[The following sermon is taken from volume II:155-165
of The Sermons of Martin Luther, published by Baker Book House (Grand Rapids,
MI). It was originally published in 1906 in English by Lutherans in All
Lands Press (Minneapolis, MN), as The Precious and Sacred Writings of Martin
Luther, vol. 11. The original title of this sermon appears below.
This e-text was scanned and edited by Richard Bucher, it is in the public
domain and it may be copied and distributed without restriction.]
1. We have hitherto heard in our Gospel lessons of various
examples of faith and of love; for as they all teach faith and love, I
hope you are abundantly and sufficiently informed that no human being can
be pleasing to God unless he believes and loves. Now in this Gospel text
the Lord presents to us at the same time an example of faith and of unbelief
or of the state of the godless, in order that we also may abhor the contrary
and the opposite of faith and love, and that we may cleave to faith and
love more diligently.
For here we see the judgment of God upon the believers and the unbelievers,
which is both dreadful and comforting. Dreadful to the faithless and comforting
to the faithful. But in order that we may the better grasp the meaning
of this text we must picture to ourselves both the rich man and poor Lazarus.
In the rich man we see the nature of unbelief and in Lazarus the nature
of belief.
PART I. THE RICH MAN.
2. We must not view the rich man according to his outward conduct; for
he is in sheep's clothing, his life glitters and shines beautifully, while
he tactfully conceals the wolf. For this Gospel text does not accuse him
of adultery, of murder, or robbery, of violence or of having done anything
that the world or reason would censure. Yea, he has been as honorable and
respectable in his life as that Pharisee who fasted twice a week and was
not as other men, of whom Luke 18:11f. speaks. For had he committed such
glaring sins the Gospel would have mentioned them since it examines him
so particularly that it describes even the purple robe he wore and the
food he ate, which are only external matters and God does not judge according
to them. Therefore he must have led outwardly an exemplary, holy life;
and according to his own opinion and that of others, he must have kept
the whole law of Moses.
3. But we must look into his heart and judge his spirit. For the Gospel
has penetrating eyes and sees deep into the secret recesses of the soul;
reproves also the works which reason cannot reprove, and looks not at the
sheep's clothing, but at the true fruit of the tree to learn whether it
is good or not, as the Lord teaches in Mat. 7:17. Hence if we judge this
rich man according to the fruits of faith, we will find a heart and a tree
of unbelief. For the Gospel chastises him that he fares sumptuously every
day and clothes himself so richly, which reason never considers as especially
great sins. Besides, the work-righteous people think it is right, and that
they are worthy of it, and have merited it by virtue of their holy lives,
and they do not see how they thus sin by their unbelief.
4. For this rich man is not punished because he indulged in sumptuous
fare and fine clothes; since many saints, kings and queens in ancient times
wore costly apparel, as Solomon, Esther, David, Daniel and others; but
because his heart was attached to them. sought them, trusted in and chose
them, and because he found in them all his joy, delight and pleasure; and
made them in fact his idols. This Christ indicates by the words "every
day," that he lived thus sumptuously daily, continuously. From this is
seen that he diligently sought and chose such a life, was not forced to
it nor was he in it by accident, or because of his office or to serve his
neighbor; but he only thereby gratified his own lust, and lived to himself
and served only himself.
5. Here one traces the secret sins of his heart as the evil fruit. For
where faith is, there is no anxiety for fine clothing and sumptuous feasting,
yea, there is no longing for riches, honor, pleasure, influence and all
that is not God himself; but there is a seeking and a striving for and
a cleaving to nothing except to God, the highest good alone; it is the
same to him whether his food be dainty or plain, whether his clothing be
fine or homespun. For although they even do wear costly clothes, possess
great influence and honor, yet they esteem none of these things; but are
forced to them, or come to them by accident, or they are compelled to use
them in the service of others.
Thus queen Esther says, that she bore the royal crown against her will,
and that she had to wear it for the sake of the King. David also would
rather have lived a private life; but for the sake of God and of his people
he had to become king. In like manner all the saints considered that they
were constrained to fill their stations of influence, honor and glory;
and their hearts were never entangled by them, and labored in these external
things to be helpful to their neighbor, as Psalm 62:10 says: "Trust not
in oppression and become not vain in robbery; if riches increase set not
your heart thereon."
6. But where unbelief reigns man is absorbed by these vanities, be cleaves
to them, seeks them and has no rest until he has acquired them, and after
he possesses them, he feeds and fattens himself with them as the swine
wallow in the mire, and finds at the same time his happiness and felicity
there. He never inquires how his heart stands with his God and what he
possesses in God and may expect from him; but his belly is his God; and
if he cannot get what he wants, he imagines things are going wrong. And
lo, these dreadful and wicked fruits of unbelief the rich man does not
see, he covers them over, and blinds his own eyes by the good works of
his pharisaical life, and hardens himself until no teaching, exhortation,
threatening nor promise can help him. Behold, this is the secret sin which
today's Gospel punishes and condemns.
7. From this now follows the other sin, that he forgets to exercise
love toward his neighbor; for there he lets poor Lazarus lie at his door,
and offers him not the least assistance. And if he had not wished to help
him personally, he should have commanded his servants to take him in and
care for him. It may have been, he knew nothing of God and had never experienced
his goodness. For whoever feels the goodness of God, feels also for the
misfortune of his neighbor; but whoever is not conscious of the goodness
of God, sympathizes not in the misfortune of his neighbor. Therefore as
he has no pleasure in God, he has no heart for his neighbor.
8. For the nature of faith is that it expects all good from God, and
relies only on God. For from this faith man knows God, how he is good and
gracious, that by reason of such knowledge his heart becomes so tender
and merciful, that he wishes cheerfully to do to every one, as he experiences
God has done to him. Therefore he breaks forth with love and serves his
neighbor out of his whole heart, with his body and life, with his means
and honor, with his soul and spirit, and makes him partaker of all he has,
just like God did to him. Therefore he does not look after the healthy,
the high, the strong, the rich, the noble, the holy persons, who do not
need his care; but he looks after the sick, the weak, the poor, the despised,
the sinful people, to whom he can be of benefit, and among whom he can
exercise his tender heart, and do to them as God has done to him.
9. But the nature of unbelief is that it does not expect any good from
God. By which unbelief the heart is blinded so that it neither feels nor
knows how good and gracious God is; but as Psalm 14:2 says: he cares not
for God, seeks not after him. Out of this blindness follows further that
his heart becomes so hard, obdurate and unmerciful that he has no desire
to do a kindness to his fellow man; yea, he would rather harm and offend
everybody. For as he is insensible to the goodness of God, so he takes
no pleasure in doing good to his neighbor. Consequently it follows that
he does not look after the sick, poor and despised people, to whom he could
and should be helpful and profitable; but he casts his eyes upward and
sees only the high, rich and influential, from whom be himself may receive
advantage, gain, pleasure and honor.
10. So we see now in the example of the rich man that it is impossible
to love, where no faith exists, and impossible to believe, where there
is no love; for both will and must be together, so that a believer loves
everybody and serves everybody; but an unbeliever at heart is an enemy
of everybody and wishes to be served by every person and yet he covers
all such horrible, perverted sins with the little show of his hypocritical
works as with a sheep's skin; just as that large bird, the ostrich, which
is so stupid that when it sticks its head into a bush, it thinks its entire
body is concealed. Yea, here you see that there is nothing blinder and
more unmerciful than unbelief. For here the dogs, the most irascible animals,
are more merciful to poor Lazarus than this rich man, and they recognize
the need of the poor man and lick his sores; while the obdurate, blinded
hypocrite is so hard hearted that he does not wish him to have the crumbs
that fell from his table.
11. Now all unbelieving people are like this rich hypocrite. Unbelief
cannot do nor be different than this rich man is pictured and set forth
by his life. And especially is this the character of the clergy, as we
see before our eyes, who never do a truly good work, but only seek a good
time, never serving nor profiting any one; but reversing the order they
want everybody to serve them. Like harpies they only claw everything into
their own pockets; and like the old adage runs they "rob the poor of his
purse." They are not moved in the least by the poverty of others. And although
some have not expensive food and raiment, yet they do not lack will power
and the spirit of action; for they imitate the rich, the princes and the
lords, and do many hypocritically good works by founding institutions and
building churches, with which they conceal the great rogue, the wolf of
unbelief; so that they become obdurate and hardened and are of no use to
anybody. These are the rich man.
PART II. POOR LAZARUS.
12. Likewise we must not judge poor Lazarus in his sores, poverty and
anxiety, according to his outward appearance. For many persons suffer from
affliction and want, and yet they gain nothing by it; for example King
Herod suffered a great affliction, as is related in Acts 12:23; but afterwards
he did not have it better before God on account of it. Poverty and suffering
make no one acceptable to God; but, whoever is first acceptable to God,
his poverty and suffering are precious in the eyes of God, as Ps. 116:15
says: "Precious in the sight of Jehovah is the death of his saints."
13. Thus we must look into the heart of Lazarus also, and seek the treasure
which made his sores so precious. That was surely his faith and love; for
without faith it is impossible to please God, as the author of the Epistle
to the Hebrews says, 11:6. Therefore his heart also must have confessed
that he even in the midst of such poverty and misery expected all good
from God, and comfortably relied upon him; with whose blessings and grace
he was so richly satisfied, and had such pleasure in them, that he would
have heartily and willingly suffered even more misery, if the will of his
gracious God had so determined. See, that is a true, living faith, which
softened his heart by the knowledge of the divine goodness; so that nothing
was too heavy or too much to suffer and to do. So clever and skilful does
faith make the heart, when it experiences the grace of God.
14. From this faith follows now another virtue, namely, love to one's
neighbor, so that he is willing and ready to serve everybody; but since
Lazarus is poor and in misery himself, he had nothing with which he could
serve others; therefore his good will is taken for the deed.
15. But this lack of service in temporal things he abundantly makes
good by his services in things spiritual. For even now, long after his
death, he serves the whole world with his sores, hunger and misery. His
bodily hunger feeds our spiritual hunger; his bodily nakedness clothes
(or feeds, as some editions read) our spiritual nakedness; his bodily sores
heal our spiritual sores; in this way he teaches and comforts us by his
example, how God is pleased with us, when we are not prosperous here upon
the earth, if we believe; and warns us how God is angry with us, even if
we are prosperous in our unbelief; just as God had pleasure in Lazarus
in his misery, and was displeased with the rich man.
16. Tell me, what king could have rendered a service to the whole world
with his possessions, like poor Lazarus has done with his sores, hunger
and poverty? Oh, the wonderful works and judgments of God! In what a masterly
manner he puts to shame the cunning goddess and fool of this world, namely,
reason and worldly wisdom! She stalks abroad and fixes her eyes rather
upon the beautiful purple of the rich man, than upon the wounds of poor
Lazarus; she would rather center her eyes upon a healthy, handsome person,
as this rich man was, than upon a revolting and naked person like Lazarus;
yea, she holds her nose before the stench of his wounds and turns her eyes
from his nakedness. Thus the great goddess and fool of this world overlooks
God in the very presence of such a noble treasure, and always quietly passes
her own judgment, and at the same time makes this poor person so precious
and dear, that all the kings hence are not worthy to serve him or to dress
his sores. For what king, do you think, would not now with his whole heart
exchange his health, purple and crown for the sores, poverty and misery
of poor Lazarus, if it were possible for him to do so? And what person
is there who would now give a snuff for the purple and all the riches of
this rich man?
17. Do you not think that this rich man himself, had he not been so
blind and had known that such a treasure, a man so precious in the eyes
of God, was dying at his gate, would have run out, and dressed and kissed
his sores, and laid him in his best bed; and made all his purple and riches
to serve him? But at the time God's judgment went forth, he did not see
that he could do it. Then God thought, truly, you are not worthy to serve
him. When later the judgment and work of God were accomplished, the wise
fool begins to come to himself; and since he suffers now in hell he will
gladly give his house and land, to whom before he would not give a crumb
of bread; and wishes now that Lazarus might cool his tongue with the tips
of his fingers, whom before he would not touch.
18. Behold, even at the present day God is filling the world with such
judgments and works, but no one sees it; yea, everybody despises it. There
are continually before our eyes poor and needy persons, whom God lays before
us as the greatest treasures; but we close our eyes to them, and see not
what God does there; later, when God has done his work, and we have neglected
the treasure, then we hasten and wish to serve, but we waited too long.
Then we begin and make sacred relics of their garments, shoes and furniture,
and make pilgrimages to and erect churches over their graves, are occupied
with many like foolish deeds and thus ridicule ourselves in that we permit
the living saints to be trodden under our feet and to perish, and we worship
their garments, which is neither necessary nor of any use; so that indeed
our Lord will let the judgment fall as he did in Mat. 23:29-33, and say:
"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye build the sepulchres
of the prophets, and garnish the tombs of the righteous, and say, If we
had been in the days of our fathers, we should not have been partakers
with them in the blood of the prophets. Wherefore ye witness to yourselves,
that ye are sons of them that slew the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure
of your fathers. Ye serpents, ye offspring of vipers, how shall ye escape
the judgment of hell?"
19. All believers are like poor Lazarus; and every believer is a true
Lazarus, for he is of the same faith, mind and will, as Lazarus. And whoever
will not be a Lazarus, will surely have his portion with the rich glutton
in the flames of hell. For we all must like Lazarus trust in God, surrender
ourselves to him to work in us according to his own good pleasure, and
be ready to serve all men. And although we all do not suffer from such
sores and poverty, yet the same mind and will must be in us, that were
in Lazarus, cheerfully to bear such things, wherever God wills it.
20. For such poverty of spirit may exist in those who have very great
possessions; as Job, David, Abraham were poor and rich. For David in Ps.
39:12 says: "I am a stranger with thee, a sojourner, as all my fathers
were." How could that be, since he was a king and possessed extensive lands
and large cities? Thus it came about; although he indeed possessed these,
yet his heart did not cleave to them, and they were as nothing compared
with the riches he had with God. Likewise he had said of the health of
his body that it was as nothing compared to the health of his soul before
God, and he would indeed not have murmured, had God afflicted him with
bodily sores and sickness. So Abraham also, although he had not the poverty
and affliction of Lazarus, yet he had the mind and will to bear what Lazarus
did, if God had visited him thus. For the saints should have one and the
same inner mind and spirit, but they cannot have the same outward work
and suffering. Therefore Abraham also recognized Lazarus as one of his
own and received him into his bosom; which he would not have done, were
he not of the same mind and had he not taken pleasure in the poverty and
maladies of Lazarus. Thus is set forth the sum and meaning of the Gospel,
that we may see, how faith everywhere saves and unbelief condemns.
PART III. QUESTIONS SUGGESTED AND ANSWERED
21. This Gospel lesson suggests several questions. First, what is the
bosom of Abraham, since it cannot be a natural bosom that is meant? To
answer this, it is necessary to know that the soul or Spirit of man has
no rest or place where it may abide, except the Word of God, until he comes
at the last day to the clear vision of God. Therefore we conclude that
the bosom of Abraham signifies nothing else than the Word of God, where
Christ was promised, Gen. 22:18, to Abraham, namely: "In thy seed shall
all the nations of the earth be blessed." In these words Christ is promised
to him, as the one through whom every person shall be blessed, that is,
shall be delivered from sin, death and hell, and through no one else and
through no other work. All who have believed this passage, have believed
on Christ, and have become good Christians, and have also through faith
in this Word been released from sin, death and hell.
22. Thus were all the fathers before the birth of Christ carried into
Abraham's bosom; that is, at their death they were established in this
saying of God, and they fell asleep in the same, they were embraced and
guarded as in a bosom, and sleep there until the day of judgment; excepting
those who have already risen with Christ, as Mat. 27:5.9 teaches, where
they also remained. In like manner we, when we face death, must lay hold
of and trust in the Word of Christ with strong faith, as John 11:26 says:
"Whosoever believeth on me shall never die," or like passages; and thus
die in this faith, fall asleep, be embraced and guarded in the bosom of
Abraham until the day of judgment. For the word spoken to Abraham and the
word spoken to us is the very same word; both speak of Christ, that we
must be saved through him. But the former is more particularly called Abraham's
bosom, because it was spoken first to Abraham and began with him.
23. Likewise on the other hand the hell here mentioned cannot be the
true hell that will begin on the day of judgment. For the corpse of the
rich man is without doubt not in hell, but buried in the earth; it must
however be a place where the soul can be and has no peace, and it cannot
be corporal. Therefore it seems to me, this hell is the conscience, which
is without faith and without the Word of God, in which the soul is buried
and held until the day of judgment, when they are cast down body and soul
into the true and real hell. For just as Abraham's bosom is God's Word,
in which believers rest through faith, and fall asleep and are guarded
there until the day of judgment; so must that on the contrary ever be hell,
where God's Word is not, into which the unbelievers are cast until the
day of judgment. That can be nothing else than an empty, unbelieving, sinful,
and evil conscience.
24. The second question is: How then did Abraham and the rich man converse
with one another? Answer: It could not have been a conversation with the
natural voice, since the bodies of both were lying in their graves; likewise
as little was it the natural tongue that complained of being tormented;
nor was it natural fingers and natural water that were desired from Lazarus.
Therefore this all must be in the conscience thus: When the conscience
is awakened by death or by the agonies of death, then it will have a testimony
of its unbelief and will see then for the first time the bosom of Abraham,
and those embraced by it, that is, the Word of God, in which it should
have believed and did not; from which it has the very greatest pain and
anxiety as in hell, and finds neither help nor consolation.
25. Then thoughts arise in the conscience, which held such a conversation,
if they could speak, as this rich man did with Abraham, and seeks then
whether the Word of God, and all who have believed in it, would help; and
with so much anxiety that it would receive the least comfort from the very
meanest of men, but even that cannot be granted to him. Then Abraham answered
him, that is, his conscience took such a view of the Word of God, that
it cannot be; but he had his portion of good things in his life, and he
must now suffer; while the others are comforted, whom he despised.
26. At last he feels, that it is declared unto him: There is a great
gulf fixed between him and the believers, that they will never be able
to come together. These are the thoughts of despair, when the conscience
feels that the Word of God is withdrawn forever from him; accordingly the
thoughts of his conscience rage and would gladly have the living to know
that such are the agonies of death, and he craves that someone would tell
it to them. But it is to no purpose; for be feels an answer in his own
conscience, that Moses and the prophets are sufficient, whom they ought
to believe, as he himself should have done. All such thoughts pass between
the condemned conscience and the Word of God, in the hour of death or in
the agonies of death; and no one can perceive what it is, except the one
who experiences it; and he who experienced it wished that others should
know it, but all is in vain.
27. The third question is: When did that take place, and if the rich
man still daily without ceasing suffers thus until the day of judgment?
That is a subtle question and not easily answered to the inexperienced.
For here one must banish the idea of time from the mind and know that in
the other world there is neither time nor hours, but all is an eternal
moment or wink of the eye; as 2 Peter 3:8 says: "A day is with the Lord
as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day," Ps. 90:4. Therefore
it seems to me that in this rich man we have an example of the future of
all unbelievers, when their eyes are opened by death and its agonies; which
can endure but for a moment and then cease until the day of judgment, as
it may please God; for here no definite rule can be established. Therefore
I dare not say that the rich man suffers still at present as he suffered
at that time; and I dare not deny that he still suffers thus; for both
depend upon the will of God. It is sufficient for us to know that his example
and the beginning of the suffering of all unbelievers are here clearly
set before us.
28. The fourth question is: Shall we pray for the dead; since here in
the Gospel there is no intermediate state between Abraham's bosom and hell,
and those in Abraham's bosom do not need it, and it does not help those
in perdition. We have no command from God to pray for the
dead; therefore no one sins by not praying for them; for what God does
not bid or forbid us to do, in that no one can sin. Yet, on the other hand,
since God has not permitted us to know, how it is with the souls of the
departed and we must continue uninformed, as to how he deals with them,
we will not and cannot restrain them, nor count it as sin, if they pray
for the dead. For we are ever certain from the Gospel, that many have been
raised from the dead, who, we must confess, did not receive nor did they
have their final sentence; and likewise we are not assured of any other,
that he has his final sentence.
29. Now since it is uncertain and no one knows, whether final judgment
has been passed upon these souls, it is not sin if you pray for them; but
in this way, that you let it rest in uncertainty and speak thus: Dear God,
if the departed souls be in a state that they may yet be helped, then I
pray that thou wouldst be gracious. And when you have thus prayed once
or twice, then let it be sufficient and commend them unto God. For God
has promised that when we pray to him for anything he would hear us. Therefore
when you have prayed once or twice, you should believe that your prayer
is answered, and there let it rest, lest you tempt God and mistrust him.
30. But that we should institute masses, vigils and prayers to be repeated
forever for the dead every year, as if God had not heard us the year before,
is the work of Satan and is death itself, where God is mocked by unbelief,
and such prayers are nothing but blasphemy of God. Therefore take warning
and turn from these practices. God is not moved by these anniversary ceremonies,
but by the prayer of the heart, of devotion and of faith; that will help
the departed souls if anything will. Vigils, masses, indeed help the bellies
of the priests, monks and nuns, but departed souls are not helped by them
and God is thus mocked.
31. However, if you have in your house a spook or ghost, who pretends
that the departed can be helped by saying masses, You should be fully persuaded
that it is the work of Satan. No soul has yet since the beginning of the
world reappeared on the earth, and it is not God's will that it should
be so. For here in this Gospel you see that Abraham declares that no one
can be sent from the dead to teach the living; but he points them to the
Word of God in the Scriptures, Deut. 31: "They have Moses and the Prophets;
let them hear them." By these words Abraham turns to the command of God
in Deut. 18:11, where God says: "Thou shalt not be a consulter with a familiar
spirit." Is. 8:19. Therefore it is surely nothing but the contrivance of
Satan that any spirits should let themselves be entreated and that they
should require so and so many masses, such and such pilgrimages or other
works, and appear afterwards in the clear light and pretend that certain
persons are saved. In this way Satan has introduced error so that the people
have fallen from faith into works, and think their deeds may accomplish
such great things. And thus is fulfilled what St. Paul declared in 2 Thess.
2:10-11, that God would send upon them powerful error, and temptation to
unrighteousness, because they have not received the love of the truth that
they might be saved.
32. Therefore be prudent and know that God will not let us know how
it is with the dead, so that faith may retain its place in the Word of
God, which believes that God will save the believers after this life and
condemn the unbelievers. If now a familiar spirit present itself before
you, take no notice of it; but be assured that it is the devil, and conquer
him with this Saying of Abraham, "They have Moses and the prophets," and
likewise with the command in Moses, "Thou shalt not be a consulter with
a familiar spirit;" then he will soon be gone. If he leave you not, then
let him make a noise until he is tired, and in firm faith suffer his wantonness.
33. And if it were possible that it were indeed a departed soul or a
good spirit even, then you should neither learn nor inquire anything of
him, since God has forbidden you to do so; because he has sent his Son
himself to teach us all that is necessary for us to know. What he has not
taught us, that we should gladly not wish to know, and be satisfied with
the teachings of the holy Apostles, in which he is preached to us. However,
I have further written on this subject in the Postils on the Gospel for
Epiphany and in my booklet on the Misuse of the Mass; where you may read
more along this line.
34. Likewise, to give an example, we read in the Historia Tripartita
(A History in Three Parts) of a bishop, who came to Corinth where he had
come to attend a Council, and as he could not find a suitable lodging for
himself and his attendants, he saw a house unoccupied and condemned as
uninhabitable, and he asked if he might not be allowed to occupy it. Then
they told him in reply that it was infested with nightly ghosts, that no
one could live in it, and often people were found dead in it in the morning.
Then the bishop said but little and immediately entered and lodged there
the same night, for he very well saw that the devil was the author of all
these ghost stories, and as he had firm faith that Christ was Lord over
Satan, therefore he was not moved by his stratagems and he entered to lodge
with him. And thus that house was made free by the prayers and presence
of a holy man from infesting ghosts and horrifying spectres. Behold, you
see that the ghosts are Satan, and there is little use to dispute with
them; but one should despise them with a cheerful spirit as nothing.
35. A similar story we read about Gregory, the Bishop of Cappadocia,
that he crossed the Alps and lodged with a heathen sexton or clerk of the
church, who had an idol, that answered him the questions he asked; and
he made his living by telling the people secret things. Now the bishop
knew nothing of this, and proceeded the next day as soon as it was morning
on his journey. But Satan or the evil spirit could not endure the prayers
and presence of the holy man, and at once he betook himself out of the
house, so that the heathen sexton could no longer receive answers as before.
As soon as he felt his great loss, he set up a great howl to call back
his idol, which appeared to him while he was asleep, and said, it was his
own fault because he had lodged the bishop, with whom he (the evil spirit)
could not remain. The sexton hastened to overtake the bishop and complained
to him that he had taken his god and livelihood, and returned evil for
the kindness extended to him. Then the bishop took paper out of his pocket
and wrote these few words: "Gregory sendeth greetings to Apollinius. Be
thou at liberty, 0, Apollinius, to do as thou hast done before. Farewell."
The sexton took the letter and laid it by the side of his idol; then the
devil came again, and did as before. Finally the sexton began to think,
what a poor god is he, who allows himself to be driven away and lead by
my guest who was only a man. And at once he started to the bishop, was
instructed and baptized, and grew in his faith, so that he became the eminent
bishop of Caesarea, a city in Cappadocia, upon the death of the bishop
that baptized him. Behold, how simply faith proceeds, and acts joyfully,
securely and effectively. Treat all your troublesome evil spirits in the
same way.
