[The following sermon is taken from volume II:55-69
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. 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. Enough has been written heretofore on marriage; hence we leave that
subject for the present, and treat the following three topics in this Gospel
text: first, the consolation this history affords married people by virtue
of their marriage; secondly, the faith and love revealed in this Gospel
lesson; thirdly, the spiritual significance of this marriage.
I. THE CONSOLATION OF MARRIED PEOPLE AND THE GLORY OF THE MARRIED
STATE.
2. In the first place, it is indeed a high honor paid to married life
for Christ himself to attend this marriage, together with his mother and
his disciples. Moreover, his mother is present as the one arranging the
wedding, the parties married being apparently her poor relatives or neighbors,
and she being compelled to act as the bride's mother; so of course, it
was nothing more than a wedding, and in no way a display. For Christ lived
up to his doctrine, not going to the rich, but to the poor; or, if he does
go to the great and rich, he is sure to rebuke and reprove, coming away
with disfavor, earning small thanks at their hands, with no thought of
honoring them with a miracle as he does here.
3. Now the second honor is his giving good wine for the poor marriage
by means of a great miracle, making himself the bride's chief cup-bearer;
it may be too that he had no money or jewel to give as a wedding present.
He never did such honor to the life or doings of the Pharisees; for by
this miracle he confirms marriage as the work and institution of God, no
matter how common or how lowly it appears in the eyes of men, God none
the less acknowledges his own work and loves it. Even our Caiaphases themselves
have often declared and preached that marriage was the only state instituted
by God. Who then instituted the others? Certainly not God, but the devil
by means of men; yet they shun, reject and revile this state, and deem
themselves so holy that they not only themselves avoid marriage--though
they need it and ought to marry--but from excess of holiness they will
not even attend a marriage, being much holier than Christ himself who as
an unholy sinner attends a wedding.
4. Since then marriage has the foundation and consolation that it is
instituted by God and that God loves it, and that Christ himself so honors
and comforts it, everybody ought to prize and esteem it, and the heart
ought to be glad, that it is surely the state God loves and cheerfully
endure every burden in it, even though the burdens be ten times heavier
than they are. For this is the reason there is so much care and unpleasantness
in marriage to the outward man, because everything that is God's Word and
work, if it is to be blessed at all, must be distasteful, bitter and burdensome
to the outward man.
On this account marriage is a state that cultivates, and exercises faith
in God and love to our neighbor by means of manifold cares, labors, unpleasantnesses,
crosses and all kinds of adversities, that are to follow everything that
is God's Word and work. All this the chaste whore-mongers, saintly effeminates
and Sodomites nicely escape, serving God outside of God's ordinance by
doings of their own.
5. For this is what Christ also indicates by his readiness to supply
any want arising in marriage, bestowing wine where it is needed, and making
it of water; as though he would say: Must you drink water, that is, suffer
affliction outwardly, and is this distasteful? Very well, I will sweeten
it for you and change the water into wine, so that your affliction will
be your joy and delight. I will not do this by taking the water away or
having it poured out; it shall remain, yea, I will have it poured in and
the vessels filled up to the brim. For I will not deprive Christian marriage
of its cares and trials, but rather add to it. The thing shall be wondrous,
so that none, except they themselves who experience it, shall understand
it. It shall be on this wise:
6. God's Word shall do it, by which all things are made, preserved and
transformed; that Word which turns your water into wine, and distasteful
marriage into delight. That God has instituted marriage (Gen 2, 32) the
heathen and unbelievers do not know, therefore their water remains water
and never becomes wine; for they feel not God's pleasure and delight in
married life, which if they did feel they would experience such delight
in my pleasure as not to feel the half of their affliction, feeling it
outwardly only, but inwardly not at all. And this would be the way to turn
water into wine, mixing my pleasure with your displeasure and placing the
one against the other, so that my pleasure would drown your displeasure,
and turn it into pleasure; but this pleasure of mine nothing will reveal
and give to you except my Word, Gen 1, 31: "God saw everything that he
had made, and, behold, it was very good."
7. Here too Christ indicates that he is not displeased with a marriage
feast, nor with the things belonging to a wedding such as adornments, cheerfulness,
eating and drinking, according to the usage and custom of the country;
which appear to be superfluous and needless expense and a worldly matter;
only so far as these things are used in moderation and in keeping with
a marriage. For the bride and groom must be adorned; so also the guests
must eat and drink to be cheerful. And such dining and doing may all be
done in good conscience; for the Scriptures occasionally report the like,
even the Gospel lessons mentioning bridal adornment, the wedding garment,
guests and feastings at weddings. Thus Abraham's servant in Gen 24,53 presents
ornaments of gold and silver to Rebecca, the bride of Isaac, and to her
brothers; so that in these things no one need pay attention to the sour-visaged
hypocrites and self-constituted saints who are pleased with nothing but
what they themselves do and teach, and will not suffer a maid to wear a
wreath or to adorn herself at all.
8. God is not concerned about such external things, if only faith and
love reign; provided, as already stated, it be in moderation and in accord
with each person's station. For this marriage, although it was poor and
small, had three tables; which is indicated by the word Architriclinus,
showing that the ruler of the feast had three tables to provide for; moreover,
the groom did not himself attend to this office, but had servants; then
too there was wine to drink; all of which, if poverty were to be urged,
might have been dispensed with, as is frequently the case with us. So also
the guests did not merely quench their thirst with the wine; for the ruler
of the feast speaks of how the good wine ought first to be set on, then,
when men have freely drunk, that which is worse.
All this Christ allows to pass, and we likewise should let it pass and
not make it a matter of conscience. They were not of the devil, even if
a few drank of the wine a little beyond what thirst required, and became
merry; else you would have to blame Christ for being the cause by means
of his presence, and his mother by asking for it; so that both Christ and
his mother are sinners in this if the sour-visaged saints are to render
judgment.
9. But the excess customary in our times is a different thing, where
men do not eat and drink but gorge themselves with food and drink, revel
and carouse, and act as though it were a sign of skill or strength to consume
overmuch: where, moreover, the intention is not to be merry, but to be
full and crazy. But these are swine, not men; to such Christ would not
give wine, nor would he visit them. So also in the matter of dress, it
is not the marriage that is kept in mind, but display and pomp; as though
the most admirable were those most able to wear gold, silver and pearls,
and to spoil much silk and broadcloth, which even asses might do and switches.
10. What then is moderation? Reason should teach that, and cite examples
from other countries and cities where such pomp and excess are unknown.
But to give my opinion, I would say a farmer is well adorned if for his
wedding he have clothes twice as fine as he daily wears at his work; a
burgher likewise; and a nobleman, if he have garments twice as costly as
a townsman; a count, twice as costly as a nobleman; a duke, twice as costly
as a count, and so in due order. In like manner food and drink and the
entertainment of guests should be governed by their social position, and
the purpose of the table should be pleasure not debauchery.
11. Now is it a sin to play and dance at a wedding,* inasmuch as some
declare great sin is caused by dancing?
Whether the Jews had dances I do not know; but since it is the custom
of the country, like inviting guests, decorating, eating and drinking and
being merry, I see no reason to condemn it, save its excess when it goes
beyond decency and moderation. That sin should be committed is not the
fault of dancing alone; since at a table or in church that may happen;
even as it is not the fault of eating that some while so engaged should
turn themselves into swine. Where things are decently conducted I will
not interfere with the marriage rites and customs, and dance and never
mind. Faith and love cannot be driven away either by dancing or by sitting
still, as long as you keep to decency and moderation. Young children certainly
dance without sin; do the same also, and be a child, then dancing will
not harm you. Otherwise were dancing a sin in itself, children should not
be allowed to dance. This is sufficient concerning marriage.
*[Lenker: We are to remember that when Luther did not
protest against the dance at a wedding he had in mind the dance of his
day. The round dance in vogue among us was not then the general custom
of the country. The dancers touched one another only with their hands and
moved about in the room in measured time or sprang here and there, especially
when in the open air. To be sure at that time also there were connected
with dancing all kinds of immorality. But "all intemperance and whatever
was unchaste" Luther did not approve, but forbade and chastised it. And
we know that he considered the round dance as unchaste, and condemned it
with sharp words.
In Luther's Letters by De Wette, 6 vol., 435p. in his
"Sendschreiben und Bedenken," he gives his judgment on the conduct at dances
thus: "Dances are gotten up and allowed that politeness in conduct may
be taught and that young men may learn to honor the female sex and that
friendship may be formed between young men and refined young ladies in
order that later they way be the more sure of that friendship. The pope
condemned dances because he was the enemy of the true and natural marriage
festival. Therefore certain honorable women and men were invited to the
wedding festivals to see that every thing was done in a becoming way. But
there is one thing that does not please me in the conducting of dances,
and I would that it might be prohibited by the government; namely, that
the young men swing the girls around in a circle, especially publicly,
when many are looking on." And as a result many governments, especially
city councils in the days of Luther and later, passed public ordinances
against "Dancing in a circle without a cloak." In these ordinances "the
swinging and whirling of the girl in a circle" was forbidden. Consequently,
the round dance in vogue today does not belong to the unchaste dances,
and not to dances that are allowed, and Christians should avoid them. See
St. Louis Ed. vol. 11, 467.
Walch says in his II vol. p. 2: Luther's books have
been subject to gross misuse, especially his Church Postil. Those who advocate
the modern dance think they have here found a strong argument. Those who
conclude from these words, however, that the modern dance is not sinful
and it is not to be avoided and condemned, have no ground for their conclusion.
Those who quote Luther to support the modern dance, because he had so deep
an insight into the things of faith and life and is so highly esteemed
in our church, accomplish nothing. For you can quote Luther against Luther.
How if you cite the places in his writings where he clearly condemns the
dance in general, as his explanation of the third commandment, in his short
explanation of the ten commandments and his exposition of Gen 4, 21, etc.
Then the passage here will give you no support in your defense of the sinful
lust of the dance. For what you find here in Luther's words, you imagine.
When I take this passage in its entire connection I find something entirely
different.
Luther is not speaking of the dance here in general,
but of the chaste dance that is conducted in childlike simplicity. Luther
opposed sour-faced hypocrites and self-grown saints, who like the Pharisees
could tolerate nothing, not even a child to dance. Luther, like Christ
in this miracle, kept the middle way.]
II. THE DOCTRINE AND EXAMPLE OF LOVE AND OF FAITH.
12. In the second place, to return to our Gospel lesson, we here see
the example of love in Christ and his mother. The mother renders service
and takes the part of housekeeper: Christ honors the occasion by his personal
presence, by a miracle and a gift. And all this is for the benefit of the
groom, the bride and the guests, as is the nature of love and its works.
Thus Christ lures all hearts to himself, to rely on him as ever ready to
help, even in temporal things, and never willing to forsake any; so that
all who believe in him shall not suffer want, be it in spiritual or temporal
things; rather must water become wine, and every creature turned into the
thing his believer needs. He who believes must have sufficient, and no
one can prevent it.
13. But the example of faith is still more wonderful in this Gospel.
Christ waits to the very last moment when the want is felt by all present,
and there is no counsel or help left. This shows the way of divine grace;
it is not imparted to one who still has enough, and has not yet felt his
need. For grace does not feed the full and satiated, but the hungry, as
we have often said. Whoever still deems himself wise, strong and pious,
and finds something good in himself, and is not yet a poor, miserable,
sick sinner and fool, the same cannot come to Christ the Lord, nor receive
his grace.
14. But whenever the need is felt, he does not at once hasten and bestow
what is needed and desired, but delays and tests our faith and trust, even
as he does here; yea, what is still more severe, he acts as though he would
not help at all, but speaks with harshness and austerity. This you observe
in the case of his mother. She feels the need and tells him of it, desiring
his help and counsel in a humble and polite request. For she does not say:
My dear son, furnish us with wine, but: "They have no wine." Thus she merely
touches his kindness, of which she is fully assured. As though she would
say: He is so good and gracious, there is no need of my asking, I will
only tell him what is lacking, and he will of his own accord do more than
one could ask, This is the way of faith, it pictures God's goodness to
itself in this manner, never doubting but that it is really so; therefore
it makes bold to bring its petition and to present its need.
15. But see, how unkindly he turns away the humble request of his mother
who addresses him with such great confidence. Now observe the nature of
faith. What has it to rely on? Absolutely nothing, all is darkness. It
feels its need and sees help nowhere; in addition, God turns against it
like a stranger and does not recognize it, so that absolutely nothing is
left. It is the same way with our conscience when we feel our sin and the
lack of righteousness; or in the agony of death when we feel the lack of
life; or in the dread of hell when eternal salvation seems to have left
us. Then indeed there is humble longing and knocking, prayer and search,
in order to be rid of sin, death and dread. And then he acts as if he had
only begun to show us our sins, as if death were to continue, and hell
never to cease. Just as he here treats his mother, by his refusal making
the need greater and more distressing than it was before she came to him
with her request; for now it seems everything is lost, since the one support
on which she relied in her need is also gone.
16. This is where faith stands in the heat of battle. Now observe how
his mother acts and here becomes our teacher. However harsh his words sound,
however unkind he appears, she does not in her heart interpret this as
anger, or as the opposite of kindness, but adheres firmly to the conviction
that he is kind, refusing to give up this opinion because of the thrust
she received, and unwilling to dishonor him in her heart by thinking him
to be otherwise than kind and gracious--as they do who are without faith,
who fall back at the first shock and think of God merely according to what
they feel, like the horse and the mule, Ps 32, 9. For if Christ's mother
had allowed those harsh words to frighten her she would have gone away
silently and displeased; but in ordering the servants to do what he might
tell them she proves that she has overcome the rebuff and still expects
of him nothing but kindness.
17. What do you think of the hellish blow, when a man in his distress,
especially in the highest distress of conscience, receives the rebuff,
that he feels God declaring to him: "What have I to do with thee?" Quid
mihi et tibi? He must needs faint and despair, unless he knows and understands
the nature of such acts of God, and is experienced in faith. For he will
act just as he feels, and will not think of God in a different way and
mean the words. Feeling nothing but wrath and hearing nothing but indignation,
he will consider God only as his enemy and angry judge. But just as he
thinks God to be so will he find him. Thus he will expect nothing good
from him. That is to renounce God with all his goodness. The result is
that he flees and hates him, and will not have God to be God; and every
other blasphemy that is the fruit of unbelief.
18. Hence the highest thought in this Gospel lesson, and it must ever
be kept in mind, is, that we honor God as being good and gracious, even
if he acts and speaks otherwise, and all our understanding and feeling
be otherwise. For in this way feeling is killed, and the old man perishes,
so that nothing but faith in God's goodness remains, and no feeling. For
here you see how his mother retains a free faith and holds it forth as
an example to us. She is certain that he will be gracious, although she
does not feel it. She is certain also that she feels otherwise than she
believes. Therefore she freely leaves and commends all to his goodness,
and fixes for him neither time nor place, neither manner nor measure, neither
person nor name. He is to act when it pleases him. If not in the midst
of the feast, then at the end of it, or after the feast. My defeat I will
swallow, his scorning me, letting me stand in disgrace before all the guests,
speaking so unkindly to me, causing us all to blush for shame. He acts
tart, but he is sweet I know. Let us proceed in the same way, then we are
true Christians.
19. Here note how severely he deals with his own mother, teaching us
thereby not only the example of faith mentioned above, but confirming that
in things pertaining to God and his service we are to know neither father
nor mother, as Moses writes in Deut 33,9: "He who says of his father and
of his mother, I know them not, observes thy Word, Israel." For although
there is no higher authority on earth than that of father and mother, still
this ends when God's Word and work begin. For in divine things neither
father nor mother, still less a bishop or any other person, only God's
Word is to teach and guide. And if father and mother were to order, teach,
or even beg you to do anything for God, and in his service that he has
not clearly ordered and commanded, you are to reply: Quid mihi et tibi?
What have I and you to do with each other? In this same way Christ here
refuses absolutely to do God's work when his own mother wants it.
20. For father and mother are in duty bound, yea, God made them father
and mother for this very purpose, not to teach and lead their children
to God according to their own notions and devotion, but according to God's
command; as St. Paul declares in Eph 6, 4: "Ye fathers, provoke not your
children to wrath: but nurture them in the chastening and admonition of
the Lord;" i. e. teach them God's command and Word, as you were taught,
and not notions of your own.
Thus in this Gospel lesson you see the mother of Christ directing the
servants away from herself unto Christ, telling them not: Whatsoever I
say unto you, do it; but: "Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it." To this
Word alone you must direct everyone, if You would direct aright; so that
this word of Mary (whatsoever he saith, do it) is, and ought to be, a daily
saying in Christendom, destroying all doctrines of men and everything not
really Christ's Word.
And we ought firmly to believe that what is imposed upon us over and
above God's Word is not, as they boast and lie, the commandment of the
church. For Mary says: Whatsoever he saith that, that, that do, and that
alone; for in it there will be enough to do.
21. Here also you see, how faith does not fail, God does not permit
that, but gives more abundantly and gloriously than we ask. For here not
merely wine is given, but excellent and good wine, and a great quantity
of it. By this he again entices and allures us to believe confidently in
him, though be delay. For he is truthful and cannot deny himself; he is
good and gracious, that he must of himself confess and in addition prove
it, unless we hinder him and refuse him time and place and the means to
do so. At last he cannot forsake his work, as little as he can forsake
himself--if only we can hold out until his hour comes.
III. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS MARRIAGE.
22. In the third place, we must briefly touch upon the spiritual significance
of the text. This marriage and every marriage signifies Christ, the true
bridegroom, and Christendom, the bride; as the Gospel lesson of Mt 22,
1-14 sufficiently shows.
23, This marriage took place in Cana of Galilee; that is, Christendom
began in the days of Christ among the Jewish people, and continues still
among all who are like the Jews. The Jewish nation is called Cana, which
signifies zeal, because it diligently practised the Law and zealously clung
to the works of the Law, so that even the Gospel lessons always call the
Jews zealots, and especially St. Paul in Rom 9 and 10. It is natural too
that wherever Law and good works are, there zeal will be and contention,
one claiming to be better than the other, first of all, however, opposing
faith which cares naught for works and boasts only of God's grace. Now
wherever Christ is there such zealots will always be, and his marriage
must be at Zeal City, for you always find by the side of the Gospel and
faith work-righteous people and Jewish zealots who quarrel with faith.
24. Galilee signifies border or the edge of the country, where you pass
from one country into another. This signifies the same people in Zeal City
who dwell between the Law and the Gospel, and ought to emigrate and pass
from works to faith, from the Law into the Christian liberty; as some also
have done, and now still do. But the greater part remain in their works
and dwell on the border, achieving neither good works nor faith, shielding
themselves behind the shine and glitter of works.
25. Christ's being bidden to the marriage signifies that he was promised
long ago in the Law and the prophets and is earnestly expected and invoked
to turn water into wine, fulfil the Law and establish faith, and make true
Galileans of us.
26. His disciples are bidden with him; for he is expected to be a great
King, hence to need apostles and disciples in order to have his Word freely
and fully preached everywhere. Likewise, his mother is the Christian church,
taken from the Jews, who herself most of all belongs to the marriage, for
Christ was really promised to the Jewish nation.
27. The six waterpots of stone, for the purification of the Jews, are
the books of the Old Testament which by law and commandment made the Jewish
people only outwardly pious and pure; for which reason the Evangelist says,
they were set there after the Jews' manner of purifying, as if to say:
This signifies the purification by works without faith, which never purifies
the heart, but only makes it more impure; which is a Jewish, not a Christian
or spiritual purification.
28. There being six waterpots signifies the labor and toil which they
who deal in works undergo in such purification; for the heart finds no
rest in them, since the Sabbath, the seventh day, is wanting, in which
we rest from our works and let God work in us. For there are six work-days,
in which God created heaven and earth, and commanded us to labor. The seventh
day is the day of rest, in which we are not to toil in the works of the
Law, but to let God work in us by faith, while we remain quiet and enjoy
a holiday from the labors of the Law.
29. The water in the pots is the contents and substance of the Law by
which conscience is governed, and is graven in letters as in the waterpots
of stone.
30. And they are of stone, as were the tables of Moses, signifying the
stiff-necked people of the Jews. For as their heart is set against the
Law, so the Law appears outwardly to be against them. It seems hard and
difficult to them, and therefore it is hard and difficult; the reason in
that their heart is hard and averse to the Law; we all find, feel and discover
by experience that we are hard and averse to what is good, and soft and
prone to what is evil. This the wicked do not feel, but those who long
to be pious and labor exceedingly with their works. This is the significance
of the two or three firkins apiece.
31. To turn water into wine is to render the interpretation of the Law
delightful. This is done as follows: Before the Gospel arrives everyone
understands the Law as demanding our works, that we must fulfil it with
works of our own. This interpretation begets either hardened, presumptuous
dissemblers and hypocrites, harder than any pot of stone, or timid, restless
consciences. There remains nothing but water in the pot, fear and dread
of God's judgment. This is the water-interpretation, not intended for drinking,
neither filling any with delight; on the contrary, there is nothing to
it but washing and purification, and yet no true inner cleansing. But the
Gospel explains the Law, showing that it requires more than we can render,
and that it demands a person different from ourselves to fulfil it; that
is, it demands Christ and brings us unto him, so that first of all by his
grace we are made in true faith a different people like unto Christ, and
that then we do truly good works. Thus the right interpretation and significance
of the law is to lead us to the knowledge of our helplessness, to drive
us from ourselves to another, namely to Christ, to seek grace and help
of him.
32. Therefore, when Christ wanted to make wine he had them pour in still
more water, up to the very brim. For the Gospel comes and renders the interpretation
of the Law perfectly clear (as already stated), showing that what belongs
to us is nothing but sin; wherefore by the law we cannot escape sinning.
When now the two or three firkins hear this, namely the good hearts who
have labored according to the law in good works, and are already timid
at heart and troubled in conscience, this interpretation adds greatly to
their fear and terror; and the water now threatens to rise above the lid
and brim. Before this, while they felt disinclined and averse to what is
good, they still imagined they might yet succeed by their good works; now
they hear that they are altogether unfit and helpless, and that it is impossible
to gain their end by good works. That overfills the pot with water, it
cannot hold more. This is to interpret the Law in the highest manner, leaving
nothing but despair.
33. Then comes the consoling Gospel and turns the water into wine. For
when the heart hears that Christ fulfils the law for us and takes our sin
upon himself, it no longer cares that impossible things are demanded by
the Law, that we must despair of rendering them, and must give up our good
works. Yea, it is an excellent thing, and delectable, that the Law is so
deep and high, so holy and righteous and good, and demands things so great;
and it is loved and lauded for making so many and such great demands. This
is because the heart now has in Christ all that the Law demands, and it
would be sorry indeed if it demanded less. Behold, thus the Law is delightful
now and easy which before was disagreeable, difficult and impossible; for
it lives in the heart by the Spirit. Water no longer is in the pots, it
has turned to wine, it is passed to the guest, it is consumed, and has
made the heart glad.
34. And these servants are all preachers of the New Testament like the
apostles and their successors.
35. The drawing and passing to the guests is, to take this interpretation
from the Scriptures, and to preach it to all the world, which is bidden
to Christ's marriage.
36. And these servants knew (the Evangelist tells us) whence the wine
was, how it had been water. For the apostles and their successors alone
understand how the law becomes delightful and pleasant through Christ,
and how the Gospel by faith does not fulfil the Law by works, everything
being unchanged from what it formerly was in good works.
37. But the ruler of the feast does indeed taste that the wine is good,
yet he knows not whence it is. This ruler of the feast is the old priesthood
among the Jews who knew of naught but works, of whom Nicodemus was one,
Jn 3,9; he indeed feels how fine this cause of Christ would be, but knows
not how it can be, and why it is so, clinging still to works. For they
who teach works cannot understand and apprehend the Gospel and the actions
of faith.
38. He calleth the bridegroom and reproacheth him for setting on the
good wine last, whereas every man setteth on last that which is worse.
To this very day it is the surprise of the Jews that the preaching of the
Gospel should have been delayed so long, coming first of all now to the
Gentiles, while they are said to have been drinking the worse wine for
so long a time, bearing so long the burden and heat of the day under the
Law; as is set forth in another Gospel lesson. Mt 20,12.
39. Observe, God and men proceed in contrary ways. Men set on first
that which is best, afterward that which is worse. God first gives the
cross and affliction, then honor and blessedness. This is because men seek
to preserve the old man; on which account they instruct us to keep the
Law by works, and offer promises great and sweet. But the outcome is stale,
the result has a vile taste; for the longer it goes on the worse is the
condition of conscience, although, being intoxicated with great promises,
it does not feel its wretchedness; yet at last when the wine is digested,
and the false promises gone, the wretchedness appears. But God first of
all terrifies the conscience, sets on miserable wine, in fact nothing but
water; then, however, he consoles us with the promises of the Gospel which
endure forever.
