Every effort to make money productive appeared to him to be sinful, contrary to the law of nature, and a violation of the laws of God, contained in the Old and New Testaments. How can it be without sin, when such injustice is the main maxim and rule of the whole business.
A TREATISE ON USURY
However, it is unfortunate and deplorable that we are turned away from God's commandments by these noisy events and are only led to the things that God does not have. This does not happen unless we lend to our enemies and to the needy; for everything He says.
PART TWO
Thus, it should be feared that the buyer would not want to be in the seller's place, as in other types of trade. What good is a p60 service if it is against God's command and contrary to God's true service.
THE RIGHT AND POWER
AND TO CALL, APPOINT, AND DISMISS TEACHERS,
INTRODUCTION
Therefore, all teachers must and must submit their teaching to the judgment of their listeners. If the bishop does not confirm him, he is still confirmed based on the call of the congregation.
PREFACE
AN ORDINANCE OF A COMMON CHEST
Detailed provisions follow for the maintenance and administration of the common chest, into which all the income of the church will flow. Even in this way, the will and intention of the founders would be realized. Christian love, which helps and serves the needy, as Christ himself will testify in the judgment of the last day (<402531>Matthew 25:31).
TO THE COUNCILMEN
OF ALL CITIES IN GERMANY
CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS
How can he be expected to allow or promote the proper training of the young. Very few of us, my dear gentlemen, see through this evil plot of the devil. For even the holy fathers often made mistakes, as already said, and because of their ignorance of the languages rarely agree;.
A SERMON
KEEPING CHILDREN IN SCHOOL
In a letter to Melanchthon, dated 5 July, he had referred to this, remarking: "I have never been so comprehensive as I now seem to have become; perhaps it is the quarrel of old age." f114. This sermon should be read together with the letter to the councilors of all the cities of Germany. The two together enable the reader to form a clear understanding of Luther's ideas about education.
DEDICATORY LETTER
For it is scarcely possible that in so great a city, with so great a multitude of citizens, the devil will not try his art, and lead some into temptation to despise the word of God and the schools. This is especially because there are many things (especially f117 commercial business) that divert children from schools to serve Mammon, and the devil undoubtedly has these things in mind. If he could cause the Word and the schools at Nuremberg to be despised, his attack would be very successful, for he would set an example of great importance throughout Germany, and would, in fact, deal a severe blow to all the schools in other cities.
MARTIN LUTHER
This will be the reward of the great and shameful ingratitude into which the devil so cunningly leads them. As it is part of the duty of our office as pastors to be on guard against these and other wicked devices, we must not sleep on this matter, which is of so great importance; but we must incite, admonish, torment and exhort with all our strength and diligence and care, so that simple people do not allow themselves to be so blinded and seduced by the devil. Therefore, let each one of us look within himself and remember his office, so that he does not fall asleep and allow the devil to become god and master.
A SERMON ON
What are all the works of foundations and monasteries compared to these glorious wonders. This must be the fault of the dear gospel and the word of God, and not the past and present injustice of the world. But the best part of the body (which is the head) must take hold here and do most of the work, and the noblest of the members (which is the tongue), and the high faculty (which is speech).
THE BURNING OF FRIAR HENRY IN
DITHMARSCHEN
Ansgar's chapel in November 1522, and obtained Luther's permission, in the absence of his vicar general Link, to accept the call. He wisely adopted the simple and direct style of the ancient chroniclers, keeping himself and his emotions within bounds. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints,” and again in.
THE HISTORY OF FRIAR HENRY ZUTPHEN
The trustees of the congregation replied that to the best of their knowledge they engaged a godly and learned preacher, who taught them the Word of God in its truth and purity. The elders, together with the whole congregation, therefore refused to let their preacher attend; for the malice of the popes was evident to all. The prior was supported by Master Gunther, the clerk of the province, and by Peter Nannen, both sworn enemies of the Word of God.
AN ADMONITION TO PEACE
THE TWELVE ARTICLES OF THE PEASANTS
They were originally adopted by farmers around Memmingen and date back to January or February 1525. The title Luther gave to this first hearing of peasant grievances is Ermahnung zum Frieden auf die zwoelf Artikel der Bauernschaft in Schwaben. In the articles themselves, the peasants invoked "Christian law" or "Christian right" in support of their demands, which Luther considered a complete perversion of the gospel.
THE TWELVE ARTICLES
THE FIRST ARTICLE
THE SECOND ARTICLE
But if any one has not redeemed the tithes from any village, and his ancestors have simply appropriated them, we will not and cannot and do not intend to pay him anything more, but will keep them for the maintenance of the said, our chosen pastor, and for. We will not give a small tithe at all, because the Lord God created livestock for the free use of people, and we consider this to be an inappropriate tithe that people have invented; so we won't be giving it anymore.
THE THIRD ARTICLE
THE FOURTH ARTICLE
In some places the rulers keep the game to thwart us and to avert our great loss, because the unreasoning beasts willfully devour that property of ours which God causes to grow for the use of man; But he who cannot provide sufficient proof of this shall duly deliver it to the community.
THE FIFTH ARTICLE
THE SIXTH ARTICLE
THE SEVENTH ARTICLE
THE EIGHTH ARTICLE
THE NINTH ARTICLE
THE TENTH ARTICLE
THE ELEVENTH ARTICLE
CONCLUSION
Scripture, for it is right and proper that no one's conscience be taught or corrected, except by God's Scripture. As this matter therefore is great and dangerous, as it concerns both the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the world (for if this rebellion were to continue and prevail, both kingdoms would be destroyed, and there would be neither secular government nor the word of God, but would cause the permanent destruction of all Germany ), so one must speak boldly and give advice regardless of who it is. It is also necessary that we be willing listeners and allow things to be said to us, so that our hearts do not become clogged and our ears become clogged, as has happened heretofore, and we do not receive the full power.
TO THE PRINCES AND LORDS
If you do not do it kindly and willingly, then you will be forced to it by violence and destruction. If it is still possible to advise you, my lords, give some place to the will and wrath of God. Don't start a fight with them because you don't know what will be the end of it.
TO THE PEASANTS
Again, it is not true when you claim to teach and live the gospel. So how does the gospel agree with you; only that you strive to give yours. If you will hold a city for the sake of the gospel, you are robbing the lord of the city of what is his, and pretending that you are doing it for the sake of the gospel.
ON THE FIRST ARTICLE
His evangelists from one city to another; and Paul also says, in <470411>2 Corinthians 4:11, "We are not in a certain place." If it so happens that a Christian must constantly move from one place to another and leave the place where he is and everything he has, or if he sits in uncertainty and expects this to happen at any hour, then it goes good with him; it is as it should be with a Christian. Because he does not want to allow the Gospel to be taken away from him or kept from him, he must suffer city, place. You conquer and hold cities and places that do not belong to you, and will not allow them to be taken or kept from you; though you take them and keep them from their natural masters.
ON THE SECOND ARTICLE
What kind of Christians are they who for the sake of the gospel become robbers, thieves and villains and then say they are evangelical. If you will give gifts and do good, do it out of your own possessions, as the wise man says, for God says by Isaiah, "I hate it. The chapters of the scriptures, which your lying preacher and false prophet have smeared on the edge, fa119 is not helping you at all, they are against you.
ON THE THIRD ARTICLE
ON THE OTHER EIGHT ARTICLES
See, dear friends, this is the command you asked of me in the second document. Now when it reaches you, don't cry out to me, "Luther flatters the princes and speaks contrary to the Gospel." First read and see my arguments from Scripture; because it is your business; I am forgiven in the eyes of God and the world. They were all eventually destroyed in the same way they destroyed others.
AGAINST THE ROBBING AND MURDERING
HORDES OF PEASANTS
It is also clear that these peasants have deserved death many times, in your eyes and the eyes of the world, and have been handed over to me for punishment. On the other hand, one who perishes on the side of the peasants is an eternal mark of hell, for he carries the sword against God's word and disobeys Him and is a member of the devil. They can leave the kingdom of the world to the devil and in return take the eternal kingdom.
AN OPEN LETTER CONCERNING THE HARD
BOOK AGAINST THE PEASANTS
Such people are not worthy to hear a single word or see a single work that can make them better; but they ought to have nothing but offense, as the Jews had in Christ, because their hearts are so full of evil devices, that they desire nothing but to be offended, that they may do according to the saying of <191827>Psalm 18. : 27, "With the forward you will show yourself forward," and in <053221>. First of all, then, I must warn those who criticize my book that they should hold their tongues and be careful not to make a mistake and lose their own heads; for they are certainly rebellious in heart, and Solomon says:. Now that they are smitten, and the stone which they threw against heaven falls back on their own heads, let no one speak of rights, but only of mercy.