Good works (Theology); Lutheran Church -- Doctrines
XVIII. This rest, namely, that our work cease and God alone work in us,
is accomplished in two ways. First, through our own effort, secondly,
through the effort or urging of others.
Our own effort is to be so made and ordered that, in the first place,
when we see our flesh, senses, will and thoughts tempting us, we resist
them and do not heed them, as the Wise Man says: "Follow not thine own
desires." And Moses, Deuteronomy xii: "Thou shalt not do what is right
in thine own eyes."
Here a man must make daily use of those prayers which David prays:
"Lord, lead me in Thy path, and let me not walk in my own ways," and
many like prayers, which are all summed up in the prayer, "Thy kingdom
come." For the desires are so many, so various, and besides at times so
nimble, so subtile and specious, through the suggestions of the evil
one, that it is not possible for a man to control himself in his own
ways. He must let hands and feet go, commend himself to God's
governance, and entrust nothing to his reason, as Jeremiah says, "O
Lord, I know that the way of man is not in his own power." We see proof
of this, when the children of Israel went out of Egypt through the
Wilderness, where there was no way, no food, no drink, no help.
Therefore God went before them, by day in a bright: cloud, by night in
a fiery pillar, fed them with manna from heaven, and kept their
garments and shoes that they waxed not old, as we read in the Books of
Moses. For this reason we pray: "Thy kingdom come, that Thou rule us,
and not: we ourselves," for there is nothing more perilous in us than
our reason and will. And this is the first and highest work of God in
us and the best training, that we cease from our works, that we let our
reason and will be idle, that we rest and commend ourselves to God in
all things, especially when they seem to be spiritual and good.
XIX. After this comes the discipline of the flesh, to kill its gross,
evil lust, to give it rest and relief. This we must kill and quiet with
fasting, watching and labor, and from this we learn how much and why we
shall fast, watch and labor.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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