Collected Sermons, kingdom of God
A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
FOraſmuch as there is often mention made in the new Teſtament of theſe wordes, the kingdom of heauē, the kingdom of God, ye kingdom of Chriſt, and it is very profitable and expedient for a Chriſtian to know theſe, to wit, that they are nothing els, but remiſſion of ſinnes, and grace preached and offered by the Goſpell. For in this kingdom thou ſhalt finde nothing but grace and goodnes, pardon and forgiuenes of ſinnes, louelove and gentlenes: I therefore thinke it good to entreate ſomewhat at large of the ſtate of this kingdom, and of forgiuenes of ſinnes. The kingdom of God, whereby he reigneth ouer all the faithfull, and as a faithfull king defendeth, puniſheth, rewardeth, guideth, and directeth them, &c. they againe from their hart truſt in him, ſuffer his fatherly chaſtiſement and correction with a patient mind, and alwayes ſerue him through obedience, is not worldly or temporal, but ſpiritual. Neither conſiſteth it in meate and drinke,The kingdō of God wherin it conſiſteth. or in any outward thing, but onelyonly in iuſtification, quieting and conſolation of the hart and conſcience of man. Wherfore it is nothing els, but forgiuenes and taking away of ſinnes, by which conſciences are defiled, troubled, and diſquieted.A ſimilitude. For euen as a worldly and temporall kingdom is ordayned to this ende, that men may liue quietly & peaceably one with an other: So the kingdom of God giueth theſe thinges ſpiritually, and deſtroyeth the kingdom of ſinne, and is nothing elſe, but an aboliſhing and pardoning of offences. God reigneth in the hartes, inaſmuch as he worketh in them by his word, peace quietnes and conſolation: euen as ſinne worketh the contrary, namely, vnquietnes, anguiſh, and all kinde of euills. Herein God ſheweth his maieſtie and grace in this life, that he taketh away and pardoneth mens ſinnes: and this is the kingdome of grace. Nowe when as ſinne with his gard, that is Satan, death, and hell, ſhall trouble man no more, then at the laſt the kingdom of glory, and abſolute felicitie ſhall be.
The kingdō of God is gouerned, not by the law, but by the Goſpell.Hereupon it followeth: firſt, that the kingdom of God is ruled or gouerned by no law, no not by the law of God, much leſſe by the lawes of men, but onelyonly by the Goſpell, and faith in God, by which harts are purified, comforted, and quieted, whiles that the holy Ghoſt poureth louelove and the knowledge of God into them, & maketh man as it were one thinge and one ſpirit with God: ſo that his affection is ſet vponupon the ſame thinge, he willeth and deſireth the ſame thinge, he ſeeketh and loueth the ſame thinge, that God doth. Neither ſtandeth the caſe otherwiſe here, then it doth betweene two frendes, which beare good wil one to an other, and agree one with an other in all thinges. Hereof it commeth, that a man in this kingdome of God is perfect, mercifull, pitifull and bountifull toward his neighbour, ſeeing that he knoweth by the inſtinct of the holy Ghoſt, that God is of ye ſame affection toward him, and toward all men, and doth poure forth his goodnes plentifully. Such affection of God no man can know by the lawe, but onelyonly by the ſpirit, and word of the Goſpell. None therefore ſhal obtaine quietnes, comfort, and peace of the hart, or attaine vntounto the kingdom of God by any law. And they which preſcribe many lawes, doe withdraw men from the kingdom of God, to the kingdom of ſinne, wherein is nothing els, but vnquietnes, anguiſh, affliction, aduerſitie, and all kind of euills tormenting the conſcience. Like as on the contrary, in the kingdom and knowledge of God, there is meere ioy, peace, and conſolation of harts.
How Chriſt reigneth in the kingdō of God.Secondly: In this kingdom of God the Lord Chriſt reigneth no otherwiſe, then as a Maiſter of an Hoſpitall among the ſicke, poore, and diſeaſed. For vntounto this kingdome none pertaine, but ſinnefull and miſerable men, vntounto whome their ſinnes are forgiuen. Hereupon Chriſt ſayth in the Goſpell Luke 6: VVo be to you that are riche, which hauehave receiued your conſolation. But contrariwiſe, the poore, miſerable, and ſuccourles receiue comfort and ioy by the Goſpel: for Chriſt came to call ſinners onelyonly, and not the righteous, that all glory may be referred to God alone,Chriſt putteth away ſinne after two ſortes. for that he forgiueth ſinnes of his grace and meere mercy. Such aboliſhing or putting away of ſinne, wherein Chriſt reigneth as King of the kingdome of God, is done of him after two ſortes: firſt thus, in that he remitteth, pardoneth and couereth ſinnes, ſo that God will not regard, remember or reuenge them although they be in a man. As it is in the 32 Pſalme: Bleſſed are they whoſe iniquities are forgiuen, and whoſe ſinnes are couered. Bleſſed is the man to whom the Lord wil not impute ſinne, in whoſe ſpirit there is no guile. And in Eſay cap. 43 God ſayth: I am, euen I am he, that for myne owne ſelfs ſake do away thine offences, and forget thy ſinnes, ſo that I vvill neuer thinke vponupon them. Secondely thus, in that he purgeth or rather ſcoureth ſinnes by diuers croſſes and afflictions. For they are two things, to remit ſinnes, and to weaken the body of ſinne that it may not reigne in vsus. If a man beleeue, and is baptized, then all his ſinnes are forgiuen him. But afterwarde ſinne muſt be ſcoured or abated by manifold affliction and mortification, as long as he ſhall liue. Sinne ſticketh in vsus, as long as the mortal body remaineth, but for Chriſtes ſake it is not imputed in the wrath of God, but freely remitted,True Chriſtians reioyce in affliction. and the force thereof diminiſhed by his fatherly chaſtiſement. In ſuch chaſtiſement for their amendement, true Chriſtians hauehave had great comfort, peace, and ioye, as Paule ſayth Rom. 5: Then being iuſtified by faith, vve hauehave peace toward God, through our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, by vvhō alſo through faith, vve hauehave had this acceſſe into this grace, wherin we ſtand, and reioyce vnderunder the hope of the glory of God. Neither that onelyonly, but alſo vve reioyce in tribulations, knovving that tribulation bringeth forth patience, and patience experience, & experience hope. And hope maketh not ashamed, becauſe the louelove of God is shed abroad in our harts by the holy Ghoſt vvhichwhich is giuen vntounto vsus. So thou haſt two thinges to be conſidered: The firſt, that in this kingdom of God we are iuſtified. The ſeconde, that by tribulation and affliction we are glorified, without which we can not attaine vntounto glory.
Thirdly, good Chriſtians are not knowen by this, when any ſuffer manifold tribulation & chaſtiſement, that the body of ſinne may be weakened, and they brought to amendement. For herein they doe altogither differ amonge them ſelues, one ſuffereth this, an other that: one is chaſtiſed thus, an other otherwiſe, ſo that euen they very Apoſtles did not louelove and ſuffer alike: But they are knowen in forgiuenes of ſinnes, or iuſtification by faith, wherein God turneth his anger from them, & receiueth them vntounto grace, and counteth them for his deare children, and imputeth no ſinne to them vntounto condemnation. Herein are all alike, euen as all liue vnderunder one heauen. Wherefore they doe moſt groſſely erre & ſtumble, which meaſure Chriſtians by maners, workes, and the outwarde maner of liuing, euen as the Phariſees were wont to doe, and did therefore finde fault with Chriſt, for that he did not obſerue their ceremonies, but was a frend of Publicanes and ſinners. As that Phariſe ſayd within him ſelfe Luke 7: If this man were a Prophet, he would ſurely hauehave knowne who, and vvhat maner of vvoman this is, vvhichwhich toucheth him: for she is a ſinner. A ſimilitudeHeare nowe an example of thoſe thinges which are before ſayd: A Phiſitian which goeth about to cure the ſicke, doth firſt promiſe him health by the aſſiſtance and helpe of God, whereby he putteth him in great hope and comfort. Afterward he beginneth to purge, to clenſe and ſtrengthen, and ſuch like thinges, which make to the recouering of health: So God alſo, when he hath remitted ſinnes, and receiued man into the boſom of grace, doth lay on him all kind of afflictions, and doth ſcoure him, and renue him from day to day, in the knowledge and louelove of God, vntil he become ſafe, pure and renued, which then at the laſt commeth to paſſe, when this mortall body dyeth.
Fourthly in theſe two partitions of the kingdom of God, two ſortes of men are founde,Two ſortes of men abuſe the kingdom of grace. which abuſe the ſame kingdome of the grace of God, and the Goſpell. Some become ſluggiſh and ſlothfull, ſaying: Well, if ſinnes be pardoned freely of meere grace, and be waſhed away in baptiſme, there is no neede that I ſhould adde any thinge of mine owne. Other thinke contrariwiſe, that they ſhal put away their ſinnes by works, and ſo truſting to their owne merits, they are proud and arrogant, and in reſpect of them ſelues contemne other, which doe not ſo. The firſt of theſe contemne Gods grace: the other oppugne it, as not ſufficient, and ſo they repreſent ſwine and dogges. Now all this appeareth by the Goſpell, by which Chriſt reigneth in the kingdom of God. For ſome abuſe it vntounto carnall libertie: other contrariwiſe are perſwaded, that it is not ſufficient to ſaluation, but that their workes alſo doe helpe ſomewhat, and by this they deny and contemne the grace of God. Hereof thou mayſt read more in the Epiſtle to the Romanes, wherein theſe two ſortes of men are plainly ſet forth.
Fiftly, this kingdom of God, or remiſſion of ſinnes hath no bounde or meaſure,Matth. 18.21.22. as that place of the Goſpell doth very well ſhew, where Peter aſketh the Lord: Lord, how oft shal my brother ſinne againſt me, and I shall forgiue him? vntounto ſeuen times? Ieſus ſayd vntounto him, I ſay not to thee, vntounto ſeuen times, but vntounto ſeuenty times ſeuen times, that is, as often as ſhall be needefull. After this followeth a parable,We muſt forgiue our neighbour, if we will hauehave God to forgiue vsus. which the Lorde there putteth forth, wherein he moſt ſeuerely admoniſheth vsus, if we will not fal out of the fauour of God, that we forgiue our neighbour his offences without all delay or grudging. Foraſmuch as God alwayes forgiueth vsus innumerable ſinnes. Our dette, whereby we are bound vntounto 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 eueryevery 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 vntounto 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 giuegive vntounto 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 vponupon 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 hauehave now ſpoken. For the ſeruaunt, which would not hauehave 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 vntounto them ſelues, and puffed vp with knowledge, hauehave 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 vsus. Wherefore in this parable, whereof I hauehave euen now made mention, Chriſt doth admoniſh vsus all, that we pardon and forgiue all them that hauehave offended vsus. As if he would ſay: As in mans affayres, he which is beneficial to an other, hath other alſo beneficiall vntounto him againe, ſo ſayth Chriſt, in ye 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 vsus to pray in the Lords prayer, Matth. 6: Forgiue vsus our dettes: which he would not hauehave done, if he did not promiſe and would not mercifully forgiue vsus. 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, ye other a promiſe. Marke that it is here enioyned vsus, to forgiue one an other his ſinnes and offences, ſo, that we muſt be mercifull and bountifull towarde our neighbours, if we will hauehave the heauenly father gentle and appeaſed toward vsus. And let vsus 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 hauehave a bountifull and mercifull father toward vsus 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 mē are ignorant, that they doe take from God his glory, to whom alone vengeance belongeth, and chalenge it to them ſelues, and ſo they giuegive vp to the deuill their owne ſoules, which they hauehave receiued of God, & ought to render them vntounto 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 hauehave 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 vntounto you, except ye forgiue from your ha… eche one to his brother their treſpaſſes. Neither is it ſufficient, if in geſtures, ſignes, mouth or tongue thou ſhew thy ſelfe a frend vntounto 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 hauehave tryed the mercy of God towarde vsus, we muſt alſo readily pardon our felow brethren, which hauehave offended vsus. For in that reſpect the mercifull Father forgiueth vsus our ſinnes, that we alſo ſhould forgiue our brethren, & ſhew mercy toward them, euen as he is merciful toward vsus, 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 maketh vsus alſo good. Chriſt ſitteth at the right hand of the Father, yet neuertheles he reigneth in the hartes and conſciences of the faithfull, ſo that they louelove, feare, reuerence, and diligently obey him, no otherwiſe then obedient ſubiects doe their King, and in all their doinges are made like to him, euen as he him ſelfe ſayth, Matth. 5: Be ye perfect, as your Father vvhichwhich is in heauen, is perfect. Now God is perfect in this, that he taketh away and pardoneth our wickednes, defect, ſinne, and imperfection, that we alſo may doe the like to our brethren. But when as we ſhall not doe the like, we are driuen out of his kingdom, & are made ſubiect to the kingdom of ſinne, death, and the deuill, as diſloyall and diſobedient inhabitants of ſome countrie, are thruſt out. Which God of his mercy turne from vsus, Amen.
All theſe thinges may be comprehended in the principall poyntes follovving.
1 Chriſt reigneth, when by faith of the Goſpell, he worketh the goodnes and grace of God in our hartes, and maketh them like vntounto God.
2 In ſuch a kingdom the conſcience enioyeth peace, conſolation and reſt, when it vnderſtandeth and knoweth that God is mercifull vntounto it, and imputeth not ſinnes.
3 Therefore man beareth all kind of tribulation and affliction, by which ſinne is ſcoured, and the force thereof abated. He alſo endeuoureth to be beneficiall vntounto other, as he him ſelfe hath bene as it were ouerwhelmed of the benefits of God.
4 And ſo the Lord reigneth after two ſortes: Firſt, for that he maketh the faithfull certaine of the grace of God, and remiſſion of ſinnes. Secondly, for that he layeth the croſſe vponupon them, that the body of ſinne may be weakened, and they brought to amendement.
5 He that forgiueth his detters pertaineth to the kingdom of God, but he that doth not forgiue them, remaineth vnderunder the kingdom of ſinne.
Theſe things I thought good to ſpeake in this preſent place concerning the kingdom of heauen, the kingdom of God, or the kingdom of Chriſt, which is the ſame: to wit, that it is nothing elſe but a kingdom, in which thou ſhalt finde nothing but forgiuenes of ſinnes. Which kingdom is preached and offered vntounto vsus by the Goſpell, God graunt that we may ſo receiue it. Amen.