a treatise on good works-第25章

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all　things　too　closely；　occasionally　overlook　something；　and　for

peace'　sake　make　allowances。　For　it　is　not　possible　that

everything　be　done　perfectly　at　all　times　among　any　class　of　men；

as　long　as　we　live　on　earth　in　imperfection。　Of　this　St。　Paul

says；　Colossians　iv；　〃Masters；　do　unto　your　servants　that　which

is　just　and　equal；　knowing　that　ye　also　have　a　Master　in　heaven。〃

Therefore　as　the　masters　do　not　wish　God　to　deal　too　sharply　with

them；　but　that　many　things　be　overlooked　through　grace；　they　also

should　be　so　much　the　more　gentle　toward　their　servants；　and

overlook　some　things；　and　yet　have　a　care　that　the　servants　do

right　and　learn　to　fear　God。　



But　see　now；　what　good　works　a　householder　and　a　mistress　can　do；

how　finely　God　offers　us　all　good　works　so　near　at　hand；　so

manifold；　so　continuously；　that　we　have　no　need　of　asking　after

good　works；　and　might　well　forget　the　other　showy；　far…off；

invented　works　of　men；　such　as　making　pilgrimages；　building

churches；　seeking　indulgence；　and　the　like。　



Here　I　ought　naturally　also　to　say　how　a　wife　ought　to　be

obedient；　subject　to　her　husband　as　to　her　superior；　give　way　to

him；　keep　silent　and　give　up　to　him；　where　it　is　a　matter　not

contrary　to　God's　commands。　On　the　other　hand；　the　husband　should

love　his　wife；　overlook　a　little；　and　not　deal　strictly　with　her；

of　which　matter　St。　Peter　and　St。　Paul　have　said　much。　But　this

has　its　place　in　the　further　explanation　of　the　Ten　Commandments；

and　is　easily　inferred　from　these　passages。　



XX。　But　all　that　has　been　said　of　these　works　is　included　in

these　two；　obedience　and　considerateness。　Obedience　is　the　duty

of　subjects；　considerateness　that　of　masters；　that　they　take　care

to　rule　their　subjects　well；　deal　kindly　with　them；　and　do

everything　whereby　they　may　benefit　and　help　them。　That　is　their

way　to　heaven；　and　these　are　the　best　works　they　can　do　on　earth；

with　these　they　are　more　acceptable　to　God　than　if　without　these

they　did　nothing　but　miracles。　So　says　St。　Paul；　Romans　xii：　〃He

that　ruleth；　let　him　do　it　with　diligence〃；　as　who　should　say：

〃Let　him　not　allow　himself　to　be　led　astray　by　what　other　people

or　classes　of　people　do；　let　him　not　look　to　this　work　or　to

that；　whether　it　be　splendid　or　obscure；　but　let　him　look　to　his

own　position；　and　think　only　how　he　may　benefit　those　who　are

subject　to　him；　by　this　let　him　stand；　nor　let　himself　be　torn

from　it；　although　heaven　stood　open　before　him；　nor　be　driven

from　it；　although　hell　were　chasing　him。　This　is　the　right　road

that　leads　him　to　heaven。〃　



Oh；　if　a　man　were　so　to　regard　himself　and　his　position；　and

attended　to　its　duties　alone；　how　rich　in　good　works　would　he　be

in　a　short　time；　so　quietly　and　secretly　that　no　one　would　notice

it　except　God　alone！　But　now　we　let　all　this　go；　and　one　runs　to

the　Carthusians；　another　to　this　place；　a　third　to　that；　just　as

if　good　works　and　God's　Commandments　had　been　thrown　into　corners

and　hidden；　although　it　is　written　in　Proverbs　i；　that　divine

wisdom　crieth　out　her　commandments　publicly　in　the　streets；　in

the　midst　of　the　people　and　in　the　gates　of　the　cities；　which

means　that　they　are　present　in　profusion　in　all　places；　in　all

stations　of　life　and　at　all　times；　and　we　do　not　see　them；　but

in　our　blindness　look　for　them　elsewhere。　This　Christ　declared；

Matthew　xxiv：　〃If　they　shall　say　unto　you：　Lo；　here　is　Christ；

or　there；　believe　it　not。　If　they　shall　say：　Behold；　He　is　in　the

desert；　go　not　forth；　behold；　He　is　in　the　secret　chambers；

believe　it　not；　they　are　false　prophets　and　false　Christs。〃　



XXI。　Again；　obedience　is　the　duty　of　subjects；　that　they　direct

all　their　diligence　and　effort　to　do　and　to　leave　undone　what

their　over…lords　desire　of　them；　that　they　do　not　allow

themselves　to　be　torn　or　driven　from　this；　whatever　another　do。

Let　no　man　think　that　he　lives　well　or　does　good　works；　whether

it　be　prayer　or　fasting；　or　by　whatever　name　it　may　be　called；

if　he　does　not　earnestly　and　diligently　exercise　himself　in　this。　



But　if　it　should　happen；　as　it　often　does；　that　the　temporal

power　and　authorities；　as　they　are　called；　should　urge　a　subject

to　do　contrary　to　the　Commandments　of　God；　or　hinder　him　from

doing　them；　there　obedience　ends；　and　that　duty　is　annulled。　Here

a　man　must　say　as　St。　Peter　says　to　the　rulers　of　the　Jews：　〃We

ought　to　obey　God　rather　than　men。〃　He　did　not　say：　〃We　must　not

obey　men〃；　for　that　would　be　wrong；　but　he　said：　〃God　rather　than

men。〃　Thus；　if　a　prince　desired　to　go　to　war；　and　his　cause　was

manifestly　unrighteous；　we　should　not　follow　nor　help　him　at　all；

since　God　has　commanded　that　we　shall　not　kill　our　neighbor；　nor

do　him　injustice。　Likewise；　if　he　bade　us　bear　false　witness；

steal；　lie　or　deceive　and　the　like。　Here　we　ought　rather　give　up

goods；　honor；　body；　and　life；　that　God's　Commandments　may　stand。　



The　four　preceding　Commandments　have　their　works　in　the

understanding；　that　is；　they　take　a　man　captive；　rule　him　and

make　him　subject；　so　that　he　rule　not　himself；　approve　not

himself；　think　not　highly　of　himself；　but　in　humility　know

himself　and　allow　himself　to　be　led；　that　pride　be　prevented。　The

following　Commandments　deal　with　the　passions　and　lust　of　men；

that　these　also　be　killed。



I。　The　passions　of　anger　and　revenge；　of　which　the　Fifth

Commandment　says；　〃Thou　shalt　not　kill。〃　This　Commandment　has　one

work；　which　however　includes　many　and　dispels　many　vices；　and　is

called　meekness。　Now　this　is　of　two　kinds。　The　one　has　a

beautiful　splendor；　and　there　is　nothing　back　of　it。　This　we

practice　toward　our　friends　and　those　who　do　us　good　and　give　us

pleasure　with　goods；　honor　and　favor；　or　who　do　not　offend　us

with　words　nor　with　deeds。　Such　meekness　irrational　animals　have；

lions　and　snakes；　Jews；　Turks；　knaves；　murderers；　bad　women。

These　are　all　content　and　gentle　when　men　do　what　they　want；　or

let　them　alone；　and　yet　there　are　not　a　few　who；　deceived　by　such

worthless　meekness；　cover　over　their　anger　and　excuse　it；　saying：

〃I　would　indeed　not　be　angry；　if　I　were　left　alone。〃　Certainly；

my　good　man；　so　the　evil　spirit　also　would　be　meek　if　he　had　his

own　way。　Dissatisfaction　and　resentment　overwhelm　you　in　order

that　they　may　show　you　how　full　of　anger　and　wickedness　you　are；

that　you　may　be　admonished　to　strive　after　meekness　and　to　drive

out　anger。　



The　second　form　of　meekness　is　good　through　and　through；　that

which　is　shown　toward　opponents　and　enemies；　does　them　no　harm；

does　not　revenge　itself；　does　not　curse　nor　revile；　does　not

speak　evil　of　them；　does　not　meditate　evil　against　them；　although

they　had　taken　away　goods；　honor；　life；　friends　and　everything。

Nay；　where　it　is　possible；　it　returns　good　for　evil；　speaks　well

of　them；　thinks　well　of　them；　prays　for　them。　Of　this　Christ

says；　Matthew　v：　〃Do　good　to　them　that　despitefully　use　you。　Pray

for　them　that　persecute　you　and　revile　you。〃　And　Paul；　Romans

xii：　〃Bless　them　which　curse　you；　and　by　no　means　curse　them；　but

do　good　to　them。〃　



II。　Behold　how　this　precious；　excellent　work　has　been　lost　among

Christians；　so　that　nothing　now　everywhere　prevails　except

strife；　war；　quarreling；　anger；　hatred；　envy；　back…biting；

cursing；　slandering；　injuring；　vengeance；　and　all　manner　of　angry

works　and　words；　and　yet；　with　all　this；　we　have　our　many

holidays；　hear　masses；　say　our　prayers；　establish　churches；　and

more　such　spiritual　finery；　which　God　has　not　commanded。　We　shine

resplendently　and　excessively；　as　if　we　were　the　most　holy

Christians　there　ever　were。　And　so　because　of　these　mirrors　and

masks　we　allow　God's　Commandment　to　go　to　complete　ruin；　and　no

one　considers　or　examines　himself；　how　near　or　how　far　he　be　from

meekness　and　the　fulfilment　of　this　Commandment；　although　God　has

said；　that　not　he　who　does　such　works；　but　he　who　keeps　His

Commandments；　shall　enter　into　eternal　life。　



Now；　since　no