_Of the World_, _and of the Manner thereof_.
The world, said Luther, will neither have nor hold God for God, nor the
devil for the devil. And if a man were left to himself, and should be
suffered to do after his own kind and nature, then would he willingly
throw our Lord God out at the window; for the world regards God nothing
at all, as the Psalm saith, _Dixit impius in corde suo_, _non est Deus_.
On the contrary, the god of the world is riches, pleasure, and pride,
wherewith they abuse all the creatures and gifts of God.
The Monks and Friars, in times past, boasted much of their contemning of
the world, and they made use of that speech of St. Paul (Rom. xii.), “Be
not conformed to this world;” from whence they would touch no money, as
if it were against God to make use of riches, money, and wealth; whereas
St. Paul and the whole Scriptures forbid but only the abuse of heart,
wicked lust, desire, and inclination; as there is ambition, incontinency,
revenge, etc., which lusts do hang on the world; yea, they altogether
flow and flourish.
_Of the Manner of People in Eating_.
We have the nature and manner of all wild beasts in eating. The wolves
eat sheep; we also. The foxes eat hens, geese, etc.; we also. The hawks
and kites eat fowl and birds; we also. Pikes do eat other fish; we also.
With oxen, horse, and kine, we also eat sallets, grass, etc.
_The Unthankfulness of Husbandmen and Farmers_.
The husbandmen and rich farmers, said Luther, are not worthy of so many
benefits and fruits which the earth doth bear and bring unto them. I
give more thanks to our Lord God for one tree or bush than all rich
farmers and husbandmen do for their large and fruitful grounds. Yet,
said he, we must except some husbandmen, as Adam, Noah, Abraham, and
Isaac, who went out to see their grounds, to the end they might remember
God’s gifts in his creatures. (Gen. xxiv.)
The world will have night owls, said Luther, that is, sectaries,
seducers, and unbelievers, about whom the birds do fly; that is, the
world wonders at them, entertains them with great honour, and gives them
money and wealth enough.
_The Gospel discovereth the Wickedness of Mankind_.
As the cold, said Luther, is always greater and more piercing in winter
when the days begin to lengthen, and when the sun draws near unto us, for
that maketh the cold thicker, and presseth it together: just so the
wickedness of mankind is greater, that is, more visible, and breaks out
when the Gospel is preached; for the Holy Ghost reproveth the world of
sin, which the world neither can nor will endure.
_The World’s Unthankfulness towards the Servants of God_.
He must be of a high and great spirit that undertaketh to serve the
people both in body and soul, and nevertheless must suffer the utmost
danger and highest unthankfulness. Therefore Christ said to Peter,
Simon, etc., “Lovest thou me?” and repeated it three times together.
Afterwards he said, “Feed my sheep,” as if he would say, “Wilt thou be an
upright Minister and a Shepherd? then love must only do it; thy love to
me must do the deed, otherwise it is impossible.” For who can endure
unthankfulness? to study away his wealth and health, and afterwards to
lay himself open to the highest danger and unthankfulness of the wicked
world? Therefore he saith, “It is very needful that thou lovest me.”
The Pope and Turk, said Luther, have thoroughly revenged our cause, and
have done to the world a great deal of right, as by scourging experience
they have thoroughly been taught, for so the world will have it. Upright
and true servants of God they will not endure, nay, they murder them,
therefore they must have such fellows, yea, and moreover, they must
maintain and hold them in great honour and esteem, and yet nevertheless
must by them be cursed and deceived.
_The World must have stern and fierce Rulers_.
The world, said Luther, cannot be without such stern Governors, by whom
they must be ruled. King Ferdinand, with his Popish tyranny, is even a
fine liquorish bit for the world; therefore said God, through the Prophet
Samuel, to his people of Israel that prayed for a King, He would give
them a King, but this shall be his rule: “He will take your sons, and
appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen, and
will take your daughters to be cooks,” etc. As Ferdinand, the Prince
Elector of Saxony, returned home from the election of the Emperor Charles
at Cologne, he asked me how I liked the news, that they had elected
Charles, King of Spain, to be Roman Emperor. I answered him and said,
“The ravens must have a kite.”
_The World’s highest Wisdom_.
The highest wisdom of the world is, said Luther, to trouble themselves
with temporal, earthly, and vanishing things; and as it happeneth and
falleth out with those things, they say, “_Non putâram_” (I had not
thought it). For faith is a certain and a sure expectation of that which
a man hopeth for, and maketh no doubt of that which he seeth not, as the
Epistle to the Hebrews saith: Faith looks to that which is to come, and
not to that which is already present. Therefore a true Christian doth
not say, “_Non putâram_” (I had not thought it); but he is most certain
that the beloved Cross is near at hand, and will surely come upon him;
therefore he is not afraid when it goeth evil with him, and he is
tormented. But the world, and those that live securely in the world,
cannot brook misfortunes; they go on continually leaping and dancing in
pleasure and delight, like the rich Glutton in the Gospel. He could not
spare the scraps to poor Lazarus, but Lazarus belonged to Christ, and he
took his part.
_The Language and Doings of the World_.
Albertus, Bishop of Mentz, had a physician attending on his person who
was a Protestant, and therefore the less in the Bishop’s favour; the
same, being covetous and puffed up with ambition, recanted his religion
and fell to Popery, uttering these words: “I will, for awhile, set Christ
behind the door, until I be grown rich, and then I will take him to me
again.” Such and the like blasphemous words do deserve the highest
punishments, as befell that wicked dissembling wretch, for the same night
he was found in his bed in a most fearful manner, with his tongue torn
out of his mouth, as black as a coal, and his neck wrung in twain.
Myself, said Luther, at that time coming from Frankfort to Mentz, was an
eye-witness of that just judgment of God. If, said he, a man could bring
to pass, and at his pleasure could set God behind the door, and take him
again when he listed, then was God his prisoner. They were words of a
damned Epicure, and so accordingly he was rewarded.
_Luther’s Comparison of the World_.
The world seems to me like unto a decayed house. David and the Prophets
are the spars; Christ is the main pillar in the midst that supporteth
all.
_The World seeketh Immortality with their Pride_.
Whereas all people do feel and acknowledge, yea, do see, that they must
die and vanish away, every one therefore seeketh here on earth
immortality, that he may be had in everlasting remembrance. Sometimes
great Princes and Kings sought it by causing great columns of marble
stone and exceedingly high pyramids, buildings, and pillars four square
to be erected, as at this time they do with building great churches,
costly and glorious palaces and castles, etc. Soldiers do look and hunt
after great praise and honour by overcoming and obtaining famous
victories. The learned seek an everlasting name in writing books, as in
our time is to be seen. With these and such-like, people do think to be
immortal. But on the true, everlasting, and incorruptible honour and
eternity of God, no man thinketh nor looketh after the same. Ah! we are
poor, silly, and miserable people!
_What is to be considered in the executing of Offices_.
If, said Luther, the great pains and labour which I take sprang not from
love and for the sake of him that died for me, the world could not give
me money enough to write only one book, or to translate the Bible. I
desire not to be rewarded and paid of the world for my book; the world is
too poor and simple to give me satisfaction. I have not desired the
value of one penny of my master the Prince Elector of Saxony, so long as
I have been in this place. The whole world is nothing else but a
turned-about _Decalogus_, or the Ten Commandments backwards, a wizard,
and a picture of the devil. All contemners of God, all blasphemers, all
disobedient; whoredom, pride, theft, murder, etc., are now almost ripe
for the slaughter; neither is the devil idle, with Turk and Pope,
heresies and other erroneous sects. Every man draws the Christian
liberty only to carnal excess, as if now they had free liberty and power
to do what they list; therefore the kingdom of the devil and Pope is the
best government for the world, for therewith they will be governed with
strict laws and rights, with superstition, unbelief, etc.
The world grows worse through the doctrine of God’s Grace and preaching
of the Gospel; for when they hear that after this life there is another,
they are well enough content with this life, and that God should keep the
other to himself; if they may have here but only good days, honour, and
wealth, that is all they care for or desire.
At the time of my being in Rome, said Luther, there died a Cardinal very
rich, and left behind him great store of money; shortly before his death
he made his will, and laid it in a chest where the money was. After his
death the chest was opened, and therein, by the money, was found lying a
bull, written on parchment, with these words:
_Dum potui_, _rapui_; _rapiatis_, _quando potestis_.
(I extorted and oppressed as long as I was able; while ye have power,
get what you can.)
Oh! said Luther, how finely, think you, must this Cardinal have departed
and died?
_The World is full of Dissemblers and Blasphemers_: _How many Sorts there
be_.
Luther discoursing, in the presence of the Prince Elector of Saxony and
other Princes, of the many sorts and differences of wicked persons, said:
Colax, Sycophanta, Cacoëthes; these sins and blasphemies are almost alike
the one to the other, only that they go one after another, as a man going
up the stairs and steps ascends from one to another.
Colax, in my opinion, is he that in Terence they name Gnatho, an
ear-scratcher, a dissembler, a trencher-licker, one that talketh for his
belly’s sake, and is altogether a man-pleaser. This is a sin of mankind,
whose intent is to get all they can though others are hurt thereby.
Sycophanta is such a dissembler, traitor, and backbiter that would earn a
grey coat. This sin is nearer allied to the devil than to mankind.
Gnatho acts his part in the comedies, but Sycophanta in the tragedies.
Phormio, in Terence, is a very honest person, nothing, or very little,
stained with the other two vices.
Cacoëthes is a wicked villain, that wittingly and wilfully prepareth
mischief.
_Of the Wealth and Treasure of the World_.
The Fuggars {97} of Augsburg, on a sudden, said Luther, are able to levy
one hundred tons of gold (one ton of gold is one hundred thousand rix
dollars, making, in English money, two-and-twenty thousand pounds
sterling, and more), which neither the Emperor nor King of Spain is able
to perform. One of the Fuggars, after his death, left eighty tons of
gold. The Fuggars and the money-changers in Augsburg lent the Emperor at
one time eight-and-twenty tons of gold for the maintaining of his wars
before Padua.
The Cardinal of Brixen, who died at Rome very rich, left no great sum of
ready money behind him, but only there was found in his sleeve a little
note of a finger’s length. This note was brought to Pope Julius, who
presently imagined it was a note of money, and therefore sent for the
Fuggars’ factor that was then at Rome, and asked him if he knew that
writing. The factor said, “Yea, it was the debt which the Fuggars did
owe to that Cardinal, which was the sum of forty hundred thousand rix
dollars.” The Pope asked him how soon he could pay that sum of money.
He answered and said, “Every day, or, if need required, at an hour’s
warning.” Then the Pope called for the Ambassadors of France and
England, and asked them if either of their Kings, in one hour’s space,
were able to satisfy and pay forty tons of gold. They answered, “No.”
“Then,” said the Pope, “one citizen of Augsburg can do it.” And the Pope
got all that money. One of the Fuggars being warned by the Senate of
Augsburg to bring in and to pay his taxation, said, “I know not how much
I have, nor how rich I am, therefore I cannot be taxed;” for he had his
money out in the whole world—in Turkey, in Greece, at Alexandria, in
France, Portugal, England, Poland, and everywhere, yet he was willing to
pay his tax of that which he had in Augsburg.
_Covetousness is a Sign of Death_; _we must not rely on Money and
Wealth_.
Whoso hath money, said Luther, and depends thereon, as is usual, it
neither proceeds nor prospers well with that person. The richest
monarchs have had bad fortune, and lamentably have been destroyed and
slain in the wars; on the contrary, poor and unable people, that have had
but small store of money, have overcome and had great fortune and
victory. As Emperor Maximilian overcame the Venetians, and continued
wars ten years with them, who were exceedingly rich and powerful.
Therefore we ought not to trust in money and wealth, nor to depend
thereon. I hear, said Luther, that the Prince Elector, George, begins to
be covetous, which is a sign of his death very shortly. When I saw Dr.
Goad begin to count his puddings hanging in the chimney, I told him he
would not live long, which fell out accordingly; and when I begin to
trouble myself about brewing, malting, and cooking, etc., then shall not
I drive it long, but soon die.
_The Popes’ Covetousness_.
The covetousness of the Popes has exceeded all others’, therefore, said
Luther, the devil made choice of Rome to be his habitation; for which
cause the ancients have said, “Rome is a den of covetousness, a root of
all wickedness.” I have also read in a very old book this verse
following:
_ Versus Amor_, _Mundi Caput est_, _et Bestia Terræ_.
That is (when the word Amor is turned and read backward, then it is
Roma), Rome, the head of the world, a beast that sucketh out and
devoureth all lands. Truly at Rome is an abominable trading with
covetousness, for all is raked to their hands without preaching or
church-service, but only with superstition, idolatry, and with selling
their good works to the poor ignorant lay-people for money; therefore St.
Peter describeth such covetousness with express and clear words when he
saith, “They have an heart exercised with covetous practices.” I am
persuaded a man cannot acknowledge the disease of covetousness unless he
knoweth Rome; for the deceits and jugglings in other parts are nothing in
comparison of those at Rome; therefore, anno 1521, at the Imperial Diet
held at Worms, the State of the whole Empire made supplication against
such covetousness, and desired that his Imperial Majesty would be pleased
to suppress the same.
At that time, said Luther, my book was presented to the German nobility,
which Dr. Wick showed unto me. Then the Gospel began to go on well, but
the Pope’s power, together with the Antinomians, gave it a great blow,
and yet, notwithstanding, through God’s Providence, it was thereby
furthered.
The Pope’s power was above all Kings and Emperors, which power I opposed
with my little book; and therewith also I assaulted the Bull on the Pope,
and, by God’s assistance, overthrew it. I did not write that book on
purpose against the Pope, but only against the abuses of Popedom; yet
nevertheless it startled them quickly, for their consciences accused
them.
_Princes do draw and tear Spiritual Livings unto them_.
The proverb is, said Luther, “Priests’ livings are catching livings,” and
that “Priests’ goods never prosper.” This we know to be true by
experience, for such as have drawn spiritual livings unto them are grown
poor thereby, and become beggars, therefore this Fable I like very well:
There was an Eagle that made amity and friendship with the Fox; they
agreed to dwell peaceably together. Now when the Fox expected from the
Eagle all manner of good offices and turns, he brought his young ones and
laid them under the tree on which the Eagle had his nest and young ones;
but the friendship between them lasted not long, for so soon as the Eagle
wanted meat for his young (the Fox being out of the way), he flew down
and took the young Foxes and carried them into his nest, and therewith
fed his young Eagles. When, therefore, the old Fox returned, and saw
that his young were taken away, he made his complaint to the great god
Jupiter, desiring that he would revenge and punish that injury of _Jus
violati hospitii_. Not long after, as the Eagle again wanted meat to
feed his young, he saw that on a place in the field they sacrificed to
Jupiter. The Eagle flew thither, and quickly snatched away a piece of
roast from the altar and brought the same to his young, and flew again to
fetch more; but it happened that a hot coal hung to one of the pieces;
the same, falling into the Eagle’s nest, set it on fire; the young
Eagles, not able to fly, were burned with the nest and fell to the
ground. Even so it usually fareth with those that rake and rend
spiritual livings unto them, which are given to the maintaining of God’s
honour and service; such at last must lose their nests, that is, they
must be left destitute of their temporal goods and livings, and besides,
must sustain hurt of body and soul. Spiritual livings have in them the
nature of Eagle’s feathers, for when they are laid to other feathers they
devour the same. Even so, when men will mingle spiritual livings (_per
fas aut nefas_) with other goods, so must the same likewise be consumed,
insomuch that at last nothing will be left.
I have seen a pretty dog, at Lintz, in Austria that was taught to go with
a hand-basket to the butcher’s shambles for meat; now, when other dogs
came about him, and would take the meat out of the basket, he set it
down, bit and fought lustily with the other dogs; but when he saw they
would be too strong for him, then he himself would snatch out the first
piece of meat, lest he should lose all. Even so doth now our Emperor
Charles, who, after he hath a long time defended the spiritual livings,
and seeth that every Prince taketh and raketh the monasteries unto
himself, doth also now take possession of bishoprics, as newly he hath
snatched to himself the bishoprics of Utrich and Luttich, to the end he
may get also _partem de tunica Christi_.
_A fearful Example of Covetousness_.
A covetous farmer, well known at Erfurt, said Luther, carried his corn to
sell there in the market; but holding it at too dear a rate, no man would
buy of him nor give him his price; he being thereby moved to anger, said,
“I will not sell it cheaper, but will rather carry it home again and give
it to the mice.” As he came home therewith, an innumerable number of
mice and rats flocked about his house and devoured up all his corn. And
the next day following, going out to see his grounds, which were newly
sown, he found that all the seed was eaten up, and no hurt at all done
upon the grounds belonging to his neighbours. This certainly, said
Luther, was a just punishment from God, and a token of his wrath against
the unthankful world.
_Wealth is the least Gift of God_.
Riches, said Luther, is the smallest thing on earth, and the least gift
that God hath bestowed on mankind. What is it in comparison of God’s
Word? yea, what is it to be compared with corporeal gifts, as beauty,
health, etc.? nay, what is it to the gifts of the mind, as understanding,
art, wisdom, etc.? Yet are men so eager after it that no labour, travel,
nor danger is regarded in the getting of riches; there is in it neither
_Materialis_, _formalis_, _efficiens et finalis causa_, nor anything else
that is good; therefore our Lord God commonly giveth riches to such from
whom he withholds all Spiritual good.
_Giving to the Poor that truly stand in need of our Help_.
St. John saith, “He that hath this world’s goods, and seeth his brother
have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how
dwelleth the love of God in him?” And Christ saith, “He that desireth of
thee, give to him;” that is, to him that hath need and is in want. He
saith not to every idle, lazy, and wasteful companion, which commonly are
the greatest beggars, to whom although one gave much and often, yet were
they nothing helped thereby. In this town, said Luther, no men are in
greater want than the students and scholars. The poverty here indeed is
great, but idleness and laziness are far greater. A man can scarcely get
a poor body to work for money, and yet they will all beg. There is, said
he, no good government. Though I were able, yet I would not give to
those idle beggars, for the more one helpeth and giveth them, the more
and oftener they come. I will not cut my bread away from my wife and
children, and give it to such; but when one is truly poor, to him I will
give with all my heart, according to my ability. And no man should
forget that Scripture which saith, “He that hath two coats, let him part
with one,” etc.; for the Holy Scripture, in naming a coat, meaneth all
manner of apparel that one hath need of, according to his state and
calling, as well for credit as for necessity. As, also, by “the daily
bread” is understood all maintenance necessary for the body, therefore “a
coat,” in Scripture, is signified to be all usual apparel.
_The World will always have new Things_.
Before I translated the New Testament out of the Greek, said Luther,
every one longed after it, to read therein, but when it was done their
longing lasted scarce four weeks. Then they desired the Books of Moses;
when I had translated those, they had enough thereof in a short time.
After that they would have the Psalter; of the same they were soon weary;
when it was translated, then they desired other books.
In like manner, said he, will it be with the Book of Ecclesiasticus,
which they now long for, and about which I have taken great pains in the
translating thereof. All are acceptable, so long and until our giddy
brains be satisfied; afterwards they let them lie, and seek after new
things; therefore in the end there must come errors among us.