Sermon on Matthew 18, Text
An homelie of doctor Marten Luther made of the Angelles on Mychaelmaſday vponupon the goſpell of Mathewe xviii. ✚
IN the goſpell this daye we heare Chriſte make mencion of Angelles, for whom this preſent feaſte of ſaynct Michaell was iſtituted, and not ſo muche for thys angell only ſaynct Michaell, nor the other Angelles, but chefely for the honor of oure lord god the maker of all the angelles. And that not wtout a great cōſideration. bycauſe it is very neceſſary in Chriſtes churche a ryght knowllege & doctrine of the Angelles to be a mōgſt chriſten mē. Whych thyng is alſo very profitable and bryngyth no ſmalle conſolation to know what is theyr office and dutye, no leſſe then it is to know what is the office of a father, of a mother, of a ſeruant, of a mayde or any other ſuch lyke. For yf ſo be it the office of eueryevery perſon be not knowen preciſly wherto he is called, & to what he is ordenid, one ſhal medle with ones office & an other ſhall medle with an others, none knowyng his propre fūctione what he hathe to do, thus muſt nedes be that all runne in hepes, in tumultes, & in confuſion to gether. Wherfore it is neceſſary that we knowe what the propre office and fūctione is of Angelles, to do. The ignorance wherof, bryngith in many abſurd cogitationes and fonde fables amongſte chriſten peple, as we ſeeplanly ī this feaſt, which hath ben a feaſt nowe many yeares full of Idolatrie byſydes ye vaine fables and feyned myracles which hauehave bene brought in of the hyll Sargarus, that is called ſaynct michaels mount. And of ſaynet michals letteres, with ſuch lyke manifeſt foolyſhe and tryflynge lyes ſpred through all the worlde, by reſon wherof we hauehave fallen frō the worſhyp of god the maker of all, to ye worſhyppyng of Angelles, which he hathe created. Therfore we do not kepe thys feaſte but only for thys cauſe, to lerne & know what the Angelles doo, wherabout thei goo, and what is the charge wher unto they be aſſigned of god, to the entent that after we ſhal be certefyed & inſtructed in the matter, we ſhall begynne to render thankes to god for his Angelles, ſo as we do thanke his maieſte for makyngof the ſunne & mone, for ſendyng vsus peace, for gyuyng vsus cō cord, for ſettyng vsus lawes, officers, and for all oure other benefites which he ſendyth to vsus & preſeruyth, not that we do worſhip ye ſunne or the moone, with ſuch other, but that we do marke and cō ſidre the wonderfull worke and or dinaūce of almyghtie god therin, & ſo in the ſunne prayſe him that made the ſunne, glorifie him and worſhyp hym. And ſo I ſay lykewyſe of ye Angelles, that we muſt lerne and knowe theyr office, their dewtie, & function wherunto they ſerue, that in conſyderyng & markyng of this, we ſhall gyue thankes to god, aſcribyng all thys benefite whole to god, ſo that all ye honor & glory hereof may redoūde vntounto him, to whō it is only dewe.
Therfore fyrſt of all we muſte know and be ſuered that there bee Angelles, not only good angellesbut alſo badde. There hauehave bene chriſten mē that hauehave thought as the ſaduceys dyd, nother Angelles nor ſpirites to be. And I my ſelfe hauehave herde ſome to play the ſaduces, which hauehave not bene aſhamed to blaſpheme and to denie and thynke neither Angelles nor ſprits to be. But a true chriſtē mā ought not to doubt but that Sathā the deuyll is naturally an Angell made, euen as ſaynct Mychaell is created an Angel. But their office & doyngs be much dyuers, for lyke as a noughty tirant hath autorrite and power as well as a good prynce, but the one abuſith hys power to oppreſſe his ſubiectes, ye other vſeth it as he ſhulddo to the preſeruation and cōmodite of his realme. So is it betwixt ye deuyll and the good Angelle. Beſydes theſe men that thynke there be no deuylles. There be alſoother wich not wtſtandyng they beleue there be deuylles, yet do not thynke they be ſo neyghe, nor ſo ſore agaynſt vsus, but whan they here any ſpekynge of the deuylle, they imagine him an hundreth or a thouſand miles of from vsus. And ſo by reaſon we do not know nor cōſider how nyghe and redy the deuyll is agaynſte vsus at all tymes, ne can not perceiue ſo well ye great benefites which god ſhewyth to vsus by hys Angelles. Lyke as he which neuer felt death nor taſted the bytternes therof, cā not tell how pretious and ſwete is lyfe. And as he whiche neuer felt hūger, cā not iuge how good and pretious a thyng is bredde, nor cā not eſteme the valow therof, ſo ye man which euer thynkyth the deuyll ſo ferre abſent from him, doth not greatly regarde the dayly preſeruation of the holy Angelles ofgod, nor can not eſteme it accordyngly. But eueryevery good chriſten man muſt thus thynke with hym ſelfe that he ſytteth in the myddeſt of the deuylles, which wt a great multitude incloſe him and beſege hī round about. And that Sathā is more nere hym than hys coote, than his ſhirte, yea than his ſkyn and hys owne fleſhe, euermore he is aboute vsus, for vsus to feyght wt and to ſtryue agaynſte. That the deuyll is ſo nygh and redy aboute vsus, that oure germayne prouerbe doth ſhewe and teſtifey, whoſe me nyng is thys. Yt nedyth not to paynt the deuyll vpō the dore, menyng therby yt the deuyll is neygh ynough oure houſe, though he be not paynted at the dore. Therfore fyrſt of all we muſt knowe thys and ſo perſuade our ſelues, that there be deuylles, and that they be more neghe vntounto vsus thā our ſhyrtis to oure body. And thys ſaynct Peter doth well teſtefye which is no lyer ſayng, in the v. ca.Pet. 5. Be you ſober and be ware, for your aduer ſarie the deuyll goeth aboute lyke a roryng lyon whom he may deuoure. Theſe wordes were not ſpoken of no dronkerd, nor is no fooles bolte, as we be wonte to ſay, but they were ſpoken of Peters owne mouth by ye holy gooſt, nether in geeſt nor in ſport, but in erneſt as erneſtly as he culde ſpeake thē. Be ſober & beware ſayth he, as thoughe he wold ſay, do not ſo imagine with youre ſelues, as thoughe youre enemye were farre from you. Your enemye is a ſtrōg and a perpetuall aduerſary euermore agaynſte you, wt all hatred and malice he can, whoſe porpoſe is nothyng els but to dyſtroy you both body and ſoule. Where is he than wylt thou ſay. Peter tellyththe. He runnyth about the, ſayth he / what doyth he, what entēdyth he runnynge about vsus? Peter ſhewyth the, he ſekyth / ſayth Peter, whome he may deuoure. Here you hauehave the deuyl paynted in his colours. Ye hard before that there is a deuyll, here you ſee what a thyng he is, how malitious, how peſtilent, and vexed agaynſte vsus, which eueryevery day doth no thīg els but ſtudieth how to deuoure vsus & to dyſtroy vsus, this is all hys entēt & purpoſe, to worke oure dyſtruction, euermore rūnyng about vsus, with ſuch hatred and malice that no man can expreſſe yt, euen lyke a roryng lyon he ragyth about, yt is to ſay / what ſoeuer thou doeſt, whether thou thīkyſt or ſpeakyſt, or what ſo euer thou ſettyſt vponupon to do, other to begyn a thynge or to fynyſh any worke, the deuyll is euer preſēt ſekyng all meanes and occaſion to ſtoppe to troble the, & to lett the. But fewe mē beleue it, for yf they dyd, they wold not lyue ſo ſecurely & ſo carles as they do. And thys is the cauſe that we ſee all the world ſo full of ſtryffe, debate, hatred, enuey, pryde, couetouſnes luſtes, and ſuche other vices. And yet how ſecurely & how negligently men lyue, as though they had clene deuoured and cōſumed the deuyll. And here is to be vnderſtand that there be two ſortes of men poſſeſſed with the deuyll. Sum be poſſeſſed bodely in whō we may planly perceiue the good wyll of the deuyll toward vsus, as in Matthe. viii.Mat. 8. What pleaſure it was to him in punyſhyng the poore miſer not only with one deuyll, but withe an whole hoſte of deuylles. This is the good wyll he beryth toward vsus. Is not this a poyſoned and excedynge malice that the wyked fynd beryth to mā kynde, in that we ſee hym ſo vexe thys one ſylly ſoule with ſo many thouſand of deuylles. Forthermore we may ſe alſo ſufficiētly, what mynde he beryth towarde vsus, by ſuche poſſeſſed perſons that ley in theyr monumētes. Theſe wt ſuch other exſāples do well declare the myſcheuous fury and the byrning hatered of the wycked ſpirite agaynſt vsus, whiche hathe no other deſyre nor pleaſure yt he delyteth in, but only in our deſtruction, ſo that he may dyſtroy our bodies, & bryng oure ſoules to euerlaſtyng peryll. Secondarly there is alſo an other ſort, of mē which bee pryuely and ſpiritually poſſeſſed of ye deuyll, as theſe which be entāgled with couitouſnes with hatred, wt enuey, with luſtes, and fylthy deſyers, with other lyke vices, and yet for al that lyue in ſuch ſecuriteand ſo recheles as though the deuyll were a thouſande leges of, & had nothyng adoo with them. Yf any external grefe or ſeknes ſhuld chaunce to oure bodyes, we rūne ſtreyght to the phiſition for his cū ſell and ſuccore. But to ſeke any remedy agaynſt oure inward deſeaſes, agaynſte oure couituſnes, our malice, our enuye and ſuch other mo, to ſeke remedy I ſay agaynſt theſe that we may lerne to refrayne oure ſynfull lyuyng, hereof we paſſe not a buttē, nor ons do mynde any ſuche thyng. And why ſo? bycauſe no man wyll beleue that the deuyll is ſo nye and euer aboute vsus. Therfore let vsus lerne as I ſayde, and conſider dyligently what maner a thyng the deuyll is, how fears, howe malitious, how myghty, howe ſuttell and crafty he is, what power he hath to hurt both body and ſoule.He bringeth in to our ſoules falſe and erroneus doctrine, deſperatiō fylthy deſyres wt other lyke, and all to plucke awaye our fayth frō vsus, and to caſte vsus in to infidelite and waueryng, or els to put in to our myndes cold fylthy, & vayne cogitations, that by that meanes he may caſte vsus in to ſecurite and necligens. I knowe yt and dare ſpeke it by experiēce, for oftymes I do ſenſibly feale the deuyll ſtoppyng and lettyng my cogitations my purpoſe, and my labors. I cā not doo and fyniſh all thynges ſo as I wold, by the reaſon he ſtoppyth me and hyndreth me. Many tymes yt is my mynd to do thīges with more feruent ſtudy with more hede and diligence than I doo, but by the reaſon of his impedimē tes and ſtoppes of the deuyll I cā not imploy my matters ſo always with ſuch perfection as I wolde: So than after that he hathe thus poſſeſſed the ſpirituall inynde of a man, than after he doth alſo infeſt and dothe noy the body other with peſtilence, with famyn, with warre, with ſlawghter, or with ſū calamite or other, which he hathe an infinite ſort. All theſe myſchyues dothe the deull ſtyre vp, he is only the worker of all theſe euyls. One brekyth hys legge, an other is drowned, an other doth murder an other cōmitteth aduoutre, and ſo forth. Who is the doer of all theſe, who is the motioner and ye leder to all theſe? Who but only the deuyll? And thys all we percetue, we ſee yt with oure eys, we feele yt with our handes, and yet neeligently, howe ſecuerly wt out hede or drede we lyue? And what is ye cauſe of this? Truly nothing els but as I ſayd, bycauſe we imagine the deuyll to be farre frō vsus.But we farre deceiue oure ſelues. Forſothe he is harde by the, and is ouer thy head, & is aboute the, and about all men. And thys god wyllyth and doeth ſuffer it to be, by this meanes to kepe vsus in feare, that we beware & take heede to our ſelues, and that through neceſcite of ſuche greart perylles we ſhuld be dryuen to flee to our lord god for ſuccoure. yf there were no deuylles, truly we ſhuld be colde, necligent, ſlacke, ſecure omiſſe wt out all care and feare. And yet for all thys, for all thyſe wyckyd ſpirittes aboute vsus, for all theſe calamites & vexationes, for the wret chednes and miſeries, for all theſe euyls & diſpleaſures that we hauehave God can ſkarſly dryue vsus to call vponupon hym, to flee vntounto hym, and to crye for ſuccoure. O father of heauen, Come helpe vsus, and deliuer vsus, than what wold we doo yfthere were no deuylle at all? Therfore principally and fyrſte of all we muſt vnderſtād and knowe that we ſyt not here in the myddle of roſes, or in a gardē that is ſaffe and ſuer from all perilles and deceytes of our ennemies. If the deuyll dyd ſeduce Adam and Eue in paradiſe, alſo yf he trobled ſo many other good men and childrē of god. Moreouer yf he dyd not ſpare to tempte Chriſte himſelfe both god and the ſonne of god, thynke not thy ſelfe ſo ſuer nor ſo well defenſed, that he wyll be affrayd of the. Therefore lett vsus pray vntounto god diligently and feruently that he wyll gyue vsus grace to be ware and to take hede of oure ſelues agaynſt the craftie aſſaltes & ſuggeſtion of the deuill, yt he caſt vsus not in diſperation or incredulite. At the generall counſell kepte in the cetie Anguſta how he went aboutall that he myght poſſiblely, to wt drawe vsus agayne from oure true fayth, & to bryng vsus agayn in to our olde errors. So & yf hys purpoſe had proſpered and gone forward, he wold alſo hauehave wrought more myſcheyf in ſtyrring vp battaylles, and bloodſhed, & tumultes among ye people. But we muſt knowe thys moreouer yt thoughe there be neuer ſo many euyll ſpirittes agaynſte vsus that worke vsus ſorow, yet be there many moo good Angels agayne which ſtoppe and lett the pourpoſe of theſe wycked fyndes, kepynge and defendynge vsus agaynſt them. The wycked ſpirites do nother ſlepe nyght nor daye, euer watchynge and ſtudyenge howe to brynge in Idolatrie, & ſo to caſt oure ſoules into perpetuall diſtruccion, and then after to do ſum vylany to our bodyes, to oure goodes, or good name: So vnles that God agayn had other rulers, & an other kyngdome, in the whiche were other more valiant ſpirites than theſe, truely the deuyll wolde neyther leue vsus wyfe, chyldren nor houſe ſtandynge, not the momente of an hower, but wolde dyſtroye, wolde ouerturne, confoūde, and aboliſhe all together: ſuche malyce and hatred he hath agaynſt mankynde, that by his good wyll thou ſhuldeſt not hauehave one foote of ground to ſtande vponupon. And it greueth hī euyll that thou haſte thyne eyes, thyne armes, thy legges, and other of thy lymmes / yt yf he myght hauehave his wyll and God wolde ſo permytte hym, he wold denumme the of al, yea and not leaue the one cowe, or an oxe, or a horſe to helpe the with, fynally yf that he were ſuffered to worke his pleaſure he wolde not ſuffer not ſo moche as a ſtafe to ſtande in his place, neyther any man to continue his lyfe the ſpace of halfe an howre. Therfore where as theſe thinges do not ſo com to paſſe, and where as thou ſeeſt kyngdomes, and common wealthes to remayne and ſtande whole in theyr ryghte forme and ſtate with out any ſuche perturbacion, where as thou ſeeſt any cattell, ſhepe, or oxen to lyue, or any ſuche thynge whiche doth ſeruyce to man (whiche thynge greueth the deuyll ſore for he cā not abyde any thynge to be ſafe that perteyneth to man) be that mayſt thou well perceyue that there is a more ſtrong and more valiant a power ordeyned of God, for to preſerue & defēde vsus agaynſt ſo wycked and furious maladies of our enmies. Alſo where thou ſeeſt any good man to lyue in fayth and feare of God whiche fauer and louelove thegoſpell, by that thou mayſt well perceyue and knowe that there is an other power ordayned and ſet vp of God agaynſt the deuyll to withſtand and reſiſte & to brynge to nought his workes and his ſubtylties. For marke well the wordes of ſaynt Peter / he calleth hym our aduerſarie ſo infuſe and vexed agaynſt vsus ſekynge about lyke a roryng lyon whom he may deuoure. Then howe can he with his good wyll ſuffre any thynge to remayne whole or ſafe? Wherfore ſeynge the deuyll is ſo promt and ſo redy to hurte vsus by all the meanes and occaſions he can, and yet is put ſo ofte beſyde his purpoſe (by reaſon that God doth ſo ſtoppe hym through his holy Angels) thou oughteſt therfore euer to gyne thankes to God, that thy wyfe and chyldren do lyue & that thyne houſe is not plucked ouerthyne heade. For our defēce, oure ſtrength were nothyng to the deuyll. If there were nothīg in him but only hys malice and hys wyll to hurt vsus, yet were not we able to reſiſte the ſame. But now byſyds this malicious & ſet wyll agaynſt vsus, in this alſo he preualyth and paſſyth vsus, in wyt, craft policie, and ſubtilte, wherei all ye ſaynctes be nothyng to be compared with him. He hath the ſcriptures at his fyngars ende. He knowyth all the bible better than all Paris or Colonie. Whoſoeuer dothe enter in diſputation with him is quycly ouercome, there is none in ye world able to holde argumētation with hym. Beſydes thys ſuche is hys myght and power, that all myght of men and power of all the world is nothyng in cōparyſon. Set all the turkes, all the emperours, all the rulers, kynges, and princes, in all the whole worlde to gether, he is able to diſtroy them & blow them downe with turnynge of an hande. The cauſe nowe why he doth not ſo, yt he doth not dyſtroy all thinges after his mynd & wyll, yt is through the benefyte and the preſeruation of good Angelles which do reſiſt and withſtād hym that he can not ſo exerciſe hys tyranny as he wold. And ſo for this purpoſe be the Angelles ordened to withſtande the deuyll & to kepe hym ſhort. Euen lyke as a good prince hathe hys officers vnderunder him, ſuch whom as he apoyntyth and ſettyth ouer his countres and cities, agaynſte theues and murderers. And yet though the ſame officers take neuer ſo muche hede ouer the kynges ſubiectes, yet can they not choſe, do beſt they cā, but ſūme thefe or other wyll come in, and do ſome robry / whereby wemay wel perceiue, that the theues mynd and good wyll is to do more, yf he myght be ſuffered. And ſo is it here in lyke maner. God ſome tymes doth gyue ſome permiſſion to euyll ſpirittes, but yet he hathe hys good Angelles agayn, for to kepe vsus and defende vsus agaynſte fury and violence. Thus eueryevery prynce, eueryevery citeſyn, eueryevery houſholder, brefuely eueryevery chriſten mā hathe hys good Angelles aſſined vntounto hym, for to ſaue hym and to preſerue him, as Chriſt teſtyfyeth in the goſpell ſaynge. Theire Angelles in heauen do ſee the face of my father which is in heauen. Theſe wordes verely do well declare the great and meruelous regard, louelove, & tendernes that god hath vponupon vsus. And theſe wordes ſhulde diligently be ſhewed & betten in to childrē, that they myght learne and know the office of Angelles,and accept theyr benefite, and gyue god thankes therfore. The deuyll is a greate enimy to all children, and yt greuyth hym much whā he ſeyth them be borne in to the world, to grow vp and to proſper. And for this cauſe dothe he many tymes frey women great with child and doth caſte them in to feare. How be yt good Angelles be preſent and redy to ſuccore and kepe them that they take no harme. Theſe thynges be preuie and preuely done that we can not ſee them wt our eys. In lyke maner as he poſſeſſyth men preuely and after aſecret faſhyon, as whā he bryngyth a mans mynd to couytuſnes, he putteth in to his hart this perſuaſion yt he makyth hym beleue he doth it for an honeſt purpoſe, for the neceſſyte of hys lyfe, to prouyde for hym ſelfe & for hys houſholde, & ſo thynkyth he dothvery well, and ye deuyll to be ferre from hym. Thus doth the deuyll poſſeſſe theſe couytus perſons ſo preuely, that they can ſcarſly perceiue him in theyr mynd, much les can they ſee him with theyr bodely eys. And ſo doth he alſo blynd and wyche oure prynces hartes, puttyng in to them this perſuaſion & thought, that they wage battayle agaynſt other prynces, nother for hatred, nor enuye nor for any reuē gans or haſtynes of theyr mynde, but only for a ryght quarell, for Iuſtice and peace. This is theyr pretence where wt they cloke theyr tyranny & grefe or grouge of theyr mynde. And theſe ſuggeſtions of the deuyll, yet ſeme to them to be honeſt and very Iuſt quarelles. They thynke nothig les thē theſe cogitations to come of the deuyll. And lyke as the euyll ſpirit dothe preuely & inwardly poſſeſſe a mā.ſo do the good Angelles alſo preuely & ſecretly miniſter their helpe and ſuccore. And lyke as the euyll ſpirit caſtyth in hys furye dartes preuely in to the hart of man, ſo lykewyſe hauehave the good Angelles agayn theyr good & holſum dartes to cūfort vsus with. And whan ſo euer the euyl angell doth tempt vsus, they be euer redy to ſtope him, & defende vsus ſpeakyng thus vntounto vsus in our hartes. Not ſo. Not ſo. Muche lyke as yf a mā ſhuld falle in to a depe water, and be in the ioperdy of drounīg, a other ſhuld runne to take by the hande and to drawe him out of the water. Euē ſo do good Angelles to vsus, pluckyng vsus bake, and callyng vsus agay…, ſayng thus inwardly in our hartes. Thou muſt take heede of that. In no caſſe thou muſt do ſo. It is not meet nor laufull ſo to do. And thus do the good Angelleshelpe vsus, & ſtope the deuyll, that he take not our fayth from vsus, nor hauehave his purpoſe of vsus. Therfore we vſe to ſay, and it is well ſayd. Thou haddyſt a good & a truſty Angell to kepe ye this day / where by is ſygnified, that no wytt nor powre of man could turne awaye that euyll and myſchefe, vnleſſe the good Angelles had ben redy with theyr ayde and cuſtodie / vnleſſe that they had eſpyed out and throwne downe the ingyns, deceytes, and craftes of the deuyll, thou ſhuldeſt other peryſhe myſerable, or elles ſhuldeſt be brought in to ſum great calamite. And this is that we meane whā we ſay: Thou was bleſſed this day and kepte of a good Angell: and ſo it is trewe: for vnleſſe ye good Angelles ſhuld preſerue vsus, all kīdes of wretchednes in the world ſhuld lyght vpō vsus, throught the procurement ofthe deuyl: wherfore let vsus lerne to know, and thankfully to accepte, this hye office and benefytt of the holly Angelles. Alſo lett vsus lerne this, that the wycked angelles do worke and go about nothyng els, but only howe to hurt vsus to vexe vsus, & to bryng vsus in to all trobles he can. But lyke as theſe euyll angelles be allways redy to harme vsus, ſo be ye good Angelles agayn euer redy to helpe vsus, that we forſake not the truyth, but cōſtantly ſtycke to yt, and that we hauehave and kepe our lyues, oure bodys, oure wyffes, and children, breuely, all that we hauehave, ſayffe & whole, from the hurtyng of the deuyll. Thus the cauſe then why all the worlde is not ſett on fyere, all is not caſte in heepes, that any cities, any cō men weithes, any realmes, any vyllages, be not deſtroyed, caſte downe and ouer thrown, all thyscomyth through the helpe and kepyng of ye holly Angelles. Theſe good Angelles be much more prudent, polityke, and wittie thā the, wycked ſpirittes bee: by reaſō that thei hauehave a glaſſe to loke in, which ye wycked ſpirites hauehave not. This glaſſe is the face and the fruition of the father almyghtie. Forthermore the good Angelles be much more of power thā other angelles be. For they be euer in preſence & in ſeruice wt hī that is almyghtie. Wherfore let vsus gyue euerlaſting thankes vntounto God for theſe tutors, ſuche miniſters, and poteſtates which he hath ordened for vsus, to kepe vsus, and to preſerue vsus in all places, which thinge they doo bothe diligently and gladly.
Furthermore we muſte vnderſtande alſo, that theſe angelles be not to be worſhypped, nor muſte we put oure truſte in them as wehaue done in tymes paſte, for we fynde in ſcryptures that they neuer wolde ſuffre them ſelues to be worſhypped, but euermore hauehave gyuen that honour onelyonly to God, They prayſe and laude God and thancke him that they were made for vsus. For as I ſayde they be ſpirites made and created of God on ly for this to ſerue vsus and to helpe vsus: Lyke the ſame maner we prayſe and thanke God, that he made this comfortable ſunne for vsus, the moone, wyne, bread, and all other maner of thinges. Euen lykewyſe ought we to offer vp to hym immortall thankes for his good Angelles, and ſumtymes amonge to bruſt out with ſome ſuche prayer / thankes and prayſe to the, heauenly father, for that thou doeſt defend vsus, kepe vsus, and gouerne vsus ſo diligētly throughe thy holly angelles, & that thou hayſt ordenedſuch pouers and ſo myghtie princes ouer vsus. &.c. So whan thou gyuyſt god thankys after this maner I thynke thou doyſt prayſe & worſhipe the Angelles ſufficiētly. Nowe to proue that the Angelles be ſuche maner of ſpirittes as we hauehave ſhewed, it is euedēt in many places of the ſcripture as in Luc. the xii. where ye Angelles apering to the ſhepperds & ſhewyng them the byrth of Chriſte, dyd ſyng the goodly ſonge Gloria in excelſis deo et in terra pax hominibus bona voluntas. That is glory be to God aboue, peace in earth, good wyll amonge men. It is a prouerbe amongſt vsus. As the hart thynkyth, ſo the tonge ſpeakyth. And ſo here, the Angelles ſpeake and deſyre the honour and prayſe of god: then that we may ſee theyr hart and good wyl to vsus ward, they pray next that peace be in earth: for yt greuyth them nothyng more whan they ſee ſuchewarres, & battayles among men, whē thei ſe any calamite or diſtruction among vsus, when they ſee any houſe brenne, or a mans oxe dye: For theyr nature and harte is nothynge elles but peace, and therfore all their wyſſhe and prayer is to hauehave peace, quyetnes, health, & goodnes to all men: the deuylles nature is this, and this is all hys endeuer to plucke men from god. Contrarywiſe the good Angelles do euer ſeeke and couitte that we ſhuld honoure god and louelove hym. The deuyll is our aduerſary, and therfore nothyng doth greue hym more, then whan he ſeyth vsus be in peace. Agayn ye āgelles doo wiſhe and reioyſe in nothyng more, then whan they ſee the worlde bent to peace & concord: other els yf there be no concord, yt is our owne faut we cā blame none but our ſelues. For god can no otherwiſe debateand reſtrayne oure wantonneſſe, hedynes, & our malicious nature.
The thyrde thynge that the Angelles wyſhe for amonge men, is good wyll, that is to ſay, that they wyll take well in worth what ſoeuer God ſendeth other good or badde: And that they wyll humbly ſubmit them ſelues to the wyll of God, and eueryevery man be content with his ſtate and fortune, taking his croſſe paciently what ſoeuer God ſendeth. Here in theſe ſcriptures you ſe the Angelles deſcrybed vntounto you of an other forte, thā the ſophiſters and ſcoole men hauehave taught you in tymes paſt. As where I hauehave ſhewed you howe. S. Peter hath deſcrybed the deuyll, where as he fyrſt calleth hym our aduerſarie, and afterward paynteth him in his colours, notefieng hym to walke about lyke a roring Lyon, ſekynge whom he maye deuoure.By theſe wordes of S. Peter, you maye ſe hym moche more playnly and lyuely paynted vntounto you, than yf I ſhulde dyſpute and muſe with my ſelfe neuer ſo long, what an head or noſe he hathe, or whether he hathe ſuche clawes or not as we paynt him to hauehave. And yf thou wylt ſe the trewe & playne fygure of the deuyll, Imagyne wt thy ſelfe ſuche a maner of a man that is all wycked, all gyuen to noughtines, malicious and full of rākore, of a miſcheuous mynde and ſtomacke, craftie, ſottyll, deceytefull, all ſet to hurte and noye men. And ſo ſhalt thou ſe the true proporcion and fiſnamie of the deuyll. On the cōtrary ſyde the good angels is nothīge els, but a mynd or an hart which is perfytly good and louyng. As yf thou couldyſt fynd or woldyſt imagine with thy ſelfe ſuch a perſon, which were allnothyng els but ſwetenes, goodnes, cumlynes, and fryndlynes, whoſe mynde and ſtomake were moſt meeke moſt gentyll, moſt hertie, and kynd, ſymple with out all fraude or gyle, of moſte ſupreme wiſdom & knowlege. And ſo ſhalt thou hauehave the very ſhape and image of a good Angell. Wherfore hauehave they their name gyuen to them: for this worde angell in greke is that whiche we call in englyſhe a meſſenger or an embaſſadore, bycauſe they be ſent of God. The ſcripture dothe not gyue them theyr name, of their nature or ſubſtance wherof they be made (ſaue only that it callyth them ſpirites) but it gyuyth them theyr names of theire office and miniſtery. And therfore we cal them angelles, not as concernyng theyr ſubſtance or nature wherof they be created, but as concernyng theyr office whichthey be appoynted to. Wherfore we ought to louelove thys name Angell, and to make much of it. Truly I am greatly delyted with it, I can not tell what other mē be, and do embrace it with all my hart. Nowe yf they be the meſſyngers and embaſſadours of oure lorde god, then what thyng do they, or wherfore doth god ſend them: anſwer thou agayn. They do gouerne vsus, they kepe vsus and preſerue vsus: for that cauſe be they ſent, and that is theyr office to do, to accō pleſſe the commaundement of god that is gyuen them to do: that is: to ſtoppe the workes of the deuyll, to turne away euyll chanſes, that houſes or ſtreetes be ſett on fyre, that our catell be not deuoured of wyld beſtes, that mē eſchape drownynge with ſuch lyke thynges. Alſo the euyll ſpiritt hath his name, and is called the deuyll, that is,acouſar or a damner: for that is ye nature and all the ſtudy of him, to accuſe, to blame to damne or peruert, to make the worſte of eueryevery thyng that we doo. He is called alſo an Angell that is a meſſynger: but an yll meſſynger & a wycked. And well the grecyans hauehave gyuē hym this name Calumniator, that is to ſay in oure engleſhe tonge a deprauer of eueryevery thynge, for a deprauer properly is he which dothe ſlaunderuſly accuſe, drepraue, and fautye that thyng that is faucles: wherin this wycked ſpirit paſſeth and excellyth all, ſuch thynges as god dothe teach & commaund vsus thoo thynges he corruptyth, deprauyth & expoundyth them other wiſe thē they bee. And this feyt he fyrſt practiſed in paradiſe, in the fyrſt creation when god cōmaunded we ſhuld not touche nor taſte of the tree that grewe in the myddeſt of paradiſe. How craftly & peruerſly he expounded the worde of god. Do you thynke, ſayd he, that god dyd forbyd you to eat thys. No you ſhall not dye: thus he turned the trueth in to a lye, & made god a deuyll: the ſame thyng alſo he practiſeth dayly in oure conſciences when he crepeth in and hardenyth oure hartes, he maketh them ſo ſecure with out all remorſe and feare as though they had neuer ſynned in all theyr lyfe: the ſame he practiſed alſo at the generall counſell in the cytie Anguſta, in hys byſſhoppes and prynces. But then moſt chefly he playeth ye part of a deuyll, and a deprauer, when he recyteth vp to good men all theyr ſinnes, and makyth them much more greuous than they be. In thys poynt he can ſo depraue and fauty all thy doctrine and all thy lyuyng that he wyll make theaborre thy ſelfe, and bewayle that euer thou couldyſt letter in the boke. This is the very poynt and practiſe of the deuyll: thys is the worke and the only ſtuddy of that wycked ſpirit: to peruerte and corrupt thynges though they be neuer ſo good. Cōtrary wiſe agayne the good Angelles, do take all thynges to the beſt, expoundyng eueryevery thynge in the honeſt parte, do comfort vsus, do prouyde for vsus, do ayde vsus, do defende vsus, & teach vsus. Theſe thynges ought we to conſider and to gyue god thankes therfore with all diligence, and eueryevery daye that we ryſe, to make ſome ſuche prayer vntounto god, as thys. O father of heauē, I beſeche the, that thy good angell may be with me thys day to kepe me, to gyde me, to gouerne me, to preſerue me and teach me et c.
Of the great diligence and myndof the angelles toward vsus & oure helth, we hauehave a goodly example in the boke of kynges, where as Elezeus the prophet dyd ſhewe to hys miniſter great fyery hylles whiche were ſet full of charettes and horſemē, by the which ſyght he perceiued that his enemis were not to be fered whan there were many moo Angelles and muche ſtronger than hys enemies were. Truth it is yt the good Angels be moch more redy and glad to helpe and further vsus thē the wicked ſpyrites be to hurt and hyndre vsus. Beſyds that there be many moo good Angelles than there be yll: the good Angelles be euer ſuer & diligent to do that which is commaunded them, that is, they kepe & defende vsus both truly & carefully: wherfore though the deuyll be neuer ſo ſert to hurt or to deſtroy vsus, & though he rore neuer ſo ſoreagaynſt vsus, yet be the good angelles muche more diligent to aſſiſte and defende vsus, breuely, be euer more tender and carefull ouer vsus, with theyr redy ſeruice to do vsus good. Thys we ought to lerne and know / for that ſhall cauſe vsus that we ſhall not be ſo ſecure and ſo ſlogyſhe in oure ſelues, but be more circumſpect and better loke about vsus and that we ſhall lerne the better to beleue and truſt in god, whan we knowe that we hauehave many moo good Angelles of our ſyde thē deuylles agaynſt vsus, and be always of good chere and comfort in all our affayers, in all oure afflictions, trobles, and aduerſytes, ſayng with the prophet Elezeus: we hauehave many mo warryers on our part, than enemyes agaynſt vsus. And ſo ſhall we ouercome the deuyll, as Elezeus dyd ouercome his enemies, beyng blidedin the darknes of theyr mynd, and we hauyng oure eys ſeyght ſhall bryng in oure ſowdiers in to the citie of theyr aduerſaris / as we rede that Elezeus dyd in the ſame chapiter. Theſe examples be written for vsus, yt we ſhuld prayſe god and gyue hym thankes, for that, that he hath ſo appoynted for vsus ſuche an hoſt and an armie of hys holly angelles for oure defēce and ſaffete, ſo that yf one angell be not ynoughe, there ſhulde thowſands be redy by and by, ſo as we ſe here in Elizeus, for whoſe only cauſe ſo many thouſands of holy angelles dyd ſhew themſelfes & dyd muſtre before hym, redy at all tymes to ſuccour him whan nede ſhuld be. The very ſame thīg weſe in Luke where fyrſte one angell came and ſhewed the byrthe of Chriſte, but ſone after there was a multitude of the armye of angelles, ſyngyngwith that one angell. et. c. Suche a multitude and a whole armie of good Angells there be that God hathe apoynted for oure ſoccoure and ſauegarde.
Wherfore yf we vſe to thanke god for temporall peace, for good magiſtrates, & officers, and for ſuche other worldly comodites. Than how muche more ought we to gyue god prayſe and thankes for his good angelles whyche he ſendyth to helpe vsus, not only in bodely & external thiges, but alſo in al our ſpirituall affayres. For why they do both cōfirme our fayth in god, and alſo kepe vsus in ye feare of god: ſo theyr kepyng and goodneſſe it is, that where we ſee one man dyſſtroyed by the craft and tēptation of the deuyll, we ſee a thouſand and a thouſande ſayued agayne. Truly moo men there be always that lyue, then that dye. Therfore where thou ſeeſt any Cytie, any towne, any houſe ſayffe or ſtādig, there mayſt thou perceiue, ye good angelles be there to ſtoppe the euyl ſpirites that they diſtroy them not. Thus allways we ſee and proue by experience, more goodnes, thā euylls to be ſent vntounto vsus: As we ſee in a bryghte daye / the ſonne to ſhynne much more cleare and lyghtſome, thā the blackenes of the nyght tyme is darke. Thus doth god make vsus to ſee his benefytes and good turnes, which he beſtowyth vponupon vsus through hys holly angelles, for to comforte vsus and confyrme vsus with all, that we may vnderſtand by that meanes the wonderous deceyts, ſubteltes, and damages of the deuyll, to the entent that we all ways ſhuld ſtād in feare, and awe, and neuer to be ſecure and negligēt in our ſelues. Therfore lett vsus lerne thys well,and bett in alſo to oure children, that they may lerne thus to cōfort and ſtrenghthen them ſelues with the ayde of theyr good āgelles, & ſo that they may lerne to feare the deuyll. And in thys maner they owght to be brought vp with lyke information as this, or ſuch other lyke. My child thou muſt not take the name af thy lord in vayn: thou muſt not backbytte thy neyg boure: thou muſt not name the deuyll, nor muche hauehave hym in thy mouthe, for he is att hand in eueryevery place, and is hard by, & about the wher ſoeuer thou goeſt, vnles thou take hede, and feare god, and employ thy ſelfe to goodneſſe and vertue, he wyll other caſt the in the water to drowne the, or els he wyl be ſuer to do the ſum great myſcheffe or other. And agayn leſt they ſhulde be brought in to to much feare of him or to weakhartedin them ſelues thereby. Theſe wycked ſpirites, My ſonne, as I tolde the, be allways about the, & greattly deſyrous to noy the ſome way or other, but oure lorde god hath ordened good angels agayn an infinite nūbre, and they be euer redy at hande, yf thou be a good and an obidient child, to kepe the and preſerue the. what ſo euer the deuyll goyth about, other to caſte the in the water to drounde the, or to fray the in thy ſlepe, or to breke thy necke, et c.
Moreouer in ſo much as we muſt feyght and warre with the deuyll, it is requiſyt that we ſhuld know fyrſt what he is and how myghty he is. No man can campe well wt the emnye whom he knowyth not. Now what maner and ſorte he is of I hauehave ſhewed you, before. Alſo I hauehave ſhewed you, howe he is a ſpiritt whiche neuer reſtyth norceaſyth, whoſe labore and ſtudy is nothīg els but to diſturbe ye peace of the world, to brīg in bataylles, to ſtyre vp inſurrections, ſtryf and ſeditions, to make tumultes, and confuſion amongſte men: he can not reſt nether can he wyll well to no man. It greuyth hym I dare ſay that I make this ſermō nowe, and ſore it goeth to hys hart, nothyng more, yea it greuyth hym yt my lyfe induryth a quarter of an ower: he hath conſpired and leyed wayte for my death, and at lēghth wyll dyſpatche me. But what ſhuld I doo? Truly nothyng els but ſtycke only to the word of god and pray. O father of heauē, thou ſeyſt and perceiuyſte what the deuyll goeth about, ſend downe thy good Angell, to ſtoppe hys wycked purpoſe yt he hauehave no power in any thīg to hurt any body, but to the health and euerlaſtyng ſaluationto my ſoule. Amen. Thas ought we in lyke maner to cōmēd our ſelues to god eueryevery day: thus we ought alſo to informe our childrē, yt they may lykwiſe lerne to cō mend them ſelues to god after the ſame maner. And ſo whan we do inſtruct our children thus ſtyll accuſtomyng them to the ſame, they may turne to good men, and lerne to feare god. Lykwiſe as children do hange of theyr parentes, ſubtectes of their magiſtrates, hauīg all theyr ſuccoure and prouydyng by them: ſo do we hange of the angelles, to whom god hath apoynted all the promiſion and coſtody ouer vsus. And ſo by that reaſon yt god hathe ſo apoynted his angelles, to ſee to vsus and ſuccoure vsus, we may well vnderſtand that we hauehave a perilous enemie about vsus, euer redy and laboryng to diſtroy vsus. For els what nede we ye aydeand coſtodie of ſo many Angelles, vnleſſe we were in great daunger of ſtrong & myghtie aduerſaries? wherfore it is our ꝑtes euermore to gyue thākes to god, and to ſay. O heauēly father the father of all gentylnes, thankes, prayſe, and glory be to the, for that, yt through the ſtrēght and ſuccour of thy Angelles I am able to withſtand all the wicked ſpirites, whiche notwithſtanding of myne owne power, am not able to withſtande the weykeſt one of them, no though I had an hūdreth thouſād mē mo to helpe me. Alſo that notwythſtandynge myne enemy is ſo paſſyng crafty & ſubtile, that I hauehave not one drope of craft where yt he hathe a whole ſeefull: yet through the protection and cuſtody of thy holy angelles, he hathe no power to do me any wrong or vilany. My poore wiſedome, thoughe it yet but very ſmalle, and ſymple, dothe confound the hye and great wiſedome of his, and all through thy mere grace & the help of thy holy Angelles, my Lord God Amen. And ſo thys is the glory of oure Lord God, that he declaryth and ſettyth forth his glory, his wiſdome, his power, in our vnablenes, in oure foolyſhnes, and infirmite. This honor is only dewe to him, that he is a god of might, power, of heygh wiſedome, and infinite goodneſſe. And that thing he well declaryth, in that, that he ſendyth vsus hys helpe and defence by hys holy Angelles, ſo that we be able to ſtand agynſt al the mayne hoſt & armye, all the proude garde of the wycked Angelles aboue, to ouercome them, to ouerthrowe them and gloriouſly to triumphe vponupon them. Chriſte Ieſus voutch ſaue euermore to be wt vsus al withhis helpe and powre. Amen.
Prayſe be to God for euer Amen.
End of the text · Martin Luther, Sermon on Matthew 18 (1548)