a treatise on good works-第13章

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lean　heavily；　become　insolent　and　bold　to　say；　to　do；　and　to

leave　undone　what　they　please；　put　to　the　ban；　accurse；　rob；

murder；　and　practise　all　their　wickedness；　in　whatever　way　they

please　and　can　invent；　without　any　hindrance。　



Now　Christ　did　not　mean　that　we　should　listen　to　them　in

everything　they　might　say　and　do；　but　only　then　when　they　present

to　us　His　Word；　the　Gospel；　not　their　word；　His　work；　and　not

their　work。　How　else　could　we　know　whether　their　lies　and　sins

were　to　be　avoided？　There　must　be　some　rule；　to　what　extent　we

are　to　hear　and　to　follow　them；　and　this　rule　cannot　be　given　by

them；　but　must　be　established　by　God　over　them；　that　it　may　serve

us　as　a　guide；　as　we　shall　hear　in　the　Fourth　Commandment。　



It　must　be；　indeed；　that　even　in　the　spiritual　estate　the　greater

part　preach　false　doctrine　and　misuse　spiritual　power；　so　that

thus　occasion　may　be　given　us　to　do　the　works　of　this

Commandment；　and　that　we　be　tried；　to　see　what　we　are　willing　to

do　and　to　leave　undone　against　such　blasphemers　for　the　sake　of

God's　honor。　



Oh；　if　we　were　God…fearing　in　this　matter；　how　often　would　the

knaves　of　officiales　have　to　decree　their　papal　and　episcopal　ban

in　vain！　How　weak　the　Roman　thunderbolts　would　become！　How　often

would　many　a　one　have　to　hold　his　tongue；　to　whom　the　world　must

now　give　ear！　How　few　preachers　would　be　found　in　Christendom！

But　it　has　gotten　the　upper　hand：　whatever　they　assert　and　in

whatever　way；　that　must　be　right。　Here　no　one　fights　for　God's

Name　and　honor；　and　I　hold　that　no　greater　or　more　frequent　sin

is　done　in　external　works　than　under　this　head。　It　is　a　matter

so　high　that　few　understand　it；　and；　besides；　adorned　with　God's

Name　and　power；　dangerous　to　touch。　But　the　prophets　of　old　were

masters　in　this；　also　the　apostles；　especially　St。　Paul；　who　did

not　allow　it　to　trouble　them　whether　the　highest　or　the　lowest

priest　had　said　it；　or　had　done　it　in　God's　Name　or　in　his　own。

They　looked　on　the　works　and　words；　and　held　them　up　to　God's

Commandment；　no　matter　whether　big　John　or　little　Nick　said　it；

or　whether　they　had　done　it　in　God's　Name　or　in　man's。　And　for

this　they　had　to　die；　and　of　such　dying　there　would　be　much　more

to　say　in　our　time；　for　things　are　much　worse　now。　But　Christ　and

St。　Peter　and　Paul　must　cover　all　this　with　their　holy　names；　so

that　no　more　infamous　cover　for　infamy　has　been　found　on　earth

than　the　most　holy　and　most　blessed　Name　of　Jesus　Christ！　



One　might　shudder　to　be　alive；　simply　because　of　the　misuse　and

blasphemy　of　the　holy　Name　of　God；　through　which；　if　it　shall

last　much　longer；　we　will；　as　I　fear；　openly　worship　the　devil

as　a　god；　so　completely　do　the　spiritual　authorities　and　the

learned　lack　all　understanding　in　these　things。　It　is　high　time

that　we　pray　God　earnestly　that　He　hallow　His　Name。　But　it　will

cost　blood；　and　they　who　enjoy　the　inheritance　of　the　holy

martyrs　and　are　won　with　their　blood；　must　again　make　martyrs。

Of　this　more　another　time。



I。　We　have　now　seen　how　many　good　works　there　are　in　the　Second

Commandment；　which　however　are　not　good　in　themselves；　unless

they　are　done　in　faith　and　in　the　assurance　of　divine　favor；　and

how　much　we　must　do；　if　we　take　heed　to　this　Commandment　alone；

and　how　we；　alas！　busy　ourselves　much　with　other　works；　which

have　no　agreement　at　all　with　it。　Now　follows　the　Third

Commandment：　〃Thou　shalt　hallow　the　day　of　rest。〃　In　the　First

Commandment　is　prescribed　our　heart's　attitude　toward　God　in

thoughts；　in　the　Second；　that　of　our　mouth　in　words；　in　this

Third　is　prescribed　our　attitude　toward　God　in　works；　and　it　is

the　first　and　right　table　of　Moses；　on　which　these　three

Commandments　are　written；　and　they　govern　man　on　the　right　side；

namely；　in　the　things　which　concern　God；　and　in　which　God　has　to

do　with　man　and　man　with　God；　without　the　mediation　of　any

creature。　



The　first　works　of　this　Commandment　are　plain　and　outward；　which

we　commonly　call　worship；　such　as　going　to　mass；　praying；　and

hearing　a　sermon　on　holy　days。　So　understood　there　are　very　few

works　in　this　Commandment；　and　these；　if　they　are　not　done　in

assurance　of　and　with　faith　in　God's　favor；　are　nothing；　as　was

said　above。　Hence　it　would　also　be　a　good　thing　if　there　were

fewer　saint's　days；　since　in　our　times　the　works　done　on　them　are

for　the　greater　part　worse　than　those　of　the　work　days；　what　with

loafing；　gluttony；　and　drunkenness；　gambling　and　other　evil

deeds；　and　then；　the　mass　and　the　sermon　are　listened　to　without

edification；　the　prayer　is　spoken　without　faith。　It　almost

happens　that　men　think　it　is　sufficient　that　we　look　on　at　the

mass　with　our　eyes；　hear　the　preaching　with　our　ears；　and　say　the

prayers　with　our　mouths。　It　is　all　so　formal　and　superficial！　We

do　not　think　that　we　might　receive　something　out　of　the　mass　into

our　hearts；　learn　and　remember　something　out　of　the　preaching；

seek；　desire　and　expect　something　in　our　prayer。　Although　in　this

matter　the　bishops　and　priests；　or　they　to　whom　the　work　of

preaching　is　entrusted；　are　most　at　fault；　because　they　do　not

preach　the　Gospel；　and　do　not　teach　the　people　how　they　ought　to

look　on　at　mass；　hear　preaching　and　pray。　Therefore；　we　will

briefly　explain　these　three　works。　



II。　In　the　mass　it　is　necessary　that　we　attend　with　our　a　hearts

also；　and　we　do　attend；　when　we　exercise　faith　in　our　hearts。

Here　we　must　repeat　the　words　of　Christ；　when　He　institutes　the

mass　and　says；　〃Take　and　eat；　this　is　My　Body；　which　is　given　for

you〃；　in　like　manner　over　the　cup；　〃Take　and　drink　ye　all　of　it：

this　is　a　new；　everlasting　Testament　in　My　Blood；　which　is　shed

for　you　and　for　many　for　the　remission　of　sins。　This　shall　ye　do；

as　oft　as　ye　do　it；　in　remembrance　of　Me。〃　In　these　words　Christ

has　made　for　Himself　a　memorial　or　anniversary；　to　be　daily

observed　in　all　Christendom；　and　has　added　to　it　a　glorious；

rich；　great　testament；　in　which　no　interest；　money　or　temporal

possessions　are　bequeathed　and　distributed；　but　the　forgiveness

of　all　sins；　grace　and　mercy　unto　eternal　life；　that　all　who　come

to　this　memorial　shall　have　the　same　testament；　and　then　He　died；

whereby　this　testament　has　become　permanent　and　irrevocable。　In

proof　and　evidence　of　which；　instead　of　letter　and　seal；　He　has

left　with　us　His　own　Body　and　Blood　under　the　bread　and　wine。



Here　there　is　need　that　a　man　practise　the　first　works　of　this

Commandment　right　well；　that　he　doubt　not　that　what　Christ　has

said　is　true；　and　consider　the　testament　sure；　so　that　he　make

not　Christ　a　liar。　For　if　you　are　present　at　mass　and　do　not

consider　nor　believe　that　here　Christ　through　His　testament　has

bequeathed　and　given　you　forgiveness　of　all　your　sins；　what　else

is　it；　than　as　if　you　said：　〃I　do　not　know　or　do　not　believe　that

it　is　true　that　forgiveness　of　my　sins　is　here　bequeathed　and

given　me〃？　Oh；　how　many　masses　there　are　in　the　world　at　present！

but　how　few　who　hear　them　with　such　faith　and　benefit！　Most

grievously　is　God　provoked　to　anger　thereby。　For　this　reason　also

no　one　shall　or　can　reap　any　benefit　from　the　mass　except　he　be

in　trouble　of　soul　and　long　for　divine　mercy；　and　desire　to　be

rid　of　his　sins；　or；　if　he　have　an　evil　intention；　he　must　be

changed　during　the　mass；　and　come　to　have　a　desire　for　this

testament。　For　this　reason　in　olden　times　no　open　sinner　was

allowed　to　be　present　at　the　mass。　



When　this　faith　is　rightly　present；　the　heart　must　be　made　joyful

by　the　testament；　and　grow　warm　and　melt　in　God's　love。　Then　will

follow　praise　and　thanksgiving　with　a　pure　heart；　from　which　the

mass　is　called　in　Greek　Eucharistia；　that　is；　〃thanksgiving；〃

because　we　praise　and　thank　God　for　this　comforting；　rich；

blessed　testament；　just　as　he　gives　thanks；　praises　and　is

joyful；　to　whom　a　good　friend　has　presented　a　thousand　and　more

gulden。　Although　Christ　often　fares　like　those　who　make　sever