fliction
is unknown. Just so Christ's disciples in the ship, when they saw the
tempest approach and the waves beat over the vessel, quite forgot, in
their trembling and terror, the divine will, although Christ was
present with them. They only made anxious lamentation, yet withal
cried for help: "Save, Lord; we perish!" Mt 8, 25. So also in the
time of the martyrs, many Christians became timid and at first denied
Christ from fear of torture or of long confinement in prison.

17. It is God's will that we, too, should learn to accustom ourselves
to these things through temptation and affliction, though these be
hard to bear and the heart is prone to become agitated and utter its
cry of woe. We can quiet our disturbed hearts, saying: "I know what
is God's thought, his counsel and will, in Christ, which he will not
alter: he has promised to me through his Son, and confirmed it
through my baptism, that he who hears and sees the Son shall be
delivered from sin and death, and live eternally."

18. Now, what Paul calls being filled with the knowledge of the
divine will in Christ through the faith of the Gospel, means faith in
and the comfort of the forgiveness of sins, since we have not in
ourselves the ability to fulfil his will in the ten commandments.
This knowledge is not a passive consciousness, but a living, active
conviction, which will stand before the judgment of God, contend with
the devil and prevail over sin, death and life.

19. Now, the heart possessing such knowledge or faith is kindled by
the Holy Spirit and acquires a love for and delight in God's
commandments. It becomes obedient to them, patient, chaste, modest,
gentle, given to brotherly kindness, and honors God in confession and
life. Thus it is increasingly filled with the knowledge of God's
will; it is armed and fortified on all sides to withstand and defeat
the flesh and the world, the devil and hell.

"SPIRITUAL WISDOM" DEFINED.

20. By way of explanation Paul adds the words, "all spiritual wisdom
and understanding." This is not the wisdom of the world. There is no
necessity to strive and to endure persecution for that which concerns
itself with other than spiritual matters. Nor is it the wisdom of
reason, which indeed presumes to judge of divine things, but yet can
never understand them; on the contrary, although it accepts them, it
quickly falls away into doubt and despair.

21. "Wisdom" signifies with Paul, when he places it in apposition
wi