Collected Sermons, loaves and fishes
A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER, CONCERNING TRVST IN GOD IN PENVRIE AND DISTRESSE.
Marc. 8.
Verſe 1. IN thoſe dayes, when there was a verie great multitude, and had nothing to eate, Ieſus called his diſciples to him, and ſaid vntounto them:
2. I hauehave compaſſion on the multitude, becauſe they hauehave now cōtinued with me three dayes, and hauehave nothing to eate.
3. And if I ſend them awaye faſting to their own houſes, they would faint by the waye: for ome of them came from farre.
4. Then his diſciples aunſwered him, whence can a man ſatisfie theſe with bread here in the wildernes?
5. And he asked them, how many loaues hauehave ye? and they ſaid, ſeuen.
6. Then he commaunded the multitude to ſit downe on the ground: and he tooke the ſeuen loaues, and gaue thankes, brake them, and gaue to his diſciples to ſet before them, & they did ſet them before the people.
7. They had alſo a few ſmall fishes: and when he had giuen thankes, he commaunded them alſo to be ſet before them.
8. So they did eate and were ſuffiſed, and they tooke vp of the broken meate that was left, ſeuen baskets full.
9. And they that had eatē, were about 4. thouſand: ſo he ſent them awaye.
I Hope dearely beloued, that ye doe well vnderſtand the meaning of this text. For your vnderſtanding is ſufficiently well grounded in theſe myſteries, ſo that ye doe eaſily perceiue what good is to be looked for in the Goſpell, and what is preſcribed vntounto vsus therein, namely the true nature and qualitie of fayth. And this is the cauſe why Chriſt is of all the Euangeliſtes ſet forth to be ſo louing and gentle: for although the doings and workes deſcribed of them doe oftentimes varie, neuertheles the ſimplicitie of fayth remayneth alwayes alike. Moreouer this text doeth ſo liuely ſet forth Chriſt vntounto vsus in his colours, that it may be manifeſt and well knowen vntounto euerie one of vsus, what we ought to promiſe our ſelues concerning him, to wit, that he is mercifull, bountifull, gentle, who ſuccoureth all that flie vntounto him for helpe. And ſuch ought to be the image of fayth.By the Lawe we are terrified and caſt downe, but by the Goſpell we are comforted & raiſed vp. For the Scripture ſetteth before vsus a double image: one of feare, which repreſenteth to our eyes the horrible wrath of God, before which no man is able to ſtand, but rather we are all enforced to be caſt downe in minde, when we ſee it, vnles we be ſtrengthned by fayth. Howbeit againſt this is ſette the other image namely of grace, which fayth doeth attentiuely behold, and taketh from hence principles of comfort, and conceiueth truſt and confidence in the fauour of God, hauing this hope, that man can not promiſe to him ſelfe from God ſo manye good thinges, but that he hath infinite moe treaſures in a readines for him.
Ye hauehave now oftētimes heard,The temporall and outwarde bleſſings of God ought to be as meanes to make vsus hope and truſt in him, that he will alſo beſtow vponupon vsus ſpirituall and eternal good thinges. that there are two ſorts of good thinges, ſpirituall and corporall. The Goſpell by theſe temporall and corporall good thinges teacheth vsus the faith of children, and they are vntounto the weake as a certaine meane or helpe, whereby they may learne the goodnes of God, how bountifull he is in beſtowing his riches vponupon vsus, and that we ought in ſpirituall thinges alſo to place all our hope and truſt in him. For if we be now inſtructed by the Goſpell, that God will giuegive foode to our bellie, we may thereupon account with our ſelues, that he will nouriſh & cloath our ſoules with ſpirituall good thinges. If I can not commit my body vntounto him that he may feede it, much leſſe can I commit my ſoule vntounto him that he may alwayes preſerue it. Or if I can not be brought to beleeue, that a crowne of golde ſhalbe giuen vntounto me of him, how I pray you, ſhall I hope for tenne of crownes of golde of him? from whom I dare not promiſe to my ſelfe ſo much as a peece of bread, truly much leſſe ſhall I be perſwaded to beleeue, that he will giuegive a fearme vntounto me, or his whole inheritaunce. Now he that is not able to atteine vntounto this tender, and as it were as yet ſucking faith, to him ſurely it is verie hard to beleeue, that God will pardon his ſynnes, or preſerue his ſoule for euer. Foraſmuch as we are perſwaded, that the ſoule is by infinite degrees to be preferred before the bellie, toward which notwithſtanding he is touched with compaſſion as this our preſent text teacheth. Wherefore Saint Peter hath righly admoniſhed:1. Pet. 2. Beloued brethren, as new borne babes deſire that ſincere milke of the word, that ye may grovv thereby. For it is not enough that the infant being put to the teate doe ſucke, but he muſt alſo wax greater, and gather ſtrength, that he may accuſtome himſelfe to feede on breade, and ſtronger meate. Now to eate milke is to taſt of the fauour and grace of God, which is then taſted of, when a triall thereof is had in our life. For although I ſhould preach an hundred yeares of the bountifulnes, fauour, liberalitie and gentlenes of God toward vsus, it would profit me nothing vnleſſe I hauehave a triall and taſte of thoſe commodities, neither could I learne rightly to truſt in God thereby. Hereof alſo thou mayſt coniecture how rare a Chriſtian man is. There are many which ſay, that they commit their bellie to God, but that ſticketh onelyonly in the tounge and lippes, when as rather it ought to perce to the heart.
Let vsus nowe conſider an example teaching vsus the qualitie and nature of faith.The qualitie and nature of faith. The Apoſtle Heb. 11. hath written thus: Faith is the ground of thinges, which are hoped for, and the euidence of thinges which are not ſeene, which is thus much in effect: faith is the foundation, whereby I looke for that good thinge, which is neither ſeene with the eyes, nor heard with the eares, but which I muſt onelyonly hope for. Euen as in our preſent text it plainly appeareth, wherein we reade that there were about foure thouſand men, who togither with their wiues and children had now ſuffred hunger three dayes (was not this a notable kynde of faſting?) yet were not famiſhed with hunger, being farre from their houſes, and deſtitute of thoſe neceſſaries, whereby the bodie is ſuſteined. Now Paule ſayth that faith is a thinge whereby a man hopeth for thoſe thinges which appeare not to the eyes. Such a fayth had this multitude, which although they ſee no meate, neuertheles they truſt in God, that he will feede them. What doeth Chriſt here? he is moued with compaſſion, he demaundeth of the diſciples with what vittailes, or with what thinge their hunger may be taken away. To whom his diſciples aunſwere: whence can a man ſatiſfie ſuch a multitude here in the wildernes? Here ye ſee how mans reaſon and fayth agree togither, that the wiſer reaſon is, ſo much leſſe can it ſubmit it ſelfe to the workes of God. For this cauſe therefore did he aſke his diſciples, that euerie one of them might trie their owne reaſon, and learne how much the capacitie of man and faith do differ one from an other.
Here it appeareth vntounto vsus how reaſon is blynde, and how,Reaſon muſt giuegive place to faith. when faith commeth, it ought to giuegive place. Whereof let this be as an example: If I were a maried man, hauing a wife and a companie of children, and had nothing wherewith to nouriſh them, neither would any man giuegive me any thinge: yet ſhould it be my dutie to beleeue and hope, that God will prouide for me. But when as I ſee my hope to be in vaine, and that I am not ſuccoured by and by with nouriſhment and cloathing, then if I be faithles, I yeeld vntounto deſperation, and goe and purpoſe an other thinge with my ſelfe, I applie my mynde to vnhoneſt trades, that I may get ſomewhat thereby, as theft, deceit, and other ſuch practizes, and by all meanes that I am able, I paſſe through the ſtormes of aduerſitie. See what filthie incredulitie bringeth vntounto man. But if I be endued with faith, I ſhut mine eyes and ſay: Moſt gentle father, I am thy creature, and thy worke, it can not be denied but thou haſt created me, I will put all my truſt in thee, which haſt greater care of my welfare then I my ſelfe. Thou wilt well nouriſh, feede, cloath, and helpe, where and when thou ſhalt know beſt. So faith is a ſure foundation, whereunto I truſting,No maner of thing that is good shalbe wanting to ye faithfull. doe looke for thoſe thinges which I ſee not, and that I may ſpeake at once, it ſhall not want thoſe thinges that be neceſſarie. Surely the Angels themſelues ſhould come downe from heauen, & giuegive bread digged euen out of the earth, vntounto ſuch a faithfull man, that he might be nouriſhed, rather then he ſhould be pined with hunger, yea heauen and earth ſhall paſſe, before God will ſuffer a man endued with ſuch faith to want either clothing or any other neceſſarie thinge. This ſingular truſt and confidence in God, the comfortable and effectuall worde of the diuine promiſe doeth require. Whereof Dauid glorieth Pſal. 37: I hauehave been young and nowe am olde, and yet ſawe I neuer the righteous forſaken, nor his ſeede begging bread. And againe: God knoweth the dayes of the righteous, their inheritaunce shall continue for euer. They shall not be confounded in the perilous time, and in the dayes of dearth they shall hauehave enough. But if we ſhall aſke counſell of reaſon, it will forthwith ſay (as the diſciples did before) this thinge is vnpoſſible: for it looketh for nothing, it truſteth to nothing, when nothing is preſent. Of like diffidence were the diſciples, who thought thus with thēſelues: how can it be that ſuch a great multitude of men ſhould be here refreſhed with meate? truly it exceedeth our capacitie. If they had ſeene an heape of money, ſtore of breade, and ſhambles full of fleſh, they could then hauehave eaſily relieued this preſent neceſſitie, they could hauehave put all in a good hope, and fitly hauehave diſpoſed all thinges, according to the capacitie of their reaſon.
And thus much ſhall ſuffize to be ſpoken concerning the faith of temporall good things: now we will entreat of ſpirituall good thinges, which ſhall come vntounto vsus when we ſhall die. Then ſhall we ſee death ſet before our eyes, when as notwithſtanding we would willingly liue, then ſhall hell appeare vntounto vsus, when we rather deſire for heauen, then ſhall we behold the iudgement of God, notwithſtanding his grace would be much more acceptable vntounto vsus. In a ſumme, whatſoeuer we would deſire to ſee, ſhalbe taken out of our ſight, yea and no creature ſhall helpe vsus againſt death,Faith ceaſſeth not to truſte in God euen in greateſt extremitie and diſtreſſe. hell, and the iudgement of God. But if I beleeue, I ſaye thus vntounto my ſelfe: well, faith is a ſure foundation: herewith I being ſtayed vp, ſhall attaine vntounto thoſe thinges which are verie farre out of my ſight, albeit thoſe thinges be horrible which be in my ſight, yet ſhall they not hurt him that beleeueth. Although therefore I doe preſently ſee nothinge, but death, hell, and the iudgement of God, yet muſt I conſider none of theſe, but rather my mynde is to be confirmed with an vndouted truſt, that God by the vertue of his promiſe, not in reſpect of my merites or workes, will giuegive vntounto me life, bleſſednes, and grace. This in deede is to cleaue vntounto God by ſyncere fayth, which is here verie well painted forth in this groſſe and bodily image of foure thouſand men, who cleauing to God onelyonly by faith, did not doute that they ſhould be refreſhed of him. If they had iudged according to the capacitie of their reaſon, they would hauehave murmured, and ſaid after this ſort: ſurely we are a verie great multitude, we are here in the wide wildernes, we hauehave emptie and hungrie ſtomackes, here is nothing that is able to fill thē. Howbeit they murmured of none of theſe things, but conceiuing a ſure confidence, reaſoning nothing againſt God after the affection of men, they commende them ſelues wholy to the good will of God, and commit vntounto him this vrging neceſſitie of hunger, they them ſelues being quiet from all care. Then God, before this care commeth vponupon them, and before they begin to aſke of him, is preſent, being more carefull for them, then they are for them ſelues, & ſayth on this ſort: I am moued with compaſſion toward the multitude: if I ſend them away faſting, it is a daunger leſt they faint by the way. Behold how gentle & bountifull we hauehave God toward vsus, who hath euen a care to feede the vncleane belly. Here now our hope is erected, and the wordes of Chriſt are comfortable to a man, when he ſayth: They hauehave now continued with me three dayes, it now behoueth me to giuegive ſufficient vntounto them to eate. Here we may ſee, that all that doe ſticke diligently to the word of God, are fed of God him ſelfe.
Wherefore let vsus dearly beloued, at the laſt begin to beleeue,Incredulitie the mother of ſinne. for onelyonly diffidence and incredulitie is the mother of all ſinnes & vices, which at this day reigne in all ſorts of men. How commeth it to paſſe, that eueryevery where, whetherſoeuer we turne vsus, there are ſo many harlots and baudes, ſuch plenty of deluders and deceiuers, ſo many theeues, pillers, vſerers, robbers, Simoniſts, as they call them, and ſellers of benefices? All theſe diffidence toward God bringeth forth vntounto vsus. For ſuch kind of men do iudge onelyonly according to humane reaſon, and reaſon looketh vntounto that which is preſent: but that which it ſeeth not, it is not able to comprehend: wherefore while it doth not repoſe her truſt by faith in God, it is enforced to deſpeire, which deſperation afterward cauſeth ſuch naughtie and wicked men. Behold thus it goeth out of frame with vsus, when we cōmit our ſelues to be ruled, not to faith, but to our owne reaſon.
Moreouer, as ye hauehave now learned faith, ſo muſt ye alſo learne louelove. For Chriſt is ſette forth vntounto vsus in a double forme, in one, of faith, that we ſhould not be ouer carefull: in an other, of louelove,Chriſt an example of louelove. that we may learne, that as he hath care of vsus, giuing vsus meate, drink, apparel, & that of meere & bountiful louelove, not for his owne commodities ſake, or becauſe of our merits: ſo alſo we ought to doe well to our neighbour, and that freely, onelyonly louelove mouing vsus thereunto, that as Chriſt is to vsus, ſo we may be to our neighbour. Hereupon now we may perceiue, that all works of Monks and Nunnes are vaine and to be vtterly diſallowed, when they are not directed to that end, that they may ſerue their neighbour, but are ordeined onelyonly vntounto this ende, that they may merit much at Gods handes by them. For the true workes of Chriſtians, which they deſire to be accepted of God, muſt be done ſo, that they tend to the profit of our neighbour, and not to this ende, that we ſhoulde thinke that we ſhall merit many thinges of God by them, they muſt be cheerefully and freely beſtowed vponupon all, euen as Chriſt hath done, who hath ſpred abroad and freely beſtowed his goodnes vponupon all. Theſe thinges hauehave I briefly ſpoken concerning this text, that ye may thereby learne, that God requireth this eſpecially of vsus, that we doe firmely and conſtantly truſt in him, and that we freely doe good and be beneficiall to our neighbours, according as God hath of his meere goodnes and merciemercy beſtowed infinite benefits and bleſſings vponupon vsus. The Prophet ſayth Pſal. 50: Heare O my people and I will ſpeake, I my ſelf will teſtifie vntounto thee O Iſraell, I am the Lord, euen thy Lorde. I will not reproue thee, becauſe of thy ſacrifices, or for thy burnt offerings, for that they be not alway before me. I will take no bullocke out of thy houſe, nor goates out of thy foldes. for all the beaſtes of the foreſt are mine, and ſo are the cattell vponupon a thouſand hills. I know all the foules vponupon the mountaines: and the wild beaſtes of the field are at my commaundement. If I be hungrie, I will not tell thee: for the whole world is mine, and all that is therein. Thinkeſt thou that I will eate bulls flesh, and drinke the blood of Goates? After the ſame ſort he ſayth vntounto vsus: Behold Iſraell, that is, thou faithfull man, I am thy God, thou art not my God, I will giuegive vntounto thee, thou giueſt nothing to me, I will not be angrie with thee, for that thou offereſt not many things vntounto me. For whatſoeuer is in thy ſtable, in thy houſes, in thy court, it was all mine before, for I hauehave ſent it thither. Whereby he briefly reproued the Iewes, who did meruelouſly pleaſe them ſelues in their ſacrifices. Now becauſe he reiecteth theſe ſacrifices, what will he hauehave to ſupply the place of them? truely euen that which followeth in the ſame place: Offer vntounto me praiſe, and thy vowes, call vponupon me in the time of trouble, & I vvil heare thee, and thou shalt glorifie me. That is, I wil hauehave thine hart, giuegive ouer thy ſelf to me, & account me for a gentle, fauourable, yea and for thy God, and it ſhall ſuffize me. Wherefore place thy faith, truſt and hope in him, count him for a gentle and louing God, cleaue vntounto him, and in extreme anguiſh flie vntounto him for ſuccour, and to none beſide him. Beleeue and looke for helpe of him, then he will helpe thee, thou needeſt not any whit dout. Afterward doe good to thy neighbour with a cheereful hart and freely. Theſe two things are ſet forth in this our text, as alſo in many other places beſide.