#50 We Always Expect the Future (in State or Church) to Be Better; It isn’t.

The Roman people longed for the death of Nero, supposing that then the state would be better, but afterwards the state was no better off. Solomon governed his realm in such a way that he hoped it would last forever, but it was divided right after his death. For Rehoboam, who succeeded Solomon, was not content with his father’s wise administration of the state; he ruined everything, and his kingdom was cut into two parts. But this does not happen only in external and political affairs, where such foolishness is more tolerable, since it does damage only to physical matters, but also in religion and in the Word of God. The descendants always neglect the purity of the doctrine handed down to them by the fathers and look for something new. This is what is now being done by those who, after the Gospel has once more become known, are not content with the purity of faith and the doctrine of the Gospel but are stirring up new controversies about the sacraments; and when these controversies have run their course, an infinite number of new sects will arise. For the flesh cannot remain content with the one simple and true doctrine. (Luther’s Works, v.15 p.43)