and covetousness. hence on every side a christian must be in severe conflict, and fight against the world and the devil, and against himself also, if he is to succeed in preserving the knowledge of god's will. we must pray for spiritual light. 10. now, since this knowledge of the gospel is so difficult to attain and so foreign to nature, it is necessary that we pray for it with all earnestness and labor to be increasingly filled with it, and to learn well the will of god. our own experience testifies that if it be but superficially and improperly learned, when one is overtaken by a trifling misfortune or alarmed by a slight danger or affliction, his heart is easily overwhelmed with the thunderbolts of god's wrath as he reflects: "wo to me! god is against me and hates me." why should this miserable "wo!" enter the heart of a christian upon the occasion of a little trouble? if he were filled with the knowledge of god as he should be, and as many secure, self-complacent spirits imagine themselves to be, he would not thus fear and make outcry. his agitation and his complaint, "o lord god! why dost thou permit me to suffer this?" are evidence that he as yet knows not god's will, or at least has but a faint conception of it; the wo exceeds the joy. but full knowledge of god's will brings with it a joy that far overbalances all fear and terror, ay, removes and abolishes them altogether. 11. therefore let us learn this truth and with paul pray for what we and all christians supremely need--full knowledge of god's will, not a mere beginning; for we are not to imagine a beginning will suffice and to stop there as if we had comprehended it all. everything is not accomplished in the mere planting; watering and cultivation must follow. in this case the watering and cultivating are the word of god, and prayer against the devil, who day and night labors to suppress spiritual knowledge, to beat down the tender plants wherever he sees them springing up; and also against the world, which promotes only opposition and directs its wisdom and reason to conflicting ends. did not god protect us and strengthen the knowledge of his will, we would soon see the devil's power and the extent of our spiritual understanding. 12. we have a verification of this assertion in that poetical work, the book of job. satan appears before god, who asks (ch. 1, 8): "hast thou considered my servant job? for there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and upright man, one that feareth god." and satan answers on this wise: "yea, thou hast surrounded him with thy protection and kept me at bay; but only withdraw thy hand and i venture i will soon bring him around to curse thee to thy face"; as he afterward did when he afflicted job with ugly boils and in addition filled him with his fiery arrows--terrifying thoughts of god. further, christ said to peter and the other apostles: "satan asked to have you, that he might sift you as wheat: but i made supplication for thee, that thy faith fail not." lk 22, 31-32. in short, if god hinders him not, satan dares to overthrow even the greatest and strongest saints. 13. therefore, although we have become christians and have made a beginning in the knowledge of god's will, we ought nevertheless to walk in fear and humility, and not to be presumptuous like the soon-wearied, secure spirits, who imagine they exhausted that knowledge in an instant, and know not the measure and limit of their skill. such people are particularly pleasing to the devil, for he has them completely in his power and makes use of their teaching and example to harm others and make them likewise secure, and unmindful of his presence and of the fact that god may suffer them to be overwhelmed. verily, there is need of earnest and diligent use of the word of god and prayer, that christians may not only learn to know the will of god, but also to be filled with it. only so can the individual walk always according to god's will and make constant progress, straining toward the goal of an ever-increasing comfort and strength that shall enable him to face fears and terrors and not allow the devil, the world, and flesh and blood to hinder him. spiritual knowledge brings increasing joy. 14. such is the nature of this fullness of knowledge that the possessor never becomes satiated with it or tired of it, but it yields him ever-increasing pleasure and joy, and he is ever more eager, more thirsty, for it. as the scriptures declare, "they that drink me shall yet be thirsty." ecclus 24, 21. for even the dear angels in heaven never become sated with fullness of knowledge, but as peter says, they find an everlasting joy and pleasure in the ability to behold what is revealed and preached to us. 1 peter 1, 12. therefore, if we have not a constant hunger and thirst after the full and abundant comprehension of god's will--and certainly we ought to have it in greater degree than the angels--until we, too, shall be able to behold it eternally in the life everlasting, then we have but a taste of that knowledge, a mere empty froth, which can neither refresh nor satisfy us, cannot comfort us nor make us better. why afflictions are sent. 15. to create and stimulate this hunger and thirst in us, and to bring us to the attainment of full knowledge, god kindly sends upon his christians temptation, sorrow and affliction. these preserve them from carnal satiety and teach them to seek comfort and help. so god did also in former ages, in the time of the martyrs, when he daily suffered them to be violently seized in person and put to death by sword, fire, blood and wild beasts. in this way he truly led his people to school, where they were obliged to learn to know his will and to be able defiantly to say: "no, o tyrant, o world, devil and flesh, though you may injure me bodily, may beat or torment me, banish me or even take my life, you shall not deprive me of my lord jesus christ--of god's grace and mercy." so faith taught them and confirmed to them that such suffering was god's purpose and immutable will concerning themselves, which, whatever attitude towards them he might assume, he could not alter, even as he could not in the case of christ himself. this discipline and experience of faith strengthened the martyrs and soon accustomed them to suffering, enabling them to go to their death with pleasure and joy. whence came, even to young girls thirteen and fourteen years old, like agnes and agatha, the courage and confidence to stand boldly before the roman judge, and, when led to death, to go as joyfully as to a festivity, whence unless their hearts were filled with a sublime and steadfast faith, a positive assurance that god was not angry with them, but that all was his gracious and merciful will and for their highest salvation and bliss? 16. behold, what noble and enlightened, what strong and courageous, people god produced by the discipline of cross and affliction! we, in contrast, because unwilling to experience such suffering, are weak and enervated. if but a little smoke gets into our eyes, our joy and courage are gone, likewise our perception of god's will, and we can only raise a loud lamentation and cry of woe. as i said, this is the inevitable condition of a heart to which the experience of affliction is unknown. just so christ's disciples in the ship, when they saw the tempest approach and the waves beat over the vessel, quite forgot, in their trembling and terror, the divine will, although christ was present with them. they only made anxious lamentation, yet withal cried for help: "save, lord; we perish!" mt 8, 25. so also in the time of the martyrs, many christians became timid and at first denied christ from fear of torture or of long confinement in prison. 17. it is god's will that we, too, should learn to accustom ourselves to these things through temptation and affliction, though these be hard to bear and the heart is prone to become agitated and utter its cry of woe. we can quiet our disturbed hearts, saying: "i know what is god's thought, his counsel and will, in christ, which he will not alter: he has promised to me through his son, and confirmed it through my baptism, that he who hears and sees the son shall be delivered from sin and death, and live eternally." 18. now, what paul calls being filled with the knowledge of the divine will in christ through the faith of the gospel, means faith in and the comfort of the forgiveness of sins, since we have not in ourselves the ability to fulfil his will in the ten commandments. this knowledge is not a passive consciousness, but a living, active conviction, which will stand before the judgment of god, contend with the devil and prevail over sin, death and life. 19. now, the heart possessing such knowledge or faith is kindled by the holy spirit and acquires a love for and delight in god's commandments. it becomes obedient to them, patient, chaste, modest, gentle, given to brotherly kindness, and honors god in confession and life. thus it is increasingly filled with the knowledge of god's will; it is armed and fortified on all sides to withstand and defeat the flesh and the world, the devil and hell. "spiritual wisdom" defined. 20. by way of explanation paul adds the words, "all spiritual wisdom and understanding." this is not the wisdom of the world. there is no necessity to strive and to endure persecution for that which concerns itself with other than spiritual matters. nor is it the wisdom of reason, which indeed presumes to judge of divine things, but yet can never understand them; on the contrary, although it accepts them, it quickly falls away into doubt and despair. 21. "wisdom" signifies with paul, when he places it in apposition with "spiritual understanding," the sublime and secret doctrine of the gospel of christ, which teaches us to know the will of god. and a "wise man" is a christian, who knows himself and can intelligently interpret god's will toward us and how we perceive his will by faith--growing and obediently living in harmony with it. this wisdom is not devised of reason; it has not entered into the heart of man nor is it known to any of the princes of this world, as paul says in 1 corinthians 2, 8-10. but it is revealed from heaven by the holy spirit to those who believe the gospel. 22. but there is necessary to the full completion of wisdom something which the apostle calls "understanding"; that is, a careful retention of what has been received. it is possible for one having the spiritual wisdom to be overtaken by the devil through a momentary intellectual inspiration, or through anger and impatience, or even through greed and similar deceitful allurements. therefore it is necessary here to be cautious, alert and watchful in an effort to guard against the devil's cunning attacks and always to oppose him with his own spiritual wisdom, that he may not be undeceived. the pauline and scriptural use of the word "understanding" signifies the ability to make good use of one's wisdom; to make it effective as a test whereby to prove all things, to judge with keen discernment whatever presents itself in the name and appearance of wisdom. thus armed, the soul defends itself and does not in any case violate its own discretion. to furnish himself with understanding, the christian must ever have regard to the word of god, must put it into practice, lest the devil dazzle his mind with some palaver and error and deceive him before he is aware of it. this satan is well able to do; indeed, he uses every art to accomplish it if a man be not on his guard and seek not counsel in god's word. such is the teaching of david's example, who says in psalm 119, 11: "thy word have i laid up in my heart, that i might not sin against thee." and again in verse 24: "thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors." 23. a man may be familiar with god's word, yet if he walks in self-security, concerned about other matters, or if perhaps being tempted he loses sight of god's word, it may easily come to pass that he is seduced and deceived by the secret craft and cunning of the devil; or of himself he may become bewildered, losing his wisdom and being unable to find counsel or help even in the most trivial temptations. for the devil and reason, or human wisdom, can dispute and syllogize with extraordinary subtlety in these things until one imagines to be true wisdom that which is not. a wise man soon becomes a fool; men readily err and make false steps; a christian likewise is prone to stumble; ay, even a good teacher and prophet can easily be deceived by reason's brilliant logic. essentially, then, christians must take warning and study, with careful meditation, the word of god. 24. we read of st. martin how he would not undertake to dispute with heretics for the simple reason that he was unwilling to fall into wrangling, to rationalize with them or to attempt to defeat them by the weapon of reason, the sole means whereby they pointed and adorned all their arguments, as the world always does when opposing the word of god. the shrewd papists today pretend, as they think, very acutely to confirm and support all their antichristian abominations by the name of the church, making the idiotic claim that one must not effect nor suffer any change in the religious teaching commonly accepted by christendom. they say we must believe the christian church is always guided by the holy spirit and therefore demands our obedience. notice here the name of the church, concerning which your spiritual wisdom teaches according to the article: "i believe in a holy christian church." but that name is distorted to confirm the lies and idolatry of the papacy, just as is true of the name of god. so there is need of understanding, of careful, keen discernment, that wisdom be not perverted and falsified, and man be deceived with its counterfeit. 25. by close examination and comparison with god's word, the standard and test, you may clearly prove the papacy to be not the church of christ, but a sect of satan; it is filled with open idolatry, lies and murder, which its adherents fain would defend. these things the church of christ does not endorse, and to tax it with resolving, appointing, ordering and demanding obedience to that which is at variance with the word of god, is to do the church wrong and violence. church not to compromise with papists. 26. the world at the present time is sagaciously discussing how to quell the controversy and strife over doctrine and faith, and how to effect a compromise between the church and the papacy. let the learned, the wise, it is said, bishops, emperor and princes, arbitrate. each side can easily yield something, and it is better to concede some things which can be construed according to individual interpretation, than that so much persecution, bloodshed, war, and terrible, endless dissension and destruction be permitted. here is lack of understanding, for understanding proves by the word that such patchwork is not according to god's will, but that doctrine, faith and worship must be preserved pure and unadulterated; there must be no mingling with human nonsense, human opinions or wisdom. the scriptures give us this rule: "we must obey god rather than men." acts 5, 29. 27. we must not, then, regard nor follow the counsels of human wisdom, but must keep ever before us god's will as revealed by his word; we are to abide by that for death or life, for evil or good. if war or other calamity results complain to him who wills and commands us to teach and believe our doctrine. the calamity is not of our effecting; we have not originated it. and we are not required to prove by argument whether or no god's will is right and to be obeyed. if he wills to permit persecution and other evils to arise in consequence of our teaching, for the trial and experience of true christians and for the punishment of the ungrateful, let them come; and if not, his hand is doubtless strong enough to defend and preserve his cause from destruction, that man may know the events to be of his ordering. and so, praise his name, he has done in our case. he has supported us against the strong desires of our adversaries. had we yielded and obeyed them, we would have been drawn into their falsehood and destruction. and god will still support us if we deal uprightly and faithfully in these requirements, if we further and honor the word of god, and be not unthankful nor seek things that counterfeit god's word. 28. so much by way of explaining what paul means by wisdom and understanding to know the will of god, and by way of teaching the necessity of having both wisdom and understanding. for not only must the doctrine whereby wisdom is imparted be inculcated in christendom, but there is also need for admonition and exhortation concerning that understanding necessary to preserve wisdom, and for defense in strife and conflict. were not these principles exercised and inculcated in us, we would be deceived by false wisdom and vain imaginations, and would accept their gloss and glitter for pure gold, as many in the church have ever done. 29. the galatians had received from paul the wisdom of justification before god by faith in christ alone. nevertheless, in spite of that knowledge, they were deceived and would have lost their wisdom altogether through the claim of the false prophets that the god-given law must be observed, had not paul aroused their understanding at this point and brought them back from error. the corinthians were taught by their spiritual wisdom the article of christian liberty; they knew that sacrifices to idols are nothing. but they failed in this respect: they proceeded without understanding, and made carnal use of their liberty, contrary to wisdom and offending others. therefore paul had to remind them of their departure from his doctrine and wisdom. 30. the scriptures record many instances of failure in this matter of understanding. a notable one is found in the thirteenth chapter of first kings. a man of god from the kingdom of judah, who had in the presence of king jeroboam openly denounced the idolatry instituted by the king, and had confirmed his preaching and prophecy by a miracle, was commanded by god not under any circumstances to abide in the place whither he had gone to prophesy, nor to eat and drink there. he was to go straight home by another way than the route he had come. yet on the way homeward he allowed himself to be persuaded by another prophet, one who falsely claimed to have a revelation from god, by an angel, commanding him to take the man of god to his home and give him to eat and drink. while they sat together at the table the word of the lord came to the inviting prophet and under its inspiration he told the other that he should not reach home alive. the latter, departing on his journey, was killed on the way by a lion, which remained standing by the body and the ass the man of god had ridden, not touching them further, until the old prophet came and found them. he brought the body home on the ass and buried it, commanding that after his own death he should be laid in the same grave. such was god's punishment of the prophet who allowed himself to be deceived and obeyed not god's express command. however, his soul suffered not harm, as god testified by the fact the lion did not devour his body but defended it. now, in what was the prophet lacking? not in wisdom, for he had the word of god. he lacked in understanding, allowing himself to be deceived when the other man declared himself a prophet whom the angel of the lord had instructed. the man of god should have abided by the word given to him, and have said to the other: "you may be a prophet, indeed, but god has commanded me to do this thing. of that i am certain and i will be governed by it. i will regard no conflicting order, be it in the name of an angel or of god." neither reason nor feelings a right judge. 31. so it is often with man today, not only in doctrinal controversy but in private affairs and in official capacity. he is prone to stumble and to fail in understanding when not watchful of his purposes and motives, to see how they accord with the wisdom of god's word. particularly is his understanding unreliable when the devil moves him to wrath, impatience, dejection, melancholy, or when he is otherwise tempted. often they who have been well exercised with trials become bewildered in small temptations and uncertain what course to take. here must one be watchful and not go by his reason or his feelings, but remember god's word--or ascertain if he does not know what it is--and be guided thereby. when tempted man cannot judge aright by the dictates of reason. therefore he ought not to follow his own natural intelligence nor to act from hasty conclusions. let him be suspicious of all his reasoning and beware the cunning of the devil, who seeks either to allure or to intimidate us by his specious arguments. first of all let man call upon the understanding born of his wisdom in the gospel, what his faith, love, hope and patience counsel, in fact, what god's will eloquently teaches everywhere and in all circumstances if only one strive, labor and pray to be filled with such knowledge. 32. paul uses the expression, "spiritual wisdom and understanding," because it represents that which makes us wise and prudent to oppose the devil and his assaults and temptations, or wiles as paul calls them in ephesians 6, 11; which governs and guides, shepherds and leads, teaches and keeps us, and enables us to fare well spiritually--in faith and a good conscience toward god--and also in the temporal affairs of life when reason fails as a counselor or teacher. paul further says: "to walk worthily of the lord unto all pleasing, bearing fruit in every good work; and increasing in the knowledge of god; strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory, unto all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks unto the father, who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light." 33. what is meant by "walking worthily of the lord" we have heard in other epistles, namely to believe, and to confess the faith by doctrine and life, as people worthy of the lord and of whom the lord can triumphantly say: "these are my people--christians who live and abide in what they have been taught by the word, who know my will and obediently do and suffer for it." 34. our wisdom and understanding of the knowledge of god should serve to make us characters that are an honor and praise to god, in whom he may be glorified, and who live to god unto all pleasing, that is, please him in every way, according to his word. and because of such wisdom and knowledge, we should, in our lives, in our stations and appointed work, not be unfruitful nor harmful hypocrites and unbelievers, as false christians are, but doers of much good, useful characters to the honor of god's kingdom. all the time we are to make constant growth and progress in the knowledge of god, that we may not be seduced or driven from it by the cunning of the devil, who at all times and in all places assails christians and strenuously seeks to effect their fall from the word and from god's will, even as in the beginning he did with adam and eve in paradise. only god's power can overcome the devil. 35. the apostle continues: "strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory." here is preparation to sustain the conflict against the devil, the world and the flesh, and to overcome. not our own power, nor the combined power of all mankind, can effect it. only god's own divine, glorious power and might can overcome the devil and win honor and praise in the contest with the gates of hell. christ in himself proved such efficacy of the divine strength when he overcame all the devil's superlative assaults. 36. by this power and might of god must we be strengthened in faith. we must strive after such divine agency and by the help of the word persevere and pray, that there may be not only a beginning, but a continuation and a victorious end. so shall we become ever stronger and stronger in god's might. whatever we do, it must not be undertaken in and by our own strength. we must not boast as if we had ourselves accomplished it, but must rely upon god, upon his strength and support. certainly it is not due to our ability but to his own omnipotent agency if one remains a christian, steadfast in the knowledge of god and not deceived nor conquered by the devil. patience essential to endurance. 37. but, the writer tells us, the attainment of strength and victory calls for "all patience." we must have patience to endure the persistent persecution of the devil, the world and the flesh. not only patience is required here, but "longsuffering." the apostle makes a distinction between the two words, regarding the latter as something more heroic. it is the devil's way, when he fails to defeat by affliction and trouble, to try the heart with endurance. he makes the ordeal unbearably hard and long to patience, even apparently without end. his scheme is to accomplish by unceasing persistence what he cannot attain by the severity and multitude of his temptations; he aims to wear out one's patience and to discourage his hope of conquering. to meet these conditions there is necessary, in addition to patience, longsuffering, which holds out firmly and steadfastly in suffering, with the determination: "indeed, you cannot try me too severely or too long, even though the trial continue to the end of the world." true, knightly, christian strength is that which in conflict and suffering is able to endure not only severe and manifold assaults of the devil, but to hold out indefinitely. more than anything else do we need to be strengthened, through prayer, with the power of god, that we may not succumb in such grievous warfare, but achieve the end. christians should rejoice and be thankful. 38. and your patience and longsuffering, paul says, must be exercised "with joy." in these severe, multiplied and long temptations you must not allow yourselves to be filled with sad and depressing thoughts. you are to be hopeful and joyous, despising the devil and the troubles and tumults of the world and himself. rejoice because you have on your side the knowledge of the divine will in christ, and his power and glorious might, and doubt not that his omnipotence will help you through. 39. finally the apostle enjoins us to give thanks, or to be thankful. forget not, he would say, the unspeakable benefits and gifts god has bestowed upon you above all men on earth. he has richly blessed you, and liberated you from the power and might of sin, death, hell and the devil, wherein you would, for all you could help yourselves, have had to remain eternally captive; he has appointed you for eternal glory, making you co-heirs with the saints elected for his eternal kingdom; and he has made you partakers of all eternal, divine, heavenly blessings. in your sufferings and conflicts, remember these glories ordained for and given to you, and remembering rejoice the more and willingly fight and suffer to obtain possession, to enjoy the fruition, of what is certainly appropriated to you in the word and in faith. 40. the writer of the epistle calls it "the inheritance of the saints in light," or of the "light" saints, that is, the true saints. thus he distinguishes from false saints, intimating that there are two classes of saints. to one class belong the many in the world who have only their own claim to sainthood: the jews, for instance, with their holiness of the law; and the world generally, the philosophers, jurists and their kind, with their self-righteousness. these are not saints of light; they are saints of darkness, unclean, even defiled. in philippians 3, 8 paul counts such righteousness loss and refuse. to this class belong also many false, hypocritical saints in the company of christians who have the gospel; they, too, hear the gospel and attend upon the holy supper, but they remain in darkness, without the least experience of the wisdom and understanding that knows the divine will. but they who exercise themselves in these spiritual graces by faith, love and patience in temptation, and perceive the wonderful grace and blessing god imparts through the gospel--these honorably may be called the saints, destined, even appointed, to eternal light and joy in god's kingdom. "who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the son of his love; in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins." 41. paul now expatiates on the things that call for our gratitude to god the father. he sums up the whole teaching of the gospel, showing us what is ours in christ and giving a glorious and comforting description of his person and the blessing he brings. but first, he says, we ought, above all, to thank god unceasingly for the knowledge of his revealed gospel. in it we have no small treasure. rather, it is a possession with which all the gold, silver and other riches of this world, all the earthly joy and comfort of this life, are not to be compared. for it means redemption from eternal, irreparable loss and ruin under god's eternal, unbearable wrath and condemnation. and this wretchedness was the result of our sin. we were committed to sin and without help, without deliverance, ay, we were captive in such blindness and darkness that we did not recognize our misery; much less could we devise and effect our escape. now, in place of this misery, we have, without any merit on our part, any preparation, any deed or design, ay, without even a thought, assuredly received, through god's unfathomable grace and mercy, redemption, or the forgiveness of sins. god's grace incomprehensible. 42. the measure of such graciousness and blessing no tongue can express; indeed, in this life no man can understand it. in hell the wicked shall become sensible of it by the realization of their condemnation and the never-ending wrath of the eternal, divine majesty and of all creatures. no created thing shall they be able to behold with joy, because in these ever shall be reflected the condemned one's own unceasing, lamentable sorrow, terror and despair. nor, on the other hand, can the creature behold the condemned with pleasure, but must abhor them; it must be an object of further terror and condemnation to the damned. however, in this life god in his unspeakable goodness has subjected the creature to vanity, as paul says in romans 8, 20, and to the service of the wicked. yet it serves against its will, travailing as a woman in pain, with the supreme desire to be liberated from this service of the wicked, condemned world. it must, however, have patience in its hope of redemption, for the sake of those children of god yet to come to christ and finally to be brought to glory; otherwise it is as hostile to sin as god himself. 43. but because an eternal, unchangeable sentence of condemnation has passed upon sin--for god cannot and will not regard sin with favor, but his wrath abides upon it eternally and irrevocably--redemption was not possible without a ransom of such precious worth as to atone for sin, to assume the guilt, pay the price of wrath and thus abolish sin. 44. this no creature was able to do. there was no remedy except for god's only son to step into our distress and himself become man, to take upon himself the load of awful and eternal wrath and make his own body and blood a sacrifice for the sin. and so he did, out of his immeasurably great mercy and love towards us, giving himself up and bearing the sentence of unending wrath and death. 45. so infinitely precious to god is this sacrifice and atonement of his only beloved son who is one with him in divinity and majesty, that god is reconciled thereby and receives into grace and forgiveness of sins all who believe in this son. only by believing may we enjoy the precious atonement of christ, the forgiveness obtained for us and given us out of profound, inexpressible love. we have nothing to boast of for ourselves, but must ever joyfully thank and praise him who at such priceless cost redeemed us condemned and lost sinners. 46. the essential feature of redemption--forgiveness of sins--being once obtained, everything belonging to its completion immediately follows. eternal death, the wages of sin, is abolished, and eternal righteousness and life are given; as paul says in romans 6, 23, the grace, or gift, of god is eternal life. and now that we are reconciled to god and washed in the blood of christ, everything in heaven and earth, as paul again declares (eph 1, 10), is in turn reconciled to us. the creatures are no longer opposed, but at peace with us and friendly; they smile upon us and we have only joy and life in god and his creation. 47. such is the doctrine of the gospel, and so is it to be declared. it shows us sin and forgiveness, wrath and grace, death and life; how we were in darkness and how we are redeemed from it. it does not, like the law, make us sinners, nor is its mission to teach us how to merit and earn grace. but it declares how we, condemned and under the power of sin, death and the devil, as we are, receive by faith the freely-given redemption and in return show our gratitude. 48. paul also explains who it is that has shed his blood for us. he would have us understand the priceless cost of our redemption, namely, the blood of the son of god, who is the image of the invisible god. the apostle declares that he existed before creation, and by him were all things created, and that therefore he is true, eternal god with the father. hence, paul says, the shed blood truly is god's own blood. and so the writer of this epistle clearly and mightily establishes the article of the divinity of christ. but this requires a special and separate sermon. _twenty fifth sunday after trinity_ text: 1 thessalonians 4, 13-18. 13 but we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that fall asleep; that ye sorrow not, even as the rest, who have no hope. 14 for if we believe that jesus died and rose again, even so them also that are fallen asleep in jesus will god bring with him. 15 for this we say unto you by the word of the lord, that we that are alive, that are left unto the coming of the lord, shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep. 16 for the lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of god: and the dead in christ shall rise first; 17 then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the lord. 18 wherefore comfort one another with these words. living and dead when christ returns. paul writes these words to comfort christians who were troubled about what would take place at the resurrection of the dead. shall all rise together? shall those living on the earth at the last day meet christ before others? these and like thoughts worried them. here paul answers them by saying that christ would take all his believers to himself at the same time, etc. this epistle text you will find richly expounded in "the explanation of certain epistles," which appeared on special occasions. [the miscellaneous sermons of the year 1532.] _twenty sixth sunday after trinity_ text: 2 thessalonians 1, 3-10. 3 we are bound to give thanks to god always for you, brethren, even as it is meet, for that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the love of each one of you all toward one another aboundeth; 4 so that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of god for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which ye endure; 5 which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of god; to the end that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of god, for which ye also suffer: 6 if so be that it is a righteous thing with god to recompense affliction to them that afflict you, 7 and to you that are afflicted rest with us, at the revelation of the lord jesus from heaven with the angels of his power in flaming fire, 8 rendering vengeance to them that know not god, and to them that obey not the gospel of our lord jesus: 9 who shall suffer punishment, even eternal destruction from the face of the lord and from the glory of his might, 10 when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be marvelled at in all them that believed (because our testimony unto you was believed) in that day. god's judgment when christ returns. 1. first, paul has words of praise for his church at thessalonica. in view of its faith and its love it was one of the first rank. patiently it stood firm, and even increased, under crosses of affliction. the apostle's intent in commending these people is to incite to perseverance. he would hold them up to others as an example--an illustration--of the fruits resulting when the gospel is preached and received. he also points out in what the edification and success of the true church of christ consist. then he consoles them for their patient sufferings with the mention of the glorious coming of christ the lord, which shall mean their final redemption, the recompense of peace and joy for their tribulations, and the bringing of eternal wrath upon their persecutors. 2. this consolation paul draws from their sufferings and god's righteous judgment, by which he makes plain why god lets them suffer here on earth--what is his purpose in it. looking at the christian community with the eye of human reason and reflection, no more wretched, tormented, persecuted, unhappy people are in evidence on earth than those who confess and glory in christ the crucified. in the world they are continually persecuted, tormented and assailed by the devil with all manner of wretchedness, misfortune, distress and death. even to their own perceptions, it seems as if they surely are forgotten and forsaken by god in the sight of mankind. for he allows them to remain prostrate under the weight of the cross, while others in the world, particularly their persecutors, live in the enjoyment of honor and fortune, of happiness, power and riches, with everything moving to the fulfilment of their desires. the scriptures frequently deplore this condition of things, especially the psalms, and paul in first corinthians 15, 19 confesses: "if we have only hoped in christ in this life, we are of all men most pitiable." christian's sufferings lead to happiness. 3. now, assuredly this state of affairs cannot continue without end; it cannot be god's intention to permit christians thus to suffer continually while they live, to die because of it and remain dead. it would be incompatible with his eternal, divine truth and honor manifest in his word. for there he declares he will be the god of the pious, of them who fear and trust him, and gives them unspeakable promises. necessarily, then, he has planned a future state for christians and for non-christians, in either instance unlike what they know on earth. possibly one of the chief reasons why god permits christians to suffer on earth is to make plain the distinction between their reward and that of the ungodly. in the sufferings of believing christians, and in the wickedness, tyranny, rage, and persecution directed by the unrighteous against the godly, is certain indication of a future life unlike this and a final judgment of god in which all men, godly and wicked, shall be forever recompensed. 4. notice, paul means to say here when he speaks of the tribulations and sufferings of christians: "these afflictions are the indication of god's righteous judgment, and a sign you are worthy of the kingdom of god for which you suffer." in other words: "o beloved christians, regard your sufferings as dear and precious. think not god is angry with you, or has forgotten you, because he allows you to endure these things. they are your great help and comfort, for they show god will be a righteous judge, will richly bless you and avenge you upon your persecutors. yes, therein you have unfailing assurance. you may rejoice, and console yourselves, believing without the shadow of a doubt that you belong to the kingdom of god, and have been made worthy of it, because you suffer for its sake." 5. whatever the christian suffers here on earth at the hands of the devil and the world, befalls him simply for the sake of the name of god and for his word. true, as a baptized child of god the christian should justly enjoy unalloyed goodness, comfort and peace on earth; but since he must still dwell in the kingdom of the devil, who infuses sin and death into human flesh, he must endure the devil. yet all satan's inflictions and the world's plagues, persecutions, terrors, tortures, even the taking of the christian's life, and all its abuse, is wrought in violence and injustice. but to offset this, the christian has the comforting assurance of god's word that because he suffers for the sake of the kingdom of christ and of god he shall surely be eternally partaker of that kingdom. certain it is, no one will be worthy of it unless he suffers for it. 6. "if so be that it is a righteous thing with god to recompense affliction to them that afflict you," continues the apostle. it is impossible it should continue to be, as now, well with the world and evil with you. god's righteousness will not admit of it. just because he is a righteous judge, things must be eventually different: the godly must have eternal good, and the wicked, on the other hand, must be punished forever. otherwise god's judgment would not be righteous; in other words, he would not be god. now, since this is an impossible proposition, since god's righteousness and truth are immutable, in his capacity of judge he must perforce, in due time, come from heaven, when he shall have assembled his christians, and avenge them of their enemies, recompense the latter according to their merits, and confer eternal rest and peace upon his followers for the temporal sufferings they have endured here. god does not forget his children. 7. christians should certainly expect this and comfort themselves in the confidence that god will not permit the wrongs of his people to continue unpunished and unavenged. we might think he had forgotten were we to judge from the facts that godly abel was shamefully murdered by his brother, that god's prophets and martyrs--john the baptist, jeremiah, paul and others--suffered death at the hands of bloodhounds like the herods, neros and other shameless, sanguinary tyrants of the sort, and this when god had, even in this life, given glorious testimony to their being his beloved children. a judgment must be forthcoming that tyrants may suffer pains and punishments, and that the godly, delivered from sufferings, may have eternal rest and joy. let all the world know god does not forget, even after death. 8. this is the consolation the future judgment at the resurrection of the dead holds, that, as god's righteousness requires, the saints shall receive for their sufferings a supremely rich and glorious recompense. paul seems to present as the principal reason why god must punish the world with everlasting pain, the fact that the world has inflicted tribulations on christians. apparently his words imply that the perpetrations of the devil and the world--their supreme contempt and hatred of god's name and word, their blasphemies of these, their wickedness and disobedience in other respects, whereby they bring upon themselves everlasting pain and damnation--that for these sins against himself god is not so ready to punish as for their persecution and torment of his poor, believing christians. this truth is indicated where we read that christ on the last day shall say: "depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels ... inasmuch as ye did it not unto one of these least, ye did it not unto me." mt 25, 41 and 45. 9. paul's further observations, concerning the manner of the judgment to come and the painful punishment of the ungodly, is sufficiently clear as rendered, and is also explained in the sermon on the gospel text. further explanation here is unnecessary. _twenty seventh sunday after trinity_ text: 2 peter 3, 3-7. to the reader. when the year has twenty-seven sundays after trinity, which seldom occurs, substitute the text of 2 peter 3, 3-7 for the twenty-sixth sunday and use the text of the twenty-sixth sunday for the twenty-seventh sunday. the precious and sacred writings of martin luther _the hero of the reformation, the greatest of the teuton church fathers, and the father of protestant church literature_ based on the kaiser chronological edition with reference to the erlangen and walch editions edited by john nicholas lenker, d.d. in connection with leading scholars of all parts of the church lutherans in all lands co., minneapolis, minn., u.s.a. 1904 luther on the creation a critical and devotional commentary on genesis based on dr. henry cole's translation from the original latin. revised, enlarged, parts retranslated and edited in complete form by john nicholas lenker, d.d. professor of old testament exegesis, author of "lutherans in all lands" and president of the national lutheran library association vol. i. lutherans in all lands co., minneapolis, minn., u.s.a. 1904 copyright, 1904, by prof. j. n. lenker, d.d. second introduction --to-luther's works in english. this introduction or prospectus is supplementary to that in the first volume on the psalms, in that it likewise emphasizes, though from different view-points, the history and fruits, as well as the present need and future mission of the protestant classics of the greatest of all reformers in their relation to the development of the human race. let us in this introduction briefly notice the following: the progress of the movement to translate and circulate luther's works in english, and then emphasize the need of developing an interest to read them; first, because of the relation of luther and his writings to the public library; and secondly, because as the chief of the teuton protestant church fathers, we need to understand luther in his relation to the greek and latin church fathers, and our true historic relations to them all. the progress of the movement. with profound gratitude to almighty god for his rich blessing bestowed upon the publication and quick sale of the first volume, luther's commentary on the psalms, a book "the mourning soul cannot well be without," we now send forth the first volume of his commentary on genesis, with the confidence that those, who think with melanchthon that "a single page of luther contains more sound divinity than many whole volumes," will not change their opinion by studying this volume. having purchased all the copies of luther on galatians and his notes on the gospels by dr. p. anstadt, and the right to reprint them, with two other volumes about ready for the press, one by prof. e. f. bartholomew, d.d., and another by dr. bernhard pick, our progress is encouraging, especially since the movement has taken an intersynodical character with colaborers from every branch of our polyglot communion. luther on the old testament needed first. this volume on genesis follows the first volume on the psalms because the volumes ought to be published first that are needed most and will do the most good. as professor of old testament exegesis i found that like "luther on the psalms" so "luther on genesis" was not accessible to the english, swedish, norwegian and danish students of theology, prof. bugge's norwegian translation of extracts from it being out of print. therefore we believe this volume also will be welcomed by all old testament professors and students. while both these volumes will be a healthy corrective to the old testament critics, their contribution to the biblical knowledge and the devotional life of protestantism cannot be exaggerated. though first delivered to critical students they have also been extensively read in family worship. luther began and closed his blessed ministry in the church of god not by fighting the pope, but by expounding the word of god. he began by explaining the whole psalter from 1513 to 1516 (before 1517) forming volumes iii and iv of the kaiser chronological edition and closed his life's labors by expounding the first book of the bible, genesis, which composes volumes i and ii of the st. louis walch edition. he commenced with the penitential psalms of david and ended with moses, the earliest writings of the old testament. the reason so many preachers and congregations neglect the old testament is because it is neglected in the seminaries. god willing a volume of luther on the prophetical books will be issued and then in all three years at the seminary the students may have something of luther on the pentateuch, psalms and prophets. luther's words on public libraries. in the recent marvelous development of public libraries it is held if it is the duty of the state to teach the child to read for the welfare of the child and of the state, it is also the duty of the state to offer the child something to read. hence the library is being supported by taxation like the public school, and the library buildings are being erected near the high schools. it is as president roosevelt said while west recently, our civilization rests on the church, the school and the library. the library is the child of the church and school and will in turn greatly influence both. luther, the founder of the protestant church, and the founder of the public school, is also the founder of the protestant library. yea, more, nearly four hundred years ago he united the school and the library as is proved by the following: it is noteworthy that luther closes his "address to the mayors and aldermen of all the cities of germany in behalf of christian schools," which is considered by educators for its pioneer character and statements of principles "the most important educational treatise ever written," by a powerful appeal in behalf of public libraries which i give in full from luther on education by prof. painter. luther concludes that great educational treatise thus: "finally, this must be taken into consideration by all who earnestly desire to see such schools established and the study of the languages preserved in the german states; that no cost nor pains should be spared to procure good libraries in suitable buildings, especially in the large cities that are able to afford it. for if a knowledge of the gospel and of every kind of learning is to be preserved, it must be embodied in books, as the prophets and apostles did, as i have already shown. this should be done, not only that our spiritual and civil leaders may have something to read and study, but also that good books may not be lost, and that the arts and languages may be preserved, with which god has graciously favored us. st. paul was diligent in this matter, since he lays the injunction upon timothy, 'give heed to reading,' i tim. 4:13, and directs him to bring the books, but especially the parchments left at troas, 2 tim. 4:13. "all the kingdoms that have been distinguished in the world have bestowed care upon this matter, and particularly the israelites, among whom moses was the first to begin the work, who commanded them to preserve the book of the law in the ark of god, and put it under the care of levites, that any one might procure copies from them. he even commanded the king to make a copy of this book in the hands of the levites. among other duties, god directed the levitical priesthood to preserve and attend to the books. afterwards joshua increased and improved this library, as did subsequently samuel, david, solomon, isaiah, and many kings and prophets. hence have come to us the holy scriptures of the old testament, which would not otherwise have been collected and preserved, if god had not required such diligence in regard to it. "after this example collegiate churches and convents formerly founded libraries, although with few good books. and the injury from the neglect to procure books and good libraries, when there were men and books enough for that purpose, was afterwards perceived in the decline of every kind of knowledge; and instead of good books, the senseless, useless, and hurtful books of the monks, the catholicon, florista, graecista, labyrinthus, dormi secure (names of latin grammars and collections of sermons), and the like, were introduced by satan, so that the latin language was corrupted, and neither good schools, good instruction, nor good methods of study remained. and as we see, the language and arts are, in an imperfect manner, recovered from fragments of old books rescued from the worms and dust; and every day men are seeking these literary remains, as people dig in the ashes of a ruined city after treasures and jewels. "therein we have received our just due, and god has well recompensed our ingratitude, in that we did not consider his benefits, and lay up a supply of good literature when we had time and opportunity, but neglected it, as if we were not concerned. he in turn, instead of the holy scriptures and good books, suffered aristotle and numberless pernicious books to come into use, which only lead us further from the bible. to these were added the progeny of satan, the monks and the phantoms of the universities, which we founded at incredible cost, and many doctors, preachers, teachers, priests and monks, that is to say, great, coarse, fat fellows, adorned with red and brown caps, like swine led with a golden chain and decorated with pearls; and we have burdened ourselves with them, who have taught us nothing useful, but have made us more and more blind and stupid, and as a reward have consumed all our property, and filled all the cloisters, and indeed every corner with dregs and filth of their unclean and noxious books, of which we cannot think without horror. "has it not been a grievous misfortune that a boy has hitherto been obliged to study twenty years or longer, in order to learn enough miserable latin to become a priest and to read the mass? and whosoever has succeeded in this has been called blessed, and blessed the mother that has borne such a child! and yet he has remained a poor ignorant man all through life, and has been of no real service whatever. everywhere we have had such teachers and masters, who have known nothing themselves, who have been able to teach nothing useful, and who have been ignorant even of the right methods of learning and teaching. how has it come about? no books have been accessible but the senseless trash of the monks and sophists. how could the pupils and teacher differ from the books they studied? a crow does not hatch a dove, nor a fool make a man wise. that is the recompense of our ingratitude, in that we did not use diligence in the formation of libraries, but allowed good books to perish, and bad ones to survive. "but my advice is not to collect all sorts of books indiscriminately thinking only of getting a vast number together. i would have discrimination used, because it is not necessary to collect the commentaries of the jurists, the productions of all the theologians, the discussions of all the philosophers, and the sermons of all the monks. such trash i would reject altogether, and provide my library only with useful books; and in making the selection i would advise with learned men. "in the first place, a library should contain the holy scriptures in latin, greek, hebrew, german and other languages. then the best and most ancient commentators in greek, hebrew and latin. "secondly, such books as are useful in acquiring the languages, as the poets and orators, without considering whether they are heathen or christian, greek or latin. for it is from such works that grammar must be learned. "thirdly, books treating of all the arts and sciences. "lastly, books on jurisprudence and medicine, though here discrimination is necessary. "a prominent place should be given to chronicles and histories, in whatever language they may be obtained; for they are wonderfully useful in understanding and regulating the course of the world, and in disclosing the marvelous works of god. o, how many noble deeds and wise maxims produced on german soil have been forgotten and lost, because no one at the time wrote them down; or if they were written, no one preserved the books; hence we germans are unknown in other lands, and are called brutes that know only how to fight, eat and drink. but the greeks and romans, and even the hebrews have recorded their history with such particularity, that even if a woman or child did anything noteworthy, all the world was obliged to read and know it; but we germans are always germans and will remain germans. "since god has so graciously and abundantly provided us with art, scholars and books, it is time for us to reap the harvest and gather for future use the treasures of these golden years. for it is to be feared (and even now it is beginning to take place) that new and different books will be produced, until at last, through the agency of the devil, the good books which are being printed will be crowded out by the multitude of ill-considered, senseless and noxious works. for satan certainly designs that we should torture ourselves again with catholicons, florists, modernists and other trash of the accursed monks and sophists, always learning, yet never acquiring knowledge. "therefore, my dear sirs, i beg you to let my labor bear fruit with you. and though there be some who think me too insignificant to follow my advice, or who look down upon me as one condemned by tyrants; still let them consider that i am not seeking my own interest, but that of all germany. and even if i were a fool, and yet should hit upon something good, no wise man should think it a disgrace to follow me. and if i were a turk and heathen, and it should yet appear that my advice was advantageous, not for myself, but for christianity, no reasonable person would despise my counsel. sometimes a fool has given better advice than a whole company of wise men. moses received instruction from jethro. "herewith i commend you all to the grace of god. may he soften your hearts, and kindle therein a deep interest in behalf of the poor, wretched and neglected youth; and through the blessing of god may you so counsel and aid them as to attain to a happy christian social order in respect to both body and soul, with all fullness and abounding plenty, to the praise and honor of god the father, through jesus christ our saviour. amen." wittenberg, 1524. in his "table talk" luther continues thus: "the multitude of books is a great evil. there is no measure or limit to this fever for writing; every one must be an author; some out of vanity, to acquire celebrity and make a name; others for the sake of lucre and gain. the bible is now buried under so many commentaries, that the text is not regarded. i could wish that all my books were buried nine ells deep in the ground, by reason of the ill example they will give, every one seeking to imitate me in writing many books, with the hope of procuring fame. but christ died not to favor our ambition and vain-glory, but that his name might be glorified. "the aggregation of large libraries tends to direct men's thoughts from the one great book, the bible, which ought, day and night, to be in every man's hand. my object, my hope, in translating the scriptures, was to check the so prevalent production of new works, and so to direct men's study and thoughts more closely to the divine word. never will the writings of mortal man in any respect equal the sentences inspired by god. we must yield the place of honor to the prophets and apostles, keeping ourselves prostrate at their feet as we listen to their teaching. i would not have those who read my books, in these stormy times, devote one moment to them which they would otherwise have consecrated to the bible." luther the father of modern libraries. the foregoing literal quotations on the library; its divine origin and its biblical and ecclesiastical development from the time of moses; its interlingual and international importance; its satanic and anti-christ-like dangers; its true mission and relation to the church, school, family and state; the comprehensive sample catalogue of a model library; and the words that when libraries tend to direct men's thoughts from or against the one great book they are complete failures; these and other like thoughts of luther, who was born only 15 years after the death of guthenburg, his countryman, the inventor of printing; these words so warm, clear and wise of the hero of the reformation, uttered nearly 400 years ago, prove that luther and not franklin was the father or founder of modern libraries of printed books and documents. in w. t. fletcher's "public libraries in america," of the columbian knowledge series, published in boston, 1899, we read on page 10, "but when did the public library movement begin? not even the reformation, with its tremendous assertion of the right of man to spiritual freedom, brought about the change so designated. franklin more than any other originated this movement." it is strange that in all the recent and growing bibliography on the library there is little or no tendency to trace the origin of the protestant library to the protestant reformation. yet mr. fletcher says on p. 37, "it is a significant fact that everywhere the clergy are found foremost in advancing the library movement." he certainly does not mean the catholic clergy. if you examine the libraries of our day and judge from their contents and spirit, the conclusion irresistibly comes to one that they do not know their own father or founder. their walls often are decorated with fine pictures of illustrious men, carnegie and other liberal donors; but in no public library, not even in districts of our country where the german and scandinavian taxpayers are in the majority do we find a picture on their walls, "martin luther, the founder of the library among the protestant teutonic nations." though carnegie should expend all his fortune on libraries alone, his donation to the library idea would be unworthy to be compared with that of luther. besides what luther wrote urging the teutonic nations accepting his teachings to erect libraries or "book houses" as he called them, and besides what he did in other ways to encourage the collection of the writings of the germanic nations, this teuton of the teutons, their child and father, born, as i said, only fifteen years after the inventor of printing died, wrote a library of 113 volumes in the infancy of printing, which is still today the leading classic library of protestantism, which has been translated and retranslated in part into every language of the globe and influenced every protestant and many catholic authors, and is or should be the foundation and center of every library that is not anti-protestant. alas! alas! it is not so in our own protestant land, the united states. he seems to be feared more as a leader of a sect, which he never was, than loved and honored as the hero of the reformation and the very soul of the protestant teutonic literary activity and its treasures. however i am not so greatly concerned to have luther honored as the father of the modern library by hanging his picture on their walls. there is a better way for the protestant library to honor their father and that is to purchase his writings complete in the german, scandinavian and english languages and then interest their german, scandinavian and english citizens to read them. true some libraries have a dozen or more books written about luther, his life, etc., but not a single book written by him. all the books that others have or may write about him are as nothing compared to what he himself wrote in explaining the holy scriptures and the fundamental principles of our modern aggressive protestant civilization. if they are the happy possessors of a few books translated from our great teuton church father, the books are often in such poor and antiquated english that no one can nor will read them with any comfort. librarians and pastors and protestant laymen, what have you up-to-date in your library from the heart and pen of the father of protestant literature? look now and see, and make a note of what you find and write us, and we may be of some help to you in completing your collection. but what is the use for libraries to purchase luther's works in german, scandinavian or english when the people do not call for the books and read them. therefore we have given emphasis to their cry that is going abroad in the land. read luther! read luther!! read luther!!! why? because as a true intelligent protestant you cannot read any thing better. millions of people have said and millions more will say next to the bible they received more from luther's writings than from all other books combined. and if you take the protestant professors of our land, and for that matter of all lands, they all together would come far short of making a luther. he was not only ahead of his times, but on many subjects he is far ahead of our age. yes, when we keep company with luther we feel we are behind the times, on subjects like romanism, protestantism, christian schools, christian libraries, the christian family, the christian state, and many christian social problems. it is possible to go backwards as well as forwards. how can i read luther when i have not his books and i cannot afford to purchase them? our cry is not buy luther! buy luther!! buy luther!!! but read luther! read luther!! read luther!!! many buy luther's works and do not read them. they can afford to purchase them all and as they have a beautiful book-case with glass doors, perhaps the finest piece of furniture in their homes, as the style now is (for what is a home without an up-to-date book-case?), they subscribe for all luther's works for a show in their book-case, and we ask can you name a set of books that makes a better show in any public or private library than luther's works, especially in a protestant library? they are also really a far better investment than these large, thick, cheap but dear, subscription books, which are nice only while they are new and then they fade and the outside becomes as bad as the inside. when you look at the libraries of many protestant homes, you pity them, first because of what they have not and then because of what they have. but luther's writings should go into the home library not for a show nor for an investment, but to be read. perhaps there is no passage of scripture that our homes should take to heart just now more than the advice of father paul to his spiritual son, timothy: "give heed to reading, to exhortation, to teaching. neglect not the gift that is in thee." 1 tim. 4:13-14. give heed that you read something, that you read the best, and give heed how you read, that the gifts in you may not be neglected. then the right, sound exhortation and pure teaching will follow. notice the order is first, give heed to reading. many have never read any writings of luther except perhaps his small catechism. they have not built very well on the foundation laid. when one thinks of the solid christian books our german and scandinavian parents read and what the children read now-a-days, you must sigh. again many say i have now more books than i can read and if i buy more i will not read them. well, you will not lose much if you do not read many books you have, but if you would sell these and buy a few of the classic writings of protestantism and read and read them again and again, you would be blessed, and just such a work is luther on genesis. no one is too poor to be a luther reader. i have spoken of those who can afford to buy luther's works and do buy them, and yet they do not read them. there is another class much smaller but much better; namely, those who enjoyed the study of their catechism and the little they have read here and there in extracts from luther and they long to read more, but do not know where to get the books or have not the money to buy them. to all such let our pastors, parochial and sunday school teachers and all others say on every occasion possible that such works can be had in the public library. if you do not find them there make application on the little blank slips the library furnishes for the public to request the library to secure the books desired. if they do not do so at once have your neighbors repeat and repeat the same request. this is the way the latest trashy novels are introduced in public libraries, for they buy only what the public asks for. these libraries are supported as a rule by taxation and the germans and scandinavians are heavy taxpayers and their requests for good standard books in their own language or in english will be favorably considered. we ourselves are to blame if public libraries have not the standard classics of their protestant father and founder. it if therefore in harmony with historic development and with the spirit of luther that in chicago, june 29, 1903, an adjourned meeting of the convention, which assembled in the same city in september of the previous year, was held and effected an organization known as the national lutheran library association one aim of which as specified in its constitution, is "to aid in duplicating as far as practicable the 'luther' literature in the british museum library in all the larger american public libraries." (see the constitution for further details.) the public libraries of great britain are far ahead of the american public libraries in their luther literature, and we as free loyal americans cannot afford to let it continue so. the question arises, what nations, what culture should characterize the libraries of the world? shall the greeks, or the latins or the teutons? to aid in answering this question i will add another heading the greek, latin and teuton church fathers. in the introduction of vol. i in the psalms, to which the reader is referred, it was stated that the key-note of all of the "sacred books" of the east is "salvation by works." and yet in the face of this protestants are asked to believe that they are "sacred books," when their main teachings are directly contrary to what we have been taught to esteem as most sacred, namely, our christian faith in the grace of christ for salvation. to protestants they are not sacred books but the very opposite. i would far rather call the writings of luther sacred, which teach and defend the doctrine of salvation by grace as taught by the one great book, although it stands alone and protests against the false teachings of the so-called sacred books of the east. however let us now look more closely at the west. here we find that protestants have shown commendable zeal and enterprise in translating, publishing and circulating the large libraries of the greek and latin church fathers. every pastor continuously receives circulars with the almost irresistible temptation to purchase the patristic writings of both catholic churches. this is all well, but we should not forget that the anglo-saxon people are neither greeks nor latins, but teutons, and that our teuton church fathers are protestants and they also should be translated, published, circulated and read and taught. little wittenberg dare not fall behind constantinople and rome. it ought not. _for "saxon and norman and dane are we."_ true the teutons can and do learn from the greek and latin church fathers, but we also believe that the children of the old greeks and latins can learn much from our teuton fathers, and that they have as good reasons to welcome our classic church literature as we have theirs; and we hope the day may soon come when they will translate and read ours as faithfully and impartially as we do theirs. what a blessing that would bring to christendom! in some quarters however english protestants have been in danger of appreciating the fathers of the greeks and latins to the extent of neglecting to give due honor to their own. many protestant ministers' libraries contain all classics except the protestant classics. let the whole world have the greek and the latin fathers as it has, but let protestants awake and give the world theirs. is it not a shame and a pity that while all the writings of the greek and latin fathers have been translated into many languages, yet the complete works of luther, the first and chief of the protestant fathers, have never been translated into any language, though his loyal disciples are numbered by the hundreds of thousands in different tongues, as the fruits of those writings? for of the 70,169,000 lutherans in the world, 43,731,000 speak german, 7,300,000 swedish, 3,500,000 norwegian, 3,200,000 danish, 3,000,000 finnish, 1,100,000 esthnish, 400,000 hungarian (or 4,500,000 of the finnish or magyarian race), 4,000,000 english, 2,000,000 lettish, 500,000 slovakian, 300,000 polish, 200,000 french, 100,000 dutch, 100,000 russian, 82,000 icelandic, 50,000 bohemian, 63,000 wendish, 113,000 lithuanian, 250,000 the heathen dialects of asia and 280,000 the heathen dialects of africa. and further as all german speaking reformed churches use luther's version of the scriptures, so they welcome his writings also. true in all these 17 or more languages some of luther's writings have appeared. but it is distressing to learn how few they are, and how out of date and imperfect some of these are. luther is the common property of all protestants, and so are his writings. they would be helpful in all time to the 21,000,000 episcopalians, the 17,000,000 methodists, the 11,000,000 baptists, the 9,000,000 presbyterians, the 4,500,000 congregationalists, and all other protestants; and not only to the 140,000,000 protestants, but also to the 80,000,000 greek catholics and 200,000,000 latin catholics and to the heathen, to the infidel, to the state as well as to the church. the first thing for protestants to do is to give all nations the bible; and the second, to give them the best protestant classics. we can. will we? no nation or race is greater than its greatest men, and those greatest men are not greater than their best writings. hence little is of more value in literature than the honest critique by these greatest men of the best writings of the most civilized and cultured nations before their time. therefore of the greatest interest are the following criticisms of the greatest teuton church father on the greek and latin church fathers. they are taken literally from his table talk and read thus: i will not presume to criticise too closely the writings of the fathers, seeing they are received of the church, and have great applause, for then i should be held an apostate; but whoever reads chrysostom, will find he digresses from the chief points, and proceeds to other matters, saying nothing, or very little, of that which pertains to the subject. when i was expounding the epistle to the hebrews, and turned to what chrysostom had written upon it, i found nothing to the purpose; yet i believe that he at that time, being the chief rhetorician, had many hearers, though he taught without profit; for the chief office of a preacher is to teach uprightly, and diligently to look to the main points and foundation on which he stands, and so instruct and teach the hearers that they understand aright and may be able to say: this is well taught. when this is done, he may avail himself of rhetoric to adorn his subject and admonish the people. behold what great darkness is in the books of the fathers concerning faith; yet if the article of justification be darkened, it is impossible to smother the grossest errors of mankind. st. jerome, indeed, wrote upon matthew, upon the epistles to the galatians and to titus; but, alas, very coldly. ambrose wrote six books on genesis, but they are very poor. augustine wrote nothing to the purpose concerning faith; for he was first roused up and made a man by the pelagians, in striving against them. i can find no exposition upon the epistles to the romans and galatians, in which anything is taught pure and right. what a happy time have we now as to the purity of the doctrine; but alas, we little esteem it. we must read the fathers cautiously, and lay them in the gold balance, for they often stumbled and went astray, and introduced into their books many monkish things. augustine had more work and labor to wind himself out of the writings of the fathers, than he had with the heretics. gregory expounds the five pounds mentioned in the gospel, which the husbandman gave to his servants to put to use, to be the five senses, which the beasts also possess. the two pounds he construes to be the reason and understanding. the more i read the books of the fathers, the more i find myself offended; for they were but men, and, to speak the truth with all their repute and authority, undervalued the books and writings of the sacred apostles of christ. the papists were not ashamed to say, what are the scriptures? we must read the holy fathers and teachers, for they drew and sucked the honey out of the scriptures. as if god's word were to be understood and conceived by none but themselves, whereas the heavenly father says: "him shall ye hear," who in the gospel taught most plainly in parables and similitudes. augustine was the ablest and purest of all the doctors, but he could not of himself bring things back to their original condition, and he often complains that the bishops, with their traditions and ordinances, trouble the church more than did the jews with their laws. i am persuaded that if at this time, st. peter, in person, should preach all the articles of the holy scriptures, and only deny the pope's authority, power and primacy, and say that the pope is not the head of all christendom, they would cause him to be hanged. jerome should not be numbered among the teachers of the church, for he was a heretic; yet i believe he was saved through faith in christ. he speaks not of christ, but merely carries his name in his mouth. again he says, jerome may be consulted for the purpose of historical study. as to faith, and good true religion and doctrine, there is not a word about them in his writings. he writes only respecting fasts, sorts of food, virginity, etc. i have already proscribed origin. chrysostom possesses no authority in my estimation. basil is but a monk, for whom i would not give the value of a hair. the apology of philip melanchthon is worth all the writings of all the doctors of the church put together, not excepting those of st. augustine. tertullian is a thorough carlstad; cyprian the martyr is a feeble theologian. the fathers said nothing decisive during their lives, respecting justification by grace; but at their death they believed in it. this was the more prudent course for them to follow, in order neither to encourage mysticism, nor discourage good works. these worthy fathers lived better than they wrote. since i became, by the grace of god, capable of understanding st. paul, i have been unable to esteem any of these doctors; they have shrunk into insignificance in my estimation. prefaces and dedications --of-luther's "dear genesis." his "swan song" and his "it is finished." we certainly will be pardoned for issuing here and at this time the prefaces: of veit dietrich, who published the first of these lectures in latin; of basil faber, who was the first to translate parts from latin into german; of dr. walch, who issued one of the best editions of luther's complete works; and of dr. cole, who was the first to translate a small part from latin into english. the words of these four men are a stronger appeal than we can write for the extensive circulation among english protestants of this the last and the greatest of luther's writings. it is as mathesius says: "surely the last thoughts are the best when they at the time refer to the word of god and spring from it. the sermons and books of aged men are worthy of consideration and preservation." hence, jerome weller called this commentary luther's swan song, and morlin calls it the "consummatum est," "it is finished," of luther. a new interest will be taken in the lines of this book when it is remembered how dear they were to the reformer himself. he frequently expresses his love for his "dear genesis," and had the prophetic impression that his labors in genesis and his earthly life would terminate together. and so they did. this was the last public work of luther's forty years of professorial, ministerial and reformatory labors. this saint of god, who was "a lion before men, but a lamb before god," concludes his commentary thus: "this is now the dear book of genesis. may our lord grant that others may do it better than i have done. i can no more; i am so weak. pray to god for me, that he may grant me a good holy hour at death!" a friend, one of the collectors of these comments, records these remarkable coincidences at the foot of the commentary: "the man of god, doctor martin luther, finished his commentaries on the book of genesis in the year of our lord 1545, on the 17th day of november; having commenced them in the year 1535. in his opening remarks he had said, 'this exposition i shall pore over and die over (_immorabor et immoriar_).' according to this prophecy concerning himself he died at eisleben, feb. 18th, 1546, piously and continually calling upon the son of god." dedication of veit dietrich. _to the most illustrious, high-born prince and lord, john ernest, duke of saxony, landgrave of thuringia, margrave of misnia._ it is this glorious and beautiful architectural building, the world; that is, the heavens and earth with all that in them is, as the stars, the elements, the trees, the plants, and all kinds of animals, etc., created so admirably for it and wisely ordered by god in their relations to one another, that teaches us to know god as the one eternal and almighty creator and the right master-builder, and to understand that he created us for this life, body and soul, and gave us reason and a spirit in order that he might thereby be worshipped. and such knowledge would have remained pure and beautiful in the hearts of all men without doubt and error of any kind had human nature not fallen through disobedience into such miserable darkness and other innumerable calamities. for what blindness and ignorance of god, his nature and will, his providence and government, there is in the hearts of all men in their corrupt and infirm nature, is evident from the doubts which stick in the hearts of everyone, concerning which plato was right when he wisely said, "that the minds of men are so overpowered with conviction by the laws of the motion of the heavenly bodies and other testimonies of nature, that they are compelled to confess that the world had for its creator an eternal and almighty divine mind." and yet we find that this knowledge and this conviction are darkened and deranged when we consider how enormous and confused all things are in the world and in this life, and when we find ourselves so often plunged into such great misery and need without help or rescue as if there were no god left to his creatures. from such doubts all those mad-brained opinions of philosophers have arisen. some, as the epicureans, denied the existence of god altogether; others, as aristotle and the stoics, believed god was an eternal mind, yet bound and confined him to second causes; just in the same way as the poets fable that saturn was bound by jupiter. thus they ascribe to him no action, but that which the general concurrence of second causes produces. hence having their minds infatuated with this delirium, they can neither ask any good thing of god, nor expect any good thing from him, because, with them events are necessarily only consequents which responsively follow upon their natural first causes. therefore, while these men thus reasoned, they did not bring forth their own private and personal opinions only, but the common errors which lie concealed naturally in the minds of the whole human race. the greatest part of mankind fix their eyes upon second causes; but these never raise them so high as the great over-ruler of all; so as to wait for the government or pressing forth of second causes from and by him, as elijah did, when he prayed for rain in the midst of a drought, and as isaiah did, when he drove back an army of the enemy by prayer. when this darkness in the mind of man had followed upon the fall of our first parents, god came forth anew out of his secret habitation, and immediately made himself known again, with a distinct _voice_ and with fresh testimonies; that the human race might not appear to be created in vain nor without a mighty purpose, nor for destruction only. the creation indeed was a great benefit and blessing from god. but much more so was his revelation of himself to the human race from the very "beginning," by certain testimonies and evidences; delivering with a distinct voice the _promise_ of eternal life and salvation, and making a declaration concerning a judgment to come, in which after this life he would separate the righteous from the wicked. the law also, though known to nature at first, he renewed, and showed what was his true worship. he caused it moreover to be attended with signs, which could be wrought by no power less than infinite. he recalled the dead to life, he stopped the motions of the heavens and the course of the sun, and he even turned the sun back in his course to refute a human delirium, which pretended to suspend god by second causes as by the golden chain of homer. and lastly, the son of god himself assumed human nature and lived openly with us, taught us and became a sacrifice and offering for our sins; and after having overcome death rose and lived again, and discoursed with many in an open and familiar manner; and moreover preached to a great multitude of hearers. and although these things, on account of their greatness, seem to human judgment to be mere fictions, yet they are attested and sealed by sure and certain evidences and miracles; so that they are as surely true as that it is mid-day when the sun has mounted in his course to the mid-heaven. to these blessings we are also to add this, that god was pleased that there should be a history of the human race from the very "beginning," and a record of all those testimonies, by which he revealed himself, committed to writing and engraven on biblical monuments, which should remain forever. nor will god be known in any other way than by these testimonies; nor will he consider any assembly of men, who are ignorant of these testimonies, to be his church, nor will he receive the prayer of those, who do not call upon him as the same god, who does thus make himself known by these his testimonies. the mohammedans and turks call upon god as the creator of universal nature, but they set themselves against his son and his son's doctrine. they say, that he who can approve such doctrine cannot be god. and as to his son, in whom god more especially reveals himself, and concerning whom he says himself, "this is my beloved son in whom i am well pleased, hear ye him," on him they spit with infuriated madness! and what says plato here? although plato does raise his mind above the common opinions of the vulgar, and does not ascribe divinity to statues of wood and stone, but really does inquire after god with very wise reasoning; and although he defines him to be "an eternal mind" and the great cause of all good in nature, yet he still errs very widely from the true god. but how is that, some one may say? what description of god will you find more appropriate than plato's? i acknowledge that he thought most learnedly and wisely concerning the nature of god; but concerning his will, he hangs in doubt himself and leaves all his readers and disciples in doubt also; and to use his own expression "bestormed and shipwrecked in their reasoning." neither plato nor mohammed knew whether god heard and received the unworthy; nor how, nor why, he received them. plato ought however to have inquired not only how god manifested himself in the creation of things, and what traces of himself he impressed upon the face of nature, but also whether or not he had uttered any voice by any certain signs or testimonies, and how that voice was spread abroad and made known. he might have heard these things when studying mathematics in egypt, and might easily have learned all particulars from their neighbors the jews. but the greater part of men always despise the voice and the church of god. but to what purpose is all this far-fetched introduction? it is for this end, that we may know the true church of god is nowhere but among those, who have and who embrace the writings of the prophets and the apostles; that god is nowhere rightly called upon, but where the doctrine contained in these books truly shines forth. and here again we have to consider another singular blessing of god: that he was pleased to cause a whole connected history of all ages, from "the beginning," to be recorded in these books, and has preserved them by his own peculiar care. nay, the whole mosaic economy was ordained for this very preservation of them. for what was the whole of that economy, but a school and library of these books? and the fountain of all is the _first book_ of moses, called genesis, which profane men may perhaps laugh at and consider that it does not differ from the "timon" of plato, in which also the creation of the world is described. but the godly reader knows that there is a wide difference between profane descriptions and this description given us from above. for the latter not only informs us of the beginnings and nature of created bodies, but gives us a description of god himself. and it contains also an account of the beginnings of _the church_; for the sake of which all other things were created and made, all which things we must know before we can understand whence the doctrine of the church proceeded and how the knowledge of it was spread abroad in the world. all heathen superstitions crept into the assemblies of men without any certain authors, and were afterwards accumulated by fanatical persons on various occasions. but from "the book of genesis" we learn that the doctrine of the church was delivered to our first parents by the voice of god, and that thence the knowledge of it was preserved and spread abroad in the world by a continued series of persons and events, and not without manifest evidences and testimonies. enoch was taken up into heaven; noah truly preached of the flood and was afterwards preserved in the flood; abraham, isaac, jacob, joseph, etc., for there are many signs and evidences that they were teachers and priests, truly called of god, were most certain witnesses, that the doctrine which they embraced and preached was from heaven. symmachus objects against christians, that all agree that the oldest doctrine must be the true one; but that the apostolic doctrine is a recent fiction. but symmachus is here in a very great error; for it can be most manifestly proved that the doctrine now held by the church is the first doctrine that was ever delivered to the world. and that is plainly shown in this "book of genesis," where both the doctrine is recorded as having been delivered of god; and also the increasing nations are described, which departed from the purity of that doctrine and formed for themselves new opinions concerning god and set up idols, instead of worshipping him. therefore, we must come to this book for a description of the beginnings of the church, and for testimonies of its propagation; and it is to this book that all doctrines must be referred in order to discover their origin or antiquity. philosophers knew nothing of the cause of sin, of the cause of death, nor of the cause of the great calamities to which the human race are subject; nor did they know anything of the restitution of all things, nor of eternal life. they were continually inquiring, how there is so much misery in the nature of the human race, which is so exalted and excellent. how often do they exclaim against and lament man's violent and impetuous inclinations to vice! they see that his virtues are weak and that they are only faint attempts which soon vanish and end in nothing; as we see in pausanius, who was the great general of the greeks against mardonius; and in alexander; also in themistocles and many others. aristotle seeks for the cause of the death of the human race and of all other living creatures in their material nature; and to make good his hypotheses, he enumerates privation among the principles of natural things; that he might in some way or other make out a continual lapse of matter, decaying and perishing, in order to assume other forms. but the book now under consideration sets before us a far different cause of the death of the human race and of the corruptions which defile it; it shows that the cause was a turning away from god in our human nature at "the beginning;" which human nature, casting away the light and knowledge of god and of life, procured to itself a confusion in its powers and a subjection to the tyranny of the devil and of death. the greatness and enormity of these evils appeared in our first parents, in the murder of cain and in other horrible wickednesses, seen in those first flowers of the human race, which excelled all others in purity and excellence. then again we have a beautiful view and proof of this in the propagation and continual renewing of the church; where it appears that the church is not a kingdom or body politic, belonging to this world, enclosed and guarded by armed garrisons; but a body formed of widely dispersed assemblies, though not hidden and obscure; bearing about with them the divine voice and the word, and dispensing it in public congregations of honest men, to kings, rulers and cities; and calling and drawing many everywhere to prayer and to the true worship of god; though they are all the while derided, cast out, and driven away by tyrants and by the great part of mankind. melchizedek, whom the old divines supposed was shem, the son of noah, surpassed all the men of that time in wisdom, righteousness and age; and he preached for a long time to the people of sodom and the neighboring places, for his dwelling was not more than eight english miles from sodom. therefore no doubt he had a congregation, by no means insignificant, which contained the families of abraham, lot and many others. for although the church was small, yet there was always some church existing; and that no obscure nor inconsiderable assemblage. and these little schools or congregations of hearers were protected and defended from on high. for all the neighboring cities, sodom the chief in power, with infuriated madness despised the heavenly doctrine, and railed at and hated its preachers. in meditating on this book of genesis the picture moses gives us of the church at that time is to be continually and diligently considered. and indeed in reading these histories, the following six particulars are to be carefully borne in mind. _first, the doctrine of our primitive fathers is to be considered,_ and that the prophets and apostles drew many things from these fountains. for our forefathers and the prophets learned the benefits of christ, both out of the promise given to abraham and from other parts of those histories. how eruditely and learnedly does paul draw up the article of righteousness by faith out of that word of genesis, "abraham believed in god, and it was counted unto him for righteousness." and david ascribes unto christ a priesthood like that of melchizedek; marking particularly his office of blessing; when he blessed abraham and promised him in the sweetest words, the favor and help of god; which was different from the office of the levitical priesthood. this is a most rich part of the scripture of genesis as the following commentary frequently points out, and as the godly reader at once perceives in this very history itself; for he knows that these histories are to be read in a far different spirit and with a widely different intent, than all profane and heathen histories. heathen histories merely set before us examples of civil manners, and show that the events attending honest designs are for the most part good, and pleasant, and successful; but that the most fatal calamities await atrocious wickedness. and this is nearly all that we learn from profane and heathen histories. but these prophetic writings contain things of much higher moment; the doctrine of god, the divine testimonies concerning eternal things and the government of the church. _secondly. we must observe and consider these miracles._ not merely to feast our wondering curiosity on their singularity or novelty, but hold them fast as testimonies and evidences; intended to show what kind of doctrine and what kind of teachers god approves. all those marvelous and signal acts of god are above nature, and wrought as "seals" of the doctrine. for we are not to imagine that god was in jest, when he forewarned the antediluvian world of the flood, and when he saved the family of noah alone from that mighty deluge. all these his mighty acts were testimonials of his providence and of his doctrine, which the aged noah preached. _thirdly. let the government, defense and protection of the church be diligently observed;_ which, although it seems to be neglected of god, yet exhibits most illustrious proofs of the presence of god and of his providence. the emperor augustus ruled the world by sure and established laws; he had his armies, to whose care he entrusted the safety of his provinces, and he had also his wealth and other resources, wherewith to support his armies. thus a political government is fortified and protected by human laws, counsels and power. but the government of the church is far different from this. abraham, isaac and jacob wander about like private men and strangers in the land without any human resources for protection; and they collect together a church by the word or voice of god, and by the holy ghost. and though they are unceasingly exercised with various sorrows and distresses, they still find themselves delivered from all evils, protected and defended from above! so also jacob, when about to take his journey with all his family through the territories of his angry and embittered brother, is filled with fears and hesitations, and the difficulties seem insurmountable by all human counsel, but in the night he wrestles with the lord and is encouraged, confirmed and protected. and many like examples are contained in this little but momentous book of record, which shows us that god is ever with his church. it commands and encourages us also to seek and hope for help and defense from him. for these things were recorded and handed down to posterity that we might be encouraged by such examples and might know that god in the same manner is ever willing to protect and defend us. _fourthly. we must bear in mind the continual succession of the church._ men magnify the ordinary succession of all human things; the titles and honors and decorations of parents and the magnificence of houses and places. cain, ishmael and esau arrogated to themselves dominion and superiority in the church, because they had the advantage of their brethren in age. the ancient babylonians maintained that their opinions concerning god were the most true, because that was the most ancient dwelling place of our fathers, and because it was the capital and citadel of their empire; just as bishops and colleges now on account of an ordinary succession assume to themselves this peculiar honor, that they cannot err; and that they are the habitation and the pillars of the truth. but paul shows us in romans 9:6, etc., that all such judgments and opinions are refuted in genesis, where the apostle shows in the most forcible manner that the church is not propagated and continued by any prerogatives or privileges of birth or place, but by the calling and word of god. the family of jacob was the church; because it retained the doctrine of the word from heaven; but esau did not retain it. thus the church which fell away and declined in palestine was restored by the calling of the great teacher abraham, and by the renewal of the promise to him with additional evidences and testimonies, and this history shows that the church is the care of god, and is regenerated and revived by him; as paul says, "and he gave gifts unto men, prophets and apostles, and pastors, and teachers." let us not then be moved by honors of dignity, or places, or an orderly succession, so as to be made to believe that the church is that assembly of men who oppose the gospel and who would kill and exterminate all honest men on account of their profession of the doctrine of godliness, as cain did. _fifthly. we must bear in mind while reading this book of genesis, the lives, manners and actions of the persons recorded in it._ we have before been speaking of the doctrine and government of the church, and they who despise these will never truly value or prize this book. for such men seek in these histories as in all others, and are interested only in the various commotions and changes of states and kingdoms, and the examples and lives of the leaders of armies and the wonderful events of wars. but here they read also the conversations and lives of shepherds; which are like real pastorals, better than virgil's bucolica. and they here read also the marriages and quarrels of women, which they despise as altogether without interest. all such readers and proud men err, and do not understand that it is the church which is here portrayed by moses, which is poor and humble in external appearance and unlike mighty empires; yet, as the members of that church lived a civil life, its history consists in domestic and political actions; according to the vocation of those members of the church of god and the various occurrences which took place in their lives. thus abraham taught his guests concerning god, and with such effect that they themselves said, that he was an angel from god; for it is indeed a great work, verily the greatest of all works to teach rightly concerning god. this same man carries on war when circumstances require it and defeats a huge army of the chaldeans with a very small number, showing thereby that true courage is a divine motion in the soul from god. this same man is also a master of a family, is full of pure affection, and loves his wives and his children. he is also a diligent man in all his domestic affairs. he defends his fountains and his cattle. in buying he evinces peculiar care, justice and equity; things which he knows god requires in all the dealings of men with each other. and in all this tenor of domestic and political life abraham's great aim is this, that thereby his confession and profession might be made manifest by his actions. in all the common calamities moreover which attend this life of trouble, he exercises the fear of god, patience and calling upon god in prayer; and he experiences at the hand of god many and great deliverances. all these things in the lives of the holy patriarchs are committed to _letters_ and recorded in this holy book; to the end that superstitions of every kind might be refuted. for in all ages superstitious men have imagined and sought out various ceremonies and modes of religious action, which are not consistent even with common sense, and these superstitious ceremonies they have pompously commended to the people under the title of great acts of religion. all the laws of celibacy, of particular meats and drinks, of afflicting and torturing the body, to make a feigned outside show of religion, are as ancient as the world itself. but let us oppose to all these mad inventions the domestic and political lives and conversations of the patriarchal fathers, which were full of examples of faith, full of the most honorable and kind duties toward their fellow men, and full of the tenderest affection. nevertheless, these holy characters were not without ceremonies. there were sacrifices; there were certain explanations of the word and will of god; there were certain holy exercises. the possession of letters and of learning also rested with these men especially. from them it is that we received theology, history and medicine. therefore they must doubtless have been engaged in various domestic duties and exercises; that those of the less experienced ages might be instructed by them and trained to virtue. _sixthly. even the faults and falls of the great men, recorded in this book must be particularly considered._ they took the greatest care not to rush into anything against their consciences. but some offenses will arise in the best of men even against their wills. and sometimes offenses occur of which men are wholly ignorant and unconscious before they take place. lot, when in the great grief of his mind he had drunk to excess, was defiled by an incestuous commerce with his own daughters. but in these slips and falls we are to observe a distinctive difference. these holy men who feared god, as i said, were on their guard not to rush into anything against their consciences; and when they happened to fall they deplored the weakness of human nature and learned to see the value of the promise of deliverance through the saviour, who was to come. and they at length knew that god had received them again in mere mercy, for the sake of the great deliverer promised; and by that confidence and trust in the promised mercy they returned to god; and therefore they obtained pardon and were delivered from their sins and the punishment of them. hence jacob preaches and proclaims the angel, the son of god, by whom he said he was "delivered from all evil"; namely, from sin and eternal punishment. but the wicked, as cain, the "giants," and the people of sodom, defiled themselves with various sins and iniquities in an open contempt of god, and rushed into eternal destruction. therefore the wide difference between the falls and punishments of these two characters is to be diligently observed in reading this book of genesis. these observations i have made by way of introduction for the benefit of the inexperienced, that being thus forewarned they might know that the doctrine contained in these sacred histories is concerning the most momentous things, and is most copious and extensive, which indeed the following commentary will most learnedly and blessedly open up and explain. let those therefore who read it bear in mind that the six particular admonitions which i have here mentioned; and let their aim in reading be this, that by meditating on the lives of the holy men here recorded, they may become accustomed to the fear of god and to faith in him; and to call upon him in prayer and supplication. and as there is no old commentary of the book of genesis existing, and as it is well known to all that this book is calculated to be of the utmost benefit and profit, thanks are due to the reverend doctor luther, our teacher, both from myself and from all who fear god, for having undertaken this exposition, by doing which he has rendered a most essential service; not only to us, but to all posterity; because he has here opened up and explained the most important things; and has also so commented upon those most excellent men and lights of the church, abraham, isaac, jacob and joseph, that their virtues because of this commentary shine forth with much renewed brightness. before this, when the people heard the names of these luminaries of the church, they had no particular thoughts upon their spiritual excellencies or their heroism; nor did they consider them to be above the common rank of shepherds; but now, they learn to acknowledge the peculiar presence of god with them, and to render thanks unto god that they were called of him and that they so wonderfully governed and revived the church. from these also they have borrowed eminent examples of the fear of god, of faith, of confession, of patience, and of many other holy virtues. on these they fix their eyes as on leaders and lights of the church, and inquire of their doctrine for the confirmation of their faith. in a word they venerate them as their fathers; that is, as teachers of all who call upon jesus christ; and they understand also that these same patriarchs are the fathers in the flesh of those murderers, the jews, and of others who, like the jews of old, hold up christ for a laughing-stock and "crucify him afresh" day by day. indeed, it is no small step toward godliness to know the doctrines of abraham, isaac, jacob and joseph; and to exalt these eminent men in our esteem. and that this commentary might be a benefit to more, and might be handed down to posterity, as doctor luther had not leisure enough to commit it to writing, with the help of my friends, caspar cruciger and george rorary, i collected it with the greatest diligence and speed, as we received it from the mouth of our venerable teacher luther; and faithfully committed it to paper; and i hope our services will be acceptable to all our readers who fear the lord. this useful and valuable monument of divine knowledge and experience therefore i dedicate to you, most illustrious prince, john ernest; which, i doubt not, you will prize more than any monuments of marble or of brass. for i know it is your desire that this noble work of martin luther should be preserved for the church's sake; and i am equally assured that you love and cherish it with a pious regard, and after the example of your father; and i am also persuaded that you love the author of it; which also you do after the example of your reverend father, that most upright prince, elector john, duke of saxony, whose worth we thus deservedly record; who, although he was far inferior to our most eminent leaders, whom i have before mentioned, abraham, isaac, jacob and joseph; yet i may justly rank him with that pharaoh, king of egypt, whom joseph instructed in the true knowledge of god; and who gave a quiet dwelling to the family of jacob. for thus your father also learned the gospel with a holy desire that he might worship god. and he cherished and adorned the churches, and devoted all his counsels with the greatest moderation, to the common peace and tranquility of germany. receive therefore, illustrious prince, this great work, which is now dedicated to you; that by reading these wonderful histories of the government, the perils, and the defense of the church of god, you may learn to govern and strengthen your own exalted mind. the reason why this commentary did not appear all at once, but in separate volumes, was because the labor of collecting and committing it to paper was very great; and we have not much idle time at our disposal, from the duties of our calling, as many dream we have; nor as those have, who only vaunt and talk of their great and numerous good works. i hope however that this my candid confession will be accepted by the reader, if i shall put into his hands a part of our labors first; though it is not a small part; and i promise that the remainder shall be added to it in a short time. for as one of old says, "a godly mind surmounts the hardest toil." we who are engaged in church work have not only the labor of commenting and teaching, but we have also to endure many other burdens; and that, too, with much courage and firm determination of mind. nor am i deterred from my purpose even by the opinions of those, who say that nothing which our adversaries advance, who reproach this kind of doctrine (which, through the goodness and mercy of god, sounds forth in our church), ought to be published to the world. for god's will is that he should be proclaimed aloud, both by the living voice and by the writings of his church. hence it is said concerning the church's living voice, "out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast thou perfected praise." and concerning her writings, "these things shall be written for the generation to come." god's will is, that the doctrine revealed by him should be delivered faithfully and purely to posterity. and his will also is that we should inculcate it by speaking, by discoursing, by commenting, and by writing; that it might become familiarly known to us. and this continual meditation and application of the pen are of essential service to the promotion of godliness. in a word, on what subjects can we meditate and what things can we commit to paper more useful and important than these? i approve of the labors of all, who devote themselves to the useful arts. i praise those who describe the nature and properties of plants and adorn any of the arts given us from above. but it is not more the duty of men to philosophize upon plants or upon the anatomy of the human body, than to collect with a godly intent those things which were delivered to us of god, attended with sure and certain testimonies. and as to our adversaries, who reproach the doctrine of our church, all such are refuted in this very book of genesis by those sure witnesses, abraham, isaac, jacob and joseph. since, therefore, we have such eminent men as these, as witnesses on our side; nay, as our teachers, too; let us not be moved by the calumnies and reproaches of the wicked. reader, farewell. to god i commend you. christmas, 1544. dedication of basil faber. _to the worthy, honorable and illustrious christopher von steinberg, my gracious lord:_ how one should read the books of moses and what one should chiefly learn from them are fully set forth by our beloved and highly honored father, doctor luther, in many places of his writings; namely, one should first of all and above all concentrate his attention upon the very loving and comforting promises concerning our lord and saviour, some of which are very clear and plain in the sacred writings of moses, as gen. 3:15, "and i will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." also, gen. 22:18, "and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." likewise deut. 18:15, "jehovah thy god will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him shall ye hearken." in the second place attention should be given to the glorious and beautiful examples of faith, of love, of suffering, of patience, of prayer and other spiritual characteristics and traits in the saints, as in adam, abel, noah, abraham, isaac, jacob and others. how god was disposed toward them, governed, protected and heard them. and thirdly, study the examples of unbelief among the ungodly and of the divine wrath and judgment, in cain, ishmael, esau, in the flood and in the destruction of sodom and gomorrah. for all these are nowhere described more truly and fully than in the writings of moses; and such examples illustrate, if they are rightly studied, how the entire old testament is to be used with profit; namely, that we learn to trust and believe in god from the examples of the saints set before us, how god received them, ruled and led them and wonderfully protected them. but from the examples of the wrath and judgment of god learn to fear him. such passages are not only here and there in all the books of moses, but in his first book he treats also the following important themes: whence all creatures, especially man, have their origin; also what sin and death are and how man may be delivered from them and become truly pious, which every man seeks and desires; for these are the most important subjects of all the sacred scriptures. likewise, how the church originated and grew, often came in need and danger, and was wonderfully preserved by god. the foregoing one should know, if he would read moses, and especially his first book, genesis. but so much is in these sound and useful lessons and explanations of genesis by our honored father, doctor martin luther, of blessed memory, that i will give a short account of it. and first it is true that this dear and great man, our beloved father and prophet, doctor martin luther, served the church to his last days in many and various labors. in his exposition of the prophetical and apostolical writings, he has most faithfully explained, enforced and defended the doctrines concerning the forgiveness of sins, righteousness before god, and eternal salvation. however his expositions of his "beloved genesis," as he delighted to call it, are a key or paragon to all his other writings and books, and a very rich treasure in which an excellent theology is gathered and formulated, as every diligent reader will find for himself. for what is now and then treated in many writings of doctor luther, flow together here in one work, which might rightly be called dr. luther's theology. further you find here for the first time many useful reports of all kinds of spiritual and theological discussions, as they spring up continuously, and especially critical and special instruction almost on every article of christian doctrine, of god, of the three persons in the divine essence, of the creation, of sin, of faith and the forgiveness of sin; of the law and the gospel, and how both doctrines are to be distinguished from one another, which have never been treated better and more fully than in this book. also, of the true church, of the papacy of rome, against which you will find here very powerful storms, almost on every page. against the jews and all their lies, dreams and phantasies; also some powerful discussions and strong refutations of their prejudices, comments, corruptions and misunderstandings. in addition also the correct exegesis or explanations of many difficult passages of the scriptures, and strong consolation in all kinds of spiritual need and temptations, as against doubt and unbelief, the fear and the crisis of death, and the like. also, the refutation of many false teachings and heresies both old and new. in addition some fine and useful histories illustrating the course of the gospel in our day. likewise prophecies concerning germany as to its sad future because it lightly esteems the word and is so very unthankful, some of which have already been realized and others are about to be. finally you find at times, according to the drift and occasion of the expositions, good counsels and reports also about external and worldly affairs, to know which fully is necessary, useful and pleasant. therefore then, as i considered it a sin that such a treasure should remain only in the latin language and that others, who were unacquainted with it, should be robbed of it, especially since dr. martin luther was the teacher and prophet of germany; and in order that everybody, especially the fathers of homes and the people at large, might enjoy this treasure to their profit, advancement and consolation, have i in my weak ability translated the first two parts of the exposition into german in the plainest and most faithful manner, and dedicated the same to your high honor and to other christians of the nobility, who have been admonished to love and further such christian works, for a testimony and praise that your highness was disposed in a christian and praiseworthy manner to further such useful church works, and heartily inclined to do them. may our beloved god and father of our lord jesus christ grant that it may be helpful to many pious christians! herewith i commend your highness and the benevolent christians of the worthy nobility to the care and protection of almighty god. your humble, willing servant, basil faber. dated magdeburg, st. michael, a.d. 1557. preface of dr. john george walch. among the illustrious gifts of grace with which god endowed our beloved and blessed dr. martin luther, as the chosen agent for the reformation of the church, one of the greatest was that he did not only love the divine word from his heart and held it indeed, dearer than thousands of gold and silver; but also that he possessed a deep insight into and was mighty in explaining the scriptures of the old and new testaments. both were united in a high degree in him by the wisdom and goodness of god. he was indeed a great lover of the divine word and found in it his greatest pleasure, when he studied it to be established in his faith by learning from it the way he should walk. in the many and various trials he had to experience he could draw from it the one consolation, of which he gave many proofs and at the same time left behind him a testimony that can not be gainsaid, which confirms that for which he is in this respect honored. for his love and high appreciation of the sacred scriptures he makes apparent upon every occasion. from the beginning of his academic career to its close he lectured constantly and untiringly on the scriptures and sought to make his hearers acquainted with them. he founded his teachings on them and was therefore firm and unmovable in the same. he used them against his opponents as the sword of the spirit, put them to flight and refuted all their errors, so that they could not do anything against him, especially the papists. he praised the scriptures most highly and admonished all to read them and pray to god for true light if they desired the true knowledge and wished to further their salvation. as great as was his love to the divine books so well was he experienced in them and god gave him great talents to understand and explain them. he did not hang to the outward shell nor did he seek to apply in his expositions an extensive human knowledge; but he came to the right foundation and the true and real purpose of the spirit of god, whether he had before him the legal or the evangelical word, and knew a clear and impressive way to give the true meaning and will of god in the respective passages, especially concerning the universal sinful and deep ruin of mankind, the grace and merciful love of god, christ the kernel of all the holy scriptures, righteousness by faith, the active and working character of faith, as also other points of life and doctrine, which he did not do the least in the historical parts of the scriptures. such gifts luther received from god because he was chosen as the agent of the reformation, and they were by all means necessary to that end. for by means of the scriptures the light penetrated the darkness covering the world, and revealed the abominations of the papacy. hence he translated the scriptures into german from the original texts. he placed the bible in the hands of the people. then in his sermons, academic lectures and everywhere he diligently explained in many excellent expositions the divine books, where he showed how one is to understand the word of god and apply it fruitfully to his edification. these expository and exegetical writings of the sainted luther are written with a talent especially adapted for the work, and they have also at all times brought special blessings, although we deny not that some are to be preferred to others. and among luther's very best writings all agree, and rightly so, is his commentary on genesis, a short historical account of which i will now give. luther began this work at wittenberg in his lectures to the university students in 1536, and ended it after ten years of labor, nov. 17, 1545, only a few months before his death. so john mathesius reports in his "sermons on the life of luther," and then adds, luther because of worry left wittenberg for a time to visit the prince of anhalt, at merseburg, and wrote, "upon his return home, he finished his genesis, nov. 17, 1545, on which he had labored ten years." ludwig von seckendorf's "history of lutheranism" is the authority that he began this work in 1536, while in the margin of the latin edition is printed that he entered upon the exposition of the twenty-second chapter, oct. 27, 1539. in the meantime the wisdom of god directed that this glorious treasure should not lie buried, but should be brought to light for the quickening of many souls, and issued periodically in parts. the beginning was made while luther was still living, and the first part, the creation and the flood, appeared in 1545, containing his lectures on the first eleven chapters of genesis, edited by veit dietrich, who heard luther deliver the lectures while a student at wittenberg, to which he wrote a dedication, and luther added a short but precious "address to the christian reader" [both of which we print in full]. luther died in 1546, and veit dietrich in 1549, but jerome besoldus, pastor at nuremberg, continued the work and issued the three other parts or volumes at nuremberg. the second volume, the history of abraham, with a preface by michael roting, professor at nuremberg, from the twelfth chapter to verse 10 of the twenty-fifth chapter, was published in 1550. the third volume, to the thirty-sixth chapter, appeared in 1552, with a preface by philip melanchthon, and the fourth volume to the end of genesis, in 1554, prefaced by besoldus himself. jerome baumgartner, a councilman of nuremberg, and a great lover of luther's writings, appointed besoldus to this work upon the death of veit dietrich, melanchthon and rorary approving. jerome besoldus studied at wittenberg, heard these lectures from luther's mouth, and diligently wrote a large part of them as they were delivered. he stayed in the home of luther and ate at his table. he made use, also, of what dietrich, cruciger, rorary and stoltz had written from luther's mouth. he says when veit dietrich died while preparing the second volume, the enemies of the gospel sought to prevent its publication, and there was little hope that it should appear in print complete. but god graciously heard the prayers of the godly in these dark and distressing days, who longed for the last and best writings of their beloved luther, when councilman baumgartner resolved that at least what veit dietrich had prepared for the second volume should appear, and the result was the work complete was printed. this commentary was delivered to the students in latin and first published in that language. but soon arrangements were perfected to issue it in german. basil faber, who died while rector in erfurt, a celebrated educator, translated the first two volumes, whose dedication we give in full; and john guden, senior pastor at brunswick, translated volumes three and four, and his dedication was to the same person and written on epiphany of the same year, 1557, a little before faber's dedication. other editions of the commentary, both in latin and german, followed, and then it was incorporated in the editions of the complete works of luther; in the wittenberg edition, in latin and german, and in the altenburg and the leipsic collections in german, and all subsequent editions. that luther himself did not make much of this work is a proof of his humility and that he ascribed nothing to himself, but all to the grace of god. nevertheless the commentary is worthy of all the praise it has received. in the formula of concord our forefathers referred to it as a _"commentarius praeclarus,"_ or an excellent commentary and the leipsic and wittenberg theologians in their final report and explanation, especially against flacius, mention "the augsburg confession," the postils, and other sermons of luther which are full of the precious teachings and strong consolation of the holy ghost, and all his other books on doctrine, especially those written after the diet of augsburg, in 1530, among the best of which are his explanations of certain prophets and the psalms, the epistle to the galatians; and in this select list is classified the "commentary on genesis." they designate it as a "rich exposition, with which he closed his calling, his ministerial office and his life in a blessed way. because of this we justly esteem it highly. for in the same commentary he gave full and free expression to his last convictions and confession on most of the articles of the christian faith and bequeathed them to the world." in like manner have other divines of our church judged of this commentary and held that we should esteem it highly and that it proves luther was truly a great expounder of the scriptures. (basil faber's dedication is quoted at length here, also veit dietrich at other places, but we refer the reader to their documents, which we give in full.) john guden says: "luther has left us in this commentary a rich treasury as a legacy, and what a valuable treasure it is, they will truly learn, who diligently read it. as a summary, one finds here the true kernel of the doctrine our god has revealed to us through dr. luther, as melanchthon, jonas and other spiritual men have also rightly judged." mathesius with good spiritual taste says: "he who learns to know christ in genesis has instruction in the power of the divine word and knows what sin and righteousness are, which avail before god. my testimony concerning this blessed commentary i wish to leave behind me that my natural and spiritual children may not forget it, but esteem it highly all their lives. my genesis, for the sake of instruction and consolation, i have frequently read through, underscored and described. remember this commentary explained to me the word and will of christ, and from it god gave comfort, rest and life to my troubled soul. for when our case is like the suffering of the patriarchs and the exposition suits one's heart as if the doctor really speaks with us, then the commentary is incorporated in us and lives in us, and refreshes and quickens one's heart." joachim morlin, in "how to read with profit the writings and books of the beloved and blessed man of god, dr. martin luther," praises above all others this commentary and says: "read the following 'consummatum est,' 'it is finished,' of this holy man, 'the beloved genesis,' in which as in a new world he brings forth and opens up not only certain parts but all the treasures and riches of the wisdom of the divine word, so that there is not another book like it on earth since the times of the apostles. luther's genesis makes all theologians scholars." jerome weller says: "luther's commentary on genesis is his swan song. for although all luther's writings are full of manifold doctrines and consolations, yet his commentary on genesis excels all others. there is hardly a temptation for which he has not given in this commentary a sure remedy; yes, luther has excelled himself in this commentary. therefore i continually admonish all theological students again and again that they read this commentary diligently and assiduously and never lay it out of their hands, but seek to be wedded to it. for i can assure you i received more benefit from this commentary than from almost all the other writings of luther. therefore i will never be satisfied nor tired of reading it. if all that has been written since the apostles were gathered in one heap, they would not be worthy to be compared with this commentary. i know that i speak the truth, and all who have experienced the truth and learned theologians share my convictions." not that the work does not praise itself but that we may better know that not only a few but that the teachers of our church generally, have at all times justly emphasized its praise, i add a few more testimonies. timothy kirchner, in the preface to his _"thesaurus dr. lutheri"_ (1565), says: "in this book all theologians must go to school, and no one will graduate in it. luther, the man of god, has so clearly and richly treated in it nearly all the greatest and most important articles of our christian faith, that the like, the holy bible alone excepted, has not appeared in the world and indeed will not. it will be and remain indeed a _'thesaurus thesaurorum,'_ a treasury of treasuries, and a perennial fountain of all consolation, along with the bible." david chytraeus (1557) also does not know how to praise this work enough, he says: "it is a swan song and at the same time a complete work in every respect. not only is it a rich treasure of spiritual wisdom and learning, clothed in fine, rich language, and an accurate explanation of all the difficult passages and questions, but it has also developed in its language a special and characteristic power, which moves the soul of the reader and inspires him to true piety, fear of god, faith and other virtues." he admonishes all the godly attentively and diligently to read this last work of luther, and advertise it in preference to other writings, which are indeed learned, but are not as awakening as this one. daniel cramer agrees with chytraeus and says in his "isagogics," in 1630: "whoever has not read this commentary is not worthy of the name of a theologian." abraham calov in his preface to his "commentary on genesis" (1671), calls this "a golden book," and thomas crenius (1704), "a work that can not be praised enough." christian gerber expresses his conviction thus: "the writings of luther are worthy to be esteemed more highly and used more diligently. his commentary on genesis is a remarkable book, not only awakening but useful and edifying to read. he has so beautifully described the virtues and piety of the holy patriarchs that one can hardly read them enough when he once begins. one could draw from this commentary an excellent patriarchal and christian system of ethics, and it is to be hoped that some theologian will do it, which would indeed be a useful and excellent book." again john heinreich von seelen writes: "it is a treasure more precious that gold, containing inestimable riches of holy thoughts, so that some have rightly judged that this is the best of all luther's books." von seckendorf writes: "one is really amazed at the almost incredible gifts of luther to explain the holy scriptures so critically and clearly without any great effort. he studied the greatest expounders of the bible. he was little concerned about his words and style and dictated nothing, and the same thoughts he uttered on other occasions in different words, for he was never in want of words." many more like testimonies could be quoted. the foregoing words of praise are well grounded, as every one who has thoughtfully and diligently read this book must confess. what richard simon, the jewish critic, and pallavicinus, maimburg and other enemies of the protestant faith have said against it only prove their own ignorance and darkness in spiritual knowledge and makes luther shine forth all the brighter. when von seckendorf wished to make extracts from this commentary, so many important subjects and passages were found that he did not know which to select. there is a glorious work for this book of the sainted luther to accomplish. from it the learned and the unlearned may be taught the true meaning of genesis, gain a critical insight into many theological subjects and reap much for their private devotions. therefore it is well that new editions of it are constantly being issued and an opportunity is given to a larger number to read it. this edition will be found more correct and accurate than the others, and also more serviceable and convenient. this is due to the publisher, mr. john gottgetreu mueller, who has chosen not only good paper and print, but also a convenient form (a quarto instead of a folio form). may the lord of lords make this labor of the sainted luther to be a greater blessing, so that his most holy name may further be glorified and many souls be established in the saving knowledge of the gospel, or encouraged to that end, for the sake of his merciful love. amen. john george walch. jena, april 6th, 1739. from the preface by dr. henry cole. a tribute of a theologian of england. "this invaluable and last production of the loved and revered reformer is a rich and precious mine of sacred wisdom; a vast treasury of deep research, of varied scriptural knowledge and of extensive christian experience; in a word, it is a profound and comprehensive body of biblical, sacred-historical, doctrinal, spiritual and experimental divinity. so that a christian who procures 'luther on galatians' and 'luther on genesis' possesses a complete treasury of rich, solid and saving theology. "indeed it is impossible to convey by any command of description an idea of the extent, depth and richness of the mine of christian knowledge and experience, which luther's long hidden and unknown exposition of genesis contains. the sins, trials, afflictions, faith, hope, deliverances, joys and duties of kings, princes, magistrates, husbands, wives, parents, children, masters and servants, rich and poor, are treated, as they occur in the lives of the patriarchs and prominent characters of the divine record. "i hesitate not a moment to express my fullest persuasion that the church of christ will consider luther's commentary on genesis the deepest and most spiritual exposition of any book or portion of the holy scriptures in existence; entering the most deeply and clearly into god's mind, and furnishing the most profound, varied and blessed edification for the family of heaven; and also the most useful, truthful, valuable and divine instruction for the world at large. "as an expositor of the holy scriptures luther's comments contain a depth of investigation unpenetrated, a width of meditation unspanned, an extent of research unoccupied, a scriptural knowledge unpossessed, a variety of reflections unevinced, a multitude of wonders unrevealed, a number of beauties undiscovered, a value of instruction uncommunicated, a spirit of holiness unbreathed, a height of praise unascended, a depth of worship unfathomed, and a magnification of the scriptures as the word of god, unsurpassed and unequalled by any commentator, before or since his day." this divine and educator of the church of england says luther's commentary on genesis is "doubtless the masterpiece of the greatest of the extra bible saints and servants of the most high." "what an ox-like labor, or as the reformer expresses it, 'what a ministerial sweat!'" "this greatest of all commentaries." space will not permit more. in the second volume on genesis we hope to say more on the place this commentary has held and ought to hold in english protestantism. a tribute of a christian lady in scotland. dr. cole in his preface, dated london, feb. 2nd, 1857, records to the praise of god that, "it came in a most remarkable and wholly unexpected way to the knowledge of a noble lady of scotland, lady m----, that the 'creation,' the first part of luther's great commentary on genesis, was translated; and that the translator was at a loss for ways and means whereby to print and publish it; and, after two letters of favored communication and explanation between the translator and her ladyship, this 'noble' disciple of the redeemer, 1 cor. 1:26, in her second letter at once with divine nobleness of mind purchased the manuscript at its full fixed price, without one word about abatement; and she also as nobly undertook to print and publish it at her own expense. from her ladyship's communications it appeared that she herself was 'brought to the knowledge of the truth' by reading translations of luther's writings. her present holy acts of service to the cause of truth were therefore those of gratitude to god, of love and honor to the name of luther, and of encouragement to his humble translators." years before, this lady read of dr. cole's intention to translate luther on genesis, but it did not appear. thinking that the translator had no doubt "gone the way of all the earth," she made an effort to have it translated and published, in order to be benefited still more by reading luther in english. hence her great surprise after many years to receive a letter from dr. cole, stating the manuscript was finally ready. she replied thus: "my dear sir:-your letter was the cause of much interest and surprise to me; for about the time that you completed your translation of 'the creation' by luther, i was anxiously inquiring from every one i could think of, to know if there was any one who could and would translate it; and i bought the work on genesis in the original in hope to find some one to translate it; but upon inquiring of messrs. ---and others, i found that the translation and publication would be so expensive that i was obliged to abandon the thought of it." * * * * * it thus pleased all-wise god to choose not a rich son of his, but a daughter to execute his blessed work. may god grant that this interest so general and promising in england and scotland half a century ago in translating luther may be revived by all the sons and daughters who have been benefited by his writings! minneapolis, minn., nov. 28th, 1903. j. n. lenker. dr. martin luther to the christian reader. my lectures on genesis i did not undertake with the intention that they be published and advertised; but in order that i might serve for a time our university as it is at present, and that i might exercise my audience and myself in the word of god; lest i should finish the death of this body in an old age indolent and entirely useless. to this end ps. 146:2 awakened and encouraged me: "while i live will i praise jehovah; i will sing praises unto my god while i have any being." moreover, i undertook the work in order that i might be found at death among that "little flock" and of those "babes," out of whose mouth "god perfects praise" or establishes strength, by which he destroys the enemy and the avenger, ps. 8:2. for the world always has enough monsters and devils, who blaspheme, corrupt and pervert the word of god, so that god be not adorned with his glory, but satan instead is adored. it however so happened that these lectures fell into the hands of two good and pious men who collected them. dr. casper cruciger, whose books sufficiently testify how he was led by the spirit of god and by the study of his word; and mr. george rorary, the ministers of our church here at wittenberg. their work was followed by that of master veit dietrich, the pastor at nuremberg, who contributed his share. all of these men are truly faithful, scholarly and zealous ministers of the word of god, and their judgment is that these lectures should by all means be published. for my part i leave them to act according to their own conviction, as st. paul says, "let each man be fully assured in his own mind," rom. 14:5, and as i see that they are moved by a holy zeal to serve the congregations of the church of christ, i therefore strongly approve of their intention and i pray that the benediction of god may rest upon them! however i would prefer that their christian labors and valuable time were spent on a better book and a better author. for i am not one of whom it can be said, "he did a good work"; neither one of whom you can say, "he tried to do a good work"; i belong to the last order of authors, who dare scarcely say, "i desired to do a good work." oh, that i might be worthy of being the last in this last order. for all these lectures were delivered in an extemporaneous and popular form, just as the expressions came into my mouth, following in quick succession and also mixed with german, and surely more verbose than i wished. not however that i am conscious of having spoken anything contrary to the truth. my chief aim has been, as far as possible, to avoid obscurity and present as perspicuous as my talent and ability could the things which i wished to have understood. for i feel keenly that these weighty matters of which moses wrote have been treated by me in a manner far beneath their dignity and importance. but i console myself with the old proverb, "let him fail who attempts to do a thing better than he is able"; and with this scripture, "god requires nothing of a man beyond the ability he has given him." 2 cor. 8:12. but why multiply words? that of which we treat are the scriptures; the scriptures, i say, of the holy spirit, and for these things, as st. paul says, who is sufficient? 2 cor. 3:5. they are a river, says gregory, in which a lamb may walk or touch bottom and an elephant must swim. they are the wisdom of god which makes the wise of this world and "the prince" of it fools; which makes babes eloquent, and the eloquent men babes. in a word he is not the best, who comprehends all things and never fails, for such a one never has been, is not now and never will be; but he is the best here who loves the most, as ps. 1:2 says, "blessed is the man that loveth the law of jehovah and meditateth on it." abundantly sufficient is it for us, if we delight in this divine wisdom, love it and meditate on it day and night. we examine the commentaries of the fathers and find that the good will was certainly not lacking among them, but to do it they were not able. and how ridiculous are all of our day, who attempt to explain the great things, the scriptures by a beautiful, as they term it, by a pure latinity or by paraphrases, being themselves utterly destitute of the spirit and of understanding, and no more competent to treat such holy things than, as the proverb runs, "asses are to play upon a harp." jerome correctly said, every one brings the offering to the tabernacle he can afford. one brings gold, another silver, another precious stones and the skins or the hair of goats. for the lord has need of all these things. the wills of all were equally pleasing to him, though their offerings were not equal. therefore i permit these few goat hairs of mine to be published, as my offering and sacrifice unto god, whom i beseech in christ jesus, our lord, that he would, through my labors, give occasion to others to do better or at least to exert themselves to explain these things better than i have done. as to my adversaries and their god, the devil, i believe with holy pride and exultation in the lord, that i have given occasions enough to them to cavil and calumniate, for this i have continually and liberally done from the beginning of my ministry. this is the only service they are worthy to perform, for they neither can do nor desire to do anything that is good; being, as paul says, "men of corrupt minds; and unto every good work reprobate," tit. 1:15, 16. may our lord jesus christ perfect his work, which he hath begun in us and hasten that day of our redemption, for which we long with uplifted heads, and for which we sigh and wait in pure faith and a good conscience, in which we have also served an ungrateful world, a world that is the incorrigible enemy even of its own, to say nothing of our, salvation. "come, lord jesus!" and let every one that loves thee, say, "come, lord jesus!" amen. commentary on genesis. chapter i. i. introduction. this first chapter of our holy bible is written in the simplest and plainest language, and yet it contains the greatest and at the same time the most difficult themes. therefore the jews, as jerome testifies, were forbidden to read it or hear it read before they were thirty years of age. the jews required that all the other scriptures be well known by every one before they were permitted to approach this chapter. their rabbins however accomplished little good by this, for even many of the rabbins themselves, whose years were more than twice thirty, give in their commentaries and talmuds the most childish and foolish explanations of these, the greatest of all subjects. nor has any one yet in the church to the present day explained all these momentous things correctly and satisfactorily in every respect. for interpreters have confused and entangled every thing with such a variety, diversity and infinity of questions that it is very clear that god reserved to himself the majesty of this wisdom, and the correct understanding of this chapter, leaving to us only the general ideas that the world had a beginning and was created by god out of nothing. this general knowledge may clearly be taken from the text. but with respect to the particulars, there is so much that one cannot be clear about and hence innumerable questions have continually been raised in commentaries. from moses however we know that 6000 years ago the world did not exist. but of this no philosopher can in any way be persuaded; because, according to aristotle the first and the last man cannot in any way be determined, although however aristotle leaves the problem in doubt whether or not the world is eternal, yet he is inclined to the opinion that it is eternal. for human reason cannot ascend higher than to declare that the world is eternal, and an infinite generation preceded us and will follow us. here human reason is forced to stand still. however from this belief follows as a consequence the perilous opinion that the soul is mortal, because philosophy knows no plurality of infinities. for it cannot be, but that human reason must be overwhelmed and shipwrecked in the sea of the majesty of these themes. plato collected, perhaps in egypt, some traditional sparks as it were from the sermons of the fathers and prophets, and therefore he came nearer the truth than others. he holds that matter and mind are eternal; but he says that the world had a beginning and that it was made out of matter. but i cease to mention the opinions of philosophers, for lyra cites these although he does not explain them. thus neither among the hebrews, greeks nor latins is there a leading teacher whom we can follow here with safety. therefore i shall be pardoned if i shall see what i can say on the subject. for except the one general opinion that the world was created out of nothing there is scarcely another thing connected with the subject on which there is entire agreement among all theologians. hilary and augustine, two great lights in the church, believed that the world was made on a sudden and all at once, not successively during the space of six days. augustine plays upon these six days in a marvelous manner in explaining them. he considers them to be mystical days of knowledge in the angels, and not natural days. hence have arisen those continual discussions in the schools and in churches concerning the evening and morning knowledge, which augustine was the cause of being introduced. these are all diligently collected and particularly mentioned by lyra. let those therefore who wish to know more about them consult lyra. but all these disputations, though subtle and clever, are not to the point in question. for what need is there to make a two-fold knowledge. equally useless is it to consider moses in the beginning of his history as speaking mystically or allegorically. for as he is not instructing us concerning allegorical creatures and an allegorical world, but concerning essential creatures and a world visible and apprehensive by the senses, he calls, as we say in our trite proverb, "a post, a post;" that is, when he says morning or day or evening, his meaning is the same as ours when we use those terms, without any allegory whatever. thus the evangelist matthew, in his last chapter, uses the same manner of expression when he says that christ arose on the evening of the sabbath; that is, at that time of one of the sabbath days which was formed by the evening light. but if we cannot fully comprehend the days here mentioned nor understand why god chose to use these intervals of time, let us rather confess our ignorance in the matter than wrest the words of moses from the circumstances which he is recording to a meaning, which has nothing to do with those circumstances. with respect therefore to this opinion of augustine, we conclude that moses spoke literally and plainly and neither allegorically nor figuratively; that is, he means that the world with all creatures was created in six days as he himself expresses it. if we cannot attain unto a comprehension of the reason why it was so, let us still remain scholars and leave all the preceptorship to the holy spirit! these days were distinguished thus. on the first day the unformed mass of heaven and earth was created to which light was then added. on the second day the firmament. on the third day the earth was produced out of the waters and its fruits created. on the fourth day the heavens were adorned by the creation of the sun, moon and stars. on the fifth day the fishes of the sea and the fowls of the air. on the sixth day the beasts of the earth were created, and man was made. i say nothing of the other views which divide these sacred matters into the work of creation, of distinction, and of ornation, because i do not think such divisions of the subject can be made to harmonize in all respects with each other. if any one admire such views let him consult lyra. as to lyra thinking that a knowledge of the opinion of philosophers concerning matter is necessary, and that on such knowledge must depend a man's understanding the six days' work of creation, i question whether lyra himself really understood what aristotle calls matter. for aristotle does not, like ovid, call the original unformed chaotic mass matter. wherefore omitting these unnecessary subjects altogether, let us come at once to moses as a far better teacher, whom we may more safely follow than we may philosophers, who dispute without the word about things they do not understand. ii. god's work on the six days in particular. part i. god's work on the first day. i. v. 1. _in the beginning god created the heavens and the earth._ a necessary and a very difficult question arises here, in that moses speaks of the creation of the heavens and the earth, and yet does not mention the day on which nor the word by which they were created. for one naturally inquires why moses did not rather use the same form of words here, as he did subsequently, where mention is made of the word thus: _"in the beginning, god said, let there be the heavens and the earth?"_ for moses mentions "the heavens and the earth" before god had spoken anything, whereas both the decalogue and the whole scripture testify that god made the heavens and the earth, and all that in them is, "in six days." but as i said before, we enter on this path without a guide. we leave therefore to others to follow their own judgment here, while we will expound it according to our views. not those elements which now are, but the original rude and unformed substances moses calls "the heavens and earth." the water was dark, and because it was by nature the lighter element it surrounded the earth, itself also as yet unformed was a kind of mud. god formed this first material, if i may so call it, of his future work, not before or apart from the six days, but, according to the express words of the decalogue, in the "beginning" of the first day. as i view the matter therefore moses does not mention here the first day, because these confused substances of the hitherto rude heavens and earth were afterwards formed, and as it were fully adorned and distinguished. for what he immediately calls the "deep" and the "waters;" that is, the rude and unformed water which was not yet distributed nor adorned with its proper form, he here calls "the heavens;" whereas, had moses spoken otherwise and had said, "in the beginning god said, let there be the heavens and the earth;" there would have been no need of afterwards saying, "god said;" seeing that these unformed waters would have been already illuminated and the light would have been already created. the meaning of moses therefore in all simplicity is that all things which now exist were created by god and that "in the beginning" of the first day were created the mass of mud or of earth, and of dark mist or of water; on which afterwards, in the after part of the first day, god shed the light and caused the day to appear, which might discover this rude mass of "the heavens and the earth;" which was in all respects like undeveloped seed, and yet adapted to produce whatever god should require. v. 2a. _and the earth was waste and void._ in the hebrew words tohu and bohu there is no more meaning than can be expressed in any other language, yet these terms are frequently used in the sacred scriptures. tohu means "nothing," so that a tohu earth means, in its simple reality, that which is in itself "empty" or "waste;" where there is no way, no distinction of places, no hill, no vale, no grass, no herbs, no animals, no men. and such was the first appearance of the waste and untilled earth, for while the water was mixed with the earth no distinctions of those various objects could be discerned, which are clearly seen since the earth's formation and cultivation. thus isaiah, 34:11, when threatening destruction to the whole earth says "there shall be stretched upon it the line of tohu, confusion; and the plummet of bohu, emptiness;" that is, it shall be made so desolate that neither men nor beasts shall be left upon it; all houses shall he devastated and all things hurled into chaos and confusion. just as jerusalem was afterwards laid waste by the romans and rome by the goths, so that no vestige of the ancient city as it once was could be pointed out. you now behold the earth standing out of the waters, the heavens adorned with stars, the fields with trees, and cities with houses; but should all these things be taken away and hurled into confusion and into one chaotic heap, the state of things thus produced would be what moses calls tohu and bohu. as the earth was surrounded with darkness or with waters over which darkness brooded, so also the heaven was unformed. it was not only tohu because it was destitute of the garnishing of the stars, and bohu because it was not yet separated and distinguished from the earth, but because it was as yet altogether destitute of light and a dark and deep abyss which like a dense cloud enveloped the earth, or that mass of mud; for the division of the waters from the waters follows later. here then we have the first thing which moses teaches: that the heavens and the earth were created on the first day; but, that the heaven was as yet unformed, not separated from the waters, destitute of its luminaries, and not elevated to its position; and the earth in like manner was as yet without its animals, its rivers and its mountains. as to lyra's argument that this original matter was mere power and was afterward rendered substance by its own power, or as to what augustine says in his book of "confessions," that matter is as it were nothing, and that no medium matter can be thought of between the creator and the thing created; such subtle disquisitions i by no means approve. for how could that be a mere nothing which was already of such material and substance that moses calls it "the heavens and the earth"? unless indeed you would call it artificially the same kind of matter which you call wood, which is not yet wrought into a chest or a bench. but this latter substance is what true philosophers would call matter in a secondary state. we should rather consider the whole subject, as peter considers it, 2 pet. 3:5, where speaking of the wicked, he says "for this they wilfully forget, that there were heavens from of old, and an earth compacted out of water and amidst water, by the word of god; by which means the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished." for peter seems to intimate that the earth consists of water, and was made out of water, and that after it was produced out of water and placed as it were in the light, it swam as it now seems to do in the water. this, says he, the wicked knew, and therefore being confident of this condition of things, they feared no peril from water, which they knew to be the fundamental substance of the earth. yet the water destroyed that earth which it preserved, buoyed up and bore; just as at the last it shall be destroyed by fire. from this intimation of peter, it would appear, that the earth was made to stand in the water, and out of the water. but let this suffice concerning the original matter or material. if any one should discuss the subject with greater subtlety of argument, i do not think he would do so, with any profit. v. 2b. _and darkness was upon the face of the deep._ the "water," the "deep," and the "heavens," are here put for the same thing; namely, for that dark unformed substance which afterwards was divided by the word. for it was the office of the second person of the trinity, namely christ, the son of god, to divide and adorn that chaotic mass produced from nothing. and this may have been the very design of moses in not mentioning the word in the first place; that is, in not saying at first, _"and god said."_ for some maintain that this was done by moses purposely. v. 2c. _and the spirit of god moved upon the face of the waters._ some consider "the spirit of god" here to mean merely the wind. but if anything material is here to be understood by "spirit," i should rather refer it to the first moving of the original unformed mass of heaven and earth, which is called "the deep," which is always in motion to this day; for water is never still, its surface is always in motion. but i prefer here to understand the holy spirit. for the wind is a creature which did not exist, while as yet the heavens and the earth lay in that confused chaotic mass. there is moreover an universal agreement of the christian church concerning a revelation of the mystery of the holy trinity in this first creative work. the father through the son, whom moses here calls the word, creates "the heavens and the earth" out of nothing. over these the holy spirit broods. and as a hen sits upon her eggs that she may hatch her young, thus warming her eggs and as it were infusing into them animation, so the scriptures say the holy ghost brooded as it were on the waters; that he might infuse life into these elementary substances which were afterwards to be animated and garnished. for the office of the holy spirit is to give life. these explanations, as far as i see, are sufficient for our present purpose. wherefore casting away all other diverse opinions, let us set down this as the truth, that god created "the heavens and the earth," as yet a rude mass, out of nothing; so that the earth, as an unformed chaotic mass, enveloped the heaven as yet also an unformed mass, like a dark, circumfluent, nebulous cloud. it is necessary however that we discuss the terms here used. at the very beginning of this discussion we are met by the expression "in the beginning." some have expounded the words "in the beginning" as meaning "in the son," from john 1:1; seeing that christ also gives to the jews when they inquired "who he was?" this answer, "the beginning, who also speak unto you," john 8:25. this same exposition is given also from ps. 110:3, "with thee is the beginning, in the day of thy power;" which passage nearly all commentators expound as meaning, "with thee is thy son in divine power." but it is well known to those acquainted with the greek language that the expression _tan archan_ should be rendered by an adverbial phraseology "at first" or "in the beginning," etc. it is a figure of speech which we frequently meet in greek. wherefore let those who will, amuse themselves by thus interpreting the expression "in the beginning." i prefer the simplest explanation which can be at once understood by the less learned. my belief is therefore that the design of moses was to signify the beginning of time; so that "in the beginning" has the same meaning as if he had said, "at that time before which there was no time." or he means that when the world began it so began that the heavens and the earth were created by god out of nothing; but created in a rude shapeless mass, not formed and beautified as they now are. though they lay not long thus, but began immediately on the first day to be garnished with the light. the arians imagined that angels and the son of god were made before "the beginning." but let us pass by this blasphemy. we will omit also another question, "what was god doing before the beginning of the world;" was he in a state of entire inaction or not? to this question augustine introduced in his confession the reply, "he was making a hell for all searchers into his secrets." this reply says augustine was made to ridicule the violent and audacious blasphemy of the question. the modesty therefore of augustine pleases one, who elsewhere candidly says that in all such cases he draws in the sails of his thoughts. for if we speculate and dispute to infinity, these things still remain incomprehensible. even those things which we see we can understand but little. how much less then shall we grasp in our knowledge such things as these. for what will you determine concerning things that were before and beyond time? or what can be your thoughts of things god did before time was? wherefore let us away with all such thoughts and believe that god before the creation of the world was incomprehensible in his essential rest, but that now since the creation he is within and without and above all creatures; that is, he is still incomprehensible. this is all that can be said, because that which was outside of time our intellect can not comprehend. wherefore god does not manifest himself in anything but in his works and in his word; because these can in some measure be comprehended, all other things which properly belong to his divinity, cannot be comprehended or understood, as they really are; such as those things which were beyond time and before the world's creation, etc. perhaps god appeared to adam unveiled; but after his sin he may have shown himself to him in "a noise," gen. 3:8, under which he was covered as with a veil. so also later in the tabernacle god was veiled by the sanctuary; and in the desert by the pillar of a cloud and by the pillar of fire. wherefore moses also calls these things "appearances" or "shadowings" of god, by which he then manifested himself. and cain calls that the "face" and the "presence" of god where he had before offered his sacrifices, gen. 4:14. for our nature is so deformed by sin, yea corrupted and lost, that it cannot understand god naked and unveiled nor comprehend what he really is. therefore it is that these covering veils are absolutely necessary. it is moreover insanity to dispute much concerning god as to what he was beyond and before time, for that is to desire to comprehend naked divinity or the naked divine essence. and it is for this very reason that god has wrapt himself in the veils of his works and under certain visible appearances, just as at this day he veils himself under baptism, absolution, etc. if you depart from these veiling signs, you at once run away beyond measure, beyond place and beyond time into the most absolute nothing; concerning which, as philosophers say, there can be no knowledge. therefore it is that we with solemn propriety enter not into this question; but rest content with this simple meaning of the expression, "in the beginning." ii. but it is more worthy of observation that moses does not say "in the beginning, adoni, the lord created the heavens and the earth;" but he uses a noun of the plural number elohim; by which name, in the books of moses, and in other parts of the scriptures both angels and magistrates are sometimes called. as in ps. 82:6, "i have said ye are gods." it is certain however that here it signifies the one true god, by whom all things were made. why therefore does moses here use a plural noun or name? the jews cavil at moses in various ways. to us however it is clear that the intent of moses is to set forth directly the trinity; or the plurality of persons in the one divine nature. for as he is speaking of the work of the creation it manifestly follows that he excludes angels, who are creatures, from the creative work. there remains therefore this sacred conclusion of the whole matter; that god is one, and that this most perfect unity is also a most perfect trinity. for how otherwise does moses use the plural number, "in the beginning elohim _created_." the cold and wicked cavilling of the jews therefore is to be altogether exploded, when they say that moses used the plural number for the sake of reverence. for what place is there here for the exercise of reverence? especially since that which is an idiom among us germans is not common to all languages; namely, that it should be considered a point of reverence to use the plural number when speaking of one person. although the jews make so much noise about this term elohim being applied to angels and to men, be it remembered that it is in the plural number in this place where it cannot possibly be applied to any but the one true god, because moses is treating of the creation. there were moreover many other singular nouns which moses might have used had he not purposely intended to show to the spiritually minded, that in the divine nature there is before and independently of all creation and all creatures, a plurality of persons. he does not indeed say in plain terms, there is the father, there is the son, and there is the holy ghost; and they are the one true god; because that was reserved for the doctrine of the gospel. it was enough for him by the use of a plural noun though afterwards applied to men also, to set forth this plurality of the divine persons. nor ought it to offend us that this same term is afterwards applied to creatures. for why should not god communicate his name unto us, seeing that he communicates to us his power, and his office? for us to remit sins, to retain sins, to quicken to spiritual life, etc., are the works of the divine majesty alone; and yet these same works are a sign to men and they are wrought by the word which men teach. thus paul said, "that i may save some of them that are my flesh," rom. 11:14. and again, "i am become all things to all men, that i may by all means save some," 1 cor. 9:22. as therefore these works are truly the works of god, although they are assigned also unto men and are wrought by means of men; so the name of god truly represents god though it is applied also to men. arius could not deny that christ existed before the world was created, because christ himself says, "before abraham was, i am," john 8:58. it is written in the proverbs, 8:22, also, "before the heavens were, i am." arius is obliged therefore to confess that christ or the word was created before all things, and that he afterwards created all things, and that he was the most perfect of all creatures though he did not exist from everlasting. but to this fanatical and impious opinion we ought to oppose that which moses so briefly expresses by the term "in the beginning." nor does moses place anything before "the beginning" but god himself; and him he here represents by a plural noun. into these absurd opinions do minds fall when they speculate on such mighty things without the word. we know not ourselves; as lucretius says, "man knows not the nature of his own soul." we feel that we can judge, enumerate, distinguish quantities, and, if i may so call them, spiritual creatures, such as truth and falsehood, and yet we cannot to this day define what the soul is. how much less then shall we be able to understand the divine nature! we know not for instance what is the motion of our will; for it is not a motion of quality or of quantity; and yet it is some motion. what then can we know of things divine? it is fanatical therefore to dispute concerning god and the divine nature without the word and without some veiling representation. yet thus do all heretics; and they think and dispute respecting god with the same security as they would respecting a hog or a cow. therefore they receive a reward worthy their temerity; for by these means they are dashed on the rocks of every peril. hence he who would contemplate such mighty things in safety and without danger must confine himself with all simplicity within those representations, signs and veils of the divine majesty, his word and his works. for it is in his word and his works that he reveals himself unto us; and such as attain unto the knowledge of these are like the woman laboring under the issue of blood, healed by touching these hems of his garment. those on the other hand who strive to reach god without these veils and coverings, attempt to scale heaven without a ladder, that is, without the word; and in so doing are overwhelmed by the majesty of god, which they vainly endeavor to comprehend, and they fall and perish. and so it befell arius. he conceived the imagination that there was some medium between the creator and the creature; and that by that medium all things were created. into this error he necessarily fell the moment he denied contrary to the scriptures a plurality of persons in the divine nature. but as he discussed these things without the word of god and depended solely on his own cogitations, he could not but be thus dashed to pieces. thus the monk of the papists, because he follows not the word, imagines such a god to be sitting in heaven as will save any one who is covered with a cowl and observes a certain strict rule of life. such a one also attempts to ascend into heaven by his own cogitations without god as revealed in his word, or without the revealed face of god for his guide. thus also the jews had their idols and their groves. the fall and the destruction of all are alike. they are precipitated and dashed to pieces; because every one leaving the word follows his own imaginations. if therefore we would walk safely we must embrace those things which the word teaches, and which god himself has willed us to know; and all other things which are not revealed in the word we must leave. for what are those things to me, which god did before the world was made, or how can i comprehend them? this is indulging thoughts upon the naked divinity. and these are the thoughts by which the jews suffer themselves to be led away from this text; and which thus prevent them from believing in a plurality of persons in the deity; whereas it is evident that moses employs a plural noun. the papal decree condemned the anthropomorphists (manlikeners), because they spoke of god as they would of a man, and attributed to him eyes, ears, arms, etc. an unjust condemnation truly! for how otherwise can man talk with man concerning god? if to think thus of god be heresy; then for a certainty is the salvation of all children, who can only think and speak thus as children concerning god, at an end for ever. but to say nothing about children, give me the most learned doctor in all the world; how otherwise will even he speak and teach concerning god? an injury therefore was thereby done to good men; who, though they believed god to be omnipotent and the only saviour, yet were condemned merely because they said god has eyes by which he looks upon the poor and needy, and ears by which he listens to their prayers. for how otherwise can this our nature understand the spiritual reality of god. moreover the scriptures use this form of speech. wherefore such were undeservedly condemned. they should rather have been lauded for the simplicity which they studied; which is so requisite in all teaching. it is absolutely necessary that when god reveals himself unto us, he should do so under some veil of representation, some shadowing manifestation, and should say, "behold under this veil thou shalt surely discover me." and when we embrace god under this veil or shadow, when we thus adore him, call upon him, and offer to him our sacrifices, we are said rightly to offer our sacrifices unto god! it was thus doubtless that our first parents worshipped god. in the morning when the sun rose they adored the creator in the creature; or to speak more plainly they were by the creature reminded of the creator. their posterity retained the custom, but without the knowledge; and hence the custom lapsed into idolatry. the cause of this idolatry was not the sun; for he is a good creature of god; but the knowledge and the doctrine became by degrees extinct; for satan cannot endure true doctrine. thus when satan had drawn eve from the word, she fell immediately into sin. to return then to the anthropomorphists. i consider that they were condemned unjustly and without cause. for the prophets represent god as sitting on a throne. when foolish persons hear this their thoughts are immediately picturing a golden throne, marvellously decorated, etc., though they must all the while know that there can be no such material throne in heaven. hence isaiah says "that he saw god sitting on a throne; and his train filled the temple," is. 6:1. whereas god cannot absolutely or by real vision appear to be thus represented or seen. but such figures and representations are well-pleasing to the holy spirit; and such works of god are set before us by the means of which we may apprehend god by our understanding. such also are those figures when it is said that "he made the heavens and the earth"; that he sent his son; that he speaks by his son; that he baptizes; that he remits sins by the word. he that does not understand these things will never understand god. but i say no more here; since these things have been frequently and abundantly discussed by me elsewhere; yet it was necessary to touch upon them on the present occasion for moses' sake, whom the jews here so severely attack, in the exposition of which we are proving the plurality of the divine persons in the deity. now let us proceed with the text. iii. v. 3. _and god said, let there be light: and there was light._ moses has already said that the rude mass of heaven and earth which he also calls "darkness" and "the deep," was made by the word; and that work ought to be considered the work of the "first day." yet, it is now for the first time that moses uses the expression "god said, let there be light," etc. a marvelous phraseology this indeed; unknown to any writer of any other language under heaven, that god by speaking causes that to exist, which had no existence before. here therefore moses sets before us the medium and instrument which god used in performing his works, namely the word. but we must here carefully mark the distinction in the hebrew language between the words amar and dabar. we render each by the terms to say or to speak. but, in the hebrew there is this difference: amar only and properly signifies the word uttered. but dabar means also the thing or substance uttered. as when the prophets say "this is the word of the lord," they use the term dabar not amar. even at this day the new arians blind the eyes of those unacquainted with the hebrew language by saying that the term in question implies, and is, "a thing created;" and that in this way it is that christ is called the word. against this impious, and at the same time ignorant, corruption of the term word, the reader is duly warned, and exhorted to remember that moses here uses the word amar which simply and properly signifies the word uttered; so that the word uttered is something distinct from him who utters it; as here is also a distinction between the person speaking and the thing spoken. therefore we have before proved from this text a plurality of persons; so here is also an evident distinction of persons; for it affirms that it is god the speaker, if i may so express myself, who creates; and yet he uses no material; but creates the heavens and the earth out of nothing by the sole word he utters. compare here the gospel of st. john "in the beginning was the word." he exactly agrees with moses. he says that there was no creature whatever before the world was made. yet god possessed the word. and what is this word and what does it do? hear moses. the light, says he, as yet was not; but the darkness out of its nothing-state is changed into that most excellent creature, light. by what? by the word. therefore, "in the beginning" and before every creature is the word; and it is so powerful that out of nothing it makes all things. hence that irrefragably follows, which john eloquently adds, that the word was and is god! and yet, that the word is a person different from god the father; even as the word, and he who utters the word, are things absolutely distinct from each other. but at the same time this distinction is of the nature that the most perfect oneness, if i may so speak, of unity remains. these are lofty mysteries, nor is it safe to go further into them than the holy spirit is pleased to lead us. wherefore here let us stop; content with the knowledge that when the unformed heaven and unformed earth, each enveloped in mist and darkness, had stood forth created out of nothing by the word, the light also shone forth out of nothing; and even out of darkness itself by the word. the first work of the creator paul speaks of as a marvellous work; "god that commanded the light to shine out of darkness," etc. the command of god, says he, made that light. this therefore is enough for us and sufficient to confirm our faith, that christ is truly god, who existed with the father from all eternity before the world was made; and that by him, who is the wisdom and word of the father, the father made all things. it is remarkable also that paul in his passage makes the conversion of the wicked the work of a new creation, and a work wrought also by the word. but here reason impiously busies itself with foolish questions. it argues, if the word ever existed, why did not god create the heavens and the earth before by that word? and again, since the heavens and the earth were first made, when god began to speak, it seems to follow that the word then first had existence, when the creatures began to exist, etc. but these impious cogitations are to be cast from us for concerning these things we can determine nothing nor think aright. for beyond that "beginning" of the creation is nothing but naked and divine essence; naked deity! and since god is incomprehensible that also is incomprehensible which was before the world; because it is nothing less than naked god! we believe it right therefore to speak only of "the beginning," because we cannot advance beyond the beginning. but since john and moses affirm that the word was "in the beginning," and before every creature, it of necessity follows that the word was ever in the creator and in the naked essence of god. therefore he is the true god; yet so, that the father begets and the son is begotten. for moses establishes this difference when he names god, who spoke and the word which was spoken. and this was enough for moses to do; for the clearer explanation of this mystery properly belongs to the new testament and to the son, who is in the bosom of the father. in the new testament therefore we hear the literal names of the sacred persons, the father, the son and the holy ghost. these indeed are indicated in certain psalms, and in the prophets but not so distinctly expressed. augustine explains the word somewhat otherwise. for he interprets the expression "said" in this manner. "said;" that is, it was so defined from all eternity by the word of the father; it was so appointed of god. because the son is the mind, the image and the wisdom of god. but the true and simple meaning is to be retained. "god said;" that is, god by the word made and created all things. this meaning the apostle also confirms when he says, "by whom also he made the worlds," heb. 1:2. and again, "all things were made by him and for him," col. 1:16. and within these limits ought to be confined every thought of the creation; our duty is to proceed no further; if we do, we fall headlong into certain darkness and destruction. let these facts therefore be sufficient for us in any question concerning the world and its creation. with respect to the material of the world that it was made out of nothing; as the light was made out of that which was not light, so the whole heavens and the whole earth were made out of nothing; as the apostle says, "he calleth those things that are not, as though they were," rom. 4:17. with respect to the instrument or medium which god used, it was his omnipotent word which was with god from the beginning, and as paul speaks, "before the foundation of the world," eph. 1:4. therefore when paul says in col. 1:16, "all things were made by him," for he uses the preposition, after the hebrew manner, for per; the hebrews thus use their letter beth; this and all similar passages are taken from this verse of moses, who is here speaking of the word uttered, by which anything is commanded or demanded. this word was god, and was an omnipotent word, spoken in the divine essence. no one heard this word uttered but god himself; that is, god the father, god the son and god the holy ghost. while it was uttered the light was generated; not out of the material of the word nor out of the material of the speaker, but out of darkness itself. the father spoke within, the work was immediately wrought without, and the light existed. in the same manner also were all things afterwards created. these facts, i say, concerning the manner of the creation are amply sufficient for us. iv. but here again a well known question is perpetually agitated, namely, of what kind was that light by which the original unformed mass of heaven and earth was illumined, seeing that neither the sun, nor the stars, were then created; and yet the text shows that this light was real and material. this fact has given occasion to some to have recourse to an allegory, who would explain the matter thus: "let there be light;" that is, the angelic nature. and again, "god divided the light from the darkness;" that is, he separated the holy angels from the wicked angels. but this is to trifle with allegories, utterly out of place and not to interpret scripture. moses is here historically recording facts. he is moreover writing and penning a record for unlettered men; that they may have the plainest possible testimonies concerning the great creation. such absurdities therefore are not here to be tolerated. a second question is here also agitated, namely, whether this light moved itself with a circular motion. i confess that i for my part know not the truth of the matter. but if any one desires to know what i consider the nearest to the truth my opinion is, that this light was movable, so that its motion from east to west, or from its rising to its setting formed the natural day. although it is difficult to describe the kind of light it was, yet i am by no means inclined to think that we should depart, without cause, from the plain grammar of the subject; or that we should use any violence by wresting from their common meaning the plainest terms. for moses distinctly affirms that "there was light;" and he reckons this as the "first day" of the creation. my opinion is therefore that this was true and real light; and that it revolved with a circular motion as the light of the sun revolves. i believe however that this light was not so clear and splendent as it afterwards was, when augmented, ornamented and beautified by the light of the sun. even as the sacred scriptures testify that in the last day god will make the present light of the sun, now unclean, in comparison with its future brightness, far more splendid and glorious; as therefore the present light is as it were a thick and imperfect mass of light, when compared with that light which shall be, so that original light was imperfect when compared with the light that now shines. such are my sentiments concerning these two questions. moses then proceeds to say: v. 5. _and there was evening and there was morning one day._ we must here first observe that the jews begin their day differently from us. with them the day commences from the evening and the setting sun and terminates on the evening following. we begin our day with the rising sun. and it is very remarkable that the jews derive their term evening, which they call aeref, from araf which signifies "to mingle or confound." in the same manner from the term aref they form their expression arof, which our countryman renders by cynomia, "dogfly," which may signify "a confused fly." because in the evening, the appearances of things are confused and indistinct, and when the light is removed cannot be clearly discerned. v. moses has taught us concerning the first day. we shall see however that moses retains this same expression "god said" in the creation of all the other creatures. "and god said let there be a firmament," etc. the very repetition of this same expression ought to be most delightful to us, because as i said, it brings to us a mighty testimony for the confirmation of our faith; that the son, in these eternal things, is very god; and that in the unity of the divinity there is a plurality of persons; because the speaker is one person and the word spoken another person. in this manner also the psalmist speaks, "by the word of jehovah were the heavens made," etc., ps. 33:6. and solomon implies the force of this wonderful phrase of moses, when he writes that the divine wisdom was as it were the handmaid of the creation. "i was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, before the earth was, etc.; when he established the heavens, i was there; when he set a circle upon the face of the deep," prov. 8:23, 27. here solomon shows that he fully understood this doctrine of our religion, so plainly set forth by moses; and that he understood it in a manner beyond the knowledge of the ignorant multitude, who heard these things, and read them, but understood them not. for had not solomon fully understood this mystery, he could not have spoken thus. but he drew all these things from this verse of moses, as from a deep and holy fountain. another proof of this his divine knowledge is prov. 30:3, "what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou knowest?" i believe also that there were similar writings of other holy men, such as of enoch, elijah, etc., in which there existed many testimonies of the same kind. but as even at the present day, these things though plainly revealed in the new testament remain hidden, and are by many not only not received, but fiercely opposed, so to a much greater extent did it happen among the jewish people, while the holy fathers set these mysteries before the wise in divine things, with the greatest skill and wisdom. to us it is great consolation to know that these divine mysteries were thus shadowed forth by moses from the beginning of the world; that in these divine beings there is a plurality of persons and yet a unity of the divine essence. and if there are some who do not believe, but fiercely oppose this doctrine, what is that to us? abraham saw three, and adored one! and the holy spirit says, gen. 19:24, "then jehovah rained fire from jehovah out of heaven." although fanatics understand not nor regard these words, yet we know that they are the words not of a drunken man, but of god. many such testimonies as these exist throughout the old testament, which that excellent man, hilary, has diligently collected. if these testimonies are obscure, and to the wicked and unbelieving seem to be unfounded, yet to the godly all things which are revealed and handed down to us in the holy scriptures are firmly founded and sufficiently clear. they know that the person speaking is one person and that the word spoken is another person; not in nature but in person; and is that word by which all things were made "in the beginning;" and by which they are all upheld to this day; as paul says in his epistle to the hebrews, "upholding all things by the word of his power," heb. 1:3. but here we are to be admonished that the words, "let there be light," are the words of god and not of moses; that is, that they are realities, facts, works! for god "calleth those things that be not as though they were;" and god speaks not grammatical words but very and substantial things. so that what with us is sounding voice, is with god a substantial thing, a reality! thus, the sun, the moon, the heaven, the earth, peter, paul, you, and i, are all and each, words of god! yea, we are single syllables or single letters as it were of and in comparison to the whole creation. we also speak, but we can only speak grammatically, or in letters. that is we give names to created things, etc. but divine grammar is quite another thing! when god says, "shine thou sun," the sun immediately exists and shines forth. thus the words of god are things, not mere words! here therefore there has been rightly made a distinction between the word created and the word uncreated. the word created is a thing, or fact, or work done, by means of the word uncreated. for what is the whole creation but the word of god spoken forth or uttered? but the word uncreated is the divine mind or thought, the internal command of god, flowing from god, and the same as god, and yet it is a distinct person. and thus god reveals himself unto us as the speaker, having with or in himself, the word increate, by which he created the world and all things with the utmost facility of operation, namely by merely speaking! so that there was no more difficulty with god in creating than with us in speaking. it was in such meditations as these that the pious fathers augustine and hilary found their delight. part ii. god's work on the second day. i. v. 6. _and god said, let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters._ moses may here seem to have forgotten himself in that he treats not at all of two most important themes: the creation and the fall of the angels, but confines his sacred narrative to the creation of corporeal things. though there is no doubt that angels were created, yet not one word is found in all the scriptures concerning their creation, their battle, or their fall; except that which christ briefly utters, john 8:44, in reference to the devil, that he "abode not in the truth;" except also that woful account of the serpent, which the sacred historian hereafter gives us in the third chapter of genesis. it is wonderful therefore that moses is wholly silent on things of such great interest. hence it is that men having nothing certain recorded upon the subject, naturally fell into various fictions and fabrications, that there were nine legions of angels, and that so vast was their multitude that they were nine whole days falling from heaven. others have indulged imaginations concerning the mighty battle between these superior beings, in what manner the good resisted the evil angels. my belief is that these ideas of the particulars of this battle were taken from the fight which exists in the church, where godly ministers are ever contending against evil and fanatical teachers, and that on this ground they have formed their ideas of the battle of the good angels against the evil ones who wished to usurp deity. but so it ever is. where no plain testimonies exist rash men consider themselves at liberty to imagine and invent what they please. in the same manner men form their various opinions concerning the danger and the fear of angels and of the evils they work, all which opinions are founded on is. 14:12, 13, where lucifer is represented as having said in his heart, "i will ascend into heaven, i will exalt my throne above the stars of god." but the prophet is there predicting the greatness of the pride of the king of the babylonians. bernard again has the idea that lucifer foresaw in god that his purpose was to exalt man above the nature of angels, that his proud spirit envied man this felicity and that he fell in consequence. but let the christian man take these things at their own value and at no more. for myself i would by no means urge any one to give his assent to any such opinions. the things that are certain are, that the angels fell, and that the devil from having been an angel of light was made an angel of darkness. perhaps there was also a conflict between the good angels and the evil. as moses however was writing to a new and uninformed people his object was to write those things only which were useful and necessary to be known. the nature of angels therefore and other kindred subjects which were not necessary to be known he passed by. wherefore nothing on the whole of this obscure subject, beyond what moses has plainly recorded, ought to be expected from me. the more especially so, as the new testament itself treats very sparingly of this deep theme. it says nothing more concerning the angels than that they were condemned and that they are still held as it were in prison and in chains until the judgment of the last day. let it suffice us therefore to know that there are good angels and bad angels, but that god created them all alike good. whence it follows of necessity, that the evil angels fell and stood not in the truth. but how they fell and stood not in the truth is unknown. it is nevertheless probable that they fell by pride; because they despised the word or son of god, and wished to exalt themselves before him. this is all i have to say. now let us return to moses. ii. we have heard that the work of the first day was the rude unformed "heavens and earth," both of which god illumined with a certain impure and imperfect light. we now come to the work of the second day, where we shall see in what manner god produced out of this original rough undigested mist or nebulosity, which he called "heavens," that glorious and beauteous "heaven" which now is, and as it now is; if you except the stars and the greater luminaries. the hebrews very appropriately derive the term schamaim the name of the heavens from the word maim, which signifies "waters." for the letter schin is often used in composition for a relative, so that schamaim signifies "watery," or "that which has a watery nature." this indeed appears so from the color of the "heavens." and experience teaches that the air is humid by nature. philosophers also say that if there were no sun the air would be a perpetual humidity. but they assert that the air is both humid and warm, but that it is humid from its own nature, because the heaven was made out of waters, and that therefore it is, that it rains and contains a fructifying moisture; but because the light and heat of the sun are added to it, the humid nature of the air is so tempered that it is also warm. this thick and rude mass of mist or nebulosity, created out of nothing on the first day, god grasps by his word and commands it to extend itself into the form and with the motion of a sphere. for in the hebrew the word rakia signifies "a something extended;" from the verb raka, which means "to unfold or expand." and the heaven was formed by an extension of that original rude body of mist, just as the bladder of a hog is extended into a circular form when it is inflated. i use thus a rustic similitude that the sacred matter may be the more plainly understood. when therefore job 37:18 says "that the heavens are strengthened with iron," "that the sky is strong as a molten mirror," his mind is not dealing with the material but with the word of god, which can make a thing the softest by nature the hardest and the firmest. for what is softer than water? what is thinner or more subtile than air? yet these things, which were the most subtile and the softest by nature, from being created by the word preserve their form and motion with the greatest perfection and the greatest firmness. whereas, had the heaven been formed of adamant or of any material infinitely harder still, it would by its rapid, long and continuous motion, have soon been broken in pieces or melted. in the same manner the sun, by his rapid motion, would melt in one day even if formed of the hardest material, were it not for the word of god by which it was created. for motion is of itself very creative of heat. hence aristotle asserts that the lead of the arrow is sometimes melted by the velocity of its motion. these facts of nature therefore are miracles of god, in which the omnipotence of his word is clearly discerned, exhibiting the wonder that the heaven, though softer and more subtile than water, and performing continuously the most rapid revolution, and that too with so vast a variety of bodies and their motions, should have existed and revolved so many thousands of years uninjured and unweakened! it was this that caused job to say, "that the heavens were molten, as it were, of brass," job 37:18; that they are by nature the softest of substances. how great the subtility of the air is in which we live, we ourselves know perfectly well; for it is not only not tangible, but not discernible. and the heaven, or ether, is still more subtile and thinner than the air or atmosphere. for its blue or sea-color or water-color appearance is not a proof of its density, but rather of its distance and its thinness; to which its rarified state, if you compare the thicker substances of the clouds, the latter will appear in comparison, like the smoke of wet wood when first ignited. it is to this extreme subtility, yet unaltered durability, that job alludes as above mentioned. so philosophers have among them this celebrated maxim, "that which is humid is limited by no boundary of its own." wherefore the heaven which cannot consist by any boundary of its own, being aqueous, consists by the word of god; as it is taught in the present divine record of moses, "let there be a firmament!" gen. 1:6. hence philosophers who were more diligent in their inquiries formed their conclusion, and that by no means a light one for nature to form, that all things were ruled and governed, not by chance nor at random, but by a divine providence; seeing that the motions of the heavens and of the superior bodies are so certain and so peculiar to themselves. who indeed could possibly say that all these things proceeded by chance, or by their own mere undirected nature, when even the workmanship of men proceeds not from chance, but from skillful art and certain design, such as pillars formed round, triangular, hexagonal, etc.? all these things therefore are the works of the divine majesty! by him the sun holds his course so accurately and with so fixed a law, that he deviates not a hair's breadth from his all-certain path in any one part of heaven. this course he holds in the most subtile ether, supported by no substances or bodies whatsoever, but is borne along as a leaf in the air. though this comparison is neither strictly correct nor appropriate, because the motion of a leaf is irregular and uncertain; but the course of the sun is ever certain, and that too in an ether far more subtile than this atmosphere in which we move and live. this marvelous extension of the original rule and dense nebulosity or cloud or mist is here called by moses "a firmament," in which the sun with all the planets have their motion round the earth, in that most subtile material. but who is it that gives such firmness to this most volatile and fluctuating substance? most certainly it is not nature that gives it, which in far less important things than these can exert no such power. it follows therefore that it is the work of him, who "in the beginning" said unto the heavens and unto this volatile substance, "let there be a firmament," or "be thou a firmament," and who establishes and preserves all these things by his omnipotent power, put forth through his word. this word makes the air with all its thinness and lightness to be harder and firmer than adamant, and to preserve its own boundary; and this word could on the contrary make adamant to be softer than water, in order that from such works as these we might know what kind of a god our god is; namely, the god omnipotent, who made out of the rude mass of unformed heavens the present all-beauteous, all-glorious heaven; and who did all these things according to his will as well as according to his power. but i have said that with the hebrews the "firmament" derives its name from a verb in their language signifying "to extend." it is to this signification of the hebrew verb that david beautifully alludes, in his similitude of military hide-coverings and tents which he uses in ps. 104:2, when he says of god "who stretcheth out the heavens like a curtain." for as the rolled-up hide-covering of the military tent is unrolled and then stretched out as a canopy to the stakes which are fixed in the earth, so thou, o god, says david, unrolledst as it were and stretchedst out the first formed, but as yet unformed, rude heaven, into the present glorious "firmament," where thou sittest invisibly as on a sphere over the whole creation, in the midst of all things and yet out of and above all things. it is a circumstance naturally exciting our particular wonder that moses evidently makes three distinct parts or divisions of this portion of the creation. he describes "a firmament in the midst of the waters," which "divides the waters from the waters." for myself i am inclined to think that the firmament here mentioned is the highest body of all; and that the waters, not those "above" the firmament, but those which hang and fly about "under" the firmament, are the clouds, which we behold with our natural eyes; so that by the waters which are "divided from the waters," we may understand the clouds which are divided from our waters which are in the earth. moses however speaks in the plainest possible terms, both of waters "above" and of waters "under" the firmament. wherefore i here hold my own mind and judgment in captivity and bow to the word, although i cannot comprehend it. but a question here arises, what those waters are and how those bodies of water which are "above" the firmament are distinguished from those which are "under" the firmament. the division and distinction here made by philosophers is well known. they make the elements to be four; and they distinguish and place them according to their qualities. they assign the lowest place to the earth; a second place to the water; a third to the air; and the last and highest place to the fire. other philosophers add to these four elements ether as a fifth essence. after this division and number of the elements, there are numerated seven spheres or orbs of the planets, and an eighth sphere of the fixed stars. and on these subjects it is agreed among all philosophers that there are four spheres of generating and corruptible principles; and also eight others of non-generating and incorruptible principles. and aristotle disputes concerning the nature of the heaven; that it is not composed of the elements, but has its own peculiar nature, because if it were composed of the elements it would be corruptible, in that these substances would mingle together and mutually produce and suffer corruption. therefore he will not attribute to heaven and the heavenly bodies the primary qualities, _primas qualitates_, that is, the attributes of the elements, and says that they are simply creatures possessing a co-eternal light, and qualities and attributes peculiarly their own, and created with them. now these things, although they are not certain, yet since they contain principles of a most beautiful theory, gathered from a course of reasoning approaching the truth, are useful for instruction, and it would be barbarous if one should determine to neglect or despise them, since in some respects they harmonize with experience. for we experience it to be the truth that fire by its very nature travels beyond itself, as is seen in the phenomena of the lightning and the fiery meteors in the air. by these principles, learned from experience, they are led to give fire the highest place, next to it the air, after it water comes third, and last the earth in the lowest place, since in weight it surpasses all the others. these things have their place and use as rudiments or primary principles, which if any one contend that they are not universally true, yet they are true in general and serve to the end that we may learn and hand down to others the true theories. for though fire can be struck from flint, yet it cannot therefore be denied that in the highest regions there is fire. therefore theology gives these theorists this rule, which philosophy does not know sufficiently, that although god ordained and created all these things by his word, yet he is not therefore bound to these rules so that he can not change them according to his good pleasure. for we see that neither grammar nor the other sciences are so perfectly set forth in rules that there are no exceptions; thus the laws of public and secular affairs step in and temper all things with reason. how much more can this be done in divine things, so that, although we indeed experience that the four elements are ordained and disposed by god, yet they can, contrary to this order, also have and maintain fire in the middle of the ocean, just as we saw that it was hidden in flint. likewise the mathematicians have concluded that there were a definite number of spheres, not that it is necessary to be so, but because one can not teach anything definitely about such things unless one distinguishes the spheres thus, on account of the variety of their motions, about which one can teach nothing without such imagination, if i may so name it. for teachers and professors of these sciences or theories say: we give examples, not because they are in every detail correct, but in order that no one may teach differently concerning those subjects. therefore it would be the height of folly to despise and ridicule such things as some do, because it is not so sure that it could not be different, for they serve to the end that good arts and sciences may be taught, and that is sufficient. the philosophers in general teach such things, to which the more modern theologians agree and add to these eight spheres two more,--the crystalline, glacial or aqueous heaven, and then the empyreal or fiery heaven. the greeks however have discussed these themes much more elegantly and prudently than our scholars. for ambrose and augustine have had very childish thoughts. therefore i praise jerome because he simply passed over them in silence. there are some who hold that the crystalline heaven is watery, because they think it is the waters of which moses here speaks, and there the firmament or eighth sphere is added so that they be not consumed by their rapid and constant motion. but these are puerile thoughts, and i will rather confess that i do not understand moses in this passage than that i should approve such illiterate thoughts. the seventh heaven they call empyreal; not because it is fiery or burning, but from the light which is lucid and splendid. this heaven in the home of god and of the blessed, because it was filled immediately after creation with angels, and lucifer, as they affirm, fell from this heaven. these are about all the ideas that theologians have added to the opinions of philosophers. however, our scientists, who have studied astronomy, teach that there are still more spheres; namely, twelve, and three motions in the eight spheres; as, the _motum raptum_, _motum proprium_, _motum trepidationis_, a rending motion, a characteristic motion, and a trembling motion. for of such things indeed one cannot speak, unless he give each motion its own sphere. averrois had other thoughts, more absurd and far more in agreeable to reason. for he advocated that each sphere was an intellect, or an intelligent nature. the occasion or cause of these foolish thoughts was that he saw the infallibly perfect and most regular motion of the heavenly bodies. therefore he thought these spheres were intelligent substances, each setting itself in motion in a sure and continuous manner. but from this follows the greatest and worst ignorance of god; wherefore we repudiate the thoughts of averrois. but the others, which we have mentioned, we approve in so far as they are useful to be taught. for indeed this knowledge of the motion of the heavenly bodies is most worthy of all praise, however little that knowledge may be. moses however proceeds with his narrative of the creation in all simplicity and plainness, as they say; making here three divisions: waters "above" the firmament, waters "under" the firmament, and "the firmament" in the middle. in the term heaven, moses comprehends all that body which philosophers represent by their eight spheres, by fire and by air. for the sacred historian makes no mention of the flowing of the waters until the third day. and it is manifest that the air in which we live is called in the holy scriptures the heaven; because the scriptures speak of the "fowls of heaven," job 28:21; ps. 8:8. it also speaks of the heavens being shut when it does not rain, 1 kings 8:35. and again it speaks of the heavens giving their dew, zech. 8:12; all these things take place in the air, not in the spheres of the moon or of the other planets. this distinction of the spheres therefore is not mosaic nor scriptural but is an invention of men as an aid to instruction on these astronomical subjects; and which ought not to be despised as such an assistance. and although they say that the elements are corruptible, yet i doubt it, for i see indeed that they remain. and although a part at times is changed, yet it follows that the whole will be changed; but these changes of the elements are only in part. thus the air remains unchanged in which the birds live and fly; also the earth upon which the trees and other things grow, though certain parts of the same are changed. now aristotle makes the cause of all these things the first mover, _primum motorem_. averrois however says the cause of these motions are _"formae assistentes a foris;"_ that is, intelligent natures which move from without. following moses we say that all these things are brought forth and governed simply by the word of god. he spake and it was done. he never commanded that the angels should govern these bodies; just as we ourselves are not governed by the angels, although we are guarded and kept by the angels. thus also that the motion of the planets retrogrades is the work of god created by his word, which work belongs to god himself, which is greater and higher than can be attributed to angels, but god, who thus distinguished these things, governs and preserves them. and it is the same god who commanded the sun to start in its course but the firmament to stand still, said also to the planets and the stars, thou shaft move so and so. the word does even this; namely, it makes the most uncertain motion the most certain, even though these heavenly material bodies move in the fluctuating atmosphere, and not in any place or along any material line. for as a fish in the middle of the sea, a bird in the open heavens, so the stars move in their appointed course, but in a motion most secure and very wonderful indeed. thus also this is clearly the cause why the elbe river here at wittenberg and in this district has its fixed and continuous course and dare not become weary. all such works are the works of the word, which moses here honors and praises: "he said," etc. but we christians ought to meditate and think on these things and their causes differently from philosophers. although there are some things which are beyond our comprehension, as for instance these waters that are "above" the firmament, all such things are rather to be believed with a confession of our ignorance than profanely denied, or arrogantly interpreted according to our shallow comprehension. it behooves us ever to adhere to the phraseology of the holy scriptures, and to stand by the very words of the holy spirit, whom it pleased in this sacred narrative by his servant moses, so to arrange the different parts of the great work of creation, as to place in the midst "the firmament;" formed out of the original mass of the unshapen heaven and earth, and stretched out and expanded by the word; and then to represent some waters as being "above" that firmament and other waters "under" that firmament, both waters being also formed out of the same original rude undigested matter. and the whole of this part of the creation is called by the holy spirit the heaven; together also with its seven spheres and the whole region of the air; in which are meteors and signs of fire and in which the wandering fowls make their homes. therefore these common principles we will not oppose nor deny, when they say everything by nature sinks under itself, and everything light rises above itself, although we also see that dense heavy vapors arise but by reason of the influence and motion of heat. we say also that all these things were thus created and maintained by the word, and they can also by virtue of the power in the same word be changed yet today; as all nature will finally be altogether transformed. thus also it is contrary to the rule given that waters should be above the heaven or firmament, and yet the text affirms it. to return therefore unto the principal matter before us; when any inquiry is instituted as to the nature of these waters, it cannot be denied that moses here affirms that waters are "above" the heaven; but of what kind or nature these waters are, i freely confess for myself that i know not; for the scriptures make no other mention of them than in this verse, and in the song of the three children, in the apocrypha, dan. 3:61; and i can attempt to declare nothing certain on these and similar subjects. hence i can say nothing whatever as known and understood concerning the heaven where the angels are and where god dwells with the blessed; nor concerning other kindred things, which shall be revealed unto us in the last day, when we shall have been clothed with another body. but i add, for the sake of those who do not understand this, that in the scriptures the word heaven often signifies what we call the horizon. hence the whole firmament is called the heaven of heavens, in which are gathered the heaven of all human beings; that is, the horizon. in this respect we have a different heaven here in germany than the people in france or italy. but this name helps nothing at all in the explanation of our text. therefore the greater number of theologians interpret here waters, as also indicated above, the glacial heaven, the cold heaven, which is located where it is that it may moisten and refresh the lower sphere in their great and swift motion, lest they be consumed by their excessive heat. but whether they have thus concluded correctly, i will leave unanswered. i freely confess that i do not know what kind of waters these are. for the old teachers of the church did not specially worry about this, as we see augustine condemned all astrology. although it contains much superstition, yet it should not be entirely despised, for it is wholly given up to the observation and consideration of divine themes, a zeal and diligence most worthy of human beings. therefore we find that many most highly talented and excellent persons have exercised themselves in astrology and obtained pleasure from it. sufficient has been said on this subject to show that on the second day the heaven was separated and located so that it stood in the middle between the waters. iii. but here another question presents itself. to the works of all the other days there is added the divine sentence of approbation, "and god saw that it was good." how is it then that the same sentence is not added to the second day's work, when the greatest and most beautiful part of the whole creation was made? to this question it may be replied, that this same divine sentence is added at the end of the creation of all things on the sixth day and more fully expressed thus, "and god saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good." and these words apply to the heaven also. lyra is inclined to think with rabbi solomon, that as this divine expression, "and god saw that it was good," is uttered twice during the third day's work, one of the divine sentences refers to the second day's work; which was perfected on the third day, when the waters which are "under" the heaven were more distinctly divided from the waters which were "above" the heaven. but it is by far the safest way not to be too curious and inquiring on these subjects; because they exceed our human capacity. others speculate here and give reasons they understand not, that the second number is of an evil omen, because it is the first number that departs from the unity of god, but god was displeased with this digression and approved of the unity, and therefore he did not add the clause "it was good" on the second day. lyra is however right in calling this a misleading and dangerous explanation. for in this manner all the numbers depart from the unity. therefore it is far the safest not to be too curious and inquiring in these subjects, because they are placed above our human capacity. for how can we understand that order which god himself establishes and approves. yes, reason must here be put to shame, for what is order in the eyes of god we judge to be the confusion of order. thus the stars seem to us to be arranged thoughtlessly in wild disorder in that the bright ones are scattered among those more obscure, and the lesser among the greater. who would judge this to be order? and yet it is the most perfect harmony, so constituted by the all-wise mind itself. in like manner we judge of other matters. it seems confusing that our elbe and all rivers flow to the sea in an irregular winding course. such disorder there seems to be also among trees, yes, between man and wife, where it appears there is no order. but all this only proves that god is a god of order and that his judgment as to order is quite different than ours. we therefore cease to follow more curiously the question why god added twice to the third day, "and god saw," etc., and omitted it on the second day. nor will we conclude rashly whether the work of the second day was finished in the third day or not. philosophers have handed down the rudiments of the arts and of the science of astronomy, and in doing so they divided the heaven into various spheres. we have a much simpler theory or science, in that we at once make god the immediate creator of all things by his word, _dixit_, "and god said." for how can we understand that order which god approves as such? nay, our natural reason must here of necessity be confounded; for that which is order with god is in our judgment confusion. hence the stars appear to us to be in a state of wild disorder; the bright being mingled with the more obscure, and the lesser with the greater. who would judge this to be order? and yet it is consummate harmony; and so constituted by the all-wise mind. and so we judge of other things. our river elbe seems a confusion; as do all other rivers also; because their streams empty themselves into the sea by winding courses. in the same manner trees seem to present a confusion. nor do males and females in the world and their unions and combinations appear to be a state of order. all here also as to the appearance of things is disorder and confusion. all these things therefore unitedly prove that god possesses an order, and judges of it, differently from ourselves. cease we therefore to penetrate into these things with too much curiosity, why it is that god repeats the divine sentence in question twice during the work of the third day and omits it altogether in the work of the second day? nor determine we rashly whether the work of the second day was finished on the third day or not. philosophers laid down the rudiments of the arts and of the science of astronomy; and in so doing they divided the heaven into its various spheres. but we adopt a simpler and more true method of procedure and judgment; for we at once make god the immediate creator of all things by his word, "and god said." part iii. god's work on the third day. i. v. 9a. _and god said, let the waters under the heavens be gathered together unto one place._ in the foregoing i observed that we do not understand the order of the works of god. had he therefore asked us our opinion here we should have advised him to use such an order as to add the sentence now in question to the work of the second day. but god will ever be master of his own order and the ruler of the world. wherefore we ought not to be over curious here. the text plainly declares that god commanded the waters "under the heavens to be gathered together unto one place." it does not say as before, v. 7, "under the firmament," where it is said, and god divided the waters which were "under the firmament" from the waters which were "above the firmament." the heavens therefore, according to the phraseology and definition of the scriptures, are the whole of the higher region and its machinery, together with the entire body of the air and all its spheres. the hebrew name is derived from the material of which it is composed; namely, from that confused body of water, by the extension or expansion or multiplication of which it was formed. for that first body of unformed water was not so extensive in itself, but was so expanded or spread out by the word. just as christ, according to the record of the gospel, so multiplied a few loaves by his blessing as to make them suffice for a great multitude of men. what therefore we philosophically call the air, with all its spheres, moses here calls the heavens. but by waters he means the waters of our seas and rivers, which were also formed out of that original unformed mass of water; or out of the dregs or lees of it, as it were, after the heavens had been formed or expanded out of it by the word. i believe however that the nature and power of our water are far inferior to those of the heavenly waters. for our waters are, as i have said, the dregs, as it were, of the higher waters. so that they may be said to have been gathered together not only as to their place or position, but as to their body or substance, because these latter waters are heavier than those of the air or heaven. for we can breathe in the air, but we cannot breathe in the water. and when moses says that these waters were "gathered together unto one place" collectively, he is rather to be understood as speaking in a plural or distributive sense. as if he had said, that they were gathered unto various places; and not that the whole body of the waters was gathered unto one place, as one ocean, but that they were distributed into various seas and rivers; some higher up, and some lower down, some greater, and some less, etc. v. 9b. _and let the dry (land) appear._ these words claim particular attention, because moses had just before said, that the earth was tohu and bohu; that is unformed, rude and uncultivated, mixed with waters and washed by the waters on every side. here therefore moses also means that this original mass of earth was sunk under the waters and covered by them. otherwise, why should he represent god as saying "and let the dry land appear," if it had not been surrounded by the abyss of water and almost covered with these original nebulous mists or waters? for we have here a confirmation of that which i have repeatedly set forth; that the world, at its first formation, was nothing but a rude chaotic mass of water and earth; and now on the third day the earth is brought out and made to appear. as therefore at first the light was brought in upon the waters; so now, the beauty of that light is made to shine upon the earth. for both these qualities were necessary to render the earth habitable; that it should be "dry" and that it should be in the light or illuminated. ii. moses now calls the earth "dry" on account of the removal of the original waters from it. thus we behold the waters of the ocean rage and boil as if they would swallow up the whole earth. for the ocean stands higher than the earth. but it cannot pass its appointed bounds, for this spot of dry land circumscribes the earth of the first creation; and even opposes an insuperable barrier to original ocean-waters. hence job, 38th chapter, and the 104th psalm bear witness that, although the sea is higher than the earth and is limited by no boundaries of its own, yet it cannot pass its boundaries appointed of god. for the earth, being the center of the world, would naturally be submerged and covered with the sea. but god keeps back the sea by his word and thus makes the plane of the earth stand forth out of the waters, as far as is necessary for the habitation and life of man. hence it is by the power of god that the waters are prevented from rushing in upon us. god therefore performs for us to this day and will do so to the end of the world, the same miracle which he wrought for the children of israel in the red sea, ex. 14:21-22. but he made a special manifestation of his power by working the mighty miracle on that occasion, to the intent that he might bind that people, who were few in number, the more devotedly to his worship. and what else is this our life upon earth, but a passage through the red sea, where the high and threatening walls of water stand up on each side of us? for it is most certainly true that the sea is much higher than the earth. god therefore to this day commands the waters to hang suspended and holds them up by his word that they may not break in upon us, as they burst in upon the world at the deluge. sometimes however signs of god's power are still manifested, whole islands perish under the waters, whereby god shows that the mighty water is still in his hands, and that it is with him either to hold it fast or to let it rush in upon the wicked and the ungrateful. philosophers have their disputes also concerning the center of the world and the circumfluent water. indeed it is wonderful that they go so far as to determine the earth to be the center of the whole creation. and it is from this argument, that they conclude that the earth cannot fall; because it is supported from within by the other spheres surrounding it on every side. hence according to these philosophers the heaven and all other spheres rest upon this center, by which support they themselves also derive their durability. it is well becoming us to know these arguments. but these philosophers know not that the whole of this stability rests on the power of the word of god. although therefore the water of the mighty ocean is higher than the earth, yet it cannot pass its appointed bounds nor cover the earth. but we live and breathe as the children of israel existed in the midst of the red sea. v. 10. _and god saw that it was good._ moses here adds this divine commendation although nothing was wrought beside the division of the waters and the bringing out of waters a small particle of the earth. now above, at the most beautiful part of god's creation, this short divine commendatory sentence was not added. perhaps it was omitted as an intimation from god that he is more concerned about our habitation than about his own; and that he might by such intimation animate us to higher feelings of gratitude and praise. for we were not destined to exist in the air or in the heaven, but on the earth where we were appointed to support our life by meat and drink. therefore after god adorned the roof of man's habitation, namely, the heaven, and added the light, he now spreads its floor and makes the earth suitable for the dwelling service of men. this part of his work, god twice declares to be "good" on our account, by which he would intimate that we men form so great a part of his care, that he is desirous to assure us by such a twofold approbation of this portion of his creation-work wrought with so much care that he would ever hold it under his peculiar protection; that he would grant it his perpetual presence, and would prevent our great enemy and our most certain death, the mighty water, from rushing in upon us. beautifully therefore did god form in "the beginning" the foundation and roof of this house. now let us see how he furnished and garnished it. iii. v. 11. _and god said, let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit after its kind, etc._ god, as we have seen, has now constructed the first and the principal parts of man's house. its roof, the heaven, is most beautiful, but it is not yet fully adorned. its foundation is the earth. its walls are the mighty waters on every side. god next makes provision for our food. he commands the earth to bring forth herbs and trees to bear fruit of every kind. here you may again see why the earth was before called tohu and bohu; because it was as yet not only dark, but altogether barren of fruit. but mark what kind of food god prepares for us; namely, herbs and fruits of trees. i believe therefore that our bodies would have been much stronger and healthier if this surfeiting and especially the eating of flesh of all kinds since the flood had not been introduced. for although the earth after the sin of adam was cursed, and because still more corrupt after the flood, yet our food of herbs would have been much more refining, thin and pure, had we still lived on them, than our gross feeding on flesh is now. it is quite evident that in the beginning of the world the food of man was herbs, and it is equally evident that the herbs were created for the very end that they might be food for man. that the earth produces grain, trees and herbs of every kind is the work of this day. now indeed, all things spring forth from the seed of their kind. but the original creation was wrought without any seed, by the simple power of the word. indeed that seeds now put forth their plants is still the effect of the work of the original creation by the word, and it is a work full of wonder and admiration. for it is a singular act of god's power that the grain, falling on the earth, springs forth in its time and brings forth fruit after its kind. and that like plants should be put forth from like seeds in an unceasing and unchanging order, is sure proof that it is not the consequence of a chance creation, but the especial operation of divine providence. hence from wheat grows nothing but wheat; from barley nothing but barley; from the bean nothing but beans; for the same continuous and unaltered nature, order and condition of each plant are constantly preserved. philosophy knows nothing of the cause of all this and attributes the whole to nature. we however well understand that nature was so created at the first by the power of the word, that the seeds and forms of all plants might be exactly and perfectly preserved. wherefore not only are the first-day waters of heaven multiplied, as there is need; but the first seeds are also multiplied, as god sees fit, and they all preserve their original form and nature with the utmost perfection. here again a question is frequently raised as to the time or season of the year, in which the world was created; whether the creation was wrought in the spring or autumn. and although the opinions of men differ on this point, yet each one has his own reasons and conjectures. those who prefer making autumn the season of creation, consider that they prove their judgment to be correct from the fact that the trees when first created produced their fruit. for adam and eve ate of their fruit. they prove their opinion moreover to be the right one, as they think, by the argument that the works of god are perfect! others will have it, that the spring was the time of the creation, because the spring is the most beautiful season of the year and is, as it were, the infancy and childhood of nature. hence it is that the ancient poet ovid describes the spring as being the originating cradle-time of the world. neither party however has sufficient ground for concluding their arguments to be exclusively right; for the sacred text supports both opinions, because it declares, that the earth "brought or budded forth," which certainly is not the time of autumn, but of spring. it also declares that fruits then existed; which it is equally certain is not the time of spring. wherefore, my opinion is that such was the miracle wrought of god at the first creation of the world that all these things existed at the one time; the earth budded forth, the trees blossomed, and the fruits, in their perfection, immediately and suddenly followed; and then the miracle ceased; and nature gradually fell into her regular order. thus, all these herbs and trees are propagated by means of their seeds in the same kinds and forms as those in which they were first created. hence men reason wrongly, when they argue from the natural to the supernatural effect. for the whole is to be attributed to the creator and to his first creation-work, in which he at the same time perfected the infant buddings of spring and the mature fruits of autumn, as far as the herbs and the fruits of the trees were concerned. moreover this state of things at the creation induced hilary and others to conclude that the world stood forth suddenly at the word of god in all its full perfection; and that god did not employ six whole natural days in the work of creation. for the text compels us to confess that the trees together with their fruits existed on the same day adam was created. but although all this was indeed wrought of god very much more quickly than it is now for this same work of god in our age generally occupies six months of time, yet the text does not use the verb "to fructify" only but also the verb "to germinate." with reference therefore to this question, concerning the time of the creation, it is most probable that the spring was the season in which the world was first created. hence the jews begin their year at this season, making the first month of spring the first of their year, that being the time of the year when the earth begins to open its bosom and all things in nature bud forth. concerning this part of the creation another question is also raised as to the time when the unfruitful or barren trees and herbs were created. for myself i would not attempt to settle anything as to this point, but i will offer my opinion. i believe that all trees were in the beginning good and fruitful; and that the beasts of the field and adam had as it were one and the same table; and that they all fed on wheat, pulse and the other nobler fruits; for there was then the greatest possible abundance of all these creatures. after the sin of adam however god said for the first time to the earth "that it should bring forth thorns and briars." wherefore there can be no doubt that we have so many trees and herbs which are of no use whatever for food as the divine punishment of that first sin of adam. hence it is that many have considered the whole original state of earth paradise, on account of the blessing and the abundance which attended the first creation. those who held this opinion affirmed that the expulsion of adam from paradise was his being deprived of this happy state of the earth and placed among thorns, where frequently after the greatest labor scarcely any benefit is derived. on this matter however we shall speak hereafter. but with respect to the present question, i am quite inclined to think that all the trees were fruitful when first created. the curious reasoning of the men of our day is detestable; when they inquire in their arguments, why it was that god adorned the earth with fruits on the third day before he had garnished the heaven with stars? they affirm that such a part of the creation-work belonged rather to the work of the sixth day; and that it would have been more appropriate as the heaven was first expanded before the earth was brought forth, had the heaven been adorned before the earth. for they say that the adorning of the earth belonged more properly to the sixth day. lyra would make here the subtle distinction that this was not the ornament of the earth but the form of it. however i doubt whether any such distinction can be admitted, as satisfactory. my opinion is that, as i have before said, the order adopted by god in all these things is not to be submitted to the exercise of any judgment of ours. indeed was not the heaven adorned with that light, which was created on the first day? that light was assuredly the most beautiful ornament of the whole creation. in this sacred matter i therefore much prefer that we consider the divine care and goodness exercised in our especial behalf, in that god prepared a habitation so beautiful for the man, whom he was about to create, before he created him, in order that when created he might find a habitation already prepared and furnished for him, into which thus ready and garnished god led him when created, and commanded him to enjoy all the fruits and provisions of his ample abode. thus on the third day were prepared the food and the store-room. on the fourth day the sun and the moon were given for the service of man. on the fifth day "dominion" was committed to him over the fishes and the birds. on the sixth day the same "dominion" was intrusted to him over all the beasts, that he might use all the rich blessings of these creatures freely, according to his necessities; and as a return god only required that man should acknowledge the goodness of his creator and live in his fear and worship. this peculiar care of god over us and for us even before we were created, may be contemplated rightly and with great benefit to our souls, but all conjectures, reasonings and arguments upon the great subject of the creation are uncertain and fruitless. the same care for us is manifest in his spiritual gifts. for long before we are converted to faith christ, our redeemer, rose and ascended above, and is now in the house of his father preparing mansions for us; that when we arrive there we may find heaven furnished with everything that can complete our joy. adam therefore not yet created was much less able to think of his future good than even we are, for he as yet had no existence at all. whereas we continually hear all these things from the word of god, as promised to us. let us look at this first creation of the world therefore as a type and figure of the world to come, and thereby let us learn the exceeding goodness of god, who thus benefits, blesses and enriches us, even before we are capable of thinking for ourselves. this solicitude, care, liberality and beneficence of god, both for our present and future life, are matters more becoming us to contemplate and admire than it is to enter upon speculations and conjectures as to the reason why god began to ornament the earth on the third day. let these observations suffice concerning the work of the third day in which a house was built and furnished for man. now follow the remaining days in which we were appointed rulers, to "have dominion over" the whole creation. part iv. god's work on the fourth day. i. v. 14a. _and god said, let there be lights in the firmament of heaven to divide the day from the night._ this is the work of the fourth day in which those all-beautiful creatures, the sun and the moon, together with all the stars, were created by the word. nor were they created as to their substances and their bodies only, but as to the blessing of god upon them and through them; that is, as to their powers, effects and influence. you heard above that on the first day the "light" was created. this light continued to illumine all things instead of the sun, the moon and the stars until the fourth day. and on the fourth day those authors and rulers of the day and the night were themselves created. hence there has here arisen a question with reference to this first "light;" whether after the sun and the moon were created it disappeared altogether or remained, embodied in the sun. and on this point a great diversity of sentiments and opinions has existed. my simple belief is that the nature of all these works of god is the same. as on the first day the rude unformed heaven and earth were created and afterward completely formed and perfected, as the originally imperfect heaven was afterward stretched out and adorned with light, and as the earth was first called forth from the waters and then clothed with trees and herbs, so the first formed light of the first day, which was then only begun, as it were, and imperfect, was afterwards perfected and completed by the addition of those new creatures, the sun, the moon and the stars. others say that this original "light" still remains, but is obscured by the brightness of the sun. both opinions may be true. for it may be that the original light still remains and was as it were the seed-light of the sun and the moon. moses however makes a difference here, calling the sun and the moon the "greater lights." what philosophers say therefore concerning the magnitude of these bodies has properly nothing to do with the text before us. what we have here to do is to observe that the scriptures do not speak of these bodies with reference to the magnitude of the bodies themselves but with reference to the magnitude of their light! for if you would compare the sun with the stars and collect all the stars into one body, you would have a body perhaps greater than the sun, but that whole body of stars together would not form a light equal to the light of the sun. on the contrary if you could divide the sun into minute particles, the most minute particles would surpass in brightness the brightest star. for all these bodies were created with an essential difference as paul affirms. "there is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars," etc., 1 cor. 15:41. and this difference does not consist in the nature or magnitude of their bodies, but in the nature and essentiality of their creation itself; so that in this the work of god's creation is more wonderful. hence marvellous beyond expression or thought is the fact that the rays of the sun should be dispersed through such length and breadth, with such wonderful properties of nourishment and heat to all bodies under their influence; and that, too, while the sun itself revolves with such amazing velocity. astronomers say also that the stars are lighted as it were by the sun so that they shine. likewise they say that the moon borrows its light from the sun. and this is beautifully proved in an eclipse of the moon, when the earth comes between the sun and moon and the light of the sun is not transmitted to the moon. i do not deny nor reject this, but i do hold however that it is of divine power that this efficacy is added to the sun to light and illumine even the distant moon and stars with its own light; and likewise that the moon and stars are so created that they have the capacity to receive the light that is projected from the sun so far away. augustine sets forth two opinions about the moon in the beginning of the 12th psalm, and in his discussions he forces an allegory upon the church, while he himself defines nothing. but i leave this; for from astronomers as from master artists we most readily learn what points are possible to be disputed in this science. i am satisfied that in these bodies so glorious and useful for our life we discern the goodness and power of god, who created such things by his word and conserved them to the present day for our use. these are matters belonging to our calling or profession; that is, they are theological themes, and they have the efficacy to comfort and strengthen our hearts. what is further discussed concerning the nature and attributes of these creatures, although for the most part approaching the truth and studied with profit, yet i see that the reason is by far too weak to understand these things perfectly. therefore the greatest men of genius and learning, overwhelmed by the worthiness of these creatures, could not conclude otherwise than that they are eternal, and, as it were, gods. since, therefore, philosophers define a star to be a denser point within its own orbit, we come much nearer the truth when we define it to be light created by god through his word. and it is indeed more likely that the stars are bodies round like the sun, little globes fixed to the firmament, so that each gives light by night, according to its gift and its creative functions. v. 14b. _and let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years._ when moses adds above, "and let them divide the day from the night," he intimates that difference between the natural and the artificial day, so universally made by astronomers. for he had before said, "and there was evening and there was morning one day;" "were the second day," etc., where he is speaking of the natural day which consists of 24 hours, during which the first great movable body, the sun, performs his revolution from east to west. but here, when the sacred historian says, "and let them divide the day from the night" he is speaking of the artificial day, the space of time during which the sun is above the horizon. ii. these therefore are the primary offices of the sun and the moon: to be the rulers and directors of the night and the day; whereas the stars perform not these offices nor are so appointed of god. but the sun, when he rises, brings in the day without the rising or aid of the other stars. so the moon, even independently of the stars, is the ruler of the night and makes the night; for she is created by god for that very office. as to these changes of the day and the night, they are ordained for the refreshment of our bodies by sleep and rest. the sun shows his brighter light for man's work. the moon has her paler light as more adapted for repose than for work. but what is the meaning of moses when he says, "and let them be for signs," etc.? lyra explains it as signifying signs of rains and storms, etc. this in an interpretation which i would not strongly oppose; though i have great doubts whether these "lights in the firmament of heaven" do, or can, pre-signify rains, tempests, etc., with any certainty, as the poet virgil and others represent in their writings. the gospel does indeed make a "reddened" evening a sign of "fair weather," and on the contrary a "lowering" morning a sign of "foul weather," math. 16:2-3. with respect therefore to the common saying that the rising of the constellation of the pleiades indicates rain and other proverbs of a similar description, i will not with great concern tear them to pieces, nor will i at once admit and confirm them, because i cannot see that they are all uniformly sure and certain. i hold the simplest meaning of the text is that he does not speak of such inferior signs, but greater signs, such as eclipses and collisions of heavenly bodies, so that a sign is a wonder, a prophecy or miracle, by which he reveals his wrath or the misfortune of the world. if any think this explanation is too coarse, let us remember that moses wrote for a rude people. here belong meteors and the rare phenomena which take place in the air, when stars are seen to fall, when halos surround the sun and moon, when the rainbow appears and similar things happen in the sky. for moses calls the heaven the whole aqueous mass in which the stars and planets move, also the highest sphere. we speak of spheres and circles to make the explanation plainer. for the scriptures know nothing of these and say that the moon with the sun and stars are not each in its sphere, but in the firmament of heaven, below and above are the waters. that they are signs of future events, experience teaches concerning planet collisions and meteors. the expression "for seasons" claims particular attention. the term in the hebrew is lemoedim; and moed signifies "a stated, fixed, certain time." hence it is a term commonly used in the scriptures to signify "a tabernacle of covenant;" because there certain feasts were accustomed to be held in a certain place and time according to certain rites. therefore it is that moses describes the sun and the moon as being created "for seasons;" not only because the seasons are ruled and evidently changed by the course of the sun; for we see that most inferior bodies are changed by the access and recess of the sun; and the quality of the air according to which our own bodies are also changed is of one kind in the winter, of another in the summer, of another in the autumn and of another in the spring; but because we observe other differences and distinctions of times and seasons in civil life, all which are derived from the motions and revolutions of these heavenly bodies. hence at a certain time of the year men make their contracts for building houses, hire their servants and their services, and collect taxes, debts and rents, etc. all these are services rendered us and blessings bestowed upon us by the sun and the moon, that we may by their laws and revolutions divide the times and seasons for the various labors of man and enjoy many other blessings which they confer. it is by them that we divide and number our weeks, months, quarters, etc., etc. the next expression, "for days," refers to the natural day, during which the sun performs his revolution round the earth. our being enabled therefore to number days and also years, are blessings of the creation and are thus ordained of god. wherefore philosophers define time to be "an enumeration of motions," which numbering could have no existence if the heavenly bodies did not move by a sure and fixed law. if they all stood fixed in a certain place without motion, numbering could have neither commencement nor regulation. and where there is no numbering of days, months, years, etc., there is no time. hence a man in a sound sleep, being destitute of all sense of number and of all faculty of enumeration, knows not how long he sleeps. in a like manner, though we can in a measure recollect our infancy, yet we are not conscious of the fact of having sucked the breasts of our mothers; and yet we then had natural life. the reason is that we were deficient in the sense of number and the power of annumeration. for this same reason beasts know nothing of time; just as infants have no such knowledge. the sense and faculty of number therefore prove man to be a peculiar and superior creature of god on which account we find augustine declaring the faculty of annumeration to be an especial gift of our nature, and proving from this very gift the immortality of the soul; because man alone can calculate and understand time. with reference to the future life, some here inquire whether the offices of these heavenly bodies are designed of god to cease. but the life to come will be without time. for the godly will enjoy an eternal day and the ungodly will have an endless night and eternal darkness. the sun therefore makes the day, not only by his light and brightness, but by his motion, which he makes from east to west until he rises again at the end of 24 hours and thus makes another day. wherefore astronomers make three great benefits to proceed from the sun: his motion, his light and his influence. concerning his influence however i shall enter upon no subtle inquiry. it is enough for me to know that these heavenly bodies were created for our use; that they may be unto us "for signs of wrath or of grace and for seasons," that we might observe certain distinctions of time, etc. these things, because they are taught us in the holy scriptures are sure. all things else, such as the doctrines and predictions of astrologers, are not thus certain. one is wont to inquire here concerning the astrological predictions which some confirm and prove from this text. if they are not defended perseveringly and pertinaciously, i will not combat them strongly. for one ought to concede to the ingenious and learned brains their playground. therefore when one reads of the misuse and unbelief of their superstitions, i would not be greatly offended if one exercise himself in these predictions for the sake of pleasure. as to that which pertains to the practice of astrology i could never he persuaded to count astrology among the sciences, for the reasons that it has no clear demonstration or visible proof. that they cite experiences does not influence me. for all astrological experiences are merely particular. for those, skilled in the practice only, have observed and committed to writing the things that have not failed; the other experiences, however, in which they failed or were not followed by the results they predicted would certainly follow were not committed to writing nor remembered. but just as aristotle says that one swallow alone does not make summer, so i think one cannot form a true and complete science from such single and particular observations. for just as it is said of hunters, they may hunt every day, but they do not find game every day. the same may be said of astrologers and their predictions, because they fail very often. but now since they indeed contain some truth, what folly it is at the same time that one should be so anxious about the future. for grant that it is possible to know the future through the predictions of astrologers, were it not in many respects far better, if they are evil, to be entirely ignorant of them than to know them, as cicero contends? instead it is much better to stand in the fear of god always and to pray than to be tormented and tortured by the fear of future events. but more of this at another time. wherefore my judgment is that astrological predictions cannot safely and satisfactorily be founded upon this passage of scripture; for they are, as i have said, signs observed and collected by reason. but the next and proper meaning, if we understand moses concerning the signs, which god knows and shows, is to the end that men in general may be admonished and terrified by them. let these observations on the fourth day suffice. now here begins to open upon us and to present itself to our meditation that great subject, the immortality of the soul. for no creature besides man can understand the motion of the heaven or estimate the celestial bodies and their revolutions. the pig, the cow, the dog cannot measure the water they drink. but man can measure even the heaven and form his calculations of all the heavenly bodies. wherefore a spark of eternal life glitters forth here from the fact that man is naturally exercised in this knowledge of all nature. for this anxious inquiry indicates that men were not created with the design that they should live forever in this small weak portion of god's universe; but that they should occupy the heaven, which in this life they so admire and in the study and contemplation of which they are continually engaged. if heaven were not the destination of man what aim or need was there for his being endowed with this wide capacity for rich knowledge and thought. indeed the stature and form of the body of man also argues that he was designed for heavenly things, even though his origin was so very mean and humble. for god made the first man from the common earth. after this the human race began to be propagated from the seed of the male and female, in which the embryo is formed in the womb in all its particular members, and there it grows until by its birth it is ushered forth into the light of heaven. from this birth comes the life of sensation, the life of motion and the life of operation. when at length the body has grown and the man has a sound reason and soul in a sound body, then first shines forth in all its brightness that life of intelligence found in no other earthly creature. by this faculty, leaning on the aid of the mathematical sciences, which no one can deny were indicated and taught from above, man mounts in his mind from earth to heaven, and leaving behind him the things below concerns himself about and inquires into heavenly things. hogs do not do this, nor cows nor any other beasts of the earth, it is the employment of man alone. man therefore is a being created of god with the design that at an appointed time he should leave the earth, dwell in heavenly mansions and live a life eternal. these great principles of man's creation form the reasons why he is able not only to speak and to judge, which are things pertaining to language and argument, but is capable also of acquiring any science whatever. from this fourth day therefore begins to be manifested the peculiar glory of our race. because god here forms his mind and purpose to create such a being as should be capable of understanding the motions of those heavenly bodies, which are created on this fourth day; and a being who should delight himself in their knowledge, as peculiarly and exclusively adapted to his nature. all these things therefore ought to call forth our thanksgiving and praise; while we reflect that we are the citizens of that heavenly country which we now behold, understand and wonder at, yet understand only as strangers and exiles, but which after this life we shall behold nearer and understand perfectly. hitherto therefore we have heard the divine historian speak of those creatures only, which are endowed with neither life nor sense; although some philosophers have spoken of the stars and the greater heavenly bodes, as if they were animate and rational. this i think has arisen from the motion of these bodies, which is rational and so certain that there is nothing like it in any other creatures. hence some philosophers have affirmed that the heavenly creatures were composed of body and intellect, though their bodies were not material. plato reasons thus in his "timoeus." all such opinions however are to be utterly exploded and our whole intellect is to be subjected to the word of god and to what is there written. the holy scriptures plainly teach that god made all these things, that he might by them prepare for the man, whom he was about to create, a home and a hospitable reception; and that all these things are governed and preserved by the power of the same word, by which they were originally created. wherefore all things being at length prepared pertaining to the furniture of his home, the scriptures next show us the manner in which man was "formed" and introduced into his possession to the end that we might be taught that the providence of god over us and for us is greater than all our own care and concern for ourselves can possibly be. these things are plainly taught us in the scriptures. all other things not supported by the authority of the scriptures are to be repudiated and rejected. i have therefore thought it especially becoming and necessary to repeat here that admonition which i have frequently given, that we ought constantly to acquaint and familiarize ourselves with the phraseology of the holy spirit. for no one can successfully study any of the human arts unless he first correctly understands the idiom of the language in which its principles are described. for lawyers have their peculiar terms, unknown to the physician and the philosopher. in like manner, the latter have each a phraseology peculiar to themselves with which the professors of other arts have little or no acquaintance. now one art ought not to perplex another. but every art ought to maintain its own course in its own way and to adopt its own peculiar terms. accordingly we find the holy spirit, to use a language and a phraseology peculiar to his own divine self, declaring that god created all things by his word or by speaking them into being; "he spake and it was done"; that he wrought all things by his word; and that all the works of god are certain words of god, certain things created by the uncreated word. as therefore the philosopher uses his own terms, so the holy ghost uses his. hence when the astronomer speaks of his spheres, his cycles and his epicycles, he does so rightly, for it is lawful for him in the profession of his art to use such terms as may enable him the better to instruct his disciples. on the other hand the holy ghost will know nothing of such terms in the sacred scriptures. hence those scriptures call the whole of that part of the creation which is above us, "the heaven," nor ought that term to be disapproved by the astronomer; for the astronomer and the scripture both adopt, as i have said, terms peculiar to themselves. it is in this manner that we are to understand the term "seasons" in the sacred text before us. for the term "season" with the philosopher and with the hebrew has not the same signification. with the jews the term "season" signifies, theologically, an appointed feast or festival; and also the intervals of days, which concur and conjoin to form the year, wherefore this term is everywhere rendered by the word "feast" or "festival" or "festivity"; except where it is used to signify a "tabernacle" or "tent." i deemed it best to offer these admonitions concerning language and phraseology before we advance further, and i hope they will not be found useless or out of place, as showing the importance that every art should confine itself to its own language and terms; that no one art should condemn or deride another, but that each should rather aid the other and render mutual services. and this indeed the professors of all arts do, in order that the unity of the whole state may be preserved; which, as aristotle says, "cannot be constituted of a physician and a physician; but must be formed of a physician and a husbandman." part v. god's work on the fifth day. i. v. 20. _and god said, let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth,_ etc., etc. we see moses retains invariably the same sacred phraseology, "and god said," etc. hitherto he has been speaking of the superior creatures; the heaven with all its host of planets and stars, which god created out of water by the word, and gave light unto it, just as we now see the air around us lucid, with a natural illumination. moses now proceeds to speak of new creatures also produced out of the waters; namely, of birds and fishes. he connects these two creatures in his narrative on account of their similarity of nature. for as the fish swims in the water, so does the bird swim as it were in the air. though their flesh differs, yet they have the same origin. for the sacred text is here quite plain, that the birds when created out of the waters immediately flew into the air where they now live. moses here retains moreover his uniform term in calling the whole region above us, "heaven." and first it is worthy of admiration that, although the fishes and the birds were both created out of the same matter, the waters, yet as the bird cannot live in the water, neither can the fish exist, if brought into the air. physicians rightly argue, when they affirm that the flesh of birds is more wholesome than that of fishes, even though the nature of birds is also aqueous; because they live in a more rarified element; for air is a purer element than water; the latter, in which the fish are generated and live, being constituted of the dregs as it were of the former. philosophers however do not believe this identity of the nature of birds and of fishes. but the faith of the sacred scriptures which is far above philosophy and far more certain, assures us that the nature of the fish and of the bird had the same origin. here again is a further proof of the divine authority and majesty of this book, in that it sets before us under such various forms that power of god by which he created all things, beyond the conception of all reason and understanding. who for instance could ever have thought, that out of water a nature could be produced, which should by no means endure water? but the word of god speaks, and in a moment out of water are created birds. if therefore the word of god but sound, all things are immediately possible; and out of the same water shall be formed either fishes or birds. every bird therefore and every fish is nothing more or less than a word of divine grammar or language; by which grammar all things, otherwise impossible, immediately become possible and easy; by which also things contrary and conflicting become similar and harmonious; and vice versa. but these divine things are thus written and ought to be diligently observed, studied and known by us, that we might learn to admire and adore the power of the divine majesty; and that we might edify and strengthen our faith from all these marvellous creation works of god! for if one could raise the dead it would be nothing in comparison to this wonderful work; that a bird was created in a moment out of water! but the reason we do not day by day and continually wonder at these things, is because by our having seen them always before us, they have lost their wonder in our eyes. if however one does but believe these things, he is compelled at once to wonder at them. and that wonder gradually confirms his faith. for if god can form a mass of water, call forth and create the heaven and its stars, each one of which equals or exceeds the earth itself in magnitude; if god can, from a small drop of water, create the sun and the moon, can he not defend my poor body against all enemies and against satan himself? can he not after that poor body is laid in the tomb raise it again to another and a new life? wherefore we are to learn from this book of genesis the power of god; that we may accustom ourselves to doubt nothing that god promises in his word! for, in this glorious and marvellous creation work is laid a confirmation of our faith in all the promises of god; that there is nothing so difficult, nothing so impossible, which god cannot do and perfect by his word. for all this is here proved by god's creation of the heaven, earth, sea and all that is in them. but we must here touch upon that which has arrested the attention of the holy fathers, and especially of augustine; that moses in this sacred narrative uses these three expressions in reference to god, "god said;" "god made;" and "god saw;" as if god designed by these three expressions, used by his servant moses, to set forth the three persons of the divine majesty! thus by the expression "said" is signified the father. the father begat the word from all eternity; and by this same word he made in time this world. and these holy fathers applied the expression, "god made" to the person of the son; for the son has in himself the "express image" of the person of the father; not only of his majesty, but of his power by which he created all things. hence the son gives to all things their existence. and as by the father things are spoken into being, so are they also by the son or the word of the father, by whom "all things subsist." and to these two persons is also added a third; the person of the holy spirit, who "sees" and approves all things which are created. these three expressions therefore, "said," "made," "saw," are spoken by moses in a beautiful and appropriate manner as attributive of the three divine persons; that we might by these three expressions the more distinctly understand that great article of faith, the holy trinity. for the sole reason these props of our faith were religiously sought by the holy fathers was, that the profound subject, the doctrine of the holy trinity, so incomprehensible in itself, might in some measure receive aid to its comprehension. wherefore i by no means condemn these pious attempts, because they are perfectly in harmony with the analogy of faith and most useful also for the instruction and confirmation of faith. in this manner hilary also distinguishes other attributes. "eternity is in the father; form, in the image; and use, in the gift." he says that the holy spirit is the gift for use, because he gives the use of all things; in that he governs and preserves all things that they perish not. the same fathers hold and affirm also, "the father is the mind; the son the understanding; the holy ghost the will." not that the father is without understanding or the son without will. but these are attributes; that is terms or expressions, which are not applicable to three divine persons collectively, but to the one or the other divine person, separately or differently. not, as we have said, that the father is without wisdom, etc. but we thus portray and present these divine things to our minds that we may better hold and explain the article of faith on the holy trinity. when therefore the sacred text says "and god saw that it was good," the divine expression implies god's intended preservation also of the thing which he had in each case just created. for the creature itself, thus newly created, could not stand unless the holy spirit should love it, and unless this complacency of god in his own work should preserve that work. for god did not thus create these things, designing to forsake them when created, but he approves them and loves them still. the great creator by his divine agency still simultaneously stirs, moves and preserves, after his own god-like method all things which he hath made. i deemed it right thus briefly to touch upon these sacred matters; for the godly thoughts of those, who have preceded us in this holy study and whose course we are ourselves pursuing, are well worthy our knowledge. the expression in the above text, which jerome renders "the creeping creature that hath life," is in the original hebrew nephesch, and signifies a "soul" or "life" or "something living." moses calls fishes by this name. with reference to birds, it is well known that they are amphibious; that is they live either on land or in the air. ii. v. 21a. _and god created the great sea-monsters (whales)._ an inquiry may naturally here be made, why moses mentions by name, "whales" only. but it is so, that the scriptures in general make mention only of the greater fishes. the mention of "leviathan" and of "dragons" in the book of job, and in other places of the scriptures is well known. it is certain however that all the large sea-monsters are called by the name, "whales;" some of which have wings as the dolphin, the king of fishes. not however because it exceeds all other fishes in size. for the eagle, the king of birds, does not surpass all birds, nor is the lion, the king, larger than all other beasts. i believe however the reason of this is that we might know that these huge bodies are really the glorious works of god, and that we might not through any terror at such awe-striking bulks, imagine that these stupendous animals were not works of god, but unreal monsters. these great facts of creation being thus established in our minds, it is easy to conclude, that as these enormous bodies were created by god, the lesser fishes, such as herrings, sprats, minnows, etc., were created also by him. let him who would contemplate this more deeply read job, chap. 41. he will there plainly see in what lofty language the holy spirit, by means of the poet-author of that book, lauds that marvellous monster "leviathan," whose strength and confidence is such that he contemns even the force of arrows. such descriptions open our eyes and encourage our faith to believe the more easily and firmly that god is able to preserve us also, who are so indescribably less in magnitude and strength. a question here also raised concerning mice and doormice; whence and how they originate and are generated. for we find by experience that not even ships, which are perpetually swimming on the ocean, are free from mice, and no house can be thoroughly cleared of mice but that they will still be generated. the same inquiry may be instituted concerning flies. and also whither birds go in the time of autumn. if you ask aristotle concerning mice, his argument is that some animals are _homoigena_, "generated from a like kind," and others, _heterogena_, "generated from a different kind," and that mice are "heterogena," because mice, he says, are not generated from mice only, but from putrid matter; the putridity of which is consumed and gradually becomes a mouse. if you ask by what power this generation is effected, aristotle answers that the putrid humidity of this matter is cherished, generatively, by the heat of the sun; and that by this process a living animal is produced; just as we see the bluebottle fly generated from horse-manure. but this reasoning is far from satisfying me, for the sun warms all things, but generates nothing, unless god speak it into being by his divine power. even supposing therefore that the mouse were generated from putrid matter, yet the mouse would be a creature of divine power. the mouse is therefore a creature of the divine word and power; and it is, as i believe of an aqueous nature. were it not a creature of the divine word and power, it would have no natural form nor would its species be preserved. whereas it has a form the most beautiful, in its kind; legs of such exquisite symmetry, hair so smooth, as to make it evident that it was created for a certain order of creatures by the word of god. in the mouse therefore we admire also the creature and the workmanship of god. and the same may as certainly be said of flies. concerning the disappearing of birds i have no certain knowledge. for it is not very likely that they retire into regions farther south. indeed the miracle concerning swallows is known by experience, that they lie as dead in the waters during the winter, and revive at the approach of summer; which fact is indeed a great similitude and proof of our resurrection. for these are operations of the divine majesty truly wonderful. hence we see them, but we understand them not. and my belief is that although a single swallow may appear unseasonably, now and then, i doubt however whether it ever can be the case, such swallow is restored from its death-like state by god himself. unto the creation work of the fifth day therefore belong all crawling, creeping and flying creatures; and all other creatures which move in any way in the air or the water. iii. v. 21b and 22. _and god saw that it was good. and god blessed them._ why did not god pronounce the word of blessing upon the above inanimate bodies of his creation also? in those cases he only said, that the bodies which he had created pleased him, but he did not bless them. but when he comes to the generation and propagation of living bodies, then he institutes a new mode of their increase and multiplication. hence the sun and the stars, as we see, do not generate from themselves bodies like unto themselves. but herbs and trees have this blessing upon them, that they grow and bring forth fruit. still there is nothing in them like unto this present blessing, pronounced by god upon the living bodies. moses therefore by this word of the divine blessing makes a glorious distinction between the bodies before created, and these living bodies which were created on the fifth day, because here a new method of generation is instituted. for in this case from living bodies are generated separate kinds of offspring which also live. but this certainly is not the case with trees nor herbs; for unless they be sown anew they bear no fruit, nor does a seed grow simply from a seed, but from a plant. but in the present instance a living body is generated from a living body. this latter operation therefore, that animal bodies should increase and be multiplied from bodies of their own kind, is entirely another and a new work of god. because a pear-tree does not produce a pear-tree but a pear. but in the latter case, that which a bird produces is a bird. that which a fish generates is a fish. marvellous indeed and numberless is the multiplication of each species and infinite the fecundity, but it is greatest in marine and aquatic animals. what then is the cause of this wonderful and admirable generation or propagation? the hen lays an egg; she cherishes it until a living body is formed in the egg, which at length the hen hatches. philosophers allege the cause of all this to be the operation of the sun and the heat of the hen's body. i fully grant all this. but divines speak much nearer the truth, when they affirm that the whole generative process takes place by the effective operation of the word, here spoken by god, "and god blessed them; and said, be fruitful and multiply." this word of god's blessing is present in the very body of the hen and of all living creatures; and the heat by which the hen cherishes the egg is essentially and effectively the heat of the word of god; for without this word the heat of the sun or of the body would be utterly ineffectual and useless. wherefore to this admirable part of his creation work god adds his peculiar blessing in order that these living bodies now created on the fifth day might be fruitful. from these circumstances may be seen what this divine blessing is, namely, multiplication. now when we bless we can effect nothing. all we can do is to pray. but this prayer is inoperative. we cannot effect the things for which we pray. but the blessing of god carries with it actual fruitfulness and multiplication. it is at once effectual. on the contrary the divine curse is non-multiplication and diminution. and the curse is also at once effectual. here again, the phraseology of moses is to be carefully observed. what moses calls the blessing of god, philosophers call fecundity; that is, when certain living and sound bodies are produced from other living and sound bodies. nothing resembles this in trees, for a tree does not generate the like unto itself; it is the seed that produces the like of the tree. this is a great and marvellous miracle, but like all things else in the wonderful works of god, it loses its wonder from our being always accustomed to behold it without reflection or consideration. another question here arises concerning worms and various hurtful creeping things; reptiles as toads; and venomous flies and also butterflies. in all these living creatures there is a wonderful fecundity. and it is singular that the more hurtful the creatures the more prolific generally is their generation and the greater their multiplication. but we will leave this question to our subsequent comments on the third chapter of this book. for my belief is that at the time of creation, now under consideration, none of these venomous, hurtful or annoying creatures as yet existed. i believe that they afterwards sprang from the earth, when cursed by god as the punishment of sin, that they might afflict us and compel us to flee unto god in prayer. but more on this subject, as i have just intimated, hereafter. thus have we then a sight of the living bodies created on the fifth day. and we have seen that the word of god, spoken on this day, is still effectual; for fishes are still generated from mere and very water. hence fish-ponds and lakes still generate fishes. minnows are generated in fish-ponds, in which there were none before. for i see no likelihood of truth in the trifling arguments of some, who will have it that fishes caught by birds, drop their seed into fish-ponds and lakes, while they are being borne along in the air by their feathered captors; and that such dropped fish-seed afterwards increases and furnishes the ponds. i believe therefore the true and sole cause of all this generation and multiplication of fishes, to be god's commanding word to the water on the fifth day of his creation work to bring forth fishes. i believe that this divine word is still effectual; and that it still works all these things! part vi. god's work on the sixth day. i. v. 24. _and god said, let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind,_ etc. we have now seen created the heaven with all its hosts, the sun, the moon and the stars. we have seen the sea created, with its fishes and birds. for as the fishes swim in the water so do the birds swim as it were in the air. to the earth also we have seen added its ornaments of herbs, trees and fruits. and now, before man is introduced into this his dwelling place, as it were, beasts of the earth are added; and beasts of labor and burden; and also reptiles. after all these things man himself is also created! man however is not created that he might fly with the bird nor that he might swim with the fish. but man has a nature common to all other animals in this respect, that he is designed to live upon the earth. for the use of ships is artificial, in the construction and use of which man attempts to imitate the fishes and the birds. for the ship performs both movements. it flies in the air and swims on the water. we are not however here speaking of things artificial, but of things natural. the hebrews here make a distinction of names and appellations. they call behamah, those animals which we denominate "beasts of burden;" and they distinguish by the same appellation the lesser beasts of the wood; such as stags, goats, hares and whatever animals feed on food common to us, and live on herbs and the fruits of trees. but they term carnivorous beasts, such as wolves, lions and bears, etc., haieso erez; which is generally and correctly rendered, "beasts of the earth." but whether this distinction is uniformly observed i know not. it does not appear to me that the observance of it is uniform. one thing however is quite certain, that moses here intended to comprehend all terrestrial animals, whether they feed on flesh or on herbs. of all these he affirms that the earth is the mother, which brought them all forth from herself by the word, as the sea also brought forth all fishes from herself by the same word. we have heard above however that god said to the water, "let the water be moved," etc., in order that by this its motion the sea might be filled with fishes and the air with birds. and we have seen also that afterwards the blessing of generation was first added. but here in the creation of terrestrial animals, another word is used; and god says, "let the earth bring forth." he does not say, "let the earth be moved." for the earth is a quiescent body. therefore in the creation work of the fourth day, god also says, "and let the earth bring forth grass," verse 11. for god wills that the earth should send forth both animals and herbs without any motion. but whether these animals were formed after the similitude of the formation of man out of the "ground," or whether they burst forth on a sudden, the scriptures define nothing on the subject; yet as moses is here celebrating the formation of man as having been wrought by a peculiar design and contrivance of the mind of god; my own opinion is that all the other animals of the earth stood forth created in a moment, as the fishes were made on a sudden in the sea. the reason god did not here, vs. 24 and 25, add his blessing is quite plain; because it embraces all the creatures mentioned in these verses, when it is afterwards pronounced on man, v. 28. it was sufficient therefore for moses to say in this place, "and god saw that it was good," v. 25. but let us now approach the last and most glorious work of god: the creation of man! ii. v. 26a. _and god said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness._ here again moses adopts a new phraseology. the divine expression is not in this place, "let the sea be moved," or "let the earth bring forth grass" or "fruits." but the remarkable word of god here is, "let us make, or form, or fashion, or fabricate man." wherefore this expression implies manifest deliberation and counsel; the like of which is found not in the creation of any former creatures. in those cases god says simply without any deliberation, counsel or particular design of mind, "let the sea be moved;" "let the earth bring forth," etc. but here where god wills to create man, he turns himself as it were to deep thought and enters into profound counsel and deliberation. first of all then we have here indicated the signal difference between man and every other creature of god and his high exaltation above them all. beasts do indeed greatly resemble man in many particulars. they live with him; they eat with him; they are brought up with him; they feed on many of the same things with him; they rest with him; they sleep with him, etc. if therefore you consider their food, their bringing up, their housing, their conservation, etc., there is a great similarity between man and beast. moses however here sets before us the striking difference between man and all the animals mentioned; when he affirms that man was created by the peculiar counsel and providence of god; whereby he signifies that man is a creature far excelling all other animals, which live a corporeal life; which excellence was more especially prominent while nature was as yet unfallen and uncorrupted. the opinion of epicurus was that man was created only to eat and to drink. this was not separating man from beasts; for beasts have also their pleasures, and they pursue them with delight. whereas the sacred text before us forcibly expresses the distinction and separation of man from beast, when it affirms that god took deep thought and certain counsel in forming man; which counsel was taken, not only to form man, but to form him "in the image and after the likeness of god." this image of god is a far different thing from the care of the belly and the indulgence of the appetite; for these things beasts well understand and eagerly crave. moses therefore in this place signifies to the spiritually minded that we were created unto a life far more excellent than, and high above, anything which this corporeal life could ever have been, even if nature had remained perfect and uncorrupted by sin. for godly teachers well affirm that if adam had not fallen god would have translated him from an animal life to spiritual life after a certain number of saints had been perfected. for adam was not designed by his creation to live without food, drink and procreation. but all these corporeal things would have ceased at an appointed time; after a number of saints had been completed; and adam, together with his posterity, would have been translated to a life spiritual and eternal. these natural works of our corporeal life, eating, drinking, procreation, etc., would still have existed and would have been a service of gratitude to god; which service we should have performed without any of that corrupt concupiscence which cleaves to us since the sin of the fall and without any sin of our own or any fear of death. this would indeed have been a life of pleasure and of sweetness. of such a life it is lawful for us to think; but such a life is not now possible for us to live. this however we have still left to us: we can believe and with all assurance look for a spiritual life after this present life; an end of this life in paradise; thought for us and destined for us by god through the merits of christ. wherefore the portion of the sacred text before us claims our especial meditation in which the holy spirit so magnificently extols the human nature and so distinctly separates it from all the other creatures of god. for the mere corporeal or animal life of man was designed to resemble in a great measure the life of the beasts of the earth. because as beasts require food, drink and sleep for the refreshment and restoration of their bodies, so adam was designed also to use these even in his state of innocence. but that which moses moreover affirms, that man was so created unto this animal life that he was also "made" in the "image" and "after the likeness" of god, this is a manifest indication of a life different from and far above a mere animal life. adam was endowed therefore with a twofold life: an animal and an immortal life. the latter however was not as yet plainly revealed, but held in hope. had he not fallen by sin therefore, he would have eaten and drunk, worked and generated in all innocence, sinlessness and happiness. i have thought proper to make these admonitory observations upon that difference which god made by his deep counsel between us men and all other animals among which he permits us to live. i shall return to this subject hereafter and shall dilate upon it to a greater extent. secondly, i would remark upon this divine word "let us make," that it pertains to the mystery and confirmation of our faith; by which we believe that there is one god from all eternity and three distinct persons in one divinity or divine essence, the father, the son and the holy ghost. the jews indeed attempt in various ways to elude this passage; but they can bring nothing solidly or effectually against it. for this passage plagues them to death, to use the expression of occa. that author so describes all trying and tormenting questions, which he finds he cannot solve. the jews assert that god uses the same expression elsewhere, when he includes the angels with himself; and also where he includes with himself the earth and other creatures. but i would here ask in the first place, why god did not use this same expression before in the creation of the previous creatures? i would demand secondly what the creation of man had to do with angels or angels with it? and i would thirdly call attention to the fact, that god makes here no mention of angels whatever but simply says, "let us." wherefore god speaks here of makers or creators. this expression therefore could not design or imply angels. in the fourth place, it is quite certain that it was not, could not, and cannot, be said that we were created "in the image" of angels. and fifthly and lastly, we have the divine word in both forms of expression in the plural and also in the singular number, "let us make" and "god made." moses therefore here most clearly and most forcibly indicates to us, that there is internally in the very divinity itself and in the very creative essence, an inseparable and eternal plurality. suffer we not the gates of hell themselves to wrest this truth from the grasp of our faith! and as to what the jews say about god's joining the earth with himself when he speaks by the pronoun we or us, that is frivolous and absurd. for surely the earth is not our maker or creator. why did not the adorable god rather join the sun with himself, when he spoke. for aristotle affirms that man and the sun generate man. but neither would this invention succeed; because we are not made in the image of the earth but we are made "in the image" and "after the likeness" of those glorious makers and creators who here speak and say, "let us make," etc. these makers are three distinct persons in one divine essence. it is in the image of these three divine and glorious persons that we are created, as we shall hereafter further hear. and again, it is extremely absurd for the jews to assert with reference to this passage that god adopts, in the words he here uses, the custom of princes; who, for the sake of reverence and dignity, use the plural number when they speak. but the holy spirit does not imitate this distancing pomp of terms, if i may so term it; nor do the scriptures know anything of such a manner of speech. wherefore most assuredly the holy trinity is here intended of god; that in the one divine essence there are three divine persons, the father, the son and the holy spirit; so that the deity is not separated here, even in this case of action or agency. for all three persons here concur and speak unitedly when they say, "let us make." for neither does the father make any other man than the son makes; nor does the son make any other man than the holy ghost makes. but the father, the son and the holy ghost, the one same god, are the one same author of the one same work and are the one same creator. wherefore according to this scriptural argument and this holy statement of the truth, the deity or godhead cannot be separated objectively, as the object of divine worship, nor actively as the creative agent. for the father is not known, but in the son through the holy ghost. hence as actively, so objectively, there is but one adorable god; who nevertheless is in and within himself, substantially or essentially father, son and holy spirit; three distinct persons in one godhead or deity. these divine testimonies of this book of genesis ought to be dear and delightful to us. for although both jews and turks deride us, because we believe that there is one god, but three persons in the godhead, yet unless they are prepared impudently to deny the authority of the scriptures, they must be compelled by the present text as well as by the passages above cited to fall in with our doctrine. they may indeed attempt to elude and avoid these testimonies, nevertheless the sting of this passage still sticks fast in their hearts; they cannot get rid of the divine expression "let us make." they can assign no other reason for it than we have here given. nor can they otherwise explain why moses uses the plural noun elohim. the reflections and natural convictions arising from these divine expressions they cannot shut out from their hearts and consciences, notwithstanding all the various means which they adopt in order to do so. and if they deem it the height of their wisdom to elude and get rid of these testimonies, do they think that we are destitute of ability, and cannot find wisdom enough to defend them? but the authority of the scriptures on our side is far mightier than all wisdom on theirs; especially since the new testament reveals the whole divine matter more clearly still. for there the son which is in the bosom of the father teaches us all these things with a clearness far surpassing all other testimony; whom not to believe is the highest blasphemy and eternal death. wherefore, bid we farewell to all these blind corrupters of divine doctrines until we meet them at the day of judgment! but you will say perhaps that these testimonies are too obscure to be appealed to as proofs of so important an article of faith. i reply, these divine things were spoken at this time, thus obscurely, according to the counsel and purpose of god; and for this very reason, because they were all left to that great lord and teacher, who was to come; until whose advent the restitution of all things was reserved; even the restitution of all knowledge and of all revelations. those mysteries therefore which "in the beginning" were set before us thus obscurely, christ when he came revealed, made known and commanded to be preached. nevertheless the holy fathers were in possession of this knowledge by the holy spirit; though not so clearly as we possess it now, who hear in the new testament the names of the father, and of the son and of the holy ghost plainly declared. for when christ came it was necessary that all those seals should be unloosed, and all those things openly preached, which "in the beginning" had been purposely delivered to us in obscure words in reverence to the great teacher who was to come. and had not the holy spirit deferred this clear knowledge to the time of the new testament, arians would have existed long before the birth of christ. wherefore the holy spirit willed that this sun of knowledge should be opposed to the devil in these "last times," that his eyes might be the more intolerably dazzled, that he might the more virulently envy men such a brightness of knowledge, and be thus the more terribly tormented. thirdly. a whole sea of questions is here agitated as to what that "image" of god was in which moses here says man was formed. augustine has dwelt largely on the explanation of this passage in his book "on the trinity." those divines in general, who retain the division and definition of aristotle, follow augustine. they consider the image of god to be those powers of soul, memory, mind or intellect and will. they affirm that the image of god consists in these three qualities; which image, they say, is found in all men. and their argument is, that as in divine things the word is begotten of the substance of the father, and as the holy spirit is the complacency or good pleasure of the father, so in man from the memory proceeds the word of the heart, which is the mind of the man; which word being uttered there is developed the will, which will the mind beholds and with which it is delighted. these divines affirm moreover that "the similitude," after which man was formed, stands in gratuitous gifts. for as a similitude is a certain perfectness of an image, so, they say, the created nature of man is perfected by grace. according to their views therefore the "similitude" of god in man consists in his memory being adorned with hope, his intellect with faith and his will with love. it is in this manner, they assert, that man is created in the image of god; that man has a mind, a memory and a will. again they state the sacred matter thus: man is created after the "similitude" of god; that is, his intellect is illuminated by faith, his memory is confirmed by hope and constancy, and his will is adorned with love. fourthly. divines give other divisions and definitions of the qualities of this "image" of god, in which man was originally created. they hold that memory is the image of the power of god, mind the image of his wisdom and will the image of his justice. it was after this manner that augustine, and after him others, bent their minds on the discovery of certain trinities of natural qualities or endowments in man. for they thought that by this mode of explanation, the image of god in man would be the more clearly seen. these not unpleasing speculations do indeed argue faithful employment and great acuteness of mental ability, but they by no means aid the right explanation of this "image" of god. wherefore though i do not altogether condemn and reprobate this diligence and these deep thoughts, by which divines desire to reduce all things to a kind of sacred trinity, yet i doubt whether such attempts are very useful, especially seeing that others may push them too far. for it is on these grounds that some rest their disputes in favor of free-will; which, they say, naturally follows from this "image of god." they argue thus: god is free. since therefore man is created in the image of god, man also has a free memory, a free mind and a free will. out of this kind of reasoning therefore many things fall, which are either spoken untruly at first, or are afterwards wrongly understood or wickedly perverted. it is from this source that the dangerous doctrine has arisen, according to which men affirm, that god so rules and governs men that he permits them to use their own mind and movement. by this sentiment and teaching many most objectionable opinions have been generated. from this same source has originated that pernicious saying, "god who made thee without thyself will not save thee without thyself." such men conclude that free-will concurs with the grace and work of god, as a preceding and efficient cause of salvation. not unlike this is the saying of dionysius, which is more pernicious still: "although devils and man fell, yet all their natural faculties remained whole and entire; their mind, their memory, their will," etc. if this be true therefore it will follow, that man by his own natural powers can save himself. these perilous opinions of some of the fathers are agitated in all churches and schools, and i do not really see what the fathers wished to effect by them. therefore i advise that they be read with caution and judgment. they were often spoken in a mood and with a peculiar feeling, which we have not and cannot have, since we have not similar occasions. inexperienced persons therefore seize them all, without any judgment, in their own sense, and not in the meaning the fathers had at the time they were uttered. but i leave this and return to our theme. i fear however that since this "image of god" has been lost by sin, we can never fully attain to the knowledge of what it was. memory, mind and will we do most certainly possess, but wholly corrupted, most miserably weakened; nay, that i may speak with greater plainness, utterly leprous and unclean. if these natural endowments therefore constitute the image of god it will inevitably follow that satan also was created in the image of god; for he possesses all these natural qualities, and to an extent and strength far beyond our own. for he has a memory and an intellect the most powerful and a will the most obstinate. the image of god therefore is something far different from all this. it is a peculiar work of god. if there be those however who are yet disposed to contend that the above natural endowments and powers do constitute the image of god, they must of necessity confess that they are all leprous and unclean. even as we still call a leprous man a man, though all the parts of his leprous flesh be stupefied and dead, as it were, with disease, except that his whole nature is vehemently excited to lust. wherefore that image of god created in adam was a workmanship the most beautiful, the most excellent and the most noble, while as yet no leprosy of sin adhered either to his reason or to his will. then all his senses, both internal and external, were the most perfect and pure. his intellect was most clear, his memory most complete and his will the most sincere, accompanied with the most charming security, without any fear of death and without any care or anxiety whatever. to these internal perfections of adam was added a power of body and of all his limbs, so beautiful and so excellent that he surpassed all other animate natural creatures. for i fully believe that before his sin the eyes of adam were so clear and their sight so acute that his powers of vision exceeded those of the lynx. adam, i believe, being stronger than they, handled lions and bears, whose strength is so great, as we handle the young of any animal. i believe also that to adam the sweetness and the virtue of the fruits which he ate were far beyond our enjoyment of them now. after the fall however death crept in like leprosy over all the senses. so that now we cannot comprehend this image of god by our intellect. adam moreover in his innocency could not have known his wife eve, but with the most pure and confident mind towards god; with a will the most obedient to god and a soul the most free from all impurity of thought. but now since the sin of the fall all know how great is the excitement of the flesh, which is not only furious in concupiscence, but also in disgust after it has satisfied its desire. in neither case therefore is the reason or the will sound or whole. both are fallen and corrupt. and the fury of the desire is more brutish than human. is not this our leprosy then grievous and destructive? but of all this adam knew nothing before the sin of his fall. his only peculiarity then was that he had greater powers and more acute and exquisite senses than any other living creature. but now how far does the wild boar exceed man in the sense of hearing, the eagle in sight, and the lion in strength? no one therefore can now conceive, even in thought, how far the excellency of man when first created surpasses what he is now. wherefore i for my part understand the image of god to be this: that adam possessed it in its moral substance or nature; that he not only knew god and believed him to be good, but that he lived also a life truly divine; that is, free from the fear of death and of all dangers and happy in the favor of god. this is apparent in eve, who we find talks with the serpent, devoid of all fear; just as we do with a lamb or a dog. therefore god sets before adam and eve this, as a punishment, if they should transgress his command: "in the day that thou eatest of this tree thou shalt surely die the death." as if he had said, "adam and eve, ye now live in all security. ye neither see nor fear death. this is my image in which ye now live. ye live as god lives. but if ye sin ye shall lose this image; ye shall die." hence we see and feel the mighty perils in which we now live; how many forms and threatenings of death this miserable nature of ours is doomed to experience and endure, in addition to that unclean concupiscence and those other ragings of sin and those inordinate emotions and affections, which are engendered in the minds of all men. we are never confident and happy in god, fear and dread in the highest are perpetually trying us. these and like evils are the image of the devil, who has impressed that image upon us. but adam lived in the highest pleasure and in the most peaceful security. he feared not fire nor water, nor dreaded any of those other evils with which this life is filled and which we dread too much continually. let those who are disposed to do so therefore extenuate original sin. it plainly appears, and with awful certainty, both in sins and in the punishment of them that original sin is great and terrible indeed. look only at lust. is it not most mighty, both in concupiscence and in disgust? and what shall we further say of hatred toward god and blasphemies of all kinds? these are sad evidences of the fall, which do indeed prove that the image of god in us is lost. wherefore when we now attempt to speak of that image we speak of a thing unknown, an image which we not only have never experienced, but the contrary to which we have experienced all our lives and experience still. of this image therefore all we now possess are the mere terms, "the image of god!" these naked words are all we now hear and all we know. but there was in adam an illumined reason, a true knowledge of god, and a will the most upright to love both god and his neighbor. hence adam embraced his eve, and immediately knew his own flesh. to all these endowments were added others of less excellency, but surpassingly excellent if compared with our present weakness. adam had a perfect knowledge of all nature, of animals, of herbs, of trees, of fruits and of all other creatures. when all these endowments are put together they do not compose a man in whom you can at once behold the image of god shining forth, and more especially so when to all these endowments you add "dominion" over the whole creation. for as adam and eve acknowledged god to be lord, so afterwards they themselves held dominion over all creatures in the air, on the earth and in the sea. who can express in words the excellency and majesty of this "dominion?" for my belief is that adam could by one word command the lion as we command a favorite dog. he possessed a freedom of will and pleasure to cultivate the earth, that it might bring forth whatever he wished. for the following chapters of this book prove that there were at the time of which we are now speaking neither thorns nor thistles, chap. 3:18. neither do i believe that wild beasts were so savage and fierce as they are now. but all these thorns and thistles, and this ferocity of beasts, are the consequences of original sin, by which all the rest of the creation contracted a corruption and a loss of its original excellency. hence it is my belief also that before the sin of adam, the sun was more bright, the water more pure, the trees more fruitful and the earth more productive than since he fell. but through that dreadful sin and that horrible fall, not only are the soul and the body deformed by the leprosy of sin, but all things we use in this life are corrupted; as we shall more plainly show hereafter. now the very intent of the gospel is to restore this image of god. man's intellect and will have indeed remained, but wholly corrupted. the divine object of the gospel is that we might be restored to that original and indeed better and higher image; an image, in which we are born again unto eternal life, or rather unto the hope of eternal life by faith, in order that we might live in god and with god and might be "one" with him, as christ so beautifully and largely sets it forth in the seventeenth chapter of st. john. nor are we born again unto life only, but unto righteousness also, because faith lays hold of the merit of christ and sets us free through the death of christ. hence arises another righteousness in us; namely, that "newness of life," in which we study to obey god as taught by the word and helped by the holy spirit. this righteousness however begins only in this life and can never be perfected in the flesh. nevertheless this newness of righteousness pleases god, not as being perfect in itself nor as being any price for our sins, but because it proceedeth from the heart and rests on a confidence in the mercy of god through christ. and further, through the gospel comes unto us this other blessing also conferred upon us through the holy spirit, who resists in us unbelief, envy and other sins and corruptions, to the intent that we may solemnly desire to adorn the name of the lord and his holy word. in this manner does the image of god begin to be restored in us through the gospel by this new creation in this life. but in this life it is not perfected. when however it is perfected in the kingdom of the father, then will our will be truly free and good, our mind truly illuminated and our memory constant and perfect. then will it come to pass also that all creatures shall be more subject unto us than ever they were unto adam in paradise. until all this shall be fulfilled in us, we shall never be able fully to understand what that image of god was, which was lost by adam in paradise. this however which we now utter concerning it, faith and the word teach us, which discover unto us at a distance as it were the glory of this image of god. but as the heaven and the earth "in the beginning," were of rude unformed bodies, as we have shown before the created light was added to them; so the godly possess within themselves that unformed and imperfect image of god, which god will perfect at the last day in those who believe his word. in conclusion therefore that image of god, in which adam was created, was excellent above all things, in which was included eternal life, eternal security and all good. that image however is so marred and obscured by sin that we cannot even in thought reach the comprehension of it. for though we utter the words "the image of god," who is there that can possibly understand what it is for a man to live a life of security without fears and without perils, and to be wise, righteous, good and free from all calamities or distresses either of soul or of body? what was more than all this adam was made capable of life eternal. for he was so created that as long as he lived in this corporeal life he might cultivate the earth not as doing a work of trouble, nor as wearying his body with labor, but as enjoying an employment of the highest pleasure; not as "deceiving or killing time," as we say, but as performing a service to god and yielding an obedience to his will. this corporeal life was intended to be succeeded by a spiritual life, in which man was not designed to use corporeal food and aliments nor to perform any of those other things which he must necessarily do in this natural life. but he was designed to live a life spiritual and angelic. for such is the life eternal to come, described to us in the holy scriptures, a life in which we shall neither eat nor drink, nor exercise any other corporeal functions. hence paul says, "the first man adam became a living soul," that is, he lives an animal life which requires meat, drink, sleep, etc. but the apostle adds, "the last adam became a live-giving spirit," 1 cor. 15:45. that is, he shall be a spiritual man, in which state he shall return to the image of god; for he shall be like unto god in life, righteousness, holiness, wisdom, etc. it now follows in the sacred text: v. 26b. _and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea,_ etc. to man, the most beautiful of god's creatures, who possesses the knowledge of god and is the image of god, in which image shines forth the similitude of the divine nature in an enlightened reason, in righteousness and in wisdom, is now assigned _"dominion."_ adam and eve are made rulers of the earth, of the sea and of the air. this dominion is not only committed to them by the design and counsel of god, but by his expressed command. we must in the first place consider this great matter in a negative and exclusive sense, that it is not said to any beast that it should have any dominion. and in the next place we must view the matter in an absolute sense, that all animals, nay, the earth itself with all created living things and all generated from them, are subjected to the dominion of adam, whom god by his vocal and expressed command constituted king over the whole animal creation. for these are the words which both adam and eve heard when god said, "and let them have dominion." here therefore a naked man without arms, without walls, nay, without any vestiture of his own body, but standing alone in his own naked flesh, finds himself lord over all birds, all wild beasts and all fishes, etc. this portion of the divine image also we have utterly lost, so that now we cannot even conceive in thought that fulness of joy and pleasure which adam must have felt at the sight of the whole animal creation before him and at the sense he was lord of them all! for now all things are full of leprosy and full of stupidity, and, as it were, of death. for who can now reach even in thought a conception of that portion of the divine image, which adam and eve possessed, by which they understood all the affections, the senses, the feelings and the powers of all the animals of the creation. and yet, what would have been their dominion over all created animals without this knowledge? there is indeed in this life a certain knowledge of god in the saints, derived from the word and the holy spirit. but that knowledge of all nature, that understanding of the qualities of all trees and the properties of all herbs, that clear discernment of the natures of all beasts, these are endowments of our nature now utterly lost and irreparable. if therefore we would talk about a philosopher, let us talk about adam! let us speak of our first parents, while they were as yet pure and unfallen through sin! for adam and eve had the most perfect knowledge of god. and how indeed could they be ignorant of him, whose very image they possessed and felt in themselves! moreover of the stars also and of the whole science and system of astronomy they had the most certain knowledge. moreover that all these endowments were enjoyed by eve, as well as by adam, is quite manifest from the speech of eve to the serpent, when she answered him concerning the tree in the midst of paradise. from this speech it appears evident that she knew the end for which she was created, and she shows also the author from whom she had received that knowledge, for her reply to the serpent was, "god hath said," gen. 3:3. eve therefore did not hear these things from adam only, but she was by nature so pure from sin and so full of the knowledge of god that she saw and understood the word of god for herself. as to us in our present state we still possess indeed some certain dull and as it were dead remnants of this knowledge. but all animals besides are altogether void of such understanding. they know not their creator nor their origin nor their end; nor whence nor why they were created. no other animals therefore possess anything whatever of this similitude of god. hence it is that the psalm contains this exhortation, "be ye not as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding," ps. 32:9. although therefore this image of god be almost wholly lost, there is nevertheless still remaining a mighty difference between man and all other animals of god's creation. but originally, before the sin of the fall, the difference was far greater and far more illustrious; while as yet adam and eve fully knew god and all his creatures, and were wholly absorbed in the goodness, righteousness and worship of god. hence also there was between adam and eve themselves a singular unity of minds and of wills. nor was there in the whole world an object sweeter to adam or more beautiful in his eyes than his eve! nor is a wife, as the heathen say, a necessary evil. and why call they a wife an evil? the reason is manifest. they know nothing of the cause of evil. it was satan. he it was who thus marred and corrupted woman's original nature. the influence however which we now have over beasts in this life, the use which we make of them, and the things we cause them to do are not effected by that dominion which adam possessed, but by industry and art. thus birds and fishes, as we see, are taken by deception and stratagem; and beasts are tamed in various degrees by art. for those animals which are the most domesticated as geese, fowls, etc., were of themselves and by their own particular nature wild. this leprous nature of ours therefore still retains, through the goodness of god, some appearance of dominion over the other creatures. this dominion however is very trifling indeed, and far, very far, beneath the original dominion. for under that there was no need of art or stratagem, to give man influence over the beast. every creature was put absolutely under a state of obedience to the voice of god when adam and eve were commanded by that voice to have dominion over them. we do retain therefore the name and the semblance and as it were the naked title of the original dominion, but the reality itself is almost wholly lost. still it is good for us to know and to think upon this state of things, that we may sigh after that day which shall come, in which shall be restored unto us all things we lost by the sin of adam in paradise. for we look for that life which adam also ever held in expectation. and well indeed may we wonder and render thanks unto god, as indeed we do, that we, so deformed by sin, so dull, so stupefied, and so dead by it, should be enabled through the merits and benefits of christ to look with assurance for that same glory of a spiritual life, which adam might also have looked for with all assurance, without the dying merits of christ if he had remained unfallen in that animal life which possessed the image of god. v. 27a. _and god created man in his own image, in the image of god created he him._ observe that the term likeness is not here used by moses, but "image" only. perhaps the sacred historian wished to avoid amphibology, too extensive circumlocution, and therefore he merely repeated the term image. i see no other cause for the repetition, unless we receive it as intended for emphasis, and as designed to signify the joy and triumph of the creator in this most beautiful work of his hands. the purpose of moses was probably to represent god as not so much delighted with any of, or with all, his other creatures as with man, whom he created in his own likeness. for other animals are termed traces of god, man alone is said to be the image of god. for in all the other creatures god is known as by his footsteps only, but in man, especially in adam, he is known truly and fully; for in adam is seen that wisdom, righteousness and knowledge of all things, that he may rightly be called a microcosm or little world in himself; for he understands the heaven, the earth and the whole creation. god therefore, as moses would here represent, is delighted in his having made so beautiful a creature. without doubt therefore, as god was so delighted with this his counsel and workmanship in the creation of man, so he is now delighted in the restoration of that his original glorious work, through his son our deliverer, jesus christ. it is always profitable to consider that god is always thinking thoughts of good, yea the best thoughts towards us, jer. 29:11, and that he is ever delighted with these his thoughts and this his counsel in our restoration to a spiritual life, by the resurrection from the dead of those who have believed in christ. v. 27b. _male and female created he them._ moses here mentions both sexes together. that woman might not appear to be excluded from all the glory of the life to come. for woman seems to be a creature somewhat different from man, in that she has dissimilar members, a varied form and a mind weaker than man. although eve was a most excellent and beautiful creature, like unto adam in reference to the image of god, that is with respect to righteousness, wisdom and salvation, yet she was a woman. for as the sun is more glorious than the moon, though the moon is a most glorious body, so woman, though she was a most beautiful work of god, yet she did not equal the glory of the male creature. however moses here joins the two sexes together and says that god created them male and female for a further reason that he might thereby signify that eve also being alike created of god, alike with adam became thereby a partaker of the divine image and similitude, and also of the dominion over all things. hence woman is still a partaker of the life divine to come, as peter says, "as being heirs together of the grace of life," 1 pet. 3:7. in all domestic life also the wife is a partaker in ruling the house and enjoys, in common with her husband, the possession of the offspring of the property. there is nevertheless a great difference between the sexes. the male is as the sun in the heaven, the female as the moon, while the other animals are the stars, over which the sun and the moon have influence and rule. the principal thing to be remarked therefore in the text before us, that it is thus written to show that the female sex is not excluded from all the glory of the human nature, although inferior to the male sex. of marriage we shall speak hereafter. in the second place this same text furnishes us with an argument against hilary and others, who wished to establish the doctrine that god created all things at once. for by the present passage of holy writ our interpretation is confirmed that the six days mentioned by moses were truly six natural days, because the divine historian here affirms that adam and eve were created on the sixth day. this text cannot be gainsaid. but concerning the order and manner of the creation of man, moses speaks in the following chapter, in which he informs us that eve was created a little after adam, and that she was not made from the dust of the ground, as adam was, but from one of the ribs of adam, which god took from his side while asleep. these therefore are temporal works; that is, works done at a certain time and not all wrought at one moment, as were also the sacred facts "that god brought every animal to adam," and "that for adam there was not found an helpmeet for him," chap. 2:19-20. many divines think also that it was on the sixth day that adam sinned. and therefore they hold the sixth day sacred on a twofold account, because, as adam sinned on the sixth day, so christ also suffered for sin on the sixth day. whether these things really be so, i leave it to them to settle as matters not fully known. moses does affirm as a certainty that man was created, and his wife also on the sixth day. my thoughts on the matter, as i will hereafter show, are that it is much more likely that adam sinned on the seventh day, that is on the sabbath; just as on the sabbath also satan the most bitterly annoys and torments the church while the word of god is being preached. but neither can adam's sin having been on the sabbath be clearly shown from moses. there are therefore, respecting both ways, "reasons against reasons," as cã¦sar maximilian used to say. i leave these doubtful things therefore to be settled by each one according to his own judgment. lyra relates a jewish fable, to which there is a reference in plato, that god originally created man in both sexes so that man and wife were together in one body, but were divided or cut apart by the divine power as the form of the back and spine seems to indicate. others have added more obscene trifles. but the second chapter overthrows and refutes such lies. for should that be true how could it be written that god took from adam one of his ribs and built a woman out of it? such lies are found in the talmud of the jews and reference must be made to them in order that we may see the maliciousness of satan, who suggests to men such absurd things. like this is the fable of aristotle who calls woman a ............ man, _virum occasionatum_, and others call her a monster. but they themselves are monsters and children of monsters, who calumniate and ridicule such a creature of god, in whom god himself had delight, as in the noblest of his works, and who as we saw was created by a special counsel of god. we cite such heathenish and unbecoming things to show that the human mind is unable to establish anything sure about god or the works of god, but advances reasons against reasons, "rationes contra rationes," neither does it teach anything perfectly or fundamentally on these themes. v. 28a. _and god blessed them; and god said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply,_ etc. god did not utter this command to the other animals but to man and woman only. doubtless however all other animals are included in the blessing: "be fruitful." this is the command of god to the creature added to his creation. but o! good god! what have we here also lost by sin! how happy was that state of man in which the generating of offspring was attended with the highest reverence of god, with the highest wisdom and with the purest knowledge of god! but the flesh is now so swallowed up with the leprosy of lust that the body in the commerce of generation becomes actually brute-like, and can by no means generate in the knowledge and worship of god! the progress of generation does indeed remain with human nature, but it is lowered and weakened beyond description; and it is so absorbed in lust that it differs little from the generation of the beast. to all this are added the perils of gestation and parturition, the difficulty of rearing children when born, and an infinity of other evils; all which tend to impress us with the awfulness and magnitude of original sin. the blessing of god on generation therefore which still remains with human nature is a humbled and an accursed blessing, if you compare it with that original blessing; and yet it is the blessing of god, instituted of god himself, which he still preserves. wherefore let us acknowledge with gratitude and praise this blessing of god which still remains, though thus deformed by sin. let us feel and confess that this inevitable leprosy of our flesh, which is all mere disobedience to the will of god is the punishment of sin, righteously inflicted of god. let us wait however in hope for the death of this leprous flesh, that we may be delivered from all this filthiness and be restored to a perfection and glory, even far exceeding the original creation of adam! v. 28b. _and have dominion over the fish of the sea,_ etc. what use there was of beasts-of-burden, of fishes and of many other animals in the primitive state of creation and of innocency, is impossible for us clearly to determine, sunk as we are in ignorance of god and of his creatures. what we now see is that we feed on various kinds of flesh, on pulse, etc. unless therefore these same things were in the same use then, we know not why they should have been created, but because we neither have nor see any other use for all these creatures now. but adam seems to have had no use, as we have now, for those creatures, in addition to all that food which he had in abundance from all the trees around him and from their fruits, which were far nobler and richer than any we now possess or know. nor could he need raiment or money, who had all things under his immediate dominion and power. nor did he need to regard any avarice or expectation in his posterity. adam and eve therefore being thus amply provided with food, needed only to use these creatures to excite their admiration and wonder of god, and to create in them that holiness of pleasure, which we never can know in this state of the corruption of our nature. but all things are quite the contrary now. for at the present time, all the creatures together scarcely suffice for the nourishment and gratification of man. and the case has been just the same in all ages. wherefore what this "dominion" of adam "over the fish of the sea" was, we cannot now conceive by any stretch of our thought. v. 29. _and god said, behold, i have given you every herb yielding seed,_ etc. here behold what anxious care god took of the man whom he had created. he first created the earth or his dwelling-place in which he was to live. he then ordained other things he judged to be necessary for his life and subsistence. and when at length he had created man, for whom he had made all these glorious preparations, he blesses him with the gift and power of generation. and now he gives him food, that nothing might be wanting for him to live most easily and most happily. but my belief is that if adam had continued in his original state of innocency, children from their very birth would have rushed forth to the enjoyment of those pleasures which the primitive creation furnished in infinite abundance. but it is perhaps vain in us to attempt to enumerate these utterly innumerable blessings, which are all irretrievably lost to us in our present state of life, and of which we cannot with all our thought form the least conception. v. 30. _and every green herb,_ etc. moses here seems to make a difference between "seeds" and the "green herb." perhaps it is because the herb is the food of beasts, and the seeds were designed to serve as food for man. for my belief is that without doubt the seeds we now use for food were far more excellent in paradise than they are at present. i have no doubt also that adam would have refused to taste those various kinds of flesh, than which we have no food which we deem more sweet and delicious, in comparison with the sweetness of the fruits of those trees, which grew naturally in paradise, from the eating of which there did not proceed that leprous fatness, which is the consequence of such food now, but a healthfulness and beauty of body and a wholesome temperature of all its humors. now all varieties of flesh do not satisfy man, nor all kinds of pulse nor all kinds of grain. we continually endanger the health of our bodies by a surfeit of food. i say nothing now of those worse than beast-like sins, which are daily committed among us by an excessive use of meat and drink. all this is evidently the curse of god, which has followed upon original sin and has continued until now. and i believe also that venomous and noxious beasts and reptiles first came out of the earth as accursed for the sin of man. but here a question may arise, how we are to reconcile the apparent discrepancy that all the trees in the field are given to adam to enjoy, and yet that afterwards a signal part of the earth, which the scriptures call paradise, is assigned to him to till? another question may be, whether the whole original earth may be called paradise? etc., etc. but these things we will leave to our meditations upon the second chapter. iii. v. 31. _and god saw everything that he had made, and behold it was very good. and there was evening and there was morning the sixth day._ after god had thus finished all his works, he here speaks after the manner of one fatigued, as if he had said, "behold i have now prepared all things for man with all perfectness. i have prepared for him the heaven as his canopy and the earth as his floor. his possessions and his wealth are the animals with all the productions of the earth, the sea and the air. the seeds, the roots and the herbs of the garden are his food. moreover i have made man the lord of all these things. and he possesses the knowledge of me his god, and the use of all the animals which i have created, all of which he can use as he will with the greatest security, righteousness and wisdom. nothing is wanting. all things are created in the greatest abundance for the sustaining of animal life. now therefore i will rest! i will enjoy a sabbath!" but these things are almost wholly lost by sin, and we are at this day like a carcass as it were of the first created man adam; and we retain but a shadow of the dominion which he possessed. shall we not say then that he has lost all things, who out of an immortal is become a mortal, and out of a righteous man, a sinner? out of one accepted of god and grateful to god, cast off and condemned of god? for now man is a sinner and mortal. if therefore these things do not, under divine teaching, stir us up to the hope and expectation of a better day and a better life to come, there is nothing that can stir us up to such hope and expectation. let these comments suffice for an explanation of this first chapter of the book of genesis. in the following chapter moses teaches us the nature of the work of this sixth day; how man was created. chapter ii. part i. god's rest, sanctification of the sabbath and creation of adam. i. v. 1. _and the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them._ our latin rendering of the text before us is "and all the adornment of them." in the original hebrew the expression is zebaam, the "host" or "army" of them. the prophets have retained this same form of speaking and of calling the stars and the planets, "the host or army of heaven," as jer. 19:13, where the jews are represented as having adored "all the host of heaven." and god says by the prophet zephaniah, "i will cut off them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops." in the same manner also stephen testifies concerning the children of israel in the wilderness that god "gave them up to worship the host of heaven," acts 7:42. the prophets borrowed these forms of speech from moses, who in this passage calls the stars and other luminaries of heaven by a military term, calling them the host or the warning army of heaven. after a similar mode of expression he calls men beasts and trees the host or army of the earth. perhaps this is in anticipation of the solemn realities that were to come. for god afterwards calls himself also the god of hosts or of armies; that is, not of angels and of spirits only, but of the whole creation also, which was for him and serves him. for ever since satan was cast off by god for sin he has been filled with such desperate hatred of god and of men that he would, if he could, in one moment empty the sea of all its fishes and the air of all its birds, strip the earth of all its fruits and utterly destroy all things. but god has created all these creatures that they may be a standing army as it were; that they might fight for us and our subsistence against the devil and against men also, and thus serve us and be to us an unceasing benefit. v. 2. _and on the seventh day god finished his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made._ here cavillers raise a question of this nature: moses says that god "rested on the seventh day from the work he had made;" that is, that he ceased on the seventh day to work: while christ says on the other hand, john 5:17, "my father worketh hitherto, or until now, and i work." the passage contained in heb. 4:3, helps to explain the present text, where it is written, "if they shall enter into my rest," not indeed into the land of promise, but into "my rest." my simple and plain reply to the above question is, that a solution of any difficulty that may be raised is furnished by the present text itself, when it says, "thus the heavens and the earth were finished." the sabbath or rest of the sabbath here signifies that god so rested, as not to have any further design of creating any other heaven and earth. it does not signify that god ceased to preserve and govern the heaven and the earth, which he had now created and finished. concerning the manner of the creation moses gives us the fullest information in the preceding chapter, that god created all things by the word! "let the sea bring forth fishes;" "let the earth bring forth the green herb, the beast," etc., etc. and by the same word, god also said, "be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth." now all these words of god remain unto this present day. and therefore it is that we see the multiplication of all these creatures go on without cessation or end. wherefore if the world were to last for a number of years endless and infinite, the power and efficacy of these words would never cease, but there would still be continued a multiplication of all these creatures perpetual and endless by the mere infinite power of this word of god; this word of the first creation and foundation of all things, if i may so express the original and originating word. the solution of the question now under consideration therefore is easy and plain. "god rested on the seventh day from the work which he had made;" that is, god was content with the earth and the heaven which he had created by the word. he created not nor intended to create new heavens or new earths, nor new stars nor new trees. god nevertheless still works. he "worketh hitherto," as christ says above. he forsakes not nature, which he once made "in the beginning;" but he preserves and governs it to this day, by the power of his word. he has ceased from his creation-work, but he has not ceased from his government-work. the human race began in adam. in the earth began by the word the animal race, if i may so speak; in the sea, the race of fishes; and in the air, the race of birds. but the human race did not cease in adam, nor did all other races cease in the first created animals of their kind. the word originally spoken upon the human race still remains in all its power and efficiency. the word, "be fruitful and multiply," ceases not nor ever will cease, nor the words, "let the sea bring forth fishes," nor "let the earth bring forth beasts and the air birds." the omnipotent power and efficacy of the original word still preserves and governs the whole creation. most clearly therefore has moses established the great truth, that "in the beginning was the word," john 1:1. and as all creatures still increase and multiply, and are preserved and governed, still in the same way as they were "in the beginning," it manifestly follows that the word still continues and lives, and that it is not dead! when moses says therefore, "and god rested on the seventh day from the work which he had made," his words are not to be considered as having reference to the general course and laws of nature nor to their continuous preservation and government, but simply to the "beginning;" that god ceased from creating, ordering and ordaining all things, as we generally speak, and from creating any new creatures or new kinds of animals, etc., etc. with respect to martin luther before you. if you look at my individual person i am a certain kind of new creature; because sixty years ago i had no existence. this is the common thought and judgment of the world. but the thought and judgment of god are far different. for in god's sight i was begotten and commenced, being multiplied immediately "from the beginning of the world." when god said, "let us make man," he then created me also. for whatever god willed to create that he did create when he spoke the word. all things did not then appear indeed on a sudden before our existing eyes. for as the arrow or the ball from the cannon, in which is the greatest velocity attached to the works of men is in one moment directed to its mark, and yet does not reach that mark without a certain interval and space between, so god rushes, as it were by his word, from "the beginning" to the end of the world. for with god there is no before nor afterwards; no swift nor slow; but all things to his eyes are at once present. for god is simply absolutely independent of and alone, and separate from all time! these words of god therefore, and god said, "let there be," "increase and multiply," etc., create, constitute and ordain all creatures, as they were, as they now are, and as they will be unto the end of the world. god has indeed ceased from creating new creatures. for he has created no new heaven, no new earth. but as he originally willed the sun and the moon to perform their courses, so have they continued to perform them to this day. as god then filled the sea with fishes, the heaven with fowls, and the earth with beasts and cattle, so have all these parts of his will been fulfilled to this day; and so have they all been preserved to this moment, as christ said, "my father worketh hitherto and i work." for the word, which god spoke in the beginning, remaineth unto this day; as it is said with great majesty in ps. 33:9, "he spake and they were made." but here sceptics and objectors will present a further question for reply. how can it be true, say they, that god made no new thing, when it is evident that the bow of heaven or the rainbow was created in the time of noah? and when also the lord threatened after the fall of adam, that it should come to pass that the earth should bring forth thorns and thistles? which thorns and thistles the earth would not have brought forth had adam not sinned. also concerning the serpent, the same cavillers say, that reptile ought to creep along almost upright with its head bending toward the earth; for when first created they say it was doubtless upright, as crows and peacocks move now. we readily acknowledge that this is indeed a new state of things, wrought also by the word. it is moreover true that if adam had not fallen by sin, there would not have been that ferocity in wolves, lions and bears, which now characterizes them. and most certainly also there would have been nothing in the whole creation noxious or annoying to man. for the text before us plainly declares that all things god had created were "very good." whereas now, how numberless are the annoyances by which we are surrounded? to how many and how great distresses, especially of diseases, is the body itself subject? i will say nothing about fleas, flies, gnats, spiders, mosquitoes, etc. what a host of dangers threaten us continually from the greater ferocious and venomous beasts? although there had been none of these new or altered things after the creation, our sceptic objectors can surely believe that there was one glorious and marvellous "new thing," is. 7:14, "that a virgin should bring forth a son, the son of god!" god therefore did not in the seventh day cease to work in every sense, but he works still, not only in preserving his whole creation, but also in altering and new-forming the creature; wherefore that which we said above, that god ceased on the seventh day from creating new orders of things is not to be understood as true absolutely and in every sense. but we further reply to our cavillers that moses is here speaking of nature in its yet uncorrupted state. if therefore man had stood unfallen in the innocency in which he was first created, no thorns nor thistles would have existed, no disease would have been known nor any violence of beasts feared. this is manifest from the case of eve; she talks with the serpent without any fear whatever, and as we should do with an innocent little bird or with a favorite little dog. nor have i any doubt that the serpent was an exquisitely beautiful creature and gifted with the peculiar excellency of having the highest praise for marvellous cunning, though then innocent cunning, even as foxes and weazels have that name among us now. wherefore when adam was as yet holy and innocent, all the animals of the creation dwelt and associated with him in the highest pleasure, being prepared to render him every kind of service gladly. nor would there have ever been known, if adam had thus continued sinless, any fear of a flood, nor would there consequently have ever existed a rainbow in the heavens. but sin caused god to alter many things and otherwise order them. and at the last day there will be an alteration and a renewal far greater still of that whole creation, which as paul says is now by reason of sin, "subject to vanity," rom. 8:20. finally therefore, when moses here says that "god rested on the seventh day," he is speaking with reference to the condition of the world, as originally created; meaning that while as yet there was no sin nothing new was created, that there were no thorns nor thistles, no serpents nor toads, and if there were such they possessed no venomous properties nor any inclination to harm. moses speaks in this manner concerning the creation of the world, while yet in its state of perfection, unpolluted and unmarred by sin. it was then a world innocent and pure, because man was innocent and pure. but now, as man is no longer the same being, so the world is no longer the same world. upon the fall of man followed corruption and upon this corruption the curse of the now corrupt creation. "cursed is the ground," said god to adam, "for thy sake! thorns and thistles shall it bring forth unto thee!" gen. 3:17, 18. thus on account of one accursed cain--sin, is the whole earth accursed! so that now even when tilled it does not put forth its original virtue. after this upon the sins of the whole world is poured the flood over the whole earth, and the human race throughout the whole world is destroyed, a few righteous persons only being saved lest the promise concerning christ should fail of being fulfilled. and as it is manifest to us all that the earth is thus deformed by sin, so my belief is, as i have before said, that the light of the sun, when first created, and before the sin of adam, was far more pure and more bright than it is now. it is a common saying of divines in all theological schools, "clearly distinguish times and you will harmonize all the scriptures." wherefore we must speak far otherwise concerning the world, under its present wretched corruption, by which it has been marred through the sin of adam, than concerning the world when as yet it was in its state of original purity and perfection. let us take an example still in our sight and knowledge. those who have visited the "land of promise" in our day affirm, that there is nothing in it like unto that commendation of it which we have in the holy scriptures. in confirmation of these statements a citizen of stolberg, after having visited palestine and surveyed with all possible diligence of observation, declared that he considered his own field in germany a far more delightful spot. for on account of the sin, wickedness and ungodliness of men it is reduced to a positive pickle-tub, to "a salt land not inhabited;" so actually is the very essence of the curse of god upon it fulfilled, as it is said, gen. 3:17, 18; ps. 107:34. thus sodom also before it was destroyed by fire from heaven was a certain paradise, a garden of the lord, gen. 13:10. thus does the curse of god generally follow sin, and that curse so changes things, that from the best they become the worst. moses therefore, we repeat, is here speaking concerning the state of all creatures in their original perfection; as they were before the sin of man. for if man had not sinned, all beasts and every other creature would have remained in obedience to him until god should have translated him from paradise, or from earth to heaven. but after his sin, all things were changed for the worse. according to these expressions therefore the solution given by us above to all sceptics, cavillers and objectors stands good, that god in six days finished his work, and that on the "seventh day" he rested from all his work which he had made; that is, that he ceased from ordaining the certain orders of things, and that then, whatsoever he willed afterwards to work, he did work. but god did not say afterwards, "let there be a new earth;" "let there be a new sea," etc. with respect to that wonderful "new thing;" that, after the creation was finished, the virgin mary brought forth the son of god, it is indeed manifest that god made our calamity, into which we had fallen by sin, the cause of this marvellous blessing. but god so wrought even this mighty work that he showed beforehand that he would, by his word, do this glorious work also; even as he has also signified in his word, that he will by the same word do other marvelous things. thus have we replied then to these questions of all cavilling objectors concerning god's having finished the heavens and the earth and concerning his having made other things new afterwards. we must continue this explanation to learn what this sabbath or rest of god is, and also in what manner god sanctified the sabbath, as the sacred text declares. ii. v. 3. _and god blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it, because that in it he rested from all his work which god had created and made._ christ says, mark 2:27, that "the sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath." but moses says nothing here about man. he does not even say positively that any commandment concerning the sabbath was given to man. but what moses here says is that god blessed the sabbath and sanctified it to himself. it is moreover to be remarked that god did this to no other creature. god did not sanctify to himself the heaven nor the earth nor any other creature. but god did sanctify to himself the seventh day. this was especially designed of god, to cause us to understand that the "seventh day" is to be especially devoted to divine worship. for that which is appropriated to god and exclusively separated from all profane uses is sanctified or holy. hence the expression "to sanctify," "to choose for divine uses or for the worship of god," is often applied by moses to the sacred vessels of the sanctuary. it follows therefore from this passage, that if adam had stood in his innocence and had not fallen he would yet have observed the "seventh day" as sanctified, holy and sacred; that is, he would have taught his children and posterity on that day concerning the will and worship of god; he would have praised god, he would have given him thanks, and would have brought to him his offerings, etc., etc. on the other days he would have tilled his land and attended to his cattle. nay, even after the fall he held the "seventh day" sacred; that is, he taught on that day his own family. this is testified by the offerings made by his two sons, cain and abel. the sabbath therefore has, from the beginning of the world, been set apart for the worship of god. in this manner nature in its innocency, had it continued unfallen, would have proclaimed the glory and blessings of god. men would have talked together on the sabbath day concerning the goodness of their creator, would have prayed to him, and would have brought to him their offerings, etc. for all these things are implied and signified in the expression "sanctified." moreover in this same sanctification of the sabbath is included and implied the immortality of the human race. hence the epistle to the hebrews speaks most beautifully concerning the rest of god, from the 95th ps.: "if they shall enter into my rest." for the rest of god is an eternal rest. adam therefore, had he not fallen, would have lived a certain time in paradise, according to the length of time which god pleased; and afterwards he would have been carried away into that rest of god, which rest god willed not only to intimate unto man, but highly to commend unto him by this sanctification of the sabbath. thus had adam not fallen his life would have been both animal and happy, and spiritual and eternal. but now we miserable men have lost all this felicity of the animal life by sin; and while we do live, we live in the midst of death. yet since this command of god concerning the sabbath is left to the church, god signifies thereby that even that spiritual life shall be restored to us through christ. hence the prophets have all diligently searched into these passages, in which moses obscurely indicates also the resurrection of the flesh and the life immortal. further by this sanctification of the sabbath it is also plainly shown that man was especially created for the knowledge and worship of god. for the sabbath was not instituted on account of sheep or oxen, but for the sake of men, that the knowledge of god might be exercised and increased by them on that sacred day. although therefore man lost the knowledge of god by sin, yet god willed that his command concerning the sanctifying of the sabbath should remain. he willed that on the seventh day both the word should be preached, and also those other parts of his worship performed, which he himself instituted; to the end that by these appointed means we should first of all think solemnly on our condition in the world as men; that this nature of ours was created at first expressly for the knowledge and the glorifying of god; and also that by these same sacred means we might hold fast in our minds the sure hope of a future and eternal life. indeed all things which god willed to be done on the sabbath are evident signs of another life after this present life. for what need would there be of god's speaking to us by his word, if we were not designed to live another and eternal life after this life? and if no future life is to be hoped for by us, why do we not live as those other creatures with whom god talketh not and who have no knowledge of god? but as the divine majesty talketh with man alone, and he alone acknowledges and apprehends god, it necessarily follows that there is for us another life after this life, to which it is our great business to attain by the word and the knowledge of god. for as to this temporal and present life it is a mere animal life as all the beasts live, which know not god nor the word. this then is the meaning of the sabbath or the "rest" of god. it is a sanctified day of rest, on which god speaks to or talks with us, and we in turn speak to and talk with him in prayer and by faith. the beasts indeed learn to hear and also to understand the voice of man, as dogs, horses, sheep, oxen; and they are also preserved and fed by man. but our condition as men is far better and higher; for we both hear god and know his will, and are called to a sure hope of immortality. this is testified by those most manifest promises concerning the life eternal, which god has plainly revealed to us by his word, since he gave to the world the obscure significations contained in this divine book; such as this rest of god and this sanctification of the sabbath. however these indications concerning the sabbath are not obscure but evident and plain. for only suppose for a moment that there were no eternal life after this. would it not immediately follow that we should have no need either of god or his word? for that which we merely require or do in this life we can have and do without the word of god. even as beasts feed, live and grow fat without the word. for what need is there of the word to procure meat and drink, thus created for us beforehand? as god therefore thus giveth us the word, as he thus commands the preaching and exercising of the word, as he thus commands the sanctifying of the sabbath in the worship of himself, all these things prove that there remaineth another life after this life, and that man is created not to a corporeal life only, as the beasts are, but to a life eternal, even as god, who commands and institutes these things, is himself eternal. but here another inquiry may arise concerning the fall of adam itself, upon which indeed we have already touched: on what day adam fell, whether on the seventh or on some other day? although nothing indeed can be said as certain on this matter, my free and full opinion is that his fall was on the seventh day. it was on the sixth day that he was created. and eve was created about the evening or close of the sixth day, while adam was asleep. on the seventh day, which by the lord had been sanctified, god talks with adam, gives him commandment concerning his worship, and forbids him to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. for this indeed was the appropriate work or duty of the seventh day: the preaching and the hearing of the word of god. hence both from the scriptures and from universal practice, hath remained the custom of appointing the morning as the time for prayer and sermons; as we have it also in the psalms: "in the morning will i stand before thee, and will look up," ps. 5:3. on the seventh day therefore, in the morning, adam appears to have heard the lord giving commandment concerning his domestic and national duty, the private and public worship of god, together with the prohibition concerning the fruit of the tree. satan therefore unable to endure this most beautiful creation of man and this holy appointment of the sabbath, and envying him so much felicity, and moreover seeing all things so abundantly provided for him on earth, and finding him in the possession of the hope of enjoying, after so happy a corporeal life, an eternal life, which he himself had lost, satan seeing all this about the twelfth hour, perhaps after god's sermon to adam and eve, himself preaches to eve. just as he has always done to this day. wherever the word of god is, there he attempts also to sow lies and heresies. for it agonizes him that we by the word become as adam did in paradise, citizens of heaven. so satan on this occasion tempts eve to sin, and gains the victory over her. the sacred text before us moreover declares that when the heat of the day had subsided, the lord came into the garden and condemned adam with all his posterity to death. i am myself quite persuaded that all these things took place on the very day of the sabbath, which one day only, and that not for the whole day, adam lived in paradise, and enjoyed himself in eating its fruits. by sin therefore did man lose all this felicity. nor would adam, had he remained in paradise in all his original innocence, have lived a life of idleness. he would have taught his children on the sabbath day, he would have magnified god with worthy high-praises by public preaching, and he would have stirred up himself and others to offerings of thanks, by a contemplation of god's great and glorious works. on all other days he would have worked by tilling his ground and attending to his beasts, etc. but in a manner and from motives now wholly unknown to man. for all our labor is annoyance, but all adam's labor was the highest pleasure, a pleasure far exceeding all the ease that is now known. hence as all the other calamities of life remind us of sin and the wrath of god, so our labor and all our difficulty in procuring food ought to remind us of sin also and to drive us to repentance. moses now proceeds to describe man more particularly, repeating first of all what he had said concerning his creation in the first chapter. and though the recapitulations may seem superfluous, yet as the divine historian wishes to maintain a continuation of his history, with all due convenience and order, the repetition is by no means useless. v. 4, 5a. _these are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that jehovah god made earth and heaven. and no plant of the field was yet in the earth, and no herb of the field had yet sprung up._ "in the day" is here to be taken for an indefinite time, as if moses had said, at that time the state of all things was most beautiful; but now i must describe a condition of things far different. we need not here inquire however in a superstitious manner, why moses chose to use these rustic forms of expression concerning "the plants of the field" and "herbs of the field." for his object now is to describe the creation of man in its more circumstantial particulars. v. 5b, 6. _for jehovah god had not caused it to rain upon the earth: and there was not a man to till the ground; but there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground._ there was not as yet any rain, moses says, to water the earth; but a certain mist went up and watered the whole face of the earth, to cause it to bring forth more abundantly afterwards. now these things belong properly to the third day. iii. v. 7. _and jehovah god formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul._ moses here returns to the work of the sixth day and shows whence this cultivator of the earth came; namely, that god formed him out of the ground, as the potter forms in his hand the vessel out of clay. hence moses does not represent jehovah god as saying in this case as in that of all the other creatures, "let the earth bring forth man;" but "let us make man." he describes god as thus speaking in this case in order that he might set forth the excellency of the human race, and that he might make manifest that peculiar counsel to which god had recourse in creating or making man. however after his creation man grew and multiplied as all the other animals and beasts of the earth multiply. for the seed of all animals coagulates in the womb and is formed in the same manner in them all. in this case of generation there is no difference between the foetus formed in the cow and that formed in the woman. but with reference to their first creation moses testifies that there was the greatest possible difference. for he shows in this divine record that the human nature was created by a peculiarity of divine counsel and wisdom, and formed by the very finger of god. this difference, which god made in the original creation of man and of cattle, likewise manifests forth the immortality of the soul, of which we spoke above. and though all the other works of god are full of wonder and admiration and truly magnificent, yet that man is the most excellent and glorious creature of all is evident from the fact that god in creating him had recourse to deep counsel and to a mode entirely different from that which he adopted in creating all the other creatures. for god does not leave it to the earth, to form or bring forth man, as it brought forth beasts and trees. but god forms man himself, "in the image" of himself, as a participator of the divine nature and as one designed to enjoy the rest of god. hence adam before he is formed by jehovah, is a mere lifeless lump of earth, lying on the ground. god takes that lump of earth into his hand and forms out of it a most beautiful creature, a partaker of immortality. now if aristotle were to hear these things he would burst out into a loud laugh and would say, that the whole matter was a fable; a very pleasant one indeed but a very absurd one; that man, who was a lump of earth as to his original, is so formed by divine wisdom to be capable of immortality. for those ancient philosophers, as socrates and others, who taught the immortality of the soul, were laughed at and almost cast out by all their fellows. but is it not the very extremity of folly for reason to take this great offense, when it beholds the generation of man to this very day full of greatest wonder! for who would not judge it an absurdity to suppose that man, who is designed to live eternally, should be born from one single drop as it were of seed from the loins of the father? there is even a greater apparent absurdity in this than in moses saying, that man was formed from a lump of earth by the finger of god. but by all this folly reason plainly shows that she understands nothing of god, who, by the efficacy of a single thought, thus makes out of a lump of earth not only the seed of man, but man himself; and makes also, as moses afterwards says, the woman out of a single rib of the man. this then is the origin of man! man therefore having been thus created, male and female, from their blood under the divine blessing is generated the whole human race. and although this generation is common to man and beasts, that similarity by no means detracts from the glory of our original formation; that we are vessels of god, fashioned by his own hand; that he is our potter and we his clay; as isaiah speaks in his 64th chapter. nor does this solemn state of things pertain to our original only, but pervades our whole life, and even unto death and in the tomb we are still the clay of this potter! from this same creation of man also we may learn, what the real power of free will is, of which our adversaries boast so much. we have indeed in a certain sense a free will, in those things which are put under us. for we are by the command of god appointed lords of the fishes of the sea, of the fowls of heaven and of the beasts of the field. these we kill when we please. we enjoy the food, and other blessings they supply. but in the things pertaining unto god, which are above us and not put under us, man has no free-will at all. but he is in reality as clay in the hand of the potter. he is placed under the mere power of god, passively and not actively. in this our real position we choose nothing, we do nothing. on the contrary we are chosen, we are prepared, we are regenerated; we receive only; as the prophet isaiah saith, "thou art our potter; we are thy clay," is. 64:8. but here a lawful and holy inquiry of a new description may be made. as moses speaks of the creation of man here in a new phraseology, "and jehovah god formed man of the dust of the ground;" and as he did not use the same form of expression above, when the other living creatures were created, so he here mentions a further distinction in man which is not said of any other animate creature: "and god breathed into his nostrils the breath of life." this moses does not say in reference to any of the beasts, though all beasts, as well as man, have the breath of life in their nostrils. we may here therefore sacredly inquire first, why it is that moses is here led to speak thus. and secondly, why it is recorded in this place concerning man only, that god "breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul," when all animals throughout the whole scripture are called "living creatures." the divine expressions recorded by moses above are, "let the earth bring forth every living creature after his kind." but here the phraseology is altogether changed, "and man became a living soul." these were the things that, doubtless, moved the patriarchs, the holy fathers and prophets of old, to examine diligently passages of this description in order to discover what these singular forms of speech might signify, being assured that the sacred historian intended by them something peculiar and great and especially worthy of knowledge. for if you look at the mere animal life of which moses is here speaking, there is no difference between the man and the ass. for the animal life in both stands in need of meat and drink. it needs sleep and rest. the bodies of both grow and are fattened alike by meat and drink. and from the want of meat and drink both waste and perish alike. in both the stomach receives the food and transmits it when digested to the belly, which generates the blood, by which all the members are refreshed and restored. when we consider these things in themselves, i say, there is no difference between the man and the beast. but moses in this place so exalts the life of man that he says of him alone of all animals, that he "became a living soul;" not a living creature or a living thing like all the beasts of the earth, but in a more exalted sense "a living soul;" and that, because he was created "in the image of god," which image there can be no doubt whatever, shone with a peculiar brightness in the countenances of adam and eve, while yet in their state of innocence. hence it is that even after the sin and fall, the heathen poets, etc., concluded from the position of his body, from his upright carriage and from the elevation of his eyes to heaven, that man was a creature far more excellent than any other creature in existence. it is to this surpassing excellency that st. paul refers when he recites the passage before us in 1 cor. 15:45. it is there written, "the first man adam became a living soul. the last adam became a life-giving spirit." by a living soul in this passage the apostle means the animal life, which consists in eating, drinking, growing, sleeping, generating, etc.; all which are found also in brutes. but by an antithesis he says that "the last adam was made a life-giving spirit." this is a life which needs not, and knows not, the conditions of the animal life. paul moreover here teaches us that adam, even if he had not sinned, would yet have lived a corporeal life; a life which would have needed meat, drink and rest; a life which would have grown, increased and generated, etc., until god should have translated him to that spiritual life, in which he would have lived without natural animality, if i may so express it; namely, a life from within, derived from god alone; and not a life from without as before, sustained by herbs and fruits. and yet he would have been a man with body and bones, etc., and not a pure spirit, as angels are. my reply therefore to the new inquiry, above admitted, is this: god by the mouth of moses speaking in the passage before us designed to set forth the hope of that future and eternal life which adam, if he had continued in his innocency, would have enjoyed after this present animal life. as if moses had said, man became a living soul; not merely in the sense of that life which beasts live, but in the sense of that life which god afterwards designed adam to live, even without any animal life at all. and this same hope of immortality or an immortal life, we now have through christ. although on account of sin we are subject to death and all kinds of calamity. but adam's natural life, when he became a living soul, was designed to be far exalted above that which we now live since the fall. he would have lived on earth sweetly, happily and with the highest pleasure; and then would have been translated at the time determined in the mind of god, out of the animal life into the spiritual and eternal life; and that translation would have been attended with no pain or trouble whatever. whereas we are not translated out of this animal life into the life spiritual and eternal, but by death; and that, after an infinity of evils, perils and crosses. it was after this manner that we ought, like the holy prophets, diligently to look into all these expressions of moses, and to inquire why it is that, with such depth of purpose and design, he speaks concerning man in terms so different from those he used when speaking of all other living creatures. the design evidently was that our faith and hope of immortality might be confirmed, and that we might be assured that although the life of man as to his animal life is like that of all other living creatures, even of brutes, yet that he possesses a hope of immortality unpossessed by, and wholly unknown to, any other living creature; that he possesses and bears the image and similitude of god, with no particle of which any other animal is dignified or favored. and thus by a most beautiful allegory, or rather by a most excellent figure, moses here intimates, though obscurely, that god would become incarnate. for with reference to man's differing in no respect from a sheep, as to his animal life, though created in the image and after the similitude of god; that assertion is in fact, a kind of statement by contraries, as they term it in the schools; or, according to another term of theirs, an addition by opposition. and yet as man was created in the image of the invisible god, by this sublime fact is signified in obscure figure, as we shall hereafter hear from moses, that god would reveal himself in this world in the _man_, _christ_. these seeds as it were of the greatest and most marvelous things, did the prophets diligently search out and gather from the divine historian moses. part ii. paradise. i. v. 8. _and jehovah god planted a garden eastward in eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed._ here rises before us a whole sea of questions concerning paradise. in the first place, the word itself, whether it be hebrew, chaldean or persian, for i do not think it is greek, though suidas endeavors to discover a greek origin, is rendered by the latins _hortus_, "a garden." this garden, moses says, was planted be eden, in eden. for this name of the place is not appellative or descriptive, as our translation renders it, "paradise of pleasure." eden does, indeed, signify pleasure or delight, and from this name of the garden is doubtless formed the greek word adona, but the preposition being here added to it plainly proves that eden is in this place to be taken for the proper name of a place; which is further proved by the particular description of the place, for the garden is said to have been to the eastward of it. our translation renders it _a principio_, "from the beginning," which is also a bad version of the expression. for the original term is mikkedem, which does not properly signify "from the beginning," but "in front," that is according to our mode of expression and meaning, "toward the east." for the original word is an adverb of place, not of time. hence there arises here another matter of dispute, as to where paradise is. commentators puzzle and rack themselves on this point in an extraordinary manner. some will have its situation to be under the equator between the two tropics. others say it must have been a more temperate atmosphere, to cause a place to be so richly and abundantly productive. but why should i proceed? opinions upon the subject are beyond number. my short and simple reply to them all is, that every question upon a place or thing which no longer exists, is idle and useless. for moses is here describing things which occurred before the flood and even before sin was in the world. whereas, we have to deal with things as they were and are since the sin of adam and since the deluge. my belief is therefore that this spot of earth was called eden, either by adam or in the time of adam, on account of that astonishing productiveness and that delightful pleasurableness, which adam experienced in it, and that the name of a place so delightful, remained with posterity long after the place itself was lost and gone. just as the names of rome, athens and carthage exist among us at this day, though scarcely any traces of those mighty states and kingdoms can now be discovered. for time and the curse which sins merit consume all things. when therefore the world with all the men and beasts upon it was destroyed by the flood, this noble and beautiful garden perished also, and all traces of it were washed away from the face of the earth. in vain therefore do origen and others enter upon their absurd disputations. the text moreover says that this garden was guarded by an angel, lest any one should enter it. even if this garden therefore had not perished by the curse which followed, as doubtless it did, yet man's entrance into it is thus absolutely and forever prevented, as is indicated by the guardian angel's flaming sword. its place can nowhere be found. this latter answer concerning the curse might be given to all questioners and disputers, though the former argument concerning the inevitable consequences of the deluge, i deem less imaginative and more conclusive. but what shall we say to that text of the new testament, "today shalt thou be with me in paradise," luke 23:43? and to that passage also, "he was caught up into paradise," 2 cor. 12:4? i have no hesitation whatever in affirming that christ did not go with the thief into any corporeal place. for that point is made quite plain from the case of paul, who says, "that he knew not whether he was in the body, or out of the body," verses 2 and 3. wherefore my opinion is that in each case by paradise is meant that condition or state in which adam was, when in paradise, full of peace and rest and safety, and full of all those gifts of blessedness, which are enjoyed where there is no sin and no death. as if christ had said, today shalt thou be with me in paradise, free from sin, and safe from death. just as adam in paradise was free from sin and from all death and from all curse. thus i believe paradise to be a paradise state. just as the scriptures, when speaking of the bosom of abraham, does not mean the very fold of the robe which covered the bosom of abraham, but descriptively that life or state of life in which the souls of the departed enjoy the heavenly life, and the peace and rest which "remain for the people of god," heb. 4:9. wherefore my testimony concerning this text is, that moses is here giving us an historical description and informing us that there was a certain place toward the east, in which there was a most beautiful and fruitful garden. for, as i have before said, the hebrew expression mikkedem properly signifies a place, not a time, as our version improperly renders it. hence it is usual with the hebrews to call the east wind kadim, a dry cold wind which parches the fields. in that region of the world therefore was paradise or a garden, in which there were no teil-trees, nor oaks, nor scarlet-oaks, nor any other trees that were barren, but the richest and noblest fruits of every kind and trees of the noblest description; such as we now deem those to be which bear cinnamon and the richest spices. and although all the rest of the earth was cultivated, for there were as yet no thistles nor thorns, yet this place had its far higher cultivation. this eden was a delightful garden, exceeding in cultivation and fecundity the whole earth besides. though all the rest of the earth, if compared with its present miserable condition, was itself a paradise. it was in this garden, which he himself had planted with such peculiar care, that the lord placed man. all these things, i say, are historical. it is idle for us therefore to inquire at the present day, where or what that garden was. the rivers, of which moses afterwards speaks, prove that the region of its situation comprehended syria, mesopotamia, damascus and egypt, and it is in the midst of these as it were that jerusalem is situated. and as this garden was destined for adam with his posterity, it is in vain for us to imagine it to have been a confined garden of a few miles extent. it was doubtless the greater and better part of the earth. and my judgment is, that this garden continued until the deluge; and that before the flood it was protected by god himself, according to the description of moses, by a guard of angels. so that i believe it to have been a place well known to the posterity of adam, though inaccessible to them. and my opinion is, that it continued thus known until the flood utterly destroyed it and left no traces of it remaining. such is my mind on this subject. and such is my reply to all questions which over curious men would move concerning a place, which after the sin and the deluge had no longer any existence or trace of former existence. origen however is dissatisfied with any view of the extent of the garden of eden, corresponding to that which i have taken. his opinion is that the distance of the rivers ought by no means to determine the dimensions of the garden. but he is thinking all the time about such gardens as we now generally cultivate. hence he has recourse in his usual way to an allegory. he makes paradise to represent heaven; the trees, angels; and the streams of rivers, wisdom. but these triflings are unworthy a divine. they may perhaps not be unbecoming an imaginative poet; but they are out of place in a theologian. origen bears not in mind that moses is here writing a history; and that, too, a record of things, now long ago passed away. after this same fashion do our adversaries absurdly dispute at the present day holding that the image and similitude of god still remain, even in a wicked man. they would, in my judgment speak much nearer the truth, if they were to say that the image of god in man has perished and disappeared; just as the original world and paradise have done. man in the beginning was righteous; the world in the beginning was most beautiful. eden was in truth a garden of delight and of pleasure. but all these things were deformed by sin and remain deformed still. all creatures, yea even the sun and the moon, have as it were put on sackcloth. they were all originally "good," but by sin and the curse they became defiled and noxious. at length came the greater curse of the flood, which destroyed paradise and the whole human race, and swept them from the face of the earth. for if at this day rivers, bursting their banks, inflict by their floods such mighty calamities on men, beasts and fields, what must we suppose to have been the awfulness and horror of the calamities brought upon the earth by the universal deluge! whenever therefore we would speak of paradise, since the flood, let us speak of that now historical paradise, which was once, but now has no longer existence in any trace. let us speak of it just as we are compelled to speak of the original innocence of man. in doing so our utmost effort can effect no more than to reflect with a sigh that it is lost, and that we never can repair or regain it in this life. but further, as moses had before distinguished man in various ways from the brutes, which nevertheless have the same origin as we have, brutes being formed like us from the earth; so the divine historian in this place distinguishes man from every other creature by giving a description of that peculiarly delightful garden, and that superb dwelling-place, which god had planted with great care and culture, and prepared with magnificent splendor, far beyond anything of the kind which he had bestowed on any other spot upon the face of the earth at that time. for the principal object of moses in his sacred record of the creation of man was to cause it to be clearly understood that man was by far the noblest and most excellent creature, which god had made. the brute animals had the earth, on the grass of which they might feed. but for man, god himself prepared a more noble dwelling-place, in the cultivation and adorning of which he might labor with extreme pleasure, and in which he might find his food, separated from the beasts indeed, but nevertheless holding all of them throughout the whole earth under his dominion. therefore origen, jerome and all the other allegorists are alike involved in the greatest folly, who because they can no longer find a paradise on the face of the earth think that some other sense than the natural one is to be given in its interpretation. but that there was a paradise and that there is a paradise are two very different subjects for consideration. moses, as is the general nature of all such narrations, merely records that there was a paradise. the case is the same in reference to adam's dominion over all the beasts. he could call the lion, and command and manage him, according to his will and pleasure; but it is not so now. all these glorious things are no more. they are simply and merely, though sacredly, recorded by moses as having been in the beginning. another question is here agitated, as to the spot of the earth where god created man. there are some who maintain with great warmth that he was created in or near damascus; because they find it recorded that the soil of damascus is red and fertile. but i pass by all idle and vain inquiries of this description. it is enough for us to know that man was formed out of the earth on the sixth day after all the other animals had been created, and that he was placed by god himself in the garden of eden. but as to the very spot on which he was created, what necessity is there for our knowing that? it is certain that he was created out of paradise. for the text before us declares that he was removed to or placed in paradise, before eve was created who, as moses here shows, was created in paradise. now let us proceed to that which follows: v. 9a. _and out of the ground made jehovah god to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food._ the contents of this verse properly belong to the description of paradise. for although the whole earth had been so created as naturally to bring forth trees and herbs, with their fruits and seeds, yet this garden of eden had its peculiar cultivation. a similitude illustrative of the case before us may be derived from things as they now are among us. woods and fields bring forth their trees. but when we select a place as a garden for special cultivation, the fruits of the garden are always more excellent than those of the field. so paradise, having been created for and devoted to peculiar cultivation, beyond that which was bestowed on any other part of the earth, was adorned with trees delightful to the sight, whose fruits were sweet to the taste and for use. when therefore god said, in the first chapter, verse 29, "behold i have given you every herb and every tree for food:" by that meat was meant necessary food. but paradise supplied food for pleasure and delight; fruits better, sweeter and more delicious than those which the trees of any other part of the earth produced. on these the beasts also fed. ii. v. 9b. _the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge (scientiae) of good and evil._ moses so describes paradise that he makes god himself as it were the cultivator of it; as a cultivator, who after he has planted a garden with the greatest care according to his pleasure, selects this and that tree from the rest, which he tills and loves as particular favorites. one of these trees was "the tree of life," a tree created to the end that man by feeding on it might be preserved with a sound body, free from diseases, and not subject to fatigue. here again we find the man, whom god first created, highly distinguished from the brutes; not only by the delightful spot in which god placed him, but also by the exalted privilege of a longer life, a life always continuing in the same state. whereas the bodies of all other living creatures grow in youth and increase in strength, but in old age decay and perish. but the original condition of man was intended to be far different. had he continued in his innocence he would have enjoyed his meat and his drink; a change of his meat and drink and a conversion of them into blood would have taken place in his body, but that commutation would not have been impure and foul as it is now. this tree of life moreover would have preserved him in perpetual youth, nor would he have experienced any of the afflictions or inconveniences of old age. his brow would have contracted no wrinkles, nor would his foot nor his hand nor any other part of his body have known weakness or languor. by the blessing of the fruit of this tree man's powers would have remained perfect for generation and for labor of every kind; until at length he should have been translated from this corporeal to his spiritual life. the other trees would have supplied him with food the most excellent and the most delicious; but this "tree of life" would have been as it were a general medicine which would have preserved his natural life and powers in perpetual and complete vigor. some may here interpose the question, how could this corporeal food or natural fruit effect such a conservation of the body as to prevent it from being weakened or debilitated by time? the reply is easy and divine. "he spake, and it was done!" ps. 33:9. for if god can make bread of a stone, why should he not be able to preserve the natural powers of man by a fruit? even since the sin of the fall we see what powerful properties the smallest herbs and seeds possess. look for a moment at our own bodies. whence comes that peculiar property of their nature that bread, eaten by them, is by their natural heat digested and converted into blood, by the circulation of which the whole body is strengthened and confirmed? now bring together all the fires and all the furnaces of the universe, you cannot produce by them all this one single effect, the conversion of bread into blood. but this mighty effect is produced by that small degree of heat, which our natural bodies contain. there is no room for wonder therefore that this tree should have become by the will of the lord, its planter and maker, "the tree of life!" adam possessed a natural and movable body, a body which generated, ate and labored. these exertions are considered to produce decay or at least some kind of change, by which at length man is naturally worn out and destroyed. but by this appointment of nature, "the tree of life," god provided a remedy, by the use of which man might have a long and sound life, without any diminution of his powers and in perpetual youth. thus all these things are historical facts. this is a point which i am repeatedly admonishing every hearer and reader to bear in mind, lest he should be stumbled by the authority of some of the fathers, who leaving pure and positive history turn aside to hunt allegories. it is on this ground that i am so partial to lyra and so willingly rank him with the best of commentators. he always carefully abides by and follows history. and although he sometimes permits himself to be swayed by the authority of the fathers, yet he never suffers himself to be turned aside by their authority from the plain and real sense of any portion of the scriptures to allegories. but much more wonderful is that which moses here speaks concerning "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." for here we have to inquire, what this tree was, why it was so called and what would have been the consequence, or result, if there had not been this tree in paradise. augustine and those who follow him rightly consider the matter, when they observe that the tree was so called from that which was shortly to take place and to be ordained concerning it; and from the solemn consequences which followed. for adam had been so created and the garden of eden so planted and constituted that if any inconvenience had occurred to his natural body and life, he had a protection against it and remedy for it in "the tree of life," which could preserve his powers and the perfection of his health at all times. wherefore if adam had thus remained in his innocency, wholly swallowed up in the goodness of his creator and in the bountiful provision which that goodness had made for him on every side and in every way, he might have acknowledged god his creator throughout that life of innocence and might have governed all the beasts according to his will, not only without the least painful toil or trouble, but also with the highest pleasure. for all things had been so created as to afford man the extreme of pleasure and delight without the least degree of evil or harm. after adam therefore had been so created and so surrounded with every blessing that he was intoxicated as it were with joy in god and with delight in all the other creatures around him, god then creates a new tree, a tree of knowledge and of distinction between good and evil, in order that adam by means of that tree might have a certain sign of worship and reverence of god. for after all things had been delivered into the hand of adam that he might enjoy them according to his will or according to his pleasure, god next requires of him that by means of this "tree of the knowledge of good and evil" he should show his reverence and obedience towards god as his creator; and that he should hold fast, as a sign of this exercise of his obedient worship of god, that he would not taste any of the fruit of this tree; thus refraining, as in obedience to god's prohibition. all therefore that moses has hitherto said have been things natural or domestic, or political, or judicial, or medicinal. the present however is theological. for here the word of god concerning this "tree of the knowledge of good and evil" is set before adam, in order that by means of this tree he might have a certain outward sign of the worship of god and of obedience to god, to be performed by him in his nature, as man, by the duty and service of an external work. even as the sabbath, of which we have spoken above, pertains more especially to the performance of the internal and spiritual worship of god; such as faith, love, calling upon god in prayer, etc. but alas! alas! the true institution of this external worship and obedience toward god has been attended with the most disgraceful results. for we find at the present day that the word of god, than which nothing is more holy, nothing more blessed, is an offense unto the wicked. baptism also was instituted of christ, as the washing of regeneration. but has not this divine institution become a great scandal and excitement of offense by means of various sects? has not the whole doctrine of baptism been distressingly corrupted? and yet, what was more necessary to us than this very institution of baptism? it was most necessary in order that the animal man should have some correspondingly animal or outward worship; that is, some outward sign of worship and reverence of god, by which he might exercise an obedience towards god even in his body. the present text therefore truly belongs to the church and to theology. after god had given to man a polity or national government, and also an economy or the principles of domestic government, and had constituted him king over all creatures, and had moreover appointed for him as a protective remedy the tree of life, for the conservation of his corporeal or natural life, god now erects for him a temple as it were, that he might worship his creator, and give thanks unto that god who had bestowed upon him all these rich and bountiful blessings. so at this day we have churches and an altar in them for the celebration of the holy communion or supper of our lord; we have pulpits also, or elevated chairs, for teaching the people. and all these things are thus prepared, not on account of necessity only, for the sake of solemnity also. but this tree of the knowledge of good and evil was itself to adam his church, his altar, his pulpit; near or under which, as the place appointed of god, he might perform his acts of obedience to god, might acknowledge the word and the will of god, might offer his thanks to god, and in which spot he might also call upon god in prayer against temptations. reason indeed vents its rage that this tree was ever created at all, because by means of it we have sinned and fallen under the wrath of god and into death. but why does not reason on the same ground betray its rage that the law was ever revealed by god at all, that the gospel was ever revealed afterwards by the son of god? for have not offenses of errors and heresies, infinite, arisen on account both of the law and of the gospel? let us therefore learn from this passage of scripture that it was necessary for man, being so created and constituted as to have all the rest of the living creatures in his hand and under his dominion, that he should not only privately, but publicly also, acknowledge his creator, should give thanks unto him, should offer him some public and external worship, and have a certain form and work of obedience. if therefore adam had not fallen, this tree would have been a common temple or church, a sure palace to which all might have flocked. thus it was afterwards, when nature was in her fallen and corrupt state, the tabernacle in the wilderness and the temple at jerusalem were places appointed for divine worship. as therefore this "tree" eventually proved to be the cause of so awful a fall, it was rightly called by moses "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil," on account of the horrible and miserable event which followed. two questions may here be raised as to whether this tree of life was one only or whether there were more; and whether the scripture which here speaks in the singular number should be considered as speaking in the plural; just as we, speaking collectively, use the expression "the pear," "the apple," whereby we mean pears and apples generally; either of those fruits as kinds; not individual species or specimens of them. to me it appears by no means absurd or out of the way that we should understand "the tree of life," as a certain space in the middle of paradise, or a certain grove, in which many "trees of life" of the same genus or kind grew, and were called by the same name, "trees of life." hence it is probable that a certain grove was called collectively "the tree of life," which was a kind of sacred retreat, in which grew a number of trees of the same kind; namely, "trees of the knowledge of good and evil," concerning which god pronounced his prohibition, that adam should not eat of any of them, and if he did he should surely die the death. not that there was anything in the nature of this tree, or of any one of these trees, to cause death; but such was the word of god pronounced concerning it or them, which word of god was ever attended with its efficacy to all creatures; and the efficacy of which word still preserves all creatures, that they degenerate not nor alter nor fail of their original form and intent; that all creatures may be preserved in their original form and nature by an infinite propagation! hence it was that by the word the rock in the desert gave forth its waters in all their abundance, ex. 17:6, and that by the same word the brazen serpent healed all those that looked unto it, num. 21:9. by this same efficacy of the word of god's prohibition, this one tree or this certain species of many trees in the middle of paradise killed adam by his disobedience to that word of god; not that the tree itself was deadly in its own nature but because it was appointed by the word of god to be so in its effects. in the same way also are we to understand the nature of the tree of life, of which god commanded adam to eat as often as he needed to restore his powers. it was by the word of god that the tree of life produced that restoration. to reason indeed it seems absurd, that one apple could have such deadly properties or produce such deadly effects as to destroy the whole human race throughout its almost infinite succession; and that too with a death eternal. but this was not the nature or the effect of the apple in itself. adam did indeed force his teeth into the apple, but his teeth struck in reality upon the sting in the apple, which sting was the prohibition of god, which made his bite to be disobedience to god. this was the real cause of the mighty evil. adam thus sinned against god, disregarded his commandment and obeyed satan. the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was in itself "good," the tree which bore the most noble fruits. but as the prohibition of god was attached to it and man disregarded that prohibition, the tree became the deadliest of all poisons. just in the same manner as god has said, "thou shalt not steal," ex. 20:15, the man who touches the property of another as his own sins against god. so in egypt when the jews were commanded of god to ask silver from their neighbors and to carry it away with them; that was no sin; they were justified by the command of god, to whom obedience is due, whatever be the issue or result. so also the suitor when he loves a virgin and has a strong desire of nature to possess her as his wife and marries her, committeth no adultery; though the law of god forbids coveting and concupiscence. and the great reason is this, matrimony is a divine institution and is a command of god to them who cannot live chastely without marriage. just the same also is the nature of these two trees. the tree of life gives life, by virtue of the word which promises and ordains that life. "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil" produces death by virtue of the efficacy of the word which prohibits the eating of it on the penalty of death in case of disobedience. this latter tree however is called "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil," augustine says, because after adam had sinned by eating of it he not only saw and experienced what good he had lost, but also into what evil and misery he had been hurled by his disobedience. the tree therefore was in itself "good," even as the divine commandment attached to it was "good;" that it should be to adam a tree of divine worship, by which he should prove his obedience to god, even by an external act of service to him. but by reason of the sin which followed, the same tree became the tree of the curse. moses now by digressing a little proceeds to give a more extensive description of the original "garden!" v. 10. _and a river went out of eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became four heads._ here again the latin version is in error, when it makes the proper name, eden, an appellative. and here origen and his followers are to be condemned who have recourse in their usual way to allegories. for the things here recorded by moses as history, are facts. there actually was a great river in eden, by which the whole garden was watered. that river rising from the east of the garden divided itself into four streams, that no part of the garden might remain unwatered. for, as i have before observed, we are here to have in mind a large space or portion of the earth; because this garden was so constituted that it might be, as to its original design, an appropriate and perpetual habitation for adam and his whole posterity, which was equally designed to be most extensive. vs. 11, 12. _the name of one is pishon; that is it which compasseth the whole land of havilah, where there is gold; and the gold of that land is good; there is bdellium and the onyx stone._ this is one of the most difficult passages in the writings of moses, and one which has given rise to the greatest offense in unholy minds. for the real state of the facts recorded, as they are now before our eyes, cannot be denied. the description here given by the sacred historian applies properly to india, which he here calls "havilah," through which the river pishon, or the ganges, flows. the other three rivers gihon, hiddekel and phrath; that is, the nile, the tigris and the euphrates are also well known; and it is equally well known that the nile and the last two rivers have their sources very distant from each other. the great question therefore that naturally arises is, since the whole world well knows how far distant these rivers are from each other, how can the account of moses be reconciled with the facts, when he says that all these rivers issued from one fountain; that is, that they flowed from one source in the garden of eden toward the east? for with respect to the nile, although its source is unknown, yet the arguments and proofs are plain that it flows from a region in the south. whereas it is quite certain that the ganges and the tigris and the euphrates flow from the north; sources in the entirely opposite direction. the account of moses therefore militates against sense and fact as they now are. this state of things has given occasion to many to form conjectures that eden was the whole world. though such conjectures are certainly false, yet they would not of themselves, even if true, reconcile the statements of moses, nor make all plain when he here says that the source of all these rivers was one and the same. and although it is very probable that if adam had remained in his innocence and his posterity had greatly multiplied in that state of innocency, god would have enlarged this garden correspondently; yet even that consideration would not justify the supposition that eden was the whole earth originally; for the sacred text most plainly separates eden from all the rest of the earth. what shall we say therefore concerning this passage of moses, contrary as it is to sense and experience, as things now are, and on that account so liable to cause offense being taken; especially since origen and others have built upon it so many marvelous and absurd fables? some commentators pretend that there is no difficulty at all nor any liability to offense being taken; and therefore they walk dryshod as it were over this deep sea. such lack of candor however is also highly unbecoming a commentator. my opinion on the matter, which indeed i have already given, is that paradise, which was very soon closed against man on account of sin, and afterwards totally destroyed and swept from the earth by the flood, left not one trace or vestige of its original state remaining, which can now be discovered. i fully believe, as i have before stated, that paradise did exist after the fall of adam, and that it was known to his posterity; but that it was inaccessible to them on account of the protection of the angel, who as the text informs us guarded eden with a flaming sword. the awful deluge however destroyed all things. by which also, as it is written, "all the fountains of the great deep were broken up," gen. 7:11. who can doubt therefore that the fountains of these rivers were also broken up and confounded? as therefore since the flood mountains exist where fields and fruitful plains before flourished, so there can be no doubt that fountains and sources of rivers are now found where none existed before and where the state of nature had been quite the contrary. for the whole face of nature was changed by that mighty convulsion. nor do i entertain the least doubt that all those wonders of nature which are from time to time discovered, are the effects and relics of that same awful visitation, the deluge. in the metallic mines which are now explored are found large logs of wood, hardened into stone; and in masses of stone themselves are perceived various forms of fishes and other animals. with the same confidence i also believe that the mediterranean sea before the deluge was not within the land. my persuasion is that the position which it now occupies was formed by the effects of the terrible flood. so also the space now occupied by the red sea was doubtless before a fruitful field, and most probably some portion of this very garden. in like manner, those other large bays, the gulf of persia, the gulf of arabia, etc., as they now exist, are relic effects of the deluge. wherefore we are by no means to suppose that the original source of the rivers, of which we are now speaking, was the same as it is today. but as the earth still exists and brings forth trees and their fruits, etc., and yet these, if compared with those in their original and incorrupt state, are but miserable remnants as it were of those former riches which the earth produced when first created, so these rivers remain as relics only of those former noble streams; but certainly not in their primitive position; much less flowing from their original sources. in the same manner, how much excellency has perished from our bodies by sin! wherefore the sum of the matter under discussion is that we must speak of the whole nature since its corruption, as an entirely altered face of things; a face which nature has assumed, first by means of sin, and secondly by the awful effects of the universal deluge. nor has god ceased to act still in the same way. when he punishes sins he still curses at the same time the earth also. thus in the prophet zephaniah, god threatens that he will consume the fowls of the air and the fishes of the sea, zeph. 1:3. hence the fact is that many of our rivers have in this age a far less number of fishes than in the memory of our forefathers. the birds also are much fewer in number than they once were, etc. god threatens also, is. 13, that he will punish in this same way the sins of babylon. for when men are taken away by god's judgments the beasts of the earth also disappear and monsters and destroying wild beasts alone remain, is. 13:21, 22. for example canaan was one of the most fruitful lands; but now it is said to be as it were a mere pickle-tub of unfruitful saltness, according to the divine threatening in the 107th psalm. if then such calamities are inflicted of god as the punishments of the particular sins of nations, what destructions and desolations must we consider the universal punishment of the flood to have wrought? let no one be offended therefore at moses saying that four rivers, which are at this day widely distant from each other and have now different fountains, flowed from one source in the garden of eden. for as i have here repeatedly observed we are not to think that the form of the world now is the same as it was before the sin of adam. origen was indeed of this opinion himself, and yet he turned aside to the vainest allegories. the nile indeed exists to this day, so does the ganges. but as virgil says concerning the destruction of troy, "a cornfield now flourishes where troy once stood," so if any one had seen the nile and the other great rivers mentioned by moses in their primitive beauty and glory he would have beheld them to be far different from what they are now. for not only are their sources altered, but their qualities and their courses are also changed; just as all other creatures are also deformed and corrupted. hence it is that peter affirms "that the heaven must receive christ until the times of the restitution of all things," acts 3:21. for peter here intimates, that which paul also testifies, that the whole creation was subjected to vanity, rom. 8:20, and that the restitution of all things is to be hoped for; the restitution not of man only, but of the heaven and the earth, of the sun and of the moon, etc. my answer therefore to all questioners upon the passage before us is: there is the nile, there is the ganges and there are other rivers still in existence; but they are not now such as they once were; they are not only confounded with respect to their sources, but altered as to their qualities also. in the same manner also man has indeed feet, eyes and ears, just as they were created and formed in paradise; but all these same members are miserably corrupted and marred by sin. adam before his sin had eyes the most bright, a smell of body the most pure, refined, delicate and grateful; a body the most perfectly adapted to generation and to every purpose intended of god without the least let, hindrance or obstruction in the performance of those purposes as services in obedience to god. but how far removed from all this aptitude, this service and this natural vigor are all our members now! just the same is the present nature of these rivers and of the whole creation if compared with its original state and condition. let us look therefore in hope and faith for the "restitution of all things;" not of the soul only, but of the body also; believing that we shall have in that day a body better and more noble even than it was when first created in paradise. for we shall not then be placed in a state of animal life, subject by its nature to alteration and change; but in the state and enjoyment of a spiritual life; that life, into which adam would have been translated, if he had lived without sin. into the hope of this life christ brings us by the remission of sins; and thereby makes our condition better and higher than adam enjoyed, but lost in paradise. the hebrew verb sab, which moses here uses, has a very extensive meaning; it signifies "to go round," as watchmen go their round in a city. pishon, therefore, or the ganges is still in existence, if you speak of its mere name and stream; but if you consider its fertilizing and fructifying qualities, its various other properties and the course of its waters, even the remnants of the original noble river are not to be found. the land of havilah is india, situated towards the east. this country is celebrated both in the present passage and in other places in the scripture as most rich and abundant in every respect. so that at this day the gems and the gold of india are considered the most precious and most noble. i believe however, according to the phraseology here adopted by moses, that in "the land of havilah" is included arabia felix and other adjacent regions. when moses speaks of bdellium and the onyx stone, i take these specimens of gems for gems in general. for we find india to abound even at the present day, not only in jewels of the description mentioned, but in emeralds, sapphires, rubies, garnets, diamonds, etc.; for i retain their appellations as they are now used among us. but here again i would bring back your attention to that which i have before stated. seeing that this region is endowed from above with such a rich abundance of all things useful and precious; how much more rich, abundant, opulent and divinely favored must we conclude it to have been in its original state before the sin of the fall! its present productions and contents can scarcely be called even remnants of its former excellency. vs. 13, 14. _and the name of the second river is gihon; the same is it which compasseth the whole land of cush. and the name of the third river is hiddekel; that is it which goeth toward the east of assyria. and the fourth river is the euphrates._ moses mentions the three remaining rivers by name only, giving no particular descriptions in reference to them. gihon is the nile. this river, as it runs through all egypt, takes in its course, cush or ethiopia also, as well as egypt. hiddekel is the tigris (in armenia), the most rapid river of all. "the fourth is the river euphrates." as if he had added, the river near to us. in this passage therefore we have a description of paradise with its four rivers. but now it is utterly lost and unknown; and no traces of it exist except these four rivers. and even these, first rendered leprous as it were and corrupted and marred by sin; and then changed, altered and confounded in their sources and in their courses by the mighty deluge. moses now proceeds to describe how a law was given to adam before eve was created, so that he might have a mode or form of external worship, by which to show his obedience and express his gratitude to god. part iii. the introduction of man into the garden, the command god gave him and the threatening god attached to it. i. v. 15. _and jehovah god took the man, and put him into the garden of eden to dress it and keep it._ after god had created and variously adorned the universe of heaven and earth, he next prepared the garden of eden, which he willed to be the habitation and royal seat of man, to whom he had committed the government over all other living creatures of the earth, the heaven and the sea. and now god places man in that garden as in a citadel and a temple, from which he had liberty to go out and to walk abroad in any other part of the earth, which also was most fruitful and most delightful; and there to amuse and delight himself with the beasts and other animals when and as he wished. and god gives to adam a two-fold charge that he should work or till this garden, and also that he should guard and defend it. some faint vestiges of this original command yet remain in these miserable remnants of primitive things, which we still possess. for even to this day these two things must ever be joined together: not only that the earth should be tilled but also that the productions of that cultivation should be defended. but both these great principles are corrupted and marred in an infinite number of forms. for not the tillage of the earth itself only but the defense of it also are filled with every kind of misery and trouble. and what the cause of all this sorrow is will be fully clear to us shortly in the following chapter of this book. for we shall there see that this working or tillage of the earth is defiled and embarrassed by thorns, by thistles, by the sweat of the brow and by various and unending misery. for, to say nothing about the labor and sorrow of procuring necessary food, what difficulty, what labor attend even the bringing up a child from its birth! if adam therefore had remained in his innocency he would have cultivated the earth and planted his beds of spices, not only without toil or trouble but as an amusement, attended with exquisite pleasure. his children when born would not long have needed the breast of their mother, but in all probability would have started on their feet, as we now see chickens do by nature, and would have sought their own food from the fruits of the earth, without the helplessness or weakness and without any labor or sorrow of their parents! but now how great do we behold to be the pain and misery of our birth, our infancy and our growth! if we speak of food and the misery attending it, not only have beasts the same general produce of the earth, now no longer an eden, which we have; but men defraud men of the same and rob them of it by theft and plunder. hence hedges and walls and other strong defences are found necessary for the protection of property; and even by these the produce, we have obtained by the labor and sweat of cultivation, can scarcely be preserved in safety. thus we have indeed a remnant of the labor of cultivation, but very far different from the employ of the original tillage. not merely because it is attended with the greatest toil and distress, but because the ground itself, being as it were unwilling, yields sparingly; whereas to adam it yielded as it were with the greatest joy and with the richest abundance, whether he sowed his seed within eden itself or in any other part of the earth. there was then no danger from plunderers and murderers. all was in perfect peace and safety. in all these respects therefore we can form an idea of the mighty evil of sin; when we behold the thorns, the briers, the sweat of the brow, etc., which are before us. whichever way we turn the magnitude of that evil is ever present. hence man did not fall by sin in soul only, but in body also; and both participate in the punishment. for labor is a punishment, which in the state of innocence was an amusement and a pleasure. even as now, in the present state of the misery of nature, if any one has a productive garden, neither digging nor sowing nor planting is a labor, but a certain devoted employment and a delight. what then must have been this employment and delight in the garden of eden in the state of original innocence! how much more pleasurable and perfect! and here also we may reflect with profit that man was not created to idleness, but to labor; no, not even in the state of primitive innocence. wherefore every state of an idle or indolent life is condemnable; such for instance as the life of monks and nuns. as the original labor and employment of man were unattended with sorrow or distress, as we have shown, so also this guarding and protecting of that which he possessed was full of pleasure and delight; whereas now all such protection is full of labor and peril. adam could have stopped or driven away even bears and lions by one single word. we have now indeed our means of defense, but they are truly horrible; for we cannot do without swords and spears, and cannon, and walls, and ramparts, and castle-fosses, etc.; and even with all these we and our loved ones scarcely abide in safety. hence we have scarcely the feeblest traces remaining either of the original work or the original protection. others expound this passage differently, making it to mean, "that god might till and keep it." but the text speaks of human "tilling" and human "keeping" absolutely. so cain just below, gen. 4:2, is said to have been "a tiller of the ground." and in job and ecclesiastes kings are called tillers of the earth or husbandmen; not merely on account of their labor itself in tillage, but on account of their guardianship and protection. but as i have all along said, labor and protection are now hard and difficult terms? but originally they were terms denoting a certain delightful employment and exquisite pleasure. ii. ver. 16, 17a. _and jehovah god commanded the man, saying, of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it._ here we have the institution of the church before there was any domestic government (_oeconomia_) or civil government (_politia_). for eve was not yet created. and the church is here instituted without any walls or any pomp; in a place all open and most delightful. after the church was instituted domestic government (_oeconomia_) is established, when eve is brought to adam as his life-companion. thus we have at god's hand a church before a private house; the former of which indeed is greater and better than the latter. and as to civil government (_politia_); before sin there was none; nor was it needed. for civil government is a necessary remedy for corrupt nature. because the lust of men must be curbed by the chains and penalties of the laws, that it transgress not all bounds. wherefore we may properly term polity, or civil government, the established "kingdom over sin," just as paul also calls moses the minister and the law the "ministration of sin and of death," 2 cor. 3:7, 8; rom. 8:2. for the one and special object of civil government is to prevent sin. hence paul says, "that the power beareth the sword" and is "the avenger of evil doings," rom. 13:4. if therefore, men had not become evil by sin there would have been no need of civil government; but adam would have lived with his posterity in the greatest joy, peace and safety, and would have done more by the motion of one of his fingers than can now be effected by all the magistrates, all the swords and all the gallows of a kingdom. there would then have been no ravisher, no murderer, no thief, no slanderer, no liar. and therefore what need would there have been of civil government, which is as it were the sword, the caustic and the terrible medicine, which are necessary to cut off and burn out noxious members of the state, that its other members may be saved and preserved. after the establishment of the church therefore in paradise is committed unto adam the government of his family. the church is thus first instituted by god, that he might show by this as a sign that man was created to another and a higher end than any of the other living creatures. and as the church is thus instituted by the word of god, it is certain that adam was created by an immortal and spiritual life to which he would assuredly have been translated and conveyed without death after he had lived in eden and the other parts of the earth to his full satiety of life, yet without trouble or distress. and in that life there would have been none of that impure lust which now prevails. the love of sex for sex would have been uncontaminated and pure. generation would have proceeded without any sin or impurity, in a holy obedience unto god. mothers would have brought forth children without pain, and children themselves would have been brought up without any of that misery and labor and distress with which they are now always reared. but who can find language capable of describing the glory of that state of innocency, which we have lost? there certainly still remains in nature a desire of the male for the female. there also proceed the fruits of generation. but the whole is attended with a horrible impurity of lust, and with overwhelming pains of parturition. to all this are added turpitude, shame and confusion even between man and wife when they would enjoy their lawful embrace. in a word, even here and in all things else, is present the unspeakable awfulness of original sin. creation indeed is "good." the blessing of fruitfulness upon creation is "good." but all these things are corrupted and spoiled, by sin. so that even man and wife cannot enjoy them without shame and confusion of face. whereas none of these things would have had existence if the innocency of adam had continued. but as husbands and wives eat and drink together without any shame; so there would have been a singular and heavenly purity without any shame or confusion of feeling, either in generation or in parturition. but i return to moses. the church was originally instituted, as i have observed, before there was any house or family or domestic government. for the lord, we here find, preaches to adam and sets before him the word. on that word, though so short, it highly becomes us here to pause awhile and dwell. for this sermon of god to adam would have been to him and to us all, his posterity, had we continued in the original innocence, a whole bible as it were. and did we, or could we, possess that sermon now we should have no need of paper, ink and pens, nor of that infinite multitude of books, which we now require to teach us knowledge and wisdom. the whole contents of these books put together, could we grasp them in our minds, would not put us in possession of one-thousandth part of that wisdom, which adam possessed in paradise. could we attain to the sum of all the wisdom in all the world, this short sermon would swallow up and overflow the whole. it would show us in all plainness and fullness, as if painted on a tablet, that infinite goodness of god which created this nature of ours pure, holy and perfect; and it would show us with equal plainness all those impurities, calamities and sorrows, which have since overwhelmed us by the inbursting of sin. since therefore, as the text shows, adam alone heard this sermon from god, it must have been preached to him on the sixth day, and adam must have afterwards communicated it to eve on the same day. and if they had not sinned adam would have set this remarkable sermon or precept before his whole posterity also; and by it they would have become the most profound divines, the most learned lawyers and the most experienced physicians. now there exists an infinite number of books by which men are trained to be theologians, lawyers and physicians. but all the knowledge we can obtain by the help of all these books together can scarcely be called the dregs of science, if compared with that fund of wisdom which adam drew from this one sermon of god. so utterly corrupted are all things by original sin. this "tree of the knowledge of good and evil," therefore, or this place in which a number of trees like unto it were planted, would have been, as we have said, a church, where adam and his posterity, had he and they continued in their innocency, would have assembled on the sabbath day; and adam, after refreshment derived from the "tree of life," would have preached god to those assembled, and would have praised him for the dominion which he had given them over all other creatures he had made. the 148th and 149th psalms set forth a certain form of such praise and thanksgiving, where the sun, the moon, the stars, the fishes and the dragons are called upon to praise the lord. but there is no one psalm so beautiful, but that any one of us might compose one far more excellent and more perfect, if we had been born of the seed of adam in his state of original innocence. adam would have preached that highest of all blessings, that he had been created in and that his posterity bore the image and the similitude of god. he would have exhorted them all to live a holy life without sin, to till the garden in which god had placed them with all industry, to keep it with all diligence, and to guard with all caution against tasting the fruit of the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil." this external place, form, worship and preaching of the word, man would most certainly have observed on the sabbath. afterwards he would have returned to his duties of laboring and guarding until the time appointed of god had been fulfilled, in which he should be translated without any death and with all sweetness to heaven. we must now speak of all these blessings however as a lost treasure, and we are deservedly left to sigh for that day, when all these things shall be restored. it is nevertheless most profitable to remember the blessings we have lost, and to feel the evils we suffer and in the midst of which we live, in so much wretchedness that we may be thereby stirred to look for that redemption of our bodies, of which the apostle speaks, rom. 8:23. for as to our souls we are already freed and delivered by christ; and we hold that deliverance in faith until the "end of our faith" shall be revealed, 1 pet. 1:19. it is moreover very profitable to consider from this text that god gave unto adam a word, a worship and a religion, the most simple, most pure and most disencumbered of all laborious forms and sumptuous appearance. for god did not command the sacrificing of oxen, nor the burning of incense, nor long and loud prayers, nor any other afflictions or wearyings of the body. all that he willed was, that adam should praise him, should give him thanks, and should rejoice in him as the lord his god; obeying him in this one great thing that he ate not the fruit of the forbidden tree. of this worship we have indeed some remnants restored to us in a certain measure by christ, even amidst all this infirmity of our flesh. we also are enabled to praise god and to give him thanks for every blessing of the soul and of the body. but too true it is, that these are but very remnants of the original worship of eden. but when, after this miserable life, we shall come among the company of angels, we shall then offer unto god a purer and holier worship. and there are also other remnants of this original felicity still vouchsafed unto us; that by the blessing of marriage we avoid and prevent adulteries; that this corporeal life has not only food, though procured with infinite labor, but a protection and a defense of that which we possess, secured unto us against all the evils and dangers which surround us on every side. these are indeed merciful remnants, still they are but miserable remnants if compared with the original blessedness and security. moreover, brethren, ye are here to be admonished against false prophets, through whom satan endeavors by various means to corrupt sound doctrine. i will give you an example of this in my own case, and just show you how i was tormented by a fanatical spirit when i first began to preach this doctrine, which i am now setting forth in my comments on the passage before us. the text indeed uses a hebrew verb signifying "to command;" "and jehovah god commanded the man." yet this agent of satan argued, and drew his conclusion thus:--"the law is not made for a righteous man." adam was a righteous man; therefore, the law was not made for adam; because, he was a righteous man. upon this argument he immediately pinned another; that this sermon of god therefore was not a law but an admonition only; and that, consequently, "where there was no law there was, as paul affirms, no transgression." and from this argument, that "where there is no law there is no transgression," he crept on to the conclusion, therefore, there was no original sin; the truth of which doctrine he consequently denied. by thus connecting together these two passages of scripture he gained, as he considered, a marvelous victory, and he publicly displayed his triumph as if he had discovered a treasure hitherto unknown to the world. now it is profitable thus to mark the mighty attempts of satan, that we may learn to meet them with wisdom and skill. both the above passages, that the "law is not made for a righteous man;" and that "where there is no law there is no transgression" are found in the epistles of paul, 1 tim. 1:9, and rom. 4:15. and it is the business of a sound and skillful logician in divine things, to mark carefully the aims and the devices of the devil; because our sophistical reasoners, his miserable slaves, use them after him. they pretend indeed to found their arguments on scripture. for they know that it would appear perfectly ridiculous to thrust upon men's minds nothing but their own dreams. but they do not cite scripture wholly and honestly; they seize upon those parts of it only which seem at first to make for them; but those portions which stand against them, they either craftily pass over or corrupt by cunningly devised interpretations. thus when satan found that christ trusted in the mercy of god under his great hunger, he attempted to draw him into a forbidden confidence, math. 4:3, 4. and again, in the matter of his standing on the pinnacle of the temple, the devil tried to make him tempt god; by quoting to him a passage seemingly adopted for his purpose, ps. 91:11-12, "he shall give his angels charge concerning thee; and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone." now that portion of the passage in the psalm, which was contrary to his purpose, satan craftily passed over, "to keep thee, in all thy ways." here lies the whole force of this scripture, that this guardianship of angels is promised to us "in all our ways" or "in our lawful calling" only. christ in all divine wisdom sets before satan this as the true meaning of the sacred text, when he replies to his face in this precept, "thou shalt not tempt the lord thy god." by this christ signifies that the "way" of man is not in the air, but that was the "way" of the flying fowls; but that the "way" of man was the steps which led from the roof of the temple to the ground; and which were made for the end that there might be a descent from the top of the temple to the bottom, easy and without peril. when therefore we are in our lawful calling and duty, whether that duty be commanded of god or of men, which latter have a right to prescribe the duty of our calling, while we are thus "in our ways," then we may assuredly believe the guardianship of angels will not fail us. the above example therefore will furnish a very useful rule to be observed in our disputations with these fanatical tools of satan. for those who are not on their guard are often deceived when crafty men transfer their arguments, after their own manner, from connected to unconnected portions of the scripture; or adopt dishonest connections or divisions of the sacred text; but adduce not passages in their integral state as they stand in the word. now this is the very method adopted in the present case by my adversary, when he argues as above from these two detached portions, "that law is not made for a righteous man," and "where there is no law, there is no transgression." he who is not on the watch-tower of wisdom and caution here is entangled before he is aware of it, and drawn into the horrible conclusion, that there was no real sin in eating the first apple; because, as our crafty opponents would argue, there was no law; and, as they further argue, which is indeed true in itself, because "where there is no law there is no transgression." and i am by no means certain that some even in our day have not been deceived by this very argument of the devil. for they so speak of original sin as to make it not a sin itself, but a punishment of sin only. hence erasmus, discussing this point with his famous eloquence, observes, "original sin is a punishment, inflicted on our first parents, which we their posterity are compelled to bear for another's fault, without any desert of our own. just as the son of an harlot is forced to endure the infamy, not by his own fault but by that of his mother. for what sin could any man commit who had as yet no existence?" these sentiments flatter human reason, but they are full of impiety and blasphemy. wherein then is the syllogism of our crafty adversary unsound? it is because, according to satan's common artifice, the text on which it is founded is not quoted entirely, but most perfidiously mutilated. for the whole text stands thus, "the law is not made for a righteous man, but for murderers, for adulterers," etc., etc. wherefore nothing can be more evident, nothing else can be concluded than that the apostle paul is here speaking of that law which god revealed unto man after sin was in the world; not of that law, which the lord gave unto adam in paradise, while he was yet righteous and innocent. the law, says paul, "was not made for a righteous man;" wherefore it insubvertibly follows, that the law of which paul speaks was given to nature, when not innocent, but sinning and liable to sin. is it not then the height of wickedness thus to confound passages of scripture in causes of such solemn moment? adam after his sin was not the same as he was before, when in his state of innocency. and yet these men make no difference between the law delivered to man before sin and the law delivered to man after sin. but what the apostle says concerning the law, which was delivered to the world after it was filled with sin, these instruments of satan, lyingly and with the greatest blasphemy, transfer and apply to the law, delivered to adam in paradise. whereas, if no sin had existed the law prohibiting sin would not have existed. for as i have said above, civil government and laws, or cauteries, and the sword, and the "schoolmaster," as paul terms "the law," would not have been needed in a state of innocent nature. but the boy because he is now bad needs the "schoolmaster" and the rod. so the prince, because he has disobedient citizens, equally needs the crown-officer and the executioner. it is of this law that paul is really speaking; the law which nature when corrupted by sin needed. with respect to the need which adam had of this commandment of god concerning the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil," i have shown that need above. it was that adam might have a settled external worship of god and a work of external obedience towards him to perform statedly. thus the angel gabriel is without sin, a creature most pure and innocent, and yet he received a commandment from god to inform daniel concerning things of the utmost importance, and to announce to the virgin mary that she was to be the mother of christ promised to the fathers. these are positive commandments, given to a creature perfectly innocent. in the same manner there is here a commandment given of the lord to adam before his sin that he should not eat of the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil," which commandment adam would have fulfilled willingly and with the highest pleasure, had he not been deceived by the craft of satan. but paul is referring to quite another law; for he is plainly speaking of a law which was given, not to the righteous, but to the unrighteous. who is there, then, so stupid or so insane, who will after all conclude that a law was not given to adam because he hears us affirm that adam was a righteous man? for no other conclusion can follow than that the law, which was made for the unrighteous, was not the law that was given to the righteous adam; and on the converse it must follow that as a law was given to righteous adam, that law was not the same as the law which was afterwards made for the unrighteous. there is therefore in this syllogism or argument of our adversary, the two-fold unsoundness of unjust connection and unjust division. there is in it moreover a double equivocation. the first is in not making it plain that the law before sin is one thing, and the law after sin another. and in the second place, the equivocation lies in not making it equally plain, that the righteous man before sin and the righteous man after sin are each righteous, but in a different sense; that the one is righteous by nature the other by new-creation and justification. it is most useful to examine thus the arguments and reasonings of our adversaries, and in this manner to apply the science of sound logic to good purpose in these momentous discussions. for the arts of logic were not seriously intended to be used in the dead disputation of the school only; but that the gravest and most sacred subjects might by them be soundly explained and taught. and it is by the very false reasoning now in question, that satan does a great deal of business in denying original sin. whereas to deny original sin, is to deny virtually the passion and resurrection of christ. let the passage of the apostle paul therefore, 1 tim. 1:9, hinder us not from determining with moses in the text now before us, that a law was here commanded of god to adam though a righteous man, "that he should not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil," in the same way as commandments were also given to angels. and because adam transgressed this commandment he sinned, and begat and propagated his children after him also sinners. iii. v. 17b. _for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die._ this penal threat also thus expressly added proves that it was a law, not an admonition, that was given to adam. and it moreover shows that adam was created in a state of innocence and righteousness. for as yet there was no sin in existence because god did not create sin. if adam therefore had obeyed this command he would never have died, for death entered into the world by sin. all the rest of the trees of paradise therefore were created to the end that they might aid and preserve unto man his animal life, sound and whole, and without the least evil or inconvenience. now it naturally appears wonderful to us at this day, that there should have been an animal life without any death and without any evils or accidental causes of death, which now abound, such as diseases, boils and fetid redundancies, in bodies, etc., etc. the reason is that no part of the body in the state of innocency was foul or impure. there was no unpleasantness in the evacuations or secretions. there were no impurities whatever. everything was most beautiful and delightful. there was no offense to any of the organs or senses. and yet the life was an animal life. adam ate, digested, performed the functions of, and managed and regulated, his body. and had he continued in his innocence he would have done all these and other things the animal life does and requires, until he had been translated to the spiritual and eternal life. for this deathless translation also we have lost by sin. and now, between this present and a future life, there exists that awful medium passage, death. that passage, in the state of innocence, would have been most delightful; and by it adam would have been translated to the spiritual life, or as christ calls it in the gospel, the life "as the angels in heaven," math. 12:25; in which state all animal actions cease. for in the resurrection we shall neither eat nor drink nor are given in marriage. so with respect to adam, all animality would have ceased and a spiritual life in glory would have followed; even as we also believe it will be with us "in the resurrection" through christ. so also adam would have put off his childhood glory of innocence, if i may so term his natural life of innocency, and would have put on his heavenly glory. he would have done with all inferior actions, which however, in that childhood glory of innocency, would have been pure and unattended with that sorrow which mars all things since the fall; and would have been translated from his infantine glory of created innocence, to that manhood of glorious innocence, which angels enjoy; and which we also who believe shall enjoy in the life to come. i call adam's primitive, creative innocence the childhood of glorious innocency, because adam, if i may so speak, was in a middle state, or a state of neutrality or liability; in a state where he could be deceived by satan; and could fall into that awful calamity into which he did fall. but such a peril of falling will not exist in that state of perfect manhood of glorified innocency, which we shall enjoy in the future and spiritual life. and this indeed is that which is signified in this threat of punishment. "for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." as if the lord had said, thou mayest remain indeed, if thou obey me, in this life, in which i have created thee; yet thou wilt not even then, be immortal, as the angels are. it is a life placed as it were in a middle, neutral or liable, state. thou mayest remain in it by obedience, and afterwards be translated into an immortality, which cannot be lost. on the other hand if thou shalt not obey me, thou shalt fall into death and shalt lose that immortality. there is a great difference therefore between the created spiritual state of angels and the created natural innocency of adam. angels as they now are cannot fall, but adam could fall; for adam was created in a state in which he might become immortal, that is, in which he might continue in his original innocency without death, for he was free from all sin and stood in a condition from which he might be translated out of the childhood glory of original innocency into the manhood glory of immortality, in which he could never sin afterwards. on the other hand, adam could fall out of this childhood glory of natural innocence into sin, the curse and death, as indeed it sadly happened. adam was in a state of natural immortality, or which might have been a natural immortality, because he had recourse to certain created trees, the virtue of whose fruits produced preservation of life. but this natural immortality was not so secured to him, as to render it impossible for him to fall into mortality. why god willed to create man in this middle, neutral or liable state is not for us to explain or curiously to inquire. equally impossible is it for us to say and unlawful to ask, why man was so created that all mankind should be propagated from one man by generation, while angels were not so created. for angels generate not nor are propagated, because they live a spiritual life; but the counsel of god in the creation of man is worthy the highest admiration, in that he created him to an animal life and to corporeal actions, which also the other animals have, and gave him also a power of intellect, which indeed the angels also possess. so that man is a compound being, in whom are united the brute and the angelic natures. moreover, as we have here come to consider the nature of angels, we must not keep back the written opinions of some of the fathers, that there is a certain similarity between the creation of man and that of angels. this similarity however cannot be extended to the properties of generation, which in the spiritual nature has no existence, but to the imperfection that subsisted in each nature as to liability to fall. for since man, as i have shown, was created in a kind of a middle, or liable or pendent state, so also angels when first created were not so confirmed in their natural standing that they could not fall. hence it is that christ says concerning the devil, that he "abode not in the truth," john 8:44. on these grounds the holy fathers supposed that a battle or sedition arose between the angels, some of those beings taking the part of some very beautiful angel, who exalted himself above all the rest on account of certain superior gifts bestowed upon him. these things are very probable nor are they at variance with that which christ here affirms by the evangelist john, that the devil "abode not in the truth;" nor are they inconsistent with that which jude also affirms in his epistle, that the angels "kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation," jude 6. in confirmation of these sentiments, the fathers adduce the passage, is. 14:12, 13. but with reference to isaiah, he is evidently speaking of the king of babylon, who wished to sit in the throne of god, that is, to rule over his holy people and his temple. whether, therefore, there really was this dissension and war among the angels, or whether, which is more agreeable to my views, certain proud angels, filled with envy and taking offense at the humility of the son of god, wished to exalt themselves above him, it is quite certain that the angels also like man were in such a state of innocence as could be altered. after the evil angels however had been judged and condemned, the good angels were so confirmed in their standing that they could not sin after that confirmation, for they were all elect angels, but the reprobate angels were cast out. so also, if the great dragon, or the evil angels, mentioned in revelations, had continued in their innocence, they also would afterwards have been confirmed therein and could never have fallen. the fathers, speaking on this subject, hold that the elect angels were created in righteousness and were afterwards confirmed therein; but that those who fell, "abode not in the truth," john 8:44. but we are not to think that the angels are few in number, for christ affirms, luke 11:18, that satan has a kingdom, and that he is as the chief one among robbers and governs all things in his kingdom by his authority and counsels; and it is also said, in the same chapter that the devils or evil angels have their prince beelzebub, who was at the head of this sedition in heaven. but there has arisen a question here, in the discussion of which the books of all the sophists are idly employed, and after all they explain nothing. the question to which i allude is, "what was original righteousness?" some make it a certain quality, others give different definitions. we however following moses, will define original righteousness to be so termed, because man was originally created righteous, true and upright; not in body only, but especially in soul, and because he acknowledged god; because he obeyed him with the utmost pleasure; because he understood the works of god without any instruction concerning them. this last faculty of adam is wonderfully exemplified by the fact, that when he had been in a profound sleep and god had formed eve out of one of his ribs, the moment he awoke he recognized eve as the work of god, saying "this is now bone of my bones." was not this a marvelous proof of intellect, thus at the first sight to know and comprehend the work of god? from this same original righteousness also it arose that adam loved god and his works with all purity of affection; that he lived among the creatures of god in peace without any fear of death or any dread of disease, and that he enjoyed a body also the most obedient to the will of god, without any evil desires and utterly free from that impure lust, which we continually feel. so that a most beautiful and most certain picture of original righteousness may be portrayed from its entire contrast to that deep corruption, which we now feel throughout our whole nature. when human reasoners speak of original sin, they consider only its wretched and unclean lust or concupiscence. but original sin is in truth the entire fall of the whole human nature. the intellect is so darkened that we can no longer understand god and his will, nor perceive nor acknowledge the works of god. moreover the will is so wonderfully depraved that we cannot trust in the mercy of god nor fear god, but living in security and unconcern, we disregard the word of god and his will and follow the concupiscence and violent lusts of the flesh. the conscience also is no longer at peace and in quiet, and when it thinks of the judgments of god it sinks into despair, and seeks and follows after unlawful supports and remedies. and all these sins are so deeply rooted in our nature that they cannot be entirely eradicated through our whole life. and yet these miserable sophistical reasoners do not touch upon these deep corruptions even in word. but by taking this true view of original sin, it clearly demonstrates, according to the nature of correlative proofs, what original sin really was by its awful contrariety to that original righteousness. thus it is evident that original sin is the essential and entire loss and deprivation and absence of original righteousness; just as blindness is the privation or absence of sight. yes! the divine matters of original sin and original righteousness extend much more widely and deeply than is imagined by the monks, who understand original righteousness only as it refers to sexual chastity. whereas they ought first to look at the soul of man as the seat of all sin and corruption and then turn to the body, and view it as deriving all its defilement and pollution from the soul. with reference to the soul the great proof of its fallen state under original sin is, that we have lost the knowledge of god; that we do not always and everywhere give thanks unto him; that we do not rejoice in the works of his hands and all his doings; that we do not wholly trust in him; that we begin to hate and blaspheme him whenever he visits our sins with deserved punishments; that in our dealings with our neighbor we follow our own interests, desires and objects, and are plunderers, thieves, adulterers, murderers, cruel, unkind, unmerciful. the ragings of lust are indeed a certain part of original sin, but those sins and corruptions of the soul, unbelief, ignorance of god, despair, hatred, blasphemy, of which calamities of the soul adam knew nothing in his state of innocence. and in addition to these reflections, the numberless punishments of original sin are to be contemplated. for whatever is now lost of those endowments with which adam was created and gifted, while his nature was yet unfallen, is rightly considered the consequence of original sin. adam for instance was of a most perfect and sagacious intellect. for the moment that eve was presented to him he understood that she was his own flesh. he had also the most minute knowledge of all the other creatures. he was not only just and upright, but of a most perfect and wonderful understanding in all things. he had moreover a most upright will, yet not a perfect will; for perfection itself was deferred from the state of the animal life to that of the spiritual and eternal life. let these comments suffice upon the sacred text before us, vs. 16 and 17, in which the church is constituted. moses now proceeds to marriage and domestic government (_oeconomia_). part iv. the creation of eve. v. 18. _and jehovah god said, it is not good that the man should be alone; i will make him an helpmeet for him (which may be before him)._ we have just seen how the church was constituted by the word and by the establishment of a certain day, place and order of worship. for civil government (_politia_) there was as yet no need, while nature was innocent and without sin. now domestic government (_oeconomia_) is instituted. for god now makes the solitary adam a husband by giving him a wife and uniting her to him of whom adam had need also for the generation and multiplication of the human race. and as we have observed above with reference to the creation of adam that god created him with deep purpose of mind and counsel, some here see that eve also was created with profound counsel and wisdom of design. by all this moses would show that man was a singularly excellent creature and that he partook both of the human and the divine natures, of divinity and immortality. man therefore is a more excellent creature than the heaven or the earth or any other creature which god made. and moses would also impress us with reference to the other part of human nature, namely, woman, that she also was created with a peculiar counsel and design of god. and the object of moses in this particular point of his divine instruction is, to show that this sex also had great concernment, in that state of animal but innocent life, in which adam was created, and in that state of a spiritual and eternal life also, which he expected. for the female sex was necessary for the generation and multiplication of the human race. hence it follows that if the woman had not been deceived by the serpent and had not sinned, she would have been in all respects equal to adam. for her now being subject to her husband is the punishment laid upon her of god since sin and on account of sin; as are also all her other troubles and perils, her labor and pain in bringing forth children, with an infinite number of other sorrows. woman therefore is not now what eve was at her creation. the condition of woman then was inconceivably better and more excellent than now; she was then in no respect whatever inferior to adam, whether you consider the endowments of her body or those of her mind. but we may here inquire when god says, "it is not good that the man should be alone," what is that "good" of which god is speaking, seeing that adam was righteous and had no need of the woman as we have, who bear about with us our flesh all leprous with sin? my reply is, that god is speaking of a common "good," or the good of the species; not of personal good. all personal good adam already possessed. he enjoyed perfect innocency. but the common good of which all other animals partook, he possessed not. he could not propagate his species by generation. adam was alone. nor had he as yet a companion for that wonderful work of generation and the preservation of his species. the "good" therefore here divinely expressed, signifies the multiplying of the human race. in the same manner also adam, although innocent and righteous, did not as yet possess that high good to which he was created; namely, a spiritual and glorious immortality, to which he would have been translated of god in his appointed time, if he had continued in his innocency. the meaning of "good" therefore in the text is, that adam being himself a most beautiful creature possessed, as far as his own person was concerned, everything he could require. but there was yet wanting to him one thing, the "good" of god's "blessing;" the generating and multiplying of his species; for he was alone. now, as nature is corrupted by sin, woman is necessary, not only for the multiplying of the human race but also for the companionship, help and protection of life. for domestic government needs the ministration of women. nay, such is our wretchedness by the fall of adam, that, to our shame and sorrow be it confessed, we have need of woman as a remedy against sin. wherefore, in contemplating woman, we must consider not only the place in domestic government which she fills, but the remedy for sin, which god has made her to supply; as the apostle paul says, "to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife," 1 cor. 7:2. and a certain master of divine sentiments also eloquently observes, "marriage was instituted in paradise as a duty and an obedience to god; but since the fall it is a remedy also for sin." wherefore we are obliged to adopt a union with this sex to avoid sin. this is indeed a sad and disgraceful confession to make; but it is the truth. for there are very few now who take unto themselves wives, purely as a duty of obedience to god; according to his original will in the creation of man as male and female! other animals however have no necessity of this kind. therefore they as a rule come together once in the year only, and are contented with that intercourse, as if by this fact they said, "we come together as a duty to god!" but it is far different with men. they are compelled to have recourse to their union with wives in matrimony to avoid sin. hence we generate and are born in the midst of sins on both sides. for our parents do not come together as a pure duty to god, but as a remedy also, for the sake of avoiding sin. and yet it is by means of this very remedy and by this very miserable state of things, that god fulfils his original blessing pronounced upon male and female when he created them. and thus men, though in sin and with sin, generate and are generated. but this would not have been the case in paradise, had man continued in the innocency of his original creation. generation in that state would have been a most holy yielding of obedience to god, utterly free from that impure lust which now exists. and children would have been born in original righteousness and rectitude. they would have known god immediately at their birth, without any instruction or admonition. they would have spoken of his holy name, praised him and given him thanks. but all these glorious things are now lost. yet it is profitable to us to think upon them deeply, that we may hold fast some sense of the real state in which we now are; namely, under all the effects of original sin; and that we may rightly contemplate also the original condition of adam, a state of perfect righteousness, which state we hope again to enjoy in all its blessedness at the "restitution of all things," acts 3:21. with respect to the divine expression, "let us make," i have already observed that eve was created, as well as adam, by a peculiar counsel of god, in order that it might be manifest that she was a partaker with him of a better and an immortal life; a hope not possessed by any of the other living creatures, who live a natural life only without any hope of an eternal life. that which the latin renders "like him" in this passage, is in the hebrew, "which may be before him." god, by this expression also, distinguishes the human female from the females of all other living creatures, which are not always "before" their mates. but woman was expressly created that she might be "before" her husband always and everywhere. even as the emperor also calls the life of married persons "an individual life." whereas the brute female requires her mate only once in the whole year, and after she has conceived she returns to her own kind and takes care of herself. of her young, which were brought forth at any previous time, she takes no care whatever. she does not cohabit with her mate always. the nature of marriage among mankind however is utterly different. there the woman is married by the man that she may be "before him" always and may cohabit with him as one flesh. and if adam had remained in his state of innocency, this individual life or cohabitation of man and wife would have been most sweet and delightful. the embrace itself also would have been most holy and reverential, and worshipful of god. there would have existed none of that impurity and shame arising from sin, which now exists. is not this fallen state of man most awful to contemplate! for in its holy reality there was nothing more excellent, nothing more admirable in all nature, than the fulfilment of the divine law of generation. it was an act of obedience to god, the highest which man could perform next to praising and lauding his glorious name, which obedience adam and eve rendered unto god in as much holiness and freedom from all sin as when they were engaged in acts of praise and adoration. the fulfilment of this law of nature and of god indeed still continues. but how wretched are these present remnants of the original innocency! how horribly deformed by sin, pollution and baseness of every description. all these things are deplorable evidences of nature's original sin. for the great and glorious ends of creation there was need of the woman as a helpmeet for man. for man alone could not generate; nor could the woman generate alone. as the apostle says, neither the man nor the woman "had power over their own bodies" for that high end. hence the loftiest praises of each sex are, that the male is the father and the woman the mother of the generation of mankind. the wife in this high sense also is that helpmeet of the husband. but, as we have repeatedly said, if we look at the state of originally-created innocency, the generation of man has lost all its excellency, its pure delight, its holiness and its worshipful obedience to god. moreover in this age and at this day, you may find many who wish that they had no children at all born to them. and this far more than barbarous inhumanity and enormity is found more particularly among princes and nobles, who frequently abstain from marriage for the sole reason that they may have no posterity. still more base is the practice found in those princes, who suffer themselves to be counselled and persuaded not to marry, lest their families should become too large for civil purposes. such men are indeed worthy of having their names blotted out from the land of the living, as the punishment of their contempt of the laws and intents of god. who is there that would not execrate such swine-like monsters as these? these inhuman beings however still further manifest in many base particulars the nature and depth of original sin. were it not for the consequences of this mighty sin, we should all admire the fulfilment of the law of god in generation, as one of the highest acts of the obedience and worship of god. and we should extol it as one of the greatest gifts of god with its due praise and admiration. from the above inhuman abuse and contempt of marriage have arisen those numerous reproaches of the female sex, which celibacy has greatly augmented. whereas it is one of the greatest of his blessings that god has preserved for us women, even against the wishes and the wills of such inhuman beings, both as a divine means of generation and as a remedy also against the sin of fornication. in paradise woman would have been indeed a helper in our duty and obedience to god, and in our fulfilment of his command "to be fruitful and to multiply and replenish the earth," gen. 1:28. but now woman is in a very great measure a medicine and remedy for sin. so that in truth we can now scarcely mention the name of woman without shame; most certainly we cannot unite ourselves to her without some sense and blush of that shame. the mighty cause of all this is original sin. for in paradise the union of man and woman would have been wholly free from the thought of shame or impurity. the whole union would have been looked upon and felt, as a duty of obedience to god, ordained by himself and sanctified by the blessings he pronounced upon it. the same calamitous state on account of sin rests upon us also, even in the midst of all our spiritual gifts. for although we may have faith and live in faith, yet we cannot be free from doubt, fear and the sensible awe of death. these just punishments of original sin, our holy fathers in the faith deeply saw and felt. that which now follows is as it were a repetition of what has preceded, concerning the creation of adam, by which repetition moses would more conveniently arrive at his intended description of the manner in which woman was created. in reading what follows, therefore, we must consider adam to have been already created. v. 19a. _and out of the ground jehovah god formed every beast of the field, and every bird of the heavens; and brought them unto the man to see what he would call them._ as if moses had said, "god now willed by a certain deep and deliberate counsel to create woman. for he saw that every other living creature had a helpmeet for generation. adam alone had none. god therefore now brought all the living creatures of the earth and of the air to adam, to see what he would call them. and when adam had given to each one its appropriate name, he found no living creature like unto himself as an helpmeet for him." and here we are again struck with the wonderful knowledge and wisdom which adam possessed. created as he was in innocency, righteousness and knowledge, he beholds all living creatures stand before him; and without any new illumination for the purpose, but by the pure properties and excellency of his nature alone, he so discerns in a moment the characteristic nature of each creature, that he gives it a name exactly descriptive of its created peculiarities. well indeed might the "dominion" over all living creatures have been added of god to man, to whom he had given such intellectual light as this! and this "dominion" which god had conferred on adam, he now ratifies anew by bringing to him all creatures to be named according to his judgment. by all this it is further manifest that adam could by one single word compel lions, bears, boars, tigers and any other of the noble animals to do any thing he wishes, according to their natural properties and powers; all which properties he thoroughly understood at a moment's glance when he gave them their names. but all these original endowments of man are utterly lost by sin. no wonder therefore that we have no knowledge of the adorable god, when we know nothing as adam did of the natures, powers and properties even of the beasts of the earth. there exist indeed very many books, which describe the natures of the beasts and of plants. but what a length of time, what an extent of observation and of experience were necessary to collect the contents of all these volumes! in adam however there was a marvelously different illumination and intellect. he discovered by a moment's glance at each living creature its whole nature and all its separate faculties and created endowments; and that too with a perfection far above that to which we can ever attain by a whole life of devoted study and research in natural history. and as this knowledge in adam was a peculiar and eminent gift of god, so was it greatly pleasing and delightful to god. and on account of this pleasure god brought the living creatures to adam and commanded him to use the knowledge he had thus given him in assigning to each living creature its appropriate name. vs. 19b, 20. _and whatsoever the man called every living creature, that was the name thereof. and the man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the heavens, and to every beast of the field; but for man there was not found a helpmeet for him (to be before him)._ what an ocean of knowledge and wisdom there was in this one man! and although adam lost much of this knowledge by sin, yet my full belief is that the whole contents of the books of all the wise, which have ever been written throughout all ages since letters first had birth, have not to this day equalled that wisdom which adam possessed, even after his sin and fall. but all has become obscured by degrees in his posterity and is well nigh extinct altogether. but we must here again note that moses is still engaged describing the creation-work and the divine transactions of the sixth day. for that which he had briefly said in the divine expression, "_let us_ make man," gen. 1:26, he now more fully explains in this second chapter, in order that he might distinguish man from all other living creatures by more than one recorded testimony. wherefore he devotes this whole second chapter to a more particular explanation of the creation of man. with reference to the man moses has already said that he was made of the dust of the ground, and that the breath of life was breathed of god into his nostrils. he has also stated that the whole multitude of living creatures was brought before adam. when adam had seen among them all no helpmeet for him, woman was made to be his companion in the generation and preservation of the human species. for god did not will that the posterity of adam should be made out of the ground, as he himself was, but that it should be propagated as the other animals. as to our bodily life we eat and drink, generate and are generated just like all animals. however moses is greatly concerned in his thought to separate and distinguish man from all the animal creatures, because in this way the end is reached that after this earthly life man should become a partaker of the spiritual and eternal life. now all these things pertain, as we have just observed, unto the creation work of the sixth day. for as god had said, "be fruitful and multiply," the explanation of the manner in which the woman was created and brought to adam became a necessary part of the sacred narrative. all this is moreover intended to lead us into the firm belief and satisfaction of mind that six days were really occupied by god in his creation of all things, contrary to the opinion of augustine and hilary, who think that all things were created in a moment. to such an extent do they depart from the history of facts and follow allegories and indulge in i know not what kind of dreamy speculations. nor do i speak these things by way of reproach to the holy fathers, whose labors we ought to venerate. i make these statements for the confirmation of the truth and for our own consolation. the fathers were great men. yet they were men; men who had fallen and still liable to fall. so that we have no ground for exalting ourselves like the monks, who worship all things belonging to themselves as if they were not liable to fall. whereas for my part, it is rather a great consolation to me than otherwise, that the fathers are discovered to have erred and fallen at times also. because my thoughts run thus: if god pardoned sins and errors in them why should i despair of pardon from him? on the other hand, despair immediately comes on if you begin to think that the fathers did not experience the same things which you feel and suffer. it is at the same time quite certain that there was a mighty difference between the call of the apostles and the call of the fathers. on what grounds therefore can we esteem the writings of the fathers equal to the writings of the apostles? but with special reference to the sacred passage of moses before us, how, i pray you, is it possible that six days should be either a moment or an hour? neither faith, which rests wholly in the word, nor reason itself, can admit this. wherefore let us be assured, that there were between the divine acts of the creation certain intervals. thus, adam is first created alone. then there are brought unto him all the animals, not only that he might name them, but that he might be tried, by seeing whether he could find in all this collection of creatures a meet companion. after this, eve is created. lastly, these words are spoken by the lord, "of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat," etc., which words struck the ears of adam. all these things carry with them a proof that they occurred at certain intervals of time, unless indeed you would turn away like origen from such plain and positive historical facts to the most absurd allegories. for moses is not here giving us a record of god himself, in whose sight all things past, present, and future are ever present in the same moment; but he is recording a history of adam, a creature of time, who was made and who lived; and with whom as a creature there is a difference between the present and the future. i have deemed it right to bring these things to your recollection by this repetition. now let us proceed with moses. v. 21. _and jehovah god caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof._ here again not faith only, but reason and fact also, prove that the time of adam's being awake was one space of time and the time of his being asleep another. these spaces have evidently their intervals. as therefore adam was created in the sixth day, and all the animals were brought to him on that day; as he heard the command of god concerning the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; as god sent upon him sleep, it is manifest beyond dispute; that all these facts have reference to time and to this animal life. and it is equally evident that the days mentioned in the sacred record must be understood to have been true and real days, contrary to the opinion of the holy fathers. whenever therefore we find the opinions of the fathers to disagree with the scriptures, we tolerate them with reverence and acknowledge them to be our elders in the church; but we do not for their sakes depart from the authority of the scriptures. elegant and true is that sentiment of aristotle, in the first book of his "ethics," "where both friends and truth are near to us, it is our sacred duty to give the higher honor to the truth." the philosopher of old here plainly affirms that it is better to stand by the truth than to show too much favor to those who may be our friends or even our relations. such a sentiment is nobly becoming a philosopher. if, therefore, a natural man and a heathen holds that such a principle should be maintained in moral, human and civil disputations, with how much greater firmness should it be held in the discussion of those things which stand on the manifest testimony of the scriptures! how jealous should we be of setting the authority of men above that of the word! men may be deceived, but the word of god itself is the wisdom of god and infallible truth. but with respect to this portion, namely, the divine history itself, what i pray you, could be recorded more fabulous in the estimation of human reason, if you wish to follow that? for could any one be found who would believe this fact concerning the creation of eve, if it were not thus openly declared? for here all the other creatures stand as plain examples to the contrary. every other living creature is generated from male and female, and is so generated that it is the female that brings it into the light. but here the female herself is created from the male; and that too with a no less wonderful creation than that by which adam himself was made a living soul, from the dust of the ground. these facts are mere monstrosities and outrageous absurdities, if you set aside the authority of the holy scriptures and follow the judgment of reason. hence it is that aristotle affirms that neither the first man nor the last man can be given as the foundation of an argument. and reason would force us to affirm the same of her naked self, without this text before us. for if it be received as a truth, a truth which the uniform law of the whole creation testifies, that nothing is born alive but from male and female, it is a true conclusion that the first man cannot be accounted for in that way. the same conclusion may also be declared to be correct by human reason concerning the creation of the world, which the philosophers of old therefore concluded to be eternal. for although reasons are put together by reason, by which is proved that the world is not eternal; yet reason herself, all the while, settles down with all her powers upon this basis of conclusion. for what beginning will reason find in nothing? and again, if you say that the world had a beginning and that there was a time in which the world had no existence it will immediately follow close upon your heels that, before the world there was nothing at all. other absurdities will follow in an infinite series; by the multitude of which philosophers being struck plunged at once into the conclusion that the world was eternal. but again if you affirm that the world was infinite, there immediately springs up before you another new infinity in the successive generation of mankind. but then philosophy will not admit a plurality of infinities; and yet it is compelled to admit them upon its own conclusions, because it knows neither the beginning of the world nor the beginning of mankind. this hostile contrariety and utter obscurity brought the epicureans into a state which compelled them to assert, that both the world and mankind existed without any reason at all; and that without any reason at all they would both perish; just as beasts, which after they are dead, are just as if they never had been. from premises like these other terrible conclusions naturally follow; either that there is positively no god at all, or that he cares not at all for human things. these are the labyrinths into which reason is brought, when without the word of god it follows its own judgment. therefore it is very profitable thus to behold how impossible it is that reason or our own wisdom should go beyond the above stated limits, in its judgments concerning the creature. for what, i pray you, does the philosopher with all his reasoning know of the heavens or the earth or the world; seeing that he understands not whence either of them came or in what end they all or either of them, are appointed to terminate. nay, what do we ourselves know concerning ourselves? we all see that we are men. but ought we not to believe also and know that we have this man for our father and that woman for our mother? but how or why this is so can never be learned from human reason. hence all our knowledge and our wisdom lie only in the comprehension of the material or formal cause; and even in these we often make the most wretched mistakes. but as to the efficient and final cause, we know nothing, nor can explain anything whatsoever. and the saddest part of our ignorance is, that our deficiency is at its worst when we come to dispute or to speculate concerning the world into which we are born and in which we live. is not this, i pray you, a poor and miserable pretension to wisdom? hence aristotle affirms, that man and the sun beget man. a noble doctrine of human philosophy, truly! follow this highest effort of natural reason and it will bring you at length to the inevitable conclusion, that both man and the sun are eternal and infinite, as the same philosopher concluded the world itself was. for you will never find a man who was or is in himself either the beginning or the end of himself or of his race. wherefore i myself am not able to discover by my own reason, either the beginning or the end of my martin luther, if i wish to understand either my beginning or my end, and not to believe it. for as to our possessing a formal knowledge or a knowledge of the forms of things, a cow possesses the same, which knows her own home, or, as the german proverb has it, "the cow sees and knows the gate." here again the awfulness of the original fall and sin is revealed. for we are thereby rendered so destitute of true knowledge that we cannot of ourselves discover either our beginning or our end. after all the disputations therefore of aristotle, plato, cicero and other philosophers of note, who have concluded from man's walking upright, while all other animals have their heads inclined downwards, looking towards the earth, and from his possessing the powers of intellect, that man is a singular animal and created to immortality according to all this argument and conclusion, what a poor, meagre and almost futile wisdom is this! the whole of it after all is derived from a contemplation of the form. and if you should still go on to argue upon the material of man, would not the same human reason compel you to conclude that this nature of ours is perishable, must be dissolved and cannot be immortal? what then is the conclusion of the whole matter? let us learn it. it is, that the only true wisdom is found in the holy scriptures and in the word of god. for the word teaches us not only concerning the material, not only concerning the form of the whole creation, but also concerning the efficient and the final cause of all things; and concerning the beginning and the end of all things; who created them, _what_ he created and for what end he created that which he did create. without the knowledge of the two causes, the efficient and the final, all our highest wisdom differs but little from that of the beasts, which use their eyes and their ears, but know nothing of the beginning or the end of what they see. the text before us therefore is very remarkable. and the more it seems to be contrary to all our experience and to reason, the more diligently should we ponder it and the more firmly should we believe it. by this text therefore we are taught the beginning of man, that the first man did not exist by generation, as aristotle and the other philosophers, deceiving themselves by human reasonings, have dreamed; that the propagation of the posterity of the first man is indeed effected by generation; but that the first man himself was created from the dust of the field and that the first woman was formed and fashioned out of a rib of the man, extracted from him while he was asleep. here therefore we have the true beginning of man which all the reason and philosophy of aristotle could not discover. the beginning then of man, as wrought of god, being thus established by the testimony of moses, there follows the propagation of man by means of the union of male and female; in no degree less wonderful than the original creation of each. the whole human race are procreated by a single drop of human blood. on this propagation of mankind it is that the apostle paul eloquently displays his philosophy, derived from this sacred portion of the scripture, before the philosophers of athens, "the god that made the world and all things therein," etc., "seeing he himself giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; and he made of one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth; that they should seek god, if haply they might feel after him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us: for in him we live, and move, and have our being," acts 17:24-28. here paul speaks before all the athenian philosophers of the propagation of mankind "by the blood of one," as he expresses it. if therefore the whole race of mankind have been generated from one small drop of blood of one man, and are still so generated, as the experience of all men throughout the whole world testifies, most certainly this miracle is no less wonderful and admirable than were those original wonders, namely, the creation of the first man from the dust of the ground, and that of the first woman from the rib of the man. but how is it that the original miracles of the creation of adam and eve seem to us so wonderful and so incredible; while the still standing miracle of the continuous propagation of man, which we all know and daily see, excites no wonder or admiration at all? it is because, as augustine says, "miracles become no miracles at all, by familiarity." hence we wonder not at the admirable light of the sun, because we see it every day. for the same reason we admire not other gifts and blessings of god's creation, but are blind and deaf to them all. on the same ground pythagoras well said, that a most sweet and marvelous concert of sounds was effected by the harmony and velocity of the motions and revolutions of the heavenly bodies, but that men became deaf to this celestial concert by hearing it continually; just as those who are accustomed to the roarings of the nile are not at all affected by the thunders of the water, while to others, who are not accustomed to them, they are awful and intolerable. there is no doubt that pythagoras received this idea from the fathers by tradition. not however that they really believed in any actual harmony of sounds, made by the motions of the heavenly bodies. their meaning was that the creation of these celestial bodies was truly delightful and marvelous; but that their beauty and their glory were not duly observed by us ungrateful and insensate beings; and that we did not render unto god the praises due to him, as the creator of such wonderful and admirable creatures. thus also it is a great miracle that a small seed placed in the ground should cause to spring forth a lofty and magnificent oak. but as this is so familiar as an everyday occurrence, it makes no impression upon us; just so little do we appreciate the nature and manner of our own propagation. for why is it not worthy of the highest admiration that a woman should receive human seed, which then grows, and as job 10:11 so beautifully says, "thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews;" that is, formed me and nourished me in my mother until i was matured to live in the air, separated from her. in this new state of existence i received no new nourishment, but it came from the same mother in a new way and manner, in that from both breasts of my mother as from fountains, her milk went forth by which her infant was nourished. all this is most wonderful and utterly incomprehensible, but lightly esteemed by us because we have truly become deaf to this most pleasant and lovely music of nature. whereas could all these marvelous realities be seen and estimated by the vision of true faith, they would be no more common things to the beholder, nor less miracles, than that which moses here records, when he testifies that one of adam's ribs was taken from his side while he was asleep, and that the woman eve was formed out of it by the hand of god. for if it had pleased the lord to form us as he did adam, from the dust of the ground, by this time that manner of forming man might have ceased also to be a miracle in our sight; and we might now perhaps be rather admiring the existing law of the generation of mankind by male and female. so true is that barbarously-composed perhaps, but by no means random-shot poetical line, _omne rarum carum: vilescit quotidianum._ "rare things will e'er delight our eyes, but common things are no surprise." thus if the stars did not rise every night and in all places, what crowds would gather where the light of one night's starry heaven might be witnessed! but now not one of us opens a single window to behold the sight. most justly condemnable, therefore, is our ingratitude. for if we believe god to be the efficient and final _cause_ of all things, ought we not to wonder at his works, to be delighted with them, and to proclaim them always and everywhere? but how few are there who do this in truth and from the heart? in vain therefore and absurd is the doctrine of aristotle, that man and the sun beget man. we learn from this book a far different cause of propagation, the commanding word of god which says to this and to that husband, thy drop of blood shall on this occasion become a male, and on that occasion a female. but of this word reason knows nothing. therefore reason can do nothing but invent trifles and absurdities concerning the causes of such mighty things. medical professors, following the philosophers, have given us their various opinions concerning the propagation of mankind; and though reason may not be able to deny the justness of many of them, yet all of them put together cannot reach the _great first cause_. the holy spirit leads us far deeper than all the opinions of men, when it sets before us the word of god, by which all things are created and conserved. hence the mighty reason why a man, and not an ox nor an ass, is generated by a drop of human blood, is the effectual power of the word which was spoken by god at the creation of all things, "in the beginning." it is in divine truth therefore that christ teaches us in the lord's prayer to call upon god as our _father_, and that the creed teaches us to confess god as our _creator_. when we look back therefore to this first cause, then can we speak of all these things with pureness, with holiness and with joy. but if we leave out the first cause, we cannot even think of them without baseness and obscenity. from this part of our sacred discussion we further behold the horrible nature of the fall and of original sin, in that the whole human race is sunk in ignorance of its very origin. we see male and female come together in marriage union. we see the female at her appointed time bring forth from a drop of masculine blood her infant into the light of heaven. these things, we repeat, are familiar to the sight and to the knowledge of all; and yet, if the word teach and instruct thee not, thou knowest nothing of the marvelous work which is wrought and which thine eyes behold. this ignorance is abundantly proved by the vain disputations of philosophers, which we have just been contemplating. is not this then a miserable ignorance and a horrible blindness? whereas, had adam continued in his innocency, he would have found no need of instructing his posterity in their origin, even as there was no need of being himself instructed in the creation of his wife eve, for the moment he saw her he knew that she was "bone of his bones, and flesh of his flesh." and had the original innocence continued, the same knowledge of themselves would have existed in all the posterity of adam. they would all have understood the great final and efficient cause of which things we now know little or nothing more than the beasts of the field themselves. therefore to the ears of reason this is a most beautiful and pleasing fable which philosophers have with pleasure greatly misused, if they heard it and just as they heard it, especially those versed in the arts and wisdom of the egyptians. but for us it is an inexpressibly precious wisdom that makes known to us the fable the world judges ridiculous; namely, that the genesis of the generation of man was constituted by the word of god. for god takes the dust of the earth and says, "let us make man!" likewise afterwards he takes the rib of adam and says, "let us make a helpmeet for man." we will now consider the words themselves since we have referred sufficiently to the doctrine as it was necessary to do so. having thus discussed, as was necessary, the divine facts themselves, contained in the text before us, let us now consider the expressions used by the sacred historian in recording them. jehovah god, says moses, caused to glide or fall upon adam thardemah, "a slumber" or a "deep sleep;" for the verb radam signifies "to fall asleep as those do who become drowsy unaware and nod the head." for there are various kinds and degrees of sleep. some are heavy and profound, which are so deep as to be disturbed by no dreams. these are healthful, because they moisten the body, are beneficial to promote digestion, and are attended with no distress to the head. others again are light, mingled as it were with wakefulness. in these latter, dreams are more frequent. they also, more or less, distress the head and are proofs of a weakness of body. moses says therefore that adam was sunk into a profound sleep; so that stretched on the grassy earth, he breathed deeply, as those do who sleep well and sweetly. it was such a sleep that god, as moses informs us, caused to fall upon adam. and this is indeed a sleep truly divine, a most delightful gift of god, which comes down upon us like a dew from above, and softly pervades and irrorates the whole body. when adam therefore was thus fallen asleep, the lord took out one of his ribs. the hebrew word zela signifies, "the rib with the side." wherefore my view of the passage is, that the lord did not take the bare rib of adam, but the rib clothed with the flesh, according to that very expression of adam below, verse 23, "this is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh." and god, be it observed, did this by his word. so that we are not to suppose that god used any cutting, after the manner of a surgeon. god said, out of this bone thus clothed with flesh, "let there be woman!" and it was so. and god afterwards filled up the aperture in his side with flesh. here a discussion is raised by some marvelous triflers of commentators. they will have it that the male has more ribs on one side of the body than on the other. but surgeons, who are anatomists, know better than this. lyra disputes the point thus: "are we to consider that the extracted rib was a superfluous one in the body of adam? if it was so, it was a monstrosity. if it were not so, it must follow that adam after..."[text not printed] at length, lyra arrives at the conclusion that the extracted rib was superfluous in adam, as a solitary instance; and that therefore when it had been extracted, the body of adam was perfect. and yet, that the body of adam was deficient in this extracted superfluous rib, because of the creation of the woman out of it. but to all these things we give an answer by the words, "god said!" this divine word settles all arguments of this description. what need is there then of disputation as to whence god took any particular portion of created material, who by one word of his mouth can create and did create all things? all these idle questions however are used by philosophers and professors of medicine, who dispute about the works of god without the word of god; whereas by so doing, they sink out of sight both the glory of the holy scriptures and the glorious majesty of the creator. wherefore leaving all such questions as these, we will abide simply by the history of the facts, as they are recorded by moses; that eve was formed out of the rib of adam, and that the aperture made in that part of his body was closed up with flesh. thus adam was made out of the dust of the ground. i was made out of a drop of my father's blood. but how my mother conceived me, how i was formed in the womb, how my bones grew there, eccles. 11:5, all this i leave to the glory of my creator. it is indeed incredible that a man should be born from a drop of blood; yet it is a truth. if therefore this almighty power can produce a human being from a drop of blood, why not from a lump of earth also, why not from a rib! and as to adam's sleeping so profoundly, as not to feel what was done unto him; this soundness of sleep is as it were a sweet picture of that change which adam would have witnessed had he continued in his state of innocency. for a righteous nature could have experienced no pains of death. adam would have lived in the highest possible pleasure, in obedience to god and in admiration of his works until the time of his change, appointed of god, had come; and then he would have experienced a removal something like this sleep, which fell upon him so sweetly as he lay down amid the roses and beneath the richest foliage of trees. and in such a departing sleep would he have been changed and translated into the glorified spiritual life, feeling no more in death than he felt of his body being opened and of the extraction of the rib, with its flesh, from his side. but now this nature of ours must experience the pangs of death. that dissolution of the body however is followed in the saints by the sweetest of all sleep, until the day when we shall awake unto a newness of life and a life eternal. and as adam here in all the fulness of wonder exclaims this is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh, and yet was so sweetly and deeply sunk in sleep, that he knew not that his rib had been extracted from his side; so shall we in that day exclaim, behold, into what sudden glory does this body, lately gnawed by worms, arise, etc. thus far have we spoken with sufficient copiousness upon the creation of eve, which creation, although it seems to human reason perfectly fabulous, is yet most sure and true, because it is recorded in the word of god, which alone teacheth the truth concerning the two principal causes of philosophers, the efficient and the final; and concerning the great first cause of all causes. the knowledge of which two causes, where it can be obtained, is of the utmost moment even in natural things. for what doth it profit to know how beautiful a creature man is, if you know not the end for which he was created; namely, that he was created for the worship of god, and that he might live to all eternity with god. aristotle does indeed say something of note when he makes the end of man to be happiness, a happiness consisting in the action of virtue. but in all this weakness of our nature, who is there that ever yet attained unto that end, when even the very best of men are exposed to a multitude of evils, which the common trials of life or the depravity and malice of men are sure to bring upon them? that happiness of which aristotle speaks, requires tranquility of mind to make it perfect; but who can always hold fast that peace of mind, amid such tossings to and fro of human life? in vain therefore is such an end proposed by the philosopher, which no man can attain. the principal end of man's creation therefore, which the holy scriptures set before us is, that man was created in the likeness of god, with the divine intent that he should live forever with god, and that while here on earth he should praise and extol god, give him thanks and obey his word in all patience. and this end we do attain by some means or other, through grace, though with all infirmity in this life, and in the life to come we shall attain unto it perfectly. of these things philosophers know nothing. and therefore the world, in the height of all its wisdom, is yet sunk in the deepest ignorance, wherever it is found destitute of the word or of theology. for men without the word know nothing of their beginning or their end. i mention not any of the other living creatures, who are not created, as we have abundantly shown, to know any of these things, nor to partake of these high blessings. part v. the institution of marriage and the family. v. 22. _and the rib, which jehovah god had taken from the man, made (built) he a woman, and brought her unto the man._ a new expression is this again, unheard before. moses does not use the verb "to create," or "to make," as in gen. 1:26; but the verb "to build." this has caused all commentators to conclude that some great mystery lies under so singular a phraseology. lyra thinks, with his rabbi solomon, that the new form of the female body is intended to be intimated. for, as the form of buildings is broader at the base, but narrower at the upper part, so, he says, the bodies of women are broader in the middle, and more contracted in the upper parts, while men have wider chests and broader shoulders. but these are mere peculiarities of certain parts of the body; whereas the scripture is speaking of the body as a whole, and calling it a building; just as christ himself calls the body the house of a man, math. 12:29. others have recourse to an allegory, and say, that the woman is here called "a building," on account of her being spoken of in the scriptures as a similitude of the church. and as in a house there are various parts, walls, beams, rafters, roof, etc.; so in the church, which is represented by the holy spirit under the similitude of a body, on account of the diversity of its members, there are various offices and administrators. as to myself i am by no means displeased at anything that is appropriately advanced by those who would transfer what is here said respecting the building of the woman, to christ and his church. but as all these opinions amount only to an allegory after all, the historical and proper meaning of this passage must be diligently searched into and retained. for a woman, especially a married woman, is here sacredly termed "a building," not allegorically, but historically and really. and the scriptures universally use this form of expression. hence rachel says to jacob, "take my maid bilhah, that i may also be built up by her," gen. 30:3. the scriptures speak in the same manner also concerning sarah, gen. 16:2. and in exodus, it is said concerning the midwives, "that the lord built them a house," exod. 1:21; that is, that the lord repaid them for all the services which they had rendered unto his people israel, contrary to the command of the king, by blessing them with a household and family. so again, in the history of david, when he had it in his heart to build a house for the lord, he receives this answer from god by nathan, "furthermore, i tell thee, that the lord will build thee an house," 1 chron. 17:10. it is a form of expression therefore quite general in the scripture, to term a woman a domestic "building," on account of the fruits of generation and the bringing up of the offspring. but the real nature of this building up, which would have existed had adam not fallen, we have now lost by his sin; so that we cannot now reach it, as we have all along observed, even in thought. our present fallen condition in this life retains certain small miserable remnants of the original domestic life, cultivation of the earth, and defense of property; and also of dominion over the beasts. we have the rule over sheep, oxen, geese, fowls, etc.; though boars, bears, lions, etc., regard not this our dominion. so also there remains a certain hardly visible remnant of this female building. whoso taketh to himself a wife, hath as it were in her a certain nest and home. he dwells with her in a certain place, as birds nestle with their young in their little nest. but this dwelling together in the one nest they know not, who live unmarried like the impure papists. this living together of male and female, as man and wife, in the state of matrimony, their keeping house together, their being blessed together with offspring, their bringing up their children, is a faint picture and remnant of that blessed original married life, on account of the nature of which, moses here terms the woman a "building." the posterity of adam, had he continued in his innocency, would have taken to themselves wives, would have parted from adam their father, and would have chosen for themselves certain little garden spots of their own, and would have there dwelt with their wives, tilled the ground, and brought up their children. there would have been no need of splendid mansions built of hewn stone, nor of rich kitchens, nor cellars of wine, which now make up the luxuries of life. but as birds in their little nests, the married pairs would have dwelt together here and there, diligently laboring and calling upon god. and the women would have been the principal cause of their husbands living in certain dwelling places in paradise. whereas now, under our present fallen and calamitous state by sin, we absolutely need houses of wood and stone, to defend us from the injuries of the weather. and though we cannot form even a conception, as we have said, of the original felicity of man and woman in their marriage happiness, yet even these miserable remnants, we repeat, are excellent gifts of god; to live in the possession of which, without continual thanks, is wickedness in the extreme. with reference to the "dominion" which man received from the hand of god, we feel how much of that dominion is lost since our fall and defilement by sin. yet, what an infinite mercy still remains to us, that this "dominion" was given to man and not to the devil! for how should we possibly have been able to stand in this matter, against such an invisible enemy, especially if power to harm had been possessed by him equal to his will? we might all have been in danger of annihilation in an hour, yea, in a moment, if satan had determined to infuriate the wild beasts against us. although well nigh all the original "dominion" is lost, it is an infinite blessing that our present remnants of it are not possessed by the devil! it is an infinite mercy also that we possess our present remnants of generation. although, in the state of original innocency women, as we know, would have brought forth without pain; yet there would have been a much more extensive fruitfulness. whereas now the blessing of generation is impeded by numberless diseases. it often happens that the fruit of the womb does not arrive at maturity and birth and sometimes the woman is barren altogether. all these defects are the punishments of the horrible fall of adam and of original sin. just in the same manner, to this present day, is the woman the "building," and house, and home of the husband. to the woman the man devotes himself. with her he lives; and together with her, he undertakes the labor and care of bringing up the family; as it is written below, verse 24, "therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife," etc. but this living together as man and wife is not only attended with those other trials, which afflict the marriage state in great number and variety on account of sin, but is also astonishingly deformed and marred by perverse nature; seeing that there are not only those who consider it to be very wise and great to reproach the female sex and to despise marriage, but who even forsake the wives whom they have married, and cast off all paternal care of their children. such men destroy the building of god by their perverseness and wickedness. men of this description are a kind of monsters in nature. wherefore let us show our obedience to the word of god by acknowledging our wives to be the building of the lord; through whom not only our house is built up by generation, and by whom other necessary domestic duties are performed; but through whom we the husbands themselves are also built up, by our rising offspring around us. for wives are, as we have said, a certain nest and center of habitation to which the husbands resort, where they dwell and live in pleasure and happiness. when moses adds, "and he brought her unto the man," this is a certain divine description of espousals especially worthy our observation. for adam does not take hold of eve when created and draw her to himself, according to his own purpose and will, but he waits till god brings her to him; just according to the saying of christ, "what therefore god hath joined together, let not man put asunder," math. 19:6, for the joining of male and female is a lawful joining and ordinance, and an institution divine. wherefore moses here adopts his peculiar and appropriate phraseology, "and he brought her to the man." who brought her to the man? he, god, jehovah, elohim, the jehovah god, the whole divinity, the father, the son, and the holy ghost. these all unitedly say to adam, behold, this is thy bride with whom thou art to dwell and with whom thou art to generate and bring up children. and there is no doubt whatever that adam received eve with the utmost pleasure; for even now, in this corrupt state of nature, the mutual love between bride and bridegroom is peculiar, great and excellent. but apart from the epileptic and apoplectic lust in the marriage state today, it was a chaste and most pleasing love, and union itself was most honorable and most holy. now however sin pours itself in and expresses itself from the eyes and ears everywhere, and then in all the senses. this passage demands particular notice. for it stands as the revealed will of god, not only against all abuses of the sex and lusts of every kind, but also as a confirmation of marriage, and all those impious revilings and refusings by which the papacy has deformed and marred matrimony. is it not worthy of admiration that god instituted and ordained marriage even in the state of innocency? much more need then have we of this divine institution and ordination in our present state, wherein our flesh is weak and so corrupt through sin. this divine consolation therefore stands proof and invincible against all doctrines of devils, 1 tim. 4:1. by the scripture before us, we see that marriage is a state of life divine; that is, ordained of god himself. what was it therefore that came into the minds of those tools of satan and enemies of christ, who deny that there could be any holiness or chastity in marriage, and who affirmed that those only were adapted for ministers of churches who lived in celibacy, because the scriptures, they argued, said, be ye clean that bear the vessels of the lord, is. 52:11. are then those who are married unclean? if so, god himself is the author and institutor of uncleanness, who himself brought eve to adam. adam himself also did evil in suffering himself to be persuaded to enter into a state of uncleanness, when his nature in his state of innocency needed not marriage. but have not the impious papists suffered the righteous punishments of such blasphemies? they have not only polluted themselves with harlots in multitudes, but have indulged in other unmentionable wickednesses, even unto abomination, and are at this day just ripe for the punishments of sodom and gomorrah. when i was a boy, marriage was positively considered so infamous on account of all this impure and impious celibacy, that i used to believe i could not even think of the married life without sin. for the minds of men generally were filled with the persuasion that if any one wished to live a holy life, and a life acceptable to god, a man must never become a husband nor a woman a wife, but must take upon them the vow of celibacy; and hence many men who had married became on the death of their wives either monks or contemptible priests. all those worthy men therefore who have labored and endeavored to cause marriage to be honored as aforetime, according to the word of god, and to be held in all its due praise, have taken upon themselves a highly useful and necessary service to the church of christ. so that now, blessed be god, all men consider it to be good and holy to live in unanimity and tranquility with a wife, even though it should be the lot of any one, prov. 16:33, to have a wife that is barren, or laboring under any other affliction. i do not however deny that there are some men who can live chastely without marriage; but let these who have thus a gift greater than the most of mankind, sail in their own ship. but as for that chastity which the pope so highly lauds in his monks and nuns, and contemptible priests, it is in the first place polluted and contaminated by numberless horrible sins; and in addition to all this, celibacy is an institution of man without any warrant from the word of god. o, what triumphs would the papists celebrate could they but prove by the word of god their celibacy to be a divine institution, as we can abundantly prove marriage to be. with what mighty weight of the pope's authority would they compel all men to adopt their life of celibacy. whereas now the only commendation of celibacy, which they can discover, is a tradition of men, or rather as paul hath it, a doctrine of devils, col. 2:8; 1 tim. 4:1. v. 23a. _and the man said, this is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh._ the sentence which immediately follows, "therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother," etc., is cited by our lord, math. 19:5, as the words of god himself, and not of adam. but in that particular point there is no difficulty whatever, because as adam was pure and holy the words of adam may rightly be said to be divine words or the voice of god, for god spoke through him. all the words and the works of adam in that state of innocency are divine, and therefore may truly be said to be the words and works of god. eve is presented to adam by god himself. and just in the same manner as the will of god is prepared to institute marriage, so adam is prepared to receive eve with all pleasure and holiness when brought unto him. so even now also the affection of the intended husband toward his betrothed spouse, is of a particular and elevated kind. it is, nevertheless, deeply contaminated with that leprous lust of the flesh which, in righteous adam, had no existence. it is worthy of our greatest wonder and admiration, that adam, the moment he glanced his eye on eve, knew her to be a building formed out of himself. he immediately said, "this is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh." these are not the words of an ignorant one, nor of one who was a sinner; nor of one who was ignorant of the works and of the creation of god. they are the words of one righteous and wise, and full of the holy spirit; of that holy spirit who reveals to the world, before ignorant of such high and holy wisdom, that god is the efficient cause of marriage and of man's taking to himself a wife, and that the final cause of marriage is that the wife might be unto her husband a civil, moral and domestic habitation, and cohabitation. this knowledge comes not from the five senses and reason merely. it is a revelation, as we here see, of the holy spirit. the expression hapaam, "now," "in this instance," or "at length," is by no means useless or superfluous as it may at first seem. that very word in this sentence, uttered by adam, most beautifully expresses the glad surprise and exulting joy of a noble spirit which had been seeking this delightful meet companion of life and of bed; a companionship full, not only of love, but of holiness. as if adam had said, i have seen all beasts; i have considered all the females among them given to them of god for the multiplication and preservation of their kind, but all these are nothing to me! this female however is bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh. she is at length what and all i want. with her i desire to live, and with her to obey the will of god in the propagation of a posterity. this is the kind of overflowing feeling of joy and love which this particular word "hapaam," used by adam, is intended to express. now however this true purity, innocence and holiness are lost. there still remains indeed a feeling of joy and affection in the intended husband toward his spouse; but it is impure and corrupt, on account of sin. the affection of adam however was most pure, most holy and most grateful to god, when under the excess of it, he said, "this is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh." she is not made of stone, nor of wood, nor of a lump of earth, as i was. she is nearer to me than all this, for she is made of my own very bones and very flesh. v. 23b. _she shall be called woman (man-formed), because she was taken out of man._ as adam knew by the holy spirit the things just mentioned, which he saw not before, and as he praises god and extols him for his having created for him a meet life-companion out of his own body; so now, by the same spirit, he prophesies of his eve's future, when he says that she ought to be called a man-formed or man-like female (_virago_). the truth is, that it is utterly impossible for any interpreter to convey through any other language the peculiar strength and beauty of the original hebrew expression. isch signifies a man,--and adam says concerning eve, "she shall be called ischa," as if we should say, she shall be called _vira_, from _vir_, a man. because a wife is an heroic or man-like woman; for she does man-like things, and performs man-like duties. this name adam gives to the woman contains in it a wonderful and sweet description of marriage, in which, as the lawyers express it, "the woman shines in the rays of her husband." for whatever the husband possesses, is possessed and held by the wife also. and not only is all their wealth possessed by them in common, but their children also, their food, their bed, and their habitation. their wishes are also equal. so that the husband differs from the wife in no other thing than in sex. in every other respect, the woman is really a man. for whatsoever the man possesses in their house, the woman possesses also; and what the man is, that also is the woman; she differs from the man in sex only. in a word the woman, as paul remarks in his instructions to timothy, is man-formed and man-like by her very origin; for, as the apostle says to timothy, adam was first formed, then eve from the man, and not the man from the woman, 1 tim. 2:13. of this communion of all things in marriage, we still possess some feeble remnants, though miserable indeed they be when compared with what they were in their original state. for even now the wife, if she be but an honorable, modest and godly woman, participates in all the cares, wishes, desires, pursuits, duties and actions of her husband. and it was for this end indeed that she was created "in the beginning;" and for this end was called _virago_, that she might differ in sex only from the father of the family, since she was taken from man. and though this name can apply in its strictest and fullest sense to eve only, who, alone of all women, was created thus out of man, yet our lord applies the whole sentence of adam to all wives when he says that man and wife are one flesh, math. 19:5, 6. although therefore thy wife be not made of thy flesh and thy bones; yet, because she is thy wife, she is as much the mistress of thy house, as thou art the master thereof, except that by the law of god, which was brought in after the fall the woman is made subject to the man. that is the woman's punishment, as are many other troubles also which come short of the glories of paradise, concerning which glories the sacred text before us gives us so much information. for moses is not here speaking of the miserable life which all married people now live; but concerning the life of innocency, in which, had that innocency continued, the government of the man and of the woman would have been equal and the same. hence it is that adam gave the name, "woman," ischa, or "man-formed female," _virago_ or _vira_, to eve, prophetically on account of the equal administration of all things with her husband in the house. but now the sweat of the brow rests upon the man. and to the wife it is commanded that she be in subjection to the man. there still remain however certain remnants or dregs as it were of the woman's dominion. so that the wife may still be called man-like female, on account of her common possession of all things with her husband. v. 24. _therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife._ christ in math. 19:5 and paul in 1 cor. 6:16, apply these words of adam, as a common rule or law for our marriages since the loss of original innocence. if therefore adam had remained in his original state of innocency, the children born unto him would have married; and leaving the table and dwelling place of their parents, and living no longer with them, would have had their own trees under which they would have lived separate from their parents. they would have come from time to time to their father adam, sung a hymn, spoken gloriously of god, called upon him, and then returned to their own houses. and even now, though all other things are changed, yet this close bond between married persons still remains firm. so that a man would leave his father and his mother much sooner than he would leave his wife. and where we find the contrary to this, for married persons are now sometimes found to leave and forsake each other, all this is not only contrary to the present divine command by the mouth of adam, but such things are awful signs of that horrible corruption, which has come upon man through sin; and such corruption and unfaithfulness are greatly increased by satan, the father of all dissensions. heathen nations also have discovered that there is nothing more appropriate for man nor beneficial for kingdoms than this oneness of the life of married persons. hence they affirm, that it is a conclusion drawn from the law of nature that a wife, who shall retain her individuality or oneness of life with her husband, even unto death, is necessary for man. hence also christ himself says, that moses suffered the jews to give their wives a bill of divorcement, because of the hardness of their hearts; but that in the beginning it was not so, mark 10:4, math. 19:8. these evils of divorcements have all arisen since the fall through sin; as have also adulteries, poisonings and such like, which are sometimes found among married persons. scarce a thousandth part of that primitive innocent, holy marriage is now left to us. and even to this day the husband and the wife have their home-nest, for the sake of mutual help and generation, according to the command of god, issued by the mouth of our first parent adam; by which this state of married life and this leaving father and mother is exaltedly and gloriously commended, as well as commanded of god himself; as christ also affirms in his reference to the words of adam, on which we are now dwelling. this "leaving father and mother" however is not to be understood as a command that the children of adam, when married, should have nothing more to do with their parents. the command reaches only to dwelling any longer with their father and mother. it enjoins the children when married to have their own home-nest. in the present state of sin, and all its various evils, we often find that children are compelled to support their parents, when worn down with age and necessities. but had paradise and all its innocency continued, the state of life would have been inconceivably more exalted and blessed than our present fallen and sinful condition. yet even then this same command of adam, or rather of god himself, would have been obeyed. the husband, through love of his wife, would have chosen his homestead and made his home-nest with her, as the little birds do, and would have left his father and his mother for that purpose. this sentence of adam is also prophetic. for as yet there was no father or mother; nor consequently were there any children. adam nevertheless through the holy spirit prophesies of that married life, which should be in the world, and predictively describes the separate dwelling of man and wife, and the separate domestic authorities and governments of the several families in all ages; that each family should have their own nest habitation, authority and rule. v. 25. _and they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed._ this short closing sentence of the present chapter might have been omitted without any loss, seeing that it mentions a circumstance for recording which there seems no great need. for what does it concern us to know whether those in paradise walked about naked or clothed in raiment? this little clause of the concluding sentence however is very striking and very necessary. it shows us in a matter apparently quite insignificant, how dreadful an amount of evil this nature of ours has suffered through original sin. all nations, more especially those of the north, hold nakedness of the body in great abhorrence. in like manner the more grave and modest characters among us, not only condemn short military jackets, as they are called, which are worn by our youth, but avoid public baths. and our uncomely parts, 1 cor. 12:23, are always most studiously covered. this among us is wisdom and a moral discipline worthy of all praise. but adam and eve, moses informs us, went about naked, and were not ashamed. for them therefore to go about naked was not only not disgraceful, but even laudable, delightful and glorious to god. but all this delight and glory we have now lost by sin. we alone, of all creatures, are born naked; and with an uncovered skin we enter into this world. whereas all the other animals bring into the world with them, as coverings of their own, skins, hairs, bristles, feathers or scales. we, on the other hand, continually need the shadow of buildings to protect us from the heat of the sun, and a multitude of garments to defend us from the rain, the hail, the frost and the snow. adam however, had he continued innocent, would have felt none of these injuries or inconveniences. but as the human eyes retain still that peculiarity of nature, that they are not evilly affected or distressed either by cold or by heat; so would the whole body of adam have been entirely free from the distresses of cold or heat, had he never fallen. had eve, our mother, sat among us naked the mere form of her breast and other members of her body would not have offended us. but now because of sin they awaken in us shame and inflame us with evil lust and passion. this brief clause therefore shows us the awfulness of the evil which has come upon us, as the consequence of the sin of ... [text not printed] ... would be considered a proof of utter insanity. that very state of body therefore which was in adam and eve their highest glory, would be in us, should we be seen in that state, our deepest shame. it was the very glory of man and would have continued to be so, had he remained in his original innocency, that while all the other animals had need of hairs, feathers, scales, etc., to cover their unsightliness, man alone was created with that dignity and beauty of body, that he could appear uncovered, in the glory of his created nakedness. but all this glory is lost. we are now compelled not only for necessary protection, but for the sake of avoiding the deepest turpitude, to cover our bodies with more study and care than any other animals of god's creation. for they all come into the world covered by nature. after this manner therefore does this second chapter of the book of genesis more clearly and fully describe the creative work of the sixth day. in what manner man was created by the wonderful counsel of god. in what manner the garden of eden was formed, in which man might have lived in the highest possible pleasure. in what manner, by means of the prohibition of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the external worship of the future church was instituted by divine authority. by what external worship and in which place, had the prohibition of the tree of knowledge not been violated by adam and eve, they would have testified their obedience to god, had they not been deceived and drawn aside by the snares of satan. some suppose that adam with his eve passed the night of the sixth day in paradise until the following seventh day, the sabbath. and what occurred on the sabbath day, the following chapter will inform us. chapter iii. part i. the temptation to fall. v. 1a. _now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which jehovah god had made._ in the preceding chapter, we were taught the manner in which man was created on the sixth day; that he was created in the image and after the likeness of god, that his will was good and perfect, and that his reason or intellect was also perfect, so that whatsoever god willed or said, that man also willed, believed and understood. and this knowledge was necessarily accompanied by the knowledge of all other creatures, etc. for wherever the perfect knowledge of god is, there must also be, of necessity, the perfect knowledge of other things, which are inferior to god. this original state of things shows how horrible the fall of adam and eve was, by which we have lost all that most beautifully and gloriously illumined reason, and all that will which was wholly conformed to the word and will of god. for by the same sin and ruin we have lost also all the original dignity of our bodies, so that now, it is the extreme of baseness to be seen "naked," whereas originally that nudity was the especial and most beautiful and dignified privilege of the human race, with which they were endowed of god above all the beasts of the creation. and the greatest loss of all these losses is, that not only is the will lost, but there has followed in its place a certain absolute aversion to the will of god. so that man neither wills nor does any one of those things which god wills and commands. nay, we know not what god is, what grace is, what righteousness is; nor in fact what sin itself is which has caused the loss of all. these are indeed horrible defects in our fallen nature, to which they, who see not and understand not, are more blind than moles. universal experience indeed shows us all these calamities; but we never feel the real magnitude of them until we look back to that unintelligible but real state of innocency, in which there existed the perfection of will, the perfection of reason and that glorious dignity of the nakedness of the human body. when we truly contemplate our loss of all these gifts and contrast that privation with the original possession of them, then do we, in some measure, estimate the mighty evil of original sin. great causes of gross error therefore are created by those who extenuate this mighty evil of original sin, who speak of our corrupt nature after the manner of philosophers, who would represent human nature as not thus corrupted. for such men maintain that there remain, not only in the nature of man, but in the nature of the devil also, certain natural qualities which are sound and whole. but this is utterly false. what and how little remains in us that is good and whole, we do indeed in some measure see and feel. but what and how much we have lost, they most certainly see not who dispute about certain remnants of good being still left in human nature. for most certainly a good and upright and perfect will, well-pleasing to god, obedient to god, confiding in the creator, and righteously using all his creatures with thanksgiving, is wholly lost. so that our fallen will makes out of god a devil and dreads the very mention of his name; especially when hard pressed under his judgments. are these things, i pray you, proofs that human nature is whole and uncorrupted? but consider the state of those inferior things to these that pertain unto god himself. the marriage union of male and female is an institution appointed of god. how is that union polluted by the fall and by sin! with what fury of lust is the flesh inflamed! by means of sin therefore this divinely appointed union has lost all its beauty and glory as a work of god, and is defiled with pollutions, corruptions and sins innumerable. in like manner also we have a body; but how miserable, how variously deformed by sin. it no longer retains the dignity of nakedness, but requires careful and perpetual coverings of its shame. so also we possess a will and a power of reason. but with what multiplied corruptions are they vitiated! for as our reason is beclouded with great and varied ignorance, so our will also is not only greatly warped by self-will, and not only averse to god, but the enemy of god! it rushes with pleasure into evil, when it ought to be doing quite the contrary. this multiform corruption of nature therefore ought not only not to be extenuated, but to be as much as possible magnified. it ought to be shown that man is not only fallen from the image of god, from the knowledge of god, from the knowledge of all other creatures, and from all the dignity and glory of his nakedness, into ignorance of god, into blasphemies against god, and into hatred and contempt of god; but that he is fallen even into enmity against god; to say nothing at the present time of that tyranny of satan to which our nature has by sin made itself the basest slave. these things, i say, are not to be extenuated, but to be magnified by every possible description of them; because if the magnitude of our disease be not fully known, we shall never know nor desire the remedy. moreover the more you extenuate sin, the less you make grace to be valued. and there is nothing which can tend to amplify and magnify the nature and extent of original sin more fully and appropriately than the words of moses himself, when he says, that adam and eve were both naked, and were not ashamed. no polluted lust was excited by the sight of each other's nakedness. but the one looking on the other saw and acknowledged the goodness of god. they both rejoiced in god, and both felt secure in the goodness of god. whereas now, we not only cannot feel ourselves free from sin; not only do not feel ourselves secure in the goodness of god, but labor under hatred of god and despair of his goodness and mercy. such a horrible state of the fall as this clearly proves how far nature is from being in any degree sound and whole. but with how much greater impudence still do our human reasoners make this their affirmation of there being still left something sound and whole, in the nature of the devil! for in the devil there is a greater enmity, hatred and rage against god than in man. but the devil was not created thus evil. he had a will conformed to the will of god. this will however he lost, and he lost also that most beautiful and most lucid intellect with which he was endowed, and he was converted into a horrible spirit, filled with rage against his creator. must not that have been then a most awful corruption, which transformed a friend of god into the most bitter and determined enemy of god? but here human reasoners bring forward that sentence of aristotle, "reason prays for the best." and they attempt to confirm it by passages from the scriptures and by the opinions of philosophers, who hold that right reason is the cause of all virtues. now i deny not that these sentiments are true, when they are applied to things subject to reason; such as the management of cattle, the building of a house, and the sowing of a field. but in the higher and divine things, they are not true. for how can that reason be said to be right, which hates god? how can that will be said to be good, which resists the will of god and refuses to obey god? when therefore men say with aristotle, "reason prays for the best," reply thou to them, yes! reason prays for the best, humanly; that is, in things in which reason has a judgment. in such things, reason dictates and leads to what is good and useful in a human, bodily or carnal sense. but since reason is filled with ignorance of god and aversion to the will of god, how can reason be called good in this sense? for it is a well known fact, that when the knowledge of god is preached with the intent that reason may be restored, then those who are the best men, if i may so speak, and men of the best kind of reason and will, are those who the most bitterly hate the gospel. in the sacred matter of divinity therefore let our sentiments be, that reason in all men stands as the greatest enemy against god; and also that the best will in men is most adverse to the will of god; seeing that from this very source arise hatred of the word and persecution of all godly ministers. wherefore, as i said, let us never extenuate, but rather magnify that mighty evil, which human nature has derived from the sin of our first parents; then will the effect be that we shall deplore this our fallen state and cry and sigh unto christ our great physician, who was sent unto us by the father for the very end that those evils, which satan has inflicted on us through sin, might by him be healed, and that we might be restored unto that eternal glory, which by sin we had lost. but with reference to the part of sacred history which moses describes in this chapter, i have already expressed my mind; namely, that this temptation took place on the sabbath day. for adam and eve were created on the sixth day; adam earlier in the day and eve in the evening. on the following day, the sabbath day, adam spoke to his wife eve concerning the will of god; informing her that the most gracious lord had created all paradise for the use and pleasure of men; that he had also created by his especial goodness the tree of life, by the use of which the powers of their bodies might be restored, and continued in perpetual youth; but that one tree, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, was prohibited; of which it was not lawful for them to eat; and that this obedience to their merciful creator they were solemnly bound to render. after adam had communicated this information to eve, he perhaps led her about in paradise and showed her the prohibited tree. thus did adam and eve in their original innocence and righteousness, full of safety and security through their confidence in their god so good and so merciful, walk about together in paradise; considering together the word and the command of god; and blessing their god on the sabbath day as they ought to do. but in the midst of all this happiness, oh! the grief! satan enters, and within a few hours destroys all, as we shall in this chapter hear. here again is poured forth a whole sea of questions. for curious men inquire, why god permitted so much to satan as to tempt eve? they ask also, why satan employed the serpent in his temptation of eve, rather than any other beast of the creation. but who shall render a reason for those things, which he sees the divine majesty to have permitted to be done? why do we not rather say with job, that god cannot be called to an account, and that none can compel him to render unto us his own reasons for all those things which he does or permits to be done. why do we not on the same ground expostulate with god, because the grass is not green and the trees are not in leaf all the year round now as in the beginning. for i fully believe, that in paradise, had the state of original innocency continued, there would have been a perpetual spring without any winter or frost or snow, as they now exist since the fall and its sin. all these things depend wholly on the will and power of god. this is enough for us to know. to inquire into these things farther than this is impious curiosity. wherefore let us, the clay of his hands, cease to inquire into and dispute about such things as these, which belong alone to the will of our potter! let us not judge our god, but rather leave ourselves to be judged by him. the answer therefore to all such questions and arguments ought to be this: it pleased god that adam should be put under peril and trial, that he might exercise his powers. just as now, when we are baptized and translated into the kingdom of christ, god will not have us to be at ease. he will have his word and his gifts to be exercised by us. therefore he permits us, weak creatures, to be put into the sieve of satan. hence it is that we see the church, when made clean by the word, to be put under perpetual peril and trial. the sacramentarians, the anabaptists and other fanatical teachers, who harass the church with various trials, are stirred up against her, to which great trials are also added internal vexations. all these things are permitted of god to take place, not however because it is his intention to forsake his church or to suffer her to perish. but as wisdom says, all these conflicts are brought upon the church and upon the godly, that they might overcome them; and thus learn by actual sight and experience that wisdom is more powerful than all things. another question is here raised, on which we may dispute perhaps with less peril and with greater profit: why the scripture speaks of this matter thus obscurely and does not openly say, that one of the fallen angels entered into the serpent and through the serpent spoke to eve and deceived her? but to this i reply, that all these things were involved in obscurity, that they might be reserved for christ and for his spirit, whose glory it is to shine throughout the whole world, as the mid-day sun, and to open all the mysteries of the scriptures. as this spirit of christ dwelt in the prophets, those holy prophets understood all such mysteries of the word. we have said above however that as the beasts of the creation had each different gifts, so the serpent excelled all other creatures in the gift of guile, and therefore it was the best adapted for this stratagem of satan. of this peculiarity in the serpent the present text of moses is an evident proof; for he says at the opening of this chapter, "now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which jehovah god had made." we marvel even now at the gift of insidious cunning in the fox, and also at its astonishing ingenuity in escaping danger. for sometimes when closely pursued by the dogs and quite worn out and ready to drop with exhaustion, it will hold up its tail; and while the dogs stop their course with the intent of rushing with all their force to seize it, the fox with marvelous celerity secures a little advantage ground and thus escapes their capture. there are also other beasts whose remarkable sagacity and industry surprise us; but subtilty was the peculiar natural property of the serpent, and therefore it seemed to satan to be the instrument best adapted for his deception of eve. v. 1b. _and he said unto the woman, yea, hath god said, ye shall not eat of any tree of the garden?_ human reasoners dispute also concerning the nature of this temptation, as to what it really was; whether our first parents sinned by idolatry or by pride or by self-security or simply by eating the fruit. but if we consider these things a little more carefully, as we ought to do, we shall find that this temptation was the most awful and the most bitter of all temptations. because the serpent attacked the good will of god itself, and endeavored to prove by this very prohibition from the tree of life that the will of god toward man was not good. the serpent therefore attacks the image of god itself. he assails those highest and most perfect powers, which in the newly-created nature of adam and eve were as yet uncorrupted. he aims at overturning that highest worship of god, which god himself had just ordained. in vain therefore do we dispute about this sin or that. for eve is enticed unto all sins at once, when she is thus enticed to act contrary to the word and the will of god. moses therefore speaks here most considerately, when he uses the expression, "and the serpent said." here, word attacks _word_. the word which the lord had spoken to adam was, "of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat." this word was to adam the gospel, and the law thus given was his worship. it was a service and an obedience which in this state of innocence adam was able to render unto god. these are the divine things satan attacks. these are the things he aims at overturning. nor does he merely intend, as those think who know nothing of the matter, to point out the tree to eve and to invite her to pluck the fruit. he does indeed point to the tree, but he does something far worse than this. he adds another and a new word, as it is his practice to do at the present day in the church. for wherever the gospel is purely preached, there men have a sure rule for their faith, and by that they are able to guard against idolatry. but there satan plies temptations of every kind, and he tries by what means he can the most effectually to draw men away from the word, or how he can most completely corrupt the word itself. thus in the greek church also, in the time of the apostles, heresies of every kind were stirred up. one heretic denies that christ is the son of god. another denies that he is the son of mary, just as the anabaptists of our day impiously deny that christ assumed anything of the flesh of mary. so again in the times of basil more particularly, men attempted to deny that the holy ghost is god. our own age in like manner has witnessed the same examples of heresies. for no sooner had a purer doctrine of the gospel shone upon us, than assailants of the works and word of god of every kind rose up on every side. not however that temptations of other kinds cease. for satan still tempts to whoredom, to adultery and to other like great sins. but this temptation, when satan attacks the word and the works of god, is by far the heaviest and most dangerous; and that temptation the most intimately concerns the church and the saints. it was in this manner therefore that satan attacked adam and eve on this solemn occasion. his aim was to tear away from them the word, in order that giving up the word and their confidence in god, they might believe a lie. when this takes place what wonder is it if a man afterwards becomes proud, a despiser of god, an adulterer or anything else? this temptation therefore is the head and chief of all temptations. it brings with it the breach and the violation of the whole ten commandments. for unbelief is the fountain-source of all sins. when satan has brought a man under this temptation and has wrested from him or corrupted in his heart the word, he may do anything with him. thus when eve had suffered the word to be beaten out of her heart by a lie, she found no difficulty whatever in approaching the tree and plucking from it the fruit. it is foolish therefore to think of this temptation, as the sophists and the monks think of it; that eve, when she had looked upon the tree, began to be inflamed by degrees with the desire of plucking the fruit; until at last, overcome with the longing for it, she plucked the fruit and put it to her mouth. the sum of the whole temptation and her fall by it was that she listened to another _word_ and departed from that word which god had spoken to her, which was that if she did eat of the tree she should surely die. but let us now contemplate the words of moses in the order in which we find them. in the first place satan here imitates god. for as god had preached to adam, so satan now also preaches to eve. for perfectly true is that saying of the proverb, "all evil begins in the name of god." just therefore as salvation comes from the pure word of god, so perdition comes from the corrupted word of god. what i term the corrupted word of god is not that only which is corrupted by the vocal ministry, but that which is corrupted by the internal persuasions of the heart or by opinions of the mind, disagreeing with the word. moses implies all this in his expression, "he said." for the object of satan was to draw away eve by his word or saying, from that which god had said; and thus by taking the word of god out of sight, he corrupted that perfection of will which man had before; so that man became a rebel. he corrupted also his understanding so that he doubted concerning the will of god. upon this immediately followed a rebellious hand, stretched forth to pluck the fruit contrary to the command of god. then followed a rebellious mouth and rebellious teeth; in a word all evils follow soon upon unbelief or doubt concerning the word and god. for what can be worse than for a man to disobey god, and obey satan! this very same craft and malice all heretics imitate. under the show of doing good, they wrest from men god and his word. they take the word away from before their eyes and set before them another, and a new word and a new god; a god which is nowhere, and no god at all. for if you examine the words of these men, nothing can be more holy, nothing more religious. they call god to witness that they seek with their whole heart the salvation of the church. they express their utter detestation of all who teach wicked things. they profess their great desire to spread the name and the glory of god. but why should i enlarge? they wish to appear to be anything but the devil's teachers or heretics. and yet, their one whole aim is to suppress the true doctrine and to obscure the knowledge of god. and when they have done this, the fall of their listeners is easily enough effected. for unwary men suffer themselves to be drawn away from the word to dangerous disputations, rom. 14:1. not content with the word, they begin to inquire why and for what reason these and those things were done. and just as eve, when she listened to the devil, calling the command of god into doubt fell; so it continually happens that we, by listening to him, are brought to doubt whether god is willing that we, when heavily oppressed with sin and death, should be saved by christ; and thus, being misled and deceived, we suffer ourselves to be induced to put on cowls and cloaks in order that we may be crowned of god with salvation on account of our works of perfection. thus before men are aware, another and a new god is set before them by satan; for he also sets a word before us; but not that word which is set before us of god, who declareth that repentance and remission of sins should be preached unto all men in the name of christ, luke 24:47. when the word of god is in this manner altered and corrupted, then, as moses says, in his song, "there are brought in among us new gods, newly come up whom our fathers knew not, and feared not," deut. 32:17. it is profitable to be well acquainted with these snares of satan. for if he were to teach men that they might commit murder and fornication, and might resist their parents, etc., who is there who would not immediately see that he was persuading them to do things forbidden by the lord? and thus it would be easy to guard against him. but in the case of which we are speaking, when he sets before us another word, when he disputes with us concerning the will and willingness of god, when he brings before our eyes the name of god, and of the church, and of the people of god, then we cannot so easily be on our guard against him. on the contrary there is need of the firmest judgment of the spirit to enable us to distinguish between the true god and the new god. it is such judgment as this that christ exercises, when satan attempts to persuade him to command that the stones be made bread, and to cast himself down from the pinnacle of the temple. for satan's aim was to persuade christ to attempt something without the word. but the tempter could not deceive christ as he had deceived eve. for christ holds fast the word and does not suffer himself to be drawn away from the true god to the new and false god. hence unbelief and doubting, which follow a departure from the word, are the fountain and source of all sin. and it is because the world is full of these that it remains in idolatry, denies the truth of god and forms to itself new gods. the monk is an idolator. for his imaginations are that if he lives according to the rule of francis or dominic, he shall be in the way to the kingdom of god. but this is making a new god, and becoming an idolator. because the true god declares that the way to the kingdom of heaven is believing in christ. when this faith is lost therefore unbelief and idolatry immediately enter in, which transfer the glory of god to works. thus the anabaptists, the sacramentarians and the papists are all idolators! not because they worship stocks and stones, but because, leaving the word of god, they worship their own thoughts. the portion of the scripture therefore now before us is designed to teach us that the beginning of original sin was this effectual temptation of the devil, when he had drawn eve away from the word to idolatry, contrary to the first and second and third commandments. therefore the words stand here, "yea, hath god said?" it is horrible audacity for the devil to represent a new god and deny the former true and eternal god with the utmost self-confidence. it is as if the devil had said, "ye must be fools indeed if ye believe that god really gave you such a commandment. for god is by no means such a god as to be so greatly concerned whether ye eat the fruit or eat it not. for as the tree is 'the tree of the knowledge of good and evil;' how, think ye, he can be so filled with envy as to be unwilling that ye should be wise!" moreover this inexpressible malice fully proves that, although moses makes mention of the serpent only and not of satan, satan was the real contriver of the whole transaction. and although these things had been thus involved in obscurity in this sacred history of them, yet the holy fathers and prophets, under the illumination of the holy spirit, at once saw that this temptation was not the work of the serpent, but that there was in the serpent that spirit, which was the enemy of adam's innocent nature; even the spirit, concerning whom christ plainly declares in the gospel, "that he abode not in the truth; and that he was a murderer and a liar from the beginning," luke 8:44. it was left however, as we have said, for the gospel to explain these things more clearly and to make manifest this enemy of god and of men. but the fathers saw all this by the following mode of reasoning: it is certain that at the time of the temptation all creatures stood in perfect obedience, according to the sentence of moses, "and god saw everything that he had made and, behold, it was very good." but here in the serpent, such a spirit manifests himself who proves to be the enemy of god and who corrupts the word of god, that he might draw away man into sin and death. it is manifest therefore that there was something, some spirit in the serpent, far worse than the serpent itself by nature; a spirit which might properly be called the enemy of god; a spirit that was a liar and a murderer; a spirit in whom there was the greatest and the most horrible and reckless unconcern; a spirit which trembled not to corrupt the commandment of god and to tempt man to idolatry; though he knew by that act of idolatry the whole human race must perish. these things are truly horrible when they are viewed by us aright. and we see even now examples of the same security and unconcern in papists and other sects; an unconcern by which they corrupt the word of god and seduce men. eve at first nobly resisted the tempter. for as yet she was guided by the illumination of that holy spirit, of whom we have spoken, and by whom she knew that man was created perfect and in the likeness of god. at length however she suffered herself to be persuaded and overcome. with respect to the fall of the angels, it is uncertain on which day the fall took place; whether on the second or on the third day. this only can be proved, and that is known from the gospel, namely, that satan fell from heaven, for christ himself testifies of the manner of the fall, where he says, "i beheld satan as lightning fall from heaven," luke 10:18. but whether the heavens were then "finished" or yet in their rude unformed state, we know not. the discussion of this point however belongs not to our present exposition of the passage before us. our present duty is to contemplate the extreme malice here disclosed, joined with the most horrible unconcern. for this spirit trembles not to call the commandment of the divine majesty into doubt; though he fully knew all the time, what an awful calamity must thereby fall upon the whole human race. in the second place the wonderful subtlety here exercised is especially to be considered, which is discovered first in this: that satan attacks the highest powers of man and assails the very image of god in him; namely, his will, which as yet thought and judged aright concerning god. "now the serpent was more subtle," says our text, "than any beast of the field, which jehovah god had made." but the subtlety manifested in this instance far exceeded all the natural subtlety of the serpent. for satan here disputes with man concerning the word and the will of god. this the serpent in his natural state and condition could not do; for in that, he was subject to the "dominion" of man. but the spirit which spoke in the serpent is so subtle that he overcomes man and persuades him to eat of the fruit of the forbidden tree. it is not therefore a creature of god, in his created good state, that here speaks; but it is a spirit, who is the bitterest enemy of god and of men; a spirit, who is indeed a creature of god, but not created thus evil by god. it is a creature, who abode not in the truth; as christ says, john 8:44. these facts are consequences, plainly resulting from the gospel and from the text of moses before us. the subtlety which we are contemplating is seen also from the stratagem of satan in attacking the weak part of human nature; namely eve, the woman; and not adam, the man. for although both of them were created equally righteous, yet adam excelled eve. for as in all the endowments of nature, the male strength exceeds that of the female sex, so in the state of the innocency and perfection of human nature, the male in some degree excelled the female. hence satan, seeing that adam was the more excellent creature, dared not attack him; for he had fears lest his attempts should fail. and my belief is that if he had attempted adam first, adam would have had the victory. he would more likely have crushed the serpent with his foot, and would have said to him, "hold your tongue. the lord hath commanded otherwise." satan therefore attacks eve as the weaker part, and tries her strength. for he sees that she has so much trust in, and dependence on, her husband, that she will not think it possible that she should be persuaded to do wrong after what her husband had told her. by this portion of the sacred record we are also instructed concerning the divine permission; that god sometimes permits the devil to enter into beasts, as he here entered into the serpent. for there can be no doubt that the serpent, in the assumption of whose form satan talked with eve was a real and natural serpent. but when men enter into discussions whether this serpent assumed on that occasion a human countenance, etc., all such discussions are absurd. the creature was doubtless a most beautiful serpent in its natural state; otherwise eve would not have conversed with it so securely. after the sin of the fall however that beauty of the serpent was changed. for god's rebuke to him declares that hereafter "he should go upon his belly on the ground." whereas before, he walked upright, as the male fowl. god also declares "that he should eat dust," whereas before, he fed upon better food, even upon the productions of the earth. nay, even the original security of man with the serpent is lost. we flee from serpents at the sight of them, as they also flee from us. these are all wounds, which have been inflicted on nature on account of sin; just in the same way we have lost the glory of our nakedness, the rectitude of our will and the soundness of our intellect and understanding. i believe also, that the serpent lost much of his subtlety, which moses here lauds, as a distinguishing gift of god. moreover, i believe that in the same proportion as the serpent is now an evil creature amidst the beasts, so it was then a good creature; and a blessed and lovely creature; a creature with which not man only, but all the other beasts also, lived in perfect freedom and with great pleasure. the serpent therefore was a creature, the best adapted of all the other living creatures for the purpose of satan. by it he could secure the most easy access to eve, and could the most effectually converse with her so as to draw her into sin. such is my opinion concerning the natural serpent, the beautiful nature of which satan planned thus to abuse. i believe it was originally a most beautiful creature, without any poison in its tail and without those filthy scales with which it is now covered. for these grew upon it after the sin of the fall. hence we find it a precept given by moses that any beast, which should kill any person, should itself immediately be killed, exod. 21:28; and for no other reason than because satan sinned by using a beast when he murdered man. hence also a serpent is killed wherever found, as a lasting memorial of this diabolical malice and this fall of man, wrought by his means. with reference to the grammatical expression here used, the latin interpreter renders the hebrew aphki by cur. though this rendering is not very wide of the real sense of the passage, yet it does not convey the true and proper meaning. for it is the highest and greatest of all temptations, when a dispute is entered upon, concerning the counsel of god, why god did this or that. but my judgment is, that the weight of the matter does not rest on this particle of expression why? or wherefore? but rather on the name god, elohim. it is this that constitutes the greatness and awfulness of the temptation. it is as if satan had said, "ye must be foolish indeed if ye suppose that god could possibly be unwilling that ye should eat of this tree when he had himself given you 'dominion' over all the trees of paradise; nay, when he had positively created all the trees for your sakes. how can he, who bestowed as a free favor all things upon you, possibly envy you these particular fruits, which are so sweet and so pleasant!" for satan's whole aim is to devise a means of drawing them away from the word and from the knowledge of god, and to bring them to conclude that what they had stated was not really the will of god, and that such was not really what god had commanded them. that this is the true sense of the whole divine passage, that which follows tends to prove; when satan says, "ye shall not surely die." for all the stratagems of satan centre in this one:--to draw men away from the word, and from faith unto a new and false god. and this same plan of satan all fanatical spirits follow. hence, arius reasons and inquires, do you really think that christ is god, when he himself says, "my father is greater than i?" in the same manner also the sacramentarians ask, do you really think that the bread is the body and the wine the blood of christ? christ most certainly had no thoughts so absurd. when men begin thus to indulge their own cogitations, they by degrees depart from the word and fall into error. since therefore, the whole force of the temptation was in leading eve to doubt whether god really did say so; it is a more correct rendering to leave the emphasis resting on the name of god. the leaving it to rest on the interrogative particle, why? takes away from the peculiar force of the meaning. in my judgment therefore the passage will be best rendered by making the emphasis to rest on the _not_. hath god said that ye shall _not_ eat of every tree of the garden? for satan's real aim is, not to set up an inquiry why god said this. his object is to bring eve to conclude that god had positively not so commanded, in order that by bringing her to this conclusion he might wrest from her the word. satan saw that the reasoning power of eve might in this way be the most effectually deceived, if he drew away from her sight and judgment the word of god, under the very name of god. and he thinks the same still. this question of satan is full of insidious deception. he does not speak particularly, but generally; he includes in his interrogation, all the trees of the garden together. as if he had said, "you have committed unto you an universal 'dominion' over all the beasts of the earth; and do you really suppose that god, who has thus given you 'dominion' over all the beasts of the earth, has not given you the same dominion over all the trees of the earth? why, you ought rather to think that as god has put under you the whole earth and all the beasts of the earth; so he has also granted you the use of all things which grow upon the earth." this is indeed the very height and depth of temptation. satan here endeavors to gain over the mind of eve to his purpose, by artfully drawing her into the conclusion that god is never unlike himself; and that therefore if god had given them universal dominion over all the other creatures, he had given them universal dominion over all the trees also. from this therefore it would naturally follow that the commandment not to eat of the tree of life, was not the commandment of god; or that if it were his commandment, it was not so to be understood that he really wished them not to eat of that tree. wherefore this temptation was a double temptation, by which as a twofold means satan aimed at the same end. the one part of the temptation is, "god hath not said this, therefore ye may eat of this tree." the second branch of this awful temptation is, "god hath given unto you all things; therefore all things are yours; and therefore this tree is not forbidden you, etc., etc." now, both branches of this temptation are directed to the same object; to draw eve away from the word and from faith. for this commandment concerning not eating of this tree of knowledge, which god gave to adam and to eve, proves that adam with his posterity, had they continued in their original innocency, would have lived in that perfection of nature by faith, until he and they had been translated from this corporeal life unto the life spiritual and eternal. for wherever the word is, there of necessity is faith also. for the word was this, "of the tree of the knowledge, etc., thou shalt not eat, for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." adam and eve must therefore have believed that this tree involved in it something perilous to their salvation. therefore in this very word of commandment, faith also is included. we, who are designed to be transferred from this state of sin to a state of eternal righteousness, also live by faith. but we have a word, different from that which adam had in his state of nature's innocence and perfection. for he was designed to be transferred simply from a state of animal life to that of a spiritual and eternal life. wherefore this tree, as i have before observed, was intended of god to be a temple as it were in the midst of paradise, in which the word god spoke to adam might be preached. the substance of this word was, that all the other trees of paradise were healthful and to be eaten; but that this tree of knowledge, involved in it the danger of destruction; and that therefore they should learn to obey god and his word, and to render unto god his worship, by not eating of this tree, seeing that god had forbidden them to eat of this particular tree. in this manner therefore nature, in its uncorrupt and perfect state, even while it possessed the knowledge of god, had yet a word or precept of god, above the comprehension of adam, which he was called upon to believe. and this word or precept was delivered to man in his state of innocency, that adam might have a sign or form of worshipping god, of giving him thanks, and of instructing his children in this knowledge of god. now the devil, beholding this and knowing that this word or precept of god was above the understanding of man, plies eve with his temptation and draws her into thinking, whether this really was the commandment and will of god. and this is the very origin of all temptation; when the reason of man attempts to judge concerning the word and god without the word. now the will of god was that this his precept should be unto man an occasion of his obedience and of his external worship of god; and that this tree should be a sign, by means of which man should testify that he did obey god. but satan by setting on foot the doubtful disputation, whether god really did give such a commandment, endeavors to draw man away from this obedience into sin. here the salvation of eve consisted solely in her determinately urging the commandment of god, and not suffering herself to be drawn aside into other disputations, whether god really had given such a commandment. and whether as god had created all things for man's sake, it could be possible that this one tree only was created, containing something incomprehensible and dangerous to man's salvation. it seems indeed unto men, to be a show of wisdom, to inquire into these things more curiously than is lawful. but as soon as the mind begins to indulge in such disputations, man is lost. but now let us hear the answer eve makes to satan: vs. 2, 3. _and the woman said unto the serpent: of the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, god hath said, ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest perchance ye die._ eve's beginnings are successful enough. she makes a distinction between all the other trees of the garden and this tree. she rehearses the commandment of god. but when she comes to relate also the punishment, she fails. she does not relate the punishment, as it had been declared by the lord. the lord had said, absolutely, "for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die," gen. 2:17. out of this absolute declaration, eve makes an expression, not absolute, "lest perchance ye should die." this defect in the statement of eve is very remarkable, and demands particular observation; for it proves that she had turned aside from faith to unbelief. for as the promise of god demands faith, so the threatening of god demands faith also. eve ought to have made her statement as a fact, and a certainty. "if i eat, i shall surely die." this faith however satan so assails, with his insidious speech, as to induce eve to add the expression, "perchance." for the devil had effectually persuaded her to think that god surely was not so cruel as to kill her for merely tasting a fruit. hence the heart of eve was now filled with the poison of satan. this text therefore is also by no means properly translated in our version. the meaning of the original hebrew is that eve speaks her own words; whereas she is ostensibly reciting the word of god; and that she adds to the word of god her own expression, "perchance." wherefore the artifice of the lying spirit has completely succeeded. for the object which he especially had in view; namely, to draw eve away from the word and from faith; he has now so far accomplished, as to cause eve to corrupt the word of god; or, to use the expression of paul, "he has turned her aside from the will of god, and caused her to go after satan", 1 tim. 5:15. and the beginning of certain ruin is to be turned aside from god, and to be turned after satan; that is, not to stand firmly in the word and in faith. when satan therefore sees this beginning in eve, he plies against her his whole power as against a bowing wall, until she falls prostrate on the ground. vs. 4, 5. _and the serpent said unto the woman, ye shall not surely die: for god doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil._ this is the satanic rhetoric adopted by the tempter to prostrate utterly a poor weak woman; when he sees her turning away from god and inclined to listen to another teacher. before, when he said in his satanic insidiousness, "hath god, indeed, thus commanded you?" he did not positively deny the word. he only attempted by speaking in the form of a question to draw eve aside into doubting. but now, having fully accomplished his first point, he begins with daring presumption to deny the word of god altogether, and to charge god himself with falsehood and cruelty. he is not now content with having caused eve to add her expression, "perchance." out of the "perchance," he now makes a plain and positive denial: "ye shall not surely die." we here witness therefore what a horrible thing it is when satan once begins to tempt a man. for then ruin causes ruin and that which was at first apparently a trifling offense against god, ends eventually in a mighty destruction. it was an awful step into sin for eve to turn from god and his word and to lend her ears to satan. but this her next step is more awful; for she now agrees with satan, while he charges god with falsehood, and as it were smites him in the face. eve therefore now is no longer the woman merely turned away from god, as in the first stage of her temptation. she now begins to join satan in his contempt of god and in his denial of the truth of his word. she now believes the father of lies, directly contrary to the word of god. let these things therefore be to us a solemn lesson and a terrible proof, to teach us what man is! for if these things occurred in nature, while it was yet in its state of perfection, what shall we think may become of us! we have proofs, even now, before our eyes. many, who at the commencement of our course gave thanks with us unto god for his revealed word, are not only fallen away from it, but are become our bitterest adversaries! thus it was also with the arians. no sooner had they begun to fall away from faith in the divinity of the son, than they quickly grew into a violent enmity against him. so that they became the bitter enemies of the true church and persecuted her with the greatest cruelty. precisely the same examples of ultimate rage against the truth have we witnessed also in the anabaptists. they were all led away from the word, and tempted to use the doubtful expression, "perchance." shortly after satan drove them to turn the doubting "perchance" into a positive "not," "god hath not said," etc. then from forsakers of god, they became the open persecutors of god, imitating in this their father, satan; who after he had fallen from heaven by sin became the most bitter enemy of christ and his church. nor are examples of the very same description few in our day. for we have no enemies more bitter against us than those who have fallen away from the doctrine they once professed with us. and from this very sin that awful description which david has given us of the "fool" arose, ps. 14:1: "the fool hath said in his heart there is no god." for those thus fallen are not satisfied with having turned away from god, unless they have become the assailants also of god himself and of his word. wherefore there is absolutely need that we abide by this rule, and moor ourselves to this sacred anchor as it were through life. since it is agreed for a certainty that the word, which we possess and confess, is the word of god, we should assent and cleave to it with all simplicity of faith and not dispute concerning it with curious inquiry. for all inquiring and curious disputation bring with them most certain ruin. thus for instance we have the plain and manifest word of christ concerning the lord's supper, when he says concerning the bread, "this is my body, which is given for you," luke 22:19. and concerning the cup, "this cup is the new covenant in my blood", 1 cor. 11:25. when therefore fanatics depart from faith in these plain words, and fall into disputing how these things can be, they by degrees stray so far, as positively to deny that these are the words of christ, and at length they fiercely fight against them. just as it befell eve, as recorded in the passage of moses now before us. exactly after the same manner, when arius began to think about god and to conclude by his own reason that god was a most positive and absolute unity, he at first fell upon this proposition, "perhaps christ is not god." then he carried the accumulation of his absurdities so far, as plainly to conclude, and to defend his conclusion, that "christ is not god." it moved him not at all, that john plainly declares, "the word was god," john 1:1; that christ commands men to be baptized "in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy ghost," math. 28:19; and that we are called upon to believe in christ, to worship him and to pray unto him, acts 13:39; ps. 97:7. and yet, what absurdity can be greater than that we should take upon ourselves to judge god, since our condition is to be judged by him and by him alone? wherefore our duty is to stand by and persevere in this principle: that, when we hear god say anything, we believe it, and not dispute about it; but that on the contrary we bring our intellect and every thought into captivity unto christ. we may therefore appropriately cite the words of the prophet isaiah, "if ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established," is. 7:9. for if we should inquire and inquire until we burst with curiosity, yet we shall never understand how the eye sees, nor how the ear hears, nor what the soul is, etc. and yet, all these things are a part of us, and we use them every day and every moment in all our actions. how then shall we understand those things which exceed all our faculties and senses, and are found in the word of god alone? hence it is found in the word alone, that the ordained bread is the body of christ, and that the ordained wine is the blood of christ. these things it is our duty to believe, not to understand; for understand them we cannot. in like manner too the words of god in the present passage of moses were most simple and plain, "of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden ye shall not eat." but in those words reason did not understand the mind of god, why he willed these things so to be. when therefore eve, not content with the command of the lord which she had heard, began curiously to inquire into it, she perished. this temptation therefore is a true example of all those temptations, in which satan assaults the word and faith. before the desire of eating the fruit came to eve, she had let go the word which god spoke to adam. had she held fast this word, she would have stood in the reverence of god and in faith. on the other hand, no sooner had she let go the word, than contempt of god entered; and then followed obedience to the devil. it is profitable for us to learn these things and to know them. hence it is that peter admonishes us to stand fast under temptation, and to resist the tempter, keeping fast hold of the word by a firm faith, and keeping our ears shut, so as not to listen to anything contrary to the word, 1 pet. 5:9. for such "sufferings" and temptations of eve are most truly "lessons" to us; that we suffer not the same things, by being drawn aside from the word and faith, as she was. that which follows in our text, "for god doth know that your eyes shall be opened," may be taken in a twofold sense. we may either understand satan to have thus spoken, for the purpose of exciting an ill-will against god, for having forbidden man to eat of a fruit so good and useful by which means satan would create in eve the beginning of a hatred towards god for not being sufficiently indulgent. or again, i would rather understand the passage, satan speaks this, as in praise of god; that he may thereby the more easily entrap eve in his deception. as if he had said to her, "be assured that god is not such an one as to wish you and adam to live in darkness as it were without the knowledge of good and evil. he is good. he envies you nothing which can in any way conduce to your benefit or pleasure. he will be quite satisfied and content that you should be like himself, as to the knowledge of good and evil." when satan thus praises god he has the razor fairly in his hands, so that he can cut the throat of a man in a moment. for the fall of a man is thus rendered by satan the most easy, when the pretext of the word and the will of god is brought in upon the back of that which the lust of the heart desires. this is why i would rather understand the words now in question to be spoken by satan, as intended to persuade eve, rather than to excite in her any hatred toward god. i leave it however quite free to you, my hearers, to adopt the sense of the passage which pleases you best. the sum of the whole or the one aim of satan, is this: to draw eve away by all possible means from the word, and to persuade her to do that, which had been forbidden by the word. for satan is the most bitter enemy of the word of god; because he knows that our whole salvation lies in our obedience to that word. but here an inquiry by no means absurd is raised. how was it that eve did not yet feel her sin? for, although she had not yet swallowed the fruit, yet she had sinned against the word and against faith. she had turned away from the word unto a lie and from faith to disbelief; from god to satan and from the worship of god to idolatry. as this was the sum and substance of her sin, for plucking the apple was not the sum of her sin, how was it that death did not immediately follow? how was it that she did not feel so mighty a sin? nay further how was it, that after she had eaten the fruit, she did not feel the death which was the decreed punishment of it, before she persuaded adam to eat of it also? the schools dispute much and variously about the superior power, and the inferior power of reason. they hold, that adam possessed the superior power of reason, and eve the inferior. we will cast aside all such half-learned and scholastic arguments and seek the true meaning of the passage, which is as follows: in the first place the long-suffering of god is great. therefore he does not punish sin immediately. if he did we should soon perish. this long-suffering of god satan ever abuses. and it just suits his purpose that man should not immediately feel his sin. for because punishment is thus deferred, satan fills the mind with security and unconcern. so that a man is not only kept blind to the fact that he has sinned, but is caused to take delight and to glory in his sins. all this we behold in the popes and the papists. if they could see with their eyes and hearts the slaughter-house of conscience, yea, the perdition into which they bring men by their impious doctrine, they would without doubt change their doctrine. but now, satan so dazzles their eyes as it were with his delusions, that they cannot perceive their own judgment and the wrath of god which hangs over them. therefore in the very midst of these mighty sins, they live with the greatest security, even with gladness and rejoicing, displaying their magnificent triumphs as if they had performed the most noble achievements. this was exactly the case with eve. by her disbelief she rushed from the word into a lie. therefore in the eyes of god, she was now dead. but as satan still held under his power her heart and eyes, she not only did not see her death, but was gradually more and more inflamed with a longing for the fruit; and was positively delighted with this her idolatry and with her sin. now if eve had not departed from the word, thus to look upon the fruit with a desire to taste it, it would have been to her an abhorrence. but having thus departed, she turns over the sin in her mind with gratification. whereas had she before seen any other stretch forth the hand to touch this tree, she would have recoiled with horror. but now, she is impatient of delay. sin has burst forth from her heart, and has descended to the lower members of her body, her mouth and tongue. this desire and delightful longing therefore to eat the fruit are as it were the diseases gendered by the sin of her heart from which death follows; though eve, while sinning, feels it not. this is plain from the next portion of the context. part ii. the awful fall by sinning. v. 6. _and when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat; and she gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat._ mark here the manner in which sin diffuses itself through all the five senses. for what did eve neglect that could be used in the service of sin when once she had believed satan contrary to the word of god, and had listened to his lies in telling her that she would not surely die, but that her eyes would be opened and that she would know both good and evil. her eyes could not be satisfied with seeing. it was nothing to her now that she possessed the knowledge of god, and that she had a sound and perfect mind. she was not content without the addition of the knowledge of evil also. and this was the very essence of satan's poison; her desire to be wise above that which god had spoken to her as his command. for such wisdom was death and the very enemy of that wisdom of god, which had been delivered to her in his word. for this wisdom caused her to consider that to be righteousness, which was really sin, and to look upon that as most desirable wisdom which was utter madness. the whole point therefore lies in this which the latin version has omitted to express: that the tree was a tree to be desired, because it made the eaters thereof wise. and this is the very aim of the devil, to cause a man to think his knowledge and wisdom the greater, the further he departs from the word. hence the sacramentarians think it the sum of all wisdom to assert that bread is bread, and that wine is wine; but that bread is not the body, nor wine the blood of christ. so arius considers that he has carried off the palm of all wisdom, when he asserts, from certain scriptures evilly distorted from their manifest sense, that the logos was indeed before all creatures; but that still he was created. in like manner the anabaptists imagine that they trumpet forth the very height of wisdom, when they declare aloud with full-swollen cheeks that water cannot reach the soul or the spirit, but that it washes the naked skin only, and that therefore baptism avails nothing to the remission of sins. hence we have known fanatical spirits to baptize here and there without any water at all, who nevertheless continued to boast that they never dissented from us or our doctrine. and truly, this is wisdom. but it is the wisdom of the devil; and directly contrary to the word and wisdom of god. and it is the peculiar and proper temptation of the devil thus to render us wise in our own conceits contrary to and above the word of god. just as he himself was once in heaven, and then fell. and this high wisdom is a temptation of his, far exceeding in destructive efficacy all the grosser temptations of lust, avarice, pride, etc. the verb hiskil signifies "to be prudent" or "wise." hence, maskil is "wise" or "prudent," as in psalm 14:2, "jehovah looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek after god." and again, is. 53:11, "by the knowledge of himself, jaskil, shall my righteous servant justify many." the word signifies properly that wisdom by which god is known and acknowledged. and eve had this light or rather this sun of knowledge in her heart before she fell; because she had the word. and she had moreover the knowledge of all the creatures. but not content with this wisdom, she wished to mount higher and to know god otherwise than he had revealed himself to her in his word. this was her fall. she let go the true wisdom, and that being lost, she rushed into utter blindness. just as satan acted in the garden of eden, so he acts now. god commands us to believe the gospel of his son, that we may thus be saved. this is true wisdom, as christ himself also affirms: "this is life eternal, that they should know thee, the only true god, and him whom thou didst send, even jesus christ," john 17:3. this wisdom the monk utterly disregards, and turns aside to other things. he puts on a cowl, girds himself with a rope and takes upon him the vow of celibacy; and he thinks that by such means he shall please god and be saved. and all this is that sublime wisdom which is exercised in the worship of god, and in a great religious observance toward him; all of which is the implantation of satan, engrafted on the original sin of our fallen nature; causing men to turn away from the word of god, which he has himself "set forth" as the way of salvation, and to turn aside to following their own cogitations. just like eve. she was created the wisest of all women that ever existed; but she longed for another wisdom contrary to and above the word; and on account of this newly desired wisdom she fell and sinned, in a multiplicity of forms, with all her senses, with her thoughts, with her sight, with her desire, with her touch, with her taste, with her whole act. they are not to be listened to, therefore, who argue it was cruelty that this nature of ours should be thus miserably corrupted, sunk under death, and involved in all the other calamities to which it is subject for the simple act of tasting a certain fruit. the epicureans, indeed, when they hear these things, laugh at them as a mere fable. but to a careful reader, who duly ponders these recorded facts, it will at once be manifest that the simple bite of the fruit was not the cause of these awful consequences. such an one will see that the sin committed was the cause of the whole calamity which followed, even the sin of eve, which she committed against both tables of the law, against god himself and against his word. for her sin was of that description that she cast aside the word of god and gave herself up wholly to satan, and to his teaching as his disciple. the greatness and awfulness of the sin of eve therefore can neither be lessened nor made too great. this greatness and awfulness of the sin of eve are the pregnant causes of all the calamitous punishments which we endure. so awful was the sin, and so awful the turning away from god! and this horrible turning away from god is the great solemn fact which our minds ought to contemplate. they ought not to dwell upon the mere plucking or swallowing the fruit; for those who look upon the act only, and not upon the sin of the heart, from which the act proceeded, must naturally be led to accuse god of cruelty for having inflicted upon the whole human race such terrible punishments for so small and insignificant a sin. such reasoners on the matter, therefore, hate god and despair; or like the epicureans they laugh at the whole matter as a fable. what we have to consider therefore is the word. for that, against which eve sinned, was the word of god. as great therefore as was the word, so great was the sin which eve committed against the word. it was under this sin that all nature fell, and under which it still lies. for, how can nature overcome that sin! it is of a magnitude infinite and inexhaustible. consequently, to overcome this sin there is need of him who brings with him an inexhaustible righteousness, even the son of god. that satan knew all this, his subtlety proves. for he does not immediately entice eve with the sweetness of the fruit; he attacks at once the chief strength of man, faith in the word! the root and source of all sin therefore is disbelief, and turning aside from god. even as, on the contrary, the root and source of all righteousness is faith. satan therefore first of all draws eve aside from faith to unbelief. when he had accomplished this and had brought eve not to believe the word of god's commandment spoken unto her, he had no trouble in accomplishing the rest, in causing her to rush up to the tree, to pluck the fruit and eat it. for when sin is ripened in the heart by unbelief, the external act of disobedience soon follows. this is the manner in which the nature of sin is to be considered, namely, according to its true magnitude, under which magnitude we are all ruined. next follows the description of sin, with its punishments. v. 7. _and the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig-leaves together, and made themselves aprons_ (girdles). i have remarked above that the form of all satan's temptations is the same. he first plies his temptation upon a man's faith, and then draws him away from the word. upon this follow various sins against the second table. this procedure of satan we may see plainly manifested in our own experience. that which follows therefore in the present chapter, is a particular description of sin, what it is in the act, and what it is afterwards, when the act is performed. for, while sin is in the act, it is not felt. if it were truly felt, we should return to the right way, warned by the sorrows which sin ever brings upon the sinner. but because these sorrows lie hidden, after we have departed from integrity of soul and from faith, we go on without concern into the act itself. just as eve sinned in eating the fruit, after she had been persuaded by satan, contrary to the word of god, "that she should not die" but that the only effects would be, "that her eyes would be opened," and that she would become wiser. after she had drunk in this poison of satan through her ears, she stretched forth her hand to the forbidden fruit, plucked it and ate it with her mouth; and thus she sinned with all the senses of her mind and of her body. and yet she did not even then feel her sin. she ate the fruit with pleasure and entreated her husband also to do the same. the essential principles are the same in all temptations and in all sins, whether of lust, of anger, or avarice, etc. while the sin is in the act, it is not felt; it terrifies not, it stings not, but it rather flatters the passions and delights. and no marvel that the case should be so with us when we are infected with this poison of original sin, from the sole of the foot to the crown of the head, and especially when we reflect that the sins of paradise took place in nature while it was yet sound and perfect. hence it is that we see in the cases of profane men, of fanatical spirits and of those who have no faith, or who have fallen from the faith, how secure and unconcerned they are, how vehement and pertinacious in defending their errors; so much so that they will not hesitate even to die in the defence of them. such is the nature of sin, while it remains unfelt. but afterwards when the sin is made manifest by the law, then it comes down upon the man with all its intolerable weight. so before this discovery of her sin, while it was inwardly preparing for the act, the eyes of eve were not opened. had they been she must have died before she could have touched the fruit; but because her eyes were not yet opened, and because her unbelief yet remained, there remained also the longing for the fruit prohibited, and there remained also the purpose and the desire to obtain the satan-promised knowledge, which was also forbidden. poor miserable eve, she is so wrapped up in disbelief, both in soul and in body, that she sees not the mighty evil she is committing! similar examples of the insensible security and unconcern of sin are furnished by our ecclesiastical histories. arius securely blesses himself, as long as he can find means of eluding the scripture testimonies concerning the divinity of the son. but this security lasts not very long. as soon as the eyes of eve were opened, she remembered the law of her god spoken to her, which before she had forgotten, "that she and adam should not eat of the forbidden tree." before she had this knowledge of god's law she was "without sin," as paul expresses it, rom. 7:9, "and i was alive apart from the law once." not because the law really did not exist, but because the apostle did not feel the threatenings and punishments of it; and hence he seemed to himself to be "without the law." "for through the law cometh the knowledge of sin," rom. 3:20. when therefore the law revived in his knowledge of it, his sin revived also with that knowledge, rom. 7:9. all this moses would indicate in his history of our first parents, when he says, "and the eyes of them both were opened," as if he had said, satan had closed, not the eyes only of eve, but her heart also by unbelief and by the disobedience of all the members of her body and of her soul without and within. but after her sin was committed and "finished," he willingly suffers the eyes of them both to be opened, that they might see what they had done. for this is satan's manner of cutting short the ruin of those who sin under his temptations; when they have sinned, he leaves them to perish in despair. this portion of sacred history therefore is like a complete exposition of the sentence of paul's words, "for through the law cometh the knowledge of sin," rom. 3:20. for the law does nothing but make known and cause to revive that sin, which before the knowledge of the law lay asleep as it were and dead. just as in the following chapter it is said to cain, "if thou doest evil, thy sin sleepeth until it be made known to thee," gen. 4:7. for it lieth asleep, while it is in the act. but when the law comes then the eyes are opened, so that the man then sees what god had commanded, and what punishment he had decreed for the transgressors of his command. when this takes place, so that the law fully rules in the conscience; then a man arrives at the true knowledge of his sin, which knowledge no human hearts can endure unless consolation be given them from above. what moses next adds, therefore, that after they had eaten the fruit, "they saw that they were naked," are words by no means superfluous nor without special import. for if duly considered, they contain a beautiful description of original righteousness. the schoolmen indeed argue that original righteousness was not connatural; that is, not a part of human nature as originally created; but a certain ornament, only additionally bestowed on man as a separate gift. just as if one should place a garland on the head of a beautiful maiden. a garland is certainly no part of the nature of a virgin, but something separate from her nature as such; something added from without, which might be taken away again without any violation of her nature. these schoolmen therefore argue, both concerning man and concerning devils, that, although they lost their original righteousness, yet their natural properties remained pure as they were originally created. this doctrine however detracts from the magnitude of original sin and is to be shunned as a deadly poison. we conclude therefore that original righteousness was not a superadded gift, which was bestowed from without, separate from the very nature of man; but a truly natural righteousness; so that it was the very nature of adam to know god, to love god, to believe in god, to acknowledge god and to worship god, etc. these things were as natural in adam, as it is natural to the eyes to see the light. when the eye is injured by the infliction of a wound, you may rightly affirm that nature is violated; so after man fell from his original righteousness, it is correctly maintained, that the properties of nature were no longer sound and whole, but defiled and corrupted by sin. for as it is the nature of the eye to see, so it was the original nature of the reason and of the will of adam to know god, to trust in god, and to fear god. since therefore it is evident that all these natural powers are lost, who is so mad as to assert that the faculties and properties of nature are still sound and whole? and yet, there was nothing more common nor more fully received in the schools than this doctrine. how much greater then must be the absurdity and the madness, to affirm this doctrine concerning devils to be true, especially since christ himself declares "that they abode not in the truth," and when we ourselves know them to be the most bitter enemies of christ and of his church! the natural faculties in man therefore created originally sound and whole, were the knowledge of god, faith in god, the fear of god, etc. all these satan corrupted by sin in the same manner as leprosy defiles the whole flesh. the will and reason of man therefore are so corrupted by sin, that he not only does no longer naturally love god, but flees from him and hates him and wishes to live without him, and to be without him altogether. therefore moses has exactly described in this portion of his sacred history that corruption which succeeded original righteousness and its glory. for it was the peculiar glory of adam and eve not to know that they were naked. what corruption then can be greater than that the nakedness, which was originally the glory of our first parents, should now be changed into the basest turpitude. thus no one blushes on account of his eyes, when sound and perfect. but when the eyes are distorted or partially blind, they cover us with a certain cloud of defect and with a feeling of shame. in like manner in their state of original innocency, it was entirely a matter of glory for adam and eve to walk in nakedness. but when, after their sin, "they saw that they were naked," they were overwhelmed with shame and looked about them for "girdles" wherewith to hide their turpitude. how much greater turpitude then is disclosed by the fact, that the slaughtered will, the corrupted understanding and the wholly defiled reason have changed man into an utterly altered being. are all these woeful things proofs, i pray you, that the qualities and faculties of man's original nature still remain sound and whole? but consider for a moment what will necessarily follow from the doctrine of making original righteousness, not to have been an essential part of created nature, but only a certain superfluous and superadded gift or ornament. if you lay it down as a fact, that original righteousness was not an essential quality of the nature of man, it must inevitably follow that the sin, which followed original righteousness, was also not an essential quality of the nature of man. and if so, was it not an utterly vain thing that christ should be sent into the world as the redeemer of man, if it was man's original righteousness only, which was merely a foreign and separate addition to his nature, that was lost; and if that loss still left the faculties and qualities of his original nature sound and perfect? but what doctrine can be worse than this? what doctrine more unworthy a divine to utter? flee therefore from such mad dreams as from a real pestilence and from corruption of the holy scriptures; and let us instead follow actual experience which teaches us that we are born of corrupt seed and that we derive from the very nature of that seed, ignorance of god, self-security, unbelief, hatred of god, disobedience, impatience and numberless other kindred evils; all which are so engendered and implanted in our very nature, and are a poison so wholly diffused throughout our flesh, body, soul, nerves and blood, yea, through all our bones and their very marrow; and so wholly poisoning our will, our understanding and our reason, that the poison not only can never be extracted, but that we cannot even acknowledge, or feel, or see that this is our state of sin! it is a well known sentiment of the old greek comedian, aristophanes, "that to visit harlots is no disgrace to a youth." pardon however may be extended to such a sentiment in a heathen poet. but it is most awful in such as call themselves christian men, and men professing a knowledge of the holy scriptures, to incline toward such a sentiment that whoredom is not positive sin. and yet, whole colleges of our canonicals actually approve the sentiment, with one consent by their lives and manners. when this is the case therefore with respect to actual outward sins, what must we conclude to be the state of men's minds, with respect to the uncleanness of the heart and the motions of sin in our very nature? these motions of nature, wicked men cannot of course understand to be sins. thus a wicked man cannot understand that the glory of nakedness was lost by sin. for the fact of adam and eve walking abroad naked was their highest adornment in the sight of god and before the whole creation. but now since the entrance of sin we not only recoil at the thought of walking naked before men for their sakes, but we are filled with shame for our own sakes; as moses here testifies, concerning the feelings of adam and eve. and this very shame witnesses that our confidence in god as well as in man is lost, whereas this confidence in both existed before sin entered by the fall. but after the entrance of sin, adam even though blinded would yet have been abashed to present himself naked before the eyes of god or of men; because by his disobedience, his former confidence in god, his glorious creator, was lost. all these things therefore abundantly testify that original righteousness was an essential quality of the nature of man, when first created; and as that original righteousness was lost by sin, it is manifest that no qualities or properties or powers of nature remain perfect and sound, as the schoolmen madly dream. for, as it was the original nature of man to go forth naked, full of innocent confidence and security toward god and with the knowledge that such nakedness pleased both god and men, so now since the entrance of sin man feels that this same nakedness of nature, originally so glorious, is displeasing to god, to man himself and to all rational creatures. and accordingly man prepares himself girdles, and carefully covers his "uncomely parts," 1 cor. 12:23. is this not an awful change in nature? nature does indeed remain, but corrupted in numerous forms. for all innocent confidence in god is lost, and the heart is full of distrust, fear and shame. so, also the members of nature all remain the same. but those members which were once beheld in all their nakedness with glory are now cautiously covered, as dishonorable and base, lest they should be seen, because of the great internal defects of nature; because nature has lost all confidence in god by sin. for if we possessed that confidence in innocency, as adam enjoyed it, we should know no shame, no blush in our nakedness. from this corruption, which immediately followed sin, arose another evil. adam and eve were not only ashamed on account of their nakedness, which before their sin was most honorable, and a most glorious adornment; but they even make for themselves coverings to hide from sight those parts of their body which, in their original nature, were thus so honorable and so glorious. for what in all nature is so wonderful, so noble and so glorious, as the fact of generation! and this fact, so noble, so glorious, is not assigned of god to the eyes or to the face, which we consider to be the more honorable and dignified parts of our body, but to those parts which thus, taught by our awful state of sin, we cover from sight with all possible carefulness lest they should be seen. and thus as the fact of generation in the innocent state of nature, had it continued, would have been most pure and most holy; so since the entrance of sin, even this fact is filled with the leprosy of lust, as are also all the parts of the body connected with it. those therefore who live without marriage, "burn" in lust, most impurely. and those also who live in marriage, unless they rightly moderate their feelings and affections, and carefully guard their "due benevolence," 1 cor. 7:3, are variously tempted and afflicted. do we not then, from all these considerations, feel how foul and horrible a thing sin is? for lust is the only thing that cannot be cured by any remedy! not even by marriage, which was expressly ordained from above to be a remedy for this infirmity of our nature. for the greater part of married persons still live in adultery, and thus sing practically the well-known song of the heathen poet of old:- _"nec tecum possum vivere sine te."_ (ovid) neither with thee, nor yet without thee, wife, can i by nature, live. such is the horrible turpitude which arises out of this most honorable and most excellent part of our natural body! i call it most excellent, on account of the noble and marvelous work of generation, which is indeed most excellent, and wonderful and glorious; because it preserves the continuation of the race of mankind! by reason of sin therefore the most excellent and effectual members of our body have become the most vile and base. but this would not have been the case with adam and eve, had they continued in their innocency. they were full of innocent confidence in their god. therefore whenever they wished to devote themselves to the procreation of children, they would have come together, not maddened with that lust which now reigns in our leprous flesh, but with an admiration of the ordinance of god, in obedience to god and in the worship of god; and also with the same holy quietness and solemnity of mind, as that in which we go to hear the word of god and to worship god. but all these things we have lost by sin, so that we can now only conceive of them and understand them negatively, not positively. for from the awful state of evil in which we now stand, we can only gather negatively an idea of the greatness of that good and that glory which we have lost. but we owe a deep debt of gratitude to god, even for the remnants of the original glory still left us, however corrupt the noble, wonderful and glorious work of generation now may be; of which both the church and the state have need for the perpetuation of saints and of citizens. and it is a marvelous fact that in all the writers, of all tongues not one iota is found which sets forth the glory of that original nakedness, which is now through sin so filled with turpitude and shame; but which before sin entered into the world was so honorable and glorious. here we have moses alone as our great teacher, who however sets forth the whole matter in but very few, and those very simple words, teaching us that man, having fallen from faith, was filled with confusion, and that the glory of his organs of generation was changed into utter turpitude and ignominy, so that he was compelled to make coverings to hide them from sight. the hebrew term hegorah, of which we here have the plural, properly signifies a girdle or apron-girt, so that we are to understand that these fig leaves covered the upper parts of the thighs all round in every part, in order that the part of the body which before sin was the most honorable, 1 cor. 12:23, might now be covered as being the most uncomely and base, and utterly unworthy the sight of men. o how horrible was the fall by sin! for after it the eyes of man were so opened that what was before the most honorable and glorious, he now looks upon as most dishonorable and base. and so it is to this day. as soon as the law has come, we then first discover what we have done. and sin thus made known seems to have in it such awful baseness that the enlightened minds of men cannot endure the sight, and therefore they endeavor to cover their turpitude. for no one ever, though he be a thief, an adulterer or a murderer, etc., is willing to appear to be such. so also heretics are never found to acknowledge their error in any degree, but defend it most pertinaciously and wish to appear to hold the catholic truth. and that they may secure this appearance, they sew together fig leaves as broad as possible; that is, they try all things which seem likely to color over and cloak their heresy. this same nature of sin is seen even in children, who frequently, though caught in the very fact of doing evil, yet busy themselves in discovering means whereby they can persuade their parents to the contrary; thus excusing themselves, speaking lies, ps. 58:3. in precisely the same manner do men also act. even when caught and held fast, they yet endeavor to slip away that they may not be confounded, but may still appear good and just. this portion of poison also has been infused into our very nature, as the present passage of moses likewise testifies. part iii. the judgment god held with our first parents after their fall and the account of their stewardship he required from them. v. 8. _and they heard the voice of jehovah god walking in the garden in the cool (breeze) of the day: and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of jehovah god amongst the trees of the garden._ this is now the third evil of original sin, bearing its additional proof, that original righteousness was lost. but here again lyra is entangled in the opinions of rabbins, some of whom interpret the expression in the breeze of the day, _ad auram diei_, as referring to place, or to the climate between the south and the west, while others explain the expression as referring to time, holding that this sacred circumstance occurred in the evening. when the heat begins to subside, the winds commence their breathing. my mind is however that we should receive breathing (_spiritum_) here, as simply signifying "the word," and understand the passage as meaning that after the conscience of adam and eve were convinced by the divine law, they were terrified at the sound of a leaf. just as we see to be the case with all fearstricken men, when they hear the creak of a beam, they dread the fall of the whole house. when they hear a mouse moving they are terrified lest satan should be at hand with an intent to destroy them. for by nature we are so wholly filled with alarm, that we really fear even those things which are perfectly safe. adam and eve therefore, as soon as their consciences are convinced by the law and they are brought to feel their turpitude in the sight of god, and of themselves having lost their faith and confidence in god, are so filled with fear and alarm that when they hear a breeze or breath of wind, immediately imagine that god is at hand as an avenger, and hide themselves from him. i believe therefore that by the voice of the lord walking in the garden, moses really means a breath or sound of wind which preceded the appearance of god before them. hence christ says in the gospel, when speaking of the wind, "thou hearest the sound or voice thereof," john 3:8. for when adam and eve heard the rustling of the leaves as if shaken by the wind, they thought on a sudden within themselves, hark! there is the lord coming to take vengeance upon us! when therefore moses adds "in the breeze of the day" to the words "the voice of the lord god walking in the garden," he seems to me to do so by way of particular explanation of the meaning he intended to convey. as if he had said by way of comment, this voice was like a breezy blast of the day; and as if he wished the emphasis of his expression to rest on the word day. for he does not speak concerning a wind in the night, in order to exaggerate the greatness of the terror which follows upon sin; as if he had said in further explanation they were so stricken with fear that they were alarmed at the sound of a leaf, even in the clear light of day. what therefore, he seems to intend to intimate, would have been the result if god had come to them in the night and in the solemn darkness? then the terror must have been more dreadful still. for as the light gives animation, so the darkness increases dread. this terror therefore, with which adam and eve after their sin were struck in the very broad light of day, is indeed a manifest proof that they had fallen utterly from the confidence of faith. this i believe to be the true sense of the present passage, and it fully agrees with that threatening of moses, lev. 26, where he is speaking of the punishments which should assuredly follow the commission of sin, that the sinners should be chased by the sound of a shaking leaf and that they should flee from it as from a sword, lev. 26:36. for when the conscience is truly alarmed on account of sin, the man is so oppressed by it that he not only cannot do anything, but cannot even direct his thought to any purpose. and just as they say is sometimes the case in an army when the soldiers, overpowered by fear, cannot move a hand, but give themselves up in entire helplessness to be slaughtered by the enemy; in the same manner so horrible is the punishment which follows sin that the conscience of the sinner is struck with alarm at the sound of a leaf. nay, that he cannot endure that all-beautiful creature, the light of day, by which all nature besides is enlivened and refreshed. here therefore you have another sight of the magnitude of that original sin which is born in us at our birth, and implanted in us by the sin of our first parents. and this sight, as i have said, enables us to understand negatively or by a comparison of contraries, what original righteousness was. it contained in it such a beautiful confidence in man toward his god, that he could not have feared even though he had seen the heavens falling in ruins upon his head! with what complete confidence did eve listen to the serpent? we do not talk to a little house-dog brought up in our family circle and to whom we have been accustomed for years, nor with a favorite chicken, more familiarly than eve did with that then beautiful creature. before their sin therefore adam and eve sought no hiding-places; but stood upright in all their created wisdom and righteousness, praising god with uplifted eyes. but now they are terrified at the sound of a shaking leaf. o! how awful a fall! to fall from the safest security and delight in god into fear and dread so horrible, that man can no longer endure the sight of his god, but flees from his presence as from the presence of the devil! for it is not the devil from whom adam and eve are now fleeing. they are rushing from the sight of god their creator, whose presence is now more dreadful and intolerable to them than that of satan; satan is now more congenial to their feelings than the adorable god; for from satan they flee not, nor are filled with his dread. this dread therefore, is actually a flight from and a hatred of god himself. it is instructive here to mark the gradual increase and progressive steps of sin, which goes on until it becomes, as paul is wont to express it, "exceeding sinful," rom. 7:13. for man first falls from his faith into unbelief and disobedience. upon unbelief follow the dread and hatred of god and fleeing from him; and these are soon succeeded by despair and impenitence. for whither shall the heart flee when thus dreading the presence of god? shall it flee unto the devil? that of course is vain, and is never expected to be the case; and yet to this it all comes. for this history shows that god created man and made him lord over all created things. and yet that same man now flees from him and considers nothing more hateful or intolerable than the presence of this same creator. were it not so he would not now thus turn away from his god nor flee from him in instant dread of the voice of his approach. for all this is not during the night, not under thunderings and lightnings as at the mount of sinai, but in the bright light of "day" while a gentle breeze is breathing and the leaves of the trees softly rustling by its touch! there is nothing therefore more intolerable to endure, nothing filled with greater misery than a conscience alarmed by the law of god and by the sight of sins committed. this it was that made adam and eve do the worst of all things they could do, namely, to shun their creator and their god, and to flee to the truly vain refuge of fig leaves, in order to cover themselves from his sight and to hide themselves among the trees! and what could be more indescribably horrible, than thus to flee from god and to hide themselves from his sight? wherefore this affords a further view of alterations of the rectitude of the will and of the understanding after the sin of the fall. the very facts show that the will was corrupted and depraved. for adam and eve long for those very things which god had prohibited, and they so long for them as to become disobedient to god and obedient to satan. nor can we entertain any doubt of the corruption of the understanding also, when we see the counsel of covering themselves which adam and eve adopted, and by which they thought they were safe. was it not, i pray you, the very extreme of folly, first to attempt impossibilities in trying to flee from god, whom no one can escape or avoid? and was it not in the next place greater folly still, to attempt that escape from the presence of god in so absurd a manner, as to believe themselves safe when hidden among the trees of the garden, when they must otherwise have known that no walls of iron nor mighty mountains of brass can save from the presence or the grasp of god? all confidence in god being thus lost by sin, there now follows a horrible dread upon the will. and all wisdom and understanding being lost, those most beautiful gifts of god, there follows in their place the extremity of folly; such folly that men attempt impossibilities by means the most absurd. so inexhaustibly deep is the evil of original sin! and even all these calamities are but the prelude to that which is yet to come. for we are not yet brought to the judgment of god. then follows: v. 9. _and jehovah god called unto the man, and said unto him, where art thou?_ here we have a description of the judgment of god. when adam, terrified by the consciousness of his sin, fled from the presence and sight of god he found not only paradise, but the whole world too narrow in which to find a corner where to hide himself from god in safety. but all his anxiety makes manifest the folly of his mind in seeking a remedy for his sin by fleeing from his god. but he had fled from him much too far already. for his very sin was, that he, departing from god at the first, needed not therefore to flee farther from him still. but so it is. that is the very nature of sin, the farther a man departs from god, the farther he wants to depart. and thus the man who has once departed and apostatized from god, goes on departing and departing to all eternity. hence it is truly said concerning the punishments of hell, that its greatest punishment is that the wicked there are always wishing to flee from god, but feel that flee they cannot. just in the same manner adam, though found out and apprehended of god, yet ceases not to attempt to flee out of his hands. when therefore moses here says, "jehovah god called unto adam," we are to understand that the lord called him to judgment. but a question is raised here concerning the person by means of whom adam was called of god, and it is by no means out of the way to suppose that all these things were carried on by the ministration of angels, and that an angel here acted in the place of god, as god spoke all these things to adam. just as magistrates when they say or do anything, say and do it not in their own person, but in the person of god, as his representatives. hence it is that the scriptures call those judgments, which are exercised and administered by appointed men, the judgment of god. it by no means displeases me therefore that it should be considered that adam was here called by an angel, and that it was shown him by that same angel that all flight was impossible. it is here especially to be noticed moreover that moses expressly tells us that it was adam who was called; seeing that it was to adam alone that the word of god was spoken on the sixth day, concerning that tree of which they were both forbidden to eat. as therefore adam alone heard the command, so he alone is first called to judgment. but as eve herself also had sinned and departed from god, she also hears the judgment at the same time and becomes a partaker of the punishment. the words, "where art thou?" are the words of the law, spoken by god and reaching unto the conscience of adam. for although all things are naked and open unto the eyes of god, as it is written, heb. 4:13, yet he speaks unto our sense, feeling and understanding; for he sees us aiming at the one thing of fleeing away from him and attempting our escape from his sight and presence. when therefore god says, "where art thou?" it is as if he had said, "thinkest thou that i see thee not?" for he will have adam to see and feel that though hidden he is not hidden from god! and that though he flees from god, from god he cannot flee. for this is the very nature of all sin; it causes us to attempt to flee from the wrath of god, from which wrath we find it impossible to flee. it is indeed the utmost folly to think that we shall find a remedy in fleeing from god, rather than in returning to him; yet it is the very nature of sin that the sinner cannot return to god. what then can we possibly conceive to have been the exceeding folly and state of mind in adam? he had heard the voice of jehovah, and yet he hoped that he could conceal himself from his presence; when lo! he was now standing before the tribunal of god and was demanded of god for punishment! v. 10. _and he said, i heard thy voice in the garden, and i was afraid, because i was naked; and i hid myself._ as it was the utmost folly that adam fled from god, so in the utmost folly he answers him, so utterly deprived by sin is he of all wisdom and counsel. he now really wishes to teach god that he is naked, who had himself created him naked. thus does he wholly confound himself, and betray and condemn himself out of his mouth. he confesses that he heard the voice of jehovah and was afraid. and had he not also heard the voice of jehovah before, when jehovah forbade him to eat the fruit of that tree? why did he not then fear also? why did he not then also hide himself? how was it that then he stood with uplifted countenance and with joy before him, rejoicing in his presence and delighting to hear him speak? now he trembles at the sound of a shaking leaf! it is at least evident that he is no longer the same adam he then was; he is totally changed, and become quite another man; he now looks about for a lie and a false cause for his defense. for how can it be true, that "the voice of jehovah is the real cause of his fear," when before he feared not that divine voice, but heard it as the voice of his god with happiness and joy? learn then from this solemn history that perverseness and folly ever accompany sin, that transgressors by all their excuses only accuse themselves, and that the more they defend the more they betray themselves, especially before god! thus adam here attempts to conceal his sin and to adorn himself as innocent, in that he alleges, as the cause of his fleeing, not his having sinned, but his having heard the voice of the lord; and he makes that to be the cause of his alarm and of his being ashamed because he was naked. poor wretched man! he never thinks that he had no such fear as this when he heard the same voice of god at first. he never recollects that he was not then ashamed because he was naked. for as that nakedness was the creation of god, why should he the creature be ashamed of that which god had made! he then walked in all his nakedness in the sight of god and of the whole creation in paradise, perfectly secure and happy that such was the will of god and delighting in god on that very account. but now he is covered with shame, because he is naked and flees from god and hides from him on that account. every one of these things is an argument by which adam condemns himself, and betrays his present state of sin. and just in the same manner will the wicked condemn themselves in the final judgment, when all the darkness shall be driven away from all the hearts of men and the sins of all men shall be read in the "book" when "opened"! god knew perfectly well that adam had sinned and was guilty of death. yet he calls him that he might be condemned by the testimony of his own mouth, as having sinned. for he flees from god when he calls him, which fact was itself the very essence of sin, even as it is the very essence of righteousness to flee unto god as a refuge. this fleeing from god therefore is the strongest possible testimony of adam against himself. yet even still he vainly hopes that his sin can be covered by a lie, for he alleges as the real causes of his flight the voice of god and his own nakedness. from this we learn therefore that such is the nature of sin, that unless god bring the medicine immediately after it is committed and call back the sinner to himself, he will flee from his god farther and farther, and by mendaciously excusing his sin he will add sin to sin until he runs at length into blasphemy and despair. thus sin draws after it by its own weight as it were sin upon sin, and causes eternal ruin, until the sinner finally will rather accuse god himself than acknowledge his own sin. adam ought to have said, lord, i have sinned! but this adam does not. he rather actually accuses god of sin; and in reality he says, thou, lord, hast sinned. for i should have remained wholly in paradise after my eating the fruit, if thou hadst remained perfectly quiet. for the words of adam bear all this import in truth, when he says in substance, i should not have fled if thy voice had not terrified me from thy presence. thus man, when accused of sin by his god, instead of acknowledging his sin, rather accuses god as being the cause of it and transfers his sin from himself and lays the blame of it on his creator. hence sin increases to infinity, unless god by his mercy come to succor the sinner. and yet adam all the while considers this excusing himself and blaming his creator, the highest wisdom. for he is so confounded by the terror of his conscience, that he knows not what he says nor what he does. although by thus excusing himself, he only accuses himself the more grievously and increases his sin to the utmost extent. let us however by no means think that all this happened to adam only. every one of us does the very same thing; nor will nature of herself ever permit us to do otherwise. for after having sinned we all rather accuse god than acknowledge our sin before him; just as adam here did, who asserted that the voice of god was the cause of his fleeing from him; thus actually making god himself to be the cause of his flight. and next, upon the back of this sin quickly follows another and further sin. for he that spares not his creator himself, how shall he be likely to spare the creature? therefore adam next charges god with his nakedness, thus making him the creator of a thing that was vile and base. for by his sin adam is so deprived of his senses that he turns the glory of his nakedness into a reproach to his creator. v. 11. _and he said, who told thee that thou wast naked? hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof i commanded thee that thou shouldst not eat?_ here the conscience of adam is pierced with the true sting of the law. it is as if god had said, thou knowest that thou art naked, then and therefore thou hidest thyself from me. but nakedness is my creature. dost thou condemn that creature then as vile and base. it is not thy nakedness therefore that hath confounded thee, nor is it my voice that hath terrified thee. it is thy conscience that accuseth thee of sin, because thou hast eaten the fruit of the forbidden tree. this is the cause of thy flight from my presence. here adam being thus pressed by the law and by his conscience is in the midst of death; yea, in the midst of hell. for he is compelled to confess that there was no evil in his nakedness, because it was so created of god. but he was forced to acknowledge that the mighty evil was that he now had a guilty conscience concerning his nakedness, in which before he had gloried as in a beautiful adornment; and that he now dreaded that same voice of god, which before he had heard with supreme delight. it is to this state of mind, which the lord now perceives in adam, that the words of this passage expressly speak. as if jehovah had said, since thou hast an evil conscience and art filled with dread, most assuredly thou hast eaten of the forbidden tree. for thou receivedst no command from me that thou shouldst not commit murder nor that thou shouldst not commit adultery, but that thou shouldst not eat of the fruit of this tree. as therefore thou art filled with terror, thou thereby makest it manifest that thou hast sinned against that commandment. thus those very things which were adam's thoughts, those same things he now hears from the mouth of the lord. adam was thinking thus: i have eaten the fruit, but i will not say that i have fled from god on that account. i will say nothing about my sin. i will say that i was afraid, because i was naked, and that i was terrified into flight by his voice. but while he is saying these things to himself he is compelled to condemn himself, and he hears his conscience within convicting him of a lie and condemning his sin. in addition to this accusation of his own conscience, the lord himself now accuses him of his sin openly, and in the plainest words. but not even now can adam be brought to the honest acknowledgment of his sin. for now follows, v. 12. _and the man said, the woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and i did eat._ only mark the true colors, the essential evil and real nature of sin. it is depicted in this excuse of adam. it shows that a man can in no way be brought to an open confession of his sin, but that he will deny his sin or excuse it as long as he can find that there is any hope or any probable ground of excuse left him. for it was not so wonderful that adam should at first hope that his sin could be covered, and that he should rather accuse god than acknowledge the sin he had committed. the great wonder was that after he was convicted in his own conscience, and after he had heard his sin declared from the mouth of god himself, he should still persist in excusing that sin. for he does not say, "lord, i have sinned; forgive me the debt of my sin; be merciful unto me;" for the very nature of sin is, that it will not suffer the mind to flee unto god, but instead compels it to flee from god. but he transfers all the fault from himself to the woman. it is a well known rule, taught in the schools of legal and civil orators, that when a charge of crime is brought against the defendant, the act should either be denied totally or defended as having been done rightly. adam here does both. he first of all denies his sin altogether and asserts that his terror arose, not from his sin, but from the voice of the lord. and then when so far convinced of his sin in what he has done he attempts to defend the act, as having been done rightly and unavoidably. "if," says he to the lord, "thou hadst not given me this woman, i should not have eaten the fruit." thus he further lays all the blame of what he had done on god himself, and positively accuses him as being after all the real cause of his sin. wherefore there is no end to a man's sinning, when he has once turned aside from the word. adam at first sinned by unbelief and disobedience, and now he heaps upon that sin reproaches of god and positive blasphemy, saying in effect, it was not i who listened to the serpent; it was not i who was captivated by looking on the fruit of that tree; it was not i who stretched forth my hand to pluck the forbidden fruit. the woman whom _thou_ gavest me did all this. in a word adam has no desire to acknowledge his sin. on the contrary he wishes to be considered pure and clean. this portion of the divine record contains a further description of sin and of the real nature of sin. for whenever the promise of the remission of sins or faith in that promise is not immediately at hand, the sinner cannot do otherwise than adam did. if god had said, adam, thou hast sinned, but i will pardon thy sin, then adam would have acknowledged his sin with all humility and candor and with the utmost detestation of what he had done. but because the hope of the remission of sin was not present to his mind on account of his having transgressed the commandment of god, he can see nothing, he can feel nothing but death, the certain punishment of such transgression. and because human nature cannot but be shocked at the sight of that certain death, therefore adam cannot be brought to the confession of his sin, but he tries all possible means by which he has the least hope of warding off the blame of his sin. and thus does every sinner hate the punishment of his transgressions; and because he hates that punishment, he also hates the justice of god, and god himself, and endeavors by all means in his power to persuade both god and men that he suffers innocently. just in this manner does adam here endeavor to lessen his sin by saying that it was not he who listened to the serpent, nor he who plucked the fruit. "the woman whom thou gavest me," says he, "offered me the fruit of this tree." in the same state of mind as adam are those who, when they have come to a knowledge of the sins they have committed, filled with despair, either cut short their life with a halter or curse god as the cause of their transgressions. the words of job are familiarly known: "let the day perish wherein i was born; why died i not from the womb?" job 3:3, 11. for such lay all the fault of their sin on god, and complain against god that they were ever created to destruction and damnation. nor can any sinner do otherwise, when the hope of pardon and the promise of grace are not present to his soul. because death is intolerable to human nature, therefore it produces desperation and blasphemies. it is an utterance full of pain and of wrath against god, when adam says, "the woman whom _thou_ gavest me." it is as if he had said, thou thyself has laid upon me the burden of this evil; if thou hadst given to the woman some separate garden to herself and hadst not burdened me with thy command that i should live with her, i might have continued without sin. as therefore i have sinned, the fault is thine in adding to me a wife. in the case of adam therefore is set before us an exact example of all those who sin and who despair under their sin. they cannot do otherwise than accuse god and excuse themselves, for seeing as they do that god is omnipotent they consider that he could have prevented these their sins. so horrible is sin, whenever the minds of sinners are not soon relieved and lifted up with the promise of the forgiveness of sins. and this is the true effect of the law, whenever the law is alone, without the gospel and the knowledge of its grace, it always leads to despair and to final impenitence. v. 13. _and jehovah god said unto the woman, what is this thou hast done? (why hast thou done this?) and the woman said, the serpent beguiled me and i did eat._ here the example of eve is also set before us, who being corrupted by sin is seen to be in no degree better than adam. adam wished to appear innocent, and laid the blame on god, because he had given him a wife. eve also attempts to excuse herself and accuses the serpent, which also was a creature of god. she confesses indeed that she had eaten the fruit, but she says, the serpent, which thou createdst and which thou permittedst to go about in paradise, imposed upon me. now is not this actually accusing her creator and removing the fault from herself? hence we see that sin is always and everywhere the same and works in the same way. it is never willing to be punished as sin, but ever wishes to appear to be righteousness. and as it cannot accomplish this it turns the blame from itself upon god; so that when god accuses a man of sin the man actually charges god with falsehood in that accusation. so that sin, from being a human sin, becomes positively a devilish sin; and the unbelief of the man is turned into blasphemy, and his disobedience into reproach against his creator! i term this a devilish and not a human sin; because the devil hates and accuses and condemns god, and justifies himself to all eternity; nor can he possibly from his heart say, "lord, i have sinned; pardon my sin." were it not so the devil would not eternally despair of pardon. but that pardon is impossible, as long as he acknowledges not his sin, but blasphemes god as exercising unjust cruelty against him as a creature without just cause. hence we see adam and eve so deeply fallen and sunk under sin, that they could not sink any lower. for upon their unbelief followed the disobedience of all the powers and all the members in man. upon this disobedience, immediately afterwards, followed the excuse and defense of their sin. this defense was next followed by an accusation and condemnation of their god. this is sin's last step, to reproach god himself and to make him the author of sin. this nature of ours can ascend no higher than this in its sin against god. and these are the onward steps of sin, unless the minds of fallen sinners are lifted up by a confidence in god's mercy. wherefore the state of the church under the pope, was most horrible; for in it was neither seen nor heard anything whatever which could lift up the mind of a sinner, laboring under his sin and guilt; except that once a year the history of the passion of our lord was slightly taught. and the statement of that history showed forth in some slight manner the source from which pardon was to be sought. but everything else on every side led men away from the promise of the remission of sins to their own righteousness. hence it was that we saw in many monasteries men alarmed by their sins through their whole life time, who were filled with despair as they walked about, and at length died in agony, worn out with sorrow and pains of spirit. and as to the rest of their brethren, this doctrine of pardon being wholly unknown, they did nothing but stand in their places and procure the protection of their saint by idolatrous prayers. thus were these miserable creatures worn out and consumed with the most terrible pains of soul, without hope, without counsel and without any help whatever. was not this then, i pray you, a horrible state of things? wherefore if the papacy and all the monasteries together could be overturned by the touch of one finger, it ought at once to be done on account of the whole papal church being this most wretched slaughter-house of consciences! for there is nothing more horrible than for a man to be under the weight of his sins, and yet never to hear or have the remission of sins and the promise of grace. now the pope was the very cause of the remission of sins being utterly kept out of men's sight. for no sound doctrine nor any true worship whatever was retained in the church. and if any were saved in these times they were saved by the bare annual recital of the sufferings of christ, apprehended by faith, contrary to the will of the pope and in defiance of his opposition. for through him men in the extreme perils of their souls were brought down to the necessity of imploring the intercession of mary and of the saints. for these sayings filled every place: that the mother mary showed her breasts to her son, and that the son showed his wounds to his father, and that the man was thus saved; not by the intercession of the son, but by the intercession of his mother. i earnestly entreat you therefore with all the persuasion in my power, to set the highest value possible upon the doctrine of the gospel. for what do we see in this history of moses that adam and eve suffered when their sin was before them, and this knowledge of the promise of grace and of pardon was out of their sight? the very same do we also see in the damnation of satan; for as he is destitute of the promise of grace he is not able to cease from his sins, nor from his hatred of god, nor from his blasphemies against him. hence it is that the condition of adam was so different from that of satan, and so much better and more blessed. for adam was called to judgment that he might acknowledge his sin, that being terrified by his sins he might afterwards be lifted up again and comforted by the promise of the remission of his sins; as we shall now further see in this most beautiful part of the sacred history of moses, in which we shall also find the preaching of christ. for as the issue of this whole transaction sets forth the very great goodness and mercy of god toward man, seeing that god calls him back to the remission of sins and to eternal life through the _seed_ that was to come; so also these very beginnings of this divine mercy, if we view them aright, are much better and greater than adam deserved at god's hand. for we have not here a display of that terrible majesty of god, which was witnessed on mount sinai, where there were thunderings and lightnings mingled with the loud soundings of trumpets. here god approaches with the soft sound of the gentle breeze, signifying that he came in this case to seize with the tender hand of an affectionate father. he does not drive adam from him on account of his sin, but calls him away from his sin to himself. this fatherly care however adam, overwhelmed with his sin and its terrors, does not at first understand or perceive; he does not consider how differently god deals with him than with the serpent. for he did not call the serpent to him. he did not ask the serpent why he had sinned, in order that he might call him from his sin unto repentance. he charges the serpent with his sin, and pronounces his doom. these things show us that christ our deliverer interposed himself even then, between god and man as a mediator. for it was the greatest display of grace, that even after the sin of adam god was not silent, but spoke; and that too in many and plain words, with the intent of showing forth evidences of his fatherly mind toward sinners. his carriage towards the serpent was altogether different. wherefore although the promise concerning christ was not yet given, it may be plainly discerned in the thoughts and counsel of god on this occasion. thus far therefore moses has set before us the judgment which god exercised after the sin of the fall of our first parents. he calls them to his tribunal, and convicts them, and interrogates them, and hears them. they, poor creatures, desire indeed to escape that judgment, but they cannot; nay, while they attempt to excuse themselves they doubly accuse and betray themselves. the woman acknowledges what she had done. adam attempts to conceal the fact, although according to the very nature of sin he does not wish it to appear to be really sin at all. for as long as grace is withheld from the sinner it is impossible for him to do otherwise than excuse himself, and try to make his sin appear to be righteousness. god therefore is always compelled thus to contend with us by his laws, until he extorts from us the confession of our sins and brings us to justify him; as it is written in ps. 51:4, where this confession is fully described. but as long as the law rules alone and galls the conscience, the conscience thus terrified cannot bring out this confession, as the examples of adam and eve here fully show. from this portion of the sacred record of moses the holy prophets drew many divine truths; for they studied this book of moses with far greater diligence and stronger faith than we do. from this source they derived the following holy sentences: "the wicked flee when no man pursueth," prov. 28:1. "the wicked are like the troubled sea, for it cannot rest; there is no peace, saith my god, to the wicked," is. 57:20, 21. "he that believeth shall not be ashamed," is. 28:16. "the righteous are bold as a lion," prov. 28:1. "the just shall live by his faith," hab. 2:4. from this same place of moses christ also drew that memorable saying of his, which we find in the evangelist john, "for every one that doeth evil hateth the light," john 3:20. for it is the very nature of sin that whoso committeth sin desires to remain hidden in darkness, and not to be brought into the light, just as adam covered himself with fig-leaves and fled to conceal himself among the trees. and we must also here touch upon that passage of the apostle paul, 1 tim. 2:13, 14, "for adam was first formed, then eve; and adam was not beguiled but the woman being beguiled hath fallen into transgression." this passage nearly all interpreters understand to mean that adam was not deceived, but that he sinned knowingly; not from yielding to the persuasion of the devil as eve had done, but from being unwilling to distress the delight of his life, that is, his wife; and thus preferring the love of his wife to the command of god. and they attempt to render this interpretation likely and probable by saying, that the serpent reverenced the male as his lord, but that he attacked the female, whom, although she was holy as the man, yet as being the weaker creature, he considered to be the better adapted to yield to his persuasion, and that therefore eve was deceived by the serpent, and not adam. adam, they maintain, was deceived both by himself and by the woman, but not by the serpent; by the woman when she presented to him the fruit to eat; by himself when, because he did not see eve die immediately when she had eaten the fruit, he was induced to believe that the punishment which god had threatened would not "surely" follow. just as a thief, when he has found his theft to have succeeded once or twice, goes on stealing in security. whereas had the law-officer or the gallows been kept before his eyes, he would have ceased to steal. wherefore i do not altogether condemn the above interpretation, for it makes both views to stand true, that adam was deceived and that he was not deceived. he was not indeed deceived by the serpent as eve was, but he was deceived both by his wife and by himself, when he persuaded himself that the punishment which god had said should follow would not really come. then follows the execution of judgment upon all the parties concerned. part iv. the serpent and satan cursed. the first promise. i. v. 14. _and jehovah god said unto the serpent, because thou hast done this, cursed art thou above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life._ after judgment has been pronounced and the whole case completely gone through, follows the execution of judgment, in which, as we shall now hear, there is rendered to each party according to their work, but not one like the other. now this passage claims our thoughtful attention in the first place, because there is not found throughout the five books of moses so long a speech in the person of god. and in the next place, because this divine speech contains no law whatever as to what the serpent or man was required to do. the whole speech is occupied in promising that good or threatening that evil, which should come upon each party concerned. and it is worthy our particular observation here that, after the sin of the fall, no further law whatever was imposed on adam, though nature in its state of perfection had a divine law set before it. the reason of this was, because god saw that nature, being now fallen and corrupt, could not only derive no help or relief from any law given to it, but that, being thus corrupted and also disorganized and confused altogether, it could not bear any syllable of law whatsoever. wherefore god did not increasedly oppress nature, already thus oppressed by sin, with any further law of any kind. but on the contrary god mercifully applied unto sin as a terrible wound, a healing plaster, that is, the promise concerning christ, still using that caustic, the curse on sin, which the devil had caused to be inflicted. for as wholesome plasters, even while they heal, yet corrode and pain the flesh; so the healing promise is so set before adam that the threatened curse on sin should be added, to operate with it in curing the lust of the flesh. by the lust of the flesh i mean, not only that foul motion and itching of lust, but also "all manner of concupiscence" and uncleanness of soul, as paul terms them, rom. 7:8; eph. 4:19, through which we are by nature inclined to idolatry, unbelief, self-security and all other horrible sins against the first and second table. to curb and cure all this depravity of nature, we have need of the operation of this burning caustic, the curse of god on sin. i would that i could handle the text now before us in a manner becoming its depth and dignity, for it embraces all that is glorious in the whole scripture, containing in it the curse of god on satan and the destruction of the seed of the serpent by the seed of the woman. the former part of the text is wholly figurative. god speaks to the serpent, but it is manifest that the serpent alone is not here to be understood as addressed by god. for these are not the words of god as a creator, as were those words above, when he said unto the beasts of the earth, "be fruitful and multiply;" nor when he said to the earth itself, "let the earth bring forth grass, and herbs, and trees, yielding seed after their kind." they are words of divine threatening and a declaration of mind and will, such words as god never speaks to an irrational creature, but to an intelligent creature only. god does indeed address the "serpent" by name, but he is all the while especially speaking to satan, who ruled in the serpent, and by the serpent deceived the first parents of mankind. nevertheless as, on account of the sin of man, the lord of the whole creation, all animals and all trees perished in the flood, just as the subjects of a nation are often punished on account of the misdeeds of their prince, so it befell the serpent. that animal also was punished because of the sin of the devil, who had abused the serpent in making use of it to work so mighty an evil as the sin of the fall. god however intends, figuratively, to be represented under this punishment of the serpent, the deluging punishment of satan. the obscurity which lies in this figurative representation has been the reason why this text, which ought to be most clearly known and understood by all, has never to my knowledge been explained by any one with sufficient diligence and clearness. and i have often wondered what the fathers and the bishops could have been about, who, when occupied in the government of churches and in the condemnation of heretics, did not feel that they had a still more important duty to perform in devoting themselves with greater diligence to the explanation of such passages of the scriptures as these. such bishops and fathers possess nothing more than the name, for they may with more truth be called destroyers than watchmen or guardians of the churches. i am now speaking of those of our fathers and bishops who really excelled in holiness of life and doctrine. even among these not one is found to have explained the text before us in any manner becoming its great dignity. perhaps those various engagements which generally beset the rulers of churches too deeply involve them to leave them time for the purpose. the disgrace of our more recent divines is notorious. they have even shamefully corrupted this whole passage, and out of the neuter pronoun _ipsum_ they have made the feminine, _ipsa_, which, with the most open wickedness, they have thus wrested, and have applied it to the virgin mary, "_she_ shall bruise thy head," verse 15. i can pardon lyra, who was as it appears a good man, but he conceded too much to the authority of the fathers, and hence he suffered himself to be drawn aside by augustine, to the most weak and foolish allegorizings, which system gregory also follows in his "morals," maintaining that by the woman in this part of the sacred record ought to be understood the inferior power of reason, as by the man, the superior power of reason; and by her seed, the operation of good; but by the seed of the devil, his evil suggestions. but what need, i pray you, friendly reader, is there of all such darkness of the most absurd allegories in all this clear light of the truth? but grant that we might with any propriety divide reason into two qualities or powers, the superior and the inferior. with how much greater propriety may we term that the inferior power of reason which is adapted to the government of domestic and political affairs, and not that which is concerned in swine-like pleasure and gratification? calling that the superior power of reason by which we contemplate those things which are separate from economy or polity, and which pertain unto religion, the solemn things of the word, in which we do nothing operatively, but only contemplate and learn? although we thus speak upon these things what have they to do after all with the sacred text before us? do they not altogether encumber and keep out of sight its real sense, and substitute a spurious sense in its stead, a sense which is not only useless but pernicious? for what can reason do or what light can it give in the divine matter of religion? there is also a further absurdity in this mode of interpretation, by which eve is made to be the inferior power of reason. for it is perfectly evident that eve was not inferior to her husband adam in any sense whatever; that is, neither in body nor in soul. it is from this ridiculous mode of interpretation that all those profane disputations concerning free-will have arisen, and concerning the doctrine "that reason always prays for the best," etc., until all theology is lost in philosophy and sophistical absurdities. wherefore let us, casting away all such pernicious and absurd follies, enter upon a new road of interpretation, caring naught for having disregarded the footsteps of those who have gone before us. for we have the holy spirit as our guide, not setting before us in moses a heap of absurd allegories, but teaching us through him the mightiest truths and the mightiest things which took place between god the creator and man the sinner, and satan the author of sin. first of all then let us settle it as a fact that the serpent here spoken of by god was a natural and real serpent, but a serpent besieged and occupied by satan, who spoke through and by that serpent. let us next consider it to be a truth, that those things which god spoke to the serpent are not to be understood as having been spoken to the serpent abstractedly as a brute animal, but that the person immediately spoken to was satan, to whom god was all the while more expressly speaking. by this manner of interpretation, i am sure that i retain the plain and simple historical and literal meaning, and a meaning in accordance with the whole passage; by which meaning, as divinely intended, the serpent remains a serpent though occupied and possessed by satan, the woman remains a woman, and adam remains adam, all which is proved by what follows in the sacred narrative. for it is not an inferior power of reason and a superior power of reason, who begat cain and abel, as recorded in the following chapter, but adam and eve, that is, the first parents of mankind, who fell by sin into death and became subject to the dominion of satan. when therefore god says to the serpent, "thou art cursed above all cattle and above every beast of the field, upon thy belly shalt thou go," the divine meaning is not that which augustine gives, and which his disciples follow. they understand that by "belly" is to be allegorically understood pride. but the divine mind in the passage is, that as satan abused the serpent in effecting the sin of the fall, so the serpent is compelled of god to bear a part of the punishment of that sin and therefore is thus cursed above all cattle, that it might be the most hateful of all the beasts of the field. at the beginning of the creation it was not so; but now through the divine curse, such a nature has been imparted to the serpent, that the creature which before the curse was the most delightful and the sweetest of all creatures, is now hated and dreaded above every other animal of the creation. hence we find by experience that we have a natural abhorrence of serpents, and that serpents as naturally dread and flee from us. thus the serpent is indeed made to bear this curse as part of the punishment of sin. these words however are not spoken unto the serpent only, god is dealing all the time with satan in the serpent. it is on satan that this sentence is pronounced, as his final judgment. it is satan that is here placed before god's tribunal. for god here speaks to the serpent in far different language from that which he used toward adam and eve, when he called them back in love from their sin. his language then was, "where art thou?" "who told thee that thou wast naked?" all these particulars indicate the love of god towards the whole human race; showing forth that god will seek after man and will call him back after he has sinned, that he may reason with him and hear what he has to say. all this was a sure announcement of grace. for although these words of god, spoken to adam and eve, were legal and judicial words; yet they set before them a hope by no means obscure, that they should not be condemned for ever. but with the serpent and satan god by no means dealt so mercifully. he did not call satan to him and say, "why hast thou done this?" he pronounced upon him at once the sentence of judgment; and that too, in the most awful words, "because thou hast done this." as if he had said, thou, satan, hadst sinned before this and hadst been condemned, when thou didst fall from heaven; and now to that sin thou hast added this one. thou hast by the abuse of the serpent hurled man into sin also. therefore in the first place the serpent shall bear this punishment; that whereas before it partook of that blessing which all other beasts also enjoyed; now it alone shall remain under my curse. from all these circumstances it must follow as a manifest consequence, that the serpent before the sin of the fall was the most beautiful creature among the beasts which god had made, and most delightful to man; as are at this day kids, and lambs, and kittens to us, and also that it moved with its head erect; and moreover that it now creeps upon the ground is not a property of its original nature, but the consequence of the divine curse. just in the same manner as they are the consequences of the curse, that the woman conceives in uncleanness, brings forth in sorrow, and nurses and trains her offspring with toils and griefs. were there no curse the whole process of creation would be most pure and holy; the giving birth to children most easy and delightful, and the training up of children the highest pleasure. sin therefore has not only utterly corrupted nature itself, but most basely defiled it. and yet the human reasoners even of our day dare to affirm that the original properties of nature have remained essentially sound and whole, even in devils. but if the serpent, which satan had abused to effect the sin of the fall, bore such a punishment on account of that sin; that whereas before it was the most beautiful of all creatures, it now on a sudden crawled on the ground upon its belly and drew after it its viperous tail before the eyes of adam, and thus all on a sudden became an object of hatred and of dread; how can we doubt that the same was the utterly changed case with the man, who was the very one who had committed the sin and had imbibed into his very nature the poison of satan? as therefore the egyptians beheld not without the greatest amazement the rod thrown down by moses suddenly changed into a serpent, just so in paradise, immediately upon god's uttering this word of the curse, the serpent was changed from a form the most beautiful into an object the most disgusting and revolting. and to this same curse pertains that which god moreover said, "and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life." the allegorists explain this, as meaning that satan would render men given up to the love of earthly things one with himself by deceiving them. but as i have said, god is here speaking to the serpent as such and cursing the serpent, causing it to bear its punishment of the sin of the fall. for there are other beasts which also feed upon the earth, but the serpent eats the earth as its curse; that whereas before it had a certain peculiar gift of subtlety and of beauty, and of food also, which it enjoyed in common with man, it now bore as its punishment that the nature of its food was changed. it is the glory of sheep, of oxen and of other beasts, that they feed on herbs and even on the fruits of trees, and also that they produce various things useful for the food of man, such as butter, milk, their own flesh, etc. the serpent also possessed this glory of his feeding in common with the other beasts. but now he is cast out from this society, and as it were from this common table and common feasting on account of the sin of the fall, so that he is not permitted to feed upon even the most useless herb; nor on apples, or pears, or nuts, on which even the mice feed. these he dare not taste. he eats the crude earth only. these are not my words, but the words of moses; and they teach us that the nature of the serpent is entirely changed and wholly different from what it originally was. and though i have said, and it is true, that it is to the serpent that god here speaks, and yet so speaks, that his words are directed all the time more expressly against satan, as the following part of the narrative will still more plainly show; yet i am by no means satisfied that those things spoken, which rightly apply to the nature of the serpent, should be transferred allegorically, as intended to be spoken to satan, like augustine transfers them and is followed by lyra. for the serpent and satan were intimately connected in the sin of the fall, though satan was the principal actor and the serpent only the instrument. and therefore it is that they are made alike partakers of the punishment. the serpent however bears a corporal punishment only. but for satan, the author and agent of the whole, a different judgment is prepared, even that judgment concerning which christ speaks, john 16:11, when he says, "because the prince of this world is judged." the description of this judgment will now shortly follow, as recorded by moses in the succeeding verses. wherefore when many say that the devil, like the serpent, no longer walks erect and that he has lost his original form and stature, the things they say are true; but they are quite inappropriate here and have nothing to do with the right interpretation of the passage now in question. and when i said above, that the serpent before the curse of god upon it moved in an erect posture, i do not wish to be understood to mean that it moved in an upright position as man, but with its neck and head erect, as a stag or a peacock. to crawl on its belly therefore after the curse, was the divine judgment on the serpent. that which now follows belongs expressly to satan only. and the things here recorded of him by moses paint forth his judgment in far more true colors than any of those foolish and out-of-place descriptions of the allegorists. they moreover set before us this strong consolation, that the devil is now so situated that he cannot attack and harm us at his liberty, as he wishes to do and would do, if the seed of the woman stood not directly in his way. ii. v. 15a. _and i will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed._ these are the things which are spoken expressly and properly to satan. and they contain his judgment. while in these same words of his judgment, there is set before the godly their strong consolation. the things above spoken are historical, as i have said, and apply to the serpent, which because through the abuse of satan it aided in effecting the sin of adam and eve, bears as his part of the punishment his ejection from the common life, as it were, and from the society of the other animals of the creation; being made so different from them that he dares not eat the same food nor live in any way like them. the present passage might also be allegorically interpreted. but the allegories used would be far less appropriate, and they would not stand firm in the defense of the truth. for the facts of the case are these: satan on account of his sin was cast out of heaven and condemned; and no longer goes about in his original form as an ox or a hind does, but creeps on the ground; which may signify that he does not attack the godly by open force, but uses wiles and devices for their harm and destruction; which devices nevertheless the godly when they look into the word see and understand; and by them they perceive how vast his deformity is, and hence dread and abhor him. and certainly his creeping on the ground, and not walking upright, may well indicate that his tyrannical power is broken and destroyed, so that he cannot do so much harm to the church as he otherwise would do. these allegories, we repeat, may be used in the interpretation of the present text; but they do not explain the meaning of moses, and therefore they are improper. wherefore, when we speak of satan, let us ever follow the other testimonies of scripture upon the subject; for they are proper, certain and sure; such for instance as the following: "the devil was a murderer from the beginning, and standeth not in the truth, because there is no truth in him;" and also, "when he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his own," john 8:44; and again, "your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour," 1 pet. 5:8; and also, where christ says, "the prince of this world is judged," john 16:11. in a word, who does not plainly see that the testimony of the present passage applies properly to satan; and that it is to him that the son of god is here opposed, expressly to prevent him from making any attack upon us with open violence, as if he had no certain antagonist! the church therefore, under this protection, is perfectly safe. and not only is satan deprived of the power of attacking the church with any open violence, but his power and desire of harming anything or person else are also destroyed. were it not so, he would not suffer a single tree to grow to maturity. he would impede and crush all things that spring forth in the earth; and would prevent, not the birth of men only, but the bringing forth of beasts; and would destroy the safety of everything. this insatiable desire to harm and to destroy is fully manifest from his inability to attack by open violence, and from his doing whatever he does by the means of craft, guile and snare. we should here moreover carefully observe that these things are not spoken by god for the devil's sake. for god does not deign to condemn satan on his own account, by these his words; but he deems it sufficient to leave satan to be condemned by his own conscience. all that god speaks to satan, he speaks for the sake of adam and eve; that they may hear this judgment of god upon him and may comfort themselves, by thus hearing and seeing that god is the adversary to the nature of him, who had inflicted such a wound on man. for out of these very words of god to satan, there begin to shine forth grace and mercy; yea, out of the very midst of that anger, which sin and disobedience had so righteously kindled. it is here in the very midst of the heaviest threatenings, that the mind of the father discloses itself; of a father, not so angry as to cast away his son, but holding out salvation, yea, promising victory over that enemy, who had thus deceived and conquered human nature. for though both had sinned in the fall, satan especially, and man through satan, yet the judgments now pronounced upon satan and upon man are widely different. god does not join them together in one and the same punishment, as he might righteously have done. he makes the widest distinction between them. for although he is angry with man also, who obeyed the enemy of god, disregarding god himself, yet the divine indignation against satan is by far the greater. satan god plainly convicts and condemns in the sight of adam and eve, so that adam and eve, from this very condemnation of their enemy, might have a little time to recover their breath; and might feel how much more blessed their condition was than that of satan. the first part of the great consolation here graciously given lies in this: that the serpent was accused and cursed and together with the serpent satan also, for adam and eve's sake. not so much for satan's judgment and damnation, as for adam and eve's comfort and salvation. wherefore, by this judgment of satan that sun of consolation, which had been just before hidden as it were behind the darkness of certain heavy clouds, now rises above those clouds and shines with its most heavenly light on the affrighted hearts of adam and eve. for they not only do not hear themselves cursed, as the serpent was, but they hear god declare, that he has put them into the ranks of a constituted army against their condemned foe; and that too with the hope of an almighty help, which the son of god the seed of the woman should bring unto them. by this therefore the remission of their sins and their full reception into grace were plainly revealed to adam and eve; who were thus perfectly freed from their sin and guilt, redeemed from death, and delivered from hell and from all those terrors under which they were utterly sinking in the sight of god. such is the great consolation which arises from the fact so carefully to be observed by the godly, that god did not curse adam and eve as he did the serpent. all that god did to adam and eve was to put them into an army of continual battle with this enemy, that they might not live a life of ease and indolence. this very thing therefore turned out for the good of man. but the chief part of the great consolation here vouchsafed was, that although this enemy should ever war by subtlety and snares, yet that a seed should be born, which should bruise the serpent's head. for hereby is set forth the final destruction of the tyranny of satan; although that tyranny will never come to its end without a most terrible conflict; a conflict which must be fought out by man. but only reflect how unequal the conflict is; it is the "heel" only of the man that is in danger; his head is safe and invincible. on the other hand, it is not the tail nor the belly, but the "head" itself of the serpent that is to be bruised and crushed under foot by the seed of the woman. and this victory is given also to us all; as christ plainly declares when he says, that after the strong man armed shall have been overcome the spoils shall be divided. for the christian is by faith at once made conqueror over sin, the law and death; so that the very gates of hell cannot prevail against him. this first great consolation therefore our first parents and their posterity searched into and learned with all diligence, as being the original fountain and the fountain head as it were of all the promises. for they saw, that had they been left without this promise the blessing of generation would have indeed remained with men, as with all other animals of the creation, but it would have been only a begetting and a being born unto death. that great blessing bestowed of god upon human nature is here highly increased, yea, consecrated; seeing that the hope hereby added to the blessing of generation, is such that through it the head of satan shall be utterly crushed; and that not only his tyranny shall be destroyed but that human nature itself, thus made subject to death through sin, shall attain unto eternal life. for moses is now no longer dealing in his narrative with the natural serpent; he is now speaking of the devil, whose "head" is formed of death and sin; as christ describes him when he says, john 8:44, that he was "a murderer from the beginning, and a liar, and the father of it." therefore, whenever and wherever his power is destroyed; that is, when sin and death are taken away by christ, what remains but that the children of god shall be saved! it was in this manner therefore that adam and eve understood this text and comforted themselves against sin and despair by the revealed hope of this future crushing of the serpent's head, by christ, the seed of the woman. and through this, their hope in the promise thus given unto them, they shall also rise again at the last day unto life eternal. v. 15b. _he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel._ who is not filled with wonder, yea, rather with execration, at the malicious design of satan in having attempted to transfer this divine text, so full and running over with consolation concerning the son of god, to the virgin mary! for in all the latin bibles, the pronoun _ipse_ is put in the feminine gender _ipsa_, "_she_ shall bruise." and lyra, who was by no means unacquainted with the hebrew language, was carried away by this error as by the violence of an overflowing and resistless stream into the same impious interpretation; so that in the face of its plain meaning, he interpreted the passage as applying to the blessed virgin; making her the person, by whom the power of satan should be broken through the mediation of her son. and he applies to the virgin also that passage in the song, "thou art terrible as an army with banners." and, although lyra professes to hold this interpretation of the present passage as received from others, yet his sin is great in not refuting it. many afterwards followed him. and all the more recent interpreters have perverted this most holy passage to serve idolatry, finding no one to stop or resist them. all this however has arisen either from the ignorance or negligence of the rulers in the church. because these did not set themselves against idolatry, sound doctrine was by degrees suppressed and became extinct. and since we have now by the blessing of god restored the sound doctrine, these disgraceful beasts, given to serve the belly, plainly show that they care not for religion, but for their own benefices only. and because such idolatry promotes the interests of these men, they even show their indignation at people being taught the truth. but these blind beings do not see that the gospel is a doctrine of the divine nature, that those who receive it lose nothing by it but their sins and eternal death; and that they gain in their stead deliverance from all idolatry and from the dominion of satan. wherefore let us render thanks to god that we have this passage also restored to its full integrity. not that thereby any honor due to mary might be taken from her, but that all idolatry might be shut out. for as to men saying that mary crushed all the power of satan by giving birth to christ; if that be the true state of the case does not that same honor belong equally to all the other women who preceded mary in the same line of genealogy? nay, a part of this same honor pertains to all the husbands also in mary's line and to all her ancestors. for had she not descended from all these as her forefathers, she herself could not have had existence. for she was born by marriage according to the common order of nature. if mary, by the act of giving birth to her son, bruised the head of satan, all the ancestors of mary must of necessity be ranked in the same degree of dignity and honor. the scripture however teaches us very differently, when it says that christ "died for our sins and rose again for our justification," rom. 4:25; and when it said, "behold the lamb of god, which taketh away the sin of the world!" john 1:29. wherefore let the blessed virgin hold her place of due honor, as the woman whom god adorned with that high privilege above all other women, that she as a virgin should bring forth the son of god. this honor however ought by no means so to be bestowed upon her, as in any way to take from her son, our lord, the glory of our redemption and of our deliverance from sin and death. moreover, the peculiar expression of the holy scripture in this passage is most carefully to be held and guarded by us, as affording a truly wonderful light which opens unto us the depth of the divine goodness, revealed to us in the present sacred text; where we are taught concerning that enmity which god put between the serpent and the woman; such an enmity that the seed of the woman should crush the serpent with all his powers. this crushing, satan perfectly understood at the time, and therefore it is that to this day he rages with so much hatred against our human nature. adam and eve on the contrary, raised up by the promise of this crushing, conceived the hope of their restoration in all its fulness. and being thus filled with faith they saw that their salvation would assuredly be god's peculiar care; seeing that god had expressly testified, that the male seed of the woman should utterly defeat and crush this their enemy. for the words are divinely put together with a wonderful emphasis. iii. the divine expression here is, "i will put enmity between thy seed and her seed." as if god had said, thou, satan, by means of the woman didst attack and seduce the man that thou mightest by means of sin be the head and lord over them. i therefore in like manner will execute my secret purposes against thee by means of the very same instrument. i will take hold of the woman, and by her i will produce a seed; and that seed shall bruise thy head. thou by means of sin didst corrupt and make subject to death the flesh of the human nature. i will produce from that same flesh such a man, who shall crush and utterly defeat both thee and all thy powers. by these divine words therefore both the promise and the threat were expressed with the most perfect plainness. and yet they were most obscure. for they left the devil in such a state of doubt and suspense that he held under suspicion all the women which brought forth from that time, fearing lest they should give birth to this seed; though one woman only was designed to be the mother of this blessed offspring. therefore as the divine threatening was expressed in a general term, "her seed," satan was so mocked thereby that he feared this seed from every woman who brought forth. in the same proportion, on the other hand, the faith of all mankind was confirmed. for, from the hour in which the divine promise was made, all men expected that promised seed, and comforted themselves against satan. hence it was that eve, when she brought forth her first-born, cain, hoped that she had now "gotten" that bruiser of the head of satan. and though she was deceived in that hope, yet she saw that the promised seed would assuredly at length be born at some time or other from her posterity. and thus, with respect to all mankind also, this promise was most clear and at the same time most obscure. isaiah threw some additional light upon this glorious promise when he said, "behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son," is. 7:14. for it was then made certain that this seed would not be born from the union of a man and a woman. but the prophet added certain other particulars, by which he still involved his prophecy in obscurity. in such obscurity therefore this most clear promise still remained until mary had brought forth her son. of this birth then angels themselves were witnesses; and after the angels the shepherds and the wise men; until this birth was proclaimed abroad by the apostles, throughout the whole world. this obscurity therefore tended to increase the concern and suspense of satan to the highest degree. as it had been said, "i will put enmity between thee and the woman;" so satan suspected and held as his enemy every woman alike, who gave birth to a child from the time that word was spoken until christ was revealed. on the other hand, with respect to man, this same obscurity increased and strengthened his faith. though each woman saw that she was not the mother who gave birth to this seed, yet they all believed and were fully assured that this seed would be born from some other woman. god having thus spoken individually or personally, if i may so express it, that very manner of expression tended most effectually to mock and rack satan, and to console the godly and to raise them to faith and hope. thus women continued to bring forth until the flood; and afterwards also, until the time of mary. but the seed of none of those women could truly be said to be the seed of the woman, but might rather be said to have been the seed of the man. but that which was born from mary was conceived of the holy ghost and was the true seed of mary, the appointed woman. this the other promises also testify, which were made to abraham and to david; according to which promises christ was called "the son of abraham" and "the son of david." the meaning of the original promise here given isaiah first revealed, when he prophesied "that a virgin should conceive and bear a son," is. 7:14. afterwards, a clearer explanation and confirmation of it was made by the angel in the new testament. wherefore i doubt not that there were many saints under the old testament, who did not understand this mystery, but who nevertheless fully expected that christ would be born into this world of a woman, and that he would be the deliverer of the human race; though they knew not what would be the particular manner and circumstances of his birth. with this general knowledge they were content and by this knowledge they were saved; even though they knew not the manner in which christ would be conceived and born. for this knowledge was reserved for the new testament to reveal, as by the clearer and brighter light. and it was set forth in the first age of the church with a greater obscurity, purposely on account of satan, whom god willed to be mocked and racked in this manner that he might thereby have less rest and be more filled with fear on every side. wherefore after this great original promise had been thus set forth generally in the beginning and had by degrees been more circumstantially particularized, and then confined to the seed of abraham; and further restricted by means of the patriarch jacob to a certain tribe, the tribe of judah; after this the devil became unconcerned about other peoples and tribes, and persecuted this one line of generation with marvelous cruelties and stratagems; until about the time of christ it had been reduced to the extremest poverty and had become a hopeless trunk-root, from which no one could hope for either fruit or leaves. and hence it is that the scriptures term that line of succession a "stem" or bare root as it were of jesse, is. 11:1, signifying thereby a decaying trunk from which nothing whatever could be expected. this hatred and this fury of satan are the effects produced on him, which the lord here predicts, when he warns the serpent of the enmity which he had put between his seed and the seed of the woman. for satan primarily sought this seed of the woman with hostile hatred, through all the peoples, families and lines throughout the whole world. when the promise was transferred to abraham and restricted to his posterity, we see from history by what various means satan attempted to hinder its fulfilment. and when this glorious promise was further transferred to the line of judah and restricted to that tribe, we behold with what horrible calamities it was oppressed and agitated, until at length it seemed to be wholly subverted and eradicated. so that at the time of the birth of christ poor mary was living at a long distance from jerusalem in the little and insignificant town of nazareth, and jerusalem itself was possessed and governed by wicked heathen. wherefore most correctly and beautifully was this tribe of judah compared to a dead and hopeless "stem" of jesse. but as god cannot lie, this "root," so much decayed and despaired of, at length blossomed forth. satan however did not even then cease from his cruelty, hatred and enmity against the seed of the woman. while he lay in the cradle satan sought him out by the instrumentality of herod. so that the new-born christ was compelled to live among the gentiles in egypt. after this also, satan adopted and tried all possible means to destroy him, until finding him and seizing him, he threw him into the hands of the jews and nailed him to the cross. no! nor could his inexhaustible hatred be satisfied even then. he feared him even as he lay in the tomb, so desperate was the enmity which was "put" between him and the son of god! nay, even now, when satan sees the seed of the woman sitting at the right hand of god, and, according to the old proverb, "out of gun-shot," he vents his fury in every possible way against his church and the poor helpless members of his body. of all these sufferings and perils the clauses of the divine passage now before us were prophecies. from these same words nevertheless, in meditating upon which we ought to employ our whole souls, we derive a confidence in the son of god, that he will bruise satan utterly. but to return to the text. this promise, as i have already said, is at the same time most clear and yet most obscure. for since god, as i have also observed, here uses the expression, "the seed of the woman" generally, he does it that he might cause all women alike to be suspected by satan, and that he might thus rack the serpent with perpetual suspense and dread. the expression therefore is a wonderful _synecdoche_, "condensation of instruction." it bears a general reference to all individual women, and yet contains a direct reference to one individual woman only, to mary and to her seed, who was to become a mother without any intercourse with the male sex. for god, i repeat, thus willed all women to be suspected by satan, while on the other hand he willed that a most sure hope should be left to the godly, which should lead them to expect this salvation from all parents until in the fullness of time the true mother should be revealed. as therefore the first clause of the passage, "i will put enmity between thee and the woman," refers to all women in general; so this second clause, "her seed" refers, with a special individually, if i may so express myself, to that seed which should be born of mary, of the tribe of judah, who was espoused unto joseph. this text therefore contains that glorious promise which revived adam and eve and raised them again from death unto that life, which they had lost by their sin; though the life to which they were thus raised again was rather a life hoped for than a life possessed; as paul also frequently speaks when he uses the language, "we die daily." for although we do not wish to call the life which we live here death, yet it is in truth nothing more or less than a continual living on to death. for as he who is infected with a pestilential and fatal disease begins to die from the moment of his infection; so from the moment this life of ours is infected by sin, it can no longer properly be called life on account of that sin and death, its sure punishment. for we begin to die even from our mother's womb. but by baptism we are restored to the life of hope, or rather to the hope of life. for this is the true life, which we live, before god, in our renewed state. before we come unto that life, we are in the midst of death. we are ever dying and rotting on the earth like other carcasses are; as if there were no life at all in us. but we who believe in christ possess a hope that we shall be raised again at the last day unto the life eternal. it was in this manner also that adam was raised again from his state of death by sin through this promise, thus spoken by the lord. not that he was raised to a perfect life; for he did not as yet regain that life which he had lost. but he conceived in his soul a hope of that perfect life, when he heard that the tyranny of satan was thus to be bruised and destroyed. under the divine mind and promise, declared in this text therefore, is included redemption from the law, from sin and from death. and by the same text is set forth the plain and certain hope of resurrection from the dead, and of being called into another life after the present. for if the "head" of the serpent is to be destroyed, most certainly death is to be destroyed also; and if death is to be destroyed, with equal certainty that which deserveth death, namely, sin, is also to be abolished. and if sin is to be abolished, so also is the law; and not only so, but that obedience which was lost is to be restored. and as all these things are promised through this seed of the woman, it is perfectly manifest, as a natural consequence, that human nature since the fall can neither take away sin by any powers of its own nor escape death, the just punishment of sin, nor regain the obedience to god, which it has lost by the sin of the fall. for all these things require a greater power, a mightier strength than is possessed by man. hence it was absolutely necessary that the son of god should become a victim or sacrifice for us, that by the offering of himself he might accomplish all these things for us; that he might take away sin, swallow up death and restore unto us the obedience which we had lost. all these treasures therefore we do possess in christ, but in hope. thus adam, and thus eve, lived and conquered by this hope. and in the same manner all believers live and conquer, by the same hope, and will so live and conquer until the last day. death is indeed a horrible and invincible tyrant; but the divine power thus makes that, which is in all things horrible, nothing; just as the same power of god made out of that which was nothing all things. for only behold adam and eve. they were filled with sins and with death. but as soon as they heard the divine promise concerning the seed of the woman, which should bruise the serpent's "head," they were comforted by the same hope which comforts us, that death shall be destroyed, and sin shall be abolished, and that righteousness and life and peace shall be restored. in this hope did our first parents live and die, and on account of that hope they were truly holy and righteous. in the same hope do we also live. and when we come to die, we hold fast this hope of eternal life for christ's sake, which hope the word always sets before us, while it commands us to trust in the merits of christ. but in vain do we expect to attain unto that perfection in this life, that we should be altogether righteous, that we should love god perfectly and that we should love our neighbor as ourselves. we do indeed begin and make progress, but sin which is in our members ever wars against us and is ever present; so that it ever mars or altogether prevents this our obedience. as therefore this life of ours, on account of the death within us and before us, may truly be called a death; so righteousness is altogether buried under our sins. it is in hope therefore alone that we hold fast life and righteousness, as things altogether hidden from our sight, but which will be revealed in their time. meanwhile our life is a life in the midst of death; and yet, in the midst of this death, we hold fast the hope of life by the teaching, commanding and promising spirit of god. this consolation is blessedly set forth in, ps. 68:2, "he that is our god is the god of salvation; and unto god the lord belong the issues from death." for we ascribe to our god the great glory that he not only helps us in this temporal life, as the devil sometimes stands by his worshippers, as is manifest from numberless examples among the heathen; but the glory which belongs to our god, is that "to the lord our god belong the issues from death;" that he delivers from death those who are oppressed thereby on account of their sins and translates them into eternal life, col. 1:13. and our god does this as moses here teaches us by crushing the "head" of the serpent. in this part of the divine history of moses therefore we have adam and eve restored, not indeed perfectly into that life which they had lost, but into the hope of that life, by which hope they have escaped, not indeed the first taste of that death, but the whole eternal substance of it. that is, although their flesh was sentenced to suffer and was compelled to suffer a temporal or momentary taste of death, yet, on account of the promised son of god, who should crush the head of the devil, they hoped for a resurrection of the flesh and a life eternal after the temporal death of the flesh, which hope we also have. next follows the other part of this divine speech, in which god first threatens her temporal punishment to the woman and then to the man his temporal punishment also. part v. the punishment inflicted on our first parents. i. v. 16. _unto the woman he said, i will greatly multiply thy pain and thy conception; in pain thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee._ this is the punishment which was inflicted on the woman; but a punishment full indeed of joy and gladness, because it varied not in the least from the sentence just before pronounced on satan. for seeing that the glorious promise still remained that the head of the serpent should be crushed, there was a sure hope of a resurrection from death. and whatever is imposed on man as the punishment of his sin is possible to be borne, because this hope remains to him firm and sure. and this is the reason the holy scriptures are so very careful not to say anything in the punishment of the woman, which should be contrary to or at all militate against the sentence just before pronounced against the serpent. god did indeed impose a punishment on the woman, but he still left her the hope of a resurrection and of a life eternal. the death which she had deserved by her sin god transferred on the other and less honorable part of man, namely, on the flesh; that the spirit might live, because of righteousness through faith as the apostle says, rom. 8:10, "the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is life because of righteousness." the woman therefore is subject to death as to the flesh, but as to the hope set before her she is free from death. for that divine word, by which god threatens the devil with the "bruising of his head," remains ever sure to her. the animal life therefore hath, as here declared, its cross and its death; as paul also said, "the natural body dies, but is raised a spiritual body," 1 cor. 15:44. so also in this natural or animal life there remains marriage, and the woman experiences those punishments on account of her sin, which the lord here inflicts upon her; that from the time of her conception and at the time of giving birth and rearing children, she endures various pains and perils all that part of her life which she lives in a child-bearing state. all these evils and sorrows however pertain to the animal life or to the flesh itself only. but there remains to her all the while the hope here given her of a spiritual and eternal life after this present life. this punishment of the woman therefore, if we truly and rightly consider the whole matter, is in its holy reality a glad and joyful punishment. for although the righteous burdens imposed are painful to the flesh to bear, yet by means of these very burdens and punishment, her hope of a better and eternal life is actually strengthened. for eve on the present critical occasion hears in the first place that she was not cast off of god for her sin. and in the next place she is not by her punishment deprived of that blessing of generation and fruitfulness which was promised to her and freely given to her of god before her sin. she sees that she still retains her sex; that she is still a woman! she sees that she is not separated from her adam, to remain and live alone, separated from her husband. she sees that the glory of maternity is still left her; she may still be a mother! and all these blessings of this present natural life are left to her, in addition to that promised hope of life eternal. this multitude of mercies, which was still reserved for her, no doubt wonderfully revived and gladdened the mind of eve. nay, a greater and more real glory still awaited her; she not only retained the blessing of fruitfulness and of continuing in marriage union with her husband, but she possessed also the sure promise that from her should come that seed which should "bruise the head" of satan. eve therefore, without doubt, in this her most sad experience, for sad it must have appeared to her, had yet her bosom filled with joy. and it is very likely that she consoled her adam with words like these: "i have sinned. but only see how merciful a god we have! what large blessings, both temporal and spiritual, has he still left to us sinners. wherefore, we women will cheerfully bear this labor and this sorrow of conceiving and bringing forth children, and of obeying you, our husbands. this is indeed fatherly anger! for we have still remaining also the promise that the 'head' of our enemy shall be 'crushed;' and promise that we shall be raised again unto another life after the death of our flesh through our redeemer. the greatness of all these blessings and this infinite multitude of benefits far surpass whatever of curse or punishment our father has been pleased to lay upon us." these and like conversations adam and eve, no doubt, often held together to alleviate their temporal sorrows. in this same manner also, ought we to contemplate the unspeakable treasures we possess in our hope of the life to come and by such meditations ought we to lessen the troubles of the flesh. this is what we find the apostle paul doing, 2 cor. 4:17, 18, "for our light affliction, which is for the moment, worketh for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal." now tell me if all the temporal afflictions which may be laid on them, will not be borne resignedly and patiently by those persons who are enabled to lay hold of the hope of future glory and to believe in god, here promising the "crushing of the serpent's head," and who can moreover look upon those temporal blessings which remain to us; that our lord hath given us this whole world to enjoy, and that he has given us wives, homes and children, and has preserved all things to us and increases them by his blessing? and will they not say, "that is not the anger of a judge nor a tyrant, but of a father!" on the other hand however, they will behold the anger of the judge falling upon the serpent. in his case there is not only no deliverance promised, but a certain "crushing of his head" foretold. and this anger of the judge satan felt at the time, and he feels it still. and it is on this very account that he rages with such great and unceasing fury against the church and the son of god, until the last day shall come. the divine threatening therefore in this passage where the lord threatens eve with the sure punishments of her sin, was indeed a heavy threatening. but out of the midst of those very punishments there beamed forth unspeakable mercy. and this mercy so revived and strengthened eve that she rejoiced with a heart full of gladness, even in the midst of her sorrows. and as to ourselves we feel how necessary these punishments are to crucify and keep under the flesh. for how could we be humbled if our nature were not pressed down to the earth with burdens like these? eve therefore experienced and every woman of her station and duty must experience these sure calamities. these sorrows must be multiplied unto all women. they must both conceive in sorrow and bring forth in sorrow. it is moreover worthy of observation, that the hebrew expression here used is rab, which signifies both a continuous and distinct quantity; conveying to us the thought that these great and many and various sorrows, thus righteously inflicted on eve, were such as she would not have had to endure, if she had not fallen by sin; and the expression also implies the sorrows and punishments inflicted particularly on conception and childbirth. this same expression signifies by its implied meaning the whole of that time, "conception," during which the child is borne in the womb, which time is afflicted with great and various weaknesses, pains and diseases. the head, the stomach, the general health and the appetites are variously and greatly affected. and after the child is matured and the birth is at hand, the greatest sorrow of all is endured; and the child is not born without great peril even of life. when the heathen and those who have no knowledge of god or of his works see these things, they take such offence at them that they form the conclusion that, on account of these various troubles, it is not becoming a wise man to marry at all. and true it is that the female sex is far more deeply humbled and afflicted, and bears a punishment far more heavy and severe than men. for what sufferings of the body, equal to those we just described, does man endure? but by marriage the husband does take upon himself as it were a part of these punishments of original sin; for the husband cannot see his wife endure all this pain and sorrow without much distress in himself. so that many wicked men prefer living a life of profligacy to a life of marriage. against such wicked sentiments as these the godly will arm and console themselves; and by true wisdom will set against these evils the certain and far greater blessings which attend the married life. hence the ancient heathen poet pindar, in his ode to hiero, king of syracuse, condemns this perverseness in ignorant men. though god, says he, is ever wont so to dispense his benefits as to leave some evil intermingled with them, yet none but the wise and good can carry themselves aright under them. for they adorn their prosperity; and under its bright colors they hide the adversity which they endure, setting their prosperity ever foremost to be seen of men: "to one good thing, two evil things, the gods appoint. fools know not how to adorn their ills. but wise men do: making the worst, to wear the best appearance." pind. _pyth. ode_ iii. 145-150. and this is what the godly ought ever to do in this their solemn case. the punishments, to which women are subject on account of the sin of the fall, are indeed great. but is there not in marriage a blessing which infinitely surpasses all the punishments of original sin with which it is afflicted? have not those who are married in the midst of their great troubles that sure hope of immortality and eternal life which comes to them through the seed of the woman! nay, the troubles and trials themselves of marriage are not without their benefit. they all tend to break down and humble our nature, which cannot be humbled without the cross. and in the third place there is left to be enjoyed in these great bodily afflictions the peculiar glory of motherhood: that high blessing of the womb! this was a blessing which even the wise among the heathen so greatly admired and so loudly lauded. and other good gifts of marriage also remain to us and are enjoyed by us. we are borne in the womb of our mothers, we suck their breasts, we are nursed, we are nourished, and by the devoted attention and care of our mothers we are preserved in infancy and childhood. to view the great and solemn matter of marriage thus, is "to set our blessings in their fairest light." this is not to look at our evils only, but to delight ourselves in the benefits and the great blessing of god in his holy ordinance of marriage; and under those benefits and that blessing, to sink out of sight the various punishments, corruptions, pains and afflictions by which it is compassed. but the godly alone understand these things and do them. they alone view marriage aright. they alone give honor unto women, as unto the weaker vessel; because they see them to be their companions of immortality as well as of mortality, and as being heirs together with them of the inheritance in heaven. the godly moreover behold them highly honored of the lord by the blessing and the glory of motherhood. by them we are conceived, from them we are born, by them we are nursed in infancy. and for myself i have often contemplated with wonder and delight the peculiar adaptation of the female body for nursing infants. how aptly, becomingly and gracefully, do even little girls carry infants in their bosom? and with what appropriate gestures do mothers dandle their infants, especially when the crying babe is to be pacified or quieted so as to be laid in the cradle? only tell a man to do these same things and he will set about it as an elephant would attempt to dance; so awkward are his motions, if he has only to touch a babe with his finger, to say nothing about all those other offices and attentions which a mother only can perform. whoever therefore rightly views and estimates the sacred matter of marriage will receive all these offices and services of the woman as signs and proofs of the blessing of the lord, by which god testifies that the female sex, though thus severely punished on account of their original sin, are very dear to him and his peculiar care. wherefore let these meditations suffice concerning the first part of the divine curse on the original sin of eve. the other part of the curse lies in the particulars of the marriage union. if eve had not sinned, her childbirth would not only have been without any pain, but even her union with her husband would have been most pure and utterly free from all shame. there would have been no more shame attached to those connubial circumstances than there is in a man's taking his meal with his wife and conversing with her at the dinner-table. the bringing up of children also would have been most easy and full of pleasure. but all these blessings were lost by the sin of the fall, and in their place are endured by the woman all those too well-known evils of pain and labor in carrying the child, bringing it forth and bringing it up. wherefore just as a graceful maiden weaves a beautiful chaplet from the flowers of the garden and bears it on her head, not only without any molestation but with the greatest pleasure and the greatest pride; so, if eve had not sinned, she would have borne her child in her womb not only free from distress or inconvenience, but with the utmost pleasure and pride. whereas now, in addition to all those pains of bearing the child and giving it birth, she has rendered herself subject to the power of her husband; while before she was wholly free and in no sense inferior to the man, and was an equal partaker of all the endowments bestowed by god on him. this then is the punishment of the woman, which righteously fell upon her as the consequence of original sin, which she bears quite as unwillingly as she does those pains and troubles, righteously imposed on her flesh in child-bearing. wherefore the rule and government of all things remain in the power of the husband whom the wife according to the command of god is bound to obey. the husband rules the house, governs the state politic, conducts wars, defends his own property, cultivates the earth, builds, plants, etc. the woman on the other hand as a nail driven into the wall sits at home. hence it is that the apostle paul calls women oikourous, "keepers at home," titus 2:5. for this same reason the ancients represented venus sitting on a shell; because as the shell-fish always carries its shell with it, so the woman ought always to be constantly at home attending to her domestic affairs; as one deprived of the right of governing outside of her house and in public, and as one whose duty is never to go beyond her own most private and domestic concerns in the matter of government. had eve therefore stood in the truth she would not only have been free from all subjection to the rule of the man, but she herself also would have been an equal partaker of government, which now belongs to men alone. women however are generally impatient of this burden and by nature aim at the assumption of that, which by their sin they have lost; and when they can do nothing more they at least show their unwillingness to bear the yoke by a murmur of discontent. whereas they are not competent to undertake the management of men's affairs, of teaching, ruling, etc. of bearing children, and of feeding, nursing and bringing up their offspring they are capable. in this manner therefore was eve punished; and all womankind endure the same curse. but, as i have before said, this very punishment is a joyful one, if you look at the hope of eternal life which springs from her seed, out of the midst of her child-bearing pains; and if you consider also the glory of maternity or motherhood left to her. ii. v. 17. _and unto adam he said, "because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which i commanded thee, saying, thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life."_ the husband was last in the transgression, 1 tim. 2:14, and therefore the punishment is inflicted on him last. but the lord threatens no punishment to the man here in generation. god makes no mention of the pains of generation in his case. therefore the punishment of the husband lies in the fury of lust, inflamed by the poison of satan throughout his whole body, but without the pains of the woman. his duties as husband however are laden with punishment. for, as it belongs to the man to feed, to rule, to guide and to educate his family, those duties cannot be performed by him without great trouble and distress nor without the hardest labors. the duty laid of god upon the woman is to obey her husband; but with what difficulty is this very performance of her duty obtained! i say nothing about the rule of the man over others, who are not of his immediate family and household. hence it was that the philosophers of old were led to wonder from what cause in nature it could possibly arise that men could govern any wild beast more easily than rule their fellowmen. this is the ground of xenophon's complaint, when he says, "it is easier to manage any other animal than to rule man." the duties of a husband indeed are great and noble, which are to cultivate the earth and to perform any other work by which his wife and children may be supported to rule his house and family; to govern states and kingdoms; and to teach and instruct those of his own house and others also unto godliness and moral duties. all these noble duties however are always attended with their punishment of original sin. they cannot be performed without the greatest distress, of which we have examples before our eyes daily. first of all on account of the sin of adam himself the earth is cursed. for the expression the latin translation renders "in thy work," _in opere tuo_, is in the original hebrew baaburecha, "for thy sake," _propter te_. the latin interpreter was deceived by the similarity of the letters. he read the hebrew as being baabudecha. for abad signifies "to cultivate the earth" or "to till the ground." from this it appears how awful the calamity of sin is, seeing that even the earth, which is innocent in itself and committed no sin, is nevertheless compelled to bear sin's curse; and as the apostle paul expresses it, rom. 8:20, 21, is "made subject to vanity," from which however it shall be delivered in the last day and for which also it waits in earnest expectation, verse 19. for pliny calls the earth "a kind, gentle and indulgent mother and also a perpetual handmaid of service to mankind." and yet as the apostle paul here shows, this kind earth herself is compelled to bear her curse also. in the first place, because she does not bear those good things for man and beast which she would have borne had man not fallen; and in the next place, because she does bear many hurtful things, which but for man's sin she would not have borne, such as the destructive weeds, darnel, tares, nettles, thorns, thistles, etc., to which may be added, poison, noxious reptiles and other like hurtful things, brought into the creation by sin. for my own part i entertain no doubt that before the sin of the fall the air was more pure and healthful, the water more wholesome and fructifying, and the light of the sun more bright and beautiful. so that the whole creation as it now is reminds us in every part of the curse inflicted on it, on account of the sin of the fall. yet some remnants of the original blessing of god still rest upon it; in that being compelled as it were to do so by the hard labor of man, it still continues to produce things necessary for our use, although those very things are impeded and deformed by briers and thorns; that is, by useless and noxious trees, bushes and weeds, which the divine anger ceases not to sow among them. this original curse moreover was afterwards greatly increased by the deluge, when all the good trees were rooted up and destroyed, barren sands accumulated and both noxious herbs and beasts multiplied. in those very places where adam before his sin used to walk among the most fruitful trees, over most fertile meadows and in the midst of roses and flowers of every kind, there nettles and briers, and other annoying plants abound; and in such quantities that the good and useful plants are well nigh choked by them. only look at the field now just prepared by the plow for receiving the seed; no sooner is that seed sown than immediately there spring up the destructive darnel and the tares, which grow even faster than the fruits which are for the use and nourishment of life. and if the former were not plucked up by the constant care and toil of the husbandman, they would daily grow to such an extent that these very destructive weeds of the curse would choke the good seed altogether. the earth herself indeed is innocent and would of its own free nature bring forth all things which are the best and most excellent. but she is prevented from doing so by the curse inflicted on man for his sin. as therefore woman endures the punishment of sin in her body, a punishment she is mercifully enabled to bear, with which she is afflicted in the bringing forth of children; so the husband has to endure his punishment in the government of his household; while, with all kinds of difficulty, labor and distress, he rules his house and provides for his family. and justly so; for it was on his own account that the field was cursed. whereas before he sinned no part of the earth was either barren or corrupt, but all places in it were marvelously fertile and productive; but now, on the contrary, not only is it in many parts entirely barren, but even those parts, which are otherwise fruitful, are deformed and defiled with tares, weeds, briers and thorns. and this calamity is indeed great, and might well drive adam himself and us all to choose strangling rather than life. but the whole mighty evil is rendered endurable by the promise of the woman's "seed," by which the punishment of eternal death, which is infinitely greater than all this punishment of life, is wholly taken out of the way. that which next follows, "in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life," are words quite easy to understand. for who knows not how laborious the life of an husbandman is. it is not enough that he prepare the ground for receiving the seed, which is attended with great and various labor; but even when the corn is yet in the blade, each single day almost demands of him its necessary labor and toil; not to mention those almost infinite hindrances of weather, noxious vermin, etc., all which greatly augment his pain, labor and suffering. whereas before the sin of the fall, not only were there no such evils and hindrances in existence, but the earth, had adam not sinned, would have brought forth all things quicker than the hope or expectation of man, as it were, "unsown and unplowed." moreover this calamity, which sin brought into the creation, was in many respects lighter and more tolerable in their state before the flood than in the condition of the world which followed. in the antediluvian state of the curse no other mention is made than of thorns, and thistles, and labor, and sweat; but now we experience numberless other additional evils. how many diseases and pestilential injuries are inflicted on the standing corn, on the plants of pulse, on trees, and finally on all the productions of the earth? how many evils are wrought by destructive birds and noxious caterpillars? add to these evils, extremes of cold and frost, thunderings, lightnings, excessive wet, winds, rivers bursting their banks, fissures of the earth, earthquakes, etc. of none of these is any mention made in the state of things under the curse before the deluge. my firm belief is therefore that as the sins of men increased the punishments of those sins increased also; and that all such punishments and evils were added to the original curse of the earth. if however any one should think that moses embraced all these latter evils, in his expression of the divine curse, "cursed is the ground for thy sake," i certainly will not contend with him. but no one surely can deny that all these evils and punishments increased as the sins of men increased. in the same manner, as in the present day, we experience more frequent calamities befalling the fruits of the earth than in former times. for the world degenerates and grows worse and worse every day. most plainly therefore may we here trace the evidences that all these increased calamities were inflicted on adam as an instruction to him in the first age of the world that an increasedly severe discipline was necessary. but by degrees this discipline, down to the times of noah, gradually became loosened and men began to live more dissolutely and wickedly, until at length the earth was filled with violence, injustice and tyranny. and then it was necessary that either heavier or more frequent punishments should be inflicted; just as severer diseases require severer remedies. when therefore in the time of noah the whole earth had been deluged by the flood and every living creature except a few souls, had been utterly destroyed, the age which immediately succeeded that of noah lived without doubt in the fear of god. but as years rolled on even these men became depraved, being corrupted by satan. so that an example more terrible in its nature still was necessary to be made; as is shown in the awful destruction of sodom and its neighboring cities, gen. 19:24. hence it is that the scripture says that it was necessary that the amorites should "fill up the measure of their iniquities," gen. 15:16. so also the whole synagogue of the jews, when it had fallen away into heathenism and open ungodliness, was utterly destroyed. in like manner also rome herself, as long as her ancient discipline stood sound and unrelaxed, mightily increased her power on every side; but when the storms of vice pressed hard upon her it became necessary that her punishments also should draw upon her more closely. about the time when the gospel began to be known among us in germany the age became somewhat moral and tolerable. but now, when the fear of god can scarcely be found, and when vices of every description increase daily, false prophets rising among us, what else can be expected than that, when we have filled up the measure of our iniquities, either the consummation of all things will overtake us or that germany will suffer the due punishment of her sins; so universally true is it that when sins increase, the punishments of them increase also. according to that which i have said concerning the calamities which rest upon all the productions of the earth; so my full belief also is that even the bodies of men, in the primã¦val ages of the world, were far more healthful than they are now. this is proved by that longevity, so incredible to us, which was enjoyed by the men of the primitive ages of the world before the flood. accordingly we do not find the lord pronounced in the present passage any threats on adam concerning apoplexy, or leprosy, or the scrofula, or any other of the destructive diseases. when i was a child the small-pox was unknown in germany. it was first known among us when i was about fifteen years of age. now however even infants in the cradle are attacked by it. when this disease first made its appearance it filled every one with dread. but now there is so little concern about it that friends often say to each other in a pleasant joke, "the smallpox take you!" so also, even unto this present age, the sweating disease has been a prevalent malady, or as medical men term it, an epidemic. for it is universally seen that as each country of the earth has its peculiar blessings, the countries are visited and afflicted with sure and corresponding calamities. but the disease to which i have referred made its first general appearance in those midland parts of germany, which were the farthest distant from the sea. and what is abhorrent to relate, some persons have serpent-like worms in their bowels, and worms even in their brain. these last diseases were utterly unknown, i think, to the physicians of old, who nevertheless enumerate nearly four hundred different kinds of disease. now if all these various diseases had existed in the first age of the world, how could adam and his descendants, down to the times of noah, have lived to such extremely old ages? wherefore moses, as i have said, here makes mention only of the barrenness of the earth and of the difficulty of man's procuring his bread. indeed if any one wishes to assume the orator and to display the copiousness and eloquence of his language, let him in opening the contents of the passages before us, enumerate all the diseases and evils of the human race, which are the consequences of sin. were he to commence that task, he would find a sea of calamities of every kind so boundless, that filled with awe and dread, he would be inclined to beg of god this one thing, that he might not be permitted to live even one hour in the midst of so many and mighty perils! but why do we dwell so long on these diseases only? all the creatures of god together as one mighty army are against us, and all but armed for our destruction. how many are there, whom the fire and the water destroy? how much peril threatens men from ferocious and venomous beasts and other noxious creatures? nor do they infest our bodies only, but our food of every kind, intended for our nourishment. not to mention that we ourselves also rush upon each other in hostile slaughter and murder. just as if there were not pestilences and destructions enough besides, which threatened us on every hand. and if you look at the general pursuits and objects of men, what is this life of ours but a daily scene of contention, deception, snare, rapine and murder? and all this in addition to those evils and calamities which hang over our heads from the external things we have mentioned. my belief is that all these things did not exist before the deluge; or, if they did exist, were not so numerous or so heavy and severe as they now are found to be. but as the sins of men increased, so as we have said their punishments have increased also. the calamities inflicted on adam therefore were light in comparison to those inflicted on us. for the nearer the world approaches its end, with the heavier punishments and calamities is it visited. to all this evil is added that greater evil still, that the more the world is stricken, the more it hardens its forehead and becomes stupefied as it were and insensible of its punishment altogether, as it is written in the proverbs, "they have stricken me, shalt thou say, and i was not hurt; they have beaten me, and i felt it not: when shall i awake? i will seek it yet again," prov. 23:35. this blindness and obduracy exceed all the above calamities of the body. is not our state then, i ask, marvelous and miserable? the traces of the wrath of god, which our sin has deserved, are first of all bound up as it were in our bodies; and next the same wrath of god is beheld resting on the earth and on all creatures, and yet all these awful evils are disregarded by us, and our minds are filled with security and indolent unconcern. for what are the thorns, what the thistles, what the water, what the fire, what the caterpillars, what the flies, what the fleas, what the bugs, what the lice; what, i say, are all these together and separately, but so many messengers which continually preach to us of sin and of the wrath of god on its account? for before sin entered into the world those living evils had no existence; or if they were in existence, they harmed not nor annoyed. wherefore to our full knowledge and sight we are in, and live in, more than egyptian darkness. for though all things around us remind us of the wrath of god continually, and are all but so many pricks in our eyes of admonition, we not only do not regard that wrath, but embrace this life and enjoy it as our only delight. in the same proportion therefore as sins are multiplied, and self-security increases, and men grow callous and insensible under their punishments, so those punishments themselves are multiplied, not only in this life but in that which is to come. i am here speaking of the wicked in this world. for if it were possible that men, when in hell, could possibly endure their punishments and torments in sensation only, without the consciousness at the same time that the punishments which they endured were just, such ignorance would render their torments more easy to be endured. just in the same way as we on earth will not acknowledge our punishments, and thus we harden ourselves as it were against grief. but in hell that insensibility which now prevents us from seeing our real misery will be wholly taken away, and all the doors of our senses will be unlocked, so that we shall not only feel the pains of our punishment in our body, but our mind itself will be filled with a sense of the wrath of god and with the confession that we have deserved the whole of that wrath by our wickedness. these are the feelings that will sharpen, and in an inconceivable degree augment the future torments of the wicked. v. 18a. _"thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee."_ here we are again reminded that the earth of itself brought forth no such thing; but only on account of the sin of adam, as moses had before expressly said, "for thy sake." wherefore as often as we see thorns and thistles; as often as we behold tares and other noxious weeds growing in our fields and in our garden, so often are we reminded as by certain signs of sin and the wrath of god. wherefore it is not only in churches that we hear ourselves accused of sin; every garden, every field and almost the whole creation is filled with such preachers and such monitors of our sin and of the wrath of god, which is brought down upon us on account of that sin. wherefore all prayer to the lord is necessary that he would take away from our eyes and from our hearts this marvelous insensibility; that being thus perpetually reminded of our sin, we may at length put off our self-security and walk in the fear of god. for by these various evidences of the curse of god, we are continually met, cast down and overwhelmed. this moses will now still more extensively set before us. he next says: v. 18b. _and thou shalt eat the herb of the field._ this is a new calamity. for above god had given unto man the sweetest and most delightful gifts; even that he should eat of all the trees of paradise except two only. the lord had also given him dominion over all fishes and over all that the whole earth produced, whether of fruits or of animals. but now all these blessings are taken from him, on account of the eaten fruit and nothing is left him but the herb of the field. and from this passage i believe it can be fully proved, that adam did not feed upon butter, or milk, or eggs, or cheese, or flesh, or even on apples or pears, etc., but on pot herbs and the seeds of certain herbs and plants only; such as peas, beans, millet, rice, wheat, flour, etc. where then were the splendor and luxury of the banquet at which adam feasted his friends, when he gave a daughter in marriage, or when he himself was present at the marriage of any of his sons; seeing that nothing was granted them of god, on which to feed but "the herb of the field?" such then was the frugal fare of the primitive age of the world. it consisted of the most common and simple food with water. now however a horrible luxury has overrun the whole present generation of men. they are not satisfied with collecting together flesh of every kind for the gratification of their appetites; but flesh of every kind is mixed with fish of every kind; spices also of every kind are used in addition. nay, the dissatisfied perverseness of nature is indulged to such an extent, that those things by nature sweet are rendered by various condiments bitter; and those by nature bitter are by the same means rendered sweet. what varieties prevail in our drink also! who would not consider himself made a laughing-stock, if he should see his host set before him water as his drink? nor are we content with beer, which is brewed at our own homes, nor with wines, made on our paternal estates. we even fetch them from beyond the sea. if our first father adam could return on earth, think you not that he would laugh at, or rather wonder at, this madness of appetite in his sons? why, he would avoid as poison those very things which we eat and drink with avidity and delight; and he would prefer to all these our dainties even rapes or turnips in their natural undressed state. in this passage frugality of living is commended to us. for we are here taught that our first parents, being thus righteously deprived of all other kinds of food, had nothing left for food but the herb of the field. these facts therefore ought to lead us not only to frugality, but also to patience; whenever we see others abounding in delicacies and dainties of every kind, while we ourselves have nothing but bread, salt and water. for our thoughts ought to be these: this is the punishment justly inflicted on adam. when he might have enjoyed, by the will, and command, and gift of god, the delicious fruits of every kind which grew in paradise; he was compelled with all his posterity to live on the common pot herbs, because of his disobedience. v. 19a. _in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread._ with what variety of expression and repetition does moses dwell on this labor and trouble, when he is declaring the manner in which the husband must labor and toil in feeding his family, defending his property and governing his house! and all these toils and troubles are far more difficult in our age on account of the perverseness of men, than they were "in the beginning." for we universally witness, even where the expectation of food is certain, with what difficulty a family are kept to their duty. nor was adam himself without his experience of this great evil. for even while he was ruling his family with all possible holiness, he witnessed murder committed by his son cain. i say nothing now about all other sorrows which a long life compels a man to see and bear in his posterity. this anxiety and toil therefore await the husband. he must endure this labor, which is neither pleasant nor successful. nor ought any one to be found who does not endure this sweat. hence, much more perilous is the life of the papists; all of whom abuse their wealth, obtained by the labor of others, to their own gratifications and indolence. but here a question has been raised, whether all men ought not to be husbandmen, or at least whether they ought not to devote themselves to manual labor? some did indeed thus foolishly contend at the beginning of the gospel among us. for they so abused this and other like passages of scripture, which command the labor of the hands, that the youth throwing aside their literary studies gave themselves up to manual employments; and carlstadt, the leader of these misguided ones, leaving his proper station in life, purchased a farm, and dug and cultivated his own land. for myself indeed if i could with a good conscience forsake my calling as a minister of the word, it would be far more easy and pleasant employment for me to be employed in cultivating my garden, digging with my spade and breaking the clods with my shovel, than to endure this hard labor, which i now undergo. for the toil of country laborers bears no proportion whatever to this our ministerial "sweat." wherefore their interpretation of this passage, who contend that manual labor only is the sweat here spoken of, is to be altogether rejected. the declaration of christ is perfectly plain upon this point who commands that those who teach in the word should enjoy the labors of others "and into whatsoever house ye shall enter, first say, peace be to this house. and in that same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give for the laborer is worthy of his hire," luke 10:5, 7. here the lord takes bread from the table of those who hear the word of god, and gives it to the teachers of the word. in the same way also paul speaks, when he says, "even so hath the lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel," 1 cor. 9:14. and it is in confirmation of this same mind of god, that the apostle cites that word of the law, "thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn," verse 9. and indeed why is the commandment concerning the payment of tithes given to the husbandmen, who labors and cultivates his farm, if the ministers of the word are to procure their food by the labor of their own hands? these and like passages of scripture show that the "sweat of the face" is the common curse on all men. the first "sweat" is, that of husbandmen and householders; the second, the "sweat" of magistrates; the third, of teachers in the church. of all these orders of men the condition of husbandmen is the happiest. this the poet of old affirms: _felices nimium sua si bona norint, agricolae._ happy their lot; did they but know their good, who cultivate the earth for all.--virg. georg. 2, 458. for though they do "sweat" under great labor, yet that labor is seasoned with a peculiar pleasure, while the new and marvelous faces of all creatures directly meet their eyes daily. whereas in the political world and in the church infinite troubles and molestations present themselves, in addition to the daily perils which are incurred, if a minister of christ perform his duty faithfully. for we speak not now concerning those indolent mortals, who know not nor acknowledge these punishments of sin, but who are devoted only to the consideration of the manner in which they can best satisfy their lusts. let such epicureans be left to the indulgence of their own evil appetites and inclinations. we are here speaking of those who do perform seriously what they undertake to do, whether in the state or in the church. such men labor and sweat more in one day than a husbandman does in a whole month, if the magnitude and the various perils of their works be considered. it is for this very reason also that tributes and revenues, and other dues of the same description, are paid unto kings and princes. and who does not see that this is but a small return or reward after all to our rulers for the immense labor they undergo, where they really do their duty faithfully. and even if there be some who neglect their duty, this legitimate ordinance of god is not on their account to be disregarded. i have somewhere heard it said of the roman emperor, maximilian augustus, that he was so overwhelmed with his public duties that he never gave himself sufficient time for eating his meals. he was therefore sometimes compelled to withdraw from his state labors, and seclude himself in the woods to indulge in hunting. sometimes also he would change his raiment and mingle with private society so that he might enjoy greater freedom in conversation. and though this occupation of hunting was sometimes considered a vice in that emperor, yet those who really knew the extent of his labors and the reality of his daily life considered that this amusement was adopted by him of necessity and not for pleasure. what labors of the plow then, what labors of the spade, what other toils of a rustic life, will you bring into comparison with that "sweat" which the government of such a mighty empire as that of rome demanded? wherefore the palaces of kings and princes do indeed bear their names as such, while the kings and princes themselves are the hardest worked of all servants. hence monks and the whole confederacy of the pope are the only beings that really live a royal life, because they leave all labors, all business affairs and all the perils of them to others, while they themselves enjoy all the comforts of life in perfect indolence. these same observations apply equally to the pastoral charge in the church which charge is to be considered the heavier since the duties are more important which a pastor has to perform. for are we to suppose that augustine lived at ease and gave himself up to his pleasures only, surrounded as he was by so great a multitude of adversaries, against whom he had daily to contend to prevent them from wholly subverting as they would have done the doctrine of christ? for such were the pelagians, the donatists, the manicheans and other like disturbers of the churches. likewise i in this day by the grace of god so perform my duties as to leave no one, i believe, to envy such a laborious life of ease as i daily pass. it is the height of folly that fanatics urge on all persons the necessity of manual labors, which nevertheless are useful for the health of the body. whereas on the contrary, those great labors of the state and church, which we have just described, wear out the body and exhaust as it were all the moisture of the very bones and their inmost marrow. let us therefore duly and rightly distinguish this "sweat" as it ought to be distinguished. the household "sweat" is great, the civil or political "sweat" greater still, but the church "sweat" is the greatest of all. only look at the apostle paul and you will at once see the greatness of his sweat. for seeing that the church is in all ages infested with devils and harassed by heresies, scandals and great sins, by the unrighteous violence of tyrants and by evils of every description; will any man say that there are no labors and no sweats in the church? will any one affirm that those who rule in the church are not well deserving the provision which they receive? we may say this of the pope and the cardinals, and of all that congregation of the wicked who do no work at all, consult only their belly and their ease, spending the greatest wealth. these are they of whom we may rightly say with paul, "if any one will not work, neither shall he eat," 2 thess. 3:10. now the work of the church is to teach the word, to administer the sacraments, to war with fanatics, to remove scandals out of the way, to build up the godly in the faith, etc. of those who really do this christ says, "the laborer is worthy of his hire," luke 10:7. now the condition of adam, the first sinner, was if rightly considered worse than ours. for while we all sweat separately, each one in his own order and station, adam was compelled to endure at one and the same time the sweat of the household rule, the sweat of the political rule and the sweat of the church rule. he alone performed all these duties to his family and posterity as long as he lived. he provided for his family and ruled it. he trained them in piety and was at the same time their father, their king and their priest. and how full of pain and peril each one of these duties is, universal experience teaches. wherefore we need great consolation to support us against all these evils, and we should exercise our minds in much patience, seeing that we find these calamities to be laid even on the elect also, who possess the hope of a resurrection and of eternal life. as therefore this hope is thus left to us afflicted men, it becomes us to be of a courageous mind and to overcome our evils by means of this hope, because we are not destined to live here forever. just as men, who when traveling happen to find a miserable lodging and a covetous host, console themselves with the thought that though their food be bad and their bed hard, their misery will last for one night only. such ought our thoughts to be in the midst of our calamities on account of the sin of the fall. for what are our two or three years of life, almost the half of which we pass in insensible sleep, when compared with eternity! let afflictions and adversities come therefore as the lord shall be pleased to appoint them to each of us, whether they be the sweat of the home rule, of the state rule, or of the church rule; we will not suffer ourselves to be moved by them to impatience. we will not cast aside our home duty, or our state duty, or our church duty. such woman-like weakness as this becometh not brave soldiers. it is unworthy them to throw away their arms, and to flee at the first onset. and what of pleasures and of ease? we are not appointed unto them, but unto labor and active life. hence the poet of old says: _tu ne cede malis; sed contra audentior ito._ yield not to ills; but bolder grow, as these are seen t' increase.--virg. aen. 6, 96. and this shall we be able to do, if we set against these temporal afflictions the hope of a resurrection and of eternal life. as therefore no one would willingly lose this hope, so let all men consider that they are bound not to forsake that calling and station of life where they have been placed by god. let him who is called to teach the churches, do it with a magnanimous spirit, moved neither by his own perils nor by the lazy life of popes, who, when they ought to be preaching the gospel, ruling the churches, hearing sacred causes and judging controversies concerning doctrine and helping the churches that have need of help, cast off all these highest duties and leave them to the useless monks, while they themselves are occupied in accumulating monies and making provision for fulfiling their lusts, rom. 13:14. as these therefore escape the sweat, they shall not have the cooling refreshment. as they will not suffer with christ, they shall not reign with him, rom. 8:17. on the other hand let all of us who endure this sweat, each one in his station, always think that, although we may have a bitter burden to bear, these afflictions will have their certain end. hence moses now adds the following consolation under any affliction however hard: v. 19b. _till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken; for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return._ with respect to wicked men they endure an infinite number of calamities with the hope of enjoying a little morsel of pleasure. what perils by land and by sea does the merchant experience with the hope of gain? for what a small hire does the soldier sell his life. the harlot in the brothel is compelled to endure a thousand-fold greater evils than any wife in the honest home. hence the germans call them by a striking proverb, "the devil's martyrs;" because they of their own accord cast themselves into the greatest calamities, which they might never have experienced, if they had been willing to live a godly life. and again, what a host of evils do men, given to wine and to gluttony, bring upon themselves by their excesses, from all of which they might have lived free had they eaten and drunk more moderately. wherefore, well may men be lost in considering what remedy can possibly be found for the human race. since they are so hardened by satan that they not only do not feel their evils, but studiously follow after them and pursue them with all eagerness. for if they really did feel the evils of their ways would they not forsake them? but the fact is that such insensibility benumbs the minds of men, so that you may see them glorying in their very evils themselves. as, therefore, such wicked perverseness is found in the greatest part of mankind, that for the sake of a light and foolish pleasure they will involve themselves in sure calamities, it is wonderful that the godly do not consider these things for their good, and say within themselves, although i must live in the midst of all these various evils, yet they must all soon end and be recompensed by another and a better life. and this is the consolation which this sacred sentence is intended to afford. for it gives a promise that all these calamities shall have an end, and that, too, by the bruising and crushing of the "serpent's head," _till_, says moses, _thou return unto the ground_, elhaadama. for this original word signifies the ground or earth in general. but the hebrew word aphar signifies, properly, recently dug or ploughed earth, or a lump of newly turned up earth. our translation renders this original word by "dust;" that it may signify loosened or crumbled earth. for adam was made a living man out of a clod or lump of the earth. when therefore the bonds of this clod shall be loosened, it shall return, the lord says, to its former mould or dust. and here again we are reminded of the manner in which, as the sins of the world increased, their punishments increased also. the original usage of committing the bodies of the dead to the earth to be dissolved again to dust was certainly a milder and human-like custom; but afterwards it became the practice of almost all nations to burn the bodies of their dead. how often also does it happen that human beings are devoured alive by wild beasts, and have the bellies of those beasts for their tombs? hence we find enumerated among the four punishments declared by the prophet, "the teeth of wild beasts," jer. 15:3, and also by moses himself the poison of serpents and other venomous animals, deut. 32:24. for so it is ever that the more insensible we are to the divine punishment of our sins, the heavier the punishments god lays upon us, to break us down and to beat in pieces our obduracy; as it is written in the book of leviticus, "and if ye will not yet for these things hearken unto me, then i will chastise you seven times more for your sins. and i will break the pride of your power," levit. 26:18, 19. thus the fall of adam was a fall from life into death, and from soundness of body into diseases of every kind. still the age of adam was truly a golden age, if compared with ours. but all things degenerated by degrees, and that the great image of daniel also plainly shows, dan. 2:31, 35. for the nearer the world approaches its end the worse men become, and this is the reason heavier punishments are inflicted on us than on those who have lived before us. what a pertinacious war against the truth is carried on at this day by the papists! what cruelty do they exercise against those who confess the truth! i mention not now their well nigh satanic covetousness, perfidy and acts of violence without end. can the punishments of such then be very far off? thus far moses has been recording the punishments inflicted on adam and his posterity on account of the sin of the fall. and though these punishments are great, yet they were milder "in the beginning" than they are now. because those sins which were then of the positive, if i may so speak, are now increased to the superlative degree. but before we proceed with the remaining contents of this chapter, let us pursue a little further our discussion of that passage, on which we have briefly dwelt in its place before, where it is said to the woman, "i will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception or thy impregnation," verse 16, above. for the original word there found is heronechad, which interpreters generally explain as descriptive of all those troubles and straits of mind and body which women endure from the time of conception to childbirth. a question is here raised by some whether, as the wife is impregnated and gives birth to a child only once in a year, that one impregnation and parturition is itself a punishment? and it is also inquired, why if such be a punishment god here says, "i will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception?" with respect to the latter, i believe the original word to be rightly translated, "i will greatly multiply thy conception," that is, thy pains and sorrows consequent upon that conception. so that it is a punishment that a woman should conceive only once in the year, and yet that one conception in the year should be laden with such numberless pains and sorrows. for if man had continued in his innocence, no doubt the fruitfulness of women would have been altogether greater. we do now find certain instances where often two, sometimes three, and occasionally four, children are brought forth at a birth. there are universal laws of this fecundity in the brute creation. the fruitfulness of birds and of fishes is very great. dogs, cats and sows produce a great number at a parturition. the larger beasts however produce their offspring only once in a year generally. my full belief is however that women, had there been no sin, would have been productive of a far more numerous offspring. whereas now for the most part the most fruitful of them give birth to no more than one child in the year, to which diminished fruitfulness there is also added that unclean lust of fallen nature. all these things alike impress our minds with the magnitude of sin. but here again we find brought forward the jewish cavil concerning the serpent. they say if by the seed of the woman is to be understood here her natural seed, which is born from her womb, as we have interpreted the important passage, it would seem to be a natural consequence that the seed of the serpent mentioned in this same passage should also be that seed which proceeds from the belly of the serpent. otherwise, they say that opposition which moses sets forth cannot consist when he says, "i will put enmity between thy seed and her seed," verse 15. out of this cavil many consequences will follow. in the first place it will follow that god is here speaking with the natural serpent only and determining his punishment; and in the next place it will inevitably follow that christ has nothing at all to do with this passage, nor this passage with him; and it will equally follow that this text furnishes no proof whatever concerning christ! wherefore this cavilling objection of the jews has the appearance of containing something in it; but in fact it contains nothing at all. first, then, my reply to this cavil is "he that is ignorant, let him be ignorant still; and he that is filthy, let him be filthy still," rev. 22:11. for he that will not believe the openly revealed and manifest gospel is worthy of being left in ignorance of these more hidden passages of the scripture and in disbelief of them altogether. neither is our present object to confirm or illustrate the gospel by the passage now in question, but to hold up the brighter light of the gospel before it in order to illuminate its obscurities. and if any will not believe the shining light of the gospel, what marvel is it if they are left to disbelieve these more obscure words of the prophets and to produce their new and absurd opinions in opposition to them? the promise of the gospel is revealed from heaven; and moreover it is preserved in safety amidst the greatest tyrants and the most horrible punishments of our sins from god. if the jews pertinaciously fight against this promise and will not believe it, they must be left alone. we meanwhile will deal with those who believe, and who submit to the gospel. christ says, john 8:44, that satan is the "father of lies, and a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth." this is that light of the gospel by which the dark places of the old testament are illumined. now if satan was "a murderer from the beginning" tell me, whom or what persons did he murder? were they not adam and eve, whom he murdered by sin? where did he murder them? was it not in paradise? when did he murder them? was it not when he made nothing of the commandment of god and promised adam and eve that they would be like gods if they would eat of the forbidden tree? both propositions therefore are true. the natural serpent was in paradise; and by the natural serpent, the old serpent, the devil, deceived man and murdered him. the principal meaning of this passage therefore is to cause us to understand that the devil was the author of all this calamity; just as when any one commits murder, it may rightly be said of the sword of the murdered, "this sword killed the man." whereas in truth, it was not the sword alone nor of itself that killed the man, but the murderer who used the sword. indeed it is quite a common use of the figure synecdoche, the conveyance of two ideas by one expression, to understand the author of the act under the mention of the instrument made use of. wherefore we explode this jewish cavil utterly. secondly, it is also true that contraries are not necessarily consistent contrarieties in every respect. for the form of contrarieties is multiplex, as logicians teach. some things are opposed to others relatively, others privatively, and others by contradiction. thus the natural father by whom we are begotten and the father of lies are opposed to each other. although we should grant the jews their interpretation of this passage that moses is here speaking of the natural serpent, yet the text itself evidently contains a synecdoche when we compare it with the words of christ. the words of moses are, "and jehovah god said unto the serpent, because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle." what then did the serpent do? he deceived eve and thus murdered her. so the words of moses therefore only hold up the light of the gospel, "the devil was a murderer from the beginning," john 8:44. is it not by this light at once manifest that god so speaks with the natural serpent as recorded by moses, that his words are intended to apply to the devil, concealed under the form of the natural serpent, who having assumed that form under it hurled man into sin and death, and laid him under the wrath of god? wherefore by the seed of the serpent in this passage is not to be understood the natural seed of the natural serpent, but the seed of the devil; as christ also represents the same in the gospel, using the same appellation of "seed," where he says, "an enemy came and sowed among the wheat evil seed," math. 13:25. this evil seed is contrary to the spiritual seed, even as flesh and spirit are wholly contrary to each other. but it is not necessary as we have said, that contraries should contain that contrariety to each other throughout in all respects; just in the same manner as similarities do not respond to each other in every particular. thus for instance, adam is a figure of christ; which similarity consists in the great truth that as sin hath abounded towards all men by adam, so the righteousness of christ also abounds towards all those who believe in him. these particulars of adam and of christ agree with each other. in all other respects adam and christ do not agree. wherefore let this their error be left to the jews, to content themselves with it. we believers in christ know that the serpent, to whom god speaks in this text, is the devil. and this we know from the interpretation of christ himself. part vi. name adam gave his wife. god reminds man of the fall. the cherubim. i. v. 20. _and the man called his wife's name eve; because she is the mother of all living._ we have heard above that it was inflicted as a punishment upon the woman, that she should be under the power of the man. that power to which she is thus made subject is here described anew. it is not god who here gives to eve her name, but adam, her lord; just in the same manner as before he gave to all the animals their names, as creatures put under his dominion. no animal devised its name for itself. every one received its appellation, and the dignity and glory of its name, from its lord, adam. so to this day, when a woman marries a man, she loses the name of her own family and is called after the name of her husband. on the other hand it would be a thing quite monstrous, if the husband should wish to be called by the name of his wife. this therefore is a sign and further confirmation of that punishment of subjection which the woman procured by her sin. in the same manner also, if the husband changes his place of residence the woman is compelled to follow him as her lord. so various are the traces in nature which put us in mind of original sin and of our numerous calamities on its account. and the name which adam gave to his wife is a name full of joy and delight. for what is better, or more precious, or more delightful, than life? there is a well-known poetic line- _num tu bona cuncta_ _ut redimas vitam recuses?_ to save thy life, what wouldst thou not resign? the world, with all its wealth, if they were thine! for neither gold, nor gems nor the glory of the whole world can be compared with the preciousness of life. this christ intimates, math. 6:25; 16:26. hence the jews generally give their children names taken from roses, flowers, jewels, etc. the name of eve however was not taken from the preciousness of anything worldly, but from life itself, which in value exceeds all things. but adam adds also his reason for giving this name to his wife. "because she is the mother of all living." it is evident therefore from this passage that adam, by receiving the holy spirit, was wonderfully enlightened; and that he believed and understood the word spoken by god concerning the seed of the woman, which should bruise the head of the serpent; and that he therefore wished to signalize his faith, and to adorn it by the name which he gave his wife, the name the like of which he had not given to any other creature. it is equally evident also that he moreover wished, by this name given to his wife, to cherish his own hope of a future seed, to confirm his own faith and to comfort himself by the belief of a future and eternal life, even at the very time when all nature had been rendered subject to death. for if adam had not apprehended all this by the faith of the life to come, his mind could not have been raised to such an assurance of it, as to give his wife a name so full of joy. as therefore he did give such a name to his wife, it is perfectly evident that his mind was lifted up by the holy ghost to this confidence in the remission of sins by the seed of eve, whom he therefore named eve, in order that the name might be a memorial of that divine promise by which he himself was raised anew unto life and by which he left the hope of an eternal life to his posterity. this hope and this faith he imprinted as it were on the forehead of his wife in the brightest colors by the name eve which he gave her; just in the same manner as those who are delivered from their enemies erect trophies and other glad memorials to commemorate the victory which they have gained. but perhaps you will inquire, how adam called eve the mother of all living, when she was as yet a virgin and had never borne a child. adam, we here again see, did this to testify his faith in the divine promise; because he believed that the human race would not be cast away nor destroyed, but would be saved. this same name eve therefore embraces also a prophecy of the grace that should come; and it indicates that consolation, which is necessary under the perpetual trials of this human life and against all the temptations of satan. it is very possible also that the joyful giving of this name to eve, which as we have said is a most beautiful proof of the faith of adam and of the recreation of his spirit unto a new life, formed a reason why the holy fathers in after ages held that day, on which their children were circumcised and received their names as a more glad and joyful festival than the day they were born; to the intent that such festival might forever commemorate this giving of the first name by adam, when he called his wife eve. but now follows another kind of memorial quite the contrary to this; a memorial of sorrow, not of joy. v. 21. _and jehovah god made for adam and for his wife coats of skins, and clothed them._ this is by no means so joyful and delightful information as was that of adam giving to his wife the name of eve. for, although the lord had said, "in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die;" yet adam consoled himself by this name which he gave to his wife that the life which he had lost should be restored by the promised seed of the woman, which should bruise the serpent's head and destroy the destroyer. ii. here adam and eve are clothed with garments by the lord god himself, in order that, being perpetually reminded by this clothing as a lasting memorial, they might reflect, as often as they looked at their garments, upon their awful and miserable fall from the highest felicity into the extremest calamity and wretchedness; to the intent that they might ever afterwards fear to sin and exercise continual repentance; yet looking for the remission of sins by the promised seed. and this is the reason no doubt the lord god did not cover them with leaves nor with that wool which grows on trees, but clothed them with the skins of slaughtered animals to remind them that they were now mortal and subject to certain death. as therefore the name eve contained in it the joyful hope of life, even of eternal life; so these skins were a memorial of sin passed and sin to come; but a memorial also of all those calamities present and future, which that sin deserved. and indeed our nature has need of such memorials and perpetual admonitions. for we easily forget both past evils and past blessings. hence it is that peter says, "for he that lacketh these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins. wherefore i shall be ready always to put you in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and are established in the truth which is with you," 2 pet. 1:9, 12. for it is truly an awful expression of the apostle when he here intimates that some forget the remission of their sins, and after they have well believed draw back from their faith, and adorn not themselves with the most beautiful chain of christian virtues which he enumerates, but indulge in covetousness, pride, envy, lust, etc. we in our day also have great need of this admonition, who experience all these burdens of these calamities under the papacy, lest we become ungrateful to our merciful god, as, alas! the greater part of the world do. as a remedy therefore against this forgetfulness these skins were added as clothings for adam and eve, that they might be forever a sure sign, or memorial or admonition, whereby both they and all their posterity might be reminded of their most wretched condition. but in after ages, marvelous to say, the world began to grow mad in the matter of this very memorial of their calamity! for who can possibly describe the amount of study and expense men and women give to dress! indeed it is so great that it can no longer be properly termed pleasure nor luxury, but madness; because, like asses created for bearing burdens of gold they seem rather to consider with how much gold they can load themselves, than with how much they can best adorn themselves. a superior kind of dress may be justly commended in certain cases; especially in more illustrious persons. but that rage for dress in all classes, which now prevails, cannot but offend the eyes of all good men. and if adam himself could rise from his grave and behold this madness for raiment in all circles of society, i believe he would stand petrified with astonishment at the sight. for the clothing of skins, which adam daily wore, daily reminded him of his sin and his lost felicity. whereas we, on the contrary, clothe ourselves with splendid garments and indulge in luxury of dress, that we may testify to all men that we have not only forgotten the evils of the fall, from which we have been saved by the seed of the woman, but the blessings also which we have received through him. we next find that the admonition which the lord had given by the sign of the garments, he gave also in word. v. 22. _and jehovah god said, behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil; and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever:_ these words contain sarcasm and most bitter derision. some inquire therefore why it is that god here deals so harshly with miserable adam? how it is that, after he had been robbed of all his glory and had fallen into sin and death, he is goaded in addition to all this by his maker with this most bitter reflection passed upon him. was it not enough, they ask, that he should wear this visible sign which should perpetually remind him of his lost glory and his present calamity, but he must hear also in addition this audible word of the lord god? to this i reply, adam had the promise of mercy given him, and with that he ought to have lived content. but in order that he might more deeply fear, and more carefully guard against all future sin, there is spoken to him this bitter memorial word also. for god foresaw what kind of men adam's posterity would be; and therefore he puts this word into his mouth that he might preach it to his posterity, and might teach them as a warning that by wishing to become like god, he became like unto the devil; in order that they also, being thus warned, might not add to that sin of their first parents their own sins, and so depart still farther from god. as before, by the clothing of skins, so now, by his word itself, god reminds our first parents both concerning their past and their future calamities. not that god is delighted with adam's sad case, for had it been so he would have given him no such admonition at all; but would have remained silent. but god willed that man should sigh after the restoration of that "image of god" which he had lost; and should therefore the more hate sin, which had been the cause of this awful calamity; and that adam should admonish his posterity of what had been the consequence of his sin; that when, having been plundered of his reason by satan, he thought he should become like god, he became like satan himself. on this passage also that great question is raised, why god, who is one, here speaks in the plural number? and whether there are more gods than one? and nicholas of lyra, with others, considers that these words are either spoken in the person of an angel or addressed to angels, "is become as one of us;" that is, "is become an angel." but this comment is too cold. for god does not here call himself an angel. nor does the force of the expression lie in the word "one;" but rather in the pronoun "us." wherefore we repudiate altogether this cold comment. for if these words are spoken in the person of an angel, it is certain that god did not speak them; but god did speak them. for the assertion of the text is, "and jehovah god said." wherefore here again let us have recourse to the light of the gospel. for this light as i have above observed illumines all these obscure passages of the old testament. and indeed if you will explain these words as having reference to the angels, such interpretations will not accord with that portion of the sacred narrative which precedes. for satan above said, verse 5, "and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." from this it is manifest that adam and eve really endeavored to become like god, not like an angel. wherefore this passage cannot rightly be understood in any other way than as meaning equality with god! this error of the jews therefore concerning the reference of the present passage to angels, which lyra also follows in his interpretation, is exploded; and from this text, according to the letter, the doctrine is established that there is a _plurality_ in the _godhead_, which doctrine was also determined above, gen. 1:26, where god said, "let _us_ make man in our image." all these passages argue, in the first place, for the unity of the divine essence. for the uniform expression in them all is, "and god said." and in the next place, they argue also for the plurality, or according to the general term used, a _trinity_ of persons in the godhead. all these mysteries however are more fully revealed in the new testament. as for instance, when christ commands believers to be baptized in the name of the father, and of the son, and of the holy ghost. the three divine persons in the godhead therefore were thus at once shadowed forth at the very beginning of the world, and were afterwards clearly understood by the prophets, and at length fully revealed in the gospel. the meaning of this passage therefore stands perfectly plain, that the intent of adam and eve was to become like god or to secure his image. now the image of the invisible god is the son, "by whom all things consist," col. 1:17. wherefore adam by his sin dashed against the very person of christ, who is the true image of god. these great things are but briefly and obscurely set before us in this divine narrative. there is no doubt however that adam himself drew from them numberless sermons for his family and posterity; in the same way as the prophets after him evidently contain various allusions to these mysteries and wrap them up in marvelous indications, which the gospel finally reveals in open and bright manifestation. it makes also for our interpretation of the present passage that the name of god used is jehovah, which cannot signify any creature, being a name which is applied absolutely and only to the creator himself. and what does the creator here say? "adam is become as one of _us_." now here most assuredly neither our profession nor our faith will tolerate receiving these words as being spoken or as having reference to angels. for who will dare to say that god is one of the angels, or that an angel is one of the _us_, the elohim? the glorious god is above all angels and over all creatures! how therefore can god make himself only equal to the angels! we receive this passage therefore as a sure testimony of that article of our faith concerning the holy trinity; that there is one god, and three divine persons in the godhead. moses indeed seems here obscurely, but plainly and purposely, to intimate concerning the sin of adam that his aim was to become like, not unto angels, but unto god. for if he had sinned against angels only, he would not have been condemned to death for such a sin. but because his sin was directly against the majesty of the creator, by aiming to become like unto him and to do as that divine majesty did, therefore it was that so awful a punishment followed so awful a sin. and as when a man is delivered from crucifixion every one will naturally remind him of the danger in which he was placed and will exhort him to guard against a like danger ever afterward; so, after adam is restored to the hope of life through the divine promise, god admonishes him by the bitter irony contained in the text, not to forget his horrible fall nor ever again to attempt to equal god, in which he so awfully failed; but to humble himself before the divine majesty and ever afterwards to guard with all his posterity against such a sin. for these things were not spoken to adam only; they apply to us also, who, after being baptized and renewed by grace, ought to take heed with all watchfulness that we fall not back into our former ungodliness. in like manner there is equally bitter sarcasm in the words, when god says, "and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever." as if god could not by one mere nod prohibit adam from touching the tree and also prevent him ever doing so! moses next adds those terrible and terrifying words, vs. 23, 24. _therefore jehovah god sent him forth from the garden of eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. so he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of eden the cherubim, and the flame of a sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life._ the contents of this text are intended also for our rebuke and admonition; as paul says, rom. 15:4, "for whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our sakes also." for there is great peril, lest forgetting our former sins we should be plunged into them again; as christ also gives us warning, when he says, "behold, thou art made whole; sin no more, lest a worse thing befall thee," john 5:14. peter also speaks in the spirit of warning, when he says, "it has happened unto them according to the true proverb, the dog turning to his own vomit again, and the sow that had washed to wallowing in the mire," 2 pet. 2:22. the same admonition and warning are given by the same apostle elsewhere, when he says, "having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins," 2 pet. 1:9. these and other passages of scripture are all admonitions concerning guarding against future sin; because, as in diseases so in sins, the relapse is more difficult of cure than the original. hence therefore adam and his whole posterity are warned in so many various forms by the present portion of the sacred record of moses! all is written in order that, after they have received the hope of eternal life by means of the promise given through the seed of the woman, they might beware that they lose not that hope by sinning again; according to that remarkable parable of the house which was swept and garnished after satan was cast out, which satan again occupied, taking with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself. it is to this end that the lord uses so much bitterness in his address to our first parents. it is as if, in explaining himself, he should say, "i before forbade adam and eve to touch the tree of death;" but such was their impudent self-will, that they would not abstain from doing so even to their own destruction. now, therefore, i must take all care that they approach not the "tree of life" also; for it may be they will not refrain from putting forth their hand on that also. therefore i will so effectually prevent them from eating of this tree, that i will prohibit them from the use of any of the trees of paradise whatsoever. wherefore i say unto them, "go ye forth from the garden altogether, and eat the herb of the field, and whatsoever else of the kind the earth produceth. ye shall hereafter not only eat no more of the tree of life, but ye shall not taste any other tree of paradise," etc. this passage further shows that the trees of paradise were in no manner like those which the other part of the earth brought forth. wherefore, even the food which adam and eve ate, after their ejection from paradise, reminded them, and still reminds their posterity, of their sin and of their most miserable condition, into which they have been hurled by their sin. in so many and various ways are our calamities depicted before our very eyes that even our clothing, independently of our destitution by nature of those spiritual gifts, the knowledge and worship of god, etc., perpetually remind us of those great calamities. here a question presents itself, whether, if god had permitted adam to eat of the tree of life, adam would by this food have overcome death in the same manner as by eating of the tree of death, he became subject to death; for the reasoning in each case seems to be parallel. the tree of death killed; and that by the word, which said, "in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die." the tree of life, therefore, by the power also of the same word, gave life and preserved from death. lyra and others in their reply to this question say that this tree of life had indeed the power of preserving life for a length of time, but not forever; and therefore it could not have restored that life which was lost by sin. for adam was not created with the design of his remaining in this corporal life forever; but he was designed to be translated from this corporal life and from this corporal nourishing of it into that spiritual life, for which he was ultimately designed and into which he would have been translated, if he had not sinned. just in the same way as when a man is created a consul from his former private life, no death is taken into consideration in his being created to that office, but his glory and dignity alone are increased; so adam, had not death intervened by his sin, would have changed his mortality for an immortality without any death at all; being translated from the life corporal to the life spiritual and eternal. this "tree of life" however, according to the view of lyra, served only for the preservation of the corporal life. and therefore he interprets the present text, "lest he should live an age;" that is, a life of long duration. such is lyra's opinion. my understanding of the text however is different. my belief is, that if adam had been admitted to eat of the tree of life he would have been restored to that life which he lost; so that he would not have afterwards died, but would have been simply translated from the life corporal to the life spiritual and eternal; for the text contains both these statements most clearly; that adam was prohibited from eating of "the tree of life," that he might not be restored to the life which he had lost; and also, that if he had eaten of that tree he would have lived leolam; that is, for an age or a length of time. my rejection of the opinion of lyra, however, is especially on the ground that he attributes the power of giving life to the nature of the tree itself simply; whereas it is quite certain that the tree possessed not this property of its own nature, but from the power of the word absolutely. just in the same manner as the tree of the knowledge of good and evil had its peculiar property from the same word. it did not kill, because its fruits themselves were deadly, poisonous or pestiferous; but because the word, as a certain paper, was added to it; on which paper god had written, "in the day that thou eatest of this tree, thou shalt surely die," gen. 2:17. wherefore, in the first place, to this tree of death there was attached spiritual death or the death of the soul; that is, disobedience. for after adam and eve had violated this commandment of god by sin, which commandment had continued effectual in them up to that time, they began to think thus, "behold, god has forbidden us to eat of this tree; but what is that to us?" this contempt of the commandment was that poisoned hook, by which being firmly fixed in their throats adam and eve were utterly destroyed. for since the divine threatening was added to the commandment, therefore after eating it the fruit wrought in them death on account of their disobedience. the tree of death itself was not poisoned; but, as i have copiously explained before under the second chapter, it was the tree of divine worship, where man might testify, by his obedience in that worship, that he acknowledged, reverenced and feared his god. for god saw everything which he had made, and behold it was very good, gen. 1:31. wherefore, i have no doubt that this tree of life in the present passage derived its efficacy, as did the tree of death, from the word. therefore, since the word rested in its power on that tree, if adam had eaten of it, he would have been restored to the life which he possessed before his fall. it was just thus also with the serpent, which moses raised in the desert. it did not give or cause life by its own nature; for it was made of brass, as any other serpent might be made of the same metal to this day. but it was the word, added to that serpent, which made it effectual to give life; because god commanded that serpent to be lifted up, and because he added this word to it when lifted up, "every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live," num. 21:8. now, if thou shouldst make a serpent of brass at his day, thou couldst not have this word to add to it. moreover, the cause of the healing did not lie in the act of the looking, but that cause was contained in the word, by which god had commanded that those who were bitten should look to the serpent, to which commandment was also added the promise of healing to those who should look. but because the rabbins understand not the nature of the word, therefore they shamefully err and fail in their interpretation and declare the meaning to be, that the nature itself of these trees was death-giving or life-giving. for they understand not that all things therefore take place, _because_ god by his word either _promises_ or _threatens_ that they shall so take place. our sophistic human reasoners trifle in the same way, when they argue upon the manner in which baptism justifies. for thomas aquinas and bonaventura consider that there is a certain power of effecting justification infused by god into the water when the infant is baptized; so that the water of the baptism, by its own virtue thus communicated, creates justification. we, on the contrary, affirm that the water of baptism is water, nothing else or better than that water which the cow drinks. but we affirm, that to this water, natural and simple in itself, is added the word, "he that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved," mark 16:16. and again, "except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of god," john 3:5. now, if any one is inclined to call this word, or this promise, the power communicated to the water of baptism, i will not resist such a view of the sacred matter. but the mind of our sophists is quite different from this; for they will not assign this power to the word; they argue concerning the element only; and they affirm that the water itself contains a peculiar power communicated to it of god. scotus has expressed the matter more correctly in his definition of it, when he says that baptism is "a divine compact or covenant, resting on the element." the word therefore is in every case to be regarded and honored, that word by which god holds and endues his creatures with efficacy; and a difference is ever to be made between the creature and the word. in the sacrament of the lord's supper there are bread and wine; in baptism there is water. these are the mere creatures. but they are held in god's hand by the word, and as long as the creature is thus apprehended by the word, so long also doth it effect that which the word promises. and yet we would by no means be understood as favoring by these views the sacramentarians, when we thus join together baptism and the supper of the lord. baptism hath annexed to it the promise, that with the holy spirit it regenerates. in the supper of the lord, in addition to the promise of the remission of sins annexed to it, it has also this excellency: that with the bread and the wine there is also truly set forth the body and blood of christ, as christ himself says, "this is my body which is given for you;" and also, "this cup is the new testament in my blood," luke 22:19, 20. in the same manner it might also be said that the human nature itself in christ does not redeem us. but because the human nature was corporally held fast by the divine nature, and christ is both god and man in one person, therefore his redemption is all-availing; and therefore christ is called the "son of man" and the saviour. the pope has invented the "blessed water," "extreme unction" and numberless other like things, to which he has attributed the remission of sins. in all these cases ever think thus with thyself: has god ever added to these things his word of command and his word of promise? and if the promise and the precept of god are not attached to them, immediately judge that they are idolatry and profaning of the name of god. but they will tell you that the prayers of the pious are added to them and that there exist holy examples, in imitation of which these things were constituted. but do thou regard neither the pious prayers, nor the holy examples, nor the intentions of those who invented or established these things. look only at whether the precept and promise of god are attached to them; for the divine command and promise alone can endue creatures with a new power beyond that power which they of their own mere nature possess. thus "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil" was of its own nature good as a creature; but by means of the word of god, added and attached to it, it became to man through his sin the poison not of his body only but of his soul. and in like manner, on the contrary, "the tree of life" had by means of the word of god attached to it the power of preserving life, and it would have restored and preserved the life of adam had god so permitted. but god being angry with adam did not permit him to return to eat of that tree after his fall. and this repulsion from "the tree of life" and from paradise was not only intended to keep adam under the continual memory of the sin which he had committed, but also because adam had now a better promise given him, that the seed of the woman should bruise the seed of the serpent; so that, although adam was subjected to corporeal death, he yet retained the hope of an immortality through the son of god. just as an angry father, though he does not deprive his son of the right of his inheritance, yet chastises him and turns him out of doors. it is thus the will of the lord god therefore that man should be content with the hope of a better life than that in which adam was first created. for even though adam had eaten of the tree of life and had been restored thereby to his former life, he would not even then have been safe from satan nor from the danger of falling again from that life by his temptation. god therefore hath prepared for man that state of hope in which we may live assured that through the blessed seed of the woman we never can die an eternal death, although this corporeal life thus appointed for us may be filled with various afflictions. the words of the passage are the words of god, spoken ironically and in anger to adam now justified, warning him to be more cautious of sin in the future and not to forget his past sins and calamities. moses moreover beautifully inverts the order of his words to the intent that he might more effectually admonish man of the things he had related before, where he said, "jehovah god placed man in the garden of eden that he might till it and guard it," gen. 2:15. here on the contrary, he says, "the lord god sent man forth from the garden of eden to till the ground from which he was taken." for god by moses would have man to reflect that he was formed of the ground and was stationed in a most delightful place; but that by means of his sin he was cast out of that most delightful place and carried back to the ground from which he was first created. by this striking inversion of the facts of his record, moses indicates the manner in which god not only warned adam and all his posterity against all future sin, but reminded them also of their great sins past. now therefore adam, whose appointed station before was in paradise, a place separate from all the beasts of the earth and in which peculiar food was prepared for him, is cast out into a place in common with the beasts and also has his general food in common with them. nor is adam cast out of paradise only, but a guard also is set at the entrance of the place that he might not by any means be able to enter it again. just as watches are set to guard citadels and armies. moses therefore by the copiousness and variety of speech he here uses would show, that this expulsion of adam from paradise was in the highest degree necessary unto our salvation; that, being warned thereby against sin, we might live in the fear of god, ever watching against temptations from satan, who worked so much evil to our nature by the sin of our first parents. concerning the original word, mikkedem, we have spoken above and have shown that it signifies "from the east" or "in the eastern quarter." the meaning of moses is, that paradise had a way or gate on the eastern side, by which there was an entrance into this garden. thus also, in the building of the temple described by ezekiel, mention is made of a gate of the sanctuary, which looked toward the east, so that we may conclude that this temple was a certain form of paradise; for paradise, had nature remained innocent, would have been as it were the temple of the whole world. at this entrance therefore toward the east, which alone led to paradise, cherubim were placed or angels which might guard this way, that neither adam nor any of his posterity might ever enter paradise again. the lord did these things after the manner of men as a terror, in order that there might thus exist a lasting memorial of so awful a fall. moreover these cherubim had not iron wherewith to drive back those who should approach, but lahat, that is, "the blaze," or "the flame" of a turning or brandished sword; a flame like the flash of lightning which is uncertain in its motion and dazzles the eyes. this flame or flash of fire has the form of a sword, continually waved or brandished. just, for instance, as we have it represented that cloven tongues like as of fire appeared resting upon each of the apostles on the day of pentecost, acts 2:3. the same appearance do flying dragons also exhibit. in this manner it was also that the angels here spoken of unceasingly emitted flames, which flashed in all directions so that no one might by any possibility approach. the absurdities of origen on this passage we utterly reject, nor are we at all more pleased with the triflings of lyra, who will have it, that by the "flaming sword" we are to understand the sinner, who for a sin unto death has ceased to be meritoriously, though not numerically one of the church militant. and he says, that the "flaming sword" being represented as "turning every way" signifies that if true repentance follow such sins a man is deservedly recalled into the church. for ourselves however, as we have all along maintained that paradise was a real and visible garden in a certain spot of the earth, so we explain the present text in a simple and historical sense; that this "sword" was a real and visible "flame" or "a flash of fire" in the form of a sword, by the turnings or brandishings of which every way the cherubim or angels terrified and drove away adam and his posterity, so that they dared not approach this garden. and paradise was kept closed by this guard of angels until the deluge, to the end that there might exist a sure memorial of this miserable and calamitous fall of adam to all his posterity; in the same manner as in after ages the lake of sodom and the pillar of salt remained as memorials throughout the posterity of those generations. and indeed our insensibility and unconcern need such monuments of the wrath of god. after the deluge however paradise, together with its angels and these brandishings of their sword, disappeared. for each rising generation had its monuments of the divine wrath, which were nearer to them and the better calculated to alarm the self-secure, although even this avails nothing with the wicked. iii. thus have we in our commentary on these first three chapters of the book of genesis gone through the history of the whole creation. in what manner the heaven and the earth, and the sea, and all things that are in them, were created; in what manner paradise was created of god, that it might be the palace of man, the lord of the whole world, who had dominion over all things therein; in what manner god instituted a temple for man in paradise, which was appointed for acts of divine worship; namely, the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil," by his conduct concerning which adam might testify his obedience to his god. we have also heard in these three chapters the history of those things which were done by man in paradise; how woefully he fell and sinned against god and lost all this glory of his innocence and natural immortality. all these subjects i have treated with plainness and simplicity, according to the measure of my gift; giving them their plain historical sense, which is the true and genuine meaning. for the principal thing we have to do in interpreting the holy scriptures is to gather from them, to some degree of certainty, their plain and simple sense; especially, surrounded as we are with such a variety of interpreters, latin, greek and hebrew. for nearly all these not only pay no regard to the plain historical sense of the scripture, but even confound it by foolish allegories and bury it under the confusion they themselves cause. the absurd system of origen and jerome, which these commentators have followed in these chapters of the book of genesis, is well known. they have throughout departed from the plain history, which they call "the mere letter that killeth," and "the flesh;" and have magnificently displayed the spiritual sense, as they term it, of which they know nothing. and jerome has followed origen as his great teacher. precisely the same thing also has taken place in our time. for as men gifted and eloquent, have bent their powers to persuade their hearers and readers that histories are mere dead facts, which profit nothing to the edification of the churches, it has thereby come to pass that we have all run headlong in our common study into allegories. and i myself also, when a youth, found wonderful success in this my attempt at allegorizing. for i found a license here to invent the greatest absurdities; seeing as i did that such great doctors of the churches as jerome and origen sometimes gave open field to their ingenuities. indeed, to such an extent was this indulgence in allegories carried, that he who was the greatest adept at inventing them was accounted the greatest theologian. augustine also, carried away by this false opinion, often disregards the historical sense of the scriptures, especially in the psalms, and has recourse to allegory. in fact, all were filled with the false persuasion that the allegorical meaning was the spiritual and true sense; especially with reference to the histories of the old testament; but that the historical or literal sense was the mere carnal interpretation. but is not this, i pray you, the positive profaning of sacred things? thus origen, out of paradise, makes heaven, and out of the trees, angels. if this be so, where is the article of the creed concerning creation? it is highly necessary therefore, especially in young students of the holy scriptures, that when they come to read the old divines they condemn, with good judgment or rather with fixed determination, all those things in their writings which they find at all improbable or unsound, lest they be led astray by the authority that lies in the name of the fathers and doctors of the church; for in this way was i deceived, as were all the schools of the professors of divinity. for myself, ever since i thus began to abide by the historical sense of the scriptures, i have cautiously shunned all allegorizing; nor have i ever adopted allegories unless the text itself evidently furnished them or the interpretations derivable from the new testament justified them. i found it very difficult however to give up entirely my long indulgence in allegorizing, although i saw that these allegories were vain speculations and the mere froth, as it were, of the holy scriptures. for it is the plain historical sense of scripture that truly and solidly teaches. after the plain sense of the word has been rightly understood and mastered, then allegories may be used as certain ornaments by which the plain historical sense may be illustrated and strikingly depicted. but naked allegories which respond not at all to the historical realities nor tend to paint them forth more impressively, are at once to be rejected as idle dreams; for instance, from what part of the scriptures can it be proved that paradise signifies heaven, and the trees of paradise the angels? are not these pure follies, and mere creatures of the brain without fruit or profit? let those therefore who would adopt allegories, seek the justification of them from the history itself in question; for it is history which, like sound logic, teaches true and indubitable realities. on the other hand allegory, like oratory, ought to adorn history only; but to prove facts, it avails nothing. allegory is useful in this way, as when we say that the heavens represent the church, and the earth the empires and the political government. thus christ himself calls the church "the kingdom of heaven" and the "kingdom of god." and the earth is called in the scriptures the "land of the living," where men live and kings and princes rule, job 28:13. the apostle paul uses the same kind of allegory, when he represents adam and eve, or marriage itself, to be a type of christ and his church. this is an allegory full of divine instruction and consolation indeed. for, what could be uttered more deep or sweet than that the church is the spouse and christ the bridegroom? for, by this figure is signified both that conjugal fellowship and that most joyful communication of all those gifts which the bridegroom has to bestow, and by which gifts are buried in oblivion both all the sins and all the calamities with which the spouse is loaded. wherefore that is a most delightful word where paul says, "for i have espoused you to one husband, that i might present you as a pure virgin to christ," 2 cor. 11:2. in like manner the same apostle says, rom. 5:14, that adam was "the figure of him that was to come." and how? the apostle himself gives the explanation: "for if by the trespass of the one the many died, much more did the grace of god, and the gift by the grace of the one man, jesus christ, abound unto the many," v. 15. does not this allegory, used by the apostle, beautifully refer to the historical facts recorded by moses as its foundation? exactly after the same manner does the apostle make out the history of sarah and hagar, an allegory whereby to represent the two testaments, gal. 4:24. let all therefore, who are inclined to introduce allegories, seek their foundation of them and justifications for them from the divine history itself. moreover we have heard above the sacred record of "the seed of the woman" and "the seed of the serpent." and to this history christ refers in his parable or allegory concerning the enemy who sowed in the night the evil seed, that is, wicked doctrine and evil inventions, math. 13:28. who does not at once see that such allegories as these are more appropriate, more illustrative, more useful and far superior to those allegories which augustine, lyra and others have introduced concerning the inferior power and the superior power of reason, on which we have dwelt in their place? in like manner the closing of paradise and the stationing of a guard of cherubim, with brandished swords of fire to prevent any one from re-entering, evidently signify nothing more or less than that man while living in the world "without," and destitute of faith in christ, can endure neither the light of the law nor the light of the gospel. and hence it is that paul says concerning the jews, "that they could not steadfastly behold the face of moses, and that moses was obliged to put a veil over his face on that account," 2 cor. 3:7, 13. "the tree of death" in paradise represents the law, and "the tree of life" the gospel or christ. and to neither of these trees can any approach who have not faith in christ. for they are prevented by the sword of the angels on guard, who cannot endure hypocrisy or poisonous self-righteousness. but who so acknowledges his sin and believes in christ, to him the gate of paradise stands open, because he brings with him, not his own righteousness, but the righteousness of christ, which righteousness the gospel therefore preaches unto all men, in order that all might rest upon it and be saved. but there is no need that we should pursue this subject of allegories further. let it suffice that we have offered these admonitions, that we might thereby direct those who use allegories to adopt those allegories alone, which the apostles have indicated and justified, and which have their sure foundation in the very letter and in the historical facts of the scriptures. but we must offer a word concerning the cherubim. frequent mention is made of them throughout the holy scriptures. in the latin authors we find nothing stated concerning them. they merely observe that the term cherub signifies a plentitude of knowledge. among the greek authors dionysius speaks of the cherubim. there is a boasting report that dionysius was a disciple of the apostle paul, but that is not true. dionysius was a man full of the most vain absurdities, in which he abounds in his disputations concerning the heavenly and the ecclesiastical hierarchy. his imaginations make nine choirs, as so many ranks or spheres of heavenly beings. in the supreme hierarchy he places first the seraphim; next, the cherubim; next, thrones; next, dominions; next, powers; and lastly, principalities. and then in the lower or inferior hierarchy, he places first potentates; next, archangels; and last of all, angels. now, who does not see that all these representations are nothing more nor less than idle and futile human inventions? after all this he says there are in the ecclesiastical hierarchy, first bishops, then deacons, then sub-deacons, then readers, then exorcists. in such absurdities as these that great man, the disciple of the chief of the apostles, the great teacher of the gentiles, was exercised! and yet, such is the boasted authority of this supposed great man, that inflated hypocrites set down all these, his foolish inventions, as if handed down to them by oracles from heaven. whereas in all these follies there is not one word to be found concerning faith, nor one word of useful instruction in the holy scriptures. and who after all told him that there were nine choirs of heavenly beings and potentates? and why moreover did the franciscans afterward add a tenth sphere, as a sort of palace, in which the holy mother mary might dwell? in a word, these are follies and absurdities adapted only for papists to learn and admire, as a just punishment for their pertinacious war against all sound doctrine. with respect therefore to the _cherub_ i will offer my opinion as far as i have been enabled to form it from reading. the name cherub appears to me to signify that florid countenance which we see in girls and young men in the blossom of their age. for this reason angels are represented in pictures as infants. so that by cherubim you may understand angels, as heavenly beings, appearing with a blooming countenance, and with brow free from wrinkle or sign of sorrow, and smoothly extended with joy, wearing a face plump and full with gladness, whether it be a human face or any other. the name cherub therefore is a general appellation, a term which does not apply to any order of angels in particular, as dionysius dreams, but has reference only to their general appearance, because they present themselves to men with a juvenile and florid aspect. and this indeed is the opinion of the jews themselves, who assert that kerub is a chaldaic term and that the letter _kappa_ is a servile letter, and that rub signifies a beautiful youth, who has a full and florid face; and they affirm that the angels are called kerubim, as representing their florid and joyful and delightful countenance or appearance; and thus they are generally represented in paintings. in like manner the name seraphim is a general appellation of angels; a name derived from fire or burning on account of the quality of their form, as is shown in numbers 21:6, where moses says, "and the lord sent hannechaschim hasseraphim, 'fiery serpents' among the people;" or, "serpent seraphim" (_serpentes seraphim_); that is, "serpents burning or on fire." so that we may here understand _seraphim_ or fiery angels; that is, angels not only beautiful in their full and florid face, as are _cherubim_, but also fiery or shining as the angel is represented in the gospel to have been, which sat on the stone at the tomb of our lord, of whom matthew says, "his countenance was like lightning," math. 28:3; and as angels are also described by the psalmist, when he says, "who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flaming fire," ps. 104:4. and again, it is said, luke 2:9, "that when the angel of the lord came to the shepherds, the glory of the lord shone round about them." of the same description also was the countenance of christ at his transfiguration on mount tabor, of whom it is said, "and his face did shine as the sun," math. 17:2. the same also shall be our countenances, when we shall be raised again at the last day to enter into the glory christ hath prepared for us. with respect to what is written in the books of kings concerning "the cherubims overlaid with gold," _cherubici certini_, we are there to understand these full and blooming countenances of angels, together with their wings, 1 kings 6:28. not that angels really have wings, but because they cannot otherwise be described. hence it is that we find, is. 6:6, that the angel, who comes flying with a joyous and beautiful countenance, such as angels are described on pictures of tapestry, is called cherub. and if to this full and florid countenance there be added also brightness, such as was the shining countenance of stephen, full of joy and delight, so that nothing but rays of joy dart from the eyes, such angels are called _seraphim_. such as these shall we also be. our countenances shall shine as bright as the mid-day sun. there shall be no wrinkle, no contracted brow, no watery eyes; but as it is written, rev. 21:4, "and god shall wipe all tears from our eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain." let us therefore hold fast this hope and live in the fear of god, until, being delivered from this life of affliction, we shall live that angelic and eternal life which is to come. amen! amen! chapter iv. part i. generation, marriage, birth and education of cain and abel. i. thus have we at length waded through that mighty sea of matter, in doing which, all who have made the attempt have so greatly sweated and toiled, and this sweat we also have fully experienced. to us however the whole way was much more direct and plain, because, throwing aside all allegories, we have followed throughout the historical and proper sense of every passage. whereas, the most commentators have not regarded that proper sense, but have made origen, dionysius and others their teachers, rather than moses himself; and so have deservedly wandered out of the way. the things which now follow in the divine record are plainer than the preceding and admit of less dispute; and therefore they tend more to support my view of the sacred narrative; because every one must plainly say that the intent of moses was not to put forth a host of allegories, but simply to write a history of the primitive world. v. 1a. _and the man knew eve his wife, and she conceived and bare cain._ when adam had fallen into death by sin, he had the promise given him, as we have heard, that from his flesh, thus made subject to death, there would surely arise unto him a _branch_ of life. he fully understood therefore that he must propagate his seed; and especially so, since the blessing pronounced on him and his wife, "be fruitful and multiply," was not only not taken away, but afterwards confirmed by the divine _promise_ concerning the _seed_ of the woman, which should bruise the serpent's head. therefore adam did not know his wife eve from the mere inclination of the flesh, as we generally judge; but it was the necessity of that salvation, which was to come unto him through the blessed seed of the woman that constrained him to do so. no one therefore ought to be offended with the relation of this circumstance by moses that adam "knew his wife." for although, on account of original sin, this divine act of generation is considered to be one of turpitude, by which we find pure ears to be generally offended; yet spiritual men ought always to distinguish between original sin and the creature or the appointment of god. the act of generation, as a creation-appointment of god, is good and holy, for it is the very blessing pronounced of god upon male and female when they were created. and if man had not fallen this act of generation would have been most pure, most holy and most honorable. for as no one blushes to converse, eat and drink with his wife, because all these things are honorable among all men, so, had it not been for the fall of adam, the act of generation would also have been most honorable and void of all "shame!" generation has indeed been left to us, even in this state of fallen and corrupted nature. but there has adhered to it that poison of the devil, an impure lust and prurient concupiscence, which is the cause of numberless sins and evils; from all of which, nature in its unfallen state was perfectly free. now however we find by experience that the flesh is filled with inordinate and unsatisfied desires; so much so that even marriage is not for many a sufficient remedy. if it were, there would be no adulteries nor fornications. whereas these, to our shame and pain, everywhere abound. nay, in how many and various ways does this infirmity of the flesh discover itself, even in married persons? these infinite evils are not the consequences of the creation nor of the blessing pronounced on male and female. these latter proceeded from god. but they are the consequences of sin and of the curse, which proceeded from the sin of adam. therefore, the creation-appointment of god ought to be separated from all these evils; for that is a good creature of god, concerning which even the holy spirit himself we see is not ashamed to speak. but further. not only is there no idea of impurity to be attached to this mention of the creation-command and "blessing" of god made by moses, when he says, "and adam knew eve his wife;" it was even necessary that moses should write and teach these things on account of the heresies which were in later times to arise; such as those of nicolaus, tatian, etc.; and, above all, on account of the papacy. for we see the papists were not the least moved by that which is written above, that the lord created man "male and female." they so live and so bind and fetter themselves by vows, that they seem to be utterly ignorant that there are any such beings as the male and female sexes. they are not at all moved by what is also above written, that jehovah god "brought eve unto adam." and that adam said "this is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh." they are not moved by the promise and blessing of god, "be fruitful and multiply." the decalogue touches them not, when it commandeth, "honor thy father and thy mother!" yea, they disregard their very origin; born as they are from the union of male and female, commanded and blessed of god. passing by, despising and casting away all these things, they compel their contemptible priests, monks and nuns to devote themselves to perpetual celibacy; as if the married life, of which moses here speaks, were a life reprobate and damnable! the holy ghost however hath a purer mouth and purer eyes than the pope! the holy spirit himself therefore blushes not to mention the act of generation, or the union of husband and wife; though these great saints condemn it as impure and base. nor does that holy spirit mention this marriage union in one place only of the sacred record. the whole scriptures are filled with such histories; so much so, that on that very account some popes have prohibited young monks and nuns from reading the holy bible. but i need not enlarge. suffice to say, that such has been the rage of the devil against this institution of god, holy matrimony, that the papists have compelled men to abjure marriage, to the very end that they might institute their orders of a celibate life; and they have condemned the commandment of god, married life, as polluted in comparison with the life of celibacy, which they themselves have set up! this wickedness however has not been left without its own just punishments. for there are continually before our own eyes examples of the fruits which impure celibacy brings forth, and there are extant in books, record of most horrible crimes, of which it has been the cause. that holy man udalric, an augustan bishop, testifies that after pope gregory had determined on establishing celibacy, and had forbidden even those to live with their wives, who had been married before the decree concerning celibacy had gone forth, the pope had a mind on one occasion to fish in a pond which he had in his park at rome; and that when he did so it led to the discovery, that the fish-pond contained more than six thousand heads of infants! the same udalric also writes that pope gregory, being struck with awe and consternation at such a sight, revoked his sanction of the impious decree concerning celibacy. the successors of gregory however easily swamped the foulness of this discovery, and the pious abolition of the decree by gregory also; for they also, like their predecessors, considered that celibacy was adapted not only to increase their wealth, but to support their dignity. a similar example presented itself also in my time, when some nuns at neumburg were compelled to leave the place, on account of their flagitious lives, and the monastery was given to the franciscans; and when these latter, for their convenience, caused some alterations to be made in the building; in laying these new foundations, there were discovered twelve pots, each one of which contained the dead body of an infant! an infinite number of similar instances have occurred at other places in every direction. rightly therefore did gregory act in revoking his decree, by which, as bishop udalric remarks, he made a very beautiful application of the word of the apostle paul, who says, "it is better to marry than to burn," to which, i also add, "it is better to marry, than to incur the peril of eternal death by sin." at rome itself also on account of the great numbers of infants who are exposed monasteries are erected, of whom the pope is nominated "the father!" and the near relatives of the infants, which have been so exposed, precede him in the public processions! i forbear to testify of an infinite number of other kindred enormities, which are too bad to mention. wherefore, it behooves us all to guard against such doctrines of devils as these, and to learn to hold marriage in all reverence; and with all reverence to speak of that holy life, which we see god himself has instituted; and which we hear is commended of him in the decalogue, where he says, "honor thy father and thy mother," to which holy matrimony, is also added the blessing, "be fruitful and multiply." and concerning this holy marriage it is, that the holy ghost is here speaking, whose mouth is holy and chaste. but all those sins and vices, and all that turpitude which have entered into the originally pure creation of god by sin, we ought not to agitate, or deride, or touch, when speaking of holy marriage, but rather carefully to cover them; just in the same way as we see that god covered the originally naked adam and eve with coats of skin after their sin. for marriage ought to be treated and spoken of by all as honorable, being the holy union from which we all are born; and which is, as it were, the seminary not only of each nation but of the church and kingdom of christ unto the end of the world. this high glory of marriage however the heathen and profane men do not understand. therefore, all they can do is to collect the vices which exist in the marriage life itself, and in the abandoned female sex. and thus, separating the unclean things from the clean, they retain the unclean only; and the clean they see not at all. hence also, certain profane lawyers so irreverently judge and speak of this book of genesis as to affirm that it contains nothing more than the marriage doings of the jews. are not then such men as these, i ask you, worthy of living to see marriage despised and unclean celibacy introduced, and themselves, subjected to its crimes and punishments, which exceed even those of sodom? the holy spirit however thought it not enough to say here "and adam knew eve;" but he also adds, "his wife!" for the holy spirit approves not wandering lusts and promiscuous intercourse! he wills that every man should live content with his own wife. and although, alas! even that union of married people itself is very far from being pure, as it would have been had man continued in his state of innocency; nevertheless even in the midst of the vices of lust and of all the other calamities of the fall of adam, the "blessing" of god on marriage still stands unaltered. for the fact of adam knowing eve his wife, which moses records, was not written for adam and eve's sake. when moses penned these words, adam and eve had long been reduced to their original dust. it was for our sakes therefore that this was written; "that those who cannot contain might marry," 1 cor. 7:9, "live content each with his eve, and not desire strange women." this expression, "knew his wife," is a phrase peculiar to the hebrews; for neither the latins nor the greeks so expressed themselves. it is a form of speech particularly beautiful; not only on account of the modesty and reverence it preserves, but on account of the peculiarity of signification it conveys. for the verb yada has a much more extensive meaning than the verb "to know" in our language. thus, when job says, concerning the wicked, "they shall know what it is to act against god" he means that they shall feel and experience the consequences of such actions. so, when david says, "for i acknowledge my sin," ps. 51:3, his meaning is, i feel and experience what it is to sin. again, when the angel of the lord says to abraham, "for now i know that thou fearest god," gen. 22:12, his meaning is, "i know by sense and experience." and again, when the virgin mary said unto the angel, "how shall this be, seeing i know not a man," luke 1:34, her meaning is the same as that of job, david, etc. for, it is evident that mary knew many men, but she had neither known nor experienced any man, as man or the male of god's creation. it was in this manner therefore that adam "knew eve his wife," as it is expressed in the present passage. adam did not know his eve as an object of sight or of a speculative knowledge, but he experienced in reality what she was as the "woman," whom god had created such. that which follows, "and eve conceived, and bare cain," is sure evidence that the human nature was more excellent and perfect then than it is now. for there were originally no unfruitful embraces, as there are now in this old age of the world. as soon as eve was known by her adam, she was immediately impregnated and conceived. ii. here a question may arise, why moses says, "and bare cain!" why he does not say, and bare a son, cain; as below, verse 25, where his expression is, "and she bare a son, and called his name seth." both cain and seth were sons. why, then, are they not both called "sons"? the answer to this question is, that these different expressions of moses were so ordered on account of the posterities. for, abel being murdered by his brother, perished corporally; but cain by his sin perished spiritually. and yet the generation or seed-bed of the church was not propagated from cain, though he was still alive corporally; for all his posterity perished in the flood. therefore neither the blessed abel, nor the accursed cain, has in the scriptures the name of "son." but seth was the one from whose posterity christ, that promised seed, was ordained to be born. seth therefore is the first of the children of adam and eve, who is counted worthy the name of "son." v. 1b. _and eve said, i have gotten a man with the help of (from) jehovah._ from this expression of eve there may be gathered another reason why she did not call cain a "son." it was the greatness of her joy and of her reverential awe, which prevented her from calling cain a "son." for she thought something greater concerning cain than a natural son. she considered cain would be that man who should bruise the serpent's head. and therefore she does not say simply, "a man;" but, "a man of jehovah," implying that he would be that man concerning whom the lord god had promised her that her seed should bruise the serpent's head. and although eve was deceived in this her hope, yet it plainly appears that she was a holy woman, and that she believed in the salvation that was to come by the blessed seed. and it was because she believed this, that she so greatly rejoiced in the son which she had borne, and that she spoke of him in the exalted terms contained in the text before us. it was as if she had said, "i have gotten a man of god, who will conduct himself more righteously and happily than i and my adam conducted ourselves in paradise. therefore i call him not my 'son.' he is a man of god, promised to me and shown to me of god." it might have been for this latter reason also, as well as for the former, that eve did not call cain "a son." with respect therefore to eve's adhering so closely to the divine promise and believing so firmly in the deliverance that should surely come through her seed, in all this she did rightly. for, by the same faith in the "seed" that was to come, all the saints of old were justified and sanctified. but with respect to the individual intended by the promise, she erred. she believed that it was cain who should put an end to all those calamities into which satan had hurled man by sin. this faith of eve however rested on a certain opinion of her own, without any sure sign and without the sure word. the promise indeed was true, and certain, and sure; but nothing was said or signified definitely, whether it was cain or abel who should be that great conqueror of the serpent. in the matter therefore of determining the individual, eve was deceived; and consequently her giving to her son so proud and joyous a name was all in vain. for the text shows that cain was so called from the verb kanah, which signifies "to possess," or "to acquire." so that by this name eve consoled herself against the evils she had brought upon herself, and set against them the acquisition of eternal life and salvation, which she should obtain by her seed, against that loss of life and salvation which she had incurred by sin and satan. it was as if she had said to her adam, "i remember with sorrow what we have lost by our sin; but now, let us speak of and hope for nothing but recovery and acquisition. i have gotten a man of god, who will acquire and recover for us that glory which we have lost." it was this certainty of the promise therefore and her sure faith in it, which drew eve into this haste and caused her to think that this her first son was the seed concerning whom the lord had made the promise. but eve, poor miserable woman, was deceived in this. she did not yet see the extent of her calamity. she did not yet know that from the flesh nothing but flesh can be born, or proceed, john 3:6, that sin and death cannot be overcome by flesh and blood. moreover she knew not as yet the point of time in which that blessed seed, concerning whom the promise spoke, should be conceived of the holy ghost and be born of a virgin into the world. just in the same manner the patriarch after eve knew not this point of time, although the promise of the seed to come was gradually made clearer and clearer by the revelation of the holy spirit. in the same manner also, we in our day know assuredly that there shall be a final judgment, but the day and the hour we know not. just as christ says, even unto his apostles, math. 24:36. v. 2a. _and again she bare his brother abel._ it cannot be known for a certainty whether cain and abel were twins or not, although it is very probable indeed that they were twins. but be that as it may, it is certain that our first parents had various thoughts concerning these two sons, and that they imagined that their redemption was at the door. cain was doubtless held in the highest honor and made the object of their chief delight; while abel on the other hand was not an object of so much pleasure nor of so much hope, as the names themselves of the two sons show. cain was so called, as we have said, because they considered that it was he who should acquire or restore all things. on the contrary abel signifies "vanity" or "that which is nothing or of no value or abject." some interpreters have rendered the name in our bible "mourning" or "sorrow;" but the hebrew term for sorrow is ebel not habel. moreover the expression hebel is of very frequent use in the sacred scriptures. how often is it repeated in ecclesiastes? "vanity of vanities, all is vanity," eccles. 1:2, and also in the psalm, "therefore their days did he consume in vanity," ps. 78:33; that is, they attained not the "promised land" of canaan. abel therefore was so called, as being considered one concerning whom there was no hope, or one respecting whom all hope was vain. but cain was so named, as one of whom all things were hoped. these very names given to these two sons therefore plainly manifest the thoughts and feelings of the parents concerning them; that, as the promise was made concerning the seed of the woman, adam and eve thought that the divine promise thus made was to be fulfilled through cain, their first son; but that abel would effect nothing, seeing that everything was to be successfully accomplished as they thought through cain. therefore they called him abel. and this hope which adam and eve entertained concerning cain was undoubtedly the reason why these two brothers were not brought up with the same care and concern. for to abel was committed the charge of the cattle; but cain was trained in the pursuits of his father, and to the cultivation of the earth, as being the superior and nobler employment. abel was a shepherd; cain was a king and a priest, being the first-born and destined by his birth to fulfil those high hopes and expectations of the recovery of all his parents entertained concerning him. but here ponder the wonderful counsel of god! from the beginning of the world, primogeniture has always held a very high privilege, not only among the people of god, with whom the right attached to primogeniture was an institution of god himself, and by him highly commended, but among the gentile nations also. and yet facts and experiences prove, especially among the holy people, that the first-born have often disappointed the hopes of their parents and that the after-born have often attained to the condition and dignity of the first-born. thus were not our first parents miserably deceived in their hopes concerning their first-born, cain, the murderer? so also abraham, the exalted, was not the first-born, but haran. so again esau was the first-born; but he had to yield his birth-right and its blessing to jacob. again, david was the youngest of all his brethren, and yet he was anointed king. and the same wonderful counsel of god may be seen in many other instances in the scriptures. for although the first-born had by divine right the prerogatives of the kingship and the priesthood, yet they frequently lost them, and the after-born were appointed to them in their stead. and whence in most instances arose this perversion of things? both from the fault of the parents and from the pride of the first-born themselves. the parents gave to their first-born greater liberty and indulgence; and then the first-born themselves thus corrupted by the indulgence of their parents despised and oppressed, through this pride in their birth-right, the rest of their brethren. but god is the god of the "humble." he "giveth grace to the humble, and resisteth the proud." those first-born therefore, who exalt themselves in pride god puts down from their right and their seat; not because such do not inherit the right of their primogeniture, but because they grow proud of their gifts and privileges, and carry themselves with insolence and oppression; and such god cannot endure. thus when the angels, who had been endowed with gifts the most noble and the most bright, above all other beings, began to grow proud in heaven and to despise the humility of the son of god, they were cast down into hell and became the most hideous devils. for god cannot endure pride and he will have his majesty preserved and held inviolate everywhere, as the prophet says, "and my glory will i not give to another," is. 42:8, 48:11. thus also, the people of israel were god's peculiar people, and the holy city of jerusalem was the habitation of god. but when they cast off the fear of god and grew proud, through a confidence in their high gifts and privileges, the whole people was cut off and their city laid waste by the gentile nations. and this indeed is the common pestilence of our nature. we rest not content with the gifts which god has bestowed upon us, but abuse them through pride and insult our bountiful creator and giver. god, for example, bestows empires, kingdoms, peace and other large blessings, that kings and princes might acknowledge him, worship him and give him thanks. but kings and princes so abuse these great gifts and favors, as if they were bestowed upon them for the very end that they might insult and trample under foot their creator, who has been to them so bountiful a giver. the very same evil of pride also is found in private and domestic life. god gives sound health, wife, children, and personal property; not that through these things we should offend him, but that in all such things we might acknowledge his mercy and render him continual thanks. and for this same end also, that we might always give him thanks, he has bestowed upon us the use of and the "dominion" over all his creatures. but how few are there who render unto god the thanks which are thus due to him! do not almost all of us live in the continual and most shameful abuse of the gifts of god? god therefore is compelled to use in our case the same remedy which the roman emperor vespasian adopted. he used to suffer his citizens to grow rich. for he was accustomed to say, that such rich ones were like a sponge, which when filled with water, if well squeezed, will give back the water in abundance. so when god has enriched certain ones with his bountiful gifts, if they grow ungrateful and abuse the bounty of their god, he squeezes them till they are empty again; as the blessed virgin says, "and the rich he hath sent empty away." it was for this reason that god did not spare the first-born, cain. he did not give the first birth-right to cain, that he might grow proud of it and despise his god; but that he might adorn it, and reverence and fear his god; and when he did not this, god cast him off. and in this matter the sin belonged even to the parents also. they fostered this pride in their first-born as the names they gave their two sons plainly prove. for adam and eve placed all their hope in their first-born only. they called him "their treasure," as his name indicates. but abel they looked upon as nothing and considered that he could do nothing; while they adorned cain as a king and held him to be the "blessed seed." from him therefore they promised to themselves great things, and of him they speak great things; and he on his part became filled with pride. but abel they despised all the time as a man of naught. god however in due time reverses all things. he casts away cain and makes abel an angel, and the "first of all the saints." for abel, when murdered by his brother, was the "first" who was delivered from his sin and from all the calamities of this world, and he shines throughout the whole church to the end of the world as a distinguished star, through that illustrious testimony of "righteousness," which the whole scriptures bear to his honor. in this manner therefore was abel, whom adam, eve and cain despised as a man of naught, made in the sight of god a lord of heaven and earth. for after death abel is placed in a higher state and condition than if he possessed a thousand earthly worlds with all their riches. such is the end of pride and presumption against god! cain trusted in his birth-right and despised his brother in comparison with himself, and believed not the promise concerning christ; abel on the contrary took fast hold by faith of the promise made unto adam concerning the seed of the woman. and this faith was also the reason he offered a more excellent sacrifice than cain, as the epistle to the hebrews expresses it, heb. 11:4. v. 2b. _and abel was a keeper of sheep, but cain was a tiller of the ground._ according therefore to the names given to the two sons by adam and eve, such was the condition of life to which each son was appointed by his parents; and the difference of these appointments manifests that exalted hope which the parents entertained concerning cain above his brother. for although each "calling" of life is honorable, yet that of abel is domestic only, while that of cain is rather political or public in the nation. as adam was himself a tiller of the ground, he trained cain, whom he more greatly loved, to his father's higher calling; while to abel is committed the more leisure care of the flock. so that it plainly appears that the one son was looked upon as the lord and the other as a servant by his parents. v. 3. _and in process of time after the end of days, it came to pass, that cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto jehovah._ "after the end of days," that is, after a certain number of years had been fulfilled or accomplished. it is here that we are first informed that the godly parents, adam and eve, preached to their children often and much concerning the will and the worship of god. for we here find that both the sons brought unto god their offering. but you will inquire perhaps what, and concerning what, did adam and eve preach unto their children. they certainly had most glorious subjects for all their sermons and conversations. they remembered well their original condition, and what paradise then was; and without doubt they frequently pointed out to their children the place, now guarded by the prohibiting angels, and warned their children to beware of sin, by which they had been deprived of so many blessings and shut out from them. on the other hand there is no doubt that they exhorted their children to live in the fear of god, that they might console themselves with the confidence of his goodness toward them; assuring them that if they did so, they would attain to a better state after this present life. and who could enumerate all the blessings of that former life, which they had originally enjoyed! to all their teaching was added that other branch of doctrine concerning the promise of the seed of the woman, and of the great deliverance from all calamities to come. and most probably these god-fearing parents preached all these things to their children in a certain place, and especially on the sabbath days. and it was doubtless by being stirred to do so by these sermons, that the children came to offer their sacrifices and to render unto god his worship. part ii. offerings in general, of our first parents, and of cain and abel. i. now this is the first passage of the scripture in which mention is made of mincha, _or_ "an offering," from which it plainly appears that the custom of sacrificing and offering victims is no recent thing, but a practice which has existed from the beginning of the world. it is no wonder therefore that the offering of sacrifices, which had been a custom handed down from adam to moses, as from hand to hand, should at length have been reduced by moses into its own peculiar forms and into a certain order; all those things being rejected and repudiated, doubtless many, which the vain superstition of men had added to the original manner of sacrificing. such additions are seen in the examples furnished by the heathen sacrifices, contained in homer and virgil, which sacrifices the heathen nations no doubt received from the primeval fathers, but which they multiplied and encumbered with many things through their superstition. and while i am dwelling on the present passage, let the reader first of all consider with me that adam and eve are not parents only, nor is it their sole care to feed their children and to rear them for this present life. they hold the offices and perform the duties of priests also. and because they are filled with the holy ghost and illuminated with the knowledge of christ who was to come, they set this great hope of their future deliverance before their children also, and exhort them to show forth their gratitude to the god of such infinite mercy. for it is to be received as a sure fact, that the end of all the sacrifices which have been handed down to us from the beginning was none other than to set forth this _great hope!_ and now consider with me next, what kind of hearers there were to listen to this good and holy doctrine from the lips of adam and eve. these hearers and scholars were two. cain, the first-born who appeared as a saint and was believed to be the lord of all, was a wicked man and believed not the divine promise. on the other hand, abel, whose authority was as nothing and was thrust aside to take care of the cattle, was a godly man and believed the promise. and yet the ungodly cain so concealed his ungodliness, that he heard his parents when teaching him and his brother, as if he solemnly reverenced the word; and he also brought his offering, as his godly brother did. here we have an example of the twofold church; the true church and the hypocritical church, as we shall more fully explain hereafter. for although, in the passage now before us, mention is made of the sacrifice offered only, and not of preaching also, yet we are to rest fully assured that cain and abel did not bring their offerings without the preaching of the word. for god is not worshipped with a mere dumb work. here must also be the word, sounding both in the hearts of men and in the ears of god. and in the same way also calling upon the name of the lord was added to this original sacrifice. some may here inquire, whether cain and abel had any word or command of god for offering their sacrifice. my answer is, as all sacred histories confirm, that the great and merciful god of his superabounding grace always appointed together with his word some certain and visible sign of his grace; in order that men being admonished and kept in remembrance by means of the certain signs or works of the sacraments may the more surely believe that god is favorable and merciful unto them. in the same manner after the flood, god set his bow in the heavens, that it might be a sure sign and proof that he would not again visit the world with a like punishment. after the same manner also, circumcision was given unto abraham, as we shall hear in order that he might hold fast the assurance that god would be to him a god, and that he would give him a seed in whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed. to us under the new testament are given baptism and the supper of our lord, as ordained visible signs of grace, that we might be the more fully assured that our sins are all taken away by the suffering of christ for us and that we are redeemed by his death. hence the church was never left so destitute of external signs, that men were suffered to remain in ignorance as to where god might be found without fail. and although the world for the most part follows in the steps of cain and abuses those external signs of the grace of god, turning them into hypocrisy, it is nevertheless evidently an unspeakable mercy that god represents himself unto us in so many ways. and this very great gift of god is that which is intended to be lauded by those high commendations contained in proverbs, "i was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; rejoicing in his habitable earth," prov. 8:30, 31. but the hebrew word sachak is not translated into german, "to play;" for wisdom here declares that her regard was always directed toward men, to the intent that she might reveal herself to men. the meaning is, as if god had said, "i have always so walked before the eyes and in the hearing of men, that they may always understand me to be present in their sacrifices, in circumcision, in their offering of incense, in the cloud by day, in the red sea, in the manna, in the brazen serpent, in the tabernacle of moses, in the temple of solomon, and in the cloud over the mercy-seat, and all these things were my delight; that by means of them i might present myself before the eyes of the sons of men and reveal myself unto them." and it was also a great consolation to adam, that after paradise had been lost and the tree of life also, and those other blessings of paradise which had been outward signs of the grace of god, god gave unto him another sign of his grace; namely, that of offering sacrifices; in order that by this given sign he might understand that he was not cast off by god, but was still the care of his maker, and the concern of his creator. and this is what god intended to be understood by adam, when he had lighted his sacrifices and oblations with the heavenly fire, and when the flame which consumed them ascended to heaven; as we read concerning the sacrifices of moses and of elijah. for all these sacrifices were true symbols and representations of the divine mercy; of all these signs, miserable men had need, that they might not be without some continual light and indication of the grace of god. in the same manner also the word itself baptism and the lord's supper are our morning stars, upon which we look as sure indications and representations of the sun of grace. for we can definitely affirm, that where the lord's supper, baptism and the word are, there is christ, the remission of sins and eternal life. on the contrary, where these signs of grace are not, or where they are despised by men, there, not only is there not grace, but also foul errors abound: so much so that men make to themselves other signs and appoint other modes of worship. thus the greeks worshipped their apollo, and other heathen nations their demons. the egyptians worshipped their anubis, their serapis, and crocodiles, garlic, onions, etc., etc. the romans adored as their gods jupiter quirinus, and the abominable statues of priapus, venus, etc. the very same thing has occurred also in the papacy. for after those true signs of grace began to sink in men's esteem and to be despised, superstition could not remain quiet. it sought out for itself other signs, such as vows, orders of monks, pilgrimages to the tombs of the saints, intercessions of the saints, and other superstitions. all these things are full of errors, and joined with ungodliness; and yet miserable mortals embrace them as certain signs of divine grace. and amidst all this you hear of no bishop who condemns, no school which exclaims against such blasphemies as these, nor which teaches sounder things. for where the light of the word is lost and these signs of grace also, which god has given unto men, people necessarily run after the desires of their own hearts. so also the jews, when they had despised the tabernacle and the temple, sacrificed under trees and in groves, even until parents became so cruel as to sacrifice their own children. all this idolatry, so various and so widely wandering out of the way, plainly shows how great a gift of god it is to possess the word and those signs of divine grace, which god himself set forth and commanded. and if the gentiles had been willing to follow in the footsteps of the jews, they would never have fallen away into those monstrous idolatries under which they were sunk. and so also with respect to ourselves; had we held baptism and the holy supper of our lord in that esteem in which we ought to have held them, we should never have become monks. nothing concerning purgatory, nothing concerning the sacrifice of the mass, nothing about those other like iniquities, would ever have been taught and handed down to us in the church. but after the light of the word had been put out by the wicked popes, it was easy enough to thrust upon men all these abominations. unspeakable therefore is this gift, that god not only condescended to speak unto men by his word, but added also to the word these visible signs of his grace; as in the new testament, baptism and the supper of our lord. are not those therefore who use these signs in a manner beneath their dignity, or who treat them with contempt, worthy of being left as they are to purchase the pope's dung, as the richest balsam, and to worship it, and to pray to it? for why dared they despise such goodness of the divine majesty? they might have had, if they pleased, these sure signs of the grace of god at their own houses without any expense and without any labor. but despising these, they travel to rome and to compostella, etc.; and thus spend their money and afflict their bodies, and at length most justly lose their souls. god be blessed forevermore, that he has in this our day recalled us by his word from these mighty errors and idolatries, and has so enriched us with the signs of his divine grace, that we may have them before our doors and in our home and even on our beds. it was in this manner that god at first and from the very beginning of the world, in order to confirm his promise concerning our salvation, took this care that men might always have signs by which they might comfort themselves under their sins, and might lift up their heads by a confidence in the divine grace. for it is not the dignity of the work or act itself, but the mercy of god and the efficacy of the divine promise in the sacrifice, which are availing unto the worshipper. it is because god hath ordained these acts of worship, and because he hath promised that they shall be well-pleasing unto him, that baptism and the supper of our lord are to us, what the sacrifice and offering after the promise were to adam. for god in those sacrifices revealed his grace; and he approved those same sacrifices by himself igniting them and consuming them by fire from heaven. ii. and it was to these acts of worship that the first father brought up his sons; that they might in this manner render their thanks unto god, might bless god, and might conceive a sure hope in the mercy of god. but the wicked cain, inflated with the dignity of his first birth-right, despised all these most blessed preachings of his parent. he brought his offering indeed as his father had commanded him; but, puffed up with the high opinion of his own sanctity, he imagined that god would approve the act of the worship itself, because of the dignity of the person, the worshipper. and abel, who, according to the name given him, was nothing in his own eyes, also brought his offering; but he worships god thereby through faith in the divine promise; as it is written in the epistle to the hebrews, heb. 11:4. v. 4a. _and abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof._ here, if you look at the acts of their worship themselves, you can see no reason for preferring abel to cain. for the jews expose their absurdity by their dreams when they say that cain did not offer chosen wheat, but chaff only; and that was the reason why he was rejected of god. but the jews are self-righteous worshippers and cleave unto the works themselves. the judgment of the epistle to the hebrews however is quite different; the testimony of which is, that it was "by faith that abel offered unto god a more excellent sacrifice than cain," heb. 11:4. the fault of the offering therefore did not lie in the things which were offered, but in the person who offered them. and it was the faith of the person and its weight, which gave the value to the offering made by abel! but cain, by the state of his person, rendered the offering which he made of no avail. abel believed that god was good and merciful, and it was this faith that rendered his offering acceptable to god. cain on the contrary trusted in the dignity of his first birth-right and despised his brother as a man of naught in comparison with himself. what therefore in the end was proved to be the judgment of god? god made the first-born to be as the after-born, and the after-born to be as the first-born. for he had respect unto the offering of abel, and showed that the offering of this priest was acceptable unto himself; and, on the other hand, he declared that cain was not acceptable to him and that he was not a true priest in his sight. the hebrew expression, schaah, has a very wide signification; and i have carefully explained its full meaning in my paper against latomus; and also, its like signification, as found in the prophet isaiah. "in that day shall men look to their maker, and their eyes shall have respect to the holy one of israel; and they shall not look to the altars, the work of their hands," is. 17:7, 8, and likewise, is. 66:12, "and ye shall suck thereof; ye shall be borne upon the side, and shall be dandled upon the knees." the full meaning of the original expression therefore and its allusion are, that when a mother cherishes her babe in her bosom and looks upon it, she views it with a glad and delighted eye. this is the meaning, the allusion and the figure, which the original expression conveys. its signification therefore is much more extensive than that of the common verb, "to see," or "to behold." for when a mother looks at her babe, she smiles upon it with delight and carries in her countenance a peculiar expression of love. the modern expressions of our language do not contain a term by which the full import of this original word can be conveyed; nor does the latin language, as far as i know, contain any expression adequate to its satisfactory translation. quite similar is that which moses says in exodus 33:15, "if thy presence (_facies tuae_) go not with me, carry us not up hence," that is, grant that we may ever have thy signs with us in our midst, by which thou appearest always before us, and makest manifest thy presence with us and thy favor unto us. and these signs, as i have said, were the pillar of fire and the cloud, etc. and though moses does not, in this portion of the divine history explain what that sign was, by which god showed that the offerings of abel were acceptable unto him; yet it is very probable that his acceptance and pleasure were manifested by fire sent down from heaven, by which the offering and the victim were ignited and consumed before the eyes of all present, by which it was plainly shown that god was delighted with the sacrifice abel offered. for by this divine manifestation god showed that he judgeth the heart and the reins; because, in these two offerings, he "had not respect" unto the glory of the first birth-right of cain; but, on the other hand, he "had respect" unto the mind of the despised abel. and here the whole church first begins to be divided into that church, which is "the church" in name only, but which in reality is the church of hypocrisy and the church of blood; and into that other church, which is barren and desolate in appearance, and subject to sufferings and to the cross, and which, before the world and in the estimation of that church of hypocrisy, is really the abel; that is, vanity and nothing. but christ himself, who also makes this division and difference, calls abel the "righteous" one and makes him the beginning of the church of the godly, which shall continue even unto the end of the world. while cain is the beginning of that church of enmity and blood, which also shall continue unto the end of the world; as augustine also setteth forth this history in his book, "the city of god." a great doctrine therefore and a great consolation are set before us, while we trace both these churches to these their original fountains, as it were, and when we mark that wonderful counsel, with which god has ever ruled and overruled these things; ordaining that the true church should at one time be greater and at another time less; yet, so that the hypocritical and the bloody church should always have the glory before the world and should crucify the true church, which is the beloved of her god. for even thus at the beginning did commence the practical fulfilment of that divine prediction, that the seed of the serpent should bite the heel of the blessed seed. and this same enmity and biting we experience to this very day. therefore we ought not to be affrighted by this our appointed lot. it ought rather to be unto us a great consolation that we learn by our own experience to suffer those very things at the hands of our enemies, which the bloody cain inflicted on the "righteous" abel. for it is not now the first time that the name of the church is torn from us, and that we are called heretics, and that those who kill us glory that they are the only true church, and maintain that assumed name by fire and sword, and by every kind of cruelty. the same thing befell righteous abel. the same thing befell christ our lord, who was not a priest nor a king of jerusalem before the people; and yet he was dragged by the priests and by the kings to the cross! and we all, as the apostle says, must be made conformable to christ. and thus it is that the true church is ever hidden and unknown, and is cast out, and its members held as heretics, and slain; while cain alone has the glorious name and is held in estimation, and alone possesses the hope of doing great things; and therefore it is that he rushes on his brother with hostile enmity of mind and slays him. now these things were not political nor domestic, but truly ecclesiastical in the highest degree. abel was not slain on any political or domestic account, but alone on account of the worship of god. for it was not enough for cain that he was the lord of the family, he wishes to be the son of god; he will be the pope and father of the church. and therefore he takes upon himself the judgment of sacrifices, and condemns and slays his brother as a heretic. hence is the prophecy of christ that the church should be subject to various perils and that the time should come when those who should slay the godly should think that they were thereby worshipping god and doing him service. therefore those who will consider themselves the most righteous among us, these are the pestilences and the persecutors of the church. on the other hand, the true church is that church which is never judged to be "the church." but she is, according to her name, the abel who was not only a figure of the true church but the very beginning of it; that is, she is accounted as naught, so that when she is slain, her slayers think that god will care nothing about her, because cain, they think, as being lord of all and king, may do and is able to do anything. now this is the offense of the cross, against which we have ever to fight by faith. for we are not to think that we are not the church, because our adversaries condemn us and persecute us with every kind of cruelty thus securely. but, on the contrary, we are ever to consider that this cross and these judgments of the wicked are the sure and infallible signs of the true church, as the tenth psalm shows, also psalm 72:14, "and precious shall their blood be in his sight;" and psalm 116:15, "precious in the sight of the lord is the death of his saints." in these psalms therefore you hear that those who are slaughtered in this manner by the cainites are so far from being from the care of god that their death is precious in his sight. those therefore who are thus the care of god are the true people of god. wherefore, let us endure the cruelty of our adversaries and let us joyfully give thanks unto god that we are not in the number of those who are the slayers; and who, because of their name and title, persecute "the church," seize upon the property of others, and rush with cruelty and violence upon their bodies also. and indeed the histories of all ages and times testify that the true church was ever a suffering church, that the false church was ever an evil and violent church; and that the true church was ever condemned by the church of hypocrisy and blood. hence there can be no doubt among us of the present day that the church of the pope is the cainite church, and that we are the true, the abel church; and as abel harmed not cain, so we not only do no harm to the church of the pope, but suffer ourselves to be harassed, condemned and slaughtered by them. nor do we record these things falsely. it is well known to the whole world how often we are subjected to anathemas, distressed by subscriptions, and condemned by various denunciations. nor have there ever ceased to be found men in almost every corner or europe ready to offer themselves as the fierce executors of cruelest decrees. neither spain, nor france, nor england, nor belgium, nor bohemia, nor poland, nor hungary, nor austria, nor bavaria, has been free from witnessing this unjust cruelty and savage rage. and yet, what were they persecuting all the while? what, but godly doctrine, a doctrine perfectly agreeing with the writings of the apostles and prophets? can there be any doubt or obscurity then in forming a judgment concerning the true church? for can you possibly judge that to be the true church where nothing sound is taught, where unjust tyranny is practiced, and where the highest power is joined with the greatest wealth? is not that rather the true church where there is sound and holy doctrine, healing to afflicted consciences? and where, for the sake of that doctrine, there are endured the cross, contempt, poverty, ignominy, and all those things of the same kind which the poor little helpless flock of christ is recorded ever and everywhere to have suffered? it is not only most useful therefore, but also most consoling, to have ever before our eyes this most certain demonstration, which carries with it so plain a distinction between the two churches, that church which is filled with men of enmity and malignity, such as that purple harlot, bearing the name of the true church; and that other church, which is accounted as naught, which suffers, which hungers and thirsts, and lies prostrate under oppression. for christ records that he and his disciples both hunger and thirst in this world, math. 25:35-46. but the judgment shall one day come which shall judge between the full and the hungry, between the goats and the sheep, between cain and abel. at this judgment god shall declare that he approves this suffering and hungering church, and condemns the church of hypocrisy and blood. these are our consolations and this is that sugar as it were, by which our present calamities must be sweetened and overcome. such then is the theological part of this divine matter. now let us come to the political part of it, and consider the judgment of god concerning that. we doubtless may justly wonder why it was that god permitted the first son of adam, to whom the honor of the first birth-right was always due throughout the whole human race, to fall so horribly that his whole posterity should afterwards be destroyed. but the cause was the very same as that on account of which god spoke with such bitter derision to adam when he said, "lest he also become as one of us," gen. 3:22. the reason was the same as that for which the lord guarded the garden by the cherubim. for god will crush all presumption and pride, which are implanted as it were in the heart of man by original sin. and such is our nature that we can endure anything else better than this crushing of our pride. we see what insolence and pride there are in all our nobles of the court, on account of the vain nobility of their descent. for truly vain is that nobility, which real worth and illustrious services to his country have not procured for a man. it is said of plato, the philosopher, that he also was accustomed to give thanks to god for three things; first, that he was born a man and not a beast; secondly, that he was born a greek at athens, and not a barbarian; and thirdly, that he was born a man and not a woman. the fatuity of the jews is just like this. they glory that they were born men, and not beasts; jews, and not gentiles; males, and not females. but to what, i pray you, does all this glory of origin amount? what vanity is it to see a certain ass in a palace with his gold chains on, not only thinking himself better than every one of the people, but also growing proud and insolent against god himself. just so it was with the romans. they prided themselves in the course of years on the glory of their nation's mighty deeds, always carefully thrusting from them the degrading term "barbarian." in a word, the greater any nation has ever grown in its own eyes, the more proud and insolent it has ever become. and the same is the nature of us all by sin. but look at the judgment of god in this matter. cain could truly and justly boast in the highest of all nobility, for he was the first-born of all mankind. but the greater and more glorious his origin was, by so much the more horribly did he fall. hence general experience has also given place to the well-known proverb, which says, "the sons of the great are great evils." nor are these evils peculiar to private families only, mighty empires suffer the same. the nation of the greeks was most glorious. they excelled all other nations in their learning and in the greatness of their illustrious deeds. but into what extremes of turpitude did they fall? and how miserably was their nation destroyed at last? and you may see the very same things fulfilled in all nations. good therefore was god in permitting cain thus to fall, that he might be an example to the whole world, that no one might ever glory in the nobleness of his blood, as the jews boasted of their father abraham and as the greeks boasted of their wisdom. for god will have himself to be feared and us to be humbled. but this his will, though known to us, is for the most part known to us in vain. for we are not moved by all these terrible instances of his wrath nor by the perditions and destructions of the first men and the first nations. universal experience therefore testifies, that the sentiment of the virgin mary is true, "he hath put down the mighty from their seats," luke 1:52. for those things which are the first and the best become the most damnable, not from anything in themselves that is evil, but on account of the diabolical presumption and pride of men. this sad result the gentiles also saw, as the well-known saying of one of their philosophers testifies, who being asked what god was doing replied, "exalting the humble, and humbling the exalted." but the heathen philosophers saw not the cause of all these things. thus also the flesh judges it to be great glory to be born a male, and not a female. we see however that god has taken especial care that man, so great, should not be born of man, and so also christ would have himself to be called "the seed of the woman," not the "seed of the man." o what would have been the pride of men had god willed christ to be born of a man! no! all this glory is transferred from the men to the women, subject to the rule of the men. and all this was done that men might not glory in themselves, but be humbled. nay, since the woman cannot bring forth without the man, god has therefore especially ordained that the men also should not bring forth of themselves without the woman. for such is human nature, that man cannot rightly use his glory, but ever abuses it with pride and rises up against him from whom he receives such gifts. it was for this reason therefore that cain so awfully fell and lost the right of his first birthship, that we might be thereby taught to fear god and to give him thanks, and might be warned against abusing his gifts in arrogance and pride. vs. 4b, 5a. _and jehovah had respect unto abel and to his offering; but unto cain and his offering he had not respect._ this is an important portion of scripture, and therefore it is to be most carefully observed and most strongly enforced. for it would be sufficient for all doctrine if under the new testament trust in the mercy of god were set before men against all trust in works with so clear a testimony and in such plain words as it was thus set forth at the very beginning of the world. for when moses says that the lord had respect unto abel and to his offering, but unto cain and his offering he had not respect, does he not clearly show that god ever respects the person before the work, and that he first looks at the person who performs the work? and does not the sacred historian make it perfectly plain, that if the person be good, his work also pleaseth god; but that, if the person be evil, the work also of such an one does not please god? now this is the sum of our doctrine, which we profess and teach, that the person is accepted of god before the work! and that the person is not made righteous by the righteous work, but on the contrary that the work is rendered righteous and good by the good and righteous person, as the text now before us clearly proves. for because god, as here shown, had respect unto the person of abel, he had respect also unto his offering. but on the other hand, because god had not respect unto the person of cain, therefore unto his offering also he had not respect. this doctrine the text before us plainly proves, nor can our adversaries deny it. from the words of that text therefore follows this most clear and most evident consequence: that abel was "righteous" before the work of his "offering," and that his work pleased god, because of his person; not his person, because of his work. yet it is for the latter doctrine that our adversaries contend, who teach that the man is justified by his works, and not by his faith alone. and it is in this manner that the author of the epistle to the hebrews looks at this text with clear and pure eyes, when he says, "by faith abel offered unto god a more excellent sacrifice than cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, god testifying of his gifts; and by it, he being dead, yet speaketh," heb. 11:4. cain also offered, and also before abel brought his offering; but the former offered, inflated with the glory of his birth, expecting that his gift would please god, because it was offered by the first-born. cain therefore comes to offer without faith, without the confession of sin, without imploring the grace of god, without trust in the mercy of god, and without prayer for the remission of sins, having no other ground for his hope that he shall please god, than because he was the first-born; and this is what all self-justifiers do at this day. they look intently on their works alone and hope that they shall please god on account of their works. they trust not in the mercy of god only, nor hope in god that he will pardon their sins for christ's sake. and such was cain. but it would have been impossible for him to have displeased god, if he had possessed faith. abel, on the contrary, acknowledged himself to be an unworthy and miserable sinner; and therefore he fled unto the mercy of god and believed that god was favorable unto him, and that he was willing to have mercy upon him. god therefore who looks into the heart judged between the two brothers, who alike brought their offering. he condemned cain, not on account of the offerings themselves, as if they were less good than those of abel, for if he had offered even a nutshell in faith, it would have been accepted of god, but because his person was evil, without faith and filled with pride and arrogance. while, on the contrary, god had respect unto the offering of abel, because his person pleased him. hence it is that the text so clearly and particularly expresses it, that the lord had respect first to abel, and afterwards to his offering. for, when the person first pleases you, then also the things which that person does please you. but, on the contrary, all things are unpleasing to you, which that person does whom you hate. the passage before us therefore is remarkable and important; for it is thereby clearly proved that god regards neither the magnitude, nor the multitude, nor even the price of the works done; but simply and only the faith of the person who does them. and that god despises neither the fewness, nor the meanness, nor the worthlessness of the works done, but the absence of faith only, in the person who does them. of what avail is it therefore that the jews glory and exclaim, "the temple of the lord! the temple of the lord!" jer. 7:4. what avails it that the papists boast of their masses, their sackcloth, their horse-hair blankets, their hard labors, their sweats, and the magnitude, the multitude and even the price of their works? for god regardeth not works, not even those commanded by himself, when they are not done as the passage of jeremiah just mentioned shows. much less does god regard those works which are invented of men without his word. he regards faith alone; that is, a trust in his mercy through christ. it is by this faith and this trust that the persons begin to please god; then after this their works also please him. hence it was that the offering of cain did not please god, because cain having no faith did not please him. on the contrary, the offering of abel did please god and that because of his faith; because he trusted neither in his dignity, nor in his sacrifices themselves, nor in the work which he performed; but trusted alone in the promise given of god concerning the seed of the woman. the text before us therefore exactly applies to our doctrine concerning justification, that a man must be righteous before all works and be accepted of god without any works, through that grace alone which his faith believes and apprehends. nor does even faith justify, as a work, but because it apprehends the mercy shown forth in christ. it is in this trust in the mercy of god that the true church walks, with a humble confession of her sins and unworthiness, while she believes that god will pardon her through christ. and now the works which follow upon this trust in god's mercy are as it were evidences and testimonies of the man's faith; and they please god, not on account of themselves, but on account of the faith of the person who offers them; or because he believes in the mercy of god toward him. this faith the other church, the cainite church, not only has not, but ever persecutes it where she finds it. for she on the contrary, like cain, sets it down for a certainty that she shall please god on account of her works. but god hates this pride; for he can not endure such contempt of his grace and mercy, etc. this passage of scripture therefore is worthy our most careful consideration. part iii. cain's conduct upon the rejection of his offering and his punishment. i. v. 5b. _and cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell._ this and the few following clauses will give us a little grammatical trouble. but i hope we shall make our way out of the difficulty successfully. we have heard that cain was disappointed in his hope. he had despised his brother in comparison with himself, and had judged that on account of the right of his primogeniture he should hold the first place with god as he had done with his parents. the judgment of god however was quite different from that of men. he showed that he approved abel, but rejected cain. the result was therefore that cain was violently enraged against his brother. for he could not endure with any patience that he should be thus rejected and excommunicated, and deprived also at the same time of his rule and priesthood. just in the same manner also we see kings and princes to be utterly impatient of the judgment of the church. for they are not satisfied with being kings and princes, they want to be accounted also righteous and saints before god; and they will take to themselves the name of "the church." exactly like these, cain was filled with indignation when he saw that the honor of righteousness and grace before god was taken from him. for what else was this than being cast out of the church and excommunicated? and his indignation at this dishonor was the greater in proportion to the measure in which he judged himself degraded beneath his brother. for his thoughts were these: "my brother will assuredly aspire to the headship and rule, since he sees me thus despised and disregarded of god." and hence it is that moses uses the adverb "very wroth," by which form of expression he would signify that cain was vehemently offended because he was thus ignominiously confounded in public before his whole family; whereas he had always wished to appear the first among them. this cain-like wrath is just that rage which we see also in the cain-like church of the pope. for what is there which gives the pope, the cardinals, the kings and the princes greater offense than that i, a poor beggar, set the authority of god above the authority of them all, and that i condemn in the name of the lord all those things which are worthy such condemnation. they themselves also acknowledge that there are many things which need rigid reformation. but that i, a poor, obscure person, coming into public out of some obscure corner, should presume to do this, is a thing which they consider to be beyond all endurance. and therefore they put forth all their authority against me and by the weight of that authority they attempt to crush us. and most certainly there is not in the whole world a wrath more cruel than that of this church of hypocrisy and blood. for in all political or civil rage there is some degree of humanity still left. no assassin is led to execution, however savage his nature may be, with pity for whom men are not in some measure touched. but when that false and blood-thirsting church falls upon a poor son of the true church, she is not satisfied with shedding his blood; she loads him also with her curses and execrations, and devotes him to every ignominy and insult, and even vents her rage upon his miserable, breathless corpse. just like the jews, who were not content with having nailed christ to the cross, with the full purpose of not taking him down till he was dead, but even while he was breathing out the last breath of his soul they gave him in his thirst vinegar to drink mingled with gall. such fury as this is never found in political wrath! the wrath therefore and the pharasaic fury of the false church is a fury in its very nature diabolical. this wrath began in cain, and it continues in all cainites to this very day. and we can most truly glory that we also have to endure with godly abel, just such wrath as this in our day. for who entertains a doubt, that if our bishops and certain furious princes could do it, they would slaughter us all in one moment? who doubts that, if according to the prayers of the notorious roman emperor, we all together had but one neck, they would with the greatest delight rush upon us sword in hand and cut off our head? only look at the councils of these later years and their designs, and you will say that my testimony is true. that which moses adds, "and his countenance (_vultus_) 'appearances,' 'looks,' 'whole aspect,' fell," is a hebrew expression; an expression which not only represents the deed done, or the fact, but also implies that the mind also was in such a state of commotion that it could not rest; and that although cain could do no further harm, yet his wrathful will to do so was manifested by his countenance. he did not lift up his fallen brow nor speak in a friendly voice to his parents as before. and every answer he made them was rather a sullen murmur than a natural utterance. he was struck pale at the first sight of his brother after his offering, which god had accepted. and he showed by the threatening looks of his eyes that his mind was burning with the desire of revenge. moses expresses all this, when he says, "and his countenance fell;" for he does not mean his countenance or visage only, nor merely one part of his countenance; but he intends all his appearances, his whole appearance; his every look, gesture and motion; in the same manner as the apostle uses a hebrew expression, when he says concerning charity that it "doth not behave itself unseemly;" that is, doth not carry an unseemly countenance, doth not contract its brow, doth not look with anger or disdain, doth not wear a threatening aspect; but is of a free and open visage, expressing with its eyes kindness and affection. for the latter are becoming, but the former are unbecoming and indicative of vice within. this clause therefore, "and his countenance fell," contains a particular description of the anger and hypocrisy of cain. he could neither look at his brother abel, nor hear his voice, nor speak to him, nor eat nor drink with him in rest or quietude of mind. if any one desires to witness an example of this cain-like wrath, let him put himself in the presence of some papist, who is seeking distinguished praise for doctrine or piety in his day and generation; and he will find that such an one is the subject of a rage against the truth, perfectly diabolical; to which fury, if you compare the anger of a judge, the latter will appear in comparison to be the greatest kindness, mercy and open candor. for in the judge anger is merely a duty; he is not angry with the person of the prisoner, but with his crime. but the cainite wrath fires and distorts the eyes, scowls the brow, swells the cheeks with rage, and arms the hands. in a word, it is evident in every part of the body and in its every gesture, and that unceasingly. for it does not die away by time, as political or domestic wrath does. next follows the fatherly and most grave admonition of adam, who would willingly have healed and saved his son if he could have done so. but this wrath knows no medicine or cure. neither cain nor any cainite will hear either father or mother, or god himself! v. 6. _and jehovah said unto cain, why art thou wroth, and why is thy countenance fallen?_ all these circumstances plainly prove that the present was not the first time that cain had been confounded in this offering of his sacrifice; but that from the hour of this sacrifice he had gone in perturbation of mind, filled with sadness and gnashing his teeth; and looking neither upon his father nor upon his mother without an evil eye; affected just as we have already said that pharasaic rage affects the whole man, and changes the whole visage and gesture. for cain considered it to be a great indignity that at a public sacrifice, and in the midst of divine worship, and before the eyes of his father and his mother, abel whom he had always despised and whom even his parents themselves had accounted a child of naught, should be preferred of god to himself; and thus pronounced of god worthy the glory of the kingship and the priesthood. ii. as soon therefore as he had fully shown that he was of a hostile mind towards his brother, he receives from his father adam the admonition in our text. for my belief is, that these words are spoken by adam himself, and that moses says they were spoken "by the lord," because adam had now been justified and had been gifted with the holy spirit; and therefore those things which he now spoke by the holy spirit according to the word of god are rightly said by moses to have been spoken by god himself. just as at the present day those who preach the gospel are not in reality themselves the preachers and teachers, but christ, who speaks and teaches in them and by them. and most certainly these words are spoken by adam with peculiar gravity and intent; for he saw that his son could not patiently endure the indignity put upon him; he saw him grieve over his lost superiority; and he felt what havoc the tempter might make in the corrupt nature of his son, who had done such evil to himself and eve, when in a state of innocency and perfection. adam therefore was filled with deep anxiety and addressed his son with that solemn gravity of language, which moses records in the text. and although no one of the fathers has explained that speech of adam to his son cain in a manner worthy its gravity and importance; because perhaps none of them had sufficient leisure from their ecclesiastical engagements; yet i will attempt to move this stone of difficulty out of the way; and, as i hope and think, not without some advantage to the truth. v. 7a. _if thou doest well, shall it not be lifted up, (shall there not be a remission,) and if thou doest not well, sin coucheth (lieth) at the door._ i cannot sufficiently wonder how moses was able to condense so mighty a subject in so few words. our translation does not properly express the sense. and although augustine was not altogether unacquainted with the hebrew language, yet his knowledge of it was not thorough; for he renders this important text thus, "if thou offerest aright, and yet dost not rightly divide the offering, thou hast sinned. rest, and be quiet." what such sins are those well acquainted with the hebrew know. though the doctrine which augustine deduces from his rendering of the passage is theologically correct and good, the septuagint translators of the hebrew seem also not to have been duly qualified for the magnitude of the work they undertook. wherefore, leaving for the present both the translations and the opinions of all other commentators, we will now strictly follow the proper sense of the hebrew in the text before us. that sense is the following, "if thou doest well, there shall be remission, or alleviation; if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door," etc. moreover it is ordained by nature, as even the philosopher testifies, that words should be made to serve things, and not things made subservient to words. the sentiment of hilary is well known, which a certain master of sound opinions also thus cites: "words ought ever to be understood according to the matter contained in them, and intended to be expressed by them." in every exposition or explanation of the scriptures therefore the subject-matter is first to be considered; that is, we are first clearly to see the thing spoken of in each case. when this is strictly done, then the words are to be brought to a due application to the thing, if the grammatical laws of the language will permit; but the things are never to be made to bend to the words. and it is because the rabbins and those who follow them do not this, for they have lost the things, and so cleave hard to the words only, that they often fall into the most absurd sentiments and opinions. for, as they possess not thoughts worthy of those spiritual things, of which the sacred scriptures speak, they err from the subject-matter treated in each case by the word and draw the words after them into vain and carnal cogitations. but it is certain that the jews have lost christ; how then can they possibly understand aright either the things of the gospel or the things of the law? they know not what sin is, nor what grace is, nor what righteousness is. how then should they be able to explain successfully such passages of the scriptures? just so the jews are in general the "wise" or sophists of our day. for what sound knowledge have they of such divine and mighty things as these! being ignorant therefore of the thing itself, how is it possible that they should rightly understand the words of the scriptures in which it is expressed? and although a knowledge of the words is prior in order; yet the knowledge of the things is better and more important. for if you alter the things, the words also will be changed into another sense to correspond with the altered things, and a new grammatical construction altogether is the sure result. thus the great grammarian of gerunda possesses an excellent knowledge of the words, and indeed there are many in our day who far surpass me in a critical knowledge of the hebrew language, but because he understands not the divine theme, he miserably corrupts this passage; for he explains it thus: "if thou doest well thy offering shall be more acceptable than that of thy brother, because thou art the first-born." you here see that gerundensis understands what the names of the things are, but not the things themselves; what the term is, but not what the matter is. for the very design of god in this text is to show that he will have no regard to first birthship at all. how then could the offering of cain ever have been more acceptable to god than that of abel on account of his primogeniture? the author of the epistle to the hebrews knew what the thing was, and therefore he gives a very different statement of the sacred matter, namely, that it was "by faith that abel offered a more excellent sacrifice than cain." the rendering of jerome is much better than that of gerundensis. the version of the former is, "if thou doest well, thou shalt receive; if thou doest ill, sin (he adds the pronoun 'thine own sin') will lie at the door." yet, even thus jerome does not reach the true sense. for when he explains the verb seeth as meaning "to receive," which really signifies "to relieve," or "to alleviate," no one i think will approve his rendering. but all this jerome has from the jews, who have always been of the opinion that god would have rewarded cain if he had offered liberally. now therefore i will simply state what my view of this important passage is. first of all then it is necessary, as i have said, that we hold fast the divine matter in question. the divine matter then involved is that which cannot deceive, as being the foundation of the whole divine cause, that nothing pleases god unless it be done in faith, according to that universally applicable and well known sentence of the apostle paul, "whatsoever is not of faith is sin," rom. 14:23. and solomon also says, "the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the lord," prov. 15:8. the other great foundation of the cause of god is, that sin is so mighty that it can be put away by no sacrifices, nor by any works whatever, but by the mercy of god alone, which mercy must be apprehended and received by faith. and all this is manifested and shown to have been the good pleasure of god by the first promise concerning the seed of the woman, without which seed there is no redemption. now these foundations the rabbins possess not, for this knowledge comes by the spirit of christ alone, who like the mid-sun illumines all the darkness of nature and sin. whatsoever therefore militates against, or is contrary to, these foundations, we at once reject as false and impious. and although for myself i have no objection whether you understand "sin" here as referring to the past sin, or to the future sin of cain, yet it seems to me better to understand it as referring to sin in general. the force of the whole passage therefore lies in the hebrew verb seeth from nasa, "be alleviated," or "lifted up," or "relieved." and in this very case we have a remarkable example of the difference between the name or term of the thing and the thing itself. for if you apply the term to "lift up," or to "lift off," to a corporeal or solid substance, it signifies "to elevate" or "to lift up on high;" as in isaiah, "i saw also the lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up," is. 6:1. but this is a very different signification of the hebrew verb from that which it expresses in the psalm, "blessed is the man whose sins are 'lifted up' or 'lifted out,'" ps. 32:1, and yet the hebrew verb is the same in each instance. now, a common grammarian of the hebrew language understands the former meaning of the original verb, but he is ignorant of its latter signification. for, "to lift up a throne on high," is quite another thing from lifting up or lifting off, sin from the conscience; that is, remitting or taking away sin. wherefore, the meaning is, "if thou hadst done well or if thou hadst been good; that is, if thou hadst believed, thou wouldst have had god favorable and merciful toward thee, and there would have been a true alleviation to thee; that is, a remission of sin. but since i see that god had not respect unto thee, it evidently follows that thou wert not good in his sight; and that therefore thou wast not relieved from thy sin; wherefore, thy sin remaineth." however it is a most beautiful and striking similitude to make use of the verb "to lift up" or "to lift off" in order to compare sin to a heavy burden, under which cain was so oppressed and prostrated, so that unless it were taken off he could not draw his breath. and the epistle to the hebrews shows the manner in which we are released from this burden, when it says, "by faith abel offered unto god a more excellent sacrifice than cain," heb. 11:4. by this mode of interpreting this important passage the words or the grammatical construction perfectly agree with the matter contained in them, which is, that god has respect unto faith only, and judges those alone to be good who believe. and these words of adam contain also a most severe rebuke. their meaning is, as if adam had said to cain, "thy pride has destroyed thee. thou camest before god inflated with the glory of thy primogeniture, and thoughtest that god would accept thee on that account. but i clearly perceive by this judgment and reprobation of god that thou art destitute of faith, for god rejects none but the unbelieving." not one of the rabbins explains the passage before us in this manner. for they see not that adam is here inculcating in his son, after the manner of the apostle paul, that word of christ in the gospel, "he that believeth shall be saved," mark 16:16; and also that word of the apostle himself, "therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law," rom. 3:28. for what else does adam here say to cain, than that god is merciful to those who believe in the blessed seed, and who cast away all trust in their own works, and all ideas of their own merit? for his meaning is, "if thou shalt do this, thy sin shall not lie thus as a heavy burden upon thee. thou shalt be relieved of that load, nor shalt thou thus roar with rage; for god has promised that he will not impute sin to any one that believeth." if therefore you refer these words to the past sin of cain, they contain also a most grave fatherly admonition. their import is, as if adam had said, "hitherto thou hast not believed and therefore thou art thus rejected; and if thou shalt still go on thus, thou wilt be cast off utterly. but if thou shalt do well or become good, that is, if thou shalt believe in the promised seed, i take upon myself to assure thee that the result will be that thou shalt be relieved of thy burden of sin;" that is, as the psalm interprets this expression of adam, "sin shall not be imputed unto thee," ps. 32:2. the clause which follows, thy "sin lieth at the door," is a figurative description of sin, which for my part i should prefer understanding as being used as a proverb. for this figure exactly describes the real nature of sin, showing that, while in the act, it lies like a beast dead asleep; it does not bite, nor terrify, nor torment, but rather fawns and pleases. thus when eve first and afterwards adam ate the forbidden apple in paradise they did not think that god had seen it, much less did they think that both should be so bitterly punished for what they had done. so also ferocious beasts, when they are just satisfied with food, are more tractable and more inclined to sleep than to harm. in the same manner also sin, while it is in the act, is delightful, nor is its poison or pain felt; it rather lies down and goes to sleep. for whoever saw a miser to be racked with pain while an opportunity of great gain stood before him? whoever knew an adulterer to grieve at the opportunity given him of gratifying his wishes? if thou hadst at that moment torn his skin with a scourge, or beaten his head with a mallet, the temptation would have vanished. but while sin is asleep and its punishment unfelt and unseen, it is the height of pleasure to the miser to rush upon his gain, and to the adulterer to possess the object of his sinful desires; nor does there seem to be, nor does he wish for, any end or any bound to his pleasure. adam is speaking therefore in this passage not only of the sin of cain, but of sin in general; showing what the real nature of sin is. for that which was the state of cain is the state of all men. before he offered his sacrifice cain proudly boasted of the privileges of his primogeniture; he despised his brother and assumed to himself the first place in all things. sin was then lying still and asleep; but it was "lying at the door;" that is, in a place or state in which it was likely to be disturbed. for it is by "the door" that we go in and out, and therefore a place by no means adapted for a long sleep. and this is also the very nature of sin. although it does lie asleep, yet it lies in a place where it is not likely to sleep long, for christ says, "there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed," math. 10:26. the wicked man thinks indeed that his sin is asleep and hidden; but it lieth asleep at "the door," and at length it is awakened by conviction, brought to light, and made known: for "at the door," and rest and sleep are things directly opposed to each other. for as darkness is opposite to light, so is sleep to an unquiet place; they are things contradictory to each other in their very nature. in this manner therefore may the present passage be interpreted in its reference to cain's past sin. and if you explain these same words in their reference to the future sin of cain, their meaning is this, "if thou shalt harm thy brother, and indulge the wrath conceived in thy mind, i tell thee that thy sin will indeed lie asleep; but it will lie asleep at the door; that is, in a place where it will surely be disturbed; and therefore, it is impossible but that it must be awoke and roused up, when as a furious beast it will lay hold upon thee." and so the event proved. for after cain had committed the murder, while he was burying his brother alone, his sin was asleep. but how long? no longer than until the sound of that voice of god reached his ears, "where is abel, thy brother?" the present words of adam therefore are a true description of all sin. it always "lieth at the door." for such is the nature of the minds of men, that as long as they escape the eyes of men, they think their sin will lie hidden and unknown. but unless they do well; that is, unless they believe that god will pardon their sin through christ, it will surely be awakened and revealed to their torment and destruction. the figurative proverb therefore which lies in these words of adam contains the most solemn truth, that nothing remains hidden, but that all things are revealed and made known, as the apostle paul also says, "some men's sins are evident, going before unto judgment," 1 tim. 5:24. hence we see the judgment of god in an especial manner in the cases of criminals. how many persons are murdered in secret and yet the authors of those unnatural and horrible crimes are brought to light by means the most wonderful. the grave admonition therefore of adam to his son cain is that he would guard against indulging in sin, resting fully assured that it would not remain hidden, but that god would certainly bring it to light and punish it. the poets of old did not wander far from this great truth when they represented cupid, the god of lustful desire, naked but blind also. for as our sin seems to us to be hidden, we think that it is hidden from all others also. but god at length brings to light and reveals things the most deeply concealed. i believe therefore the meaning of these words of adam, which i have thus given, is their true and simple sense. by them the father is admonishing the son to believe in god and in the promised seed; assuring him that if he does so, god will show himself merciful unto him. but, says the father, if thou follow the lusts of thy heart, thy sin will indeed lie at rest in thy soul; that is, it will appear to thee to be concealed and hidden, but it will be lying all the time "at the door;" that is, in a place where it cannot lie long asleep or out of sight. for that which "lieth at the door" is beheld by all who enter in and by all who go out. let us not forget however, as i before observed, the grand and principal truth taught by this portion of the holy scriptures, that god from the very beginning of the world is one who judgeth between the flesh and the spirit, and who respecteth not the dignity of the person or his works. for god hath here respect unto abel, not moved by any work which he performed, but simply by his faith in which he offered his sacrifice. but unto cain god had not respect; not because the offering of cain was less splendid or sumptuous than that of abel, but because he had not faith, and therefore his primogeniture profited him nothing. and this is a very powerful argument against the jews, who, as john tells us, gloried in their race and descent, boasting that they were the children of abraham, john 8:33. if therefore the honor and prerogative were anything in god's sight, cain certainly had wherein to glory. and what avails also the glorying of the jews that god spoke unto them by moses? are we to conclude, think you, that adam, the first teacher, was a teacher less than moses? no! adam was greater than moses and superior to him in many respects. he did not teach like moses circumcision, nor the other legal ceremonies, which were necessary to a stiff-necked people to prevent them from superstition, but adam taught faith in the promised seed, which should bruise the serpent's head. all the primogeniture of cain therefore and all his other privileges and his works profited him nothing; for god had respect only to faith in the promised seed. hence it is that paul plainly says to the jews in the new testament, "know therefore that they that are of faith, the same are the children of abraham," gal. 3:7. and evangelist john says the same things concerning the jewish people, "but as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the children of god, even to them that believe on his name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of god," john 1:12, 13. i believe therefore that the above interpretation of the words of adam is their original and true meaning. for, first of all, it is in perfect accord with the fundamental truth of the holy scripture and with the sacred matter itself spoken of. and secondly, it does not violate any law of grammar, and it moreover tends to illustrate beautifully and variously by its figures the divine things contained in the words used by adam. but the rabbins, being ignorant of the things spoken of by adam, are not at all helped out of the difficulty by all their knowledge of the terms employed in the patriarch's speech. how absurd for instance is the opinion of some, who apply the expression, there shall be a "lifting up" to the "fallen countenance" of cain. as if adam had said, "then thou shalt be able again to lift up thy countenance, which is now wholly changed and fallen." these absurdities are indeed properly noticed by all our more recent commentators, to whom also our thanks are due, for their faithful labor in translating the original text grammatically. but true theology is indispensable, which alone can rightly judge of and rightly teach the things spoken of in the holy scripture. v. 7b. _and unto thee shall be its desire, but do thou rule over it._ some men have most absurdly wrested this passage to prove by it free will. but it is perfectly evident that adam does not here really affirm that cain could do what he advised him to do. he is only admonishing or entreating him to do it. for it by no means follows that we can do what we are commanded to do. "the desire of sin," adam here says to cain, "shall be toward thee;" that is, as paul expresses it, "sin is in thy members," rom. 7:5. again, "the flesh lusteth against the spirit," gal. 5:17. "but thou shalt not be eternally condemned, because thou feelest this motion of sin in thy members. if sin entice thee, do thou rule over it by faith. suffer it not to rule over thee, or thou shalt perish for ever." likewise paul commands in rom. 8:13, "by the spirit put to death the deeds of the body." this part of adam's speech therefore is intended to bring us to acknowledge what the life of the godly in the flesh is: namely, that it is a perpetual struggle of the spirit against sin. those therefore who sleep and snore, and prepare themselves not for this fight, are easily vanquished. adam however appears to wish, by this his speech not only to admonish his son to guard against sin in the future, but also to comfort and lift him up from his distress on account of the past; for he beholds his son both filled with anguish on account of the divine rejection and now also tempted to revenge. but says adam to his son, "rule over thy sin, and thou shalt find god merciful. believe in him, and he will pardon thy sin." the hebrew verb in this passage is maschal; the same as that which the lord used above when he said unto the woman, 3:16, "and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee." in these words the meaning of the lord is, that the wife should obey the husband and listen to her husband, and that she should not take upon herself the judgment in all things; and that if she did so, the husband in his authority as the man, should rebuke and prevent her. it is in the same manner that adam here speaks to cain, saying to him, "sin will entice thee and prompt thee to revenge." this is the father's meaning, when he says, "and its desire shall be toward thee; but do thou say unto sin, i will not obey thee. refrain thyself and rule over it." these words of adam therefore contain an admonition full of consolation, showing that on account of the blessed seed we are no longer under sin, and that therefore we ought to rule over it. for adam's speech embraces both doctrines; the doctrine of the fear of the lord and the doctrine of faith. we ought to fear god, because "sin lieth at the door," and we ought to have faith in god because he is merciful. part iv. how cain murdered his brother and was required to give an account, and how he conducted himself. i. v. 8a. _and cain told (talked with) abel his brother._ our translation has it, "and cain said to abel, his brother," adding the words, "let us go out doors." but this is one of the inventions of the rabbins, to whom how much credit is to be given, i have fully shown. lyra, following the invention of eben ezra, relates that cain told his brother how severely he had been rebuked of the lord. but who would believe that for which there is no authority in the scriptures? we hold therefore to that meaning of the text which the scriptures plainly show to be its true sense, that cain, being reprobated or rejected of god, indulged his wrath, and that he now added to his former sins, contempt of his parents and of the word, thinking thus within himself, "the promised seed of the woman belongs to me as the first-born. but my brother, abel, that contemptible one and that one of naught, is evidently preferred to me by the divine authority itself, manifested by the fire from heaven consuming his sacrifice. what shall i do, therefore? i will dissemble my wrath until an opportunity of taking vengeance shall occur." the words therefore, "and cain spoke to abel his brother," i understand as meaning that cain, dissembling his anger, conducted himself toward abel as toward a brother, and that he spoke to him and conversed with him, as if he bore with a quiet mind the divine rejection he had just experienced, and the sentence of god thus pronounced against him. it was in this manner also that saul dissembled his wrath, who likewise pretended a benevolent mind and good-will toward david. "i know well," said saul, "that thou shalt surely be king," 1 sam. 24:20; and yet he was all the while thinking of the way in which, having killed david, he might prevent his being king. just in the same way did cain now converse in dissimulation with abel his brother, saying to him, i see that thou art chosen of the lord. i envy thee not this divine blessing, etc., etc. this is the very manner of hypocrites. they pretend friendship until an opportunity of doing the harm they intend presents itself. that such is the true sense of the passage all the circumstances clearly show. for if adam and eve could have gathered the least suspicion of the intended murder, think you not that they would either have restrained cain or removed abel, and placed the latter out of danger? but as cain had altered his countenance and his carriage toward his brother, and had talked with him in a brotherly manner they thought all was safe, and the son had bowed to and acquiesced in the admonition of his father. this outward appearance and carriage deceived abel also, who, if he had feared anything like murder from his brother, would doubtless have fled from him, as jacob fled from esau when he feared his brother's wrath. what therefore could possibly have come into the mind of jerome, when he believed the rabbins, who say that cain was here expostulating with his brother? wherefore cain is here the image and the picture of all hypocrites and murderers, who under the show of godliness slaughter the good. for cain thus being besieged by satan covers his wrath, waiting the opportunity to slay his brother abel; meanwhile he converses with him, as a brother beloved, that he might the sooner lay his hands upon him unawares. this passage therefore is intended for our instruction; that we may learn to understand the ways of murderers and hypocrites. for thus it truly always comes to pass that every cain talks with his brother, as cain of old talked brotherly with abel; and on the other hand also, every abel trusts in every cain, as a brother would trust a brother; and thus he is murdered, and the pious parents meanwhile are deceived. just so the pope and the bishops of this day talk and consult much concerning the peace and the concord of the church. but he is most assuredly deceived who does not understand all these councils directly the contrary. for true is that word of the psalm, "the workers of iniquity speak peace to their neighbors, but mischief is in their hearts," ps. 28:3. for the very nature of all hypocrites is, that they carry an appearance of goodness, speak friendly to you, pretend humility, patience, and charity, and give alms, etc.; and yet, they are all the while planning slaughter in their heart. let us learn therefore by this history to know a cain, and to guard best against him when he speaks the most friendly, and as a brother to a brother. for it is in this way that our adversaries, the bishops and the pope, talk with us in our day, while they pretend a desire for concord and peace, and seek reconciliation of doctrines; whereas if an opportunity of seizing us and executing their rage upon us should present itself, you would soon hear them speak in a very different tone. for all the time there is death in the pot, 2 kings 4:40; and under the best and sweetest words there lies concealed a deadly poison. v. 8b. _and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that cain rose up against abel his brother, and slew him._ here then you see the deceptiveness under the above dissembled conversation of cain with his brother. cain had been admonished by his father with divine authority to guard against sin in the future and to expect pardon for the past through the promised seed. but cain despises both admonitions and indulges in his sin, as all the wicked do. for true is the saying of solomon, "when the wicked cometh, there cometh also contempt, and with ignominy cometh reproach," prov. 18:3. just in the same manner our ministry of the word at the present day deserves no blame. we teach, we exhort, we rebuke, we turn ourselves every way, that we may recall the multitude from the security of sin to the fear of god. but the world, like an untamed beast, still goes on and follows not the word, but its own lusts, which it strives to palliate under the appearance of what is honest and right. the prophets and the apostles also stand before us as examples of the same labor in vain, and we also are taught the same by our own experience. our adversaries being so often admonished and convicted know they are doing wrong, and yet they lay not aside their murderous hatred against us. from the case of cain therefore learn what a hypocrite is; namely, one who pretends to the worship of god and charity, and yet at the very same time destroys the worship of god and slaughters his brother. and all this semblance of good-will is only intended to create the better opportunities of doing the harm designed. for if abel had foreseen the implacable wrath and the truly diabolical fury of his brother, he might have saved his life by flight. but as cain betrayed nothing of this kind while he talked with his brother in seeming affection and put on the appearance of his usual good-will, abel perished before he felt the fear of danger. there is no doubt that abel, when he saw his brother rising up against him, entreated and implored him not to pollute himself with this awful sin. but a mind thus beset by sin pays no regard to prayers, nor heeds uplifted hands. just as cain therefore had despised the admonition of his father; so now also he equally despises his brother, fallen on his knees before him. these things instruct us in that cruel tyranny of satan, under which our nature when involved in sins is bound. hence paul calls such, "the children of wrath," eph. 2:3; and declares that such are "taken captive by satan at his will," 2 tim. 2:26. for when we are mere men; that is, when we apprehend not the blessed seed by faith, we are all like cain, and nothing is wanting but an opportunity to murder our brother. for nature, destitute of the holy spirit, is driven by that same evil spirit by which cain was driven to murder. whereas if there were in any one those sufficient powers or that free-will of which men talk, by which a man might defend himself against the assaults of satan, these gifts of nature would most assuredly have existed in cain, to whom belonged the first birth-right and the promise of the blessed seed. but it was not so. and the condition of all men is the same. unless nature be helped by the spirit of god, it cannot uphold itself nor stand. then why do we vainly and absurdly boast of free-will? now follows another remarkable passage. ii. v. 9. _and jehovah said unto cain, where is abel thy brother? and he said, i know not: am i my brother's keeper?_ good god! into what depth of sin does our miserable nature fall, when driven onward by the devil. at last murder was committed on a brother. and perhaps murdered abel lay for days unburied. when therefore cain returned to his parents at the accustomed time, and abel returned not with him, the anxious parents said to him, cain, thou art here, but where is abel? thou art returned home, but abel is not returned. the flock is without their shepherd. tell us therefore where thy brother is? upon this, cain, growing indignant, makes answer to his parents, by no means with due reverence, "i know not: am i my brother's keeper?" but it happened to cain as to all the wicked, that by _ex_cusing he _ac_cused himself. agreeably also to the words of christ our lord, "from thine own mouth will i judge thee, thou wicked servant," math. 18:32. the heathen had also a striking proverb among them, "a liar ought to have a good memory." such was the judgment of heathen men, though they knew nothing of the judgment of god and of conscience, and were capable of judgment and giving admonition concerning natural and civil things only. and true it is that liars expose themselves to many dangers of detection, and betray many facts, by which they may be convicted and refuted. hence the germans have this proverb, "a lie is a very fruitful thing." for one lie begets seven other lies, which become necessary to establish the first lie, and to make it wear the face of truth. and yet it is impossible after all to prevent conscience from betraying itself at times, if not in words then in countenance and gesture. this will be proved by numberless examples hereafter. i will cite one example here. in thuringia there is a small town in the district of orla, called neustadt. in this town a harlot had murdered her infant, to which she had secretly given birth, and had thrown it, after the murder, into a neighboring fish-pond. by a singular occurrence a portion of the linen in which she had wrapped the infant brought the horrid deed to light, and the case was brought before the magistrate; and as the simple men of the place knew no better means of investigating the crime in order to discover its author, they called all the young women of the town into the town-hall and closely examined them all, one by one. the judgment concerning all the rest was quite manifest, and it was evident that they were all innocent. but when they came to her who was the real perpetrator of the deed she did not wait for the questions to be put to her, but immediately declared aloud that she was not the guilty person. this declaration at once caused the magistrate to suspect that she really was the author of the deed, because she was more anxious than all the rest to clear herself from any suspicion. therefore she was seized by the constables and forthwith suffered death. indeed examples of the same kind are infinite and occur daily, showing that where persons are most anxious to _ex_cuse themselves, they most effectually _ac_cuse and betray themselves. so true is that word which we have just before heard that sin does indeed lie asleep and concealed, but it lies "at the door." just so in the present case. cain thinks that he has made an effectual excuse for himself, by saying that he was not his brother's keeper; whereas, by the very mention of his brother's name, he at once confesses that he ought to have been his younger brother's keeper. and then again does he not, by the same admitted confession, that he ought to have been his brother's keeper, accuse himself of being of a hostile mind towards his brother? and does he not moreover strike into the mind of his parents a surmise of the murder committed? for abel nowhere appears and is not to be found. just so also adam excuses himself in paradise, and lays all the blame on eve. but this excuse of cain is far more idle and absurd; for while he excuses his sin he doubles it. whereas on the contrary, the free confession of sin finds mercy and appeases wrath. it is recorded in the history of st. martin that when he was pronouncing to some notorious sinners the pardon of their sins, he was rebuked by satan, who asked him why he did so; to whom st. martin is said to have replied, "why i would pronounce the pardon even of thy sins, if thou wouldst say from thy heart, i repent that i have sinned against the son of god, and i pray to god to pardon me for the same." but the devil never does this. for he persists in and defends his sin. all liars and hypocrites imitate cain their father in his lie, by either denying their sin, or excusing it. hence they cannot find pardon of their sins from god. and we see the same in domestic life. by the defense of wrong doing, anger is increased. for whenever the wife, or the children, or the servants have done wrong, and deny or excuse their wrong doing, the father of the family is the more moved to wrath; whereas, on the contrary, plain confession always meets pardon or a lighter punishment. but it is the very nature of hypocrites to excuse and palliate their sin, or to deny it altogether, and under the show of religion to slay the innocent. but here let us take a view of the manner in which sins follow each other and increase more and more. first of all cain sins by presumption and unbelief. when priding himself on the privilege of his first birth-right, he takes it for granted that he shall be accepted of god on the ground of his high merit as the eldest son. upon this pride and this glory of self-righteousness immediately follow the envy and hatred of his brother, whom he sees preferred before himself by a certain sign from heaven. upon this envy and hatred follow hypocrisy and lying. he talks with his brother in dissembled affection, whom he all the while designs to murder, and whom by his affectionate conversation he throws the more effectually off his guard. upon this hypocrisy follows murder. upon this murder follows a lying excuse to cover his awful sin. and the last stage of the whole sin is despair and desperation; and this last step is the fall from heaven to hell! and although adam and eve in paradise did not deny their sin, yet they confessed it quite coldly, and shifted it from the one to the other. adam laid it on eve, and eve laid it on the serpent. but cain went further than them both, for he not only did not confess the murder he had committed, but declared that he had nothing to do with the care of his brother. and did not this speech at once prove that his mind was in a state of hostility against his brother? though therefore adam and eve confessed their sin with only half their hearts, yet they had some claim to pardon, and they were punished with less severity accordingly. but cain, because he denied his sin determinately, was rejected, and fell into despair. and the same judgment awaits all our cainite popes, cardinals and bishops, who although they plan in their minds plots of murder against us, yet say like cain their father, "i know not: am i my brother's keeper?" there was a common proverb of old, "what is it to the romans that the greeks die?" so we think that our dangers and calamities only belong to ourselves. but how does this principle agree with the commandment of god? for his will is, that we should all live together, and be to each other as brethren? cain therefore by this very saying of his heavily accuses himself when he makes the excuse that the custody of his brother was no matter of his. whereas if he had said to his father, "alas, my father, i have slain abel, my brother. i repent of the deed i have done. return upon me what punishment thou wilt." had he thus spoken, there might have been room for a remedy; but as he denied his sin and contrary to the will of god cast off the charge of his brother altogether, there was no place left for mercy or favor. moreover moses has arranged all this narrative thus particularly and remarkably on purpose that it might be a testimony and memorial of all hypocrites, that he might, by his peculiar manner of recording the solemn facts, graphically paint forth what hypocrites really are, and that he might show how awfully they are seized upon by satan as his instruments, and inflamed by him against god and against his word and his church. it was not enough for his murderer that he had killed his brother contrary to the command of god, but he adds to that sin the further sin that, when god inquires of him concerning his brother, he becomes filled with indignation and rage. i say when god inquires of him, because, although it was adam who spoke these words to his son cain, yet he spoke them by the authority of god and by the holy spirit. in so awful a sin therefore was it not a most kind and gentle manner of expression to inquire, "where is abel thy brother?" and yet to this voice, which contained in it nothing severe, the hypocrite and the murderer grows so ferocious and proud that he replies, "i know not: am i my brother's keeper?" and he is fired with indignation that he should be called to an account concerning the matter at all. for the reply of cain is the reply of a spirit of resistance and indignation against god. but to this sin cain adds a worse sin still. for when he ought to have fallen under this accusation of having committed the murder, he himself at once turns round and accuses god and expostulates with him: "am i my brother's keeper?" he prefaces his reply with no expression of reverence or honor, though due both to god and to his father. he did not say, "lord, i know not." he did not say, "my father, didst thou make me the keeper of my brother?" such expressions as these would have indicated feeling of reverence towards god or towards his parent. but he answers as being lord himself and plainly manifests that he felt indignant at being called to account even by him who had the high right even to call him to that account. and this is a true picture of all hypocrites. when standing in the most manifest sins they grow full of insolence and pride, and aim all the while at appearing most righteous persons. they will not believe even god himself when rebuking them by his word. nay, they set themselves against god, contend with him and excuse their sin. thus david says, "that god is judged of men, but that at length he clears and justifies himself, and prevails," ps. 51:4. this is that insolence of hypocrites which moses here paints. but how does this attempt of cain succeed. thus while he uses every means to _ex_cuse himself, he most powerfully _ac_cuses himself. thus christ says, "out of thine own mouth will i judge thee, thou wicked servant," luke 19:22. now, this servant wished to appear without guilt, saying, "for i feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that which thou layest not down, and reapest that which thou didst not sow: therefore i hid thy talent in a napkin," verses 20 and 21. now, what _ex_cuses more plausible than these could the wicked servant adopt? yet by what means more effectual could he _ac_cuse himself? for christ at once uses his own very words against this wicked servant, and condemns him out of his own mouth. and this is the very way and wisdom of the holy spirit. such examples are profitable to us that we may learn not to contend with god. on the contrary therefore when thou feelest in thine own conscience that thou art guilty, take heed with all thy soul that thou contend neither with god nor with men by defending or excusing thy sin. rather do this, when thou seest god points his spear at thee, flee not from him; but on the contrary flee to him with humble confession of thy sin, and with prayer for his pardon. then will god draw back his spear and spare thee. but when by the denial and excuse of thy sin thou fleest farther and farther from him, the nearer is god to thee as an enemy and the more closely and hotly does he pursue thee as such. nothing therefore is better or safer for thee than to come to him at once with the confession of thy fault. for thus it comes to pass that, when god conquers us, we also conquer by him. but cain and hypocrites do not this. god points his spear at them, but they do not humble themselves before him nor pray to him for pardon. nay, they even point their spear at god, just as cain did on this occasion. cain does not say, "lord, i confess that i have killed my brother; forgive me." on the contrary, though being the accused, he himself accuses god by replying, "am i my brother's keeper?" and what was the effect of his pride? by it he openly confessed that he cared naught for the divine laws, which say, "thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself," lev. 19:18. and again, "do not unto another that which you would not have another do unto you," math. 7:12. these laws were not first written, nor only written, in the decalogue, but they were inscribed in the minds of all men by nature. yet cain not only acted directly against these laws, but showed that he cared naught for them, nay, that he absolutely despised them. in this way therefore cain stands the picture, as we have said, not only of a wicked man, but of a man the most wicked, who, though a murderer, is yet a hypocrite wishing to appear a saint; being all the time one more prepared to accuse god than to appear worthy of accusation. and this is what all hypocrites do. they blaspheme god and crucify his son, and yet wish to appear righteous. for after their murders, blasphemies and all other sins their whole aim is to seek means whereby to excuse and palliate the great sins they have committed. but the result always is that they only betray themselves and are condemned out of their own mouths. while cain here studies to render himself quite pure in appearance, he most effectually and foully defiles himself. he thinks he has made a most plausible excuse, when he says, "am i my brother's keeper?" but this very excuse becomes his most effectual accusation. and thus according to the saying of hilary, "wickedness is ever closely accompanied by folly." and so it was in the case of cain. had he been as wise as he was wicked, he would have excused himself in quite a different manner. but since god has ordained that wickedness should thus be ever accompanied by folly, cain's excuse becomes his plain accusation. and for this very reason: the defense of truth against her adversaries is always easy. for cain thus testified, both by his words and by his gestures, that he cared not for his brother, but hated him; so all wicked men by various means ever betray their wickedness. by the example of cain therefore things the most important and the most instructive are set before us; all of them tending to show that god suffers not hypocrites to remain long undiscovered, but that he compels them to convict themselves by those very means by which they craftily strive to conceal their hypocrisy and their sin. moses does not in this description use a multitude of words, according to the practice of the world in general; for these in setting forth a subject embellish it with various striking ornaments of figure and speech. but we know by experience, that the real feelings of the mind cannot be fully described by the paintings of any human eloquence. and indeed an abundance of words only makes the affection of the mind described to appear less than it is in reality. moses therefore acts quite differently. by the use of a very few words he discloses a great abundance of subject-matter. the divine historian above used the expression, "and when they were in the field." here moses indicates that the murderer cain had watched his opportunity; that when alone he might attack his brother, when also alone. and all the connected circumstances plainly show that abel was not then unemployed, for he was in the field, where he had to do the things his father had given him to do. here moses moreover shows that abel's parents were free from all fear of danger. for although from the beginning they had feared that the wrath of cain would eventually break out into some still greater sin; yet, by his compliance and kindness, and by his pretended affection, he prevented all suspicion of evil from remaining in the minds of his parents. for had there been the least apprehension of evil still existing, they certainly would not have permitted abel to go from their presence with cain alone. they would have caused his sisters to go with him as companions, for some sisters he no doubt had. or his parents themselves would have prevented by their presence and authority the perpetration of so great a wickedness. and as i said, the mind of abel was perfectly free from all suspicion. for had he suspected evil at the hand of his brother in the least degree, he would doubtless have sought safety by flight. but after he had heard and seen, as he thought, that cain bore the judgment of god patiently and did not envy his brother the high honor which god had bestowed upon him, he pursued his work in the field with all security. what orator could describe with eloquence equal to its importance the real nature of that act of cain, which moses expresses in these few words? "and cain rose up against his brother." many descriptions of awful cruelty exist in books on every side, but no description of cruelty could paint it in a more atrocious and execrable light than the picture drawn by the few words of moses, when he simply says, cain "rose up against" his brother abel. as if he had said, cain rose up against abel, the only brother he had, with whom he had been brought up and with whom he had lived in the one only family upon earth up to that day; all which family communion he utterly forgot, and not only so, but he forgot their common parents also. the greatness of the grief which he would cause his parents by such a grave crime never entered his mind. he never thought that abel was a brother, from whom he had never received any offense whatever. for cain knew that the honor of the more acceptable sacrifice which abel had offered, proceeded not from any intent or ambition in him, but from the will and doing of god himself. in a word cain did not consider in what position he himself would be; that by this wicked deed, he who had hitherto stood in the highest favor with his parents would lose that favor altogether and would fall under their deepest indignation. it is recorded in history that when a painter, who was painting the story of iphigenia, on the point of being sacrificed to diana by her father, had given to each one of the surrounding spectators his appropriate countenance, with a latitude of art which might best express his pain and sorrow, he at length came to the father himself, who was also a spectator; but feeling convinced that no art of the painter could adequately represent his feelings and countenance, he covered his head with a mantle. moses i think does the same thing in the present passage, when he uses the verb yakam, "rose up against." what tragical pictures would the eloquence of cicero or livy have here drawn, while they were strikingly portraying the wrath of the one brother, and the dread, the cries, the prayers, the tears, the uplifted hands, and all the horrors of the other; applying to the description all the power of their mind and language? but such feelings cannot be fully described by all these powers of eloquence. moses therefore writes most appropriately, when he sets forth things so inexpressible by mere dots, as it were, in order that by his few words the feelings of the reader may be engaged to meditate on the facts the more closely and deeply for himself. for the vain attraction of words is like paint applied to natural beauty; it only mars and spoils the force of the reality. of the same expressive character are the few words which he next adds, "and slew him." he does not by those few words represent a common murder, such as we see committed by men in general; for they sometimes kindle quarrels from the most trifling causes and commit murders in the end. such murderers however immediately after the murder is committed are filled with distress; they grieve for the deed they have done and acknowledge those delusions of the devil by which he blinded their minds. but cain felt no distress; he expressed no grief, but denied the deed he had done. this satanic and insatiable hatred in hypocrites is described by christ by saying, "when they kill you, they will think that they do god service," john 16:2. so the priests and the kings filled jerusalem with the blood of the prophets and gloried in what they did, as if their deeds were great and successful exploits; for they considered such murders as proofs of their zeal for the law and the house of god. and the furious cruelty of the popes and the bishops in our day is just the same. they are not satisfied with having excommunicated us again and again, and with having shed our blood, but they wish to blot out our memory from the land of the living; according to the description of such hatred expressed in the words of the psalm, "rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof," ps. 137:7. these instances of hatred are satanic, not human; for all forms of human hatred grow into mildness by time; and after we have avenged the offense and pain given, the hatred at length ceases. but these instances of pharisaic hatred increase in virulence day by day; and for this very reason, because they are justified under the cloak of religion and godly zeal. cain therefore is the father of all murderers, who slaughter the saints and whose wrath knows no end, as long as there remains one saint for them to kill. all this is proved by the example even of the crucified christ himself. for as to cain, there is no doubt of his having hoped that by putting abel to death, he should still hold the high honor of his first birth-right. and in the same way the ungodly always think that their cruelty will profit them in some way. but when they find that their hope is vain they at once fall like cain into despair. now when the fact of this atrocious murder was made known to the parents, what do we think must have been the dreadful feelings which it excited? what the lamentation? what sighs and groans it caused? but i dwell not on these things; they are rather scenes for the eloquent and able orator to describe. i will only observe that it was a marvel that both parents were not struck lifeless with pain and grief. for the calamity was rendered the greater by the fact that their first-born, who had created in them such large hopes concerning himself, was the perpetrator of such a horrible murder. if therefore adam and eve had not been helped from above, they could never have surmounted this family calamity; for it was a catastrophe exceeding all catastrophes the world has ever known. and hence adam and eve were without that consolation which we may have under sudden and unexpected calamities, which consolation is that like evils have befallen others and have not come upon us alone. but our first parents had two sons only, though i believe that they had daughters also; and therefore they had not the many examples before them which are always before our eyes. who can doubt however that satan by this new kind of temptation in cain increased greatly the grief and trial of our first parents? for they no doubt thought, behold this is all our sin. we, when in paradise, wished to become like god; but by our sin we are become like the devil. the very same thing has befallen us, in the case of our son. we loved this son alone, and made everything of him. our other son abel was righteous before us, above this son; but of his righteousness we made nothing. this elder son we hoped would be he who should crush the serpent's head; but behold! he himself is crushed by the serpent! nay, he himself is become like the serpent, for he is now a murderer. and whence is this? is it not because he was born of us, and because we through our sin are what we are? therefore it is from our flesh, therefore it is from our sin, that this calamity has broken forth! it is very probable therefore, and the events of the series of years which followed confirm this probability, that the sorrowing parents, struck with the awfulness of this calamity, abstained for a long time from connubial intercourse. for it appears that when cain committed this murder he was about thirty years of age, more or less. during this period some daughters were born unto adam. for since it is said below, v. 17, that "cain knew his wife," there is no doubt that he married a sister. moreover since cain himself says, v. 14, "and it shall come to pass that everyone that findeth me shall slay me;" and as it is further said, v. 15, "and the lord set a mark upon cain, lest any finding him should kill him;" it appears most probable from all these circumstances that adam had many more children than cain and abel, but these two only are mentioned on account of the important and memorable history concerning them and because those two were their first and principal children. for it is my full belief that the marriage of our first parents, during the first thirty years of their union, was most fruitful. in some books the names calmana and dibora are found as being daughters of adam; but i know not whether such authors are worthy of any credit. as therefore seth is recorded as having been begotten a long time after this awful murder, it seems to me very probable that the parents, distressed beyond measure at this monstrous family crime, refrained for a long time from marriage communion. moses does not indeed touch upon all these things in his narrative; he intimates them only in order that he might excite, as we have said, the reader to a deep consideration of this memorable history, the circumstances of which he records in the fewest possible words, as if presenting them to be seen as through a lattice. but i return to the text now immediately before us. cain is an evil and a wicked man, and yet in the eyes of his parents he is a divine possession and a divine gift. abel on the contrary is in the eyes of his parents and in their estimation as nothing, according to the signification of his name; but in the eyes of god he is truly a righteous man; hence it is that christ himself honors him with this exalted appellation, when he calls him, "righteous abel!" math. 23:35. this was the divine judgment concerning abel, which cain could not endure, and therefore he thought that the only manner in which his hatred of his brother could be satisfied was by murder. and he moreover thought that by this awful means he could still retain the high honor of his primogeniture. but he was far from thinking that he committed a great sin by this murder; because as being the first-born he thought he had a right to do this. he killed him therefore as i think, not with a sword, for i conclude that there were, as yet, no iron weapons, but with a club or with some kind of stone. and after the murder, cain remained quiet and unconcerned, for he thought that the deed would be concealed by hiding the body, which he buried, or perhaps he cast it into a river, considering that by such means he could rest the more sure that the body could not be found by his parents. when abel therefore had been from home a longer time than he had been accustomed to be, the holy spirit inspires adam to utter the words of the text and to inquire of cain concerning abel saying, "where is abel thy brother?" here therefore the sermon and the prophecy of adam, of which we have heard before, begins to be fulfilled; where he had said, "if not, sin lieth at the door." for cain thought that he had concealed his sin and had laid it to rest, and that all would thus be hidden. and true it was that his sin did lie at rest; but it lay at rest "at the door." and who now openeth the door? none other than the lord himself. he rouses up and wakens the sleeping sin. he brings the hidden sin to light. and the same thing must be fulfilled in all sinners. for unless by repentance thou first come to god, and thyself confess thy sin to god, god will surely come to thee, awake thy sin and discover it to thee. for god cannot endure that any one should deny the sin that he has committed; as the psalmist also testifies, "when i kept silence, my bones wasted away through my roaring all the day long. for day and night thy hand was heavy upon me; my moisture was changed as with the drought of summer," ps. 32:3, 4. for although sin hath its sleep and its security; yet that sleep is "at the door," which cannot long remain unawakened or hidden. when moses here says, "and the lord said unto cain, where is abel thy brother?" i understand moses to mean, as above, that it was adam who spoke by the holy spirit in the person or place of god; and that god there assumed the person of a father speaking to his son. this sacred phraseology therefore, "and the lord said," etc., is intended as thus used by the holy spirit to commend the high authority of parents; whom when children dutifully hear and dutifully obey, they hear god and obey god. and i believe that adam knew by the revelation of the holy spirit, that abel had been slain by his brother; for he spoke at once concerning the murder, "what hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground;" although cain all the time endeavored to conceal the deed. part v. how cain was punished for his murder. i. and if eve heard these words spoken to cain by his father; what do we think must have been the grief and horror of her mind! they must indeed have been beyond all description. but the calamity fell still nearer and heavier upon adam himself. for as he was the father, he was compelled as his duty thus to rebuke his son and to excommunicate him from his family and from the church of god for his sin. and although he did not slay him, for the law concerning punishing a murderer by death, which is pronounced hereafter in the ninth chapter, was given after the patriarchs saw murders becoming frequent; and though inspired by the holy spirit so to do, he even "set a mark upon his son, lest anyone finding him should kill him;" yet it was an awful punishment which was inflicted on cain and upon all his posterity. for in addition to the personal curse of bearing about this mark of a murderer he was excommunicated from his family, driven from the sight of his parents and from the society of his brothers and sisters, who still continued with their parents, as in the church of god. now adam could not have performed all this awful duty without the deepest pain; nor could eve have heard all that adam said without the same indescribable anguish. for a father is a father, and a son is a son. adam therefore would willingly have spared his son and would willingly have retained him at home. and we do now sometimes see murderers reconciled to the brothers of those whom they have murdered. but in this terrible case no place was left for reconciliation. cain is bidden at once to be a vagabond upon the face of the earth. the pain therefore of the parents was doubled. they see one of their sons slain by the other; and now they see the slayer excommunicated by the judgment of god and cut off forever from the society of the rest of his brethren. moreover when we here speak of excommunication from the church, you are not to have in mind our present churches, magnificent structures superbly built with carved stones. the temple or church of adam was a certain tree, as in paradise; or a certain little hill under the open heaven, at which they assembled together to hear the word of god and to offer their sacrifices, for which purpose they had altars erected, and god was present with them when they thus offered their sacrifices and heard his word, as is manifest from the divine presence at the offering of abel. and other portions of sacred history testify that altars were erected in the open air and that sacrifices were there offered. and indeed the same practice for many reasons would be useful even now; that we might assemble together in the open air, pray with bended knees, preach the word, give thanks to god and bless each other, etc. it was from a temple of this kind and from such a church, not a conspicuous and magnificent church in a certain place, that cain was ejected or excommunicated. he was thus doubly punished; first, by a corporal punishment, because he was cursed as a vagabond in the earth with the mark of a murderer set upon him; and secondly, by a spiritual punishment, because he was cast out by excommunication, as from another paradise, and ejected from the temple and church of god. lawyers also have made much use of this passage of the holy scriptures, and have treated it with becoming dignity, seeing, as they did, that the lord inquired into the matter before he passed condemnation upon the murderer. the scripture therefore the framers of laws have so applied, as to determine thereby, that no man should be condemned until his cause had been fully known; nor until he had first been called to the bar of judgment, had been convicted, and had confessed his guilt. we have seen the same also before in the case of adam. "and the lord god called unto adam, and said unto him, where art thou?" gen. 3:9. and again further on, "i will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, i will know," gen. 11:5; 18:21. let us however, leaving for the present all civil and political doctrine, look at the all-blessed theological or divine doctrine and consolation, contained in this, when it is recorded that the lord inquired for abel after his death. for in this fact we have made manifest unto us the resurrection of the dead. because god by this inquiry testified that he was the god of abel, though now dead; for he inquired after him though now slain and no more. from this passage therefore we may frame this most immovable argument; that if there were no one who had the care of us after this life, abel would not have been inquired for after he was slain. but god does here inquire after abel, even after he is taken away out of this life, he has not a will to forget him, he still retains the remembrance of him; he asks "where he is." god therefore we see is the god of the dead. my meaning is that even the dead, as we here see, still live in the memory of god and have a god who cares for them, and saves them in another life beyond and different from this corporal life in which saints are thus afflicted. this passage therefore we repeat is most worthy our observation, in which we see that god had great care of abel, even when dead; and that on account of abel though dead he excommunicated cain, and visited him with destruction even while living, though he was the first-born. this therefore is great and glorious indeed, that abel though dead was still alive and canonized, as we call it, in another life; a canonization far more blessed and more really divine than is the state of any of those whom the pope has ever canonized! the death of abel was indeed horrible; for he did not suffer death without excruciating torment nor without many agonies of tears. and yet his death was a goodly death; for now he lives a better and more blessed life than he did before. for this corporal life of ours is lived in sins and is ever in danger of death. but that life which is to come is eternal and perfectly free from all trials and troubles, both of the body and of the soul. no! god does not inquire after the sheep and the oxen that are slain, but he does inquire after the men who are slain. men therefore have the hope of a resurrection. they have a god who inquires after them, even after their death in the flesh, and who brings them back from that death unto eternal life, a god who inquires after their blood as most "precious" to him, as the psalmist also says, "precious in the sight of jehovah is the death of his saints," ps. 116:15. this inquiry for the saints after their death and this their resurrection, are the glory of the human race, obtained for it by the seed of the woman, which bruised the serpent's head. and the case of abel is the first example of this promise which was made to adam and eve; and by this example god showed that the serpent harmed not abel, although he caused him to be thus murdered by his brother. this was indeed an instance of the serpent's "bruising the heel" of the woman's seed. but when he attempted to bite his head, that is, his life, he himself was crushed. for god, in answer to abel's faith in the promised seed, required his blood after his death and proved himself thereby to be abel's god still. this is all proved by what follows. v. 10. _and he said, what hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground._ cain's sin hath hitherto lain "at the door." and the preceding circumstances plainly show how hard he struggled to keep his sin asleep. for, being interrogated by his father concerning his brother abel, and his father having asked him where he was, he adds to his murder absolute falsehood. and this answer of cain moreover shows that the words of the inquiry were spoken by adam in his own person, and not in the person of the divine majesty. for cain considers that the deed was hidden from his father, of course as being mere man, but he could not have so thought concerning the divine majesty. therefore had it been god who had spoken to him in his own proper divine person, he would have returned a different answer. but as he thought that he was speaking to a man only he denied the deed he had done altogether, saying, "i know not." as if he had added, there are numerous perils by which a man may perish. he may be destroyed by wild beasts; he may be drowned in some river; or he may lose his life by some other death. and cain no doubt thought that his father would imagine any other death of abel than that his own brother had perpetrated such a deed as to murder him. but cain could not deceive the holy spirit in adam. adam therefore then speaks openly in the person of god and at once convicts him of the murder, saying, "what hast thou done?" as if he had said, "why dost thou persist in denying the deed; be assured that thou canst not deceive god, who hath revealed to me all. thou thinkest that the blood of thy brother is hidden by the earth with which thou hast concealed it. but it is not so absorbed by the earth and concealed by it as to prevent its crying aloud unto god." thus did adam by the spirit of god indeed wake in cain his sin lying asleep "at the door," and drag it forth to light. the text now before us therefore is full of consolation to the saints to support them against the enemies and murderers of the church; for it teaches us that our afflictions and sufferings, and the shedding of our blood, fill heaven and earth with their cries. i believe therefore that cain was so terror-struck in his mind by these words of his father and that he was so confused and astounded that he knew not what to say nor what to do. for no doubt his thoughts were, "if my father adam thus knows all the circumstances of the murder which i have committed, how can i any longer doubt that the whole is known unto god, unto angels, and unto heaven and earth. whither therefore can i flee? which way can i turn, wretched man that i am?" it is exactly the same with murderers to this day. they are so harassed with the stings of conscience, after the crime of murder has been committed, that they are always in a state of alarm. it seems to them that heaven and earth have put on a changed aspect toward them and they know not whither to flee, so awful a thing is this crying of blood that has been shed and so horrible an agony is an accusing conscience. but it is just the same also under all other atrocious sins. those who commit them experience the same distresses of mind, when sorrow of spirit lays hold of them for what they have done. the whole creation seems changed toward them, and even when they speak to persons with whom they have been familiar, and when they hear the answers which they make, the very sound of their voice appears to them altogether changed and their countenances seem to wear an altered aspect. whichever way they turn their eyes, all things are clothed as it were with mourning and horror. so fierce and destroying a monster is a guilty conscience. unless therefore such great sinners are succored and upheld from above, they must put an end to their existence from anguish and intolerable pain and despair. in this place also moses adopts his usual brevity, which however exceeds in force all words. in the first place, he makes use of a very striking figure of speech when he attributes to the shed blood of abel the cry of a voice which fills heaven and earth. for how can that voice be small or weak which is uttered from earth and fills the ears of god in heaven. abel therefore who when alive was patient under injuries, gentle and placid of spirit, now, when dead and buried in the earth, is utterly unable to endure the injury he has received. he who before dared not utter a syllable of complaint against his brother, now cries aloud and so engages the attention of god by his cry that god himself descends from heaven and charges the murderer with his crime. moses therefore here uses the strongest term. he does not say, "the voice of thy brother's blood speaketh unto me from the ground," but "the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me" etc., as heralds proclaim their intelligence aloud, when with exerted voice they call men together to a public assembly. and all these things are thus written, as i have observed, to cause us to see that our god is merciful and that he loves his saints, has a peculiar care of them, and inquires about them, and searches them out; and that on the contrary he is angry with the murderers of his saints, hates them and will assuredly punish them. and this consolation is most necessary for us; for, when we are oppressed by our enemies and murderers, we are apt to conclude that our god has forgotten us and has thrown off all care of us. for we think within ourselves that if god did care for us, he would not permit such things to come upon us. and abel might also have thought the same, saying to himself, god surely cares nothing for me; for if he did, he would not suffer me thus to be murdered by my brother. but only look at what follows, and see whether god had not all the while a greater care of abel than abel could possibly have had of himself. for how could abel, had it been possible for him to have survived the murder, have inflicted on his brother such vengeance as god here inflicts upon him, after his death, by his brother's hands? how could he, if alive, execute such awful judgment on his brother as god here executes? for now abel's blood cries aloud unto god, who while alive was of a spirit the most gentle and meek. abel, now dead, accuses his brother before god of being a murderer; whereas if alive he would bear all the injuries of his brother in silence, and would even conceal all his feelings under them. for who was it that betrayed cain and accused him of having slain his brother? does not the text here tell us that the accuser was the blood of the murdered abel? yes! that blood still fills the ears of god and of men with its cries which have not yet ceased. these things, i say, are all full of consolation; especially unto us who now suffer persecution from the popes and wicked princes on account of our doctrine. they have exercised toward us the utmost cruelty and have vented their rage against godly men, not in germany only, but in other parts of europe also. and all this sin is disregarded by the papacy, as if it were nothing but a joke. nay, the papists really consider it to be the "service" of god, john 16:2. all this sin therefore as yet "lieth at the door." but it will be awaked and made manifest in its time. for the blood of that best and most faithful of martyrs, leonard caizer, which was shed in bavaria, cries aloud still. nor has the cry of the blood of henry of zutphan, shed by his own countrymen, ceased; nor the blood of our brother anthony of england, poured out by his english enemies. not to mention a thousand others, who although their names are not so prominent and renowned were yet fellow-sufferers with confessors and martyrs. the blood of all these, i say, cries aloud still, and that cry will in its time cause god to descend from heaven and execute judgment in the earth, a judgment which will be awful and intolerable to the enemies of the gospel. let us not think therefore that our blood is disregarded of god. let us not imagine for a moment that god regardeth not our afflictions. no! he collects all our tears, and puts them into his bottle, ps. 56:8. the cry of the blood of all the godly who have thus been slain penetrates the clouds, enters the heavens, and comes even unto the throne of god, and moves him to come forth and vindicate the blood of the righteous that has been shed, ps. 79:10. and in the same manner as these things are written for our consolation, so are they also written for the terror of our adversaries. for what think you can be more awe-striking to our tyrants to hear than that the blood of all they have slain continually cries aloud and accuses them before god? god is indeed long-suffering, especially now toward the end of the world; and therefore sin lieth the longer "at the door." vengeance does not immediately follow. but it is sure and certain that god is most righteously offended with all this sin, and that he will never suffer it to pass away unpunished. such is the judgment of god on cain. but i believe that this judgment was not executed on the first day of the murder, but that some time intervened between the murder and this terror on cain. for god is in his nature long-suffering, because he waits for the returning of sinners to himself. but he does not on that account omit or forget to punish them. for he is the righteous judge both of the living and of the dead, as we confess in the creed of our faith. god therefore exercised this his judgment in the very beginning of the world, memorable in the case of these two brothers. he judged and condemned the living murderer, and justified the slain righteous abel. and he excommunicated cain and drove him into those agonies of soul that the space of the whole creation seemed too narrow to contain him. for from the moment he saw that god would be the avenger of his brother's "crying blood," he found safety nowhere. while to abel on the contrary the space both of earth and of heaven gives an unbounded latitude of security. why should we ever doubt therefore that god ponders and numbers in his heart the afflictions of his people, and that he measures our tears and inscribes them all on adamantine tablets? these tears the enemies of the church of christ can never erase by any device of theirs, but by their repentance alone for what they have done to his saints. manasses was a terrible tyrant and a most inhuman persecutor of the godly. and his banishment and captivity would never have sufficed to have blotted out these sins. but when he acknowledged his sin and repented in truth, then the lord showed him mercy. so paul had, and so the pope and the bishops have now only one way left them, to acknowledge their sin and to supplicate the forgiveness of god. but as they do not this god will surely require at their hands in his fury the blood of the godly. let no one be doubtful of this. so here abel is dead, but cain is still alive. but o! good god! what a life of misery does he live! for his wishes are that he had never been born. because he ever hears the voice of his excommunication and expects every moment death and the vengeance of god upon his sin. and the awful case of our adversaries and of the church's tyrants shall in its time be exactly the same. ii. v. 11. _and now cursed art thou from the ground, which hath opened its mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand;_ thus far have we heard how the sin of cain was revealed by the crying blood of his brother abel; and that he was hereby convicted of the murder by his father adam, and that the judgment of god concerning the two brothers was, that the one should not only be justified but canonized, as we say, and declared to be a saint, and the first fruits as it were of this blessed seed of the righteous, but that the other brother the first-born should be condemned and excommunicated or cast out as the following sacred narrative now shows. for moses now proceeds to record the punishments which were inflicted of god on this fratricide. and here in the first place the carefulness and discrimination of the holy spirit, even "from the beginning," is most worthy of our observation. for above, when the punishment was inflicted on adam for his sin, the person of adam was not cursed, but the earth only. and even the earth was not cursed absolutely in itself, but a certain excuse, as it were, was made for it. for the curse was pronounced thus: "cursed is the ground for thy sake," gen. 3:17. hence it is that paul says, rom. 8:20, "for the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly," that is, not of its own will or fault. but because the earth instrumentally caused man to become a sinner; therefore also the earth was compelled to bear the curse as the instrument, in the same manner as gold, the sword, etc., are cursed, not in themselves, but because men sin by their means. this is a most beautiful reasoning as it were in the holy spirit, when he thus distinguishes between the earth and adam. he makes the curse fall on the earth, but preserves the person of adam. but in the instance before us the holy spirit speaks of cain otherwise. he curses the person of cain. and why is this? is it because the sin of cain, as a murderer, was greater than the sin of adam and eve? not so. but because adam was that root from whose flesh and loins christ, that blessed seed, should be born. this seed therefore is that which was spared. for the sake of this blessed seed, the fruit of the loins of adam, the curse is transferred from the person of adam to the earth, the very instrument. so that adam bears the curse of the earth, but his person is not cursed; because from his posterity christ was to be born. but because cain by his sin fell from this glory of being the root of the blessed seed; therefore his person is cursed. and the holy spirit says to him, "cursed art thou," that we might understand that he was cut off from the glory of the promised seed and was condemned never to have in his posterity such a seed as _that seed_, through which the blessing should come. this was cain's rejection from all that stupendous glory of the promised seed. for abel was now slain; therefore there could now be no posterity from him. but adam was appointed still to serve god by his generating children. in adam alone therefore, abel being slain, and cain being accursed and rejected, the hope of the blessed seed rested until seth was born unto him. the words of the holy spirit here are indeed few, when he says to cain, "cursed art thou." but they are words worthy the deepest and most diligent consideration. the words are in their import, as if the holy spirit had said to cain, "thou art no longer he from whom the blessed seed can be hoped for." by these few words therefore cain is rejected forever and is cut off as a branch from its stem; so that he can no longer hope for that glory which he so much strove to hold fast. for cain's great desire was that the glory of this future blessing should be propagated from his loins and proceed from his posterity. but the more he strove to secure this glory, the further he was from obtaining it. and just so it is with all the wicked; for the more they labor to accomplish their purposes, the more surely they fail and fall. and here begin, as we observed on the offerings of cain and abel, the two churches, which are ever at perfect enmity with each other; the church of adam and the godly which possesses the hope and promise of the blessed seed; and the church of cain, which lost this hope and promise by sin and never could recover it. for in the deluge the whole posterity of cain was utterly destroyed, so that no prophet nor saint, nor any head of a church of the posterity of cain was left in existence; so utterly were all things denied to cain and taken from him by this one word, when the holy spirit said to him, "cursed art _thou_." but the expression "from the earth" is added. this is as it were a tempering of the awful wrath of god upon cain. for if the holy spirit had said "from heaven," it would have taken away the hope of salvation from the whole posterity of cain forever. but since the expression is, "from the earth," the fall of cain's posterity from the promise and glory of the blessed seed is threatened and determined; and yet a door was left open by which it might come to pass that some private persons of the generation of cain might, by the inspiration of the holy spirit, join themselves to the posterity and church of adam, and be saved; as indeed in after ages it came to pass. for although the jews alone retained the glory of giving birth to this blessed seed and possessed the promise which was in him, according to the psalm, "he hath not dealt so with any nation, and as for his ordinances, they have not known them," ps. 147:20; yet the gentiles had the right of beggars, if i may so express it; and by begging they obtained the same blessing through the divine mercy, which the jews possessed through the true posterity of adam or the promise of god. in like manner also all rule in the church was absolutely denied to the moabites and amorites, and yet many private individuals among them embraced the religion of the jews. it was thus also that all right in the church was taken away from cain and his posterity absolutely. yet so that permission was left them to beg as it were for this grace. this right of being beggars was not taken from them. for cain, because of his sin, was cast out from the right of sitting at the family table of adam. but the right was left him in his posterity to beg and gather up as dogs the crumbs that fell from his father's table, math. 15:26, 27. this is signified by the hebrew expression, min haadama, "from the earth." i make these observations because there is a great probability that many of the posterity of cain, in the earliest ages of the world, joined themselves to the holy patriarchs. but they abode in the church as private persons only and without any office in it, as those who had utterly lost the promise of the blessed seed being born from their body and posterity. and the loss of this promise was a serious matter to them. and yet this great curse was so mitigated toward them, that there was granted to them, as we have said, the right of being beggars for it as it were. heaven was not absolutely denied them, provided they would join the true church; as it is written, and particularly described in is. 56:3-8. but this joining the true church among his posterity cain strove to hinder in various ways. for he set up new forms of worship and invented numerous ceremonies; that thereby he also might appear to be the church. those however who departed from him and joined the true church were saved; although they were compelled to despair of the glory of christ being born from their body or posterity. but let us now return to the sacred text. moses here uses a very striking personification. he represents the earth as being a dreaded beast, when he speaks of her as having opened her mouth and swallowed the innocent blood of abel. but why does he speak of the earth in terms so terrible, when all these horrid things were transacted without her will or knowledge? nay, since the earth is a good creature of god and these things were done against her will, and her struggle to prevent them? for paul, as we have just observed, says, "the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly," etc., rom. 8:20. my reply is, this was done, and the spirit thus spoke, according to moses, as a terror to adam and to all his posterity, that they might live in the fear of god and dread the sin of murder. for the words of adam mean and are as if he had said, "behold the earth hath opened her mouth and swallowed the blood of thy brother; but she ought to have swallowed thee, the murderer. the earth indeed is a good creature, and is good to the good and the godly; but to the wicked she is full of yawnings and loud cries." it is to this end that moses records the holy spirit as having used these terrible expressions in reference to the earth through the mouth of adam. it was to strike terror and confusion into murderers. nor is there any doubt that cain, after he heard these things from the mouth of his angry father, was terror-struck in his soul like judas and overwhelmed with confusion, so that he knew not which way to turn. the expressions, "which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand," are indeed full of terror; and they point out the awfulness of this murder, in deeper colors than any pictures could represent it. v. 12a. _when thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee its strength._ the lord above said unto adam, "thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee." but here the holy spirit speaks to cain otherwise. his words before us are as if he had said, "thou hast watered and manured the earth, not with enriching dung and reviving rain, but with thy brother's blood. therefore the earth shall be to thee less productive than to others. for the blood which thou hast shed shall hinder the strength and the fruitfulness of the earth to thee." and this is the second part of the punishment; namely, the bodily curse on cain: that, although the earth should be just alike cultivated by adam and by cain, yet it should be more fruitful to adam than to cain, and should yield its return to the former for his labors; but that to the labors of cain it should not yield any such returns of fruitfulness on account of the blood shed; which should hinder it, though by nature desirous to return her fruitfulness and strength for all labors of men. but here also we must offer a remark concerning the grammatical peculiarity of the original language. in the present passage, moses terms the earth, haadama. but in the passage which follows, "a fugitive and a wanderer shalt thou be in the earth," he uses the term arez. now adama signifies, according to grammatical interpreters, "that part of the earth which is cultivated," in which trees grow and other fruits of the earth which are adapted for food. but arez signifies "the whole earth," whether cultivated or uncultivated. this curse of god therefore properly has reference to that part of the earth which is cultivated for food. and the curse implies that where one ear of wheat should bring forth three hundred grains for adam, it should bring forth scarcely ten grains for cain the murderer; and for the end, that cain might behold on every side of him proofs that god hates and punishes the shedding of blood. v. 12b. _a fugitive and a wanderer (vagabond) shalt thou be in the earth._ and this was a third punishment contained in the divine curse on cain, which continues to rest on murderers to this day. for unless they find reconciliation they wander about, having no fixed abode or certain dwelling-place. we have here two original terms, no vanod, "a vagabond," and "a fugitive," but my manner is to distinguish them thus. i consider no to signify, "the uncertainty of the place in which you are or dwell;" that is, how long you can remain there. in the same manner as the jews at this day are "vagabonds" or wanderers; because they have no certain or fixed dwelling-place and are in hourly fear lest they should be compelled to go forth from where they may be dwelling. but nod signifies, the "uncertainty of the place to which you can go;" that is, the not knowing where to go; so that, while on the one hand you have no certain place in which to dwell, to that misery is added the further misery, that when you must leave your present uncertain place of abode, you know not whither to go. the original no vanod therefore contains in it a double punishment: the not being able to remain with any certainty in any place, and the not knowing whither to go, when you are driven from your present uncertain place of abode; as we find it also in psalm 109:10, "let his children be continually vagabonds." venoa ianuu banav, that is "let them, by wandering, wander;" or, "let them be wanderers indeed, or utter wanderers;" that is, let them never find a place in which they can dwell with certainty or safety. if they are this year in greece let them be compelled the next year to wander into italy; and so on perpetually. just such is evidently the miserable state of the jews at the present day. they can fix their dwelling-place nowhere permanently. and to this calamity of the jews of the present day god adds another misery in the case of cain that, when he is driven from one place of abode, he should not know where to find another, and thus should live suspended as it were between heaven and earth, not knowing where to stop nor where to find any continuing place of rest or refuge. and in this manner was the sin of cain visited with a threefold punishment. in the first place he is deprived of all spiritual or church glory, for the promise concerning the blessed seed being born from his posterity is taken away from him. in the second place the earth is cursed to him in her fruitfulness, which is a domestic punishment reaching to all his provision for this life. and thirdly the punishment of a political or civil calamity is inflicted on him, in his being made a vagabond and never able to find any certain place of abode or rest. but still a way of joining the true church is left him, but without the promise! for as i have said, if any of cain's posterity did join themselves to the true church and to the holy fathers they were saved. and thus there was left them the domestic privilege, but without the blessing. and so the political privilege was preserved to them that they might build a city and dwell there, but for how long was still left uncertain. cain therefore in his posterity is still a beggar as it were in the church, in the domestic household, and in the civil state. and moreover with these punishments of cain there was joined as an alleviation that he should not be slain immediately on account of the murder which he had committed; as also afterwards a like levitical law was ordained concerning man-slayers. but cain was preserved alive as an example to others that they might fear god and flee from the sins of murder. let these observations suffice therefore concerning the sin of cain and the judgment and vengeance of god on the same. but there are some who here reply and indeed the saints themselves often so argue to themselves that the godly also sometimes endure these same curses, while the wicked on the contrary are free from them. they look at the apostle paul as an instance, where he says that he also "wandered about and had no certain dwelling-place." and verily our own condition is precisely the same at the present day. we preach to the churches and have either no certain dwelling-places at all or are driven into banishment or are in fear of banishment every hour. and the same was the condition of christ, of his apostles and prophets, and of the patriarchs of old. in the same manner the scriptures say concerning jacob, "the elder shall serve the younger," gen. 25:23. but does not jacob become a servant when we see him a most distressed supplicant? does he not from fear of his brother haste away into exile? does he not on his return home supplicate his brother and fall on his knees before him? is not isaac also seen to be a most miserable beggar? gen. 6:1-35. abraham his father also goes into exile among the nations and possesses not in all the world a place to set his foot, as stephen says, acts 7:1-5. on the other hand, the mocking and wicked ishmael is a king and from him are born the dukes of the land of midian, gen. 25:16, before israel entered into the land of promise. in the same manner it will be seen in the 17th verse of the present chapter that cain first built the city enoch, and from him were born shepherds, workers in metals, and inventors of music. all these things seem to the world to prove that the curses of god are wrongly confined to cain and his posterity, seeing that these same curses frequently rest on the true church; while on the contrary it is well with the wicked, and they flourish. these things are often a stumbling block, not to the world only, but to the saints themselves as the psalms in many places testify. and the prophets also are frequently found to grow indignant, as does jeremiah, when they see the wicked possess freedom as it were from the evils of life, while they are oppressed and afflicted in various ways. men may therefore naturally inquire, where is the curse of the wicked? where is the blessing of the godly? is not rather the contrary the truth? cain is a vagabond and settled nowhere; and yet cain is the first man that builds a city and has a certain place to dwell in. but we will reply to these inquiries more fully hereafter. we will now proceed with the text of moses. part vi. cain's conduct upon being punished. v. 13. _and cain said unto jehovah, my punishment (iniquity) is greater than i can bear (than can be remitted)._ here moses seems to have fixed a cross for the grammarians and the rabbins. for they crucify this passage in various ways. lyra recites the opinions of some who explain this passage affirmatively, considering it to mean that cain said in his despair that his sin was greater than could be pardoned; and it is thus that we have rendered this expression of cain. augustine also retained this view of the passage, for he says, "thou liest, cain; for the mercy of god is greater than the misery of all the sinners of the whole world put together." the rabbins however expound the passage as being a negative interrogation, making cain to say, "is my iniquity greater than can be remitted?" but if this rendering be the true one, cain not only does not acknowledge his sin, but excuses it and moreover insults god for laying upon him a punishment greater than he deserved. but it is just in this way that the rabbins almost everywhere corrupt the sense of the scriptures. consequently i begin to hate them and i admonish all who read them, to read them with great caution and judgment. for although they did possess the knowledge of some things, by tradition as it were from the fathers, yet they corrupted them in various ways; and therefore they often deceived by those corruptions, even jerome himself. nor did the poets of old ever so fill the world with their fables as the wicked jews did the scriptures with their absurd opinions. a great labor therefore is thereby thrown in our way to get hold of the pure text and to clear it from their false opinions and comments. the cause of all this error is that some are grammarians only, but know nothing of the divine things concerned; that is, they are not divines also; therefore they are compelled to dream and to guess, and thereby to crucify both themselves and the scriptures. for how is it possible that such persons should be right judges of things which they do not understand? now, the divine subject matter in the present passage is that cain is accused in his own conscience. and no one, not only no wicked man, but not even the devil himself can endure this judgment of his own conscience; as james also witnesses, "the devils also believe and tremble before god," james 2:19. and peter also says, "whereas angels which are greater in power and might cannot endure that judgment which the lord will exercise upon blasphemers," 2 pet. 2:11. so also manasses in his prayer, vs. 4, 5, confesses that all men tremble before the face of the lord's anger. all these things therefore fully prove that there was not in cain under his judgment enough spirit left to enable him to set himself against god and to expostulate with him. for god is an almighty adversary to contend with, and he always makes his first attack upon the heart and fastens his grip on the conscience. now of this matter the rabbins know nothing, nor have any understanding of it whatever; and therefore they speak on this judgment of god as if it were a matter transacted before men, in judgment where a fact is either falsely denied or vainly excused before the judge. the judgment of god however is quite a different matter. for there, as christ says, "by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned," math. 12:37. cain therefore does acknowledge his sin in the present passage, but he does not grieve so much concerning his sin as concerning his punishment for it. cain's words therefore are here to be understood affirmatively, and they show the horribleness of his despair. a further proof of cain's entire despair is, that he does not utter one word of reverence. he never mentions the name of god or of his father. his conscience is so confused and so overwhelmed with terror and despondency that he is not able to think of any hope of pardon. so the epistle to the hebrews gives the same description of esau, saying, "who for one mess of meat sold his own birthright. for ye know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected; for he found no place for change of mind, though he sought it diligently with tears," heb. 12:16, 17. thus in the present instance cain feels his punishment, but he grieves more for his punishment than for his sin. and all persons in like despair do just the same. the two original words of this passage, minneso and avon, again form two crosses for grammarians. jerome translates the clause, "my iniquity is greater than can be pardoned." sanctes, the grammarian of pagnum, a man of no mean erudition and evidently a diligent scholar, renders the passage, "my punishment is greater than i can bear." but by such a rendering, we shall make of cain a martyr and of abel a sinner. and concerning the original word nosa, i have before observed, that when it is applied to sin, it signifies "to lift sin up, or off, on high;" that is, "to take it out of the way." just as we by the use of a common figure say, "to remit sin," or "the remission of sins," as we have in, ps. 32, aschre nesu pescha, which, when rendered literally, means, "being made happy by having been relieved from crime or sin." we render it, "blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven;" that is, whose sin is taken away. as we have it also again, "the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity," nesu avon, that is, "shall be relieved from their crime or sin," is. 33:24. the other original term avoni, grammarians derive from the verb anah, which signifies "to be afflicted," as in zacharia, "behold thy king cometh unto thee poor or afflicted," zach. 9:9. our translation renders it "meek," etc., as we find it also ps. 132:10, "lord remember david and all his meekness, or lowliness;" that is, "all his afflictions." from this same original root is derived the expression, "low estate," or "lowliness," of his handmaiden, used by the virgin mary in her song, luke 1:48. it is the meaning of the original word avoni which induced sanctes to render it, in the present passage, punishment. but here the original avoni signifies "iniquity," or "sin," as it does also in many other passages of the holy scriptures, which appears more plainly from the verb to "lift up" or "to lift off," which stands connected with it. hence it is that grammarians, who are nothing more than grammarians, and who know nothing of divine things, find their crosses in all such passages; and crucify, not only the scriptures, but themselves and their hearers. but in the interpretation of the holy scriptures the subject or divine matter and sense are first to be determined; and when that appears in all respects consistent with itself, then the grammatical propriety is to be explained. the rabbins however take a directly contrary course. and hence it grieves me much that divines and the holy fathers so frequently follow them. v. 14. _behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the ground; and from thy face shall i be hid; and i shall be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth; and it will come to pass, that whosoever findeth me will slay me._ from these words it still more plainly appears that the sentence and curse on cain were pronounced by jehovah through the mouth of adam. cain here acknowledges first that he is driven out from the domestic and political communion; and secondly that he was excommunicated from the church. of the difference of the meaning of the original words adamah and erez we spoke above. we have shown that erez signifies the whole earth generally; but that adamah means the cultivated part of the earth in particular. the meaning therefore of these words of cain is, "i am now compelled to flee from thy presence and from that place of the earth which i have cultivated. the whole world indeed lies before me, but i must be a fugitive and a vagabond upon the earth; that is, i shall have no certain dwelling place." in the same way murderers among us are punished with exile and become vagabonds in the earth. these words therefore afford a further evidence of the manner in which the words, which adam said above are to be understood, "cursed art thou upon earth." they refer to cain's being driven away into banishment. this part of cain's punishment therefore is a civil or political punishment, by which he is shut out from the whole civil community. but that which cain next adds, "and from thy face shall i be hid," is an ecclesiastical or church punishment. it is an excommunication from the true church of god. for as the priesthood and the kingdom rested with adam, and cain on account of his sin was excommunicated from adam, he was thereby also deprived of the glory both of the priesthood and of the kingdom. but why adam adopted this punishment of expelling his son from him and excommunicating him from his presence, is explained by the words which we just before heard from the father's mouth, "when thou tillest the ground it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength;" as if he had said, "thou art cursed and thy labors are cursed also. therefore if thou shalt remain with us upon earth it cannot be but that both thou and we also must perish with hunger. for thou hast stained the earth with thy brother's blood, and wherever thou art thou must bear about the blood of thy brother with thee, and even the earth herself will exact of thee the punishment of that blood by not yielding to thee her strength." there is a sentence almost the same as this pronounced on cain by adam in 1 kings 2:29-33, where solomon gives commandment to benaiah, son of jehoiada, saying, "slay joab, and thou shalt take away the innocent blood which was shed by joab from me and my father's house. and the lord shall return his blood upon his own head. but unto david, and unto his seed, and unto his house, and unto his throne, shall there be peace for ever from jehovah." as if he had said, "if joab suffer not this punishment of his unjust murder, the whole kingdom must suffer that punishment and be shaken from one end to the other by wars." it is just thus adam speaks in the present passage. as if he had said, "if thou shalt remain on the earth here with us god will bring punishments upon us for thy sake, so that the earth will not yield to us her fruit." but now let us offer our reply to the question above raised concerning cain and his posterity not being the only persons subject to the curse of wandering and affliction, seeing that the saints also, it is argued, are subject to the same; and that cain though thus cursed was yet the first who built a city, etc. it was said to cain as his curse, "a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be upon earth." and yet cain is the first man who builds a city, and his posterity from that time so increased that they seduced, oppressed, and so utterly overthrew the church of god, as not to leave more than eight persons from the posterity of seth remaining. the whole of the other multitude of mankind, who perished in the flood, had followed cain as the sacred text plainly declares, "and it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the ground, and daughters were born unto them, that the sons of god saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all that they chose," gen. 6:1, 2. and it is also said that these sons of god, when they came unto the daughters of men, begat giants and mighty men, which were of old, men of renown, verse 4. as therefore cain had so great and mighty a posterity and as he built the first city, how can it be true, men ask, that he was a fugitive and vagabond upon earth, according to the curse pronounced upon him? we will reply therefore to the literal facts before us. for what we have said above in reference to the new testament, concerning paul and the apostles, and christ himself, and the prophets, that is altogether a different subject. when adam here says to cain, "a fugitive and a wanderer shalt thou be upon earth," he speaks these words to him to send him away; designedly joining no precept or direction therewith. he does not say to him, "go to the east;" he does not say, "go to the south;" he does not mention any one place to which he should go. he gives him no direction what to do. he simply sends him away, but as to whither he should go or what he should do, he expresses no concern. as to what the will and the way of his son may be hereafter, the father takes no care whatever. he adds no promise of protection. he does not say, "god will take care of thee;" nor, "god will defend thee." but as the whole wide heaven lies open to the bird, leaving him the liberty to fly where he will, but giving him a sight of no place in that heaven, to which he might flee in safety for protection from the attack of the other birds, so does adam dismiss cain. this cain fully feels; and therefore it is that he adds the utterance, "and it shall come to pass that every one that findeth me shall slay me." now the condition of adam in paradise was different from that of cain, and better. adam had sinned, and by his sin he had sunk under death. but when he was driven out of paradise god appointed to him by his command a certain employment, that he should till the earth in a fixed and certain place. god also clothed him with a covering of skins. this, as we have said above, was a sign that god would take care of him and defend him. and that which exceeded all things else, a glorious promise was made to the woman concerning her seed, which should "bruise the serpent's head." but no one thing like these mercies was left to cain. he was sent away absolutely without the mention of any certain place or any certain employment. no command was given him nor any promise made him. he was like a bird set loose in the wide heavens, as we have said, to wander in its flight where it may. such was the state and meaning of cain's being truly and properly "a vagabond," "a wanderer" without any fixed dwelling-place. and thus unsettled and wandering are all who have not the word and the command of god, by which a certain place of worship and a certain ministry are vouchsafed unto them. and just such were we under the papacy. there were plenty of ceremonies of worship, and of works and exercises. but all these were undertaken and done without any command of god. this was truly a cain-like trial, to have no word of god; not to know what to believe, nor what to hope, nor what to think; but to do all things and to undertake all things without any knowledge or hope concerning the event. for what monk ever existed who could affirm or know that he did any one thing rightly? for all things were mere human traditions and the inventions of mere human reason, without the word. and in the midst of these things we all wandered about, fluctuating in our minds, like the wandering cain; not knowing anything of what the judgment of god would be concerning us; whether he would look upon us with love or with hatred. and in this uncertainty were we all at that time taught and trained. and in this same way were the whole posterity of cain wanderers and unsettled. for they had no promise nor command of god and were without any certain rule either to live by or to die by. and if any of these did come to the knowledge of christ and joined the true church, this did not come to them through any promise of god, but through his pure mercy. but seth, who was born afterwards, had together with his posterity the certain promise, certain dwelling-places, a certain worship of god, and certain rites of worship. but cain on the contrary was always essentially "a vagabond." for although cain did build a city, yet he was ever in uncertainty how long he should retain it as a dwelling place; for he had no promise of god on which to depend. and whatever things we possess without the promise of god, how long we shall possess them is always an uncertainty. for satan can either disturb them or take them away in a moment. on the other hand, when we move, fortified on every side by the command and promise of god, satan's strivings against us are all in vain, for god fortifies and secures by his command all that we possess. although therefore cain was the great lord as it were of the whole world and possessed all the riches of the world; yet because he was without the promise of the help of god and was thereby deprived of the guardianship of angels, he had nothing else to depend on, but human counsel and human reason. he was therefore truly "a vagabond" and unsettled wanderer.