Collected Sermons, remission of sins
A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER, CONCERNING FREE REMISSION OF SINNES TO THE CONTRITE AND BROKEN IN hart, and terrible iudgement to the indurate and obſtinate.
Matth. 18.
Verſe 23. IEſus ſayd vntounto Peter & to the reſt of the Diſciples: The kingdom of heauen is likened vntounto a certaine King, which would take an accoūt of his ſeruaunts.
24. And when he had begon to recken, one was brought vntounto him, which owed him ten thouſand talents.
25. And becauſe he had nothing to pay, his Lord commaunded him to be ſolde, and his wife, & his children, and all that he had, and the dette to be payed.
26. The ſeruaunt therefore fell downe, and worſhipped him ſaying: Lorde refraine thine anger toward me, and I will pay thee all.
27. Then that ſeruaunts Lord had compaſſion, & looſed him, and forgaue him the dette.
28. But the ſame ſeruant went out, & found one of his fellow ſeruaunts, which owed him an hundred pence, and he layed handes on him, and thratled him, ſaying: Pay me that thou oweſt.
29. Then his fellow ſeruaunt fel down at his feete, and beſought him, ſaying: Refraine thine anger towards me, and I will pay thee all.
30. Yet he would not, but went and caſt him into priſon, till he ſhould pay the dette.
31. And when his other fellow ſeruants ſaw what was done, they were very ſory, and came, and declared vntounto their Lord all that was done.
32. Then his Lord called him vntounto him, and ſayd to him: O euill ſeruaunt, I forgaue thee all that dette, becauſe thou prayedſt me.
33. Oughteſt not thou alſo to hauehave had pittie on thy fellow ſeruant, euen as I had pittie on thee?
34. So his Lord was wrath, and deliuered him to the tormentors, till he ſhould pay all that was due to him.
35. So likewiſe ſhall myne heauenly Father doe vntounto you, except ye forgiue from your hartes, eche one to his brother their treſpaſſes.
CHriſt brought forth this parable vntounto that aunſwere which he had made to Sainct Peter, vntounto whom he had before committed the keies of binding and looſing. For when S. Peter aſked him, howe oft he ſhould forgiue his brother his offence, whether it were enough to forgiue him ſeuen times, & he aunſwered, not ſeuen times, but ſeuentie times ſeuen times, he then added this ſimilitude, by which he inferreth, that his heauenly father will do likewiſe vntounto vsus, if we do not forgiue our neighbour, euen as the King did here vntounto the ſeruaunt, which would not forgiue his fellow ſeruaunt a ſmal det, when as his Lord had forgiuē him ſo much. We hauehave often times taught that the kingdom of God wherein he reigneth by the Goſpell, is nothing els, but ſuch a ſtate or gouernment, wherin is meere forgiuenes of ſinnes: ſo that where ſuch a gouernment is not, wherin ſinne is pardooned, neither is there the Goſpell nor kingdome. Wherefore thoſe two kingdoms are to be ſeparated: one, wherin ſinnes are puniſhed, & an other wherin they are forgiuē, or wherin the law is exacted, & wherein that which is due by the lawe, is remitted.The kingdō of grace. In the kingdom of God, where he reigneth by the Goſpell, there is no exacting of the lawe, neither any dealing by the law, but onelyonly remiſſion and forgiuenes, neither wrath nor puniſhing, but brotherly ſeruice and well doing one to an other. Notwithſtanding the ciuill law or Magiſtrate is not taken away, for this parable ſpeaketh not any thing of worldly gouernment, but of the kingdom of God only. Wherefore he that is yet gouerned onelyonly by the regiment of the world, is yet farre of from the kingdom of heauen, for worldly gouernment pertaineth wholy to inferiour thinges. As if a Prince gouerne his people ſo, that he ſuffer iniurie to be done to none, puniſhing offenders, he doth wel, & is therfore cōmended. For in that gouernment this ſentence flouriſheth:Ciuill gouernment. Pay that thou oweſt: which if thou doe not, thou ſhalt be caſt into priſō. Such gouernmēt we muſt hauehave, howbeit we come not to heauen by it, neither is the world therefore ſaued, but this gouernment is therefore neceſſary, that the world do not become worſe. For it is only a defence & fortification againſt wickednes, which if it were not, one would deuoure an other, neither could any man keepe in ſafetie his owne life, wife, goods, children, &c. That therfore all things ſhould not fal, come to ruine and periſh, God hath appointed the ſword of the Magiſtrate, whereby wickednes may be partly repreſſed, peace and quietnes among men maintained, & one may not doe an other iniurie, wherefore this is in any wiſe to be kept. But, as I ſayd, it is not ordained for them that are in the kingdom of grace, but therefore onelyonly, that men be not more deepely plunged in wickednes, and become worſe.
Wherefore no man that is onelyonly vnderunder the regiment of the world, ought to glory, that he doth therefore well before God, before whom all is yet vnrighteous. For thou muſt come ſo farre, that thou do reſigne that which is iuſt before the world, & yeeld of thine owne right. This the Goſpell doth here require,As the Lord forgiueth vsus, ſo muſt we alſo forgiue our neighbour. which on either ſide ſetteth forth vntounto vsus onelyonly forgiuenes. Firſt the Lord forgiueth the ſeruaunt all the dette: then he requireth of him, that he forgiue his fellow ſeruaunt his, and remit his offence. Theſe thinges God requireth, and ſo muſt his kingdom be ordered: that no man be ſo wicked, neither ſuffer him ſelfe ſo to be moued, that he can not forgiue his neighbour. And as it is a litle before this text taught in the Goſpel, if he ſhould prouoke thee to anger euen ſeuenty times ſeuen times, that is as oftē as he can offend againſt thee, thou muſt yeeld of thine owne right, and cheerefully forgiue him all thinges. Why ſo? becauſe Chriſt did the ſame. For he ſet vp & erected ſuch a kingdome, as wherein is onelyonly grace, which muſt at no time ceaſſe, ſo that if thou repent all things may wholy be forgiuen thee, as often as thou ſhalt offend, foraſmuch as he hath ordained the Goſpell, that it might preach no puniſhment but onelyonly grace & forgiuenes of ſinnes. This kingdom ſtanding, thou mayſt alwaies riſe again, how deepely ſoeuer thou falleſt, & ſo often as thou falleſt, ſo as thou repent. For albeit thou falleſt, yet this Goſpell & merciemercy ſeate alwaies continueth. As ſoone as therfore thou haſt riſen againe & returned, thou haſt grace reſtored. Howbeit he requireth this of thee, that thou alſo forgiue thy neighbour all things, which he hath cōmitted againſt thee, otherwiſe thou ſhalt not be in this kingdō of grace, neither ſhalt becōe partaker of yt which ye Goſpell preacheth, that thy ſinnes may be forgiuen thee. This briefly is the ſumme & meaning of this text.
Moreouer, we muſt not here omit, to declare who they be that receiue the Goſpell, and vntounto whom it is acceptable. For ſurely that kingdom and gouernment, wherin God reigneth and ruleth by the Goſpell, is moſt excellent and gentle, foraſmuch as in it meere forgiuenes of ſinnes is preached, howebeit it pearſeth not into the hart of eueryevery one, neither is it conſidered or eſteemed of all. For thou mayſt finde many light and vnconſtant men,Abuſe of the Goſpell. who abuſe the Goſpel, and leade their life diſſolutely and looſely, doing what they liſt, who thinke that they ſhould be rebuked of none, ſeeing that the Goſpel teacheth nothing but forgiuenes of ſinnes. The Goſpell is not preached to theſe, who do ſo vilely eſteeme of a precious treaſure, and deale lightly with it. Wherefore neither doe they pertaine to this kingdom but to worldly gouernment, that they may be ſtopped & let from doing whatſoeuer they like and liſt.To whom the Goſpel is preached. To whom then is it preached? to them which throughly feele ſuch miſerie, as this ſeruaunt did here. Wherefore conſider what happeneth vntounto him: The Lord taketh pitie of his miſerie, forgiueth him more then he durſt deſire. But before this is done, the text ſayth, the Lord firſt tooke account of his ſeruaunts, and when he began to recken, one was brought vntounto him, which owed him ten thouſand talents: and becauſe he had nothing to pay, his Lord commaunded him to be ſold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and the dette to be payed. Which truely were no pleaſant wordes, but euen exceeding ſeueritie and moſt terrible iudgement, then is he brought into ſo great perplexitie and diſtreſſe, that he falleth downe on the ground, and aſketh merciemercy, and promiſeth more then he hath, or is able to pay, ſaying: Lord refraine thyne anger toward me, and I will pay thee all.
Here is ſet forth vntounto vsus, who they be, vntounto whom the Goſpell is acceptable. For ſo commeth it to paſſe betwene God and vsus. When God will take an account of vsus, he ſendeth forth the preaching of his law,The preaching of the law. whereby we learne to know what we ought to doe: as when God ſayth to the conſcience: Thou ſhalt worſhip no other God, but ſhalt acknowledge me alone for God, ſhalt louelove me with all thine hart, and repoſe thy truſt and hope in me onelyonly. This is the booke of accounts, wherein is written what we owe, which he taking into his hands, readeth before vsus, and ſayth. Lo, this thou oughteſt to hauehave done, thou oughteſt to feare, louelove, and worſhip me alone, thou oughteſt to truſt in me alone, and from me to promiſe to thy ſelfe all good thinges. Howbeit thou dooſt otherwiſe, thou art mine aduerſarie, thou beleeueſt not in me, but repoſeſt thy truſt in other things: and in a ſumme, thou feeſt here, that thou dooſt not obſerue ſo much as the leaſt point of the lawe. When the conſcience hath heard theſe thinges, and the law hath touched one well, he ſeeth then what he ought to doe, and what he hath not done, and findeth that he hath not kept ſo much as a letter of the law, and is compelled to confeſſe, that he hath not performed that obedience and dutie which God iuſtly requireth of him. What doth the Lord now? When ye conſcience is thus touched, and feeleth it ſelfe condemned, and is diſtreſſed with exceeding great miſerie, he ſayth: Sell him, and whatſoeuer he hath, and let him pay the det. This is the iudgement, which forthwith followeth, when the law hath reuealed ſinne, and ſayd: This thou muſt doe, that thou oughteſt to hauehave done, and thou haſt done nothing thereof: for to ſinne is required puniſhment, that man may be compelled to pay. For God hath not ſo made his lawe, that he doth not puniſh them that tranſgreſſe it. It is not ſweete & pleaſant, but bringeth bitter and horrible paine with it, it deliuereth vsus to Satan, it caſteth vsus downe to hell, and leaueth vsus wrapped in tentation, vntill we hauehave payed the vtmoſt farthing. This S. Paule hath notably well declared Rom. 4, where he ſayth: The law worketh nothing but wrath. That is, when it reuealeth vntounto vsus, that we hauehave done vniuſtly, it ſetteth nothing before vsus, but wrath & indignation. For when the conſcienee ſeeth that it hath committed euill, it feeleth that it hath deſerued eternall death, after which followeth puniſhment, whereupon it is compelled to deſpeire.
This is that that the Lorde commaundeth this ſeruaunt togither with all his ſubſtance to be ſolde, foraſmuch as he is not able to pay. But what doth the ſeruaunt ſay? the fooliſh fellow thinketh yet, that he ſhall pay the dette, he falleth downe and prayeth that he wil hauehave patience with him. This is the wound and croſſe of all conſciences, that when ſinne biteth them ſo, that they feele in how euill caſe they are before God, there is no reſt in them, but they runne hither and thither, ſeeking about, that they may be deliuered from ſinnes, & raſhly take vponupon them as yet to do ſo great thinges, as wherewith they ſhall pay God,Superſtitious meanes inuented by men to be deliuered from ſinne, and to purchaſe Gods fauour. as we hitherto hauehave bene inſtructed, whereupon came ſo many pilgrimages, collegiate houſes, Monaſteries, Maſſes, & other trifles. We pyned our ſelues with faſting, we ſcourged our ſelues with whippes, we were made Monkes and Nunnes, therefore onelyonly, for that we went about to leade ſuch a life, and to do ſuch and ſo many works, as whereunto God might hauehave reſpect, and thereby be pacified, thinking ſo to appeaſe and make quiet our conſciences, ſo we committed the ſame thinges that this fooliſh fellow did. Such a hart as is touched with the lawe, & throughly feeleth it owne miſerie and calamitie, is humbled truely and in deede. Whereupon it falleth downe before the Lord and craueth mercy, Howbeit it is yet defiled with this vice, that it ſtriueth to helpe it ſelfe, which thinge can not be taken away from nature. When as the conſcience feeleth ſuch miſerie, it dareth preſume to promiſe more then all the Angells in heauen are able to performe. Then is it an eaſie matter to perſuade it to apply it ſelfe to doe, whatſoeuer can be required of it. For it findeth it ſelfe alwayes in ſuch a caſe, that it hopeth that it is able by workes to ſatisfie for ſinnes. Conſider thoſe thinges which hauehave bene hitherto of longe time done in the world, then ſhalt thou find theſe thinges to be ſo: For thus was it preached: GiueGive ſomewhat to the building of a Church: Get to be admitted into an holy Monaſterie, inſtitute Maſſes, and thy ſinnes ſhall be forgiuen thee. And when conſciences were vrged in confeſſion, they would not ſticke to ſay: Whatſoeuer was enioined vsus, we hauehave omitted nothing of it, yea we hauehave giuen more then we were commaunded. Miſerable men reioyced that by this meanes they might prouide for them ſelues, and therefore they pyned and afflicted them ſelues, that they might be vnburdened of their ſinnes, yet did it preuaile them nothing. For the conſcience remained in dout as before, that it knewe not how it ſtoode before God. But if it were ſecure and quiet, it fell into that which is worſe, to thinke that God hath reſpect vntounto workes, neither can reaſon doe any other but depend of works. The Lord therfore is touched wt affection of mercy toward that miſery, wherewt ye ſeruaunt ſo entangled & ſnared wt ſinnes, is holden, & taking pitie vponupon him, doth forgiue and dimiſſe him. Here is now ſet forth vntounto vsus, what is ye ſpecial office & qualitie of ye goſpel, & how God dealeth with vsus. When thou art ſo drowned in ſinnes, & wearieſt thy ſelf, that thou mayſt deliuer thy ſelfe from them, the Goſpell commeth to thee,The preaching of the Goſpell. & ſayth: Doe not ſo deare brother, it preuaileth nothing, although thou afflict and torment thy ſelfe euen til thou be mad, thy works do not profit, but the mercy of God ſhall deliuer thee, who is touched with thy miſerie: for he ſeeth thee wrapped in calamitie, & wearying thy ſelf, that thou mayſt deliuer thy ſelfe out of the myre, & yet art not able: he, I ſay, hath regard vntounto this, that thou art not able to pay, wherupon he forgiueth thee all, and that of his meere merciemercy. For he doth not forgiue thee the dette eyther for thy workes or merits, but for that he taketh pittie vppon thy crie, complainte and mourning, and thy falling downe before his knees: that is, God hath reſpect to an humbled hart, as the Prophet ſayth Pſal. 51: The ſacrifice of God is a troubled ſpirit: a broken & contrite hart, O God, shalt thou not deſpiſe. Such a hart he ſaith, as is broken and humbled, which is not able to helpe it ſelfe, but craueth the helpe of God, and reioyceth in it, ſuch a heart is an acceptable ſacrifice to God, and he that hath it is in the right way to heauen. Now God hauing ſhewed this mercy vntounto him, and taken pitie on his miſerie, ceaſſeth to followe his right, and abrogateth it, and ſayth no more: Sell whatſoeuer thou haſt and pay the dette: although he might go forward and ſay: Thou muſt paye, for this my lawe requireth, which I will not hauehave abrogated for thy ſake: yet will he not deale with him by the lawe, but chaungeth the lawe into grace and fauour, taketh pittie on him, and dimiſſeth him with his wife, children, and all his ſubſtance, and doth alſo forgiue him the dette.
This is that which God ſuffereth to be preached by the Goſpell: vntounto him that beleeueth is remitted not onelyonly the fault, but alſo the puniſhment, and that of meere mercy, not for any works ſake. For he that preacheth, that by workes the fault and the puniſhment may be put awaie, hath euen then denied the Goſpell,Mercy and merit cā not agree togither. foraſmuch as theſe two can not agree togither, that God hath mercy on thee, and yet that thou doeſt merit ſome thinge. For if it be grace, it is not merit: but if it be merit, then ſhall it not be grace, but dette: for if thou pay thy dette, he ſheweth thee no mercy: but if he ſheweth thee mercy, thou doeſt not make payment. Wherefore we muſt needes acknowledge his merciemercy toward vsus, we muſt receiue of him, and beleeue in him, which the Goſpel here requireth. After therefore that this ſeruaunt is thus humbled with the knowledge of his ſynne, the word is exceeding comfortable vntounto him, wherein the Lord pronounceth him free, and forgiueth him both the fault and the puniſhment.Whom the preaching of the Goſpell profiteth. Whereby is alſo declared, that it toucheth not ſluggiſh hearts, that feele no ſynne, neither thoſe that are caried with raſhnes, but onelyonly ſuch afflicted conſciences, as are preſſed with the heauie burden of their ſynnes, which do greatly deſire to be deliuered from them, of them God hath mercy, and forgiueth them all. Wherefore it behoued this ſeruaunt to receiue the word, for vnles he had receiued it, forgiuenes had profited nothing, nay there had bene no forgiuenes at all. It is not therefore enough, that God ſuffereth remiſſion of ſynnes, and a golden yeare full of grace to be preached vntounto vsus, but it is neceſſarie that we receiue and beleeue it in heart. If thou beleeue, thou art free from ſynnes. This is the firſt part of a Chriſtian life, which both this place and diuers other in the Goſpels do teach vsus, which conſiſteth properly in faith, which alone hath to do before God: whereby alſo is ſhewed that the Goſpell can not be receiued but of a troubled and miſerable conſcience.
Herupon now may be inferred that they are plaine deluſions, whatſoeuer thinges are any otherwiſe taught concerning our workes, and free will, to wit, that they put away ſinnes, and obtaine grace. For the diuine maieſtie alone, beholding our miſerie, hath pittie vponupon vsus, for the text ſheweth manifeſtly, that God pardoneth and forgiueth them, that hauehave nothing, and concludeth that we hauehave nothing left, wherewith we may pay God. Howſoeuer therefore thou haſt free will in temporall matters, yet thou heareſt here that it is nothing before God. Wherefore if thou deſire to be deliuered from thy ſynnes, thou muſt ceaſſe to truſt in any of thy workes, and muſt plainly deſpeire concerning them, and flie vntounto Chriſt, pray vntounto God for grace, finally receiue the Goſpell by faith.
Now followeth the other part, wherein the felow ſeruaunt alſo is delt with. This ſeruaunt now hath enough, he ſaueth his body, goods, wife, children, &c. and hath his Lord fauourable vntounto him. Wherfore he ſhould ſurely be very fooliſh, if he ſhould now depart, and do what he is able for the reconciliation of his Lord, for his Lord might worthely ſay that he is mocked of him. He hath neede therefore of no worke, but that he receiue ſuch grace & fauour as is offered him, ſo may he be of a good cheere, giuing thankes to his Lord, and dealing ſo with others as his Lord hath delt with him. After the ſame ſort is it with vsus, for when we beleeue, we hauehave God fauourable & mercifull vntounto vsus, neither do we neede any thing more,We muſt endeuour by our workes to profit our neighbour, & not ſeeke to obtaine Gods fauour … but now it were time that we ſhould forthwith die. Notwithſtanding if we muſt as yet liue ſtill in the earth, our life ought to be ordered ſo, that we ſeeke not to obtaine the fauour of God by workes. For he that doth this, doth mocke & diſhonour God, as it hath bin hitherto taught, that God is to be ſollicited ſo ſong by good workes, prayers, faſtings, & ſuch like, vntill we obtaine his grace and fauour. We hauehave obtained grace, not by workes, but by mercy, now if thou muſt liue, thou muſt hauehave 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 hauehave ſaid elſwhere, that Chriſtians muſt burſt forth by workes, & by their deedes before men witnes that they hauehave 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 hauehave done, what doth he? euen the ſame that we doe, who ſeeme vntounto our ſelues to beleeue, and partly hauehave faith, and are glad that we hauehave 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 hauehave 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 hauehave to do with God by onelyonly faith, and by workes with our neighbour. But we can not bring it to this paſſe, that louelove may beginne, and doe that to an other which God hath done vntounto vsus, as we our ſelues complaine, that many of vsus 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 giuegive 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 giuegive 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 giuegive 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 vsus?We muſt be mercifull to our brethren as God is mercifull to vsus. We ſhould be thruſt downe to Satan. Wherefore, whereas he hath left his right toward thee, he will hauehave 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 hauehave exacted his owne right, neuertheleſſe he dothe not ſoe, but becommeth a fauourable Lorde vntounto thee, taketh pittie vponupon thee, and forgiueth thee: why therefore ſhouldeſt not thou doe likewiſe to thy neighbour? Wherefore if thou wilt hauehave 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 vponupon 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 hauehave reſpect vntounto workes, neither will ſaue any becauſe of them. I ſaye he will hauehave 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 giuegive 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 vntounto him praiſe and thanks. And this is the other part of a Chriſtian life, the name whereof is louelove.
They therefore that ſhew not their faith by the works of louelove, are ſuch ſeruaunts, as will hauehave 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 vntounto 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 vponupon 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 hauehave 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 hauehave acknowledged it, to turne from the holy commaundement giuen vntounto them. Why had it bin better? Becauſe while they goe backe, it becōmeth worſe with them then it was before thy heard the Goſpell, as Chriſt ſayth of the vncleane ſpirit Matth. 12, which taketh vntounto himſelfe ſeuen other ſpirits worſe them himſelfe, with which he commeth, and dwelleth in that man, out of whom he before had gone, and ſo the end of that man is worſe then the beginning. After the ſame maner commeth it to paſſe with vsus, and ſhal hereafter alſo be vſuall: ſo alſo hath it fallen out with Rome. In the time of the Martyrs ſhe was in her beſt flower, but afterward ſhe fell, and abhomination was there erected, that Antichriſt might reigne there, yea ſhe became ſuch a one, that worſe ſhe can not be. The grace of God, which is reuealed and preached by the Goſpel, was hiddē, that men might not attaine vntounto it: wherefore it could not be but a great and grieuous ſcourge and plague ſhould follow.
So we alſo ſhall trie that great vengeance will come vpō vsus, for that we do not beleeue nor obey the Goſpell, which we hauehave, and know. For as often as God would ſend an horrible ſcourge and plague, he hath firſt ſet vp a great light: As when he would ſend the Iewes out of their owne countrie into captiuitie in Babylon,God vſeth lenity before he executeth ſeueritie, & firſt warneth before he harmeth. he firſt raiſed vp the godly King Hoſia, who ſhould again reſtore the law, that the people might amend their life, but when they did againe reuolt, God puniſhed them according to their deſert. So when he mynded to deſtroy the Egyptians, he made a light to be ſet vp, and preached vntounto them by Moſes and Aaron: Moreouer when he would drowne all the world by the flood, he ſent the Patriarch Noe, but when men did not amende, but became worſe and worſe, ſuch a ſore and grieuous plague did follow. Likewiſe the fiue cities Sodome and Gomorra togither with the reſt were deſtroyed, for that they would not heare Lot, who feared God. Wherefore as ſharpe vengeance ſhall light vponupon them alſo, which heare the Goſpell, but do not receiue it: euen as the ſeruaunt here in the Goſpell, is deliuered to the tormentours till he ſhould pay all the dette: which is as much in effect as, that he is compelled to ſuffer puniſhment for his fault, and is neuer ſaued. For vntounto ſynne is required death, and when he dieth, he dieth alwayes, neither is there any helpe or deliuerance remaining. Wherefore let vsus receiue theſe thinges for our owne admonition: as for them that will not heare, being hardened and indurate, let them beware of the euell that hangeth ouer them.
This is a verie comfortable text, and ſweete to troubled conſciences, inaſmuch as it containeth in it meere forgeuenes of ſinnes: Againe it ſetteth forth terrible iudgement to the vnmercifull & hard hearted, eſpecially ſeeing that this ſeruaunt is not an Heathen, but had heard the Goſpell, in that he had faith: inaſmuch as the Lord tooke pittie on him, and forgaue him his offences, without doute he was a Chriſtian. Wherefore this is not the puniſhment of Gentiles, nor of the common ſort that heare not the Goſpell, but of them that with their eares heare the Goſpell, and with their toung talke of it, but will not expreſſe it in their life. We hauehave therefore the ſumme of this text. Whereas the Scholemen diſpute here, whether ſynne commeth againe, which was before remitted, I let it paſſe, for they are ignorant what remiſſion of ſynnes is: they thinke it is a thing that cleaueth to the hart, and lyeth quietly, when as notwithſtanding it is plainly the kingdome of Chriſt, which endureth for euer without ceaſſing. For as the ſunne neuertheles ſhineth, although I ſhut myne eyes: ſo this mercy ſeat or forgiuenes of ſynne ſtandeth alwayes, albeit I fall. And as I againe behold the ſunne when I open myne eyes: ſo I againe hauehave forgiuenes of ſynnes, if I ryſe againe, and returne vntounto Chriſt. Wherefore let no man bring forgiuenes into ſuch a ſtraite, as theſe made mē dreame of.