"God regulates the world in such a way that all things—those that are highest, those in the middle, and those that are lowest—serve Him. The highest things are the lowest, and the lowest are the highest. Therefore Duke Frederick, the Elector of Saxony, stated wisely and brilliantly to Staupitz that when he made a mental survey of the whole world and all ranks of men, it seemed to him that the peasants, who occupied the lowest place in the state, were the happiest, because they alone enjoy peace and true tranquility and are not tormented by the cares and dangers of the state. In summer they cultivate their fields; in winter they sit by the fire and enjoy their possessions. Although they lack royal magnificence, they nevertheless enjoy the greatest blessings, namely, tranquility and ease, and live more safely and happily within their own enclosure than kings and princes within their citadels or fortifications.
This is God’s wonderful governance or changing of things. For the things that seem to be lowest and most wretched are the greatest and most prosperous. Nothing in the world is more wretched than the church. Hence arise those complaints of the church: “Why hast Thou turned Thy face away? Why dost Thou forget me? I preach, I confess, I do and endure everything that God enjoins; but no one is more afflicted and forsaken than I am.” But then the Lord replies: “I do not forget you,” as is stated most sweetly in Is. 49:14–15: “But Zion said: ‘The Lord has forsaken me, my Lord has forgotten me.’ Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should have no compassion on the sons of her womb? Even these may forget, yet will I not forget you.”"
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