Of The Destruction Of Some Tyrants Of This Last Persecution.

Hence the wise woman Judith says in her song of praise: “Woe to the nations that rise up against my kindred! for the Lord Almighty shall judge them, and visit them in the day of judgment; for he shall put fire and worms in their flesh, that they shall burn, and feel it for ever.” Judith 16:17.

O how good were it for all tyrannical men, if they would consider and lay to heart these and similar passages of holy Scripture, and would fight no more against the high God, for it will be required of them at that day, before the judgment seat of Christ. Since faith is a pure gift, which comes from God alone, and hence can neither be given nor taken away by any man, however highly esteemed he may be. All princes and rulers ought also to commit the matter of faith to the Creator of all things, who alone is the discerner of the hearts and reins of all men, and who knows and beholds the hidden thoughts and intents of the heart, clear and uncovered before his eyes; before whose high majesty both the judge and the condemned must finally appear together. He will judge the world in righteousness, and offer faith to every one. Acts 17:31. He shall then judge according to truth, as to who believed and walked righteously or falsely. Hereunto we would from the inmost of our soul, counsel and entreat all lords and princes, as for their own welfare. O that God Almighty would be pleased to grant all princes and lords who have received the sword of justice, the grace, that they would use their sword and authority no further than only upon the bodies and goods of men in civil matters, for the punishment of evil-doers, and the protection of the good; to which end the same has been given them of God; and would let God Almighty be the Lord and Judge over the faith, souls, and consciences of men, which unquestionably belongs to him (blessed be he) alone. And that they would moreover consider, how very short and uncertain man’s life is, and how soon these earthly kingdoms can pass from one nation to another. And if the incoming lords hold different views than the former ones, city and country are instantly in great danger of revolt, uproar and destruction, if they want to force all their subjects to the religion which they have accepted; or the common people must resort to dissimulation and hypocrisy, to escape the punishment threatened; for such lords seldom lack preachers who for the sake of great prebends are willing to preach according to the pleasure of the lords.

And O that men would once consider, how many thousands of persons have for many centuries been deprived of life and property, on account of religious differences, because the magistrates (through the instigation of their preachers) would force them to their religion; which nevertheless wrought no improvement, but the conflict remained uninterrupted. But how utterly blind and unreasonable they proceed in this matter, it is easy to perceive; since we certainly, most clearly and abundantly find, that even the Lord’s apostles, which he had sent and highly enlightened, could bring but a very small proportion of men to one religion, and that in their time, besides the innumerable multitude of unbelievers and persecutors of the truth, were also many false apostles and deceitful workers, who preached Christ out of envy and strife, and not sincerely; so that Christ was preached in many ways, in season and out of season. 2 Cor. 11:13; Philippians 1:15,16. Who then shall believe that in this last and evil time, in which iniquity prevails, whole countries and kingdoms can be brought into the obedience of the apostolical doctrine, through the sword and constraint of the magistracy? The more so, since Christ himself says, that at his coming it shall be as it was in the days of Noah and Lot. Luke 17:26. Hence the Lord Jesus also seems to ask doubtfully: Whether, when the Son of man cometh, he shall find faith on the earth?

For the number of believers has from the beginning of the world been very small among the children of men; and not all men have faith, as Paul says; and the whole world, according to the teaching of the apostle, lieth in wickedness; and all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but of the world, and the world and the lust thereof shall pass away; and Solomon seems to compare this world and all her ungodliness to a magnificently adorned woman, in the attire of a 1040 harlot, subtle, wild and stubborn, so that her feet could not abide in her house; whereby she seduced and deceived the foolish youth, so that he followed her in wickedness.