a treatise on good works-第6章

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health；　you　would　have　the　use　of　all　your　limbs；　but　without

health；　the　works　of　all　your　limbs　are　nothing〃；　and　he　wanted

to　infer　that　I　had　forbidden　the　works　of　all　his　limbs；

whereas；　on　the　contrary；　I　meant　that　he　must　first　have　health；

which　will　work　all　the　works　of　all　the　members。　So　faith　also

must　be　in　all　works　the　master…workman　and　captain；　or　they　are

nothing　at　all。　



XIV。　You　might　say：　〃Why　then　do　we　have　so　many　laws　of　the

Church　and　of　the　State；　and　many　ceremonies　of　churches；

monastic　houses；　holy　places；　which　urge　and　tempt　men　to　good

works；　if　faith　does　all　things　through　the　First　Commandment？〃

I　answer：　Simply　because　we　do　not　all　have　faith　or　do　not　heed

it。　If　every　man　had　faith；　we　would　need　no　more　laws；　but　every

one　would　of　himself　at　all　times　do　good　works；　as　his

confidence　in　God　teaches　him。　



But　now　there　are　four　kinds　of　men：　the　first；　just　mentioned；

who　need　no　law；　of　whom　St。　Paul　says；　I。　Timothy　i；　〃The　law

is　not　made　for　a　righteous　man；〃　that　is；　for　the　believer；　but

believers　of　themselves　do　what　they　know　and　can　do；　only

because　they　firmly　trust　that　God's　favor　and　grace　rests　upon

them　in　all　things。　The　second　class　want　to　abuse　this　freedom；

put　a　false　confidence　in　it；　and　grow　lazy；　of　whom　St。　Peter

says；　I。　Peter　ii；　〃Ye　shall　live　as　free　men；　but　not　using　your

liberty　for　a　cloak　of　maliciousness；〃　as　if　he　said：　The　freedom

of　faith　does　not　permit　sins；　nor　will　it　cover　them；　but　it

sets　us　free　to　do　all　manner　of　good　works　and　to　endure　all

things　as　they　happen　to　us；　so　that　a　man　is　not　bound　only　to

one　work　or　to　a　few。　So　also　St。　Paul；　Galatians　v：　〃Use　not

your　liberty　for　an　occasion　to　the　flesh。〃　Such　men　must　be

urged　by　laws　and　hemmed　in　by　teaching　and　exhortation。　The

third　class　are　wicked　men；　always　ready　for　sins；　these　must　be

constrained　by　spiritual　and　temporal　laws；　like　wild　horses　and

dogs；　and　where　this　does　not　help；　they　must　be　put　to　death　by

the　worldly　sword；　as　St。　Paul　says；　Romans　xiii：　〃The　worldly

ruler　bears　the　sword；　and　serves　God　with　it；　not　as　a　terror

to　the　good；　but　to　the　evil。〃　The　fourth　class；　who　are　still

lusty；　and　childish　in　their　understanding　of　faith　and　of　the

spiritual　life；　must　be　coaxed　like　young　children　and　tempted

with　external；　definite　and　prescribed　decorations；　with　reading；

praying；　fasting；　singing；　adorning　of　churches；　organ　playing；

and　such　other　things　as　are　commanded　and　observed　in　monastic

houses　and　churches；　until　they　also　learn　to　know　the　faith。

Although　there　is　great　danger　here；　when　the　rulers；　as　is　now；

alas！　the　case；　busy　themselves　with　and　insist　upon　such

ceremonies　and　external　works　as　if　they　were　the　true　works；　and

neglect　faith；　which　they　ought　always　to　teach　along　with　these

works；　just　as　a　mother　gives　her　child　other　food　along　with　the

milk；　until　the　child　can　eat　the　strong　food　by　itself。



XV。　Since；　then；　we　are　not　all　alike；　we　must　tolerate　such

people；　share　their　observances　and　burdens；　and　not　despise

them；　but　teach　them　the　true　way　of　faith。　So　St。　Paul　teaches；

Romans　xiv：　〃Him　that　is　weak　in　the　faith　receive　ye；　to　teach

him。〃　And　so　he　did　himself；　I。　Corinthians　ix：　〃To　them　that　are

under　the　law；　I　became　as　under　the　law；　although　I　was　not

under　the　law。〃　And　Christ；　Matthew　xvii；　when　He　was　asked　to

pay　tribute；　which　He　was　not　obligated　to　pay；　argues　with　St。

Peter；　whether　the　children　of　kings　must　give　tribute；　or　only

other　people。　St。　Peter　answers：　〃Only　other　people。〃　Christ

said：　〃Then　are　the　children　of　kings　free；　notwithstanding；　lest

we　should　offend　them；　go　thou　to　the　sea；　and　cast　an　hook；　and

take　up　the　fish　that　first　cometh　up；　and　in　his　mouth　thou

shalt　find　a　piece　of　money；　take　that　and　give　it　for　me　and

thee。〃　



Here　we　see　that　all　works　and　things　are　free　to　a　Christian

through　his　faith；　and　yet；　because　the　others　do　not　yet

believe；　he　observes　and　bears　with　them　what　he　is　not　obligated

to　do。　But　this　he　does　freely；　for　he　is　certain　that　this　is

pleasing　to　God；　and　he　does　it　willingly；　accepts　it　as　any

other　free　work　which　comes　to　his　hand　without　his　choice；

because　he　desires　and　seeks　no　more　than　that　he　may　in　his

faith　do　works　to　please　God。　



But　since　in　this　discourse　we　have　undertaken　to　teach　what

righteous　and　good　works　are；　and　are　now　speaking　of　the　highest

work；　it　is　clear　that　we　do　not　speak　of　the　second；　third　and

fourth　classes　of　men；　but　of　the　first；　into　whose　likeness　all

the　others　are　to　grow；　and　until　they　do　so　the　first　class　must

endure　and　instruct　them。　Therefore　we　must　not　despise；　as　if

they　were　hopeless；　these　men　of　weak　faith；　who　would　gladly　do

right　and　learn；　and　yet　cannot　understand　because　of　the

ceremonies　to　which　they　cling；　we　must　rather　blame　their

ignorant；　blind　teachers；　who　have　never　taught　them　the　faith；

and　have　led　them　so　deeply　into　works。　They　must　be　gently　and

gradually　led　back　again　to　faith；　as　a　sick　man　is　treated；　and

must　be　allowed　for　a　time；　for　their　conscience　sake；　to　cling

to　some　works　and　do　them　as　necessary　to　salvation；　so　long　as

they　rightly　grasp　the　faith；　lest　if　we　try　to　tear　them　out　so

suddenly；　their　weak　consciences　be　quite　shattered　and　confused；

and　retain　neither　faith　nor　works。　But　the　hardheaded；　who；

hardened　in　their　works；　give　no　heed　to　what　is　said　of　faith；

and　fight　against　it；　these　we　must；　as　Christ　did　and　taught；

let　go　their　way；　that　the　blind　may　lead　the　blind。　



XVI。　But　you　say：　How　can　I　trust　surely　that　all　my　works　are

pleasing　to　God；　when　at　times　I　fall；　and　talk；　eat；　drink　and

sleep　too　much；　or　otherwise　transgress；　as　I　cannot　help　doing？

Answer：　This　question　shows　that　you　still　regard　faith　as　a　work

among　other　works；　and　do　not　set　it　above　all　works。　For　it　is

the　highest　work　for　this　very　reason；　because　it　remains　and

blots　out　these　daily　sins　by　not　doubting　that　God　is　so　kind

to　you　as　to　wink　at　such　daily　transgression　and　weakness。　Aye；

even　if　a　deadly　sin　should　occur　（which；　however；　never　or

rarely　happens　to　those　who　live　in　faith　and　trust　toward　God）；

yet　faith　rises　again　and　does　not　doubt　that　its　sin　is　already

gone；　as　it　is　written　I。　John　ii：　〃My　little　children；　these

things　I　write　unto　you；　that　ye　sin　not。　And　if　any　man　sin；　we

have　an　Advocate　with　God　the　Father；　Jesus　Christ；　Who　is　the

propitiation　of　all　our　sins。〃　And　Wisdom　xv：　〃For　if　we　sin；　we

are　Thine；　knowing　Thy　power。〃　And　Proverbs　xxiv：　〃For　a　just　man

falleth　seven　times；　and　riseth　up　again。〃　Yes；　this　confidence

and　faith　must　be　so　high　and　strong　that　the　man　knows　that　all

his　life　and　works　are　nothing　but　damnable　sins　before　God's

judgment；　as　it　is　written；　Psalm　cxliii：　〃In　thy　sight　shall　no

man　living　be　justified〃；　and　he　must　entirely　despair　of　his

works；　believing　that　they　cannot　be　good　except　through　this

faith；　which　looks　for　no　judgment；　but　only　for　pure　grace；

favor；　kindness　and　mercy；　like　David；　Psalm　xxvi：　〃Thy　loving

kindness　is　ever　before　mine　eyes；　and　I　have　trusted　in　Thy

truth〃；　Psalm　iv：　〃The　light　of　Thy　countenance　is　lift　up　upon

us　（that　is；　the　knowledge　of　Thy　grace　through　faith）；　and

thereby　hast　Thou　put　gladness　in　my　heart〃；　for　as　faith　trusts；

so　it　receives。　



See；　thus　are　works　forgiven；　are　without　guilt　and　are　good；　not

by　their　own　nature；　but　by　the　mercy　and　grace　of　God　because

of　the　faith　which　trusts　on　the　mercy　of　God。　Therefore　we　must

fear　because　of　the　works；　but　comfort　ourselves　because　of　the

grace　of　God；　as　it　is　written；　Psalm　cxlvii：　〃The　Lord　taketh

pleasure　in　them　that　I　fear　Him；　in　those　that　hope　in　His

mercy。〃　So　we　pray　with　perfect　confidence：　〃Our　Father；〃　and　yet

petition：　〃Forgive　us　our　trespasses〃；　we　are　children　and　yet

sinners；　are　acceptable　and　yet　do　not　do　enough；　and　all　this

is　the　work　of　faith；　firmly　grounded　in　God's　grace。　



XVII。　But　if　you　ask；　where　the　faith　and　the　confidence　can　be

found　and　whence　they　come；　this　it　is　certainly　most　necessary

to　know。　First：　Without　doubt　faith　does　not　come　from　your　works

or　merit；　but　alone　from　Jesus　Christ；　and　is　freely　promised　and

given；　as　St。　Paul　writes；　Romans　v：　〃God　commendeth　His　love　to

us　as　exceeding　sweet　and　kindly；　in　that；　while　we　were　yet

sinners；　Christ　died　for　us〃；　as　if　he　said：　〃Ought　not　this　give

us　a　strong　unconquerable　confidence；　that　before　we　prayed　or

cared　for　it；　yes；　while　we　still　continually　walked　in　sins；

Christ　dies　for　our　sin？〃　St。　Paul　concludes：　〃If　while　we　were

yet　sinners　Christ　died　for　us；　how　much　more　then；　being

justified　by　His　blood；　shall　we　be　saved　from　wrath　through　Him；

and　if；　when　we　were　enemies；　we　were　reconciled　to　God　by　the

death　of　His　Son；　much　more；　being　reconciled；　shall　we　be　saved

by　His　life。〃　



Lo！　thus　must　thou　form　Christ　within　thyself　and　see　how　in　Him

God　holds　before　thee　and　offers　thee　His　mercy　without　any

previous　merits　of　thine　own；　and　from　such　a　view　of　His　grace

must　thou　draw　faith　and　confidence　of　the　forgiveness　of　all　thy

sins。　Faith；　therefore；　does　not　begin　with　works；　neither　do

they　create　it；　but　it　must　spring　up　and　flow　from　the　blood；

wounds　and　death　of　Christ。　If　thou　see　in　these　that　God　is　so

kindly　affectioned　toward　thee　that　He　gives　even　His　Son　for

thee；　then　thy　heart　also　must　in　its　turn　grow　sweet　and　kindly

affectioned　toward　God；　and　so　thy　confidence　must　grow　out　of

pure　good…will　and　love　　God's　love　toward　thee　and　thine

toward　God。　We　never　read　that　the　Holy　Spirit　was　given　to　any

one　when　he　did　works；　but　always　when　men　have　heard　the　Gospel

of　Christ　and　the　mercy　of　God。　From　this　same　Word　and　from　no

other　source　must　faith　still　come；　even　in　our　day　and　always。

For　Christ　is　the　rock　out　of　which　men　suck　oil　and　honey；　as

Moses　says；　Deuteronomy　xxxii。　



XVIII。　So　far　we　have　treated　of　the　first　work　and　of　the　First

Commandment；　but　very　briefly；　plainly　and　hastily；　for　very　much

might　be　said　of　it。　We　will　now　trace　the　works　farther　through

the　following　Commandments。　



The　second　work；　next　to　faith；　is　the　work　of　the　Second

Commandment；　that　we　shall　honor　God's　Name　and　not　take　it　in

vain。　This；　like　all　the　other　works；　cannot　be　done　without

faith；　and　if　it　is　done　without　faith；　it　is　all　sham　and　show。

After　faith　we　can　do　no　greater　work　than　to　praise；　preach；

sing　and　in　every　way　exalt　and　magnify　God's　glory；　honor　and

Name。　



And　although　I　have　said　above；　and　it　is　true；　that　there　is　no

difference　in　works　where　faith　is　and　does　the　work；　yet　this

is　true　only　when　they　are　compared　with　faith　and　its　works。

Measured　by　one　another　there　is　a　difference；　and