delay or grudging Forasmuch as God alwayes forgiueth vs innumerable sinnes Our dette whereby we are bound vnto God is ten thousand talents that is so vnmeasurable and great that we are not able to pay it with all our substance all our strength and workes For we can put away no one sinne although it be euen very litle Seeing therefore that God doth remit so many sinnes of his grace in his kingdome it is meete that we should forgiue our neighbour a few offences Of this kingdom of God wherein sinnes are forgiuen the Scripture euery where maketh mention and sayth that the kingdom dominion of Christ doth extend from one ende of the lande to the other So sayth Dauid Psal 72 His dominion shall be from the one sea to the other and from the fludde vnto the ende of the earth And a litle after he sayth All nations shall serue him This also the Angell Gabriell declared to the Virgine Marie Luke 1. where he sayth thus of Christ The Lord shall giue vnto him the throne of his father Dauid and he shall reigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and of his kingdom shall be no end These and such like places do shew that the forgiuenes of sinnes wherin the kingdom of God doth especially consist hath no measure or bound Sixtly hereof we may see how vnchristianly they doe An vnchristian thinge to prescribe a measure to forgiuenes of sinnes which bringe forgiuenes of sinnes to a certaine measure as they doe which measure out their indulgences for prescribed yeares with forgiuenes of the third fourth or halfe part For hereby they bringe the kingdom of God into a narrow and straite roome and are iniurious to his mercy forasmuch as there is no ende of his kingdom nor measure of his mercy But whosoeuer shal in faith call vpon the name of God shall be saued as often as he doth it Moreouer when the sinner shall be sory for his sinnes the Lorde will no more remember them as it is in the Prophecie of Ezechiel chap. 18. Seuenthly as this kingdome of God hath no measure or limits of forgiuenes of sinnes so also it hath no ende but endureth continually without ceassing albeit the subiects of this kingdom doe not abide in it continually firmely and faithfully but do often times forsake it So the fauour and grace of God were continually with Peter although he denied the Lorde and reuolted from him To the same effect tendeth the parable in the Gospell whereof we haue now spoken For the seruaunt which would not haue pitie of his felow seruaunt did make him selfe vnworthy of the mercy of God did depriue him selfe of the kingdom of God which consisteth in pardoning of offences as it is aboue mentioned Here Vniuersitie Diuines of a pregnant wit as they seeme vnto them selues and puffed vp with knowledge haue disputed whether and how forgiuenes of sinnes doth come againe when man iterateth or renueth his sinne not knowing what they say But follow thou the plaine and simple wordes of the Gospell to wit that thy sinnes are so often forgiuen thee as thou doost forgiue thy brother whom thou must so often forgiue as he shall offend against thee We must forgiue our brethren when they offend against vs. Wherefore in this parable whereof I haue euen now made mention Christ doth admonish vs all that we pardon and forgiue all them that haue offended vs. As if he would say As in mans affayres he which is beneficial to an other hath other also beneficiall vnto him againe so sayth Christ in the kingdom of heauen which consisteth specially in forgiuenes of sinnes that is in Christianity or among Christians he which pardoneth an other his offences I also will pardon him his And on the contrary he that is not mercifull toward an other to him I also will deny grace I am ouer you as Lord and King and ye are felow seruaunts and companions one with an other Seeing therefore that I your Lorde doe readily forgiue you you also ought more readily to forgiue one an other After the same sort also he hath commaunded vs to pray in the Lords prayer Matth. 6 Forgiue vs our dettes which he would not haue done if he did not promise and would not mercifully forgiue vs. But neuertheles he added a condition or signe to this promise when he sayth If ye forgiue men their trespasses your heauenly Father will also forgiue you The first is a signe the other a promise Marke that it is here enioyned vs to forgiue one an other his sinnes and offences so that we must be mercifull and bountifull towarde our neighbours if we will haue the heauenly father gentle and appeased toward vs. And let vs be most certainly perswaded hereof when we shall interpret at the best and excuse as much as equitie doth suffer the offences and trespasses of other although they be euen great and grieuous that we also shall haue a bountifull and mercifull father toward vs in heauen A most vnchristian thing not to forgiue our brethren but to beare malice in our hart seeke to be reuenged Wherefore it is a thinge most abhorring from Christianitie and euen blasphemous when it is sayd I can not neither will I forgiue him that which he hath committed against me I wil be reuenged c. Surely those blind meÌ„ are ignorant that they doe take from God his glory to whom alone vengeance belongeth and chalenge it to them selues and so they giue vp to the deuill their owne soules which they haue receiued of God ought to render them vnto him againe whereunto they are perhaps prouoked euen with some small or trifleling matter Such kind of men as these ought to sette before the eyes of their hart these wordes of the Gospell Matth. 18 O euill seruant I forgaue thee all that dette because thou prayedst me oughtest not thou also to haue had pitie on thy fellow seruant euen as I had pitie on thee So his Lord was wrath deliuered him to the tormentors til he should pay all that was due to him So likevvise shall mine heauenly Father doe vnto you except ye forgiue from your haâ—â— eche one to his brother their trespasses Neither is it sufficient if in gestures signes mouth or tongue thou shew thy selfe a frend vnto him and forgiue him but thou must doe it from thy hart otherwise God will not forgiue thee yea thou shalt be driuen out of the kingdom of grace Wherfore if at any tyme we haue tryed the mercy of God towarde vs we must also readily pardon our felow brethren which haue offended vs. For in that respect the mercifull Father forgiueth vs our sinnes that we also should forgiue our brethren shew mercy toward them euen as he is merciful toward vs and remitteth sinne death the fault and the punishment When we shal do this then are we receiued into the kingdom of God For the goodnes of God liueth in our hartes and
guide other whē thou thy selfe art blinder thē a moule so that he which foloweth thee doth fall with thee into the ditch Of such as iudge themselues to excell others thinke themselues to be followed more thē the word of God S. Paul speaketh Rom. 2 Behold saith he thou art called a Iew restest in the law gloriest in God knowest his will and triest the thinges that dissent from it in that thou art instructed by the law perswadest thy selfe that thou art a guide of the blinde a light of them which are in darknes an instructer of them which lacke discretiō a teacher of the vnlearned which hast the forme of knowledge of the truth in the law Thou therefore which teachest an other teachest thou not thy selfe thou that preachest A mā should not steale doest thou steale thou that sayest A man should not cōmit adulterie doest thou cōmit adulterie thou that abhorrest idols cōmittest thou sacrilege thou that gloriest in the law through breaking the law dishonourest thou God Whereupō he also sayth in the beginning of the same chapter to hypocrites Therefore thou art inexcusable O man who soeuer thou art that cōdemnest for in that that thou condemnest an other thou condemnest thy selfe for thou that condemnest doest the same thinges But we know that the iudgement of God is according to truth against them which commit such things And thinkest thou this O thou man that cōdemnest thē which do such things doest the same that thou shalt escape the iudgement of God Loe this is to speake the truth to hypocrites who go about to shew the way to other which they themselues know not leading so other mē into the ditch with thē Therfore the Lord saith The disciple is not aboue his maister but who soeuer wil be a perfect disciple shal be as his maister This is a common prouerbe I can learne no more of my maister then he knoweth himselfe Wherefore doth the Lord speake this prouerbe because of two sortes of maisters the one is blynde whom if I shall follow I also my selfe shall become blynde he himselfe falleth into the ditch and I follow The other maister is the mercifull father of whom we must learne mercy whom if we follow we also do become mercifull like as he is if we were mercifull daily we should also become perfect as he is perfect but that commeth not to passe as long as we are in this life The second part of mercy is The second part of mercy to forgiue that we forgiue them which haue endamaged vs or hurt vs by any meanes A Christian can neuer be so hurt but he ought to forgiue not onely seuen times but seuenty times seuen times as the Lord sayd vnto Peter Matth. 18. Wherefore God forgiueth a Christian his synne or infirmitie that he also may forgiue other their infirmitie which Christ setteth forth els where in a most goodly parable which he cōcludeth in these wordes Matth. 18.35 So likewise shall mine heauenly Father do vnto you except ye forgiue from your hearts ech one to his brother their trespasses And so we praye daily in the Lords prayer with an addition saying forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. Is this a hard matter if I a wretched synner do forgiue my neighbour his trespasses and his infirmitie whereas the Lord will forgiue me my synnes and my infirmities If one had killed my father what were this being compared to my synne wherewith I haue offended God and prouoked him to anger The third part of mercy is The third part of mercy to giue to the poore needy that we giue to them that be in miserie and neede and that we helpe them Whereof Iohn speaketh thus 1. Iohn 3 VVhosoeuer hath this worldes good and seeth his brother haue neede and shutteth vp his compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him For where the loue of God is it is moued to shew it selfe euē in outward works Hereunto also pertaineth the saying of Christ Matth. 5 Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercy Wherefore the Lord addeth a promise in the Gospell saying Giue and it shal be giuen vnto you a good measure pressed downe shaken togither running ouer shall men giue into your bosome And continuing on his speech he sayth For with what measure ye meat with the same shall men meat to you againe Thus much shall suffice concerning the partes of mercy which we ought to shew to our neighbours Matth. 7.12 Vnto which the speciall wordes of Christ ought to exhort vs who when in the Gospell of Matthew he had spoken much of a Christian life and of loue to be shewed to our brethren thus concludeth saying VVhat soeuer ye would that men should do to you euen so do ye to them for this is the Law and the Prophets Now euerie one is so affected that being cast downe and in distres he would wish all the world to helpe him If I be a miserable sinner drowned in sinnes bearing a burdened and troubled conscience I would that the whole world should comfort me should helpe and succour me should couer my sinne and shame So I also ought to behaue my selfe toward my neighbour not to iudge him not to condemne him but to forgiue him his offences to helpe him to prouide for him to lend vnto him giue him euen as I would wish to be done vnto my selfe if I were driuen into distres necessitie exile or pouerty And herein truly Christians are knowne if they loue one an other if one do such workes of mercy vnto an other as Christ sayd vnto his disciples at his last Supper I giue you a new commaundement that ye loue one an other as I haue loued you By this shal all men know that ye are my disciples if ye haue loue one to an other Thus ye haue the meaning of this text it remaineth that we call vpon God for grace A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER OF THE SVMME OF CHRISTIAN LIFE 1. Tim. 1. Verse 5. THE ende of the commaundement is loue out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith vnfeined 6. From the which thinges some haue erred and haue turned vnto vaine iangling 7. They would be doctours of the Lawe and yet vnderstand not what they speake neither whereof they affirme IT is well knowne vnto you dearely beloued brethren Gods worde must be heard and learned with how great seueritie God hath commaunded his worde to be heard and learned For he most highly esteemeth it and hath bestowed much labour in defending it and publishing it to the world He hath suffred all the Prophets to come into perils and daungers at the last also he sent his owne sonne because of his worde whom he suffered to die euen the death of the crosse And what persecutions haue not the Apostles themselues abode for the wordes sake what afflictions haue
so exercise and shew his loue that no man can worthely complaine any whit of him whereby he shal trouble or dismay his conscience but that all that wil confes the truth may be enforced to say that he hath so liued that he hath bin an example to euery man of liuing wel which will onely but follow him And this is called a good cōscience before men or against the cōplaints and reprehensions of men And albeit such a conscience is not able to stand before the iudgement of God no nor any purenes of the hart in the outward life and works of loue we continuing in sinning often times before God yet we must attaine vnto such a hart that we may comfort our selues before him also and say this God hath bidden and commaunded to be done therfore I do it with a pure hart and a good conscience neither would I willingly doe otherwise neither of purpose hurt or trouble any man but whatsoeuer I say and doe that is willed and commaunded of God Let no Christian suffer such a confidēce to be wrested from him that he may boast him selfe by the worde of God against the whole world For he that hath no regard how he leadeth his life that he may stoppe the mouthes of all blamers and accusers and cleare him selfe before all and testifie that he hath liued spoken and done well he I say is not yet a Christian hauing not in him selfe a pure hart and loue For we wil not presume of the doctrine of faith as though that being had euery man may doe what he list whether it be profitable or vnprofitable to his neighbour that we must in no case doe Otherwise that doctrine should haue the name to giue licence and free libertie for euery one to doe what he will But we must so behaue our selues that we may obtaine loue out of a pure hart and a good conscience that no man may accuse vs of any crime And although these thinges be spoken of our life and works and a Christian is an other maner of man before God as we shall heare yet we must earnestly endeuour our selues in this also that we may be without blame before God And when we shall not attayne thereunto we must flie to prayer and say before God and men forgiue vs our trespasses c that at the least wise our life may remayne without blame What we must doe when we fayle in our dutie toward our neighbour and we may obtaine a good conscience before mē And if this can not be brought to passe by perfect loue and purenes of the hart yet let it be done by humilitie that we may praye for and desire of all men pardon of our offences when as we haue not purely and perfectly done our dutie or are not able to doe it so that thy neighbour may be enforced to say albeit thou hast greatly hurt me or hast not done thy dutie toward me as it was meete yet forasmuch as thou humblest thy selfe I will willingly forgiue thee and take it in the best parte And for this humilities sake I say that thou art a good man which doost not stande obstinatly as though thou wouldest aduisedly and of purpose offende against me but doost turne thy selfe vnto loue Therefore that life is as yet sayde to be without blame which albeit it was subiect to reprehension is with humilitie couered and reformed that no man can worthely complayne thereof Thus the lawe should be expounded and handeled that both loue toward euery man may rightly proceede out of a pure hart for God his sake and the conscience may stande before the world And this ought to haue bene practised of those vayne talkers in their Sermons their colde trifles and vaine follies being neglected and left of But that all these thinges may stande and be of force before God also there yet remaineth one thinge which pertayneth hereunto which is that that followeth And of faith vnfeyned For as I haue sayde albeit I haue a good conscience before men Our olde Adam doth hinder vs that we can not attaine to perfect puritie and holines and doe exercise loue out of a pure hart yet the olde Adam that is flesh and blood remaine in me subiect to sinnes whereby it commeth to passe that I am not altogither holy and pure And as Paule sayth Gal. 5 The flesh lusteth against the spirit c. And Rom. 7. he affirmeth that he must fight a daily fight against him self because he can not do that which is good yet he would willingly do it The spirit in deed would very willingly liue purely perfectly according to the worde of God but the rebellious flesh resisteth the desire thereof assailing vs with many and great tentations that we should seeke honour wealth riches pleasure should become slothful negligent in our state duty So there remaineth a continual fight in vs because of the vnpurenes of our person Although we haue a good conscience and do exercise loue out of a pure hart before men yet the same can not stand before God wherein there is not yet sincere purenes nor a good conscience perfect loue vnles there be perhaps somewhat before men But before God many thinges are found lacking in vs many things are worthy of blame although all things be perfect before men For examples sake although Dauid can obtayne that confidence before men that he can be reprehended of no man and the holy Prophets Esay Ieremie c do glory are sure whatsoeuer they haue done according to their dutie is right and well done seeing it is the word and commaundement of God wherein they haue exercised them selues with a pure hart a good conscience yet can they not stande by this confidence before the iudgement of God but are compelled to say if we should striue with thee in iudgement then no man shall haue so good a conscience or so pure a hart which doth not dread thy iudgement and acknowledge him selfe to be worthy of reprehension and blame For God hath reserued that prerogatiue vnto him selfe that he may contend in iudgement with euery one albeit he be holy and accuse him of deadly sinne neither is there any so holy whom he may not iudge and condemne as worthy of destruction Wherefore although both the hart be pure the conscience good before men yet must thou endeuour to attaine vnto this also that the same may be likewise good before God that he may not find fault with them but that they may be safe and quiet from his iudgement as they are before men Hereunto now pertayneth the thirde parte that is faith The third part And this is the principall part and chiefe precept contayning all the rest in it that we may knowe that where loue is not yet perfect the hart not sufficiently pure and the conscience not quiet and God doth yet finde some thinge which is worthy blame where the worlde can
his grace and fauour We haue obtained grace not by workes but by mercy now if thou must liue thou must haue what to doe and wherewith to occupie thy selfe and it is meete that all this be referred to thy neighbour The seruaunt went out as Christ sayth and found his fellow seruaunt whome he taketh by the throte and dealeth rigorously with him and will be wholy payd of him shewing him no mercy or fauour at all I haue said elswhere that Christians must burst forth by workes by their deedes before men witnes that they haue a syncere faith God needeth no workes but faith suffizeth him howbeit he therefore requireth them to be done of thee that by them thou mayst shew thy faith both before thy selfe and also before the whole world for he knoweth thy faith verie well but thou thy selfe and men do not yet throughly see it Thou therefore must direct such workes so that they may profit thy neighbour Now whereas this seruaunt should thus haue done what doth he euen the same that we doe who seeme vnto our selues to beleeue and partly haue faith and are glad that we haue heard the Gospell whereof we can dispute and talke many thinges Busie talkers slow walkers but no man goeth about to expresse it in his life We haue brought the matter so farre that the doctrine and trifles of Satan are some what abated and layde asyde that we do now see and know what is iust and what vniust that we must haue to do with God by onely faith and by workes with our neighbour But we can not bring it to this passe that loue may beginne and doe that to an other which God hath done vnto vs as we our selues complaine that many of vs are become worse then they were before As therefore this seruaunt refused to remit his neighbour the dette and delt extremely with him so also doe we saying It is not meete that I should giue that that is myne to an other neglecting myne owne right If this man hath prouoked me to anger it is his dutie to pacifie me to labour by intreatie to put away myne anger Truly thus the world teacheth and doth for it affirmeth it to be iust and right Neither will any Prince or magistrate enforce thee to giue that which is thine to an other but wil suffer thee to do what pleaseth thee with thine owne goods The magistrate in deede restrayneth thee from doinge what thou list with the good of an other but he constraineth thee not to giue thine owne substaunce to an other for that is against the Lawe of nations which euen reason pronouncing it giueth to euerie one that which is his owne wherefore he doth not vnequally or vniustly which vseth his owne thinges at his will taketh not away wrongfully the goods of an other But what doeth the Gospell saye If God also had held his owne right and sayd I do well in that I punish offenders and take that which is myne owne who shall let me what I pray you should become of all vs We must be mercifull to our brethren as God is mercifull to vs. We should be thrust downe to Satan Wherefore whereas he hath left his right toward thee he will haue thee do the same toward other and therefore thou abrogating thyne owne right thinke thus with thy selfe If God hath forgiuen me tenne thousand talents why should not I forgiue my neighbour an hundred pence God might haue exacted his owne right neuerthelesse he dothe not soe but becommeth a fauourable Lorde vnto thee taketh pittie vpon thee and forgiueth thee why therefore shouldest not thou doe likewise to thy neighbour Wherefore if thou wilt haue to doe in his kingdome thou must doe as he doeth but if thou haddest rather remaine in the kingdome of the world thou shalt neuer enter into his kingdome Hereunto pertaineth that sentence which Christ in the last daye shall pronounce vpon the vnbeleeuers Matth. 25. I was an hungred and ye gaue me no meate I thirsted and ye gaue me no drinke c. But if thou contend here against Notwithstāding ye say that God will not haue respect vnto workes neither will saue any because of them I saye he will haue them done frankely and freely not that we may merit any thing thereby but that we may doe them to the profite of our neighbours and witnes our syncere fayth by them For what hast thou that thou mayst giue him and whereby thou mayst deserue that he should pardon whatsoeuer thou hast committed against him Or what doth he get thereby nothing truely but that thou giuest vnto him praise and thanks And this is the other part of a Christian life the name whereof is loue They therefore that shew not their faith by the works of loue are such seruaunts as will haue themselues forgiuen when as they notwithstanding doe not forgiue their neighbour neither yeeld of their owne right They that will shew no mercy shall themselues finde none with whom it shall likewise fall out as it did with this seruaunt For when the other seruaunts that is the ministers and preachers of the Gospell shall see it that God hath forgiuen them all and yet they will not forgiue any they are troubled that they are compelled to see such thinges and it grieueth them verie sore that men doe so vndiscreetly apply themselues to the Gospell and not rightly receiue it What doe they then They can do no other but come to their Lord and complaine vnto him of such thinges and say Lord thus it is thou forgiuest them both the fault and the punishment yea pardonest them all thinges and yet we can not bring them so farre as to deale so with others as thou hast delt with them This is the complaint the Lord therefore will cause them to come before him in the last iudgement and will lay these thinges against them saying when thou wast afflicted with hunger thirst miserie c I did helpe thee when thou didst ly drowned in synnes I hauing mercy vpon thee did forgiue thee Hast thou done the same to thy neighbour Then he shall pronounce this sentence on him Thou wicked one I was touched with mercy toward thee yea I yeelded of myne owne right but thou wouldest not take pittie on others nor forgiue them their offence wherefore thou shalt now pay thy dette Here is no grace and mercy but most grieuous wrath and eternall condemnation then no prayers do helpe wherefore he is compelled to holde his peace and is throwne hedlong into paine vntill he pay the vttermost farthinge This is that which Sainct Peter hath spoken of them 2. Pet. 2.21 which after they haue heard the Gospell notwithstanding goe backe that it had bin better for them if they had neuer acknowledged the waye of righteousnes then after they haue acknowledged it to turne from the holy commaundement giuen vnto them Why had it bin better Because while they goe