a treatise on good works-第8章

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satisfactory　and　right　before　God；　and　so　leave　them　until　they

learn　to　do　right　for　the　sake　of　God's　commandments　also。　Just

as　young　children　are　induced　to　pray；　fast；　learn；　etc。；　by

gifts　and　promises　of　the　parents；　even　though　it　would　not　be

good　to　treat　them　so　all　their　lives；　so　that　they　never　learn

to　do　good　in　the　fear　of　God：　far　worse；　if　they　become

accustomed　to　do　good　for　the　sake　of　praise　and　honor。　



XXIII。　But　this　is　true；　that　we　must　none　the　less　have　a　good

name　and　honor；　and　every　one　ought　so　to　live　that　nothing　evil

can　be　said　of　him；　and　that　he　give　offence　to　no　one；　as　St。

Paul　says；　Romans　xii：　〃We　are　to　be　zealous　to　do　good；　not　only

before　God；　but　also　before　all　men。〃　And　II。　Corinthians　iv：　〃We

walk　so　honestly　that　no　man　knows　anything　against　us。〃　But

there　must　be　great　diligence　and　care；　lest　such　honor　and　good

name　puff　up　the　heart；　and　the　heart　find　pleasure　in　them。　Here

the　saying　of　Solomon　holds：　〃As　the　fire　in　the　furnace　proveth

the　gold；　so　man　is　proved　by　the　mouth　of　him　that　praises　him。〃

Few　and　most　spiritual　men　must　they　be；　who；　when　honored　and

praised；　remain　indifferent　and　unchanged；　so　that　they　do　not

care　for　it；　nor　feel　pride　and　pleasure　in　it；　but　remain

entirely　free；　ascribe　all　their　honor　and　fame　to　God；　offering

it　to　Him　alone；　and　using　it　only　to　the　glory　of　God；　to　the

edification　of　their　neighbors；　and　in　no　way　to　their　own

benefit　or　advantage；　so　that　a　man　trust　not　in　his　own　honor；

nor　exalt　himself　above　the　most　incapable；　despised　man　on

earth；　but　acknowledge　himself　a　servant　of　God；　Who　has　given

him　the　honor　in　order　that　with　it　he　may　serve　God　and　his

neighbor；　just　as　if　He　had　commanded　him　to　distribute　some

gulden　to　the　poor　for　His　sake。　So　He　says；　Matthew　v：　〃Your

light　shall　shine　before　men；　so　that　they　may　see　your　good

works　and　glorify　your　Father　Who　is　in　heaven。〃　He　does　not　say；

〃they　shall　praise　you；〃　but　〃your　works　shall　only　serve　them

to　edification；　that　through　them　they　may　praise　God　in　you　and

in　themselves。〃　This　is　the　correct　use　of　God's　Name　and　honor；

when　God　is　thereby　praised　through　the　edification　of　others。

And　if　men　want　to　praise　us　and　not　God　in　us；　we　are　not　to

endure　it；　but　with　all　our　powers　forbid　it　and　flee　from　it　as

from　the　most　grievous　sin　and　robbery　of　divine　honor。　



XXIV。　Hence　it　comes　that　God　frequently　permits　a　man　to　fall

into　or　remain　in　grievous　sin；　in　order　that　he　may　be　put　to

shame　in　his　own　eyes　and　in　the　eyes　of　all　men；　who　otherwise

could　not　have　kept　himself　from　this　great　vice　of　vain　honor

and　fame；　if　he　had　remained　constant　in　his　great　gifts　and

virtues；　so　God　must　ward　off　this　sin　by　means　of　other　grievous

sins；　that　His　Name　alone　may　be　honored；　and　thus　one　sin

becomes　the　other's　medicine；　because　of　our　perverse　wickedness；

which　not　only　does　the　evil；　but　also　misuses　all　that　is　good。　



Now　see　how　much　a　man　has　to　do；　if　he　would　do　good　works；

which　always　are　at　hand　in　great　number；　and　with　which　he　is

surrounded　on　all　sides；　but；　alas！　because　of　his　blindness；　he

passes　them　by　and　seeks　and　runs　after　others　of　his　own

devising　and　pleasure；　against　which　no　man　can　sufficiently

speak　and　no　man　can　sufficiently　guard。　With　this　all　the

prophets　had　to　contend；　and　for　this　reason　they　were　all　slain；

only　because　they　rejected　such　self…devised　works　and　preached

only　God's　commandments；　as　one　of　them　says；　Jeremiah　vii：　〃Thus

saith　the　God　of　Israel　unto　you：　Take　your　burnt　offerings　unto

all　your　sacrifices　and　eat　your　burnt…offerings　and　your　flesh

yourselves；　for　concerning　these　things　I　have　commanded　you

nothing；　but　this　thing　commanded　I　you：　Obey　My　voice　（that　is；

not　what　seems　right　and　good　to　you；　but　what　I　bid　you）；　and

walk　in　the　way　that　I　have　commanded　you。〃　And　Deuteronomy　xii：

〃Thou　shalt　not　do　whatsoever　is　right　in　thine　own　eyes；　but

what　thy　God　has　commanded　thee。〃　



These　and　numberless　like　passages　of　Scripture　are　spoken　to

tear　man　not　only　from　sins；　but　also　from　the　works　which　seem

to　men　to　be　good　and　right；　and　to　turn　men；　with　a　single　mind；

to　the　simple　meaning　of　God's　commandment　only；　that　they　shall

diligently　observe　this　only　and　always；　as　it　is　written；　Exodus

xiii：　〃These　commandments　shall　be　for　a　sign　unto　thee　upon

thine　hand；　and　for　a　memorial　between　thine　eyes。〃　And　Psalm　i：

〃A　godly　man　meditates　in　God's　Law　day　and　night。〃　For　we　have

more　than　enough　and　too　much　to　do；　if　we　are　to　satisfy　only

God's　commandments。　He　has　given　us　such　commandments　that　if　we

understand　them　aright；　we　dare　not　for　a　moment　be　idle；　and

might　easily　forget　all　other　works。　But　the　evil　spirit；　who

never　rests；　when　he　cannot　lead　us　to　the　left　into　evil　works；

fights　on　our　right　through　self…devised　works　that　seem　good；

but　against　which　God　has　commanded；　Deuteronomy　xxviii；　and

Joshua　xxiii；　〃Ye　shall　not　go　aside　from　My　commandments　to　the

right　hand　or　to　the　left。〃　



XXV。　The　third　work　of　this　Commandment　is　to　call　upon　God's

Name　in　every　need。　For　this　God　regards　as　keeping　His　Name　holy

and　greatly　honoring　it；　if　we　name　and　call　upon　it　in　adversity

and　need。　And　this　is　really　why　He　sends　us　so　much　trouble；

suffering；　adversity　and　even　death；　and　lets　us　live　in　many

wicked；　sinful　affections；　that　He　may　thereby　urge　man　and　give

him　much　reason　to　run　to　Him；　to　cry　aloud　to　Him；　to　call　upon

His　holy　Name；　and　thus　to　fulfil　this　work　of　the　Second

Commandment；　as　He　says　in　Psalm　1：　〃Call　upon　Me　in　the　day　of

trouble；　I　will　deliver　thee；　and　thou　shalt　glorify　Me；　for　I

desire　the　sacrifice　of　praise。〃　And　this　is　the　way　whereby　thou

canst　come　unto　salvation；　for　through　such　works　man　perceives

and　learns　what　God's　Name　is；　how　powerful　it　is　to　help　all　who

call　upon　it；　and　whereby　confidence　and　faith　grow　mightily；　and

these　are　the　fulfilling　of　the　first　and　highest　Commandment。

This　is　the　experience　of　David；　Psalm　liv：　〃Thou　hast　delivered

me　out　of　all　trouble；　therefore　will　I　praise　Thy　Name　and

confess　that　it　is　lovely　and　sweet。〃　And　Psalm　xci　says；

〃Because　he　hath　set　his　hope　upon　Me；　therefore　will　I　deliver

him：　I　will　help　him；　because　he　hath　known　My　Name。〃　



Lo！　what　man　is　there　on　earth；　who　would　not　all　his　life　long

have　enough　to　do　with　this　work？　For　who　lives　an　hour　without

trials？　I　will　not　mention　the　trials　of　adversity；　which　are

innumerable。　For　this　is　the　most　dangerous　trial　of　all；　when

there　is　no　trial　and　every　thing　is　and　goes　well；　for　then　a

man　is　tempted　to　forget　God；　to　become　too　bold　and　to　misuse

the　times　of　prosperity。　Yea；　here　he　has　ten　times　more　need　to

call　upon　God's　Name　than　when　in　adversity。　Since　it　is　written；

Psalm　xci；　〃A　thousand　shall　fall　on　the　left　hand　and　ten

thousand　on　the　right　hand。〃　



So　too　we　see　in　broad　day；　in　all　men's　daily　experience；　that

more　heinous　sins　and　vice　occur　when　there　is　peace；　when　all

things　are　cheap　and　there　are　good　times；　than　when　war；

pestilence；　sicknesses　and　all　manner　of　misfortune　burden　us；

so　that　Moses　also　fears　for　his　people；　lest　they　forsake　God's

commandment　for　no　other　reason　than　because　they　are　too　full；

too　well　provided　for　and　have　too　much　peace；　as　he　says；

Deuteronomy　xxxii　〃My　people　is　waxed　rich；　full　and　fat；

therefore　has　it　forsaken　its　God。〃　Wherefore　also　God　let　many

of　its　enemies　remain　and　would　not　drive　them　out；　in　order　that

they　should　not　have　peace　and　must　exercise　themselves　in　the

keeping　of　God's　commandments；　as　it　is　written；　Judges　iii。　So

He　deals　with　us　also；　when　He　sends　us　all　kinds　of　misfortune：

so　exceedingly　careful　is　He　of　us；　that　He　may　teach　us　and

drive　us　to　honor　and　call　upon　His　Name；　to　gain　confidence　and

faith　toward　Him；　and　so　to　fulfil　the　first　two　Commandments。　



XXVI。　Here　foolish　men　run　into　danger；　and　especially　the

work…righteous　saints；　and　those　who　want　to　be　more　than　others；

they　teach　men　to　make　the　sign　of　the　cross；　one　arms　himself

with　letters；　another　runs　to　the　fortunetellers；　one　seeks　this；

another　that；　if　only　they　may　thereby　escape　misfortune　and　be

secure。　It　is　beyond　telling　what　a　devilish　allurement　attaches

to　this　trifling　with　sorcery；　conjuring　and　superstition；　all

of　which　is　done　only　that　men　may　not　need　God's　Name　and　put

no　trust　in　it。　Here　great　dishonor　is　done　the　Name　of　God　and

the　first　two　Commandments；　in　that　men　look　to　the　devil；　men

or　creatures　for　that　which　should　be　sought　and　found　in　God

alone；　through　naught　but　a　pure　faith　and　confidence；　and　a

cheerful　meditation　of　and　calling　upon　His　holy　Name。　



Now　examine　this　closely　for　yourself　and　see　whether　this　is　not

a　gross；　mad　perversion：　the　devil；　men　and　creatures　they　must

believe；　and　trust　to　them　for　the　best；　without　such　faith　and

confidence　nothing　holds　or　helps。　How　shall　the　good　and

faithful　God　reward　us　for　not　believing　and　trusting　Him　as　much

or　more　than　man　and　the　devil；　although　He　not　only　promises

help　and　sure　assistance；　but　also　commands　us　confidently　to

look　for　it；　and　gives　and　urges　all　manner　of　reasons　why　we

should　place　such　faith　and　confidence　in　Him？　Is　it　not

lamentable　and　pitiable　that　the　devil　or　man；　who　commands

nothing　and　does　not　urge；　but　only　promises；　is　set　above　God；

Who　promises；　urges　and　commands；　and　that　more　is　thought　of

them　than　of　God　Himself？　We　ought　truly　to　be　ashamed　of

ourselves　and　learn　from　the　example　of　those　who　trust　the　devil

or　men。　For　if　the　devil；　who　is　a　wicked；　lying　spirit；　keeps

faith　with　all　those　who　ally　themselves　with　him；　how　much　more

will　not　the　most　gracious；　all…truthful　God　keep　faith；　if　a　man

trusts　Him？　Nay；　is　it　not　rather　He　alone　Who　will　keep　faith？

A　rich　man　trusts　and　relies　upon　his　money　and　possessions；　and

they　help　him；　and　we　are　not　willing　to　trust　and　rely　upon　the

living　God；　that　He　is　willing　and　able　to　help　us？　We　say：　Gold

makes　bold；　and　it　is　true；　as　Baruch　iii。　says；　〃Gold　is　a　thing

wherein　men　trust。〃　But　far　greater　is　the　courage　which　the

highest　eternal　Good　gives；　wherein　trust；　not　men；　but　only

God's　children。　



XXVII。　Even　if　none　of　these　adversities　constrain　us　to　call

upon　God's　Name　and　to　trust　Him；　yet　were　sin　alone　more　than

sufficient　to　train　and　to　urge　us　on　in　this　work。　For　sin　has

hemmed　us　in　with　three　strong；　mighty　armies。　The　first　is　our

own　flesh；　the　second　the　world；　the　third　the　evil　spirit；　by

which　three　we　are　without　ceasing　oppressed　and　troubled；

whereby　God　gives　us　occasion　to　do　good　works　without　ceasing；

namely；　to　fight　with　these　enemies　and　sins。　The　flesh　seeks

pleasure　and　peace；　the　world　seeks　riches；