them out of the country and to grudge them a piece of bread and, in
short, they must be (as says St. Paul 1 Cor. 4, 13) as the filth of the
world and everybody's refuse and footrag.

Yet there is need that this also be urged upon the populace, that
those who would be Christians are under obligation in the sight of God
to esteem them worthy of double honor who minister to their souls, that
they deal well with them and provide for them. For that, God is willing
to add to you sufficient blessing and will not let you come to want.
But in this matter every one refuses and resists, and all are afraid
that they will perish from bodily want, and cannot now support one
respectable preacher, where formerly they filled ten fat paunches. In
this we also deserve that God deprive us of His Word and blessing, and
again allow preachers of lies to arise to lead us to the devil, and, in
addition, to drain our sweat and blood.

But those who keep in sight God's will and commandment have the
promise that everything which they bestow upon temporal and spiritual
fathers, and whatever they do to honor them, shall be richly
recompensed to them, so that they shall have, not bread, clothing, and
money for a year or two, but long life, support, and peace, and shall
be eternally rich and blessed. Therefore only do what is your duty, and
let God take care how He is to support you and provide for you
sufficiently. Since He has promised it, and has never yet lied, He will
not be found lying to you.

This ought indeed to encourage us, and give us hearts that would melt
in pleasure and love toward those to whom we owe honor, so that we
would raise our hands and joyfully thank God who has given us such
promises, for which we ought to run to the ends of the world [to the