A06521:230
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.
For they are not such men, as are capable of this doctrine, which live with such a secure mind, that they think, they have no need of the Gospel, or that they otherwise do sufficiently know it. But they only are capable hereof, which are busied with the disputation of the conscience & the law, of sins & of the wrath of God, by consideration whereof they become astonied, feeling the words of the hart speaking thus: Alas, how wretchedly have I led my life? what account shall I make unto God? & so they be too much fearful & amazed, the rest being more then is meet secure and presumptuous, feeling no law nor sin, no nor any trouble at all. And the case standeth very unequally with both, for they which should have nothing to do with the law, do most of all wrestle with it, & alone feel it. But others of whom only the law should be felt, are nothing moved with it: yea the more grievously they are terrified by the law & the wrath of God, by so much they become more indurate. There must therefore be an other master to amend these, namely, the slayer & tormentor, who may teach them, being unwilling to do well in the name of the Lord & with favour, in the name of an other to do that that becometh them, with no favour, the reward also of hell fire and of all miseries being set before them.
For they are not such men, as are capable of this doctrine, which liue with such a secure mind, that they thinke, they haue no neede of the Gospel, or that they otherwise do sufficiently knowe it. But they onely are capable hereof, which are busied with the disputation of the conscience & the law, of sinnes & of the wrath of God, by consideration whereof they become astonied, feeling the words of the hart speaking thus: Alas, how wretchedly haue I led my life? what account shal I make vnto God? & so they be too much fearful & amased, the rest being more then is meete secure and presumptuous, feeling no lawe nor sinne, no nor any trouble at all. And the case standeth very vnequally with both, for they which should haue nothing to do with the law, do most of all wrastle wt it, & alone feele it. But others of whom onely ye law should be felt, are nothing moued with it: yea the more grieuously they are terrified by the lawe & the wrath of God, by so much they become more indurate. There must therfore be an other maister to amend these, namely, the slayer & tormentor, who may teach thē, being vnwilling to do wel in the name of the Lord & with fauour, in the name of an other to do that that becommeth them, with no fauour, the reward also of hell fire and of all miseries being set before them.