with their speculations, so that instead of God they take hold of
the devil, and find him, for he will be also a god. But I do truly
admonish and warn every one that they abstain from such
speculations, and not to flutter too high, but remain by the manger,
and by the swaddling-clothes wherein Christ doth lie (in the Holy
Scriptures), "in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead
bodily," as St. Paul saith (Col. ii.). There a man cannot fail of
God, but finds and hits upon him most certainly. I would willingly
that this rule might be observed after my death, namely: Human
comfort and Divine comfort are of two sorts: human comfort
consisteth in external visible help, which a man may see, hold, and
feel; but Divine comfort consisteth only in words and promises,
where there is neither seeing, hearing, nor feeling.


That Children are God's special Blessings and Creatures.

Dr. Jonas, inviting Luther to a dinner, had caused a bough, with
ripe cherries, to be hung up over the table where they dined, in
remembrance of the creation, thereby to put his guests in mind to
praise the glorious God in his blessing and creating such fruits,
etc. But Luther asked him why he did not rather remember the same
by his children that were the fruit of his body. For, said he, they
surpass and are far more excelling creatures of God than all the
fruits of trees. By them we see God's Power, Wisdom, and Art, who
hath made them all out of nothing, hath given them in one year life
and all members, so exquisitely hath created and will maintain and
preserve them. Yet, notwithstanding, we do not much regard it; nay,
we are in such gifts of God blind and covetous, as commonly it
falleth out that people when they have got children grow worse and