_That human Sense and Reason cannot comprehend nor understand God’s
Works_.
In all things, and in the least creatures, yea, also in their members,
God’s almighty power and great wonderful works do clearly shine. For
what man, how powerful, wise, and holy soever, can make out of one fig, a
fig-tree or another fig? or, out of one cherry-stone, can make a cherry
or a cherry-tree? or what man can know how God createth and preserveth
all things and maketh them grow?
And truly we find and see printed the Holy Trinity in all good arts and
creatures, as the almighty power of God the Father, the wisdom of God the
Son, and the goodness of God the Holy Ghost. Neither can we conceive or
know how the apple of the eye doth see, or how understanding words are
spoken distinctly and plainly when only the tongue is moved and stirred
in the mouth, all which are natural things, as we daily see and act. How
then should we be able to comprehend or understand the secret counsel of
God’s Majesty, or search it out with our sense, wit, reason, or
understanding?
_That no Man understands God’s Works_.
No man, said Luther, is able to imagine, much less to understand, what
God hath done, and still doth without ceasing. Although we laboured and
sweated blood to write but only three lines in such manner as St. John
did write, yet were we never able to perform it. What, then, should we
any way admire or wonder at our wisdom? I, for my part, said Luther,
will be a fool, and will yield myself captive.
When one asked where God was before Heaven was created, St. Austin made
answer thereunto and said, He was in himself. And as another, said
Luther, asked me the same question, I said, He was building Hell for such
idle, presumptuous, fluttering spirits and inquisitors. After he had
created all things, he was everywhere, and yet he was nowhere; for I
cannot fasten nor take hold of him without the Word. But he will be
found there where he hath bound himself to be. The Jews found him at
Jerusalem by the Throne of Grace (Exodus xxv.). We find him in the Word
and Faith, in Baptism and Sacraments; but in his Majesty he is nowhere to
be found.
It was a special grace in the Old Testament, when God bound himself to a
certain place where he would be found, namely, in that place where the
Tabernacle was, towards which they prayed; as first in Shiloh and
Shechem, afterwards at Gibeon, and lastly at Jerusalem in the Temple.
The Greeks and Heathens in after-times, said Luther, did imitate the
same, and did build temples for their idols in certain places, as at
Ephesus for Diana, at Delphos for Apollo, etc. For where God built a
church, there the devil would also build a chapel. They imitated the
Jews also in this, namely, that as the most holy was dark and had no
light, even so and after the same manner did they make their places dark
where the devil made answer, as at Delphos and elsewhere. In such sort
is the devil always God’s ape.
But, said Luther, whereas the most holy must be dark, the same did
signify that the Kingdom of Christ no other way was to be taken hold of
and fastened, but only by the Word and by Faith.
_That the Superfluity of temporal Wealth doth hinder the Faith_.
God, said Luther, could be rich soon and easily if he would be more
provident, and would deny us the use of his creatures. If he would but
keep back the sun, that it should not shine, or lock up the air, detain
the water, or quench out the fire—ah! then would we willingly give all
our money and wealth to have the use of his creatures again.
But seeing God so liberally heapeth his gifts upon us, we therefore will
claim them as by right, in despite of him, and let him deny them us if he
dare. Therefore the unspeakable multitude of his innumerable benefits do
hinder and darken the faith of the believers, much more of the ungodly.
_That God doth purchase nothing but Unthankfulness with his Benefits_.
God giveth sun and moon, said Luther, stars and elements, fire and water,
air and earth, and all creatures; body and soul, and all manner of
maintenance, of fruits, grain, corn, wine, and all that is profitable for
the preserving of this temporal life; and, moreover, he giveth unto us
his all-saving Word, yea, himself he giveth unto us.
But, said Luther, what getteth God thereby? Truly nothing else than that
he is wickedly blasphemed; yea, that his only Son is pitifully scorned,
contemned, and hanged on the gallows; his servants plagued, banished,
persecuted and slain. This is the thanks that he hath for his Grace, for
creating, for redeeming, sanctifying, nourishing, and for preserving us:
such a seed, fruit, and godly child is the world. Oh, woe be to it!
_Of God’s Power in our Weakness_.
God, said Luther, placeth his highest office very wonderfully; he commits
it to preachers that are poor sinners and beggars, who do utter and teach
it, and very weakly do thereafter, or live according to the same.
Thus goeth it always with God’s power in our weakness; for when he is
weakest in us, then is he strongest.
_Howsoever God dealeth with us_, _it is always unacceptable_.
How, said Luther, should God deal with us? Good days we cannot bear,
evil we cannot endure. Giveth he riches unto us? then are we proud, so
that no man can live by us in peace; nay, we will be carried upon hands
and shoulders, and will be adored as gods. Giveth he poverty unto us?
then are we dismayed, we are impatient, and murmur against him.
Therefore nothing were better for us than soon to be conveyed to the last
dance, and covered with shovels.
_Of the acknowledging of Nature_.
Adam had no need of books, said Luther, for he had the Book of Nature;
and all the Patriarchs and Prophets, Christ and his Apostles, do cite
much out of that book; as, touching the sorrows of women bearing
children, of the fellowship and community of the members of man’s body,
as St. Paul relateth such parables, and saith that one member cannot miss
another: if the eyes did not see, whither then would the feet go? how
would they stumble and fall? If the hands did not fasten and take hold,
how then should we eat? If the feet went not, where then would the hands
get anything? Only the maw, that lazy drone, lies in the midst of the
body, and is fatted like a swine. This parable, said Luther, teacheth us
that mankind should love one another; as also the Greeks’ pictures do
teach concerning two men, the one lame and the other blind, who showed
kindness the one to the other, as much as in them lay. The lame guided
the blind in the way, which else he neither knew nor saw, and the blind
carried the lame, that else could not go; so that they both were helped
and came forward.
_Of God’s Goodness_, _if we could but trust unto him_.
Once, towards evening, came flying into Luther’s garden two birds, and
made a nest therein, but they were oftentimes scared away by those that
passed by. Then said Luther, O ye loving pretty birds! fly not away; I
am heartily well contented with you, if ye could but trust unto me. Even
so it is with us: we neither can trust in God, who, notwithstanding,
showeth and wisheth us all goodness.
_That God made all Things for Mankind_.
God’s power is great, said Luther, who holdeth and nourisheth the whole
world, and maintaineth it; and it is a hard article where we say and
acknowledge, “I believe in God the Father.” He hath created all things
sufficiently for us. All the seas are our cellars, all woods are our
huntings; the earth is full of silver and gold, and of innumerable
fruits, which are created all for our sakes, and the earth is a
corn-house and a larder for us, etc.
_That God’s creatures are used_, _or rather abused_, _for the most part
by the Ungodly_.
The wicked and ungodly, said Luther, do enjoy and use the most part of
God’s creatures; for the tyrants have the greatest power, lands, and
people in the world; the usurers have the money; the farmers have eggs,
butter, corn, barley, oats, apples, pears, etc.; but good and godly
Christians must suffer, be persecuted, must sit in dungeons where they
can see neither sun nor moon, must be thrust out into poverty, must be
banished, and plagued, etc. But certainly it must be better one day; it
cannot always so remain; let us have but patience, and steadfastly remain
by the pure doctrine, and, notwithstanding all this misery, let us not
fall away from the same.
_That God_, _and not Money_, _preserves the World_.
God only, said Luther, and not money and wealth, maintains and preserves
the world; for riches and much money do make proud and lazy people: as at
Venice, where the richest people are, a horrible dearth fell among them
in our memory, so that they were driven to call upon the Turks for help,
who sent twenty-four galleys laden with corn, all which, as they almost
were arrived, went down into the sea and sank before their eyes.
Therefore, said Luther, great wealth and money cannot still the hunger,
but rather occasioneth more dearth; for where rich people are, there it
is always dear, and things are at high rates. Moreover, money maketh no
man right merry, but much more pensive and full of sorrow; for they are
thorns which do prick people, as Christ calls riches; yet is the world so
mad that they will set thereupon all their joy and felicity.
_That God’s corporeal Gifts are but little regarded_.
One evening, Luther saw cattle going in the fields, in a pasture, and
said: Behold, there go our preachers, our milk-bearers, butter-bearers,
cheese and wool-bearers, which do daily preach unto us the faith towards
God, that we should trust in him, as in our loving Father; he careth for
us, and will maintain and nourish us.
_That God nourisheth all the Beasts_.
No man, said Luther, can account the great charges which God is at only
in maintaining the birds and such creatures, which in a manner are
nothing or little worth. I am persuaded, said he, that it costeth God
yearly more to maintain only the sparrows than the yearly revenue of the
French King amounteth unto. What then shall we say of all the rest of
his creatures?
_That God is skilful in all Manner of Trades_.
God, said Luther, is skilful in all occupations and trades, in a most
perfect and excellent manner; for, like a skilful tailor, he makes such a
coat for the stag, which he wears nine hundred years together, and of
itself it is not torn; also, like a good shoemaker, he gives him shoes on
his feet, that last longer than the stag himself, etc.
God gives this world, with all his works, to those people who, as he
knows before, will anger, contemn, and blaspheme him. What, then, may we
think, will he give to those that through faith are justified, and do
know that they, so justified, shall live and remain with him
everlastingly?
_That God will be praised in all Languages_.
“All that hath breath, praise the Lord,” saith the Psalm; thence it
followeth that in all and every language, speeches, and tongues we should
preach and praise the Lord. Why then, said Luther, have the Pope and the
Emperor forbidden to sing and pray in the German tongue?
_That God is willing we should make use of his Creatures_.
Our loving Lord God is willing that we eat, drink, and be merry, and make
use of his creatures, for therefore he hath created them. He will not
have that we should complain, as if he had not given sufficient, or that
he could not maintain our poor carcases; only that we do acknowledge him
for our God, and thank him for his gifts.
_That God fills the Bellies of the Ungodly_, _but he gives the Kingdom of
Heaven to the Good and Godly_.
We believe, said Luther, that God will give to us no better things than
he giveth to the rich ungodly wretches in this world, to whom he gives an
overplus, and the fill of good wine, money, wealth, power, honour, and
all things that they would have or can desire. But the best wealth and
treasure, which they do not desire, he denies them, namely, himself. But
he that hath not God, let him have else what he will, so is he,
notwithstanding, more miserable than was Lazarus, that lay at the rich
man’s gate and was starved to death. But it will go even so with them as
it went with the glutton, that they everlastingly must hunger and want,
and shall not have in all their power so much as the least drop of water,
etc.
If, then, said Luther, the almighty and liberal God in such wise doth
heap blessings upon his worst enemies and blasphemers, with all manner of
temporal goods and wealth, and gives to some also kingdoms,
principalities, etc., then may we, that are his children, easily conceive
what he will give unto us, who, for his sake must suffer—yea, what he
hath already given us. He hath given unto us his only-begotten Son, and
with him hath bestowed all things upon us, so that through him we are
God’s children, and also heirs of his celestial treasure, and are
co-heirs with Christ according to hope.
_Court Cards_.
God regards ungodly great Potentates, Kings, and Princes even as children
regard playing at cards. While they play, and have good cards, they hold
them in their hands; then, afterwards, when they have bad cards, they are
weary of them, and throw them under the bench. Just so doth God with
great Potentates. While they are in the government, and rule well, he
holds them for good; but so soon as they do exceed, and govern ill, then
he throws them down from their seat, as Mary sings, and there he lets
them lie. _Ut Regem Daniœ_.
The Queen of Denmark, that was sister to the Emperor Charles and King
Ferdinand, died at that time when her husband, King Christian, was taken
prisoner, who was kept in prison twenty years. And his son, who was the
only heir of the kingdom, and was in the Court of the Emperor, died also
at the Imperial Diet held at Ratisbon the same year, 1541. God hath
taken up and gathered together a fine and glorious game at cards, all of
mighty Potentates, as Emperors, Kings, Princes, etc.; they scuffle and
fight one with another; touching which, said Luther, I could show many
examples done in our time, etc.
“The Pope,” said Melancthon, “for the space of these certain hundred
years, hath been held for the principal Head of all Christendom. When he
did but wink or hold up one finger, so must the Emperors, Kings, and
Princes have humbled themselves and feared; insomuch that he was Lord of
all Lords, King of all Kings on earth; yea, he was an earthly god. But
now comes Almighty God, throws down the Pope, and wins that great king
with the ace (Luther), and there he lies. This is God’s government, as
Mary sings in her Magnificat: _Deposuit potentes_—He puts down the mighty
from their seat, etc.
“If I were rich,” said Melancthon, “I would have artificially made me a
game at cards, and a chess-board all of gold and silver, in a remembrance
of God’s game at cards, which are all great and mighty Emperors, Kings,
and Princes, where he always thrusteth one out through another. N. is
the four of diamonds, the Pope is the six of diamonds, the Turk is the
eight of diamonds, the Emperor is the king in the game.
“At last comes our Lord God, divides the game, beats the Pope with Luther
(he is the ace). But the Pope is not yet quite dead; Christ hath begun
to slay him with the spirit of his mouth, so that he is dead in the
hearts of believing Christians. I hope it is almost come so far that, in
less than two hundred years, God will quite make an end of him, and of
that antichristian idolatry, by his glorious coming.”
_Whoso from his Heart can humble himself before God_, _he hath gained_.
Whoso can earnestly humble himself from his heart before God, he hath
gained. For God can do nothing but to be merciful towards them that
humble themselves. For if God should always be stern and angry, so
should I, said Luther, be afraid of him as of the executioner. And
seeing that I must stand in fear of the Pope, of the Emperor, of the
Papistical Bishops, and of other tyrants, which are God’s enemies, to
whom then should I fly and take my refuge, if I should also be afraid of
God?
_That God preserves Nurture and Discipline_.
God’s works and actions will be where good nurture and discipline is
maintained, especially in wars, where a good government is settled;
otherwise it goeth strangely, dissolutely, and ill, as in this time we
see too well.
When God will confound the wisdom of the wise, he makes them first mad
and furious in their proceedings, as he dealt with the Popish Princes and
Bishops at the Imperial Diet held at Augsburg.
Let the adversaries rage and swell their fills, said Luther, and as long
as they can. God hath set the sea her bounds; he suffers the same to
beat and rage with her waves, as if they would over-run, cover, and drown
everything; yet, notwithstanding, they must not pass the shore and banks,
although God keeps the waters in their compass, not with iron, but with
weak walls of sand. This discourse Luther held at that time when letters
were written unto him from the Assembly at Frankfort, concerning the
Papists, with their practices and exploits, intending to fall upon the
Protestants in all parts.
The second Psalm, said Luther, is one of the best Psalms. I love that
Psalm with my heart. It strikes and slashes valiantly amongst the Kings,
Princes, Counsellors, Judges, etc. If it be true what this Psalm saith,
then are the allegations of the Papists stark lies. If I were as our
Lord God, and had committed the government to my son, as he hath done to
his Son, and that these angry gentlemen were so disobedient as they now
are, I would, said Luther, throw the world into a lump.
Mary, the poor child-maid of Nazareth, also combateth with these great
Kings, Princes, etc., as she sings, “He hath put down the mighty from
their seat,” etc. No doubt, said Luther, she had an excellent undaunted
voice. I, for my part, dare not sing so. The tyrants say, “Let us break
their bonds asunder.” What that is, said he, present experience teacheth
us; for we see how they drown, how they hang, burn, behead, strangle,
banish, and torture; and all this they do in despite of God. “But he
sits above in heaven, and laugheth them to scorn.” If, said Luther, God
would be pleased to give me a little time and space, that I might expound
a couple of small Psalms, I would bestir myself so boldly that,
Samson-like, I would take all the Papists away with me.
_By reason of our stiff-necked Hardness_, _God must be both harsh and
good too_.
I was, said Luther, very lately sharply reprimanded and taxed by a Popish
flattering Courtier, a Priest, because with such passion I had written,
and so vehemently had reproved the people. But I answered him and said,
“Our Lord God must first send a sharp pouring shower, with thunder and
lightning, and afterwards cause it mildly to rain, as then it wetteth
finely through. In like manner, a willow or a hazel wand I can easily
cut with my trencher-knife, but for a hard oak a man must have and use
axes, bills, and such-like, and all little enough to fell and to cleave
it.”
_What that is_, _God is nothing_, _and yet he is all Things_.
Plato, the Heathen, disputed of God, that God is nothing, and yet he is
all things; him followed Dr. Eck, and the Sophists, who understood
nothing thereof, as their words do show, which no man could understand.
But, said Luther, we must understand and speak of it in this manner: God
is incomprehensible and invisible, therefore what may be seen and
comprehended, that is not God. And thus a man may speak also in another
manner and wise: As God is either visible or invisible; visible he is in
his Word and Works, but where his Word and Works are not, there a man
should not desire to have him, for he will be found nowhere else than
where he hath revealed himself. But these and such-like will find and
take hold of him with their speculations, so that instead of God they
take hold of the devil, and find him, for he will be also a god. But I
do truly admonish and warn every one that they abstain from such
speculations, and not to flutter too high, but remain by the manger, and
by the swaddling-clothes wherein Christ doth lie (in the Holy
Scriptures), “in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily,” as
St. Paul saith (Col. ii.). There a man cannot fail of God, but finds and
hits upon him most certainly. I would willingly that this rule might be
observed after my death, namely: Human comfort and Divine comfort are of
two sorts: human comfort consisteth in external visible help, which a man
may see, hold, and feel; but Divine comfort consisteth only in words and
promises, where there is neither seeing, hearing, nor feeling.
_That Children are God’s special Blessings and Creatures_.
Dr. Jonas, inviting Luther to a dinner, had caused a bough, with ripe
cherries, to be hung up over the table where they dined, in remembrance
of the creation, thereby to put his guests in mind to praise the glorious
God in his blessing and creating such fruits, etc. But Luther asked him
why he did not rather remember the same by his children that were the
fruit of his body. For, said he, they surpass and are far more excelling
creatures of God than all the fruits of trees. By them we see God’s
Power, Wisdom, and Art, who hath made them all out of nothing, hath given
them in one year life and all members, so exquisitely hath created and
will maintain and preserve them. Yet, notwithstanding, we do not much
regard it; nay, we are in such gifts of God blind and covetous, as
commonly it falleth out that people when they have got children grow
worse and more covetous; they rake and rend all they can, to the end
enough may be left for their children. They do not know that before a
child comes to the world, and is born, it hath its lot; and already is
ordained and determined what and how much it shall have, and what shall
be thereout. In the state of matrimony we learn and find that begetting
and bearing of children stands and consists not in our wills and
pleasures, for the parents can neither see nor know whether they be
fruitful or no, nor whether God will give them a son or a daughter. All
this is done without our ordaining, thinking, or foreknowledge. My
father and mother did not think that they should have brought a
superintendent into the world; it is only God’s Creation which we cannot
rightly understand nor conceive. I believe, said Luther, that in the
life to come we shall have nothing else to do than to meditate of our
Creator, and of his celestial creatures, and wonder at the same.