Of Luther’s Prayer for a gracious Rain.

In the year 1532, throughout all Germany was a great drought, the corn in the fields in a lamentable way began to wither.  On the ninth of June the same year, Luther called together the whole assembly into the church, and directed his prayer, with deep sighs, to God in the manner following: “O Lord, behold our prayers for thy promise sake; we have prayed, and our hearts have sighed, but the covetousness of the rich farmers doth hinder and hem in thy blessing; for seeing that through thy gospel they are unbridled, they think it free for them to live and do what they please; they now fear neither death nor hell, but say, ‘I believe, therefore I shall be saved;’ they become haughty spiteful Mammonists, and accursed covetous cut-throats, that suck out land and people.  Moreover, also, the usurers among the gentry in every place deal wickedly, insomuch, as it seemeth, thou, O God, wilt now visit us, together with them, with the rod; yet, nevertheless, thou hast still means whereby to maintain those that are thine, although thou sufferest no rain to fall among the ungodly.”

After he had said thus, he lifted up his eyes towards heaven, and said, “Lord God, thou hast through the mouth of thy servant David said, ‘The Lord is nigh unto all that call upon him faithfully; he doth the will of those that fear him, and heareth their prayers, and helpeth them in their distress.’  How is it, Lord, that thou givest no rain, seeing we have cried and prayed so long unto thee?  ‘Thy will be done,’ O Lord! we know that although thou givest not rain, yet, notwithstanding, thou wilt give us something better, a still, a quiet, and a peaceable life.  Now we pray, O Lord, from the bottom of our hearts.  If thou, O Lord, wilt not be pleased to hear and give us rain, then the ungodly will say, Christ thy only Son is a liar.  For he saith, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye pray the Father in my name, the same he will give unto you,’ etc.  Insomuch that they will give thy Son the lie.  I know, O Lord, that we do cry unto thee from our hearts, with yearning and sighing, why then dost thou not hear us?”  Now, even the same day, and within the space of half an hour after the people went from church, it began to rain so sweet and mildly, which continued for a whole fortnight, so that the grounds thereby were changed and refreshed in a most miraculous manner.  This happened June 9, 1532.