Martin Luther on Psalms 127:1

The 127. Psalme. Except the Lorde builde the house, they labour in vaine that build it.

The argument of the Psalme. This Psalme beareth the title of Salomon, and in deede it seemeth that Salomon was the author thereof. For Salomon in all his books sheweth him selfe to be a politicall teacher, and handleth not the principall article of his father Dauid as touching iustification, or as touching Christ the heire and ofspring of Dauid: but he treateth of those thinges wherein he him selfe was exercised, and whereunto he was appoynted of God: that is to say, of things perteining to ciuill gouernment. And this he doth in such sorte, as in politicall matters no Philosopher did euer teach. For he applieth all ciuill gouernment vnto faith, & whatsoeuer is done either in the cōmon wealth or houshold affaires, ye same he referreth altogither to ye diuine & spirituall gouernment, which other writers, whether they be Philosophers or Oratours, do not. For albeit both lawes do teach, & reason also doth shew by what meanes a cōmon wealth or a family may rightly be gouerned, yet doe they not teach from whence ye successe therof must be loked for, that ye things which are well deuised, may prosper & take good effect. For reason knoweth but onely the materiall and the formall cause: the finall and efficient cause it knoweth not: that is, it knoweth not from whence ciuill and houshold gouernment commeth and by whom it is preserued, or to what ende it tendeth.

Aristotle, Aristotle and others, howe and wherein they erre. Xenophon, Plato, Cicero and others, although they wrote very well of ciuill gouernment, yet doe they not teach the true efficient and the finall cause thereof. For they thinke publike peace, honestie and glorie to be the finall and the principall cause. And the efficient cause they make a wise man or a prudent Magistrate, or (as they term him) a good man or a good Citizen. But we shall heare Salomon disputing farre otherwise. For they haue and doe follow onely the iudgement of reason: but he hath the holy Ghost which teacheth him the finall and efficient cause of ciuill and houshold gouernment. He hath also reason and experience: for he gouerned both a common wealth and a family. Wherefore he is taught, not only by the holy Ghost, but also by experience, to speake as he doth. For he was occupied in great affaires, and had experience of high and weighty matters. And we ought the more highly to esteme of this Psalme, for that it is written of so excellent a man concerning true politicall and houshold gouernment. Which Psalme, although it be but short (for it conteyneth but only sixe verses) yet is it full of singular doctrine. And as for the formall and materiall cause, he toucheth them not. For he seeth that there are houses already, there are common wealthes well ordered and also furnished with good lawes and Magistrates. But is that enough? No forsoth. For the two principall causes are yet lacking. For as touching the formall cause, it may be that the Gentiles had better lawes then the Iewes. And as touching the materiall cause, it may be also that some Magistrates among the Gentiles were better then they which were among the people of God. But these are but onely the matter and the forme.

We must goe further therefore, The principal causes of the good gouernment of common wealthes and families. and seeke to know the principall causes of common wealthes and houshold gouernment, who it is that maketh a common wealth and familie, also to what ende he ordeyneth the same. These causes the Gentiles & naturall reason do not know. For reason beholdeth but onely the matter and the forme, and because she knoweth not the efficient cause therof, she goeth about to gouerne common weales and families according to that ende which she her selfe doth imagine. Therefore she is deceaued and all her policies and deuises come to naught. So Demosthenes taketh vpon him to rule the common wealth of Athens: Demosthenes. he maketh him selfe the efficient cause thereof, that is, he goeth about to gouerne it by his owne wisedom and policie, as a wise man. To what ende? Forsoth to establish publike peace and tranquillitie, to winne glory and quietnes to himselfe and his cuntrey, and to the ende that all thinges may come to passe as he by his owne policie and wisedom hath deuised. But God, who hateth proude deuises and presumptuous enterprises, worketh farre otherwise. In the matter then and in the forme there is no default, but in the efficient cause the wisest man of all is deceaued.

Cicero. The same hapned to Cicero in the common wealth of Rome. And the same also hapned to Iulius Caesar. Iulius Caesar. Nowe therefore commeth this teacher Salomon, which hath a farre other maner of spirite ioyned with great experience, which teacheth who is the author and the ende, The efficient cause of the true gouernment of conmon wealths & housholds. that is to say, the efficient and the finall cause of ciuill and houshold gouernment: For he comprehendeth both, and teacheth that he which would happily gouerne a familie or a common wealth, should not make him selfe ye principall cause therof, for then should he ouerthrow al. For in both kinds of life a man shall finde many troubles, which will vexe and torment his minde, driue him to impaciencie, cause him to despaire and to be weary of all togither, yea and to say that Satan brought him into those calamities. And not without cause: For why doth he presume to take vppon him such a gouernment, as is farre aboue his power. So Demosthenes being oppressed with many troubles in the common weale, sayd that if there were two wayes set before him, the one leading to the common weale and the other to death, he would chuse the way that leadeth vnto death before the other. Likewise it hapneth in houshold gouernment. The abuse of matrimonie and houshold gouernment. He that entreth into matrimonie promiseth vnto him selfe all easy & pleasaunt thinges. He thinketh it an easie matter to frame his wife, to bring vp his children and to order his family as he him selfe doth imagine. When these things proue contrary to his expectation, & either his wife is disobedient, his children stubborn & vnthākful, his family negligent, or his neighbours troublesome & vnquiet (for the troubles of matrimony are infinit) he becommeth vnpatient, The burdens of matrimony are infinit. & beginneth to complayne, saying that if he had knowen thus much before, he would neuer haue married a wife. Thus doth the foolish man bewayle his state and condition. But what kind of life is there vnder heauen wherin thou shalt liue without troubles? For where so euer thou liuest, thou must needs be in some part either of the politike or housholde gouernment. Wherefore thou must so arme thy selfe, that thou maist ouercome these troubles, and learne to apply these thinges to an other cause without thy selfe, which is stronger then thou art. Now, the holy Ghost alone is that instructer which tea: cheth vs to cast our selues into the bosome of the diuine maiestie, & to trust in him, and so in his name to marry a wife, to gouerne our family, to rule the common weale, &c. Which thinges if they haue good successe, it is wel: If not, yet is it also well notwithstanding. For this is the will of God, that when he hath once called vs eyther to any publike office in the common wealth, or the gouerning of a familye, we should with inuocation and prayer abide and constantly continue in the same.

And this is the principall doctrine of this Psalme: whiche the Papists sing in all their temples, and yet of all men they least vnderstand those things whereof it treateth. For they flie both ciuill and housholde gouernment, and yet are they drowned in both: yea no man is there in more busy then they are. For the Pope & his religious rable haue taken vpon them most impudently to gouerne great monarkes and Princes, and the cases and controuersies of matrimony haue beene iudged and determined by Officialls and Commissaries. Also they haue ruled by their priuate & auricular confession both families, kingdoms and Empires. Thus it came to passe that both kindes of life were in a maner vtterly abolished. For they condemned all those that liued vnder ye ciuil gouernment and in matrimony, The Papists did condēne ciuill gouernment & matrimony as worldly kindes of life. as secular or worldly kindes of life, and counselled them to enter into monasteries & to their monkish religion: like vnto the heathen Philosophers, whiche commended ye priuate & solitarie life aboue all other: that is to say, that kind of life which hath to do neither wt matrimony nor any affaires of ye cōmō weale.

This wicked life of the Papistes & the heathen Philosophers God condemneth in the holy Scripture, wherein we see, to our great comfort, that there was neuer yet any holy man which hath not bene exercised in the affaires either of politike or houshold gouernment. For God did thrust into the courts of Princes most excellent & holy personages, as Helias, Heliseus, Esaias, Daniel, &c. I say nothing of the holy Kings, as Dauid, Salomon, Ezechias & others. God would also that Iohn the Baptist should be a Courtier and of the Kinges counsell, Mark. 6.20. as the text saith: VVhen he hearde Iohn he did many thinges. So the Lorde hath alwayes exercised his Sainctes and holy seruauntes with the affaires either of ciuill or houshold gouernment, Christ onely excepted, who was the wisedome of the father. He neither married, nor bare rule in common wealth. For it behoued him to be a singular personage aboue all others, and yet he honored both kinds of life, that is, both marriage and ciuill gouernment.

The idle bellied Monkes would haue nothing to doe with ciuill or houshold affaires The life therefore of the Monkes, and the whole rable of the popish religious orders is altogither deuilish, in that they will haue nothing to doe with ciuill or housholde affaires. And in deede they doe wisely, which seke rather to liue in ease, quietnes & pleasure, with the name and opinion of holynes, then to be turmoyled and vexed with the miserable cares and calamities wherof the life of man is full. They choose that which is most sweete and pleasaunt, and leaue the dregges, the great cares and troubles of bringing vp children, of guiding a familie, of gouerning the common wealth and such like, vnto others. Like as also with their hypocrisie they haue deceiued the whole world, and so snared the consciences of those which liued either in matrimonye, or in the politike state, that they executed those functions and duties against their willes, The Monks could nether teach nor comfort mē in their necessities. whereunto they were called of God. For if a maried man or a Magistrate complayned vnto them of the troubles either of their houshold or ciuill affayres, they did not onely not comfort or encourage them patiently to bear those burthens, but perswaded them to forsake those godly kindes of life and to enter into Monasteries: yea they went so farre, that when they dyed, they buryed them in a Friers coule. They knew not that matrimony and ciuill gouernment are ordained and created of God. They knewe not that such should rather haue bene exhorted to patience, comforted and taught that God had appoynted them to liue in the state of matrimony and to serue the common wealth, that their vocation was of God and pleased God, and therfore they ought not to haue forsaken these kinds of life, but if any troubles hapned they ought to haue borne them patiently for Gods cause, & to commend them selues and their affaires wholy vnto God. Thus should mens consciences haue bene enstructed and comforted. But this coulde the Papistes neuer doe. The cause whereof is, for that they haue no practise or experience of these matters: they haue but onely an idle and a naked speculation thereof, and moreouer, they are destitute of the holy Ghost. But Salomon hath both the one and the other: that is to say, experience both of politike and housholde gouernment, and also the holy Ghoste. By these scholemasters he learned that the affaires of men cannot be gouerned by their owne policie and wisedome, but that all thinges are ruled and guided by the wisedom of God.

Naaman Syrus brought vnto the common wealth, Naaman Syrus. not onely great wisedome, but the text saith, that he was giuen for the deliuerance of Syria: that is to say, his greate wisedom had bene vnprofitable if God had not geuen good successe thereunto. So if any man become a good Prince or a good Magistrate, he hath not this by the gift of nature, by his good bringing vp, or by learning, but it is the singular gift of God. And this doth experience afterwardes teach, when thinges come oftentimes to passe contrary to mans expectation. The same hapneth also to the marryed man. For howe often doe his deuises and purposes come to nothing? True it is therefore that is cōmonly said, man purposeth but God disposeth: Prouerb. 16. and that which Salomon saith, The hart of man purposeth his way, but the Lorde guideth his steppes. Thou art in distresse and deuisest with thy selfe by what meanes and policie thou maist bring thy self out of trouble: but thy purpose is disapointed & by the same deuises and policies wherunto thou didest trust, thou hurtest thy selfe and ouerthrowest thine owne cause. This bringeth great impatiencie. Learne therefore that by thine owne wisedom & policie thou art notable to rule thine owne body: Nowe then shouldest thou be able to gouerne the bodyes and the mindes of other in any one house, citie or common wealth? Ierem. 10. As Ieremy sayth: The way of man is not in him selfe, neither is it in man to walke and to direct his steppes. So this body which thou bearest about is not in thine owne handes.

This is the true maner of teaching as touching ciuill and houshold gouernment, Doctrine cō cerning ciuil & housholde gouernment. namely to shew the efficient and the final cause thereof. And this doctrine is so much the more necessary, for that we are all vnder the one of these two gouernments. For although thou be not a married man, yet must thou needes be in some part of the houshold gouernment. For either thou art a sonne, a daughter, a seruaunt, or thou hast seruants or neighbours, or else thou are in some place and calling in the house or in the societie of men. Nowe, it cannot be auoyded, but that many thinges will happen vnto thee in thy vocation, both tedious and greeuous. Wherefore thou must learne how to behaue thy selfe in these kindes of life, also from whence they come, and to what ende they are ordayned. But of all others, they haue most neede of this knowledge which are placed in authoritie or any kinde of life aboue others, to whom it belongeth to rule either in ye common wealth or to gouerne a family, yt they may know what is ye end of their rule & gouernment.

This Psalme therefore properly pertaineth to Salomons Ecclesiastes, and not only conteineth the same doctrine, This Psalme conteineth the summe and effect of the booke of the Ecclesiastes of Salomon. but in a maner the same wordes also. In Ecclesiastes he saith: I haue seene vanities: that is, I haue seene that there hath bene no successe eyther in housholde or in politike gouernment, but vexation of spirit was in them both. VVherefore there is nothing better for a man then to reioyce in God, and to doe good in his life as much as he is able. This Psalme therefore seemeth to be, as it were a briefe summe of that booke, Eccle. 2.12. whereby he teacheth both what is the efficient cause of politike and housholde gouernment, and also to what ende they must be directed. He teacheth that we are but Gods ministers and workmen, and are not the efficient but the instrumentall cause wherby God worketh these things. As Wisdom it selfe sayth: By me kings rule. So the father is the instrument of generation, But God is the fountaine and author of life. Likewise the Magistrate is but the instrumēt wherby God maintaineth peace and politike lawes. The husband and wife are the instrumentes whereby both house & goods are preserued. The knowledge hereof bringeth great consolation. For if matters fal out otherwise, or if we doe not attaine to the ende whereunto they were appoynted, we may sayt I am but an instrument, and these thinges are not in my power, but are gouerned of a greater and an higher power. Wherfore if my wife dye, if my children dye, if any other trouble, affliction or calamitie happen, say: These thinges are not in my hand, I am but onely as an instrument, I doe all that I can, I labour and trauel, I am carefull and vigilant, but the Lord in whose hands all these things are, giue good successe or else all my endeuour, all my trauell is in vaine. For if the first cause be lacking, the second cause can doe nothing. And thus teacheth this Psalme as touching the efficient cause.

In like maner it teacheth also concerning ye final cause: The finall cause of ciuill and houshold gouernment. Wherby we may vnderstand that all things are the meere gift of God, and perteyne to the glory and the seruice of God, & not to our own glory and our owne pleasure: So that we ought to say, thus hath the Lord done: ht hath giuen this happy ende: To him therefore be praise and glory for euer. Amen.

Verse. 1. Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vaine that build it.

These are wordes of great force and power, whereby he generally condemneth all our labour & trauell, declaring that it is not the efficieut cause of those commodities for the which we trauell. Here view and consider all the histories, both holy and prophane, of all nations, and ye shall see that God gaue such a gift vnto many, that they began to rule both common wealthes and families with great commendation. But when they sawe that there followed no good successe, they were vtterly discouraged, & often tymes for their great care & trauel, they gained nothing else, but extreme ingratitude. Many wise and politike gouerners, deseruing well of the common wealth, haue bene euill vsed, condemned and cast into exile. Howe many excellent men in the common wealth of Athens, howe many emonges the Lacedemonians, how many in ye common wealth of Rome were condemned & cast into exile by vnthankfull citizens? Yea this is generally the condition of all men which in their vocation, whether it be priuat or publike, endeuour to liue vprightly, and carefully trauell to doe good in the common weale, that they being hindred by the malice & deceitful prac[illegible: 1 letter]ises of others, ran neuer bring to passe that they take in hand. For Satan deuiseth so many letts, stirreth vp so many enemies, such hatred & conspiracies against them, that either they are ouercome with impacience and so cast away all care of the common wealth, or being moued with great indignation, they become cruel against those whom they see to withstand their proceedings. Thus eyther of a desperate mind they forsake all, or with crueltie and tiranny they wil rule all. We must walke in the midde way, and keepe a meane. But let vs learne to keepe a meane: and if God haue called vs to the gouernment of a familie, let vs say: O Lorde, thou hast giuen me a wife, house, and children: Ouer these by thy authoritie I am made a ruler. I will doe therefore what in me lyeth, that all thinges may be well gouerned. If they haue not such successe as I desire, I will write, Patience. But if they come well to passe and take good successe, then wil I say, thankes and praise be vnto thee O Lord. It is not my work[illegible: 1 letter], but thy gift alone. And euen so must he doe which is called to any office in the common wealth, which hath farre more neede of this holy counsell, because of the great troubles and trauells which he must susteyne. He that is able thus to doe, shall liue quietly in matrimony and in the gouernment of the common wealth and shal enioy the comfort and tranquilitie of heart and conscience in the middes of all daungers and calamities.

Wherefore this I often teach, and this counsell I giue, that such as enter into any office in the common wealth, They that enter into any publike office, or into matrimonie, must beginne with inuocation and calling vpon God. or into matrimony, should begin with inuocation of Gods holy name and prayer: So that who so euer would marry a wife, should earnestly call vpon God and craue his helpe, that he would, not onely giue him a good wife, but also that he would gouerne and direct the whole course of his life. For when this is neglected, he marrieth a wife vpon hope that he shall haue such a one as his new loue doth imagine. But afterwards, when it falleth out otherwise, so that he findeth some fault in his wife, or els some other trouble hapneth, then either he becommeth a lion in his owne house (as Salomon saith) and is sory for that he hath done, or else neglecting his familie, he goeth one way and his wife an other, and so he wasteth all that he hath. For when he seeth that all thinges which he thought should haue had most happy successe, fall out cleane contrary to his expectation, he rageth and layeth all the fault in matrimonie, but most wickedly. For thy fauk and thy folly it is, which so doest, since thou wilt needes be the efficient cause of the gouerning and guyding of thy familie: which thing God hath not giuen vnto thee: For thou shouldest haue bene but onely the instrumentall thereof.

Wherfore submitte thy selfe rather to an other master and gouerner and say: O Lord, teach thou me, that I may rightly gouerne my familie, execute my office in the common wealth, &c. Rule thou and he thou my helper, Godly Magistrates and maried folke howe they ought to vse them selues. that I offend not: for I will doe that in me lyeth. If it take good successe, I will acknowledge thy gift, thanke thee and praise thy name. If it succeede not, yet will I beare it with patience. For thou art the first cause, and I am but the second cause: thou art the creator, thou art all in all and workest all, and I am but the instrument. If we with heart and minde thus prepared would seeke to gouerne, all thinges would prosper and happily proceed. But now, whether ye behold the Magistrate or new maried persons, ye shall see great presumption. For they so beginne all thinges that they take in hande, as though it were impossible they should come otherwise to passe then they themselues doe imagine. They begin as though they were the first and the efficient cause, and appoynt such an ende to their deuises and enterprises as serueth to their owne glory and pleasure. But God sayth. Thus shalt thou not doe, for then shalt thou perish. And worthely: For they are rebells and blasphemers which will presume vpon that which belongeth to the first cause alone. For when eyther the pen will teach the scribe how to write, or the axe wil teach the carpenter how to square his timber, nothing can be wel done. And euen so is it in this case, when we will take vpon vs such gouernment as belongeth to God alone. It is expedient for you to consider the examples of this great folly, which are to be seene euery where aboundantly in Princes Courts, in cities, and families. For thus doe they think: I am the author and master of this familie, this policie, this gouernment, &c. Moste worthely therefore are they troubled and vexed when there followeth no such successe as they looked for. And herevpon followeth (as I said) eyther a miserable confusion both in houshold and politike gouernment, or else playne tyranny. So in matrimony, if neither the husband will beare with his wife, nor the wife will giue place to her husband, not onely the mutuall loue and concord in matrimony is broken, but also it so falleth out, that the husband is chaunged into a tyranne, or else he neglecteth and forsaketh all togither.

What must we here doe? The Pope aunswereth and giueth this counsell, that we should flie into some solitary place, or into some monastery. Not so, saith the holy Ghost: This is not the counsell of God, but of the deuill. But thus do thou. Consider that thou art Gods instrument, & beleue that there is yet an other magistrate and principall gouernour of the house, The principall master of the houshold & magistrate is God. whose name is the Lord. Except he be the principall cause, it shall followe, as this Psalme saith, that the house shall not be builded, and that neither politike nor householde gouernment shall prosper. So must we iudge also of the finall cause. If thou wilte referre all things to that ende which thou hast imagined, and thinkest that thou shalt not be deceiued, thou errest, as experience teacheth. One man taketh vppon him an office in the common wealth, to get estimation and dignitie, and findeth the contrary. An other by matrimony seeketh pleasure, seeketh a bewtifull and obedient wife, but he is deceiued and proueth also the contrary. And well worthy. For why doest thou presume to rule either in politike or houshold gouernment as a God, and thinkest that thy wisedom aud thy policy are able to gouerne these thinges, and that thou hast no neede to lift vp thine eyes to him which is aboue and to desire his helpe? When thou seest therefore that afterwardes it falleth out otherwise, then doest thou learne to sing this Psalme. Except the Lord builde the citie they labour in vaine that builde it. Before thou thoughtest that there was no other Lord or gouerner besides thy selfe, of whose help thou shouldest haue need to gouerne thy house. Others which are not come to this knowledge, either are at continuall debate with their wiues, or else they forsake both wiues & families and flie away, Worthely, worthely, iustly and by the iust iudgement of God thus commeth it to passe. For why doest thou being but vile dunge, presume as a God, to take vppon thee that heauenly gouernment, that (I say) which is aboue nature, with a naturall affection and earthly minde? Thy clyming and presumptuous spirite therefore God iustly confoundeth. Why doest thou not rather say on this wise: Lorde thou hast giuen me a wife, children, a familie: assist me and helpe me: Gouerne thou and guide them, or else in vaine is all my trauell. Nowe, for as much as the holy Scripture teacheth vs, and experience also agreeth thereunto, that without Gods helpe all is in vaine that we take in hande, therefore we ought not to be ignorant of these thinges.

They labour in vaine (saith he) which builde it. The cause is this, that either they become tyrannes, or else desperate & forsake all togither. So commeth to ruine both politike and houshold gouernment. Now, what madnes is this, so to rule, that either thou or thy family must perish? Why doe we not rather as the holy Ghost here teacheth vs, that we may preserue both? Whiche is, if we learne to knowe the principall cause and the true master and gouerner of the house, God the true master of the housholde. if we call vppon him, trust in him and say: Thou Lord hast created me to be a ruler of a familie, and hast giuen me those things which pertaine thereunto. But this burden is to heauy for me to beare. Therfore take vpon thee my charge O Lorde, gouerne thou in my steede: be thou the maister of the house, for I will humbly giue place vnto thee. Then will God heare thee, and he will say: All this will I doe, so that thou canst be content if any thing happen otherwise then thou doest desire, willingly to beare it and with patience to ouercome it, and not to despaire of the ende and good successe thereof, forsaking thy vocation to the which I haue called thee. For since thou doest call vpon me, and doest thankfully acknowledge those thinges which I haue giuen thee, therefore will I preserue thee and thy familie. Wherefore if troubles happen, somewhat thou must beare, and yet must thou not therfore feare that all things wil come to ruine. What state or gouernment was more miserable then the gouernment of Dauid? Dauids houshold gouernment most miserable. and yet it continued vntil Christ was borne and came therof. Wherefore, what things so euer seeme to be lacking, do thou also commit and commend the same vnto me as the Creator and principall gouernour of all.

So teacheth this verse, especially concerning ciuill gouernment. And here marke the behemencie of these wordes: they labour in vaine. For hereof commeth either crueltie and tyranny (as is sayd) or else a confusion of all thinges, and either they forsake their office and vocation, They labour in vaine that labour without the Lorde. or else they presume and wil rule all alone, they will labour without the Lord, that is to say, they will rule by their owne wisedom & policie and wil be the principal and efficient cause. Therefore Cicero, Iulius, and others most excellent, wise & politike men were ouerthrowne: which notwithstanding if all thinges had had prosperous successe, woulde perhaps haue fallen into tyranny. For such as are in authority and gouern with great suc[illegible: 1 letter]esse, are not lightly voyd of tyranny.

Now, To build. as touching the grammaticall sense and meaning of the wordes, I thinke ye know that to edifie signifieth not in this place to gather together a heape of tymber and stones, but generally all that perteyneth to the house and the whole familie, as to rule and gouerne, to marry a wife, to beget children, to bring vp children, to nourish the houshold, to prouide thinges necessary for the same, &c. So that the building is here taken for the house well ordered, The building where are good parents and fruitfull, which liue in great loue & concord togither, which haue obedient children, wherof springeth vp godly youth and then good men. This is the house builded of parents, children, and a well ordered familie: which is a singular blessing and gift of God. But otherwise men so liue that albeit the master of the house commaund neuer so much, yet is there none that will obey him. And this is a ruinous house and a miserable gouernment.

To labour. Thus to labour, is to weary thy selfe: and so to gouerne in all thinges after thine owne will, wisedom, and policie, that no fault be committed, that euery one in thy familie doe his duety in all poynts diligently and vprightly, that thou susteyne no losse or hinderance in thy goods or otherwise, thus to gouerne (sayth he) is not to saue and to preserue, but to destroy & cast away. What way then must thou take that thy labour be not in vayne? To labour in vayne. Euen this, cherefully & gladly to doe what in thee lyeth with all thy strength, witte and policie, committing thy selfe and thine, with all thy affaires vnto God, and to trust in him, who made thee a husband, gaue thee a wife, children, a house, &c. If all thinges prosper and happily succede, giue thankes vnto God, who with these giftes hath so blessed thee. If any thing happen otherwise, ouercome it with patience what so euer it be: and thus thinke with thy selfe, that God tryeth and proueth thee, whether thou take him to be the true master and gouerner of the house, from whom alone come all good thinges: or whether thou doest attribute the same vnto thine owne wisedom and policie. This is therefore the true wisedom of the holy Ghost, that neither can the house be builded, nor the citie kept by the endeuour, wisedom, power or strength of man.

But in vayne are all these thinges taught, and are as a tale told to a deffe man. For the world being both blind and deffe, doth, as alwayes it is wont, that is to say, cleane contrary to this doctrine. Wherefore this Scripture is set forth for the instruction of that litle number which are godly and beleue in Christ: which suffer them selues to be taught and instructed in the Lord. Others embrace the pleasures of this world and worldly thinges, and thinke they belong to them alone, and may be gouerned by their wisedom and policie. Therfore it commeth to passe, that they gaine nothing thereby but vexation and misery, and in the ende confusion and destruction. And albeit hereof they haue continuall experience and heare it dayly, notwithstanding they are neuer the better.

Verse. 1. Except the Lorde keepe the citie the keeper watcheth in vayne.

Like as before he called the house such thinges as perteyne to to the house & houshold gouernment, & matrimony it selfe: so here he calleth the citie a common wealth, whether it be a kingdom, a dukedom, a citie, or else any common societie, be it great or small. Now, albeit these things seeme, according to the flesh, to be vnder our gouernment, yet are they in deede farre aboue our power. And euery godly minde must be taught to knowe that in some parte of this gouernment either priuate or publike, he is as an instrument of God. Wherfore we must looke vnto God, and assure our selues that all things are wrought, all things come to passe by Gods only prouidence and appoyntment, aboue and beyond all that we can thinke & imagine. He that will not beleue this, shal receaue the reward which is here set forth: to wit, that al his endeuour, his counsell, his policie, his wisedom and all his labour shall be in vayne.

He sayth not: The good gouernment of housholds and families, is the founteyne and headspring of the common wealth. Except the Lord build the citie, as he did before of the house: but he sayth: Except the Lord keepe the citie. For when the house is wel gouerned, then shal it go well with the common wealth. For houshold gouernment is the founteyne of ye common wealth. If father, mother, husband & wife be lacking which should bring forth children, nourish them and bring them vp, there can be no common wealth. Of a house therefore is made a citie, which is nothing els but many houses & families, of cities is made a dukedom or a shire: of dukedoms or shires is made a kingdom, which ioyneth all these in one. Houshold gouernmēt was begun of God in Paradise. Of all these, houshold gouernment is the founteyne & headspring: which was begun of God him selfe in Paradise, where he sayd: It is not good for man to be alone: Also, bring forth frute and multiply. Salomon therefore doth not here teach howe common wealthes shoulde be planted & lawes ordeyned. For these were graffed in nature at the beginning: For so sayth the text: Let vs make man after our owne image: And afterward he expoundeth what is ment by this image. Rule ye ouer the fishes of the sea, and ouer the foules of the ayre, and ouer euery beast that moueth vpon the earth. Here it appeareth that at the beginning there was planted in man by God him self, a knowledge of his creatures & a law how to rule & gouern them, a knowledge of husbandry, of phisicke, and of other artes & sciences. Afterward men of excellent wit, by experience & great diligence did encrease those gifts which they had by nature. And this is but the strength of humane wisedome created in man at the beginning in Paradise. Wherfore ye holy Ghost careth not for these things: only he doth approue them as excellent giftes and treasures necessary for mans life, Artes and sciences and such other giftes God approueth as necessary for mans life otherwise he regardeth them not, & therefore man hath no cause to glory in them. and sayth: All these thinges are of my creation. Moreouer he goeth about here to rayse vp the blinde and decayed nature of man, and to call vs from all trust and confidence in flesh, to the ende we should not attempt any thing aboue our power, nor attribute any thing vnto our selues. For by the fall of Adam nature is so corrupt, that it cannot see the good giftes of God to be giftes in deede: but the politike heade thinketh that he enioyeth all thinges by his owne wisedom and policie: he looketh not vpward, nor glorifieth God, but sayth: this haue I done. But this doing is in deede an vtter vndoing.

Wherefore, seeing that common wealthes and families are ordeyned already, seeing that lawes, artes, and sciences by the ordinaunce of God were at the first created togither with man: the nature of man doth wickedly abuse them in that it sayth: I will doe, I will gouerne, and I will bring these things to this ende, to this perfection, whereby I will procure mine owne quietnes, glory and pleasure. With this presumption of God is highly offended, and therefore he geueth no successe thereunto. And good cause why. For as he made the Sunne that thou shouldest haue the vse of it, and not to the ende thou shouldest rule it: so he gaue thee ground that thou shouldest till it, but not to the end it should bring forth what and how much thou wouldest haue, but what and how much he would giue. So he gaue thee witte, reason, a wife, a family and other thinges. But this is euermore the peruersenes of mans nature, corrupt through the sinne of Adam, that it will not acknowledge the giftes of God. Of Gods gifts it ought to say, with thankes giuing, This I haue receiued, but proudly & blasphemously it saith: This I haue done. It ought to say: This hath my Lord God giuen me: but it sayth: this haue I gotten, & I wil gouerne & mainteyne it by mine owne wisedom.

It is the Lord then which buildeth the house, which giueth [illegible: 1 letter] wife, children, liuing, which kepeth the city, giueth publike peace, mainteyneth lawes, &c. Wherfore these words Except the Lord, should be written with great letters, yea with golden letters, because the nature of man fighteth against them (and that through the sinne of the fall of Adam) in that we attribute all thinges vnto our selues: and those things which we ought to ascribe vnto God, we take and enioy as if they were our owne. And to this Satan also stirreth vppe our corrupt nature, which of it selfe is inclined thereunto. Wherefore it followeth that our deuises and enterprises are voide of all good successe, and we our selues are neuer quiet. If this vice of presumption were not, we should finde much more quietnes and haue better successe in all our doinges. For God would saye vnto vs: Thou takest me for the onely creator and geuer of those thinges which thou enioyest: therefore wil I blesse thee.. But because we doe not so, he ouerwhelmeth vs with many miseryes and calamities: he letteth the deuill lose, & setteth hell open (as it were) against vs: so that in housholde gouernment great troubles are stirred vp, and in the common weale warres & manslaughter. For since we will not heare him teaching and warning by the word, he will teach vs with scourges & with our owne calamities, that like vnto the Phrygians we shoulde learne to be wise by our owne harmes, and knowe that we are not Lords & gouerners of these thinges. The words of Cicero. So Cicero at ye last was compelled thus to say: Alas, I was yet neuer wise. And yet some time I was estemed to be that which in deed I was not: but in vaine. O people of Rome, how much hath thine opinion which thou didest conceaue of me, Marke what it is to rule and gouerne without God. deceaued thee? For he so gouerned the people of Rome by his owne wisedome and policie, that at the last he lost his heade. This is our corruption (which we haue by the first and originall sinne of Adam). When we wil not acknowledge the Lord giuing and gouerning, but doe all thinges without his feare, and with a trust and confidence in our own strength. So in housholde gouernment it falleth out that he giueth to some proude yong man a faire wife, which is either a harlot or else vnapt to all good huswifery & housholde affaires, whereby she is a perpetuall burden vnto her husband. The like hapneth also to Princes, rulers and Magistrates in the common wealth: so that none can winde them selues out of those troubles which by their owne folly they fall into. A worthy plague and punishment. For why will they haue God to be a geuer, when they them selues wil be the builders and gouerners? But the world, although it heare these thinges, neither careth for them nor yet beleueth them.

These wordes therefore are spoken onely vnto the godly: Except the Lord keepeth the citie the watchmen keepe it in vaine. As if he said: The Lorde is the keeper, and if he be not present, what so euer is doone in the common wealth, is but in vaine. When I was a student at Erford, I hearde this saying of a certaine wise and learned man called Martinus Sangerhaufen: Martinus Sangerhaufen. that Erford should continue inuincible as touching riches and strong munitions: but the time should come when that strong and riche common wealth should lack men. This was a wise saying. Wherby he signified that cōmon wealthes are not maintained through wealth, riches and power, if godly & expert gouerners be lacking. Let men build thē as much as they will, and let them fortifie their cities if they can with yron walls: let them heape togither mountaines of golde, yet shall all these thinges be but in vaine without godly gouerners, First of all therefore this must God work, that the citizens and people may be godly and fearing God: Moreouer that the Magistrats may be both godly and expert men: Also that the Princes and higher powers may be such as serue God & feare God, & such as loue & reuerence his worde. These are true, strong & mighty fortifications of kingdoms & common wealthes. The true munitions and fortifications of common welths. When God hath giuen these munitions, then may men deuise also strong walls & ditches. But because this is not done, therfore kingdoms and Empires are ouerthrowne one after an other. And I am of this opinion, that Empires, kingdoms, & common wealthes had prospered & continued much longer, if Monarches & Princes had omitted this pronoune [I]: that is to say, if they had not bene proud through the confidence which they had in their own strēgth and wisedom. But now, when the King of Babylon Nabuchodonosor lifting vp him self in pride & presuming of his own strength said, Daniel. 4. The cause of the destruction of greate kindoms & Monarchies. This haue I done, he liued seuen yeres togither with grasse, and wandred in the fieldes, like a brute beast. So the kingdoms of the Persians, of the Grecians & of the Romanes were destroyed and brought to nought, When they vaunted, & gloried in them selues saying: I haue done, by and by followed, I am vndone. Behold and consider all the Monarches, Princes & common welths that euer were, and ye shall se that when they added to their actes & enterprises this proud bragge [I haue done] they were destroyed, because they shut God out as a foole through this presumption and set them selues in his place. Thus all the wisedome, policie and strength of man faileth and commeth to nothing. We also at this day should not lack walls and other munitions, if men were not lacking: Of whome there is nowe greate scarsitie: And they which gouern & are in authoritie, they specially cannot be centent with their owne state, but swell and waxe proude through wealth and power. They trust to their strong munitions and fortifications, as though it were vnpossible for God to ouerthrow and beate in peeces euen yron walls and mounteyns of gold.

I say not this as though cities and common weales ought not to be defended and fortified, lawes mainteyned, and publike discipline reteyned: but this addition we condemne, that they write in their foreheads this pronoune [I]. This addition [I] God neither will nor can suffer. But because the world can not omitte it nor forget it, therefore one kingdome is destroyed after an other, one Prince after an other, and one common wealth after an other. So in Esay Sennacherib glorieth of his mighty and inuincible power against God: Esay. 37. Whereupon followeth that notable slaughter of his whole army, and he him selfe also is slayue of his owne sonnes. Esay. 45. Of Syrus also the text sayth: I haue holden his right hand to breake open the brasen barres. For there is no force or violence so great, no munition so strong, but God is able to ouercome it, how easie a matter is it for him (thinke ye) to bring the wealthiest and richest common wealths in the world, to extreme pouertie by warre, famine, pestilence, &c. These munitions then must be prouided, the house must be buylt, a wyfe marryed, & the houshold gouerned. These thinges the holy Ghost doth not condemne, but would that we should not thereto adde originall sinne. Preserue the creature therfore and vse it, but away with that which is thine owne, originall sinne I meane, whereby thou offendest God. The creatures are thy wife, childrē, family and goods. These are good thinges and the good giftes of God, the vse wherof God hath lent vnto vs. But thou addest thereto thy originall sinne, and wilt take vpon thee to gouerne them by thine owne wisedom, condemning God, and not calling vppon him or beleuing in him who hath giuen these thinges vnto thee. Thou walkest carelesly in this presumption and sayest: I am he that ruleth these matters: Therefore it followeth as a iust plague, that thy wyfe, thy children and family are disobedient. Much good may it doe you master gouerner, which will presume to rule these matters, not calling first vpon God.

The same also hapneth in ciuill gouernment. Therefore (sayth the Psalme) Except the Lord keepe the citie, &c. Here the Prophet setteth the Lord agaynst our originall sinne and agaynst our naturall presumption. As if he should say: This say I, that the citie is kept in vaine except the Lord keepe it. But there is an other Lord, an other gouerner which will rule these matters, that is to say, our wisedom and presumption, which neglecting God, presumeth to gouerne these great and weighty matters, and excludeth God. And in deede it prospereth some tymes. But this is a token of Gods great wrath when hee geueth successe to the wicked. The successe of ye wicked. For it is an offence and a stumbling blocke vnto the godly, and also a snare to many other, which seeking to atchieue the like thinges, take vppon them the like gouernment, but all in vaine, So Augustus Caesar in gouerning the common wealth had great successe: He escaped the ouerthrowes and terrible ruines of many other Kinges as touching his owne person: albeit as touching his subiectes, his gouernment was most vnhappy. Others by his example take vpon them to rule the common wealth and looke to haue the like successe: but see howe fewe there be that doe enioy it. These thinges I recite to the ende we may learne that we are not the rulers and gouern[illegible: 1 letter]rs of these high and weighty matters, ciuill and houshold gouermnent I meane: much lesse of the Church of God where all thinges, without comparison, are of greater importance and of much more difficultie.

To keepe, what it signifieth. To keepe is to blesse, mainteyne & preserue. And here he speaketh not (as I sayd before) of making and ordeyning lawes. For those he presupposeth to be established in the common wealth already. But he admonisheth and teacheth ye Magistrates to call vpon God and to execute their office & dutie in the feare of God. And if their labors and trauells do not prosper as they would, let them thinke that God doth it to bridle their presumption and to humble them. For if all things should succeede as they woulde, it shoulde be an occasion of infinite euills and enormities. But when they see that their wisedom preuaileth not, their policie is disapoynted, their power and authoritie taketh no place, then doe they learne by their owne experience, that there is an other Lorde and master to be called vppon and taken as the principall gouerner of the common wealth, who will helpe them, will gouerne for them, and geue good successe to that they take in hand, that so they may flie to prayer, and say: helpe Lord, take vppon thee our charge and burthen, and gouerne thou for vs. Also that they may knowe they haue a large promise, that God being called vppon, will heare them and helpe them. This clause then: Except the Lorde keepe the citie, is against them which call not vppon God, but by their owne wisdome presume to builde the house and kepe the citie. To them it is said, that they shall labour & watch in vaine.

The keeper he calleth a King, a Prince, a Magistrate. For in a litle word he comprehendeth the greatest and highest matters in the world. Kings, Princes and Magistrates, the Prophet calleth keepers. For God is a great & a mightie God, who hath a large mouth, and with smal words he vttereth vnto vs mightie matters, Princes and Magistrates therefore he calleth keepers, which are appointed and ordained to gouerne common wealthes. But they watch in vaine (saith he) except the Lord him selfe assist them, and their trauells take no such effect as they would: but if the Lord be absent, they doe nothing else but torment and crucifie them selues in vaine. To labour in vaine. I haue seene some which haue tyred them selues day and might with continuall labour, and yet were they not able to liue thereby, They spent no time in idlenes, no time in play: notwithstanding they liued miserably with their wiues and children. Others pitying their case, admonished them y• by this continuall [illegible: 1 letter]oyle they should neuer waxe rich. Wherfore they exhorted them to winne Industrie is such a labor & diligence, as is ioyned with a prouident care, & discretion, in obseruing of persons, places conuenient times, with other circumstances, that no labour be spent in vain industrie with their trauell: so should they the sooner attaine to that which they so painfully sought. For a master of a housholde in whom there is some industrie, can doe more with one pe[illegible: 1 letter]ee of gold, then some other can doe with two. A woman skilful of houshold affaires, industrious & prouident withal, can liue with her family a whole yeare of those charges, wherwith an other woman not so industrious, prouident and discreete, is not able to endure halfe a yeare: For industrie hath alwaies best successe. But they them selues which gaue this counsel to those poore men did not see that industrie is also the gift of God. Now, the cause why industrie so greatly helpeth and bringeth such successe to our endeuours and labours, is, for that it obserueth the circumstances of persons, places, conuenient times, & other occasions, that nothing be done in vaine nor labour lost. These thinges he that doth not obserue in houshold and politike gouernment, must of necessity be many times deceiued. No maruell is it then if great riches are not able to suffice a man in whom this industrie is lacking, Labour with out industry hath no good successe. that is, which doth not with discretion obserue & consider the circumstances before mentioned. These men therefore gaue this counsel, that industrie should be ioyned with labour, because labour without industrie hath no successe.

But Salomon speaketh more properly, not that industrie, but that the Lord him selfe is the cause. For euen this also is the gifte of God, through industrie to gouerne the common wealth, and to doe nothing rashly, but to obserue all occasions, and to seeke all opportunitie that all thinges may be done in conuenient time, place, Friderike Duke of Saxonie a very wise & discrete man. &c. Such a wi[illegible: 2 letters]ad that noble Prince Friderike Duke of Saxony, Elector. He was in deed a man industrious, who said not all thinges, who did not all thinges vpon a sudden, which he was able to say or doe. He dissembled many thinges, but in conuenient time and place he did more with a word, then many other without this industrie could doe with power and great strength. Such are they which are, Industrious and prouident men. not onely painefull and diligent, but also industrious, which can waite for occasion and time conuenient, when one word will strike and pearce more deepely, then at an other time many swordes could doe. But this is humane and not diuine wisedom. Wherfore it is not sufficient to gouerne such high & weighty matters: but there muste be prayer also ioyned therewith, that the Lorde would be present, that he would keepe watch and warde, or else shall mans industrie be all in vaine, be it neuer so greate.

So teacheth this Psalme as touching the principall cause (whereby all the indeuours, counsells and policies of men are ruled and directed) and keepeth vs that we make no confusion or mixture of causes, and that of the first cause we make not the second cause, or else in deede no cause at all. For he did not create things and so leaue them (saith a certaine Philosopher speaking of God, and very well). He did not so ordaine matrimonie and ciuill gouernment as the shipwright doeth the shippe, who after that hee hath finished his worke, so leaueth it and committeth it to the mariner to be guided as he will. God is still present with his creature. But God is still present with his creature, and gouerneth both the house and the common wealth. This men doe not knowe, but thinke that God hath no regarde of those thinges which we doe, but leaueth them vnto vs. Contrary to this prophane and wicked opinion Salomon teacheth vs, that we should feare God, call vpon him, and so take in hand to gouern our families and to serue the common wealth, as God hath appointed vs, with a cheerefull hart. Also he admonisheth vs, not to presume vpon our owne wisedome, policie, power, munitions or riches. All historyes are ful of examples, and our owne experience also doth witnesse that presumption hath neuer good successe, and yet the world will still be the worlde, and doth not beleue. Wherfore these things are profitable for none but for the godly. But if the world will not heare and obey, let it rage, let it vexe and torment it selfe, since it seeth and feeleth it selfe to watch, to labour, to be oppressed with continuall toyle and trauell, and all in vaine. And this doth it worthely, iustly and most iustly suffer. For here it is written, that except the Lorde keepeth the citie, the keeper watcheth in vaine, and this doe they reiect: Wherefore the Lord also reiecteth them: he will not keepe nor builde their citie, and so what remaineth, but onely in vaine.