Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadMartin Luther Collection: Luther, Martin - A Treatise on Good Works: 05 Starts discussion of Third Commandment
TOPIC: Luther, Martin - A Treatise on Good Works (Other Topics in this Collection)
SUBJECT: 05 Starts discussion of Third Commandment
Other Subjects in this Topic:
_A treatise on Good Works
together with the
Letter of Dedication_
by Dr. Martin Luther, 1520
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. 173-285.
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 singl 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 tke 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 an