Collected Sermons, St Thomas
A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER VPONUPON THE GOSPELL ON SAINCT THOMAS DAY, CONCERNING THE VVORKS VVHICHWHICH Chriſt hath wrough for vsus, wherin is contained a moſt ſweete conſolation againſt the Law, Sinne, Death, and Satan.
Ioh. 20.
Verſe 24. THomas one of the twelue, called Didimus, was not with them whē Ieſus came.
25. The other Diſciples therfore ſayd vntounto him, we hauehave ſeene the Lord: but he ſaid vntounto them: Except I ſee in his hands the print of the nayles, and put my finger into the print of the nayles, and put mine hand into his ſide, I will not beleeue it.
26. And eyght dayes after agayne his Diſciples were within, & Thomas with them. Thē came Ieſus when the dores were ſhut, and ſtoode in the middes, and ſayd: Peace be vntounto you.
27. After ſayd he to Thomas, Put thy finger here, and ſee myne handes, & put forth thyne hand, and put it into my ſide, and be not faithles, but faithfull.
28. Then Thomas aunſwered and ſayd vntounto him: Thou art my Lord and my God.
29. Ieſus ſayd vntounto him: Thomas becauſe thou haſt ſeene me, thou beleeueſt, bleſſed are they, that hauehave not ſeene and hauehave beleeued.
The ſumme of this Goſpell.
1 THomas doth not beleeue that Christ is riſen from the dead, but when he ſeeth and feeleth him.
2 The Diſciples beleue not without manifeſt ſignes. But bleſſed are they that hauehave not ſeene, but doe beleeue the word onelyonly.
3 It is a great matter to know Chriſt God and man. He which attaineth to this knowledg of Chriſt, feareth neither ſinne nor death, neither the deuill nor hell: briefly he is quiet from all anguiſh & tentation. For he hath a greater and mightier then he which is in the world, as Iohn ſayth in his firſt Epiſtle chap. 4.
The expoſition of this Goſpell.
I Know nothing more certaine concerning S. Thomas, then that which this Goſpell mentioneth of him. Other things which are written of him in the booke of Legends, are moſt impudent lyes. And albeit they were partly true, yet hauehave they no authoritie, neither make vsus any thing the better. Wherfore we will leaue them vntouched, & ſpeake ſomething of this Goſpel, which ſhal be more profitable & neceſſary for vsus then all thoſe Legends. The former part of this Goſpell fell out about the euentyde of the Paſſeouer, when two had returned from Emmaus, & ſhewed vntounto the other Diſciples, that the Lorde was riſen againe. The latter part fell out the eight day after the Paſſeouer. It is meruelous how comfortable this Goſpell is, ſhewing vntounto you, the frutes of faith, namely peace, and ioye, as Paule ſayth Rom. 5: being iuſtified therefore by faith, we hauehave peace toward God, through our Lord Ieſus Chriſt. But now we will entreat in few wordes, what this is that the Lord ſheweth to his Diſciples his handes and his feete, whereby is declared vntounto vsus, what commoditie we hauehave by Chriſt, whereunto he profiteth vsus, and what we muſt loke for of him. It is engraffed in the harts of all men as it were by nature, to hauehave a certen wil to be honeſt & godly, & eueryevery one thinketh how he may come to ſaluation, wherby it hath come to paſſe, that one hath inuented this thing, an other that, being verily perſuaded, that thereby he ſhould make God fauourable vntounto him, and obtaine heauen, but none ſuch at any time hath ſtoode in ye right way, foraſmuch as all hauehave had this drift, that they might procure Gods fauour by deedes and good workes. Notable Doctors alſo and holy fathers hauehave written & taught many things, how we might attaine vntounto godlines. About this they hauehave miſerably troubled them ſelues, but as we ſee, and to our notable loſſe hauehave felt, they hauehave done litle. Wherefore it is exceeding neceſſary, that ſome ſound knowledge be had hereof, wherby we muſt endeuour to true godlines, foraſmuch as it is a thing of no ſmall importance. For he that is deceiued here, lozeth the ſumme and chiefe point of all Chriſtianitie: hereof therefore we muſt nowe ſpeake ſomewhat.
True righteouſnes is obtained, not by our owne workes, but by the works which Chriſt hath wrought for vsus.True & ſound righteouſnes conſiſteth not in our owne works, but in the works of an other. Take an example hereof: One buildeth temples, an other for religions ſake goeth to S. Iames, to Aquiſgrane, to Rome, to the holy ſepulcher, the third pineth him ſelfe with faſtings, prayeth, weareth a cowle, goeth bare foote, or worketh ſome other ſuch worke whatſoeuer it be, theſe are our owne workes. God hath not commaunded them, but men and hypocrites, iuſtifiers of them ſelues hauehave inuented them, and hauehave thought that they are precious good workes, and greatly eſteemed of God, ſweetely perſuading them ſelues, that they are by them deliuered from ſinnes, and that God is pacified towards them. But theſe workes choſen of their owne proper will, are nothing worth at all, neither can ſtand, foraſmuch as they proceede not of faith, yea they are ſinnes, as Sainct Paule ſaith Rom. 14: VVhatſoeuer is not of faith, is ſinne. Theſe our works therefore are defiled and vncleane in the ſight of God, yea he doth abhorre and loathe them. Wherefore if we will hauehave to doe with God, we muſt not aſcend truſting to our owne workes, but to the workes of an other. But which are thoſe workes of an other, that are allowed of God? Truely the workes of our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt, whom God the father ſent downe from heauen, that by his death and paſſion he might ſatisfie for our ſinnes. This ſatisfaction fel out vponupon this occaſion: We were ſubiect to great daunger,The miſerable caſe wherein man was before he was deliuered by Chriſt. grieuous tyrannes had power ouer vsus, which day and night without ceaſing did vexe vsus. The law which God gaue vntounto man, did vrge vsus, and required many thinges of vsus, which we were not able to performe, and therefore it condemned vsus. Sinne alſo did lye vponupon vsus as a heauy burden which the lawe did oft times make greater & greater. Death went about to deuour vsus, inaſmuch as it is the wages of ſinne, Satan alſo endeuoured to throw vsus downe headlong to hell, inaſmuch as he would puniſh vsus for our ſinnes committed: all thinges were full of trembling and anguiſh.
God taking pitie vponupon this ſo great calamity, ſent his only begotten ſonne, and that of his mere grace & goodnes, without our deſert, that he might deliuer vsus out of ſo great tyrannie, which he mightely did after this ſorte: He ſatisfied the law,Chriſt hath fulfilled the law, preuailed againſt ſinne ouercome death and vanquiſhed Satan. and fulfilled it perfectly. For he loued God with all his heart, and with all his ſoule, & with all his ſtrength: he loued his neighbour alſo as him ſelfe, in theſe the whole law and the Prophetes do conſiſt. Nowe whatſoeuer Chriſt did, it conſiſted in theſe two. He loued God, inaſmuch as he obeyed his will, he tooke vponupon him the nature of man, and performed in all obedience thoſe thinges that were enioyned him of the father, as Paul ſaith Phil. 2: He became obedient to the father vntounto the death, euen the death of the croſſe. Secondly, he loued his neighbour: for all ye workes which he did in the earth, tended vntounto this end, that he might therby profit his neighbour, and therefore he ſo loued his neighbour, that he euen died for him, as he ſaith himſelfe to his diſciples Ioh. 15: Greater louelove then this hath no man, when any man beſtoweth his life for his frends: S. Paul doth more ſet forth this, ſaying, for his enemies, when he writeth thus Rom. 5: But God ſetteth out his louelove towards vsus, ſeeing that while we were yet ſinners Chriſt died for vsus. Foraſmuch then as Chriſt hath ſo fulfilled ye law, it could not accuſe him, neither was ſinne of any force with him. He ſet vponupon it, and did preuaile ouer it, and ſwallowed it vp, it was enforced to be extinguiſhed of him, no otherwiſe then a ſparke of fire in the moſt wide ſea. For in him was nothing but mere righteouſnes. Death alſo came, and went about to deuour him, it deuoured him in deede, but it could not digeſt him, it was enforced to yeeld him vp againe, yea and this deuouring was an vtter diſcommoditie to death, for the caſe being quite altered, Chriſt deuoured death it ſelfe. For it had ſet vponupon him, againſt whome it had no right, foraſmuch as not a whit of ſinne did appeare in him. Where ſinne is not, there death hath nothing to doe, as Sainct Paule ſayth 1. Cor. 15: The ſtinge of death is ſinne, with this it killeth, otherwiſe it ſhould be dull, and hauehave no ſtrength. Satan alſo made a triall of his ſtrength in him, but in vaine, and to his owne griefe, for he layde handes on him, with whome he had nothing to doe. The wretch was ouercome in this conflict, and went away with ſhame, as Chriſt ſayth, Ioh. 14: The Prince of this world commeth, and hath nought in me. Hell alſo did open his mouth, and would hauehave deuoured Chriſt, but contrariwiſe it was deuoured of him. And ſo in this conflict the Law, Sinne, Death, Satan and hell were vanquiſhed, ouer all which he triumphed & gloried with great pompe, as Paule ſayth Col. 2.
The beleeuers by faith enioy the workes of Chriſt as their owne.All theſe thinges were not onelyonly done for our commoditie, but alſo if we beleeue in this Lorde Chriſt, they are giuen vntounto vsus. For whatſoeuer he hath, it ſerueth for vsus, yea he him ſelfe is ours, as Paule ſayth Rom. 8. God ſpared not his owne ſonne, but gaue him for vsus all to death, how shall he not with him giuegive vsus all thinges alſo? So that I may boldly glorie of all victorie, which he obtained ouer the law, ſinne, death, the deuill, and may chalenge to my ſelfe all his workes, euen as if they were myne owne, and I my ſelfe had done them, ſo that I beleeue in Chriſt. Otherwiſe his workes ſhall profitte me nothinge at all, if they were not giuen vntounto me. Theſe are the workes of an other which doe commende vsus before God, and ſaue vsus. Our owne workes ſhall doe nothing, we are weaker, then that we can reſiſt euen the leaſt ſinne, ſo farre is it of that we are able to encounter with death,How a Chriſtian may notably comfort him ſelf againſt the law, ſinne, death, Satan. Satan, and hell. Wherefore when the Lawe ſhall come, and accuſe thee, that thou dooſt not obſerue it, ſende it vntounto Chriſt, and ſay: There is that man which hath fulfilled the lawe, to him I cleaue, he hath fulfilled it for me, and hath giuen his fullfilling vntounto me: when it heareth theſe thinges, it will be quiet. If ſinne come, and woulde hauehave thee by the throte, ſende it vntounto Chriſt, and ſaye: As much as thou mayſt doe agaynſt him, ſo much right ſhalt thou hauehave agaynſt me: for I am in him, and he is in me. If death creepe vppon thee, and attempt to deuoure thee, ſaye vntounto it: Good Maiſtres death, dooſt thou knowe this man? come and byte out his tooth, haſt thou forgotten howe litle thy byting preuayled with him once? goe too if it be a pleaſure vntounto thee, encounter with him agayne. Thou hadſt perſuaded thy ſelfe, that thou ſhouldeſt hauehave preuayled ſomewhat agaynſt him, when he did hange betwene two theeues, & dyed an ignominious death, which was counted curſed both before God and the worlde. But what didſt thou gayne thereby? Thou didſt byte in deede, but it turned worſt to thy ſelfe. I pertaine to this man, I am his, and he is myne, and where he abydeth, there alſo will I abyde. Thou couldeſt hurte him nothinge, wherefore alſo let me alone. After the ſame ſorte if the Deuill, if hell come violently vppon thee, and trouble thee, ſende them vntounto Chriſt, and thou ſhalt eaſily make them to ceaſe.
And thus ye ſee what Chriſt is vntounto vsus,The ineſtimable commoditie which the faithfull enioy through Chriſt. namely ſuch a man as is giuen vntounto vsus of God, that he might extinguiſh ſinnes, vanquiſh death, deſtroy hell, ouercome the Deuill, and all theſe for our commoditie. If he had not done this, nor giuen vntounto vsus theſe thinges, we had bene for euer vnderunder the curſe of the law, vnderunder ſinne, vnderunder death, vnderunder the deuill, and vnderunder hell. God hath deliuered vsus from theſe by that Chriſt. Wherefore S. Paul ſaith out of the Prophet Oſee 1. Cor. 15: Death is ſwalowed vp into victorie. O death where is thy ſtinge? O hell where is thy victorie? The ſtinge of death is ſinne, and the ſtrength of ſinne is the law. But thankes be vntounto God, which hath giuen vsus victorie through our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt. We are iuſtified before God by no workes or merits of our owne, but onelyonly by the workes of Chriſt.Hereof we may eaſily vnderſtand, what kinde of workes thoſe be, which doe make vsus entire and righteous before God. Surely they are the workes of an other, and not our owne workes choſen of our ſelues. Wherefore the whole Papacie falleth here, with all the moſt precious and holy workes thereof, which hath this drift onelyonly, that miſerable, wretched, and blinded men may be perſuaded, that they obtayne heauen by their merits, and their owne workes. Hereuppon hauehave ſpronge ſo many orders, that they can not almoſt be numbred, of which one ſtriued to be holier then an other, according as they exerciſed harder, greater, and weightier workes. But this their miſerable labour, anguiſh, prayers, faſtinges, chaſtiſing of the body, and ſuch like, were vaine workes, and of no value at all, neither had they ſo much power, that they were able to take away ſo much as euen the leaſt ſinne, which they call veniall. They were altogither vnmindfull of this ſaying Eſay 29, which the Lord repeteth Matth. 15: This people dravveth nere vntounto me vvith their mouth, & honoureth me vvith their lippes, but their heart is farre of from me. But in vaine they vvorshippe me, teaching ſuch doctrines, as are nothing els but the precepts of men. Hereupon now thou maiſt gather with thy ſelfe, that all holy men, although they be exceeding holy, yet do obtaine ſaluation, not by their owne holines, merites or workes. And not ſo much as Mary her ſelfe the mother of God, was made righteous & holy in reſpect of her virginitie, or in that ſhe was the mother of God, but ſaluation hath come vntounto all by Ieſus Chriſt, as by the workes of an other. Wherfore this is diligently to be noted, that our felicitie doth not conſiſt in our owne workes, but in the workes of an other, namely of Chriſt Ieſus our Sauiour, which we obtaine through only faith in him.
This alſo the hiſtorie of this Goſpell ſeemeth to ſignifie, when as the Lorde ſheweth to his diſciples, but ſpecially to Thomas, his handes & feete. By which deede he declareth, that it was neceſſary, that thoſe handes and feete ſhould do theſe things, & that no other works, that is, their owne, & not the workes of an other, do pertaine vntounto ſaluation.Handes and feete what they commonly ſignifie in the Scripture. For in the Scriptures by handes and feete workes & conuerſation are ſignified. Theſe hands and feete Chriſt doth as yet eftſoones ſhew to vsus & ſay: Behold, I am that onelyonly man, whoſe workes & conuerſation are of force with God, thou ſhalt labour in vaine with thine owne workes, thine owne righteouſnes maketh nothing hereunto, it hath an other end. If thou be righteous, it is profitable to thee among mē, here in eart thou haſt the glory & praiſe thereof, as Paul ſayth Rom. 4. But before God this thy righteouſnes is of no eſtimation, thou muſt ſet in place thereof an other, namely mine, this God my father doth allow. For I hauehave deliuered thee from ſinnes, death, the deuell, hell, & from all euell, thou ſhouldeſt neuer hauehave eſcaped out of theſe by thine owne power, but hadſt lyen as yet moſt deepely drowned in them. I hauehave appeaſed the wrath of God, and of an angrie iudge, hauehave made him, a gentle, mercifull and gracious father, beleeue this and it goeth well with thee, thou art then ſafe, entire, and righteous. Beware that thou preſume not to deale before God with thine owne works, but if thou wilt do any thing with him, creepe into me, put on me, and thou ſhalt obtaine of my Father, whatſoeuer thou deſireſt and aſkeſt, as he him ſelfe ſayth vntounto his Diſciples Ioh. 16: Verely, verely I ſay vntounto you, whatſoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name, he will giuegive it you. Wherefore as from the beginning ſinne which was an others, hath bene deriued vntounto vsus from Adam, for neither I, nor thou hauehave eate of the apple: ſo alſo by the righteouſnes of an other we muſt be reſtored vntounto righteouſnes and integrity. This other is Chriſt Ieſus, by whoſe righteouſnes and works we are all ſaued, as I hauehave nowe ſufficiently declared. This S. Paule hath very pithily comprehended euen in one ſentence, where 1. Cor. 1. he ſayth thus: Chriſt Ieſus is made vntounto vsus of God, wiſedom, and righteouſnes, and ſanctification, & redemption, that, according as it is written, he that reioyceth, let him reioyce in the Lord. And Rom. 4. he ſayth: Ieſus Chriſt was deliuered to death for our ſinnes, and is riſen againe for our iuſtification. In theſe two litle ſentences are briefly compriſed, and ioyned togither, whatſoeuer thinges we muſt looke for from Chriſt.
Howbeit all theſe thinges are enioyed by faith, for he that is without faith, to him they are vnpoſſible to be comprehended,The preaching of Chriſt is coū ted fooliſhnes of the vnbeleeuers, but of the faithfull the power and wiſedom of God. yea they are counted fooliſhnes to reaſon & to the world, as Paul ſayth 1. Cor 1: Chriſt vntounto the Iewes is euen a ſtumbling block, and vntounto the Grecians, foolishnes, that is, when Chriſt is preached, that he is our righteouſnes, that ſaluation commeth vntounto vsus by him, and that by him we are made the children of euerlaſting life, without our owne workes and righteouſnes, then thoſe holy men, and iuſtifiers of them ſelues are offended, no otherwiſe then the Iewes. Moreouer to the prudent and wiſe men of this world, it ſeemeth fooliſhnes and a certaine ridiculous thing, that a man being faſtned to the croſſe and put to death, doth performe theſe thinges. Whatſoeuer therefore is counted righteous, holy, wiſe and prudent in the eyes of the world, it is offended and ſtumbleth at this Chriſt. But, ſaith Paul moreouer, VntoUnto thē which are called, both of the Iewes & Grecians, we preach Chriſt, the power of God, and the wiſedom of God. He ſayth alſo Rom. 1. The Goſpell of Chriſt is the power of God vntounto ſaluation to eueryevery one that beleeueth, to the Iew firſt and alſo to the Grecian. For by it the righteouſnes of God is reuealed from faith to faith, as it is written Haba. 2: The iuſt shall liue by faith. Wherefore the Lord ſayth very well to the Diſciples of Iohn: Bleſſed is he that shall not be offended in me. So thou ſeeſt now plainly, that this faith which we hauehave in Chriſt, commeth by the preaching of the Goſpell, as Paule affirmeth Rom. 10: Faith is by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Here, here I ſay doth all the force conſiſt, by the word of God, not by the worde of man. The word of God doth theſe thinges, not when we publiſh indulgences, or preach of workes, as hitherto (alas) it hath bene done, to our exceeding loſſe, as well in the good thinges of the body as of ye ſoule. We made no account of goods which we beſtowed plentifully, vnles we had afflicted our body with faſtings, chaſtiſement, pilgrimages, and ſuch like trifles. In deede theſe thinges had bene to be graunted and borne, if they had not with a falſe confidence in ſuch doing, ſo miſerably and lamentably led vsus away & ſeduced vsus from a true faith & confidence in God through Chriſt. But praiſe be vntounto God, that we hauehave for the moſt parte perceiued ſuch deluſions. For the world was ſo full of this miſerie and preaching, that it did almoſt ouerflow, which ſurely came by the vengeance and wrath of God, for that we contemned his word, and followed mens fables, yea our owne wittes and opinions. Then we were in ſo great blindnes, that we did almoſt without difference beleeue eueryevery man, what kind of worke ſoeuer he brought and gloriouſly ſet forth. From theſe deceitfull follies our conſciences are nowe deliuered and ſet free, but no man doth ſo much as once giuegive thanks to God therefore. If we ſhal be contempteouſly negligent, a more grieuous miſerie ſhall light vponupon vsus then this was. Neither ſhould that come vntounto vsus vndeſeruedly, foraſmuch as we doe greatly procure theſe euills againſt our ſelues by our vnthankefulnes. When as before we gaue with ſo great aboundance and plentye, that by our liberalitie they were made almoſt Lordes of the world, nowe hardly ſix or ſeuen poore men are maintained in a citie, yea nowe the Miniſter of a Pariſh Church hath not ſufficient wherewith to liue. Howbeit doe not impute this peruerſe kind of liuing to the Goſpell, as our aduerſaries nowe impudently doe. It is not meete, that thou ſuffer thy poore neighbour by thee to neede: Yea rather the whole Goſpel doth ſpecially vrge this, that thou hauehave a care of thy neighbour, and that thou be ſeruiceable toward him, that thou help him both with thy counſell, and ſubſtance, euen as God hath holpen and inſtructed thee.
Such a one without dout he that is endued wt true faith ſheweth him ſelfe: for he burſteth forth,The faithful man exerciſeth charitie toward his neighbour. and behaueth him ſelfe ſo toward others, as he hath tried God towardes him ſelfe, and as he deſireth to be done to him ſelfe, if he were preſſed with pouertie, anguiſh, and neceſſitie. God needeth not our good workes, our prayers, faſtings, and buildings of temples, founding of Maſſes, doe diſpleaſe him, he requireth not our ſacrifices, but rather as Eſay ſayth, hateth and abhorreth them. He is content with this one thing, that we acknowledge him for our God, truſt in him, & giuegive him thankes, as he ſayth Pſal. 50: Heare, O my people, & I will ſpeake, I my ſelfe will teſtifie againſt thee O Iſraell: for I am God euen thy God. I will not reproue thee, becauſe of thy ſacrifices, or for thy burnt offerings: becauſe they were not alvvay before me. I vvill take no bullocke out of thy houſe, nor he goates out of thy foldes. For all the beaſts of the foreſt are mine, and ſo are the cattels vponupon a thouſand hils. I knovv all the ſoules vponupon the mountaines, and the vvild beaſts of the field are in my ſight. If I be hungrie, I vvill not tell thee: for the vvhole vvorlde is myne and all that is therein. Thinkeſt thou that I vvill eate bulles flesh, and drinke the blood of goates? Offer vntounto God thankes giuing, and pay thy vovves vntounto the moſt higheſt. And call vponupon me in the time of trouble, ſo vvill I deliuer thee, and thou shalt prayſe me. But God ſendeth vsus douneward with out works to our neighbours, to the miſerable, afflicted, & them that be voyde of comfort. It is our partes to helpe them, to comfort them, to teach and inſtruct them. And whatſoeuer benefit we ſhall beſtow vponupon them, that we ſhall beſtow vponupon God & his Chriſt, as he ſhall ſay in the laſt day:Matth. 25.40 VVhatſoeuer ye hauehave done vntounto one of the leaſt of theſe my brethren, he hauehave done it vntounto me. Thus ye now hauehave heard, that we are iuſtified and made righteous by the workes of an other, namely, by the workes of Chriſt, which we enioy onelyonly by faith: the ſame faith charitie doth naturally accompany, whereby we doe ſo to our neighbour, as we acknowledge that God hath done vntounto vsus. Hereof ye hauehave elſewhere hearde more: here we will now make an ende, and call for the grace of God.