a treatise on good works-第22节

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the　Jews；　why　should　it　not　also　be　possible　among　Christians？

Nay；　if　it　is　possible　in　villages；　towns　and　some　cities；　as　we

all　see；　why　should　it　not　be　possible　everywhere？　



But　the　trouble　is；　there　is　no　real　government　in　the　world。　No

one　wants　to　work；　therefore　the　mechanics　must　give　their

workmen　holiday：　then　they　are　free　and　no　one　can　tame　them。　But

if　there　were　a　rule　that　they　must　do　as　they　are　bid；　and　no

one　would　give　them　work　in　other　places；　this　evil　would　to　a

large　extent　be　mended。　God　help　us！　I　fear　that　here　the　wish

is　far　greater　than　the　hope；　but　this　does　not　excuse　us。



Now　see；　here　only　a　few　works　of　magistrates　are　indicated；　but

they　are　so　good　and　so　many；　that　they　have　superabundant　good

works　to　do　every　hour　and　could　constantly　serve　God。　But　these

works；　like　the　others；　should　also　be　done　in　faith；　yea；　be　an

exercise　of　faith；　so　that　no　one　expect　to　please　God　by　the

works；　but　by　confident　trust　in　His　favor　do　such　works　only　to

the　honor　and　praise　of　his　gracious　God；　thereby　to　serve　and

benefit　his　neighbor。　



XVIII。　The　fourth　work　of　this　Commandment　is　obedience　of

servants　and　workmen　toward　their　lords　and　ladies；　masters　and

mistresses。　Of　this　St。　Paul　says；　Titus　ii：　〃Thou　shalt　exhort

servants　that　they　highly　honor　their　masters；　be　obedient；　do

what　pleases　them；　not　cheating　them　nor　opposing　them〃；　for　this

reason　also：　because　they　thereby　bring　the　doctrine　of　Christ

and　our　faith　into　good　repute；　that　the　heathen　cannot　complain

of　us　and　be　offended。　St。　Peter　also　says：　〃Servants；　be　subject

to　your　masters；　for　the　fear　of　God；　not　only　to　the　good　and

gentle；　but　also　to　the　froward　and　harsh。　For　this　is　acceptable

with　God；　if　a　man　suffers　harshness；　being　innocent。〃　



Now　there　is　the　greatest　complaint　in　the　world　about　servants

and　working　men；　that　they　are　disobedient；　unfaithful；

unmannerly；　and　over…reaching；　this　is　a　plague　sent　of　God。　And

truly；　this　is　the　one　work　of　servants　whereby　they　may　be

saved；　truly　they　need　not　make　pilgrimages　or　do　this　thing　or

the　other；　they　have　enough　to　do　if　their　heart　is　only　set　on

this；　that　they　gladly　do　and　leave　undone　what　they　know　pleases

their　masters　and　mistresses；　and　all　this　in　a　simple　faith；　not

that　they　would　by　their　works　gain　much　merit；　but　that　they　do

it　all　in　the　confidence　of　divine　favor　（in　which　all　merits　are

to　be　found）；　purely　for　nothing；　out　of　the　love　and　good…will

toward　God　which　grows　out　of　such　confidence。　And　all　such　works

they　should　think　of　as　an　exercise　and　exhortation　ever　to

strengthen　their　faith　and　confidence　more　and　more。　For；　as　has

now　been　frequently　said；　this　faith　makes　all　works　good；　yea；

it　must　do　them　and　be　the　master…workman。　



XIX。　On　the　other　hand；　the　masters　and　mistresses　should　not

rule　their　servants；　maids　and　workingmen　roughly；　not　look　to

all　things　too　closely；　occasionally　overlook　something；　and　for

peace'　sake　make　allowances。　For　it　is　not　possible　that

everything　be　done　perfectly　at　all　times　among　any　class　of　men；

as　long　as　we　live　on　earth　in　imperfection。　Of　this　St。　Paul

says；　Colossians　iv；　〃Masters；　do　unto　your　servants　that　which

is　just　and　equal；　knowing　that　ye　also　have　a　Master　in　heaven。〃

Therefore　as　the　masters　do　not　wish　God　to　deal　too　sharply　with

them；　but　that　many　things　be　overlooked　through　grace；　they　also

should　be　so　much　the　more　gentle　toward　their　servants；　and

overlook　some　things；　and　yet　have　a　care　that　the　servants　do

right　and　learn　to　fear　God。　



But　see　now；　what　good　works　a　householder　and　a　mistress　can　do；

how　finely　God　offers　us　all　good　works　so　near　at　hand；　so

manifold；　so　continuously；　that　we　have　no　need　of　asking　after

good　works；　and　might　well　forget　the　other　showy；　far…off；

invented　works　of　men；　such　as　making　pilgrimages；　building

churches；　seeking　indulgence；　and　the　like。　



Here　I　ought　naturally　also　to　say　how　a　wife　ought　to　be

obedient；　subject　to　her　husband　as　to　her　superior；　give　way　to

him；　keep　silent　and　give　up　to　him；　where　it　is　a　matter　not

contrary　to　God's　commands。　On　the　other　hand；　the　husband　should

love　his　wife；　overlook　a　little；　and　not　deal　strictly　with　her；

of　which　matter　St。　Peter　and　St。　Paul　have　said　much。　But　this

has　its　place　in　the　further　explanation　of　the　Ten　Commandments；

and　is　easily　inferred　from　these　passages。　



XX。　But　all　that　has　been　said　of　these　works　is　included　in

these　two；　obedience　and　considerateness。　Obedience　is　the　duty

of　subjects；　considerateness　that　of　masters；　that　they　take　care

to　rule　their　subjects　well；　deal　kindly　with　them；　and　do

everything　whereby　they　may　benefit　and　help　them。　That　is　their

way　to　heaven；　and　these　are　the　best　works　they　can　do　on　earth；

with　these　they　are　more　acceptable　to　God　than　if　without　these

they　did　nothing　but　miracles。　So　says　St。　Paul；　Romans　xii：　〃He

that　ruleth；　let　him　do　it　with　diligence〃；　as　who　should　say：

〃Let　him　not　allow　himself　to　be　led　astray　by　what　other　people

or　classes　of　people　do；　let　him　not　look　to　this　work　or　to

that；　whether　it　be　splendid　or　obscure；　but　let　him　look　to　his

own　position；　and　think　only　how　he　may　benefit　those　who　are

subject　to　him；　by　this　let　him　stand；　nor　let　himself　be　torn

from　it；　although　heaven　stood　open　before　him；　nor　be　driven

from　it；　although　hell　were　chasing　him。　This　is　the　right　road

that　leads　him　to　heaven。〃　



Oh；　if　a　man　were　so　to　regard　himself　and　his　position；　and

attended　to　its　duties　alone；　how　rich　in　good　works　would　he　be

in　a　short　time；　so　quietly　and　secretly　that　no　one　would　notice

it　except　God　alone！　But　now　we　let　all　this　go；　and　one　runs　to

the　Carthusians；　another　to　this　place；　a　third　to　that；　just　as

if　good　works　and　God's　Commandments　had　been　thrown　into　corners

and　hidden；　although　it　is　written　in　Proverbs　i；　that　divine

wisdom　crieth　out　her　commandments　publicly　in　the　streets；　in

the　midst　of　the　people　and　in　the　gates　of　the　cities；　which

means　that　they　are　present　in　profusion　in　all　places；　in　all

stations　of　life　and　at　all　times；　and　we　do　not　see　them；　but

in　our　blindness　look　for　them　elsewhere。　This　Christ　declared；

Matthew　xxiv：　〃If　they　shall　say　unto　you：　Lo；　here　is　Christ；

or　there；　believe　it　not。　If　they　shall　say：　Behold；　He　is　in　the

desert；　go　not　forth；　behold；　He　is　in　the　secret　chambers；

believe　it　not；　they　are　false　prophets　and　false　Christs。〃　



XXI。　Again；　obedience　is　the　duty　of　subjects；　that　they　direct

all　their　diligence　and　effort　to　do　and　to　leave　undone　what

their　over…lords　desire　of　them；　that　they　do　not　allow

themselves　to　be　torn　or　driven　from　this；　whatever　another　do。

Let　no　man　think　that　he　lives　well　or　does　good　works；　whether

it　be　prayer　or　fasting；　or　by　whatever　name　it　may　be　called；

if　he　does　not　earnestly　and　diligently　exercise　himself　in　this。　



But　if　it　should　happen；　as　it　often　does；　that　the　temporal

power　and　authorities；　as　they　are　called；　should　urge　a　subject

to　do　contrary　to　the　Commandments　of　God；　or　hinder　him　from

doing　them；　there　obedience　ends；　and　that　duty　is　annulled。　Here

a　man　must　say　as　St。　Peter　says　to　the　rulers　of　the　Jews：　〃We

ought　to　obey　God　rather　than　men。〃　He　did　not　say：　〃We　must　not

obey　men〃；　for　that　would　be　wrong；　but　he　said：　〃God　rather　than

men。〃　Thus；　if　a　prince　desired　to　go　to　war；　and　his　cause　was

manifestly　unrighteous；　we　should　not　follow　nor　help　him　at　all；

since　God　has　commanded　that　we　shall　not　kill　our　neighbor；　nor

do　him　injustice。　Likewise；　if　he　bade　us　bear　false　witness；

steal；　lie　or　deceive　and　the　like。　Here　we　ought　rather　give　up

goods；　honor；　body；　and　life；　that　God's　Commandments　may　stand。　



The　four　preceding　Commandments　have　their　works　in　the

understanding；　that　is；　they　take　a　man　captive；　rule　him　and

make　him　subject；　so　that　he　rule　not　himself；　approve　not

himself；　think　not　highly　of　himself；　but　in　humility　know

himself　and　allow　himself　to　be　led；　that　pride　be　prevented。　The

following　Commandments　deal　with　the　passions　and　lust　of　men；

that　these　also　be　killed。



I。　The　passions　of　anger　and　revenge；　of　which　the　Fifth

Commandment　says；　〃Thou　shalt　not　kill。〃　This　Commandment　has　one

work；　which　however　includes　many　and　dispels　many　vices；　and　is

called　meekness。　Now　this　is　of　two　kinds。　The　one　has　a

beautiful　splendor；　and　there　is　nothing　back　of　it。　This　we

practice　toward　our　friends　and　those　who　do　us　good　and　give　us

pleasure　with　goods；　honor　and　favor；　or　who　do　not　offend　us

with　words　nor　with　deeds。　Such　meekness　irrational　animals　have；

lions　and　snakes；　Jews；　Turks；　knaves；　murderers；　bad　women。

These　are　all　content　and　gentle　when　men　do　what　they　want；　or

let　them　alone；　and　yet　there　are　not　a　few　who；　deceived　by　s