Martin Luther on Psalms 132:11

Verse. 11. The Lord hath sworn in truth vnto Dauid, & he will not shrinke from it, saying: Of the fruite of thy body will I set vpon thy throne.

We are entred (as I haue sayde) into the second parte of the Psalme, Policie serueth the Church, and the Church preserueth policie. in the whiche hee prayeth for the politike or corporall kingdome. For these two kingdoms, namely the politike and the spirituall kingdom, although they be farre vnlike, yet are they so ioyned togither, that the one can not stand without the other. For where politike peace is lacking, there can no pietie or godlynes be maintained without great daungers. Againe, where the worde of God is not, there can be no ende of errours, blasphemies and other impieties. Prayer therefore for politike peace and the common wealth, is necessary. Now, when the word is ioyned withall, the greater cause we haue to giue thankes vnto God. And this prayer (as I haue said) is also grounded vpon ye promise of God. For in prayer we must aske nothing, but that wee are certainly perswaded we may or ought to praye for, or may be obtayned. Now, that we may be certaine how to pray & what to aske, there is not onely a commaundement as touching prayer set forth vnto vs, but also a certaine forme of prayer, and the very words wherby we are taught how to pray and what we should pray for: and moreouer certaine causes expressed, for the which we may be assured that our prayer pleaseth God: As when we pray for the sanctifying of the name of God, the comming of his kingdome, &c. And here is also to be noted, that this promise is confirmed with an othe, that it might be the more sure and certaine.

This promise as touching the temporall kingdome, The wicked presume of the promises of God, and cruelly persecute the true church. as it is great, so was it an occasion to many holy Prophetes, of great affliction and cruel death. For as the promises of God in their right vse doe raise vp and comfort afflicted and godly mindes: so by occasion thereof secure and prophane spirits ware proud & presumptuous, and through the confidence they haue in these promises, they afterwards persecute the godly: as we may see by manifest examples in the Prophets: who, because they reproued the idolatries of the Kings and condemned their false and damnable worshippings, threatning the destruction of the kingdome and of the people, vnlesse they woulde forsake their abominations & turne vnto the Lord, were tormented and put to death as heretikes, for that they seemed to speake against this and other promises. The argument which the wicked vsed against the Prophets And in deede this seemed to be an inuincible argument whiche they vsed against the Prophets: If God (said they) haue promised that the sonnes of Dauid should sit vpon the throne of Dauid for euer, it is impossible that the King should commit any such offence, for the which the kingdome should be destroyed.

How ye Pope hath abused the promises of God. The kingdom of the Pope hath not so goodly and so glorious a pretence, and yet doth he also abuse the promises of Christe in like maner, to establish his tyranny, his idolatries and abominations. How doth he bragge of this promise of Christ when he faith: I will be with you vnto the ende of the worlde? As though this pertained to the establishing of the Popes tyranny. So that sweete consolation: The gates of hell shall not preuaile, &c. afterwards became bloody and cruel, and was an occasion of death and destruction of many Sainctes, for that the Pope did apply it vnto him selfe, and abused it for the stablishing of his tyrannicall kingdome. For this was the only argument whereby they proued that the Pope being the head of the Church, could not erre. Thus the wicked doe abuse the promises (which God hath set forth to raise vp the afflicted minds and consciences of his people) against the true Church. This was ye cause why Amazia the Priest could not abide Amos the Prophet. Amos. 7. In the middes of thy house (sayth he) Amos hath conspired against thee. The earth could not beare his talke. For thus he saith: Ieroboam shall dye by the sworde, and Israell shall be ledde away captiue out of their owne lande. As though this had bene a thing vnpossible, and that the Kinge might commit wickednes and doe what he list without ehecke or punishment. Notwithstanding the ende afterwards declared that this was a vaine confidence, and that the prophet had said truely.

The godly can not so raise vp and comfort thē selues with the promises, as the wicked doe. Thus the wicked do abuse the promises of God, applying the same vnto them selues, whereas they belong to the true Church onely, and so they become presumptuous and careles. They think not of their sinnes or of the iudgement of God: but boldly & without all feare doe persecute the Saintes of God, as we see at this day in the papacie. So the true church is oppressed of tyrannes, oppugned of false brethren, suffereth the contempt and hatred of the world, and in outward apperance is euery hower ready to perish. Here it is necessary that the godly should raise vp them selues with a trust in the mercies and promises of God: for to this ende the promises are set forth. But they which should beleue and comfort them selues with these promises, doe it not: For the infirmitie of the flesh will not suffer them: which Satan also encreaseth in setting before their eyes their great daungers and terrours. Contrarywise the Church of the wicked, which for their sinnes ought to feare and tremble, presumeth, hopeth, liueth in great fecuritie and without all feare. So the Pope holdeth fast that promise with y• which our Sauiour Christ comforteth his Disciples when he sayth: Matth. 28.20 I will be with you alway vnto the ende of the world, perswading him selfe that Peters voate, though it may be in daunger, shall neuer be drowned. But ye true church, to yt which onely these thinges are spoken, doth not so beleue them, nor rayse vp it selfe with a trust and confidence in these promises as it should doe. Thus in all times and ages the condition of the true Church hath bene alwayes one. The godly in perills and affl[illegible: 1 letter]ctions rest vpon hope, when the wicked doe despaire. Now, like as ye wicked liue in great hope, and comfort them selues maruelously so long as they are in prosperitie: so when they are touched with aduersitie, they most miserably despayre. But the godly continue and constantly endure in hope and comfort in all troubles and calamities.

So this promise as touching the kingdom of Christ, was hindred many and sundry wayes by rebellious people, by enemies and wicked Kinges, vntil at the last the citie and the temple were destroyed, the people caried away captiue, and none left but plowmen and such as were of the basest sort. Nowe the word, the worship and seruice of God, the accustomed iudgements, and briefly the Church, the policie, and the kingdom were gone. Here what hope was left, that there should remaine any posteritie vnto Dauid, as this Psalme here promiseth? This promise therefore was necessary, that thereby the godly might be able to comfort them selues, that it was impossible for this kingdome to fall, before Christ the true seede of Dauid shoulde be reueiled. Wherefore, when all thinges seemed to be most desperate, God raised vp certeine notable Prophets. He set vppe Daniel also emonges great and mighty Princes. Moreouer, the time was appoynted by the Prophet Ieremy, Iere. 29. namely 70. yeares, after the which they shoulde returne into their land. The remnant of the royall stocke, that is to say, of Dauid was preserued euen in captiuity. Thus, although the kingdom seemed in outward shewe to be vtterly forsaken, yet was it not forsaken, and the godly constantly continued in hope of deliuerance, when the wicked despayred and miserably perished.

In like maner doe we beleue and comfort our selues at this day that Christ will defend and mainteyne his kingdome and his Church euen to the end of the world, The promises are set forth for the comfort of ye godly, that in their afflictions they should not despayre. though ye Romish Antichrist triumph neuer so much, sitting in the temple of God, and exercising his tyranny as though he would vtterly oppresse ye Church. For these promises God left with his Church, that in such necessitie and daungers it should not be without comfort. Which promises, albeit the Church can not fully and perfectly beleue, yet doth it not deny or reiect the same. And Christ accepteth and commendeth our fayth, although it be no more then a grayne of mustard feede. This to knowe & this to teach, it is necessary. For the time will come (if we be not preuented by the later day) when Satan by his ministers, with might and maine wil attempt all ye meanes he can to quench the doctrine of the Gospell. Here, although we also shall see the kingdom brought into captiuitie, and the Arke caried cleane away, as the Iewes did, yet must we trust that God will giue vs Prophets, and that his Church (although it seeme to be vtterly forsaken) he wil neuer for forsake. For ye word of God, whose promise we haue, ought to moue vs more then the present daunger, seeme it neuer so terrible. For if God, through much patience did preserue his Church vnder the Papacie: if he suffered many abuses, which blind guides and wicked teachers brought into the Church, if at the length, when all thinges were desperate and past all hope, he caused the light of his worde to shine in the middes of most horrible darkenes: why should we despayre? The mercie of God is greater then heauen and earth, & is able to swallow vp all errors, into the which the very elect, by false prophets, blind teachers and the iniquitie of time are often times ledde.

There is no man which would not wish for peace and quietnes in the common wealth, and in the people obedience and godlines. So is it to be wished that in the Church there might be vnitie and concorde, The Church is neuer with out daungers and afflictions, and therefore it hath neede of the promises. and that there might be no offence either in doctrine or life, that Princes and Magistrats would not hate or persecute, but like, loue & embrace the word. Notwithstanding such a common wealth and such a Church may well be paynted out of a cunning artificer, but in this worlde they coulde neuer yet be founde. Wherefore let vs not looke to see the face either of such a quiet common wealth, or of so pure a Church. But herewith let vs content our selues, that the Church and common wealth, although they are not without great troubles and daungers, doe not vtterly perish: that there is some maiestie in the common wealth, and in the Church pure and sounde doctrine: and that there are some which magnifie the word, vse prayer, and frequent the Sacraments, although the greater part doe the contrary. And to this ende doe perteine these consolations, that whiles all things seeme to fall to wracke and ruine, we cast not away all hope and vtterly despayre.

When I behold the miserable face of the Church at this day, The state of the Church at this day, what it is. in that the Pastors and Preachers of the worde are so neglected, yea so contemned and despised, thus I often thinke with my selfe, that the whole ministerie, although there were no tyrannes to oppresse it, must needes fall euen of it self. But we must more regard the promise of God, then all outward shewes, seeme they vnto vs neuer so likely. For behold and consider the histories of all ages, and you shall see that the Church hath bene alwayes oppressed & hidden through the tyranny of Princes, and through the lies and sclaunders of heretiks. Moreouer, ye godly haue neuer bene without their tentations through the consideration of their sinnes and vexations of the deuill. These things he that beholdeth, and stil fixeth his eyes vpon these euills, shal thinke that there is no church nor yet any God at all. But of such shewes and outward appearances we must ground no iudgement. For such a face ye church ye shall neuer see, in the which great offences, infirmities, and, as it were great diseases are not to be found. In deede it were to be wished that these thinges were not in the Church, and that there were such a face and outward shew of the Church, as is described here & in other places, where it is compared to a bewtifull spouse, in whom appeareth neither spot nor wrincle. But such a Church outwardly ye shall neuer see. For it is alwayes oppressed of Tyrannes, vexed of heretiks, exercised with afflictions both inwardly and outwardly, with disobedience, contempt, falshood, dissimulation of false brethren, &c. In all these daungers we must holde fast this consolation, that the gates of hell shall not preuayle against it, and goe on forward with a valiant mind and Christian courage in teaching, in exhorting, in reprouing, and in other duties perteyning to the ministerie. If any be disobedient, peruerse and obstinate, let them goe, let them perish in their owne sinnes, and let this suffice, Luke. 2. that there are some vnto whom Christ and the ministery of the Gospell is appoynted for their rising againe and their saluation.

Thus did the holy Prophets which saw the captiuitie of Babylon to be euen at hand, and that the temple and the citie shoulde be consumed with fire. A consolation for the Church of Israel in the tyme of her captiuitie. This was then the face of the kingdome which should afterwards be destroyed for euer. There was nothing now therefore wherewith they might comfort them selues, but this and such like promises made vnto Dauid, that of yt frute of his body God would set vp the royall throne, & that euen with an oth he had confirmed the same. And this is in deede a singular promise, in that he nameth and pointeth out a certeine person, & suffereth not ye succession to wander in an vncerteine person. Abraham, Isaac and Iacob had also a promise concerning Christ, but vnder an vncerteine person if ye respect the multitude of their posterity. But in this promise is a certeine limitation, because there is one certeine person named, to the end, that although the people should be all leede away captiue, yet so long as the posteritie of Dauid did continue, they should comfort them selues with this hope, that the kingdom should neuer faile.

This I thinke to be the cause why the genealogies, that is, the line of the kinredes and progenies of this people were so diligently obserued and noted of the godly, that through this hope of the promise to be accomplished, the succession of the house of Dauid might be sure & certeine. For this familie was as a certeine starre emonges the people, of whose posteritie so long as they sawe any remnant, they continued in hope of their deliuerance by Christ, yea euen in the captiuitie of Babylon, although it were most horrible. For euen in this captiuitie, although they were without a kingdom, yet had they emonges them certeine persons of the royall stocke, as it were certeine sparkles of the kingdom and of the light of Dauid, vnto whom the eyes of ye godly did alwaies looke, as vnto a pledge of ye promise afterwards to be accomplished as touching Christ. Moreouer in this captiuitie they had the word & the Prophets, Daniel, Ieremy, Ezechiel, and (no doubt) many other. Now, so long as such persons as were appoynted to ye kingdom and the priesthood were yet remaining, the kingdome was not cleane forsaken or destroyed. Thirdly the number of the yeres was also limited, which being expired, their captiuitie shoulde haue an ende. But the Iewes at this day haue none of all these thinges. They haue no kingdome, no persons appoynted to the kingdom, no certeine number of yeares, neither yet the word or the Prophets. Therefore they are condemned with all their religion. And this calamitie in the which the Iewes haue liued euer since Ierusalem was destroyed by the Romanes, is no captiuitie, but a generall destruction and desolation of that people for euer as Daniel also saith: And after this shall be the ende.