a treatise on good works-第3章

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directed　Christians　not　to　rest　in　the　keeping　of　the　literal

requirement　of　each　Commandment；　but　from　this　point　of　vantage

to　inquire　into　the　whole　depth　and　breadth　of　God's　will　

positively　and　negatively　　and　to　do　His　will　in　its　full

extent　as　the　heart　has　perceived　it。　Though　this　thought　may

have　been　occasionally　expressed　in　the　expositions　of　the　Ten

Commandments　which　appeared　at　the　dawn　of　the　Reformation；　still

it　had　never　before　been　so　clearly　recognized　as　the　only

correct　principle；　much　less　had　it　been　so　energetically　carried

out　from　beginning　to　end；　as　is　done　in　this　treatise。　Over

against　the　deep…rooted　view　that　the　works　of　love　must　bestow

upon　faith　its　form；　its　content　and　its　worth　before　God；　it

must　have　appeared　as　the　dawn　of　a　new　era　（Galatians　3：22…25）

when　Luther　in　this　treatise　declared；　and　with　victorious

certainty　carried　out　the　thought；　that　it　is　true　faith　which

invests　the　works；　even　the　best　and　greatest　of　works；　with

their　content　and　worth　before　God。　



This　proposition；　which　Luther　here　amplifies　more　clearly　than

ever　before；　demanded　nothing　less　than　a　breach　with　the　whole

of　prevalent　religious　views；　and　at　that　time　must　have　been

perceived　as　the　discovery　of　a　new　world；　though　it　was　no　more

than　a　return　to　the　clear　teaching　of　the　New　Testament

Scriptures　concerning　the　way　of　salvation。　This；　too；　accounts

for　the　fact　that　in　this　writing　the　accusation　is　more

impressively　repelled　than　before；　that　the　doctrine　of

justification　by　faith　alone　resulted　in　moral　laxity；　and　that；

on　the　other　hand；　the　fundamental　and　radical　importance　of

righteousness　by　faith　for　the　whole　moral　life　is　revealed　in

such　a　heart…refreshing　manner。　Luther's　appeal　in　this　treatise

to　kings；　princes；　the　nobility；　municipalities　and　communities；

to　declare　against　the　misuse　of　spiritual　powers　and　to　abolish

various　abuses　in　civil　life；　marks　this　treatise　as　a　forerunner

of　the　great　Reformation　writings；　which　appeared　in　the　same

year　（1520）；　while；　on　the　other　hand；　his　espousal　of　the　rights

of　the　〃poor　man〃　　to　be　met　with　here　for　the　first　time　

shows　that　the　Monk　of　Witttenberg；　coming　from　the　narrow　limits

of　the　convent；　had　an　intimate　and　sympathetic　knowledge　of　the

social　needs　of　his　time。　Thus　he　proved　by　his　own　example　that

to　take　s　stand　in　the　center　of　the　Gospel　does　not　narrow　the

vision　nor　harden　the　heart；　but　rather　produces　courage　in　the

truth　and　sympathy　for　all　manner　of　misery。　



Luther's　contemporaries　at　once　recognized　the　great　importance

of　the　Treatise；　for　within　the　period　of　seven　months　it　passed

through　eight　editions；　these　were　followed　by　six　more　editions

between　the　years　of　1521　and　1525；　in　1521　it　was　translated

into　Latin；　and　in　this　form　passed　through　three　editions　up　to

the　year　1525；　and　all　this　in　spite　of　the　fact　that　in　those

years　the　so…called　three　great　Reformation　writings　of　1520　were

casting　all　else　into　the　shadow。　Melanchthon；　in　a

contemporaneous　letter　to　John　Hess；　called　it　Luther's　best

book。　John　Mathesius；　the　well…known　pastor　at　Joachimsthal　and

Luther's　biographer；　acknowledged　that　he　had　learned　the

〃rudiments　of　Christianity〃　from　it。　



Even　to…day　this　book　has　its　peculiar　mission　to　the　Church。　The

seeking　after　self…elected　works；　the　indolence　regarding　the

works　commanded　of　God；　the　foolish　opinion；　that　the　path　of

works　leads　to　God's　grace　and　good…will；　are　even　to…day　widely

prevalent　within　the　kingdom　of　God。　To　all　this　Luther's

treatise　answers：　Be　diligent　in　the　works　of　your　earthly

calling　as　commanded　of　God；　but　only　after　having　first

strengthened；　by　the　consideration　of　God's　mercy；　the　faith

within　you；　which　is　the　only　source　of　all　truly　good　works　and

well…pleasing　to　God。　



M。　REU。　



WARTBURG　SEMINARY；　DUBUQUE；　IOWA。

TREATISE　ON　GOOD　WORKS



1520



DEDICATION



JESUS





To　the　Illustrious；　High…born　Prince　and　Lord；　John　Duke　of

Saxony；　Landgrave　of　Thuringia；　Margrave　of　Meissen；　my　gracious

Lord　and　Patron。　





Illustrious；　High…born　Prince；　gracious　Lord！　My　humble　duty　and

my　feeble　prayer　for　your　Grace　always　remembered！　



For　a　long　time；　gracious　Prince　and　Lord；　I　have　wished　to　show

my　humble　respect　and　duty　toward　your　princely　Grace；　by　the

exhibition　of　some　such　spirtual　wares　as　are　at　my　disposal；　but

I　have　always　considered　my　powers　too　feeble　to　undertake

anything　worthy　of　being　offered　to　your　princely　Grace。　



Since；　however；　my　most　gracious　Lord　Frederick；　Duke　of　Saxony；

Elector　and　Vicar　of　the　Holy　Roman　Empire；　your　Grace's　brother；

has　not　despised；　but　graciously　accepted　my　slight　book；

dedicated　to　his　electoral　Grace；　and　now　published　　though

such　was　not　my　intention；　I　have　taken　courage　from　his　gracious

example　and　ventured　to　think　that　the　princely　spirit；　like　the

princely　blood；　may　be　the　same　in　both　of　you；　especially　in

gracious　kindness　and　good　will。　I　have　hoped　that　yout　princely

Grace　likewise　would　not　despise　this　my　humble　offering　which

I　have　felt　more　need　of　publishing　than　an　other　of　my　sermons

or　tracts。　For　the　greatest　of　all　questions　has　been　raised；　the

question　of　Good　Works；　in　which　is　practised　immeasurably　more

trickery　and　deception　than　in　anything　else；　and　in　which　the

simpleminded　man　is　so　easily　misled　that　our　Lord　Christ　has

commanded　us　to　watch　carefully　for　the　sheep's　clothings　under

which　the　wolves　hide　themselves。　



Neither　silver；　gold；　precious　stones；　nor　any　rare　thing　has

such　manifold　alloys　and　flaws　as　have　good　works；　which　ought

to　have　a　single　simple　goodness；　and　without　it　are　mere　color；

show　and　deceit。　



And　although　I　know　and　daily　hear　many　people；　who　think

slightingly　of　my　poverty；　and　say　that　I　write　only　little

pamphletst　and　German　sermons　for　the　unlearned　laity；　this　shall

not　disturb　me。　Would　to　God　I　had　in　all　my　life；　with　all　the

ability　I　have；　helped　one　layman　to　be　better！　I　would　be

satisfied；　thank　God；　and　be　quite　willing　then　to　let　all　my

little　books　perish。　



Whether　the　making　of　many　great　books　is　an　art　and　a　benefit

to　the　Church；　I　leave　others　to　judge。　But　I　believe　that　if　I

were　minded　to　make　great　books　according　to　their　art；　I　could；

with　God's　help；　do　it　more　readily　perhaps　than　they　could

prepare　a　little　discourse　after　my　fashion。　If　accomplishment

were　as　easy　as　persecution；　Christ　would　long　since　have　been

cast　out　of　heaven　again；　and　God's　throne　itself　overturned。

Although　we　cannot　all　be　writers；　we　all　want　to　be　critics。　



I　will　most　gladly　leave　to　any　one　else　the　honor　of　greater

things；　and　not　be　at　all　ashamed　to　preach　and　to　write　in

German　for　the　unlearned　laymen。　Although　I　too　have　little　skill

in　it；　I　believe　that　if　we　had　hitherto　done；　and　should

henceforth　do　more　of　it；　Christendom　would　have　reaped　no　small

advantage；　and　have　been　more　bene　fited　by　this　than　by　the

great；　deep　books　and　quaestiones；　which　are　used　only　in　the

schools；　among　the　learned。　



Then；　too；　I　have　never　forced　or　begged　any　one　to　hear　me；　or

to　read　my　sermons。　I　have　freely　ministered　in　the　Church　of

that　which　God　has　given　me　and　which　I　owe　the　Church。　Whoever

likes　it　not；　may　hear　and　read　what　others　have　to　say。　And　if

they　are　not　willing　to　be　my　debtors；　it　matters　little。　For　me

it　is　enough；　and　even　more　than　too　much；　that　some　laymen

condescend　to　read　what　I　say。　Even　though　there　were　nothing

else　to　urge　me；　it　should　be　more　than　sufficient　that　I　have

learned　that　your　princely　Grace　is　pleased　with　such　German

books　and　is　eager　to　receive　instruction　in　Good　Works　and　the

Faith；　with　which　instruction　it　was　my　duty；　humbly　and　with　all

diligence　to　serve　you。　



Therefore；　in　dutiful　humility　I　pray　that　your　princely　Grace

may　accept　this　offering　of　mine　with　a　gracious　mind；　until；　if

God　grant　me　time；　I　prepare　a　German　exposition　of　the　Faith　in

its　entirety。　For　at　this　time　I　have　wished　to　show　how　in　all

good　works　we　should　practice　and　make　use　of　faith；　and　let

faith　be　the　chief　work。　If　God　permit；　I　will　treat　at　another

time　of　the　Faith　itself　　how　we　are　daily　to　pray　or　recite

it。　



I　humbly　commend　myself　herewith　to　your　princely　Grace；　Your

Princely　Grace's　Humble　Chaplain；



DR。　MARTIN　LUTHER。　

From　Wittenberg；　March　29th；　A。　D。　1520。　

THE　TREATISE



I。　We　ought　first　to　know　that　there　are　no　good　works　except

those　which　God　has　commanded；　even　as　there　is　no　sin　except

that　which　God　has　forbidden。　Therefore　whoever　wishes　to　know

and　to　do　good　works　needs　nothing　else　than　to　know　God's

commandments。　Thus　Christ　says；　Matthew　xix；　〃If　thou　wilt　enter

into　life；　keep　the　commandments。〃　And　when　the　young　man　asks

Him；　Matthew　xix；　what　he　shall　do　that　he　may　inherit　eternal

life；　Christ　sets　before　him　naught　else　but　the　Ten

Commandments。　Accordingly；　we　must　learn　how　to　distinguish　among

good　works　from　the　Commandments　of　God；　and　not　from　the

appearance；　the　magnitude；　or　the　number　of　the　works　themselves；

nor　from　the　judgment　of　men　or　of　human　law　or　custom；　as　we　see

has　been　done　and　still　is　done；　because　we　are　blind　and　despise

the　divine　Commandments。　



II。　The　first　and　highest；　the　most　precious　of　all　good　works

is　faith　in　Christ；　as　He　says；　John　vi。　When　the　Jews　asked　Him：

〃What　shall　we　do　that　we　may　work　the　works　of　God？〃　He

answered：　〃This　is　the　work　of　God；　that　ye　believe　on　Him　Whom

He　hath　sent。〃　When　we　hear　or　preach　this　word；　we　hasten　over

it　and　deem　it　a　very　little　thing　and　easy　to　do；　whereas　we

ought　here　to　pause　a　long　time　and　to　ponder　it　well。　For　in

this　work　all　good　works　must　be　done　and　receive　from　it　the

inflow　of　their　goodness；　like　a　loan。　This　we　must　put　bluntly；

that　men　may　understand　it。　



We　find　many　who　pray；　fast；　establish　endowments；　do　this　or

that；　lead　a　good　life　before　men；　and　yet　if　you　should　ask　them

whether　they　are　sure　that　what　they　do　pleases　God；　they　say；

〃No〃；　they　do　not　know；　or　they　doubt。　And　there　are　some　very

learned　men；　who　mislead　them；　and　say　that　it　is　not　necessary

to　be　sure　of　this；　and　yet；　on　the　other　hand；　these　same　men

do　nothing　else　but　teach　good　works。　Now　all　these　works　are

done　outside　of　faith；　therefore　they　are　nothing　and　altogether

dead。　For　as　their　conscience　stands　toward　God　and　as　it

believes；　so　also　are　the　works　which　grow　out　of　it。　Now　they

have　no　faith；　no　good　conscience　toward　God；　therefore　the　works

lack　their　head；　and　all　their　life　and　goodness　is　nothing。

Hence　it　comes　that　when　I　exalt　faith　and　reject　such　works　done

without　faith；　they　accuse　me　of　forbidding　good　works；　when　in

truth　I　am　try