God gives this world, with all his works, to those people who, as he knows before, will anger, contemn, and blaspheme him. What, then, may we think, will he give to those that through faith are justified, and do know that they, so justified, shall live and remain with him everlastingly?
That God will be praised in all Languages.
“All that hath breath, praise the Lord,” saith the Psalm; thence it followeth that in all and every language, speeches, and tongues we should preach and praise the Lord. Why then, said Luther, have the Pope and the Emperor forbidden to sing and pray in the German tongue?
That God is willing we should make use of his Creatures.
Our loving Lord God is willing that we eat, drink, and be merry, and make use of his creatures, for therefore he hath created them. He will not have that we should complain, as if he had not given sufficient, or that he could not maintain our poor carcases; only that we do acknowledge him for our God, and thank him for his gifts.
That God fills the Bellies of the Ungodly, but he gives the Kingdom of Heaven to the Good and Godly.
We believe, said Luther, that God will give to us no better things than he giveth to the rich ungodly wretches in this world, to whom he gives an overplus, and the fill of good wine, money, wealth, power, honour, and all things that they would have or can desire. But the best wealth and treasure, which they do not desire, he denies them, namely, himself. But he that hath not God, let him have else what he will, so is he, notwithstanding, more miserable than was Lazarus, that lay at the rich man’s gate and was starved to death. But it will go even so with them as it went with the glutton, that they everlastingly must hunger and want, and shall not have in all their power so much as the least drop of water, etc.
If, then, said Luther, the almighty and liberal God in such wise doth heap blessings upon his worst enemies and blasphemers, with all manner of temporal goods and wealth, and gives to some also kingdoms, principalities, etc., then may we, that are his children, easily conceive what he will give unto us, who, for his sake must suffer—yea, what he hath already given us. He hath given unto us his only-begotten Son, and with him hath bestowed all things upon us, so that through him we are God’s children, and also heirs of his celestial treasure, and are co-heirs with Christ according to hope.
Court Cards.
God regards ungodly great Potentates, Kings, and Princes even as children regard playing at cards. While they play, and have good cards, they hold them in their hands; then, afterwards, when they have bad cards, they are weary of them, and throw them under the bench. Just so doth God with great Potentates. While they are in the government, and rule well, he holds them for good; but so soon as they do exceed, and govern ill, then he throws them down from their seat, as Mary sings, and there he lets them lie. Ut Regem Daniœ.