Martin Luther on Psalms 129:8

Verse. 8. Neither they which goe by, say: we blesse you in the name of the Lord.

This also commendeth and setteth forth vnto vs the similitude of the grasse. For true corne hath this commēdation, that it is the blessing of God. They therefore which see it growe, doe wish that God would blesse and prosper it. This (sayth Dauid) shall not be sayd of that grasse, that is to say, of the tyrannes and the aduersaries of the Church, but rather they shall be cursed of all men, yea the malediction both of God and man shall be heaped vpon them: Like as it hath also hapned to the Church of Rome, which before our doctrine and preaching most gloriously flo[illegible: 1 letter]rished. But nowe that the Gospel hath plucked away her visour, and sheweth that she is without fruite, all her cursed hypocrisie is bewrayed and her memory is perished from among the godly. Thus the Prophet comforteth the faithfull, and sheweth that the wicked, what glorious bragge and pretence so euer they make, are in deede nothing, and because God blesseth them not, they shall inherite nothing but malediction, and shal be confounded, like as Iudas, the Phariseis, Cherinthus, Arius, and Pelagius, though they seemed to flourish, most miserably perished, with all their glory.

Wherfore let vs, whose doctrine by the grace of God is sound and agreable with the holy Scripture, remember this similitude, that when we must suffer hatred, sclaunder, reproches and all maner of iniuries for the Gospels sake, we be not afrayde, but may learne hereby to iudge the Pope, the Bishops and wicked Princes with their tormentors and executioners of their crueltie, to be nothing else but grasse on the house toppes, which seemeth to be somewhat when in deede it is nothing, and therefore it is without all blessing. To such it shall be sayd with the rich glutton in hell: Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receauedst thy pleasures. Luke. 16. For if we consider the whole history of the church euen from the beginning of the world, we shal see that God hath alwayes so wrought by his secret counsell, that as grasse on the house toppes withereth away before the haruest come: so tyrannes are suddenly cut of and neuer come to their fall time. Wherefore let vs constantly abide and endure with patience in all afflictions, vntill the ende doe shew that it was nothing but grasse, and suddenly withered when it was most like to encrease and flourish. The wicked do enioy all good things for the Churches sake, like as the grasse on the house toppes hath the benefite of the rayne and of the Sunne as well as the corne in the fieldes. But as they shall not liue halfe their dayes, and as they shall see their owne counsells and deuises to be but vayne & withont successe, so shall they be as a perpetuall shame among men: in so much that no man shall wish any good vnto them: As at this day the memorie of Iudas, Pilate, the wicked Iewes Dioclesianus, Maximinus and other tyranns is without honour, yea most execrable and odious vnto all men. This consolation is set forth by the holy Ghost by these grosse similitudes & examples, that we may conceaue in our mindes some shadow or resemblance of Gods workes, since we can not rightly iudge and esteeme the thinges them selues according to the trueth, but we iudge the enemies and persecutors of the Church by their goodly shew and outward appearance, to be good wheate, because they prosper and flourish so long vpon the earth. Wherefore we must rest wholy in the worde, which with such simlitudes paynteth out these thinges, and we must withdraw our senses from all outward sightes and shewes, and iudge no otherwise of the aduersaries of the worde, then of most vile grasse that groweth on the house toppes and is contemned of all men. For so sayth the spirite and fayth: but our senses say otherwise.

In like maner must we doe also in spirituall tentations, when our conscience accuseth vs & giueth testimony against vs, as well in the agony and daunger of death, as in other conflictes. Here if we follow that which appeareth to reason and our owne senses to be true, it shall seeme vnto vs that our enemies are inuincible and almightie, and that there is no remedy, but we must needes be ouercome and vtterly perish. The sight & feeling of this greatnes perteyneth to the eyes and to the senses onely, and ryseth of the iudgement of reason, and not of the trueth. But when we looke to the true greatnes which the word setteth forth vnto vs, we are cō strayned to say that death, sinne, Satan, and the very gates of hell are in deede nothing else but grasse on the house tops, but stubble, but a very bubble swimming vpon the water, which with the least occasion breakith and vanisheth away. So must these thinges be amplified and set against all kindes of tentations, whether they be persecutors of the word, as the world and wicked Princes, or else sinne, death and Satan. Al which we must learne to extenuate and lesson as much as we can, because Christ liueth and we haue his word. The consolation is able to swallow vp all terrors, and maketh vs able to say, that all these thinges are in very deede but one nothing. But when we consider these thinges without the worde and Christ in respect of our selues and of our owne strength, then are they in deede, not grasse, but suche high and mighty mounteynes as can not be passed ouer. Wherefore, when we fight against our enemies, we must fight, not as men consisting of body and soule, but as Christians baptised in the name of Christ, hauing the gift of the spirite and the word. Now therfore, when the deuill, death, hell it selfe, the world and cruell Princes are compared to a Christian, they are but grasse vpon the house toppes, or if any thing can be saye to be more vile and contemptible. For he hath the word which is almighty, and moreouer he hath Christ him selfe. Christians therefore are inuincible, yea euen then when they are ouercome & troden vnder foote. [illegible: 1 letter]. Cor. 12.9. For the power of Christ is made perfect through weakenes. Thus did the holy Prophets and Martyrs comfort them selues against the world and the kingdom of Satan, and therfore they did so valiantly suffer all kindes of afflictions, being perswaded, not that the grasse, which withereth away of it selfe without mans endeuour, but the word of God should haue the victory. For true it is that Basilius writeth when he comforteth the people of Alexandria against the sury of Arius, that through the persecutions of the enemies, the Church doth more and more encrease and multiply. Which thing we also haue proued, and God graunt that we and our posteritie may stil so doe.