A06521:283
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.
Now we must accustom our selves to the Scripture,1 which maketh mention of two sorts of righteousness, one humane, which Paul here and in many other places hath mentioned, the other divine, even that grace of salvation, which justifieth us by faith,2 whereof he speaketh in the end of this text: That being justified by grace, we should be heirs of eternal life. Here thou seest plainly that the grace of God is our true righteousness, whereby we are justified, which is therefore called the righteousness of God, for that it is given unto us of God, and is made ours, when we are made partakers thereof by faith. Of this he speaketh also Rom. 1: In the Gospel is revealed the righteousness of God from faith to faith, as it is written: The just shall live by faith. And Gen. 15: Abraham believed, and it was counted to him for righteousness. Whereupon the Scripture concludeth, that no man is counted righteous before God, but he that believeth, as the Apostle testifieth, where he reciteth that saying of Habakkuk: The just shall live by faith. So it appeareth that faith, grace, mercy, truth, righteousness, that all these are that same which God worketh in us by Christ and the Gospel. Whereupon it is said Psal. 25: All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth. For those are the ways of the Lord in which we observing his commandments, do walk, and he again in us, now those ways must be directed by his mercy and truth alone, not by our strength and industry, forasmuch as our ways being ordered hereby, are nothing but vanity before God, and do deserve his wrath. According to that which the Lord saith Isaiah 55: As far as the heaven is higher then the earth, so far do my ways exceed yours. As if he should say: Your righteousness is earthly and of no value, wherefore ye must bid it farewell and walk ⟨p. 138⟩in mine, if ye hope for salvation.
Now we must accustome our selues to the Scripture,1