a treatise on good works-第13章

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prophesied　by　the　thief　on　Christ's　left　hand；　who　blasphemed　Him

in　His　suffering；　weakness　and　need；　also　by　all　those　who

reviled　Christ　on　the　Cross；　when　they　should　most　of　all　have

helped　Him。　



O　God；　how　blind；　nay；　how　insane　have　we　Christians　become！　When

will　there　be　an　end　of　wrath；　O　heavenly　Father？　That　we　mock

at　the　misfortune　of　Christendom；　to　pray　for　which　we　gather

together　in　Church　and　at　the　mass；　that　we　blaspheme　and　condemn

men；　this　is　the　fruit　of　our　mad　materialism。　If　the　Turk

destroys　cities；　country　and　people；　and　ruins　churches；　we　think

a　great　injury　has　been　done　Christendom。　Then　we　complain；　and

urge　kings　and　princes　to　war。　But　when　faith　perishes；　love

grows　cold；　God's　Word　is　neglected；　and　all　manner　of　sin

flourishes；　then　no　one　thinks　of　fighting；　nay；　pope；　bishops；

priests　and　clergy；　who　ought　to　be　generals；　captains　and

standard…bearers　in　this　spiritual　warfare　against　these

spiritual　and　many　times　worse　Turks；　these　are　themselves　the

very　princes　and　leaders　of　such　Turks　and　of　the　devil　host；

just　as　Judas　was　the　leader　of　the　Jews　when　they　took　Christ。

It　had　to　be　an　apostle；　a　bishop；　a　priest；　one　of　the　number

of　the　best；　who　began　the　work　of　slaying　Christ。　So　also　must

Christendom　be　laid　waste　by　no　others　than　those　who　ought　to

protect　it；　and　yet　are　so　insane　that　they　are　ready　to　eat　up

the　Turks　and　at　home　themselves　set　house　and　sheep…cote　on　fire

and　let　them　burn　up　with　the　sheep　and　all　other　contents；　and

none　the　less　worry　about　the　wolf　in　the　woods。　Such　are　our

times；　and　this　is　the　reward　we　have　earned　by　our　ingratitude

toward　the　endless　grace　which　Christ　has　won　for　us　freely　with

His　precious　blood；　grievous　labor　and　bitter　death。　



XVI。　Lo！　where　are　the　idle　ones；　who　do　not　know　how　to　do　good

works？　Where　are　they　who　run　to　Rome；　to　St。　James；　hither　and

thither？　Take　up　this　one　single　work　of　the　mass；　look　on　your

neighbor's　sin　and　ruin；　and　have　pity　on　him；　let　it　grieve　you；

tell　it　to　God；　and　pray　over　it。　Do　the　same　for　every　other

need　of　Christendom；　especially　of　the　rulers；　whom　God；　for　the

intolerable　punishment　and　torment　of　us　all；　allows　to　fall　and

be　misled　so　terribly。　If　you　do　this　diligently；　be　assured　you

are　one　of　the　best　fighters　and　captains；　not　only　against　the

Turks；　but　also　against　the　devils　and　the　powers　of　hell。　But

if　you　do　it　not；　what　would　it　help　you　though　you　performed　all

the　miracles　of　the　saints；　and　murdered　all　the　Turks；　and　yet

were　found　guilty　of　having　disregarded　your　neighbor's　need　and

of　having　thereby　sinned　against　love？　For　Christ　at　the　last　day

will　not　ask　how　much　you　have　prayed；　fasted；　pilgrimaged；　done

this　or　that　for　yourself；　but　how　much　good　you　have　done　to

others；　even　the　very　least。　



Now　without　doubt　among　the　〃least〃　are　also　those　who　are　in　sin

and　spiritual　poverty；　captivity　and　need；　of　whom　there　are　at

present　far　more　than　of　those　who　suffer　bodily　need。　Therefore

take　heed：　our　own　self…assumed　good　works　lead　us　to　and　into

ourselves；　that　we　seek　only　our　own　benefit　and　salvation；　but

God's　commandments　drive　us　to　our　neighbor；　that　we　may　thereby

benefit　others　to　their　salvation。　Just　as　Christ　on　the　Cross

prayed　not　for　Himself　alone；　but　rather　for　us；　when　He　said；

〃Father；　forgive　them；　fort　they　know　not　what　they　do；〃　so　we

also　must　pray　for　one　another。　From　which　every　man　may　know

that　the　slanderers；　frivolous　judges　and　despisers　of　other

people　are　a　perverted；　evil　race；　who　do　nothing　else　than　heap

abuse　on　those　for　whom　they　ought　to　pray；　in　which　vice　no　one

is　sunk　so　deep　as　those　very　men　who　do　many　good　works　of　their

own；　and　seem　to　men　to　be　something　extraordinary；　and　are

honored　because　of　their　beautiful；　splendid　life　in　manifold

good　works。　



XVII。　Spiritually　understood；　this　Commandment　has　a　yet　far

higher　work；　which　embraces　the　whole　nature　of　man。　Here　it　must

be　known　that　in　Hebrew　〃　Sabbath　〃　means　〃　rest；〃　because　on　the

seventh　day　God　rested　and　ceased　from　all　His　works；　which　He

had　made。　Genesis　ii。　Therefore　He　commanded　also　that　the

seventh　day　should　be　kept　holy　and　that　we　cease　from　our　works

which　we　do　the　other　six　days。　This　Sabbath　has　now　for　us　been

changed　into　the　Sunday；　and　the　other　days　are　called　work…days；

the　Sunday　is　called　rest…day　or　holiday　or　holy　day。　And　would

to　God　that　in　Christendom　there　were　no　holiday　except　the

Sunday；　that　the　festivals　of　Our　Lady　and　of　the　Saints　were　all

transferred　to　Sunday；　then　would　many　evil　vices　be　done　away

with　through　the　labor　of　the　work…days；　and　lands　would　not　be

so　drained　and　impoverished。　But　now　we　are　plagued　with　many

holidays；　to　the　destruction　of　souls；　bodies　and　goods；　of　which

matter　much　might　be　said。　



This　rest　or　ceasing　from　labors　is　of　two　kinds；　bodily　and

spiritual。　For　this　reason　this　Commandment　is　also　to　be

understood　in　two　ways。　



The　bodily　rest　is　that　of　which　we　have　spoken　above；　namely；

that　we　omit　our　business　and　work；　in　order　that　we　may　gather

in　the　church；　see　mass；　hear　God's　Word　and　make　common　prayer。

This　rest　is　indeed　bodily　and　in　Christendom　no　longer　commanded

by　God；　as　the　Apostle　says；　Colossians　ii；　〃Let　no　man　obligate

you　to　any　holiday　whatever〃　　for　they　were　of　old　a　figure；

but　now　the　truth　has　been　fulfilled；　so　that　all　days　are　holy

days；　as　Isaiah　says；　chapter　lxvi；　〃One　holy　day　shall　follow

the　other〃；　on　the　other　hand；　all　days　are　workdays。　Yet　it　is

a　necessity　and　ordained　by　the　Church　for　the　sake　of　the

imperfect　laity　and　working　people；　that　they　also　may　be　able

to　come　to　hear　God's　Word。　For；　as　we　see；　the　priests　and

clergy　celebrate　mass　every　day；　pray　at　all　hours　and　train

themselves　in　God's　Word　by　study；　reading　and　hearing。　For　this

reason　also　they　are　freed　from　work　before　others；　supported　by

tithes　and　have　holy…day　every　day；　and　every　day　do　the　works

of　the　holy…day；　and　have　no　work…day；　but　for　them　one　day　is

as　the　other。　And　if　we　were　all　perfect；　and　knew　the　Gospel；

we　might　work　every　day　if　we　wished；　or　rest　if　we　could。　For

a　day　of　rest　is　at　present　not　necessary　nor　commanded　except

only　for　the　teaching　of　God's　Word　and　prayer。　



The　spiritual　rest；　which　God　particularly　intends　in　this

Commandment；　is　this：　that　we　not　only　cease　from　our　labor　and

trade；　but　much　more；　that　we　let　God　alone　work　in　us　and　that

we　do　nothing　of　our　own　with　all　our　powers。　But　how　is　this

done？　In　this　way：　Man；　corrupted　by　sin；　has　much　wicked　love

and　inclination　toward　all　sins；　as　the　Scriptures　say；　Genesis

viii；　〃Man's　heart　and　senses　incline　always　to　the　evil；〃　that

is；　to　pride；　disobedience；　anger；　hatred；　covetousness；

unchastity；　etc。；　and　summa　summarum；　in　all　that　he　does　and

leaves　undone；　he　seeks　his　own　profit；　will　and　honor　rather

than　God's　and　his　neighbor's。　Therefore　all　his　works；　all　his

words；　all　his　thoughts；　all　his　life　are　evil　and　not　godly。　



Now　if　God　is　to　work　and　to　live　in　him；　all　this　vice　and

wickedness　must　be　choked　and　up…rooted；　so　that　there　may　be

rest　and　a　cessation　of　all　our　works；　thoughts　and　life；　and

that　henceforth　（as　St。　Paul　says；　Galatians　ii。）　it　may　be　no

longer　we　who　live；　but　Christ　Who　lives；　works　and　speaks　in　us。

This　is　not　accomplished　with　comfortable；　pleasant　days；　but

here　we　must　hurt　our　nature　and　let　it　be　hurt。　Here　begins　the

strife　between　the　spirit　and　the　flesh；　here　the　spirit　resists

anger；　lust；　pride；　while　the　flesh　wants　to　be　in　pleasure；

honor　and　comfort。　Of　this　St。　Paul　says；　Galatians　v；　〃They　that

are　our　Lord　Christ's　have　crucified　the　flesh　with　its

affections　and　lusts。〃　Then　follow　the　good　works；　　fasting；

watching；　labor；　of　which　some　say　and　write　so　much；　although

they　know　neither　the　source　nor　the　purpose　of　these　good　works。

Therefore　we　will　now　also　speak　of　them。　



XVIII。　This　rest；　namely；　that　our　work　cease　and　God　alone　work

in　us；　is　accomplished　in　two　ways。　First；　through　our　own

effort；　secondly；　through　the　effort　or　urging　of　others。　



Our　own　effort　is　to　be　so　made　and　ordered　that；　in　the　first

place；　when　we　see　our　flesh；　senses；　will　and　thoughts　tempting

us；　we　resist　them　and　do　not　heed　them；　as　the　Wise　Man　says：

〃Follow　not　thine　own　desires。〃　And　Moses；　Deuteronomy　xii：　〃Thou

shalt　not　do　what　is　right　in　thine　own　eyes。〃



Here　a　man　must　make　daily　use　of　those　prayers　which　David

prays：　〃Lord；　lead　me　in　Thy　path；　and　let　me　not　walk　in　my　own

ways；〃　and　many　like　prayers；　which　are　all　summed　up　in　the

prayer；　〃Thy　kingdom　come。〃　For　the　desires　are　so　many；　so

various；　and　besides　at　times　so　nimble；　so　subtile　and　specious；

through　the　suggestions　of　the　evil　one；　that　it　is　not　possible

for　a　man　to　control　himself　in　his　own　ways。　He　must　let　hands

and　feet　go；　commend　himself　to　God's　governance；　and　entrust

nothing　to　his　reason；　as　Jeremiah　says；　〃O　Lord；　I　know　that　the

way　of　man　is　not　in　his　own　power。〃　We　see　proof　of　this；　when

the　children　of　Israel　went　out　of　Egypt　through　the　Wilderness；

where　there　was　no　way；　no　food；　no　drink；　no　help。　Therefore　God

went　before　them；　by　day　in　a　bright：　cloud；　by　night　in　a　fiery

pillar；　fed　them　with　manna　from　heaven；　and　kept　their　garments

and　shoes　that　they　waxed　not　old；　as　we　read　in　the　Books　of

Moses。　For　this　reason　we　pray：　〃Thy　kingdom　come；　that　Thou　rule

us；　and　not：　we　ourselves；〃　for　there　is　nothing　more　perilous

in　us　than　our　reason　and　will。　And　this　is　the　first　and　highest

work　of　God　in　us　and　the　best　training；　that　we　cease　from　our

works；　that　we　let　our　reason　and　will　be　idle；　that　we　rest　and

commend　ourselves　to　God　in　all　things；　especially　when　they　seem

to　be　spiritual　and　good。　



XIX。　After　this　comes　the　discipline　of　the　flesh；　to　kill　its

gross；　evil　lust；　to　give　it　rest　and　relief。　This　we　must　kill

and　quiet　with　fasting；　watching　and　labor；　and　from　this　we

learn　how　much　and　why　we　shall　fast；　watch　and　labor。　



There　are；　alas！　many　blind　men；　who　practise　their　castigation；

whether　it　be　fasting；　watching　or　labor；　only　because　they　think

these　are　good　works；　intending　by　them　to　gain　much　merit。　Far

blinder　still　are　they　who　measure　their　fasting　not　only　by　the

quantity　or　duration；　as　these　do；　but　also　by　the　nature　of　the

food；　thinking　that　it　is　of　far　greater　worth　if　they　do　not　eat

meat；　eggs　or　butter。　Beyond　these　are　those　who　fast　according

to　the　saints；　and　according　to　the　days；　one　fasting　on

Wednesday；　another　on　Saturday；　another　on　St。　Barbara's　day；

another　on　St。　Sebastian's　day；　and　so　on。　These　all　seek　in

their　fasting　nothing　beyond　the　work　itself：　when　they　have

performed　that；　they