A06521:192
Special and chosen sermons of D. Martin Luther collected out of his writings and…
Special and chosen sermons of D. Martin Luther collected out of his writings and preachings for the necessary instruction and edification of such, as hunger and seek after the perfect knowledge and inestimable glory which is in Christ Jesus, to the comfort and salvation of their souls. Englished by VV.G.Special and chosen sermons of D. Martin Luther collected out of his writings and preachings for the necessary instruction and edification of such, as hunger and seeke after the perfect knowledge and inestimable glorie which is in Christ Iesu, to the comfort and saluation of their soules. Englished by VV.G.
London: printed by Thomas Vautroullier, 1578
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
the word is published & preached through the whole world, but the power thereof is very secret, neither doth any man mark that it is so effectual, & that it so much profiteth them that believe: howbeit it must be felt and tasted in the hart. We therefore of the ministry are able to perform no more, then that we are the mouth of our Lord Christ, and the instrument whereby he openly preacheth the word. For he suffereth the word to be published abroad, that every one may hear it. But faith maketh that it is felt inwardly in the hart, yea and it is the secret work of Christ, whensoever any knoweth that it is his duty, and is also willing to do according to his divine will and good pleasure.
the word is published & preached through the whole world, but the power thereof is very secret, neither doth any man marke that it is so effectual, & that it so much profiteth them that beleue: howbeit it must be felt and tasted in the hart. We therfore of the ministerie are able to performe no more, then that we are the mouth of our Lorde Christ, and the instrument whereby he openly preacheth ye word. For he suffereth the word to be published abroad, that euery one may heare it. But faith maketh that it is felt inwardly in ye hart, yea and it is the secret worke of Christ, whensoeuer any knoweth that it is his duety, and is also willing to doe according to his diuine will and good pleasure.
But that this may be the better perceived, we will now entreat of our text, wherein Christ first saith: I am the good shepherd. And what is a good shepherd? A good shepherd, saith Christ, giveth his life for his sheep. And I leave my life for my sheep. Here the Lord declareth what his kingdom is, bringing a goodly parable of the sheep. Ye know that it is a beast of all living creatures most foolish and most simple, so that thereupon it is commonly spoken as a proverb, if we have to speak of a simple one: He is a sheep. Nevertheless it is of that nature more then other living creatures, that it quickly knoweth the voice of his shepherd, neither followeth it any beside his own shepherd, being always of that quality that it cleaveth to him, and seeketh for help of him alone, being not able to help it self, neither to feed it self, neither to heal it self, nor keep it self from the wolves, but doth wholly consist in the help of an other. Christ therefore bringeth the quality and nature of the sheep in manner of a parable, and transformeth him self into a shepherd, whereby he doth very well show, what his kingdom is, and