a treatise on good works-第2章

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charges　made　against　him　that　〃faith　is　so　highly　elevated〃　and

〃works　are　rejected〃　by　him；　but　he　knew；　too；　that　〃neither

silver；　gold　and　precious　stone；　nor　any　other　precious　thing　had

experienced　so　much　augmentation　and　diminution〃　as　had　good

works　〃which　should　all　have　but　one　simple　goodness；　or　they　are

nothing　but　color；　glitter　and　deception。〃　But　especially　was　he

aware　of　the　fact　that　the　Church　was　urging　nothing　but　the

so…called　self…elected　works；　such　as　〃running　to　the　convent；

singing；　reading；　playing　the　organ；　saying　the　mass；　praying

matins；　vespers；　and　other　hours；　founding　and　ornamenting

churches；　altars；　convents；　gathering　chimes；　jewels；　vestments；

gems　and　treasures；　going　to　Rome　and　to　the　saints；　curtsying

and　bowing　the　knees；　praying　the　rosary　and　the　psalter；〃　etc。；

and　that　she　designated　these　alone　as　truly　good　works；　while

she　represented　the　faithful　performance　of　the　duties　of　one's

calling　as　a　morality　of　a　lower　order。　For　these　reasons　it　is

Luther's　highest　object　in　this　treatise　to　make　it　perfectly

clear　what　is　the　essence　of　good　works。　Whenever　the　essence

of　good　works　has　been　understood；　then　the　accusations　against

him　will　quickly　collapse。　



In　the　fundamental　part　he　therefore　argues：　Truly　good　works　are

not　self…elected　works　of　monastic　or　any　other　holiness；　but

such　only　as　God　has　commanded；　and　as　are　comprehended　within

the　bounds　of　one's　particular　calling；　and　all　works；　let　their

name　be　what　it　may；　become　good　only　when　they　flow　from　faith；

the　first；　greatest；　and　noblest　of　good　works。〃　（John　6：29。）　In

this　connection　the　essence　of　faith；　that　only　source　of　all

truly　good　works；　must　of　course　be　rightly　understood。　It　is　the

sure　confidence　in　God；　that　all　my　doing　is　wellpleasing　to　Him；

it　is　trust　in　His　mercy；　even　though　He　appears　angry　and　puts

sufferings　and　adversities　upon　us；　it　is　the　assurance　of　the

divine　good　will　even　though　〃God　should　reprove　the　conscience

with　sin；　death　and　hell；　and　deny　it　all　grace　and　mercy；　as

though　He　would　condemn　and　show　His　wrath　eternally。〃　Where　such

faith　lives　in　the　heart；　there　the　works　are　good　〃even　though

they　were　as　insignificant　as　the　picking　up　of　a　straw〃；　but

where　it　is　wanting；　there　are　only　such　works　as　〃heathen；　Jew

and　Turk〃　may　have　and　do。　Where　such　faith　possesses　the　man；

he　needs　no　teacher　in　good　works；　as　little　as　does　the　husband

or　the　wife；　who　only　look　for　love　and　favor　from　one　another；

nor　need　any　instruction　therein　〃how　they　are　to　stand　toward

each　other；　what　they　are　to　do；　to　leave　undone；　to　say；　to

leave　unsaid；　to　think。〃　



This　faith；　Luther　continues；　is　〃the　true　fulfilment　of　the

First　Commandment；　apart　from　which　there　is　no　work　that　could

do　justice　to　this　Commandment。〃　With　this　sentence　he　combines；

on　the　one　hand；　the　whole　argument　on　faith；　as　the　best　and

noblest　of　good　works；　with　his　opening　proposition　（there　are

no　good　works　besides　those　commanded　of　God）；　and；　on　the　other

hand；　he　prepares　the　way　for　the　following　argument；　wherein　he

proposes　to　exhibit　the　good　works　according　to　the　Ten

Commandments。　For　the　First　Commandment　does　not　forbid　this　and

that；　nor　does　it　require　this　and　that；　it　forbids　but　one

thing；　unbelief；　it　requires　but　one　thing；　faith；　〃that

confidence　in　God's　good　will　at　all　times。〃　Without　this　faith

the　best　works　are　as　nothing；　and　if　man　should　think　that　by

them　he　could　be　well…pleasing　to　God；　he　would　be　lowering　God

to　the　level　of　a　〃broker　or　a　laborer　who　will　not　dispense　his

grace　and　kindness　gratis。〃　



This　understanding　of　faith　and　good　works；　so　Luther　now

addresses　his　opponents；　should　in　fairness　be　kept　in　view　by

those　who　accuse　him　of　declaiming　against　good　works；　and　they

should　learn　from　it；　that　though　he　has　preached　against　〃good

works；〃　it　was　against　such　as　are　falsely　so　called　and　as

contribute　toward　the　confusion　of　consciences；　because　they　are

self…elected；　do　not　flow　from　faith；　and　are　done　with　the

pretension　of　doing　works　well…pleasing　to　God。　



This　brings　us　to　the　end　of　the　fundamental　part　of　the

treatise。　It　was　not　Luther's　intention；　however；　to　speak　only

on　the　essence　of　good　works　and　their　fundamental　relation　to

faith；　he　would　show；　too；　how　the　〃best　work；〃　faith；　must　prove

itself　in　every　way　a　living　faith；　according　to　the　other

commandments。　Luther　does　not　proceed　to　this　part；　however；

until　in　the　fundamental　part　he　has　said　with　emphasis；　that　the

believer；　the　spiritual　man；　needs　no　such　instruction　（1。

Timothy　1：9）；　but　that　he　of　his　own　accord　and　at　all　times　does

good　works　〃as　his　faith；　his　confidence；　teaches　him。〃　Only

〃because　we　do　not　all　have　such　faith；　or　are　unmindful　of　it；〃

does　such　instruction　become　necessary。　



Nor　does　he　proceed　until　he　has　applied　his　oft　repeated　words

concerning　the　relation　of　faith　to　good　works　to　the　relation

of　the　First　to　the　other　Commandments。　From　the　fact；　that

according　to　the　First　Commandment；　we　acquire　a　pure　heart　and

confidence　toward　God；　he　derives　the　good　work　of　the　Second

Commandment；　namely；　〃to　praise　God；　to　acknowledge　His　grace；

to　render　all　honor　to　Him　alone。〃　From　the　same　source　he

derives　the　good　work　of　the　Third　Commandment；　namely；　〃to

observe　divine　services　with　prayer　and　the　hearing　of　preaching；

to　incline　the　imagination　of　our　hearts　toward　God's　benefits；

and；　to　that　end；　to　mortify　and　overcome　the　flesh。〃　From　the

same　source　he　derives　the　works　of　the　Second　Table。　



The　argument　on　the　Third　and　Fourth　Commandments　claims　nearly

one…half　of　the　entire　treatise。　Among　the　good　works　which；

according　to　the　Third　Commandment；　should　be　an　exercise　and

proof　of　faith；　Luther　especially　mentions　the　proper　hearing　of

mass　and　of　preaching；　common　prayer；　bodily　discipline　and　the

mortification　of　the　flesh；　and　he　joins　the　former　and　the

latter　by　an　important　fundamental　discussion　of　the　New

Testament　conception　of　Sabbath　rest。　



Luther　discusses　the　Fourth　Commandment　as　fully　as　the　Third。

The　exercise　of　faith；　according　to　this　Commandment；　consists

in　the　faithful　performance　of　the　duties　of　children　toward

their　parents；　of　parents　toward　their　children；　and　of

subordinates　toward　their　superiors　in　the　ecclesiastical　as　well

as　in　the　common　civil　sphere。　The　various　duties　issue　from　the

various　callings；　for　faithful　performance　of　the　duties　of　one's

calling；　with　the　help　of　God　and　for　God's　sake；　is　the　true

〃good　work。〃　



As　he　now　proceeds　to　speak　of　the　spiritual　powers；　the

government　of　the　Church；　he　frankly　reveals　their　faults　and

demands　a　reform　of　the　present　rulers。　Honor　and　obedience　in

all　things　should　be　rendered　unto　the　Church；　the　spiritual

mother；　as　it　is　due　to　natural　parents；　unless　it　be　contrary

to　the　first　Three　Commandments。　But　as　matters　stand　now　the

spiritual　magistrates　neglect　their　peculiar　work；　namely；　the

fostering　of　godliness　and　discipline；　like　a　mother　who　runs

away　from　her　children　and　follows　a　lover；　and　instead　they

undertake　strange　and　evil　works；　like　parents　whose　commands　are

contrary　to　God。　In　this　case　members　of　the　Church　must　do　as

godly　children　do　whose　parents　have　become　mad　and　insane。

Kings；　princes；　the　nobility；　municipalities　and　communities　must

begin　of　their　own　accord　and　put　a　check　to　these　conditions；

so　that　the　bishops　and　the　clergy；　who　are　now　too　timid；　may

be　induced　to　follow。　But　even　the　civil　magistrates　must　also

suffer　reforms　to　be　enacted　in　their　particular　spheres；

especially　are　they　called　on　to　do　away　with　the　rude　〃gluttony

and　drunkenness；〃　luxury　in　clothing；　the　usurious　sale　of　rents

and　the　common　brothels。　This；　by　divine　and　human　right；　is　a

part　of　their　enjoined　works　according　to　the　Fourth　Commandment。　



Luther；　at　last；　briefly　treats　of　the　Second　Table　of　the

Commandments；　but　in　speaking　of　the　works　of　these　Commandments

he　never　forgets　to　point　out　their　relation　to　faith；　thus

holding　fast　this　fundamental　thought　of　the　book　to　the　end。

Faith　which　does　not　doubt　that　God　is　gracious；　he　says；　will

find　it　an　easy　matter　to　be　graciously　and　favorably　minded

toward　one's　neighbor　and　to　overcome　all　angry　and　wrathful

desires。　In　this　faith　in　God　the　Spirit　will　teach　us　to　avoid

unchaste　thoughts　and　thus　to　keep　the　Sixth　Commandment。　When

the　heart　trusts　in　the　divine　favor；　it　cannot　seek　after　the

temporal　goods　of　others；　nor　cleave　to　money；　but　according　to

the　Seventh　Commandment；　will　use　it　with　cheerful　liberality　for

the　benefit　of　the　neighbor。　Where　such　confidence　is　present

there　is　also　a　courageous；　strong　and　intrepid　heart；　which　will

at　all　times　defend　the　truth；　as　the　Eighth　Commandment　demands；

whether　neck　or　coat　be　at　stake；　whether　it　be　against　pope　or

kings。　Where　such　faith　is　present　there　is　also　strife　against

the　evil　lust；　as　forbidden　in　the　Ninth　and　Tenth　Commandments；

and　that　even　unto　death。　



3。　The　Importance　of　the　Work。　　Inquiring　now　into　the

importance　of　the　book；　we　note　that　Luther's　impression

evidently　was　perfectly　correct；　when　he　wrote　to　Spalatin；　long

before　its　completion　　as　early　as　March　2　5。　　that　he

believed　it　to　be　better　than　anything　he　had　heretofore　written。

The　book；　indeed；　surpasses　all　his　previous　German　writings　in

volume；　as　well　as　all　his　Latin　and　German　ones　in　clearness；

richness　and　the　fundamental　importance　of　its　content。　In

comparison　with　the　prevalent　urging　of　self…elected　works　of

monkish　holiness；　which　had　arisen　from　a　complete

misunderstanding　of　the　so…called　evangelical　counsels　（comp。

esp。　Matthew　19：16…22）　and　which　were　at　that　time　accepted　as

self…evident　and　zealously　urged　by　the　whole　church；　Luther's

argument　must　have　appeared　to　all　thoughtful　and　earnest　souls

as　a　revelation；　when　he　so　clearly　amplified　the　proposition

that　only　those　works　are　to　be　regarded　as　good　works　which　God

has　commanded；　and　that　therefore；　not　the　abandoning　of　one's

earthly　calling；　but　the　faithful　keeping　of　the　Ten　Commandments

in　the　course　of　one's　calling；　is　the　work　which　God　requires

of　us。　Over　against　the　wide…spread　opinion；　as　though　the　will

of　God　as　declared　in　the　Ten　Commandments　referred　only　to　the

outward　work　always　especially　mentioned；　Luther's　argument　must

have　called　to　mind　the　explanation　of　the　Law；　which　the　Lord

had　given　in　the　Sermon　on　the　Mount；　when　he　taught　men　to

recognize　only　the　extreme　point　and　manifestation　of　a　whole

trend　of　thought　in　the　work　prohibited　by　the　text；　and　when　he

directed　Christians　not　to　rest　in　the　keeping　of　the　literal

requirement　of　each　Commandment；　but　from　this　point　of　vantage

to　inqu