"it is the mark of Christians not to be angry and not to be indignant in regard to evil inflicted on themselves. Although the flesh is accustomed to grumble after its own fashion, the spirit is not angry, but rather thinks: “Woe to you! You have not done this to me, you have done it to yourself. You have offended yourself in particular, not me!” In this way Jacob and Joseph were able to say: “You do not sell, cast off, and kill me, but yourselves.” The flesh, indeed, thinks otherwise, but this is how the spirit feels.
But now someone will ask: “What, then, is to be done? Is the rein to be loosened to ungodliness and no curb to be placed upon the fury and ill will of men by laws or punishments, but, in addition, should thanks be rendered to a wicked man for injury inflicted on us, and must we say: ‘You have done me no harm. Do what pleases you, and I shall be glad to suffer it!’? Will not evil men in this way be invited to increase and augment their outrageous sins when, indeed, we teach that troubles placed in our way by others should be borne with joy and a good conscience?”
My reply is that to us there has been entrusted the ministry of the Law and the Gospel according to the direction of Paul: “Rebuke, be urgent in season and out of season, be confident in reproof and blame, and even be angry and indignant with sin” ( cf. 2 Tim. 4:2). This pertains to the ministry of the Law and the duty of fathers, teachers, magistrates and, indeed, private citizens also for the sake of brotherly reproof and admonition which has been entrusted by God to individuals so that as far as possible we may resist evil, each one in his own station, and take precautions that evil men do not rage with impunity either against us or against others. If that is done and nothing helps, I must be content and say: “You will punish not me, your teacher, but yourself.” When we have made no progress by all these means, the only thing left for us to do is to be content at heart and wait for the vengeance of God. For they will experience to their great loss that they have gravely injured not others but themselves. The devil will be able to attend to their tortures!
But we have this consolation, that the more they vex, afflict, and torment us, the more they increase our glorious crown in heaven. In the meantime, however, they must be reproved, not in such a way that we harm them but that we may bring evildoers back onto the right way, lest they run up against the hatred and wrath of God, who is a consuming fire (Heb. 12:29) for those who do not repent. In this manner we resist evil with the ministry of Word and sword, and yet, the evils which cannot be averted we bear to our great advantage but to their detriment and destruction.
This is the theology and wisdom of Christians; and although we have not yet attained thereto, we should nevertheless be exercised therein and accustomed thereto daily so that in a crisis and the disasters which we endure we may be able to say with steadfast and tranquil heart: “You cannot harm me; I am a Christian. You are not harming me but benefiting me. Take heed to yourself!” What harm does the selling and exile do Joseph? Indeed, for what did it not benefit him? Or how could the brothers have provided him with greater honor and dignity? For in the very thing by which they try to hinder and crush him, they most conveniently raise him to that pinnacle and peak of sovereignty which he had dreamt of a little while ago."
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