Fourth Sunday after Trinity — Sermons of Martin Luther

FOURTH SUNDAY A F T E R T R I N I T Y .

F O U R T H S U N D A Y A F T E R T R I N I T Y .

This sermon appeared in 1535 under the title: "Δ Beautiful Christian consolation in all kinds of suffering and trial from the 8th chapter of Romans, with the explanation of the Gospel for the Fourth Sunday after Trinity. Preached by Dr. Martin Luther."

T H E R I G H T CONDUCT TO ONE'S E N E M I E S .

1. Beloved Friends! Upon this Gospel a great deal might be said, but at present we will not consider it all, lest we overload ourselves and retain nothing. You have heard in the text how our dear Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, holds up to us the works of mercy, how we should be merciful; not to judge nor to condemn but gladly forgive everyone and in like manner willingly give and help all, as there is need.

If we do this, he says, there shall be given to us again good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over. But if we will not do this, with the same measure we mete to others it shall be measured to us again.

By this he would earnestly forbid his Christians to con¬ demn anyone, to judge or avenge themselves, or to take from anyone, but rather to give and forgive.

For a better understanding of this Gospel, we must in the first place reply to our adversaries, who hold up this text against us as a strong, firm ground of their doctrine, that a man can by works obtain forgiveness of sins and eternal life, and boast of it as though they already had surely gained the victory. They say: Here indeed it stands clearly written: "Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven; give, and it shall be given to you again." What can a man bring up against such clear passages?

Therefore, it certainly follows from this, that a man can obtain forgiveness of sins by good works. Thus, by these and similar passages conStill Waters Revival Books - All Rights Reserved - www.PuritanDownloads.com cerning works, they wish to prove that we are justified and saved by our own merit; and denounce and condemn us as heretics, because we teach that we are saved only through faith in Jesus Christ, who has been crucified and died for us, who gave his body and shed his blood for us for the forgiveness of sins.

Thus they make Christ entirely un¬ profitable for us, and call the doctrine of faith simply an error and falsehood.

Here we see how the blind lead the blind.

2. Well, we allow them to proceed, because they want to be blind and hardened.

But if they were in earnest to know the truth, they could plainly see from this Gospel to what such passages, to which they so firmly hold, prop¬ erly refer, and how they should be interpreted. For this

Gospel evidently and plainly says, that Christ does not speak to those who shall first obtain grace, but to his dis¬ ciples, who already are children of grace and justified, and are also sent out by him, that they should preach to others such grace and salvation; from which it clearly follows that they already have forgiveness of sins, and are pious and jus¬ tified, and are not first to obtain salvation through works.

I say, he speaks to those, and instructs them how they shall conduct themselves toward their enemies, namely, when they are persecuted by them, that they should not persecute them in return, but should patiently suffer all these things, and do them good for evil.

3. Hence it is not meant, that by such works as are here enumerated they should first obtain forgiveness of sins and the righteousness that avails before God; but Christ speaks plainly and simply to his disciples whom he had chosen and called Apostles, as St. Luke shows preceding this Gos¬ pel.

Christ teaches them how they shall conduct them¬ selves when they preach, as though he would say: You dear disciples, I send you as sheep among wolves, and com¬ mend this office unto you to preach, and others shall hear your preaching, accept and believe it.

And you will be so received that the world will be offended at you and re¬ gard you as enemies, and you will find just as much friendStill Waters Revival Books - All Rights Reserved - www.PuritanDownloads.com

F O U R T H SUNDAY A F T E R ship and love in it, as sheep among wolves.

For it will become wholly mad and foolish at your preaching, and wiV by no means tolerate it.

Therefore see to it that you lead a better life and con¬ versation than your enemies, who will practice upon you all kinds of unmerciful deeds by judging and condemning you.

Moreover they will not only not forgive you any sin, but will proclaim your best works and deeds of mercy as the greatest sins. Again, they will not only not give you any¬ thing, but they will also hunt down that which is your own, and will take and keep it by violence. Thus they will treat you. But beware, that you be not like them; on the other hand where they judge, judge not; where they con¬ demn, bless; where they take revenge, forgive; when they take, give.

For immediately before, the Lord teaches the very same when he says: Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, bless them that curse you, pray for them that despitefully use you.

4.1n this manner St. Paul also admonishes the Christians at Bome (Bomans 12:18-19):

"If it be possible, as much as in you lieth, be at peace with all men. Avenge not your¬ selves, beloved, but give place unto the wrath of God."

Christ here teaches the very same when he says: Be mercifui, judge not, condemn not, avenge not yourselves, give un¬ to and assist everyone, in order that you may not become equally as bad as your enemies; but rather that they may be prevailed upon by your kind and friendly conversation, to give you a good testimony, and finally be compelled to say conscientiously: Behold, we judge and condemn these people, and carry out all our maliciousness against them; against this they neither defend or avenge themselves, but suffer it all patiently, and besides, they overcome evil with good. Surely, they cannot be bad people, because they have so much patience, and reward evil with good; I myself, will also hold to them, because they do no one any harm, although they have good reasons for so doing.

5. From this one can easily see that Christ does not here teach us to become pious and just through our works, but Still Waters Revival Books - All Rights Reserved - www.PuritanDownloads.com admonishes those who were already pious and just, that they be merciful like their Father in heaven, so that the heathen may thereby become better, and that thus unbe¬ lievers may be kindly enticed to become converted and edifled, not only by preaching, but also by the merciful and blameless lives and good conduct of the good and just.

6. In the same sense St. Paul also teaches in 1 Cor. 7:13:

And the woman that hath an unbelieving husband, and he is content to dwell with her, let her not leave her husband, as long as he will permit her to remain a Christian. Be¬ cause it can so happen that the man may be influenced by the virtue of his Christian wife to become converted and say:

I see by my wife, that Christians are good people; therefore I also want to be a Christian. Thus we also read of St. Monica, the mother of St. Augustine, who had a strange and wonderful husband, who besides was also a heathen. But what did she do? She so conducted herself toward him that he did her no wrong.

Other Christian wives were very much astonished at this, and went to her and complained about their husbands, that they could not do anything to please them, although they were Christians, and yet they were scolded and beaten by them; therefore they questioned her how she treated her husband, who, as every one knew, was not only a wonderful man, but a heathen also, and yet he never beat her. Such favor they could not expect from their husbands, although they were not heathen, but Christians.

T.Kindhearted Monica answered them and said: I fear you give your husbands cause for doing this.

If you were sub¬ ject to them and would not clamor back, or especially when they begin to be strangely cruel, if you would not answer back, but be patient, submit and obey them, and with friend¬ ly words appease them, you would, of course, not be beaten.

For thus I am accustomed to treat my husband; when my lord scolds, I pray; is he angry, I avoid him, or return kind words; in this way I have not only put down his anger, but I have also brought him so far, that he is converted and has become a Christian.

Behold, the beautiful fruit that Still Waters Revival Books - All Rights Reserved - www.PuritanDownloads.com FOURTH SUNDAY A F T E R TRINITY. followed this conduct, because kind Monica was merciful toward her husband, and did not condemn and judge him.

Thus it can often take place, as St. Paul says, that an un¬ believing husband or wife, may become converted through the one who believes. s. Thus, says Christ here, should you Christians also do, because you are children of grace and peace, not of anger and discord, and are also called to inherit the blessing.

Therefore you should also bring the blessing among the people, first by your preaching and public confession, and after that also by your good outward conduct, so that when the unbelievers judge and condemn you, treat you unmerci¬ fully and rob you, you will be merciful to them, and not avenge yourselves, but give and forgive, and besides help, love and bless them, and speak the best things of them be¬ fore God and the world; that they may also observe by your good conduct that you are pious and blameless people, who do not only suffer evil, but also return good for evil.

By this you will obtain a good name among the heathen, and be estimable and honorable in my sight, who art your 9. Thus you see that this text does not at all permit us to conclude from it that forgiveness of sins is obtained by works; for Christ here speaks to those who are already children of grace, and does not instruct them how to obtain by works, as the Papists dream, the forgiveness of sins, which they already had by grace ; however, he here teaches them how they are to conduct themselves, when they go forth and preach, toward the people who persecute, judge, condemn them, and afflict them with all kinds of torment and misfortune ; that they immediately do the contrary, not judge, nor condemn, but forgive and give; and then they shall also be neither judged nor condemned before God or the world. And even though the world judge them, still

God will not condemn them, as it is said in Ps. 37:13-40.

So it shall also be forgiven and given them again. îo.Thus Christ admonishes his disciples with these words, that they diligently perform the duties of their office and Still Waters Revival Books - All Rights Reserved - www.PuritanDownloads.com preach with courage, let it offend whom it may, and that nothing whatever may lead them astray, even though all the world revile and curse; let them only freely continue and they shall be richly rewarded; for it is already deter¬ mined in heaven that there shall be given unto them full measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over.

11. From all this it is certainly clear, that Christ does not here speak of that righteousness, of how a man becomes just before God, which takes place alone through faith in Jesus Christ, but teaches his disciples how to lead a good life here on earth among unbelievers, by which they may be of great benefit to those who judge and condemn them.

When they do such things, it shall be rewarded unto them again both here and hereafter; not that they thereby merit the forgiveness of sins; for no work, be it ever so good, is able to accomplish this; but when they on this account suf¬ fer or lose anything, it shall be returned to them even here in this life an hundred fold, as is written in Mark 10:30, and in the life to come they will be more gloriously arrayed and adorned than other saints.

Because they have suf¬ fered and done more for Christ's sake than others. For Daniel the prophet says, 12:3, that the teachers shall shine as the brightness of the firmament after the resurrection of the dead, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.

And St. Paul in 1 Cor. 15:41 says:

"For one star differeth from another star in glory.

So also is the resurrection of the dead."

12. The Lord further says : When you fail to do thus, but return evil for evil, it shall be measured to you again, "for with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again."

For by thus judging and condemning those who judge and condemn you, you sufficiently show that you are not my true disciples, and have not yet the forgiveness of sins, or else you would do what I have commanded you.

From which it follows further that your faith is not right.

So with you it will be changed, and you will hear from me that you have no faith and are false Christians.

F O U R T H SUNDAY A F T E R another, and one does not assist the other. This my Chris¬ tians will not do.

Therefore your sins will remain upon you, and will only become greater, as is shown in the par¬ able of the wicked servant who owed his Lord ten thousand talents and could not pay it; the Lord forgave him the debt out of pure grace. But as he would not forgive his fellow servant the very little debt, he again fell into his own former debt, which was forgiven him and brought down upon himself the great wrath of his Lord, who delivered him over to the tormentors.

14. Thus our dear Lord would here kindly and lovingly invite us to do good works and lead a Christian life also among our enemies.

But when we fail to do this he threatens us, that he would not regard us as Christians. For such works are as a sign or confession that we are true Christians.

In addition to this, other people will be made better by such works, and so will we ourselves who do them, as St.

Peter says, we make our calling and election sure thereby, and become richer in faith.

15. To this friendly admonition of Christ our Lord we Chris¬ tians and especially we ministers should diligently give due heed, for we also have at the present day adversaries of our faith and doctrine, who are great and powerful, kings, princes, lords, Pope and bishops.

To these our ene¬ mies according to this doctrine of Christ we show all mercy, and are not willing that a hair of their heads should be injured, or that they should be robbed of a cent. But this we wish them from our heart, that they may learn to know their errors and sins, and commit themselves to the grace of God and believe the Gospel. On this account they judge, condemn and persecute us, rob us of honor, goods, body and life, as though we were the worst rogues that tread the earth. Such things we do not to them in return, God be praised! but show them all love and kindness, and would willingly help them, if they would only permit it.

16. Yes, they say, you revile us nevertheless, both in writing and preaching, and condemn us as heretics, and will not permit us to be the Christian Church. Is such reproof and Still Waters Revival Books - All Rights Reserved - www.PuritanDownloads.com condemnation mercy? We answer: This is quite a differ¬ ent matter.

Christ in this Gospel speaks of those who shall suffer injustice. And it would not be right to apply this to those who by virtue of their office are required to reprove what is wrong. For those who have the office to judge and condemn, do no wrong thereby, in so doing.

For as little as it agrees or is valid for a child to say to its father when he would punish it; father, be merciful, and God will then also be merciful to thee; so little is it valid against those who have the office of reproof.

For it would be very inappropriate for a thief or evil doer to say to the officer of the law:

Dear sir, forgive and do not judge me, and then our Lord God will again forgive thee.

No, my dear fellow, the officer of the law by virtue of his office will thus answer and say: It is not necessary that I should forgive you.

I do what is right, and doing right needs no forgiveness, but is praiseworthy. Thus also when father and mother punish their children, they do right, for this is called true punishment, when the office requires it.

But beware, that you do not revenge yourself against him who must punish you, even if at times he treats you un¬ justly.

17. Wherefore it is not appropriate to twist this text, as though the Lord speaks of those who have the authority to punish the wrong, as ministers and all persons in author¬ ity, fathers, mothers, princes, lords, and finally also the executioner, who should not say to the evil doer, to whom he must administer justice, as however they are accus¬ tomed to do: "Dear Sir, forgive me, what I do to you to¬ day," for why should he say this? As he does right, he needs no forgiveness, which pertains alone to sin and wrong; for his office is to punish wrong. Just as it would be wrong if a father would say to his son when be would punish him: Dear son, forgive me, that I punish you. No, he does right, therefore the son should bear it, for thus

18. Thus St. Paul says, 2 Cor. 5:13:

F O U R T H SUNDAY A F T E R sober mind, it is unto you."

In his first Epistle, Paul severely rebuked the Corinthians, which some thought was too severe; but he does not excuse himself in the least nor asks for grace, he simply says:

If we rebuke too severely, it is unto God and we serve him; but if we are sober and deal gently, we do so for your good. He will not admit that he has! done any sin at all, because he so severely rebukes them, but says he serves God by it, and if he has been too indulgent, he did it for their benefit.

This is quite a poor answer to such a complaint as:

Dear Paul, why do you strike us so hard? But as he fills the office of an Apostle, he gives no other answer but this: I rebuke and punish sin as I wish, I do right and serve God thereby; not on account of my person, but because God has so commanded and ordered it.

19. Thus also a judge can say, when by virtue of his office he sentences the evil doer unto death, that he serves God thereby.

So also father and mother, when they punish their child as it has deserved, thus serve God; but if they punish it somewhat milder than it deserves, it is for the good of the child.

20. We must make a distinction however, for it is vastly dif¬ ferent when a person punishes who has the office to punish, and when one punishes who has not this office.

An office, call it what you may, is ordained to punish sin; not to tolerate wrong, but protect the right. Therefore, because

I and other ministers have this office, we do right, a work of mercy for the people, when we rebuke them, let whoever will do us good or evil for it.

21. Just as it is a great mercy not to allow young people to have their will and way, whether it be accomplished by threats or by the rod; it will still cost trouble and labor enough to oppose and prevent evil, even though we punish severely.

If punishment were altogether omitted and mercy took the place of office, the country would be full of rogues, and the world become a mere den of murderers.

Then one would say to another:

If you steal from me, I will rob you; if you go with my wife, I will go with yours.

Still Waters Revival Books - All Rights Reserved - www.PuritanDownloads.com No, this would never do; therefore the executioner is a very beneficial and even a merciful man, for he prevents the rogue from repeating his crime, and restrains others from committing crimes. He executes the one and thus threatens others that would do the like, that they may fear the sword and keep the peace.

This is a magnificent grace and pure mercy.

22. Again, it is a great sin against mercy, yes a horrible murder, when a father allows his child to go unpunished; for this is just the same as though he killed it with his own hands; hence Solomon says, Prov. 23:13, 14: "Withhold not correction from the child; for if thou beat him with the rod, he will not die.

Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell." That is, he will not die of your beating, but with the rod you cause him to live, and deliver his soul from death; for if you do not punish him, the executioner will, even unto death, by taking away his life. As Solomon would say: If you do not beat your son with the rod of life, in order that he may live, then you are a murderer; because you assist your child to become a rogue, so that the executioner must strike him with the rod of death.

Therefore take in your hand the rod of life, and freely punish when necessary, that he may escape the rod of death.

Then you will perform a noble work of mercy to him, whereas if you let him have his own will, you become his murderer.

23. Therefore it is senseless for the Papists to cry: We of course teach others not to judge, nor condemn, but we our¬ selves do the contrary, punish, judge and condemn every¬ one.

For as I said, what we do in this, we do by virtue of our office.

Therefore our judging and punishing is of such a nature, that it only makes one better and harms no one.

And we are obliged to do it on account of the com¬ mand of Christ our Lord, Luke 24:47, that repentance and forgiveness of sins be preached in his name among all na¬ tions on earth; and John 16:8: "The Holy Spirit will re¬ prove the world of sin."

FOURTH SUNDAY A F T E R judged and reproved the world, and proclaimed God's wrath against it; afterwards they preached forgiveness of sins in Christ's name, as St. Paul does, Eom. 1:3, and St. Peter,

Acts 2:3-10, and Christ himself when he says, John 9:39:

"For judgment came I into this world." Those who have accepted this preaching and permit themselves to be judged and reproved by it, have received the comfort of the Gospel, that without merit, by God's grace through the redemp¬ tion that is in Christ Jesus they are justified and saved,

This judgment and reproof of Christ and the Apostles is not harmful, but beneficial, comfortable and wholesome.

Moreover, those who have not allowed themselves to be re¬ proved by these have remained in their sins, and have died and perished forever; and also, in time, have their cities, lands and kingdoms in which they have lived, been most wofully devastated and destroyed.

25. A 8 therefore the Apostles have preached according to the command of Christ, so too must we do, and say that all men are conceived and born in sin and are by nature chil¬ dren of wrath, and on this account condemned, and can neither by their own or any other creature's help, advice, work or merit, receive forgiveness of sins and be saved.

This is to reprove, judge and condemn everybody, and yet we do this, not out of our own wantonness, or that we take pleasure in crying down men as sinners and godless; but out of Christ's order and command. With this however we do not cease, but we again encourage and comfort those whom we have rebuked, and say that Jesus Christ has come into the world to save sinners, so that all who believe in him, should not perish, but receive everlasting life.

26. Therefore God-fearing people accuse us of no fault in this; for they observe that we do not preach human non¬ sense like monks in their hoods, but proclaim the Gospel of Christ; they are glad therefore, and heartily thank God that they have lived to see the time when they can know the precious truth, and thereby obtain comfort for their consciences, and accept this our reproof and judgment as a Still Waters Revival Books - All Rights Reserved - www.PuritanDownloads.com

Again, the great and godless crowd scold and condemn us on account of this our reproof, as heretics and traitors, who disturb both the old faith and worship and also the worldly government and peace. We must bear this; yet our conscience gives us the testimony that they wrongfully accuse us, and besides we are comforted to know that we are not the first ones who have been thus slandered. St. Paul also had to hear from Jews and Gen¬ tiles, that he was a blasphemer and traitor. Yea, Christ himself was accused before Pilate for misleading the people and making them disobedient to the emperor, for which also he was crucified. With them we are glad to be cried down as heretics and traitors, until the time when our in¬ nocence shall come to light.

27. If now the wretched, hardened Papists were not such bitter enemies of the truth, and of us on account of the truth, they could observe by our life that we hold firmly to this admonition of Christ, be merciful; for God be praised, we have not thus far avenged ourselves against any man who has done us injury, we have not driven anyone from house and home, wife and child, we have cast no one into prison on account of his faith, much less have we beheaded, burnt at the stake or hung anyone for their faith, as the Papists have done, the tender saints, who have for the last few years shed much innocent blood, and still do not cease.

But we have complied with this doctrine and admonition of Christ, and have honored their order and government and confirmed it with our doctrine as far as they are right, we have prayed and pleaded for them, privately and publicly, and have faithfully also admonished them in writings by virtue of our office which God has committed to our charge.

And for this our mercy we have received from them the reward, that they have put us under the ban, cursed and persecuted us, and driven many of our brethren from their possessions and murdered them. What more shall we do?

Yet we must bear the name of being impatient, angry, spiteful, and revengeful people, who judge and condemn all the world. Well, we must bear this disgrace before the Still Waters Revival Books - All Rights Reserved - www.PuritanDownloads.com

F O U R T H SUNDAY A F T E R world, until our dear Lord Jesus Christ, the just Judge, shall examine us and decide the matter; in the meantime we permit them evermore to lie, slander and persecute us ; but they shall learn by experience when God's time comes, whom they have slandered and persecuted in us.

28. This much is said of the chief meaning of this Gospel, how we are to be merciful also toward our enemies.

Now we should also apply it to our own lives, we who want to be Christians and brethren should practice this among our¬ selves ; for it is very necessary also that this admonition be preached to us.

Although we are all called Evangelical, I fear that the most of us are heathen under the Christian name.

Well, what shall we do about it? We must allow the name to all, although few there be who bear it in truth.

For St. Paul in 2 Thess. 3:2 says: "For all have not faith"; and Christ hmiself complains, Mat. 22:14, that many are called but few are chosen.

Now, those who are true Chris¬ tians should with all diligence take this admonition of Christ to heart, that they may not only be friendly toward enemies, but also much more toward those called Christians.

29. Therefore let everyone who goes to the sacrament and pretends to be a Christian take heed to himself that he deceive not himself.

For one can now well see what a scraping, grabbing and scratching there is even among those who want to be Christians, from the lowest to the highest stage of society.

It is a sin and a shame to hear it.

Nearly everyone falls into this shameful greed, and such a state may well be called a swine's life, for as the swine in the trough, whichever one is the strongest pushes the rest away, as though she wanted to devour all herself, just so it goes in the world today, and everyone goes securely forth, gives nothing whatever and takes all he can get, whether he gets it rightfully or wrongfully, so that the word give, which stands here in the Gospel, has almost disappeared, and instead robbery and theft in homes and in the market have everywhere come to take its place.

L U T H E R ' S CHURCH cious unfaithfulness, cheating and overcharging. They do not look upon it as stealing, and yet it is just as much steal¬ ing when they labor unfaithfully, as when they steal it out of our purse. This is the way servants and laborers do, and it matters not by what they are called.

30. But how will such people stand in that day when Christ shall ask them, whether they have done according to his admonition? For if Christians are to be merciful to their enemies as Christ here teaches, much more will it become them to show all love and friendship toward their brethren and Christian people; and as they are not to curse their enemies, much less should they curse their friends. Again, if they are not to avenge themselves on unbelievers, but give to them and do them good, much more should they show this kindness to the household of faith. Yes, turn the thing around to rob, to covet, and to take advantage of another wherever one can; this goes on yet in the world with violence.

But the holy Gospel says:

Give, and it shall be given unto you; if we do not hold ourselves to this rule, we shall hear the opposite:

Steal and rob, and you shall be robbed and stolen from again.

31. But our Lord God is so full of resources that he can send misfortune upon a city or a country so that even after they have gathered and hoarded for a long time, some tramp brother or fellow pilgrim comes along, to whom one must give or he will take it himself by force. For it must surely come to this that if w

Te wilfully forget that word "give," our Lord God will make out of it "take." After such misfortune we strive with all diligence, for wherever the Lord says "give" there we only wish to make out of it "take."

Well then take, steal and rob as long as you will, what will it avail you; things will take a turn some day so that it will be taken from you again.

32. A11 history teaches us, that when a kingdom, a principal¬ ity, or a city, has been exalted to the highest pitch and becomes rich, then comes a war, or some other misfortune, so that it again becomes poor.

F O U R T H SUNDAY A F T E R and become powerful, they also immediately fall again.

I have already observed several who sat amid great posses¬ sions, and yet in a short time were thoroughly ruined.

Why is this? Because they did not want to give as Christ here admonishes, but much rather took from others, for this reason a change took place with them, that it was again taken from them; as also teaches experience, and the common proverb runs:

Goods unjustly won, will not last to the third son, that he may enjoy it.

Such things we see daily in all ranks of life; and if it does endure for a time and descends from father to son, yet it sinks with the third heir, for it is a cursed wealth, which has either been obtained by theft or greed.

33. By such daily experience the children of the world ought to become wise and think: Why scratch and scrape so long, you cannot rightfully possess goods obtained by stinginess after all, nor will it prosper in your hands, as you have time and again experienced from one or another.

34. But we Christians should be more influenced by what the Holy Scriptures teach about it.

"Better is a little that the righteous hath, than the abundance of many wicked," and the reason immediate¬ ly follows:

"For the arm of the wicked shall be broken, and the Lord upholdeth the righteous.

The Lord knoweth the days of the perfect; and their inheritance shall be for¬ ever." As though he would say:

Although a good man may have but little, if he only has it with God and honor, it will be dearer to him than all the treasures of the un¬ godly.

For our Lord God will shower his blessings upon that little, so that it will last to children's children to the thousandth generation.

This is also apparent; for at the present time we And many old and honorable families in the cities, whose possessions have reached to several hun¬ dred generations, whereas with others it has disappeared with the third.

We should learn from this and similar passages, and hold to it because it is the truth, that it is botter to have thirty dollars with God and honor, than three thouStill Waters Revival Books - All Rights Reserved - www.PuritanDownloads.com

L U T H E R ' S CHURCH sand won without God and with dishonor. For God blesses the little which the righteous have (says Ps. 37:16), so that he may not only possess it with a good conscience, but will also be to his benefit and he will use it so that God may be pleased with it.

But the wealth that has been unjustly obtained, may be enjoyed for a time; yet because God's blessing does not rest upon it, it wears away and loses it¬ self, so that we cannot tell what has become of it; for it has been won by greed and wrong, and as they did not regard it as stealing for one to scrape all together and give nothing away, the rust is entered into it and eats it up, so that it cannot be seen that there ever was a penny there.

As also the heathen have learned from experience and said: "By evil acquired, by evil it goes," "As it is won, so it is gone."

35.But why say more? One will not grow wise except by his own losses; we let our Lord God promise and threat in vain, but who asks about it? Though we preach ever so much, Prov. 11:4:

"Kiches profit not in the day of wrath; but righteousness delivereth from death," and v. 28: "He that trusteth in his riches shall fall; but the righteous shall flourish as the green leaf;" everyone thinks the while:

"Dear Sir, say what you will, if I had money and goods, I would be free from all distress;" they simply make our Lord But they will experience sooner than they wish, that they are deceived.

Therefore, my dear friends, let us fear and trust in God, and hereafter be merciful and kind, not only toward enemies as this Gospel teaches, but still more toward our friends and brethren; especially because we hear that our

Lord is such an enemy to shameful covetousness, that he will blow upon such ill-gotten gain, so that it will vanish and fly away as the dust before the wind. The prophet

Haggai 1:6, says of the miser, that he gathers into a bag with holes; as though he would say:

Well, they may gather, but it will do them no good, because they want to get rich by greed even to the injury of others.

F O U R T H SUNDAY A F T E R gathered wealth in heaps, has such a curse in his house, that he not only does not become better by his wealth, but it also disappears under his hands, as though the rust had devoured it.

36-Now dear friends, do not despise such a warning, but take it to yourselves, and if you have already been ensnared by this covetousness, turn again and reform.

Formerly when one served the devil in popedom, everyone was mercifui and kind, then they gave with both hands joyfully and with great devotion, to support the false worship of God.

Now, when one should justly be kind and give, and show his thankfulness to God for the holy Gospel, everyone is about to perish with hunger, no one will give anything, but will only receive. Formerly every city according to its size, liberally supported several cloisters, not to mention masspriests and rich monasteries. Now, when only two or three persons, who preach God's Word, administer the sacra¬ ments, visit and comfort the sick in an honest and Christian manner and instruct the youth, are to be supported in one city, and that too not from their own but from property that came to us from the papacy, it is hard for everybody to give.

37. But thus it must be, that Jesus with Mary and Joseph should have no room in the inn at Bethlehem, but after all he finds a crib, and Mary and Joseph a stall, in which they miserably help themselves as best they may. And as they are not at home in Nazareth but in a strange place at an inconvenient time, in the midst of winter, and alto¬ gether forgotten in the stall by the people of Bethlehem, yet after all they do not perish with hunger.

But before they should suffer hunger among their blood relations who care nothing for them, even the heathen must come from rich Arabia and present the little child Jesus gold, frankin¬ cense and myrrh. Christians understand well enough what is meant.

38. Therefore let everyone be diligent to comply with this ad« monition, that he willingly give, if he desires that it shall be given unto him again. If he will not do this, Christ will

Still Waters Revival Books - All Rights Reserved - www.PuritanDownloads.com most certainly keep his Word, that it shall not be given unto him again. And though he already has something, there shall not be given him grace enough to enjoy it, as has already been shown from Scripture passages.

God does not only show us by his Word that our covetousness is displeasing to him, and that usurers shall not en¬ joy their goods, but proves it also by daily examples.

I will relate one as a warning which has recently occurred, although some may be offended at it: It is not far from here to Wittenberg, as has been reported to me and have also myself made proper inquiries, there was a farmer, who all his life cheated and took advantage of the people in the market, as at present nearly all are accustomed to do, he went into his barn to look after his grain; then the devil set such a ghost before his eyes, that he found his barn empty, and could see no corn there. What happened? The miserable, stingy man becomes frightened, and thinks the corn was secretly stolen from his barn. He goes down to his wife and servants with great cries and lamentations and says all his grain has been stolen out of his barn. As the wife and servants go in to look after it, in the meantime the wretched man hangs himself for grief, and dies in the rope before they return again to him. And yet it was but the deception of the devil. For all the corn was still lyiing untouched on the floor. The devil by the decree of God had thus infatuated him, that he could not see even a single grain.

39. This I say, has taken place before our very doors, to frighten and warn us. What benefit did the poor man reap from it? W

That help are now his goods to him, whicn he had scraped together so long with care and labor? The devil wanted to kill him, therefore he so blindfolded him that he could not see his own corn, and thus he gave him a cause, to hang himself for grief. This is I think a curse, which came upon ill-gotten goods, that he should not only not enjoy it, but even not beheld it, and thereby lose both body and soul. More similar histories have appeared, as you at other times have heard from me; and it is good not Still Waters Revival Books - All Rights Reserved - www.PuritanDownloads.com

F O U R T H SUNDAY A F T E R to forget them, there may yet be some who will be re¬ formed by them.

The wretched man who so miserably hung himself will find his sentence.

But we tell it you as a warning. If you will not receive it, but despise it, you do not despise me who told it you, but the Lord Christ, who tells it to you through me. But if you receive it and do better, I will give you no reward, for I cannot reward the works of a Christian. But he who here says : Give and it shall be given to you, will richly reward it.

Whoever will, let him accept, and whoever will not, can let it alone.

This text will not become false on that account.

For al¬ though not all are punished like this man, yet everyone who despises this admonition of Christ, will find his condemna¬ tion on the last day. And it is indeed to be wondered at, that we willingly and with great care, weariness and labor, for the stingy man's stinginess becomes very hard, 1 Tim.

6:10, should bring into our own house first our own injury and curse, whereas with lighter labor and a more joyful courage, if we according to the doctrine of Christ would give and help our neighbor, could well be rich.

For he who said, Give, and it will be given you, will certainly keep his Word, and give again to those who obey his admonition, and that abundantly; for he says: A full, pressed down, shaken together, and overrunning measure shall be given to you again.

40. Were it not better, you had but little with God and honor, and give and help the needy according to your abil¬ ity, and have thereby a good conscience and the glorious comfort that God will bless and increase your humble store, than that you should, with care and restlessness and with an evil conscience, have great possessions, which yoa not only cannot enjoy, but cannot even be master of, for a miser is mammon's servant and a captive.

And yet, you do not only know from God's Word, although you will not believe it, but also from daily experience, that it will do your children or heirs no good, but by the very consump¬ tion of it they shall become poor.

41. What have you of it at last, Ο wretched man, when Still Waters Revival Books - All Rights Reserved - www.PuritanDownloads.com you have so long scraped and scratched together, except that you have made your life very toilsome in sins, and the devil, when your last hour comes, will drag you into the abyss of hell, and so you will not only shamefully lose your money and goods, which in this life you never could enjoy, but besides you also wretchedly lose both body and soul, and upon all this with your condemned treasures you bring down God's displeasure and curse upon your children and heirs, who have become no better than yourself, but fall into poverty and into all distress and misfortune.

Tell, he that will hear, let him hear. For everyone must bear his own burden, as St. Paul says, Gal. G :5:

I believe it also. Therefore you who will not hear, answer for your¬ selves.

This is enough of this Gospel for a small admoni¬ tion.

God grant, that in some of you it may bring forth fruit! Amen.

Still Waters Revival Books - All Rights Reserved - www.PuritanDownloads.com F I F T H S U N D A Y A F T E R This sermon appeared in pamphlet or tract form in four different editions in 1522 and 1523, also in the two collections of 1-t and 27 sermons of 1523 and was one of the "Three Beautiful Sermons

Preached by Dr. Martin Luther at Wittenberg," 1523. Two of the pamphlet editions bear the title: "A Sermon on St. Peter and St.

Paul concerning Trusting in God, etc."

Text. Luke 5:1-11. Now it came to pass, while the multitude pressed upon him and heard the word of God, that he teas stand¬ ing by the Wee of Gennesaret; and he saw two boats standing by the lake: but the fishermen had gone out of them, and were washing their nets. And he entered into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land.

And he sat down and taught the multitudes out of the boat.

And when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Put out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

Simon answered and saidr Master, we toiled all night, and took nothing: but at thy word I will let down the nets. And when they Imd done this, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes; and their nets were breaking; and tliey beckoned unto their partners in the other boat, that they should come and help them.

And they came, and filled both the boats, so that tliey began to sink. But Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, Ο Lord.

For he was amazed, and all that icere with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken; and so were also James and John, sons of Zebedee, irho were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. And when they had brought their boats to land, they left all, and followed him.

PETER'S MIRACULOUS DRAUGHT OP PISHES, WHICH TEACHES US FAITH IN ITS RELATION TO TEM¬ PORAL AND TO ETERNAL BLESSINGS.

I. F A I T H IN ITS RELATION TO 1. Where this faith exists there is no lack of spiritual blessings. 2-7.

Those who believe have enough, but tiiose who do not believe never have enough.

The care for the needs of the body, avarice and unbelief. a. What follows from them. 3-4. b. They are a cursed thing. 5-6. c. The spiritual condition of things in the Papacy is the re¬ suit of unbelief and the cares for the needs of this life. 7.

2. What should move us to this faith. 8.

Why many suffer need in ternporal things. 8-9.

3. How and why we should In addi¬ tion to our faith perform the work of our calling. 10-11.

4. An objection raised by this doc¬ trine of faith, and the answer. 12.

5. IIow and why hope and expecta¬ tion accompany this faith. 13-14.

II. T H E FAITH IN ITS RELATION 1. The connection of this with the preceding faith. 15.

2. How this faith in the example of Peter is painted forth. 16-19.

In what way ife a weak con¬ science to be strengthened and es¬ tablished. 16-17.

The difference between the true Our works will avail nothing in the forgiveness of our sins, but we must confess them to God and 3. The glorious fruit 0£ this faith.

God cares for believers in spir¬ itual and temporal things. 23.

SUMMARY OF THIS GOSPEL: 1. Christ fishes with the Word, aud he makes his disciples such fishermen.

2. There are here two ships. One signifies the Jews, into which Christ the Lord enters, as he was a servant of the circumcision, as St. Paul calls liim in Rom. 15:8. The other refers to the Gentiles, to whom the wink is given that they should come and help the first in order that both might be filled.

3. In vain we teach the law, human ordinances and our own devices the whole night in the dark, only to the end that the weak conscience may be smitten with anguish and martyred. But without the Word of Christ, which is light, one never catches anything.

Therefore Peter says here: Lard, upon thy Word I will let down the net. If you will preach, then you must have the Word of Christ and you must also be sent by Christ.

4. Here you observe, Christ provides also for the needs of the bodies of his followers.

P E T E R ' S MIRACULOUS D R A U G H T OP F I S H E S .

1. This Gospel is easy for those to understand who be¬ lieve, and it presents to us two thoughts, namely:

Faith in its relation to temporal blessings, and faith in its re lation to eternal blessings.

F A I T H I N I T S R E L A T I O N TO T E M P O R A L 2. In the first place Christ shows that those who believe on him will certainly have sufficient also for this present life. And this he does in that he gives Peter and his partStill Waters Revival Books - All Rights Reserved - www.PuritanDownloads.com

Ι'Λ'λ ners such a great multitude of fishes, more than they had any reason to expect; also, in that Christ also provides for the feeding of our stomachs, if it were not only for our cursed unbelief.

For behold Peter and look dee!) into his heart and you will find, that he had no idea that he should catch so many fishes; then God came and drove the fish into the net, and more than all the disciples had desired.

3. Therefore this is an example that all who• believe will have enough for their temporal needs; but those who do not believe can never get enough and have no rest in scheming how to secure riches, by which they fall into all kinds of vice. Then comes to pass what Paul in 1 Tim.

6:6-10 says: ''But godliness with contentment is great gain; for we brought nothing into the world, for neither can we carry anything out; but having food and covering we shall be therewith content.

But they that are minded to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts, such as drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil: which some reaching after have been led astray from the faith, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows."

4. Now this passage of St. Paul shows clearly what fol¬ lows our unbelief, namely, that he who strives after posses¬ sions and will become rich, must fall into the temptations and snares of the devil. These we cannot see, for they are spiritual. However if we could see the harm and ruin he does in spiritual things as he does in corporal things, then we would be good preachers. For we see publicly how an unbelieving man scrapes and does violence to everybody in order that he may scratch together something in which he may place his confidence, and say:

Yea, now I have enough.

Thus we see, what an avaricious, unfriendly thing unbelief is; for it is a benefit to no one, it sells no one anything unless it sees its own advantage in doing so.

5. For it has ever been a curse that we cannot trust God even for the daily food our stomachs crave, and that we Still Waters Revival Books - All Rights Reserved - www.PuritanDownloads.com continually think we are to die from hunger; and yet, we are to have enough, as Christ in Mat. G:25f. says: '

1Therefore I say unto you, Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than the food, and the body than the raiment? Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit unto the measure of his life?

And why are ye anxious concerning raiment?

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

But if God doth so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, Ο ye of little faith? Be not therefore anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? For after all these things do the Gentiles seek; for your heaven¬ ly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Be not therefore anxious for the morrow: for the morrow will be anxious for itself.

Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."

6. Here you see how God cares for the birds and flowers, and adorns them so beautifully; much more will he give us what we need; and yet we cannot trust him. So suecessfully has the devil taken us captive by his snares. If one comes now so far that he is not satisfied and does not trust God, then love must at once cease, so that he does no one any good, but he scratches together everything only on his own heap.

7. And in this way the calling of the priests and monks arose; only in order that they might help themselves and feed their stomachs, and not being permitted to work they ran into the cloisters. And the proverb is true: Despair makes monks; yea, not only monks, but also priests, bishStill Waters Revival Books - All Rights Reserved - www.PuritanDownloads.com ops and popes; for they do not trust God that he is able to feed and clothe them, and only think how they may fortify themselves against all want and poverty. All this is the life of unbelief.

Then they go and keep strumpets or commit adultery, which are the fruits that follow un¬ belief; for they never trusted God, that he was able to sustain them, if they took unto themselves wives and re¬ mained out of the monasteries.

8. Now, here is an example that excites us to trust in God, and first for the needs of the stomach; since he cares for us also in temporal things.

This we see here in the case of Peter, when he thus caught a great multitude of fishes, more than filled their boats.

From this it is clearly shown God will forsake no one, each must have what he needs, if he trusts in God alone; as Ps. 37:35 says: "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread."

There is no lack of provisions, only a lack of faith; before that should take place the angels would come and minister unto us.

Therefore the fact that the people suffer now such need, is caused only by unbelief.

9. And although God is near us and will give us what we need, yet he requires on our part both work and hope, even if he delay for a time; therefore he gives Peter here a draught of fishes, and says:

"Put out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught."

10. As if the Lord would say: Let down the nets, and do the work that belongs to a fisherman, and let me care for the rest. The care or solicitude shall not be thine but mine, and the work thine. We however wish to turn this around for Christ: we want the care and let him have the work. Hence it is that everyone strives after usury, and hoards money so that they may never need to work.

11. Therefore if you wish to lead a truly Christian life, let thy God see to it how the fishes come into your net, and go and enter some calling in life that you may labor. But we all wish to fill such positions, where we do not need to labor; that has ever been the trick of the devil. And be¬

Moved by this mothers left their children go to school, in order that they might have good days and serve God. In this way it came so far that people did not know what good living was; and yet God commanded and took pleasure in it, that man should eat his bread in sweat; as he said to Adam: "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread," Gen. 3:19.

And the deeper you stick in the law, the better it is. Therefore labor and believe, and let 12. If we speak of faith, and are to lean upon God and let him care for us, then they say:

Yes, I must believe a long time before a roasted dove flies into my mouth, if I do not labor. Yes, it is true, you must toil, for you are commanded to do so: but let thy God provide for you.

Believe and labor, then will not only a dove but a roasted goose fly into your mouth.

13. But to these belong also another part, namely, that we should hope, even if God does delay for a time.

Christ here left them toil all the night without catching anything and it seemed he would permit them to die of hunger.

Peter might have well thought since he fished so long and caught nothing: now God will let the stomach languish. But he despairs not, he continues to labor, and stands and hopes, God would give it to him although he might delay. Then God comes and gives him such a great multitude of fishes all at once, and more than he had been able to catch in eight days.

14. Therefore you must learn this part well, that you are to work and hope, even if God should delay a little and let you toil in your sweat, so that you imagine your labor is now lost.

Then you must be wise and learn to know your God and to trust in him. Then he arrives and gives you more than you need, as he does here to Peter. Therefore if God has already delayed, only remember in the ex¬ ample of Peter there was also a little delay and yet it richly came. Thus it strikes in the time of his good pleasStill Waters Revival Books - All Rights Reserved - www.PuritanDownloads.com ure; therefore do not despair, but hope and then thy works will be golden and pleasing to him; and then hope waits patiently, when God withdraws from us and does not do at once what we earnestly wish. Therefore he must make an appendix and hang on it a costly stone that thy works may become important.

This precious stone is faith; but the works of unbelievers are stubble, for they are not built upon faith. This is the first part of our Gospel, now follows the second.

P A R T I I . F A I T H IN ITS R E L A T I O N TO E T E R N A L 15. After the disciples caught the fishes and tasted the fruit of faith, their faith increased and grew. Now, we must first come to the point that we can commit unto God the care of our stomachs.

For whoever cannot entrust that to God, can never commit unto him his soul. But this is only the faith of the child, where we learn to go to the public bank and continue to suck our mother's breast.

Yet, by this we must learn to confide our soul to God for his keeping.

This to-day's Gospel aims to do, when it says:

But Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, Ο Lord.

For lie teas amazed, and all that were icith him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken.

16. Let Peter here be a figure of those who should believe in the eternal possessions, and substitute for him the con¬ science, that now waits and looks for temporal blessings and possessions.

A sinful conscience by reason of its nature is apt to do just as Peter does here, flee from its Saviour, and think: O, God, I am not worthy to be saved and sit among the saints and angels!

Oh, that treasure is far too high for me! Here the narrow small conscience cannot grasp these great treasures, but thinks: Yes, if I were as St. Peter and Paul, then I might believe it.

This is foolish; for should you wish to establish yourself upon your holiness, then you would build on the sand. No, not Still Waters Revival Books - All Rights Reserved - www.PuritanDownloads.com so; but do like St. Peter. For in that he considered him¬ self so unworthy, then be became first worthy. And just because you are a sinful person, you must trust. Here you must open wide your conscience and greatly expand your heart, in order that grace may flow freely into them.

17. If you have now learned to know God, then refuse him nothing whatever; that is, if we behold the great treasures, then we should not despair.

It is proper that we know ourselves, and the more thoroughly we do this the better; but you must not reject grace because of your sins. For if you find that your conscience struggles and would drive you to despair, then you are most comfortable and for¬ tunate; then you will find the consolation in your consoience, and say like Micah, 7:18-19: "Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and casts their sins into the sea and drowns them?" All gods that do not take away sin are idols. Therefore Micah well says, that there is no God like our God; for other gods wish to discover righteousness, but our God brings it; God the Lord brings it and does not discover it. Therefore you must not despair, although your conscience struggles and feels its sins; for the more disgraced you are, the quicker God imparts grace.

18. Now the great multitude of people go and dress them¬ selves like the kitten does, and think God will then accept them.

No, the Scriptures praise God that he takes away sins and casts them into the ocean.

We cannot help our sins by our works nor become righteous by means of any power within ourselves: God, and no one else, will do that, without merit and without works, out of pure grace; as in Is. 43:22 he says:

" I , even I , am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake: and I will not re¬ member thy sins." And thus it must be, or you will never obtain a cheerful conscience.

Therefore when Peter said, "I am a sinful man," he did right. It is true he had indeed cause to fear and humble himself; but he was constrained not to reject God, but to accept him.

19. Therefore, if I feel my sins and become like St. Peter, and would run away from God; then I must first turn and Still Waters Revival Books - All Rights Reserved - www.PuritanDownloads.com approach nearer and nearer to him. For if God had fled and had not desired to take away your sins, he would not have come to you and run after you. Therefore the more you feel that you are a sinful man and the more you wish to flee from God, the more you should press forward to him; mark that well. For as St. Peter does here, so do all consciences, that are terrified before their sins, they wish to flee from God and seek another idol. Then do not desist, but approach God with fresh confidence and hold to him. On the other hand, if we flee from him and seek work righteousness and obtain help from another God, and afterwards come to the true God; then we will find him just like the foolish virgins, to whom, while they went to buy oil, the door was closed. Mat. 25:10.

20. But what did Christ do, when Peter humbled himself and in the face of great fear and terror he asked the Lord to depart from him? Did he let him stick in his despair?

No, but he came to him, comforted him and said:

"Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men."

21. These are evangelical or Gospel words, that comfort weak hearts. And just in this way God makes our work and temptation golden before our eyes. Therefore observe now, how God provides for our bodies, in that he here gives Peter a great multitude of fishes, when he would have had enough with two, and in like manner satisfies and enriches him spiritually, so that he could from his fulness impart to others, and thus he made him a natural and a spiritual fisherman; a natural fisherman in that he caught a great multitude of fishes which he could sell; a spiritual fisherman in that he should henceforth catch men; for he had now the Gospel, by which he should gather the people and enlarge the kingdom of Christ.

22. Behold, thus it comes to pass: If one believes, God gives him so much that he is able to help all people, out¬ wardly with his property and gifts; and from within he breaks forth, teaches others and makes them inwardly rich also, for such a person cannot keep silent, he must declare to others what he experienced; as Ps. 51:10-13 says:

Still Waters Revival Books - All Rights Reserved - www.PuritanDownloads.com L U T H E R ' S CHURCH "Create in me a clean heart, Ο God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence ; and take not thy holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee."

Also in another Psalm, 116:20, " I believe, for I will speak."

This comes to pass thus:

If I believe, I know God and then I see what other people lack, and go and preach to them the 23. Thus we see in this Gospel how God cares for his own and how he sustains them temporally and spiritually both in body and soul. But where for the time there is need, it is certainly because of our unbelief or because we lately first began to believe.

For when faith is still new and small, its blessings at the time are small and insignificant, to the end that we should learn to know and trust God.

But if we are come to the point that we freely trust God, then we will be in want of nothing, for God then fills us with temporal and spiritual blessings, and with such super abundant treasures, so that we are able to help all people.

That is called making the poor people rich and feeding the hungry. This is sufficient on today's Gospel.

PETER'S DRAUGHT OF FISHES, OK CONCERN¬ ING FAITH, THE CARE OF GOD, THE LABOR IN OUR DAILY OCCUPATION, AND THE NEED AND CONFLICT

OF CONSCIENCE; AND THE SPIRITUAL MEANING OF THIS DRAUGHT OF FISHES.

TART I. OF FAITH, T H E CARE OF GOD, AND OUR DAILY OCCURATION, The contents of this Gospel. 1.

I. How Christ confirms our faith hy his help and care. 2-4.

II. When, where and how Christ shows his care of us. 5.

Labor and worry do not nourish the human race, the blessing of God must do that. 6-8.

Avarice and the anxious care for the needs of the body.

1. Avarice and this care are the fruit of unbelief. 9.

2. The harm and misfortune caused by this avarice and this anxiety.

A. In general. 10-15. a. In the teaching office. 16. b. In the offices for our protcction. 17. c. In the producing classes. IS.

In what way we should escape avarice and anxious care for ternporal things. 19.

III. Whether the labor of our occu¬ pation is to be abolished by faith and the care of God. 20-21.

IV. The labor of our various callings is indeed necessary, but nothing is accomplished by it, where the blessing of God is Bot present.

2. By our daily experience. a. In domestic affairs. 23-24. b. In the civil government. 25-26. c. In spiritual affairs. 27.

God must give success but man must labor. 28.

V. When, where and how our daily work is profitable and fruitful.

Christ postpones his help for a time. 31.

VI. The care of God and Christ ex¬ tend to the temporal needs of his church. 32-33.

As to what pertains to this Gos¬ pel it is accompanied by poverty.

After help is delayed Jesus gives the more bountifully. 33.

PART II. OF T H E SPIRITUAL DISTIIESS AND CONFLICT OF CON¬ I. How the spiritual distress and conflict of conscience is pictured in the example of Peter. 34-35f.

II. The conflict and distress are the beginning of our spiritual rich¬ es. 36.

III. The nature of this spiritual dis¬ tress and conflict. 37.

IV. How and why this distress and conflict are also found among those who have received the con¬ solation of the grace of Christ.

V. The fountain and origin of this distress and conflict. 40-11.

The Antinomians refuted. 42-47.

The Law and the Gospel.

1. The difference in preaching the Law and the Gospel. 42-43.

2. No one can conceive by his own mind the message of the Gospel.

The Holy Ghost must reveal it. 44.

3. The true order in which the Law and the Gospel are to be preached.

4. Whether the preaching of the Law should be abolished. 47.

VII. How a Christian should conduct T h a t p e t e r a n 18! ןpartners lahimself in this distress, need h o r e d a ״n1gbt an d caught noth¬ and conflict. 51.

Grace is given without any a t P e t e r caught this draught of Ashes by day, and after Christ abolished. 52.

PART III. T H E SPIRITUAL MEAN3. That the multitude of flshes was MIRACULOUS so very great. 56.

4 יT b a t t h e m t b r a k e the great multitude of fishes. 57-58.

P A R T I . CONCERNING F A I T H , T H E C A R E O F GOD, AND OUR D A I L Y OCCUPATION.

1. This Gospel brings before us two parts, in which it ex¬ horts to faith and strengthens faith.

In the first part it shows that Christ cares for those who believe in him, so that they are abundantly supplied against temporal and bodily needs.

In the second part it shows that he will help them still more against spiritual needs, thus in reality proving the truth of what St. Paul says in 1 Tim. 4:8:

"Godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life which now is, and of that which is to come."

Scriptures are everywhere full of these two kinds of promises.

2. To faith he assures temporal and bodily help by giving to Peter and his partners so great a draught of fishes after they had vainly toiled ail night and caught nothing, and now could have no expectation or hope of taking anything.

But herein he adheres to the rule and order which he him¬ self has given and taught in Mat. 6:33:

"Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." He here acts according to this saying and shows its truth by example and experience, in¬ asmuch as the people press upon him in crowds, first to hear his words, and to such an extent that, in order to preach to them, he sets out from land in one of the boats.

But when he has taught them he proceeds further to pro¬ vide for their bodily needs, inasmuch as they are in dis¬ tress and want.

3. Although it is not indeed the purpose of Christ's Still Waters Revival Books - All Rights Reserved - www.PuritanDownloads.com corning or preaching to foster and provide for the body, yet he is not unmindful of it when the first thing sought is his kingdom. He therefore takes upon himself the dis¬ tress of these poor fishermen who, through all this night, and with all their efforts and toil, have caught nothing.

However, as they have lent him their boat to preach, and have listened to him, he, without any thought on their part, and before they have uttered any prayer, provides for them a draught of fishes so great that they are thereby enabled fully to learn and clearly to understand that in him they have a Master who cares for them and will not forsake them, provided they abide in his Word and remain his disciples.

4. He would that his Church, or believing people, should be comforted by the fact that he provides for them, and that somewhere on earth they shall find bread and an abid¬ ing place, even though they are everywhere so persecuted and scattered, that their place and provision in the world must be uncertain. We find this set forth, not only in the present instance, and in others like it, but in many a beauti¬ ful passage, such as Ps. 34:10:

"The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger; but they that seek Jehovah shall not want any good thing." And Ps. 33:18-19: "Behold, the eye of Jehovah is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his loving kindness; to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine." And Prov. 10:3: "Je¬ hovah will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish," etc. u. By this example he especially shows how it goes with those upon whom he is to bestow his gifts and assistance, and how he is accustomed to bestow these favors. It goes with them as it went with those fishermen, who labored all the night, yet had nothing for all their trouble and labor, and had nothing to hope for from human counsel or aid.

Manifold tribulations, miseries and distress are the daily experience of all Christendom. If Christ is to help, there must be trials, trouble and toil, and it must come to this, that we despair of all human counsel, comfort and ability.

Still Waters Revival Books - All Rights Reserved - www.PuritanDownloads.com Then he comes with his help, and shows that he still has the means of comfort, counsel, protection and deliverance, and that he is able to bestow all this when everything else has failed us, and when all that we have done or suffered, and still may be able to do, is nothing and in vain; yea, that in such need and weakness he gives and helps in richer measure than could be done by all human power, skill and aid.

6. On the other hand, by saying to his disciples: "Put out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught,"

Christ shows that he does not forbid work, or would have that neglected which we have been commanded to do.

He thereby enjoins upon them to continue in their handi¬ craft. The two things are thus well maintained over against each other, namely, that we must work, and that our work accomplishes nothing.

For if toil and trouble could have accomplished anything, then would the disciples have ac¬ complished it during the hours of the night; and all the more so then, as they had hopes of taking a greater number of fishes while the silence and darkness continued than when

Christ, in broad daylight, commanded them to let down their nets.

Nevertheless, at Christ's word, and at one draught, they drew them in full to overflowing.

7. From this every one may see and learn that no man lives by his labor or exertion, however great and unham¬ pered this may be, but must live by God's blessing and grace.

Let it remain at this, as the Germans say, that "God helps," or "God bestows his gifts over night," which saying has come down to us from pious men of old who realized its truth in their experience. Daily experience still shows that many a one toils, tooth and nail, in anxiety and hard work, who yet can scarcely earn his bread or get rid of his debts and poverty; whilst to another, who takes it easy and never overexerts himself, everything comes and flows in so abundantly that we really must say: "All this comes from God's help and net from any man's labor."

In Ps. 127:2 we are told: "So he giveth it unto his beloved in sleep," as if the Psalmist would say: "It is in vain that Still Waters Revival Books - All Rights Reserved - www.PuritanDownloads.com you fret and plague yourself with cares and labor, day and night, in order to provide what is needed in the home.

Much may be needed there; but it does not depend upon your hands and labor at all. Nothing will come of your effort unless God himself is the "House Father" and makes it possible for you to say:

'God bestows his gifts over night.'

Grain and all food from the earth, yea, all that a man has, or may acquire, must be given him of God."

8. Such favors he also bestows upon the godless and un¬ believing, and upon them more than upon others.

With temporal goods he fills to overflowing the house and home of many wicked men who never think of a God. And he does this, not by their exertion and labor, but by a simple act of blessing, as we are told concerning such men in Ps.

"Whose belly thou flllest with thy hid treasure."

It is as if the Psalmist here said: "Deliver me from the men of this world who have their portion in this life, whose belly thou flllest with thy treasure," that is, with such goods as are divine and hidden treasures of thine own, concerning which no man knows whence they come, and over which he has no power,—treasures which he cannot provide for him¬ self, but must be provided and bestowed by thee alone.

9. Hereby Christ would have Christians aroused and strengthened in faith, and protected against unbelief with its harmful fruits, such fruits, especially, as covetousness, and anxious cares for the body and the present life. These cling to man by nature like an inborn plague which, to¬ gether with the lusts of unbelief, moves and rages against the Spirit, as St. Paul teaches in Gal. 5:17.

Moreover, the devil seeks to hinder faith by his temptations and sugges¬ tions to mistrust and doubt God. This, too, the world does by its hatred, envy and persecution of the righteous, whose goods and honor and life it is after, and whom it would use as mats for its feet. On the other hand (I say), we here perceive both the power and advantage of the faith which holds fast to Christ's Word and ventures thereon, as "Although we have toiled all night and taken nothing, yet at thy word I will let down the Still Waters Revival Books - All Rights Reserved - www.PuritanDownloads.com

It is this faith that so enlarges the draught of fishes as to fill the two boats; for without this the nets would not have been let down, nor would any fish have been caught.

10. Scripture, however, everywhere shows the harm that is done by the avarice and anxieties of unbelief.

For un¬ belief can by no means obtain anything from God that would benefit, comfort or bless it, but so deprives itself of the divine benediction that it can have no satisfaction or joy in the temporal goods it desires, and can never possess a good and peaceful conscience.

Hence it is that Christ, in Mat. 13:22, speaks of all anxiety, with regard to sus¬ tenance, as thorns, on account of which the Word of God cannot put forth its strength or its fruits.

St. Paul ex¬ pounds the meaning of the thorns in 1 Tim. 6:9-10, saying:

"They that are minded to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts, such as drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil; which some reaching after have been led astray from the faith, and have pierced them¬ selves through with many sorrows."

11. Here compare the good things that faith brings and does, with the harm that is done by unbelief. For, in addi¬ tion to this, that faith has the divine grace and blessing, it also has the promise that it shall be sufficiently supplied with all that it needs. It fills the heart with such goodness, peace and joy that it may well be called the root of all good things. Unbelief, on the other hand, with all its cares and covetousness, shall have this as its reward, that it is not bettered thereby, but must fall into all sorts of snares through many hurtful lusts and desires; and thus it attains to nothing in the end but eternal destruction. It is there¬ fore nothing but the root whence all misfortunes spring.

12. These two things are clearly seen in the world. Those men are at rest and in peace who content themselves with the things that God provides.

They journey onward cheer¬ fully and courageously, whatever their calling may be. They have enough to live on, and all their necessities are so well

"No evening yet have I gone hungry to sleep," although it appears as if affliction and want are at their very doors, as, according to our text, was the case with Peter. They have this bene¬ fit from their confidence and faith in God, that they need not fret and wound themselves among the thorns (cares for the body), or be stung and injured by them, but can, so to speak, sit amid roses in a garden of pleasure.

As Solomon says in Prov. 15:15: "He that is of a cheerful heart hath a continual feast."

The others, however, who plant themselves among the thorns of avarice, and seek after great possessions, must suffer the consequences of being stung and torn and must fall, not only into manifold temptations and dangers, (which would be a mercy, if it only remained at that), but also into snares wherein they are so thoroughly caught that they sink to a temporal destruction and eternal damnation from which they can never again escape.

13. Of this we see daily examples in those who boast of the Gospel and their Christianity.

Everywhere we find robbery, oppression, assessment, usury, etc., to such an extent that even God and conscience are set aside for the sake of a miserable penny. Then, as if such a fall were not deep enough, they harden themselves, and keep on their course defiantly and sacriligiously, until they sink so far as to become enemies of God's Word, become blind and deaf, yea, become so unblessed and accursed that they are of no service in any station, and can do nothing that is whole¬ some and good or useful to the pleasure and improvement of others.

All they can do is to cause and bring harm, mis¬ fortune and misery upon land and people.

14. All comes from this, as St. Paul says, that men are bent on being rich. For such covetousness and cares do assnredly keep company with a pride that makes men aim at being something great and powerful. Covetousness would appropriate everything to itself.

It begins at first by say¬ ing:

"Would that I haft this house, this field, this castle, this village," etc.

And where covetousness has once become rooted there it daily brings forth cares of a hundred different kinds, as it seeks to obtain still more goods and gold.

There the human heart boils and bubbles with countless insatiable lusts, and desires, that serve no other purpose than its own destruction, and spring from no other source than man's fall from faith, and thence from one temptation and snare into another. It is a dreadful plague that has taken such thorough possession of men that, on account of it, they can do nothing good or useful in their station, and no longer can have any thought of serving God or man.

15. When one has scraped together a great deal, he has no less trouble in retaining and protecting it.

He must then try to gain favor and friendship, and in all sorts of ways seek to prevent the loss of his property. In the mean¬ time he brings upon himself hatred and envy and troubles of many kinds, from which he cannot escape; and thus, as St. Paul shows, there is nothing left but disturbance and sorrows of conscience, and a veritable hell, into which the man has cast himself.

Upon the covetous man the plague and curse have already been pronounced that he shall never be satisfied, and, furthermore, that he must endure all sorts of misfortune and heart-griefs through the very things he has coveted to his everlasting destruction and damnation.

16. We see from daily experience what shameful and ac¬ cursed vice covetousness is, and what harm it does, es¬ pecially in high oifice, whether clerical or lay. If the money fiend has taken possession of a pastor's or preacher's heart, so that he, like the rest of the world, only aims at securing for himself great riches, then has he already, like Judas the traitor, fallen into the jaws of the devil, and is pre¬ pared, for a few pieces of silver, to betray Christ and his

Thus has the Pope, in order to se¬ cure and maintain his riches and dominion, introduced, in the name of God and the Church, all sorts of idolatries and abominations, and has openly led multitudes of souls to the Still Waters Revival Books - All Rights Reserved - www.PuritanDownloads.com devil, so filling men with the false terrors of his ban that no one dares to say a word against it.

17. How harmful it is in civil governments when lords and princes are dominated by this shameful vice, aiming to appropriate everything to themselves. Thereby they for¬ get to exercise their princely office so as to be of help to the land and people over whom, for this purpose, they have been placed as lords, and thus they forfeit the commenda¬ tion and love which, with all honor and praise, they should receive as the fathers of their people and country. They do not concern themselves about the spread of God's Word, the administration and support of churches and schools, the proper instruction of the people, or the maintenance of law and order among their subjects.

They permit destitute pastors, with their children, widows and orphans, to suffer injustice, violence and want.

In the meantime they go about with their tax lists, and only consider how they may collect money enough for their excessive expenditures and pomp. And when this does not suffice, they flay and tax their poor subjects to such an extent that they themselves fall into perplexities and difficulties which must bring pov¬ erty and ruin upon themselves, their land and their people.

Or if, in their avarice, they have already accumulated enough to make them think they are quite rich, then, in order to carry out their undertakings, they involve them¬ selves in manifold straaige dealings and affairs that finally, to their own punishment, they bring upon themselves great burdens and ruin.

18. What a dreadful disaster and ruin has been brought upon Germany merely by the shameful and accursed usury which has everywhere gotten the upper hand, so that there is no longer any check or restraint to it, especially as those who should check it are themselves mixed up in it. Nowa¬ days every one who has the power, by means of his money, impoverishes his neighbors, and thereby sets God and conscience aside. Thus, with open eyes, and with an evil, self-accusing conscience, he speeds off to hell, burdened with the curse that has been pronounced upon the abominations

Still Waters Revival Books - All Rights Reserved - www.PuritanDownloads.com of covetousness,—the curse, that he shall not himself enjoy such property in peace and tranquility as has been gained by usury, but either himself shall lose it by God's visitation or it shall not descend to his heirs. Upon such un-Christian doings must come the fearful wrath and punishment of God, which alas! we have long ago greatly deserved; and the time must come when he will turn us out of doors, together with the Turks and other terrible plagues, so that, since we would not heed his Word and admonition, he him¬ self may put a forcible end to this godless business.

19. This the believer avoids and escapes who, with good conscience and godly fear, occupies his station in life peace¬ fully and quietly, and is satisfied with the things that God gives him. He does not expose himself to the dangers of temptation or snares. He is in no need of troubling him¬ self with cares and anxieties, or of engaging with others in bickering and brawling disputes, quarrels, jealousies and hatreds. He is a man of fine, blessed and useful character, one who can be of service and assistance to many. He finds grace and favor with God and man that shall benefit and honor even his children's children.

20. The example before us in this Gospel should teach and admonish us that we may learn to believe, and thus ex¬ perience through faith, that God cares for his children and provides for them to such an extent that they need not worry and condemn themselves with cares or covetousness.

And yet, though cares and covetousness are forbidden, it should be borne in mind, as I have already said, that no one dare cease from labor.

The world turns these two things upside down, as it usually does with all the words and ordinances of God. To care and to strive for the ob¬ taining of gold and goods is something it is determined to do. Such care, however, concerns God alone, and for him¬ self alone has he reserved it. And yet the world is willing enough to let God attend to the work which it has been commanded to do; yea, all the aim of its cares and covetousness is to be set free from working in the sweat of its face.

God wants just the opposite.

Still Waters Revival Books - All Rights Reserved - www.PuritanDownloads.com the work and to leave the care with him. By doing this we shall do our part, and, with moderate labor and no care, we shall soon come into possession of all we need.

21. When Christ wished to bestow his gift upon Peter and others he did not cause the iish to leap into the boat without labor or nets, as he very well might have done.

But he comamnded them to put out into the deep and let down their nets. That is, they should engage in the handi¬ craft they understood and had learnt and were accustomed to, and should act as fishermen. Christ keeps aloof from the lazy, unfaithful idlers who will not do as they have been commanded, and will not keep their hands and feet from straying.

Thus he teaches a twofold lesson, that he will not give us anything unless we work for it, and that the things we obtain do not come from our work, but only from God's help and blessing. You are to work, but you are not to depend upon that work, as if that which resulted there¬ from were of your own accomplishment.

22. In short, our work produces and bestows nothing.

Yet it is necessary as a means through which we may re¬ ceive what God gives.

The disciples must use their hands to let down the nets and to draw them in, if they wish to secure anything, and must be willing to do so. Yet they are obliged to acknowledge that their labor did not bring about the result, otherwise they would have succeeded, in the first place, without Christ. He therefore permits them to make a sufficient trial, and to discover by experience that the toil of this entire night has been in vain and to no purpose.

23. This he teaches us by daily experience in all sorts of affairs and doings and governments on earth.

Very often he permits us to labor long and arduously and with¬ out results, till it becomes bitterly painful to us, and we are forced to complain with Peter: "We toiled all night, and took nothing." This he does that we may not venture to depend upon our labor, but may know that he must grant it success, and that we have not secured this through our own effort, skill or diligence.

Still Waters Revival Books - All Rights Reserved - www.PuritanDownloads.com 24. What diligence, money and effort many a father and mother have bestowed in order to rear their son to honor and virtue, and that with a hope and confidence as great as if (to use a common expression) he were to become an angel. And yet he has become nothing but a notoriously willful and prodigal child. On the other hand, many a poor and forlorn orphan, upon whom very little effort and dili¬ gence have been expended, has grown up so surprisingly well-bred as to make us think that it just happened so, and did not depend upon any diligence or care of our own.

25. Of what do all civil governments more generally com¬ plain than of fruitless labors and efforts, even where their work is carried on energetically and in earnest, and where there are men who are willing and able to rule well,—men who are not lacking in wisdom, understanding, power and might? These are obliged to learn, after a long period of governing, that thereby they have not accomplished any¬ thing. How often it happens, indeed, that the best plans, the wisest counsels, and the brightest ideas prove to be the very worst, and result in nothing but harm and ruin.

The very wisest rulers have always experienced and com¬ plained of this. And thus we may learn that God will not grant prosperity and success through human wisdom, plans and intrigues, if these are the things we depend upon.

2S. Hence, if the world be willing to receive counsel from a plain and straightforward man, namely, from the Lord our God, who certainly has had some experience and under¬ stands the art of ruling, the best counsel would be, that each one, in his administration of government, should sim¬ ply direct his thoughts and plans to a faithful prosecution and believing performance of the duties enjoined upon him, not placing any dependence upon his own thoughts and plans, but casting all his cares upon God. The man who does this will at last be sure to discover that he who trusts in God accomplishes more than he who seeks to transact his affairs according to his own wisdom and thought, or in his own power and might.

Where I have preached and taught during the past ten or twenty years, there another could, perhaps, have done more in one year; and one sermon may bring forth more fruit than many others.

Here, also, it is true that our labor, diligence and effort can accomplish nothing.

These two things must go together, namely, that each one does his duty, and that he, nevertheless, acknowledges with Peter: "My labor cannot bring forth anything, if thou dost not give the increase." As Paul also says in 1 Cor. 3:6-7:

"I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the in¬ crease.

So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the in¬ crease," etc.

28. In short, all human nature and life are so that, until God gives the increase, we may often labor long and much, and all to no purpose. But the work is not to cease on that account, nor should any man be found without work. He must wait for the increase till God gives it, as Solomon says in Eccl. 11:6:

"In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for thou knowest not which shall prosper, whether this or that," etc.

29. However, the circumstances are especially pointed out under which work becomes useful and fruitful, namely, when Christ appears and commands to let down the nets, etc., that is, when there is a faith that takes hold of his

Word and promise and then, cheerfully and bravely, does what has been commanded, waiting, with prayer and sup¬ plication, for his help and blessing.

Peter: "Lord, I have indeed done and labored and suffered much, but I know that I shall accomplish nothing thereby, unless thou art present to give strength and increase.

I will therefore depend, not upon myself or my own works, but upon thy Word, and will leave everything to thy care."

Thus shall we prosper; and experience shows that Christ, when he is present, gives more as the result of little labor and effort than any one would have dared to hope.

30. Thus the disciples could see the experience for them¬ selves what a difference there is between the work they had done all the previous night without faith in Christ, and the work they did when, without prospect of taking any¬ thing, they nevertheless, through faith in Christ's word, and at one draught, drew in an overflowing multitude of fishes.

Therefore, if we accomplish little or nothing through our labor and effort, we must put the blame upon our unbelief, or upon the weakness of our faith, and not upon anything eke.

31. Yet this is also true, that Christ often delays the bestowal of his help, as he did on this occasion, and on another, John 21, when he permitted the disciples to toil all the night without taking anything, and really appeared as if he would forget his own Word and promise.

But this he does that he may drive us to implore his help the more earnestly, and that we may learn to strength¬ en and maintain our faith, so that we do not doubt, or cease to labor, but continue to wait for the bestowal of his gifts in his own good time and way. For it is his purTX)se to guide all Christians into a knowledge and experi¬ ence of the fact that their livelihood and help do not depend on what they see or do, but upon what is invisible and hid¬ den. This he therefore calls his "hid treasure," as we have already said in regard to Ps. 17:14, that is, such blessing, help and deliverance as we have not perceived or laid hold of before, but are hidden in his Word and are grasped by faith.

32. Behold, this is the first part of our Gospel, the events of which took place and were recorded that Chris¬ tians might be instructed and comforted by the fact that Christ cares even for the temporal needs of his Church, so that it is fed and supported, although it should come into a distress where everything is at the point of ruin, and where it seems to have done and suffered everything in vain. Always and everywhere does it happen that the GosStill Waters Revival Books - All Rights Reserved - www.PuritanDownloads.com