a treatise on good works- 第6部分

the　saints。　Further；　when　we　are　dressed　up　and　bow；　kneel；　pray

the　rosary　and　the　Psalter；　and　all　this　not　before　an　idol；　but

before　the　holy　cross　of　God　or　the　pictures　of　His　saints：　this

we　call　honoring　and　worshiping　God；　and；　according　to　the　First

Commandment；　〃having　no　other　gods〃；　although　these　things

usurers；　adulterers　and　all　manner　of　sinners　can　do　too；　and　do

them　daily。　



Of　course；　if　these　things　are　done　with　such　faith　that　we

believe　that　they　please　God；　then　they　are　praiseworthy；　not

because　of　their　virtue；　but　because　of　such　faith；　for　which　all

works　are　of　equal　value；　as　has　been　said。　But　if　we　doubt　or

do　not　believe　that　God　is　gracious　to　us　and　is　pleased　with　us；

or　if　we　presumptuously　expect　to　please　Him　only　through　and

after　our　works；　then　it　is　all　pure　deception；　outwardly

honoring　God；　but　inwardly　setting　up　self　as　a　false　god。　This

is　the　reason　why　I　have　so　often　spoken　against　the　display；

magnificence　and　multitude　of　such　works　and　have　rejected　them；

because　it　is　as　clear　as　day　that　they　are　not　only　done　in

doubt　or　without　faith；　but　there　is　not　one　in　a　thousand　who

does　not　set　his　confidence　upon　the　works；　expecting　by　them　to

win　God's　favor　and　anticipate　His　grace；　and　so　they　make　a　fair

of　them；　a　thing　which　God　cannot　endure；　since　He　has　promised

His　grace　freely；　and　wills　that　we　begin　by　trusting　that　grace；

and　in　it　perform　all　works；　whatever　they　may　be。　



XII。　Note　for　yourself；　then；　how　far　apart　these　two　are：

keeping　the　First　Commandment　with　outward　works　only；　and

keeping　it　with　inward　trust。　For　this　last　makes　true；　living

children　of　God；　the　other　only　makes　worse　idolatry　and　the　most

mischievous　hypocrites　on　earth；　who　with　their　apparent

righteousness　lead　unnumbered　people　into　their　way；　and　yet

allow　them　to　be　without　faith；　so　that　they　are　miserably

misled；　and　are　caught　in　the　pitiable　babbling　and　mummery。　Of

such　Christ　says；　Matthew　xxiv：　〃Beware；　if　any　man　shall　say

unto　you；　Lo；　here　is　Christ；　or　there〃；　and　John　iv：　〃I　say　unto

thee；　the　hour　cometh；　when　ye　shall　neither　in　this　mountain　nor

yet　at　Jerusalem　worship　God；　for　the　Father　seeketh　spiritual

worshipers。〃　



These　and　similar　passages　have　moved　me　and　ought　to　move

everyone　to　reject　the　great　display　of　bulls；　seals；　flags；

indulgences；　by　which　the　poor　folk　are　led　to　build　churches；

to　give；　to　endow；　to　pray；　and　yet　faith　is　not　mentioned；　and

is　even　suppressed。　For　since　faith　knows　no　distinction　among

works；　such　exaltation　and　urging　of　one　work　above　another

cannot　exist　beside　faith。　For　faith　desires　to　be　the　only

service　of　God；　and　will　grant　this　name　and　honor　to　no　other

work；　except　in　so　far　as　faith　imparts　it；　as　it　does　when　the

work　is　done　in　faith　and　by　faith。　This　perversion　is　indicated

in　the　Old　Testament；　when　the　Jews　left　the　Temple　and

sacrificed　at　other　places；　in　the　green　parks　and　on　the

mountains。　This　is　what　these　men　also　do：　they　are　zealous　to

do　all　works；　but　this　chief　work　of　faith　they　regard　not　at

all。　



XIII。　Where　now　are　they　who　ask；　what　works　are　good；　what　they

shall　do；　how　they　shall　be　religious？　Yes；　and　where　are　they

who　say　that　when　we　preach　of　faith；　we　shall　neither　teach　nor

do　works？　Does　not　this　First　Commandment　give　us　more　work　to

do　than　any　man　can　do？　If　a　man　were　a　thousand　men；　or　all　men；

or　all　creatures；　this　Commandment　would　yet　ask　enough　of　him；

and　more　than　enough；　since　he　is　commanded　to　live　and　walk　at

all　times　in　faith　and　confidence　toward　God；　to　place　such　faith

in　no　one　else；　and　so　to　have　only　one；　the　true　God；　and　none

other。　



Now；　since　the　being　and　nature　of　man　cannot　for　an　instant　be

without　doing　or　not　doing　something；　enduring　or　running　away

from　something　（for；　as　we　see；　life　never　rests）；　let　him　who

will　be　pious　and　filled　with　good　works；　begin　and　in　all　his

life　and　works　at　all　times　exercise　himself　in　this　faith；　let

him　learn　to　do　and　to　leave　undone　all　things　in　such　continual


faith；　then　will　he　find　how　much　work　he　has　to　do；　and　how

completely　all　things　are　included　in　faith；　how　he　dare　never

grow　idle；　because　his　very　idling　must　be　the　exercise　and　work

of　faith。　In　brief；　nothing　can　be　in　or　about　us　and　nothing　can

happen　to　us　but　that　it　must　be　good　and　meritorious；　if　we

believe　（as　we　ought）　that　all　things　please　God。　So　says　St。

Paul：　〃Dear　brethren；　all　that　ye　do；　whether　ye　eat　or　drink；

do　all　in　the　Name　of　Jesus　Christ；　our　Lord。〃　Now　it　cannot　be

done　in　this　Name　except　it　be　done　in　this　faith。　Likewise；

Romans　vii：　〃We　know　that　all　things　work　together　for　good　to

the　saints　of　God。〃



Therefore；　when　some　say　that　good　works　are　forbidden　when　we

preach　faith　alone；　it　is　as　if　I　said　to　a　sick　man：　〃If　you　had

health；　you　would　have　the　use　of　all　your　limbs；　but　without

health；　the　works　of　all　your　limbs　are　nothing〃；　and　he　wanted

to　infer　that　I　had　forbidden　the　works　of　all　his　limbs；

whereas；　on　the　contrary；　I　meant　that　he　must　first　have　health；

which　will　work　all　the　works　of　all　the　members。　So　faith　also

must　be　in　all　works　the　master…workman　and　captain；　or　they　are

nothing　at　all。　



XIV。　You　might　say：　〃Why　then　do　we　have　so　many　laws　of　the

Church　and　of　the　State；　and　many　ceremonies　of　churches；

monastic　houses；　holy　places；　which　urge　and　tempt　men　to　good

works；　if　faith　does　all　things　through　the　First　Commandment？〃

I　answer：　Simply　because　we　do　not　all　have　faith　or　do　not　heed

it。　If　every　man　had　faith；　we　would　need　no　more　laws；　but　every

one　would　of　himself　at　all　times　do　good　works；　as　his

confidence　in　God　teaches　him。　



But　now　there　are　four　kinds　of　men：　the　first；　just　mentioned；

who　need　no　law；　of　whom　St。　Paul　says；　I。　Timothy　i；　〃The　law

is　not　made　for　a　righteous　man；〃　that　is；　for　the　believer；　but

believers　of　themselves　do　what　they　know　and　can　do；　only

because　they　firmly　trust　that　God's　favor　and　grace　rests　upon

them　in　all　things。　The　second　class　want　to　abuse　this　freedom；

put　a　false　confidence　in　it；　and　grow　lazy；　of　whom　St。　Peter

says；　I。　Peter　ii；　〃Ye　shall　live　as　free　men；　but　not　using　your

liberty　for　a　cloak　of　maliciousness；〃　as　if　he　said：　The　freedom

of　faith　does　not　permit　sins；　nor　will　it　cover　them；　but　it

sets　us　free　to　do　all　manner　of　good　works　and　to　endure　all

things　as　they　happen　to　us；　so　that　a　man　is　not　bound　only　to

one　work　or　to　a　few。　So　also　St。　Paul；　Galatians　v：　〃Use　not

your　liberty　for　an　occasion　to　the　flesh。〃　Such　men　must　be

urged　by　laws　and　hemmed　in　by　teaching　and　exhortation。　The

third　class　are　wicked　men；　always　ready　for　sins；　these　must　be

constrained　by　spiritual　and　temporal　laws；　like　wild　horses　and

dogs；　and　where　this　does　not　help；　they　must　be　put　to　death　by

the　worldly　sword；　as　St。　Paul　says；　Romans　xiii：　〃The　worldly

ruler　bears　the　sword；　and　serves　God　with　it；　not　as　a　terror

to　the　good；　but　to　the　evil。〃　The　fourth　class；　who　are　still

lusty；　and　childish　in　their　understanding　of　faith　and　of　the

spiritual　life；　must　be　coaxed　like　young　children　and　tempted

with　external；　definite　and　prescribed　decorations；　with　reading；

praying；　fasting；　singing；　adorning　of　churches；　organ　playing；

and　such　other　things　as　are　commanded　and　observed　in　monastic

houses　and　churches；　until　they　also　learn　to　know　the　faith。

Although　there　is　great　danger　here；　when　the　rulers；　as　is　now；

alas！　the　case；　busy　themselves　with　and　insist　upon　such

ceremonies　and　external　works　as　if　they　were　the　true　works；　and

neglect　faith；　which　they　ought　always　to　teach　along　with　these

works；　just　as　a　mother　gives　her　child　other　food　along　with　the

milk；　until　the　child　can　eat　the　strong　food　by　itself。



XV。　Since；　then；　we　are　not　all　alike；　we　must　tolerate　such

people；　share　their　observances　and　burdens；　and　not　despise

them；　but　teach　them　the　true　way　of　faith。　So　St。　Paul　teaches；

Romans　xiv：　〃Him　that　is　weak　in　the　faith　receive　ye；　to　teach

him。〃　And　so　he　did　himself；　I。　Corinthians　ix：　〃To　them　that　are

under　the　law；　I　became　as　under　the　law；　although　I　was　not

under　the　law。〃　And　Christ；　Matthew　xvii；　when　He　was　asked　to

pay　tribute；　which　He　was　not　obligated　to　pay；　argues　with　St。

Peter；　whether　the　children　of　kings　must　give　tribute；　or　only

other　people。　St。　Peter　answers：　〃Only　other　people。〃　Christ

said：　〃Then　are　the　children　of　kings　free；　notwithstanding；　lest

we　should　offend　them；　go　thou　to　the　sea；　and　cast　an　hook；　and

take　up　the　fish　that　first　cometh　up；　and　in　his　mouth　thou

shalt　find　a　piece　of　money；　take　that　and　give　it　for　me　and

thee。〃　



Here　we　see　that　all　works　and　things　are　free　to　a　Christian

through　his　faith；　and　yet；　because　the　others　do　not　yet

believe；　he　observes　and　bears　with　them　what　he　is　not　obligated

to　do。　But　this　he　does　freely；　for　he　is　certain　that　this　is

pleasing　to　God；　and　he　does　it　willingly；　accepts　it　as　any

other　free　work　which　comes　to　his　hand　without　his　choice；

because　he　desires　and　seeks　no　more　than　that　he　may　in　his

faith　do　works　to　please　God。　



But　since　in　this　discourse　we　have　undertaken　to　teach　what

righteous　and　good　works　are；　and　are　now　speaking　of　the　highest

work；　it　is　clear　that　we　do　not　speak　of　the　second；　third　and

fourth　classes　of　men；　but　of　the　first；　into　whose　likeness　all

the　others　are　to　grow；　and　until　they　do　so　the　first　class　must

endure　and　instruct　them。　Therefore　we　must　not　despise；　as　if

they　were　hopeless；　these　men　of　weak　faith；　who　would　gladly　do

right　and　learn；　and　yet　cannot　understand　because　of　the

ceremonies　to　which　they　cling；　we　must　rather　blame　their

ignorant；　blind　teachers；　who　have　never　taught　them　the　faith；

and　have　led　them　so　deeply　into　w