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TOPIC: Luther, Martin - Table Talks (Other Topics in this Collection)
SUBJECT: 10. OF SINS
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OF SINS
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CCXLIV.
None of the Fathers of the Church made mention of original sin until
Augustine came, who made a difference between original and actual sin;
namely, that original sin is to covet, lust, and desire, which is the root
and cause of actual sin; such lust and desire in the faithful, God forgives,
imputing it not unto them, for the sake of Christ, seeing they resist it by
the assistance of the Holy Ghost. As St Paul, Rom. viii. The papists and
other sinners oppose the known truth. St Paul says: "A man that is an
heretic after the first and second admonition, rejects," knowing that such
an one sins, being condemned of himself. And Christ says: "Let them alone,
they are blind leaders of the blind." If one err through ignorance, he will
be instructed; but if he be hardened, and will not yield to the truth, like
Pharaoh, who would not acknowledge his sins, or humble himself before God,
and therefore was destroyed in the Red Sea, even so will he be destroyed. We
are all sinner by nature - conceived and born in sin; sin has poisoned us
through and through; we have from Adam a will, which continually sets itself
against God, unless by the Holy Ghost it be renewed and changed. Of this
neither the philosophers nor the lawyers know anything; therefore they are
justly excluded from the circuit of divinity, not grounding their doctrine
upon God's Word.
CCXLV.
Sins against the Holy Ghost are, first, presumption; second, despair;
third, opposition to and condemnation of the known truth; fourth, not to
wish well, but to grudge one's brother or neighbor the grace of God; fifth,
to be hardened; sixth, to be impenitent.
CCXLVI.
The greatest sins committed against God, are the violations of the
first table of the law. No man understands or feels these sins, but he that
has the Holy Ghost and the grace of God. Therefore people feeling secure,
though they draw God's wrath upon them, yet flatter themselves they still
remain in God's favor. Yea, they corrupt the Word of God, and condemn it;
yet think they do that which is pleasing and a special service to God. As
for example: Paul held the law of God to be the highest and most precious
treasure on earth, as we do the gospel. He would venture life and blood to
maintain it; and he thought he wanted neither understanding, wisdom, nor
power. But before he could rightly look about him, and while he thought his
cause most sure, then he heard another lesson, he got another manner of
commission, and it was told him plainly, that all his works, actions,
diligence and zeal, were quite against God. Yet his doings carried a fair
favor with the learned and seeming holy people, who said, Paul dealt herein
uprightly, and performed divine and holy works, in showing such zeal for
God's honor and for the law.
But God struck him on the ear, that he fell to the ground, and heard,
Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? As if he should say, Saul, even with
that wherein thou thinkest to do me service, thou dost nothing but persecute
me, as my greatest enemy. It is true, thou boastest that thou hast my word,
that thou understandest the law, and wilt earnestly defend and maintain it;
thou receivest testimony and authority from the elders and scribes, and in
such they conceit and blind zeal thou proceedest. But know, that in my law I
have commanded, that whoso taketh my name in vain shall die. Thou, Saul,
takest my name in vain; therefore thou art justly punished. Whereupon he
said: Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Mark, this man was a master in the
law of Moses, and yet he asked what he should do.
CCXLVII.
We have within us many sins against our Lord God, and which justly
displease him: such as anger, impatience, covetousness, greediness,
incontinence, hatred, malice, etc. These are great sins, which everywhere in
the world go on with power, and get the upper hand. Yet these are nothing in
comparison of condemning of God's Word; yea, all these would remain
uncommitted, if we did but love and reverence that. But, alas! the whole
world is drowned in this sin. No man cares a flip for the gospel, all snarl
at and persecute it, holding it as no sin. I behold with wonder in the
church, that among the hearers, one looks this way, another that; and that
among so great a multitude, few come to hear the sermon. This sin is so
common, that people will not confess it to be like other sins; every one
deems it a slight thing to hear a discourse without attention, and not
diligently to mark, learn and inwardly digest it. It is not so about other
sins; as murder, adultery, thieving, etc. For, after these sins, in due time
follow grief, sorrow of heart, and remorse. But not to hear God's Word with
diligence, yea, to condemn, to persecute it, of this man makes no account.
Yet it is a sin so fearful, that for the committing it both land and people
must be destroyed, as it went with Jerusalem, with Rome, Greece, and other
kingdoms.
CCXLVIII.
Christ well knew how to discriminate sins; we see in the gospel how
harsh he was towards the Pharisees, by reason of their great hatred and envy
against him and his Word, while, on the contrary, how mild and friendly he
was towards the woman who was a sinner. That same envy will needs rob Christ
of his Word, for he is a bitter enemy unto it, and in the end will crucify
it. But the woman, as the greatest sinner, takes hold on the Word, hears
Christ, and believes that he is the only Saviour of the world; she washes
his feet, and anoints him with a costly water.
CCXLIX.
Let us not think ourselves more just than was the poor sinner and
murderer on the cross. I believe if the apostles had not fallen, they would
not have believed in the remission of sins. Therefore, when the devil
upbraids me, touching my sins, then I say; Good St Peter, although I am a
great sinner, yet I have not denied Christ my Saviour, as you did. In such
instances the forgiveness of sins remains confirmed. And although the
apostles were sinners, yet our Saviour Christ always excused them, as when
they plucked the ears of corn; but, on the contrary, he jeered the Pharisees
touching the paying of tribute, and commonly showed his disapprobation of
them; but the disciples he always comforted, as Peter, where he says: "Fear
not, thou shalt henceforth catch men."
CCL.
No sinner can escape his punishment, unless he be sorry for his sins.
For though one go scot free for awhile, yet at last he will be snapped, as
the Psalm says: "God indeed is still judge on earth."
Our Lord God suffers the ungodly to be surprised and taken captive in
very slight and small things, when they think not of it, when they are most
secure, and live in delight and pleasure, leaping for joy. In such manner
was the pope surprised by me, about his indulgences and pardons,
comparatively a slight matter.
CCLI.
A magistrate, a father or mother, a master or dame, tradesmen and
others, must now and then look through the fingers at their citizens,
children, and servants, if their faults and offences be not too gross and
frequent; for where we will have summum jus, there follows often summa
injuria, so that all must go to wreck. Neither do they which are in office
always hit it aright, but err and sin themselves, and must therefore desire
the forgiveness of sins.
God forgives sins merely out of grace for Christ's sake; but we must
not abuse the grace of God. God has given signs and tokens enough, that our
sins shall be forgiven; namely, the preaching of the gospel, baptism, the
Lord's Supper, and the Holy Ghost in our hearts.
Now it is also needful we testify in our works that we have received
the forgiveness of sins, by each forgiving the faults of his brother. There
is no comparison between God's remitting of sins and ours. For what are one
hundred pence, in comparison with ten thousand pounds? as Christ says,
naught. And although we deserve nothing by our forgiving, yet we must
forgive that thereby we may prove and give testimony that we from God have
received forgiveness of our sins.
The forgiveness of sins is declared only in God's Word, and there we
must seek it; for it is grounded on God's promises. God forgives thee thy
sins, not because thou feelest them and art sorry, for this sin itself
produces, without deserving, but he forgives thy sins because he is
merciful, and because he has promised to forgive for Christ's sake.
CCLII.
When God said to Cain, through Adam: "If thou do well shalt thou not be
accepted? And if thou dost not well sin lieth at the door," he shows the
appearance of sinners, and speaks with Cain as with the most hypocritical
and poisonous Capuchin; `twas as if Adam had said: Thou hast heard how it
went with me in Paradise; I also would willingly have hid my offence with
fig leaves, lurking behind a tree, but know, good fellow, our Lord God will
not be so deceived; the fig leaves would not serve the turn.
Ah! it was, doubtless, to Adam, a heart-breaking and painful task, when
he was compelled to banish and proscribe his first born and only son, to
hunt him out of his house, and to say: Depart from me, and come no more in
my sight; I still feel what I have already lost in Paradise, I will lose no
more for thy sake; I will now, with more diligence, take heed to my God's
commands. And no doubt Adam afterwards preached with redoubled diligence.
CCLIII.
These two sins, hatred and pride, deck and trim themselves out, as the
devil clothed himself, in the Godhead. Hatred will be godlike; pride will be
truth. These two are right deadly sins: hatred is killing; pride is lying.
CCLIV.
It can be hurtful to none to acknowledge and confess his sins. Hast
thou done this or that sin? - what then? We freely, in God's name,
acknowledge the same, and deny it not, but from our hearts say: O Lord God!
I have done this sin.
Although thou hast not committed this or that sin, yet, nevertheless,
thou art an ungodly creature; and if thou hast not done that sin which
another has done, so has he not committed that sin which thou hast done;
therefore cry quits one with another. `Tis as the man said, that had young
wolves to sell; he was asked which of them was the best? He answered: If one
be good, then they are all good; they are all like one another. If thou hast
been a murderer, an adulterer, a drunkard, etc., so have I been a blasphemer
of God, who for the space of fifteen years was a friar, and blasphemed God
with celebrating that abominable idol, the mass. It had been better for me I
had been a partaker of other great wickednesses instead; but what is done
cannot be undone; he that has stolen, let him henceforward steal no more.
CCLV.
The sins of common, untutored people are nothing in comparison with the
sins committed by great and high persons, that are in spiritual and temporal
offices.
What are the sins done by a poor wretch, that according to law and
justice is hanged, or the offences of a poor strumpet, compared with the
sins of a false teacher, who daily makes away with many poor people, and
kills them both body and soul? The sins committed against the first table of
God's ten commandments, are not so much regarded by the world, as those
committed against the second table.
CCLVI.
Original sin, after regeneration, is like a wound that begins to heal;
though it be a wound, yet it is in course of healing, though it still runs
and is sore.
So original sin remains in Christians until they die, yet itself is
mortified and continually dying. Its head is crushed in pieces, so that it
cannot condemn us.
CCLVII.
All natural inclinations are either without God or against him;
therefore none are good. I prove it thus: All affections, desires, and
inclinations of mankind are evil, wicked, and spoiled, as the Scripture
says.
Experience testifies this; for no man is so virtuous as to marry a
wife, only thereby to have children, to love and to bring them up in the
fear of God.
No hero undertakes great enterprises for the common good, but out of
ambition, for which he is justly condemned: hence it must needs follow, that
such original, natural desires and inclinations are wicked. But God bears
with them and lets them pass, in those that believe in Christ.
CCLVIII.
Schenck proceeds in a most monstrous manner, haranguing, without the
least discernment, on the subject of sin. I, myself, have heard him say, in
the pulpit at Eisenach, without any qualification whatever, "Sin, sin is
nothing; God will receive sinners; He himself tells us they shall enter the
kingdom of heaven." Schenck makes no distinction between sins committed,
sins committing, and sins to be committed, so that when the common people
hear him say, "Sin, for God will receive sinners;" they very readily repeat,
"Well, we'll sin then." `Tis a most erroneous doctrine. What is announced as
to God's receiving sinners, applies to sinners who have repented; there is
all the difference in the world between agnitum peccatum, attended by
repentance, and velle peccare, which is an inspiration of the devil.
OF FREE-WILL
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CCLIX.
The very name, Free-will, was odious to all the Fathers. I, for my part,
admit that God gave to mankind a free will, but the question is, whether
this same freedom be in our power and strength, or no? We may very fitly
call it a subverted, perverse, fickle, and wavering will, for it is only God
that works in us, and we must suffer and be subject to his pleasure. Even as
a potter out of his clay makes a pot or vessel, s he wills, so it is for our
free will, to suffer and not to work. It stands not in our strength; for we
are not able to do anything that is good in divine matters.
CCLX.
I have often been resolved to live uprightly, and to lead a true godly
life, and to set everything aside that would hinder this, but it was far
from being put in execution; even as it was with Peter, when he swore he
would lay down his life for Christ.
I will not lie or dissemble before my God, but will freely confess, I
am not able to effect that good which I intend, but await the happy hour
when God shall be pleased to meet me with his grace.
The will of mankind is either presumptuous or despairing. No human
creature can satisfy the law. For the law of God discourses with me, as it
were, after this manner: Here is a great, a high, and a steep mountain, and
thou must go over it; whereupon my flesh and free-will say, I will go over
it; but my conscience says, Thou canst not go over it; then comes despair,
and says, If I cannot, then I must forbear. In this sort does the law work
in mankind either presumption or despair; yet the law must be preached and
taught, for if we preach not the law, then people grow rude and confident,
whereas if we preach it, we make them afraid.
CCLXI.
Saint Augustine writes, that free-will, without God's grace and the
Holy Ghost, can do nothing but sin; which sentence sorely troubles the
school-divines. They say, Augustine spoke hyperbolice, and too much; for
they understand that part of the Scripture to be spoken only of those people
who lived before the deluge, which says: "And God 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," etc.; whereas he speaks in a general
way, which these poor school-divines do not see any more than what the Holy
Ghost says, soon after the deluge, in almost the same words: "And the Lord
said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's
sake, for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth."
Hence, we conclude in general, that man, without the Holy Ghost and
God's grace, can do nothing but sin; he proceeds therein without
intermission, and from one sin falls into another. Now, if man will not
suffer wholesome doctrine, but condemns the all-saving Word, and resists the
Holy Ghost, then through the effects and strength of his free-will he
becomes God's enemy; he blasphemes the Holy Ghost, and follows the lusts and
desires of his own heart, as examples in all times clearly show.
But we must diligently weigh the words which the Holy Ghost speaks
through Moses: "Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart is evil
continually:" so that when a man is able to conceive with his thoughts, with
his understanding and free-will, by highest diligence, is evil, and not once
or twice, but evil continually; without the Holy Ghost, man's reason, will,
and understanding, are without the knowledge of God; and to be without the
knowledge of God, is nothing else than to be ungodly, to walk in darkness,
and to hold that for best which is direct worst.
I speak only of that which is good in divine things, and according to
the holy Scripture; for we must make a difference between that which is
temporal, and that which is spiritual, between politics and divinity; for
God also allows of the government of the ungodly, and rewards their virtues,
yet only so far as belongs to this temporal life; for man's will and
understanding conceive that to be good which is external and temporal - nay,
take it to be, not only good, but the chief good.
But when we divines speak of free-will, we ask what man's free-will is
able to accomplish in divine and spiritual matters, not in outward and
temporal affairs; and we conclude that man, without the Holy Ghost, is
altogether wicked before God, although he were decked up and trimmed with
all the virtues of the heathen, and had all their works.
For, indeed, there are fair and glorious examples in heathendom, of
many virtues, where men were temperate, chaste, bountiful; loved their
country, parents, wives, and children; were men of courage, and behaved
themselves magnanimously and generously.
But the ideas of mankind concerning God, the true worship of God, and
God's will, are altogether stark blindness and darkness. For the light of
human wisdom, reason, and understanding, which alone is given to man,
comprehends only what is good and profitable outwardly. And although we see
that the heathen philosophers now and then discoursed touching God and his
wisdom very pertinently, so that some have made prophets of Socrates, of
Xenophon, of Plato, etc., yet, because they knew not that God sent his Son
Christ to save sinners, such fair, glorious, and wise-seeming speeches and
disputations are nothing but mere blindness and ignorance.
CCLXII.
Ah, Lord God! why should be boast of our free-will, as if it were able
to do anything ever so small, in divine and spiritual matters? when we
consider what horrible miseries the devil has brought upon us through sin,
we might shame ourselves to death.
For, first, free-will led us into original sin, and brought death upon
us: afterwards, upon sin followed not only death, but all manner of
mischiefs, as we daily find in the world, murder, lying, deceiving,
stealing, and other evils, so that no man is safe the twinkling of an eye,
in body or goods, but always stands in danger.
And, besides these evils, is afflicted with yet a greater, as is noted
in the gospel - namely, that he is possessed of the devil, who makes him mad
and raging.
We know not rightly what we become after the fall of our first parents;
what from our mothers we have brought with us. For we have altogether, a
confounded, corrupt, and poisoned nature, both in body and soul; throughout
the whole of man is nothing that is good.
This is my absolute opinion: he that will maintain that man's free-will
is able to do or work anything in spiritual cases be they never so small,
denies Christ. This I have maintained in my writings, especially in those
against Erasmus, one of the learnedest men in the whole world, and thereby
will I remain, for I know it to be the truth, though all the world should be
against it; yea, the decree of Divine Majesty must stand fast against the
gates of hell.
I confess that mankind has a free-will, but it is to milk kine, to
build houses, etc., and no further; for so long as a man is at ease and in
safety, and is in no want, so long he things he has a free-will, which is
able to do something; but when want and need appear, so that there is
neither meat, drink, nor money, where is then free-will? It is utterly lost,
and cannot stand when it comes to the pinch. Faith only stands fast and
sure, and seeks Christ. Therefore faith is far another thing than free-will:
nay, free-will is nothing at all, but faith is all in all. Art thou bold and
stout, and canst thou carry it lustily with thy free-will when plague, wars,
and times of dearth and famine are at hand? No: in time of plague, thou
knowest not what to do for fear; thou wishest thyself a hundred miles off.
In time of dearth thou thinkest: Where shall I find to eat; Thy will cannot
so much as give thy heart the smallest comfort in these times of need, but
the longer thou strivest, the more it makes thy heart faint and feeble,
insomuch that it is affrighted even at the rushing and shaking of a leaf.
These are the valiant acts our free-will can achieve.
CCLXIII.
Some few divines allege, that the Holy Ghost works not in those that
resist him, but only in such as are willing and give consent thereto, whence
it would appear that free-will is only a cause and helper of faith, and that
consequently faith alone justifies not, and that the Holy Ghost does not
alone work through the Word, but that our will does something therein.
But I say it is not so; the will of mankind works nothing at all in his
conversion and justification; Non est efficiens causa justificationis sed
marerialis tantum. It is the matter on which the Holy Ghost works (as a
potter makes a pot out of clay), equally in those that resist and are
averse, as in St Paul. But after the Holy Ghost has wrought in the wills of
such resistants, then he also manages that the will be consenting thereunto.
They say and allege further, That the example of St Paul's conversion
is a particular and special work of God, and therefore cannot be brought in
for a general rule. I answer: even like as St Paul was converted, just so
are all others converted; for we all resist God, but the Holy Ghost draws
the will of mankind, when he pleases, through preaching.
Even as no man may lawfully have children, except in a state of
matrimony, though many married people have no children, so the Holy Ghost
works not always through the Word but when it pleases him, so that free-will
does nothing inwardly in our conversion and justification before God,
neither does it work with our strength - no, not in the least, unless we be
prepared and made fit by the Holy Ghost.
The sentences in Holy Scripture touching predestination, as, "No man
can come to me except the Father draweth him," seem to terrify and affright
us; yet they but show that we can do nothing of our own strength and will
that is good before God, and put the godly also in mind to pray. When people
do this, they may conclude they are predestinated.
Ah! why should we boast that our free-will can do aught in man's
conversion? We see the reverse in those poor people, who are corporally
possessed of the devil, how he rends, and tears, and spitefully deals with
them, and with what difficulty he is driven out. Truly, the Holy Ghost alone
must drive him out, as Christ says: "If I, with the finger of God, do drive
out devils, then no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you." As much as
to say, If the kingdom of God shall come upon you, then the devil must first
be driven out, for his kingdom is opposed to God's kingdom, as ye yourselves
confess. Now the devil will not be driven out through God's finger, then the
kingdom of the devil subsists there; and where the devil's kingdom is, there
is not God's kingdom.
And again, so long as the Holy Ghost comes not into us, we are not only
unable to do anything good, but we are, so long, in the kingdom of the
devil, and do what is pleasing unto him.
What could St Paul have done to be freed from the devil, though all the
people on earth had been present to help him? Truly, nothing at all; he was
forced to do and suffer that which the devil, his lord and master, pleased,
until our blessed Saviour Christ came, with divine power.
Now, if he could not be quit of the devil, corporally from his body,
how should he be quit of him spiritually from his soul, through his own
will, strength, and power? For the soul was the cause why the body was
possessed, which also was a punishment for sin. It is a matter more
difficult to be delivered from sin than from the punishment; the soul is
always heavier possessed than the body; the devil leaves to the body its
natural strength and activity; but the soul he bereaves of understanding,
reason, and power, as we see in possessed people.
Let us mark how Christ pictures forth the devil. He names him a strong
giant that keeps a castle; that is, the devil has not only the world in
possession, as his own kingdom, but he fortifies it in such a way that no
human creature can take it from him, and he keeps it also in such
subordination that he does even what he wills to have done. Now, as much as
a castle is able to defend itself against the tyrant which is therein, even
so much is free-will and human strength able to defend itself against the
devil; that is, no way able at all. And even as the castle must first be
overcome by a stronger giant, to be won from the tyrant, even so mankind
must be delivered and regained from the devil through Christ. Hereby, we see
plainly that our doings and righteousness can help nothing towards our
deliverance, but only by God's grace and power.
O! how excellent and comfortable a gospel is that, in which our Saviour
Christ shows what a loving heart he bears towards us poor sinners, who are
able to do nothing at all for ourselves to our salvation.
For as a silly sheep cannot take heed to itself, that it err not, nor
go astray, unless the shepherd always leads it; yea, and when it has erred,
gone astray, and is lost, cannot find the right way, nor come to the
shepherd, but the shepherd must go after it, and seek until he find it, and
when he has found it, must carry it, to the end it be not scared from him
again, go astray, or be torn by the wolf: so neither can we help ourselves,
nor attain a peaceful conscience, nor outrun the devil, death and hell,
unless Christ himself seek and call us through his Word; and when we are
come unto him, and posses the true faith, yet we of ourselves are not able
to keep ourselves therein, nor to stand, unless he always holds us up
through the Word and spirit, seeing that the devil everywhere lies lurking
for us, like a roaring lion, seeking to devour us.
I fain would know how he who knows nothing of God, should know how to
govern himself; how he, who is conceived and born in sin, as we all are, and
is by nature a child of wrath, and God's enemy, should know how to find the
right way and to remain therein, when, as Isaiah says: "We can do nothing
else but go astray." How is it possible we should defend ourselves against
the devil, who is a Prince of this world, and we his prisoners, when, with
all our strength, we are not able so much as to hinder a leaf or a fly from
doing us hurt? I say, how may we poor miserable wretches presume to boast of
comfort, help, and counsel against God's judgment, his wrath and everlasting
death, when we cannot tell which way to seek help, or comfort, or counsel,
no, not in the least of our corporal necessities, as daily experience
teaches us, either for ourselves or others?
Therefore, thou mayest boldly conclude, that as little as a sheep can
help itself, but must needs wait for all assistance from the shepherd, so
little, yea, much less, can a human creature find comfort, help, and advice
of himself, in cases pertaining to salvation, but must expect and wait for
these only from God, his shepherd, who is a thousand times more willing to
do every good thing for his sheep than any temporal shepherd for his.
Now, seeing that human nature, through original sin, is wholly spoiled
and perverted, outwardly and inwardly, in body and soul, where is then
free-will and human strength? Where human traditions, and the preachers of
works, who teach that we must make use of our own abilities, and by our own
works obtain God's grace, and so, as they say, be children of salvation? O!
foolish, false doctrine! - for we are altogether unprepared with our
abilities, with our strength and works, when it comes to the combat, to
stand or hold out. How can that man be reconciled to God, whom he cannot
endure to hear, but flies from to a human creature, expecting more love and
favor from one that is a sinner, than he does from God. Is not this a fine
free-will for reconciliation and atonement?
The children of Israel on Mount Sinai, when God gave them the Ten
commandments, showed plainly that human nature and free-will can do nothing,
or subsist before God; for they feared that God would suddenly strike among
them, holding him merely for a devil, a hangman, and a tormentor, who did
nothing but fret and fume.