A fruitful sermon of the most evangelical writer M. Luther, made of the angels…A frutfull sermon of the moost euangelicall wryter M. Luther, made of the angelles…

Of the great diligence and ⟨image 23⟩mind of the angels toward us & our health, we have a goodly example in the book of kings, where as Elezeus the prophet did show to his minister great fiery hills which were set full of chariots and horsemen, by the which sight he perceived that his enemies were not to be feared when there were many moo Angels and much stronger than his enemies were. Truth it is that the good Angels be much more ready and glad to help and further us than the wicked spirits be to hurt and hinder us. Besides that there be many moo good Angels than there be ill: the good Angels be ever sure & diligent to do that which is commanded them, that is, they keep & defend us both truly & carefully: wherefore though the devil be never so sert to hurt or to destroy us, & though he roar never so ⟨image 23⟩sore against us, yet be the good angels much more diligent to assist and defend us, briefly, be ever more tender and careful over us, with their ready service to do us good. This we ought to learn and know / for that shall cause us that we shall not be so secure and so sluggish in our selves, but be more circumspect and better look about us and that we shall learn the better to believe and trust in god, when we know that we have many moo good Angels of our side than devils against us, and be always of good cheer and comfort in all our affairs, in all our afflictions, troubles, and adversities, saying with the prophet Elezeus: we have many mo warriors on our part, than enemies against us. And so shall we overcome the devil, as Elezeus did overcome his enemies, being ⟨image 24⟩blinded in the darkness of their mind, and we having our eyes sight shall bring in our soldiers in to the city of their adversaries / as we read that Elezeus did in the same chapter. These examples be written for us, that we should praise god and give him thanks, for that, that he hath so appointed for us such an host and an army of his holly angels for our defence and safety, so that if one angel be not enough, there should thousands be ready by and by, so as we see here in Elisha, for whose only cause so many thousands of holy angels did show themselves & did muster before him, ready at all times to succour him when need should be.

Of the great diligence and mynd