A06521:407
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.
1Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God truly, neither carest for any man: for thou considerest not the person of men. Tell us therefore, how thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Cesar or not. Here think they, we shall entrap him. For he shall be compelled to answer that tribute is either to be given, or not to be given. If he affirm that it is to be given, we have overcome him: but if he deny that it is to be given, then is he guilty of death. Whereas they say, Master, they will thereby move him, and as it were constrain him to answer the truth. But whereas they say, We know that thou art true, they do thereby put him in mind of his duty. Whither therefore should Christ turn himself? for there seemeth to be no way for him to escape, yet he would not for all that fall into their net. Was not this a subtle question? Do they not show themselves to have bin sufficient crafty and wily ones? for which way soever the Lord had answered, he had bin taken. Was not this done also full warily and circumspectly? for they associate to themselves the ministers of Herod, thinking no other but to entrap him with deceit, that he should not by any means escape, thus casting in their minds: Now we will meet with him well enough, if he deny that tribute is to be given, the Herodians are present, which shall forth with put him to death as a seditious fellow, and one that resisteth the Roman Empire. But if he affirm that tribute is to be given, he speaketh against the liberty of the Jews, then will we stir up the people against him. For ⟨p. 215⟩the Jewish people would be free, and have their king of their own stock, even as it was promised them both of Moses and God, that their kingdom should continue until the time of the true king, that is, of Christ. Even as the Patriarch did prophesy thereof:2 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah and a law giver from between his feet, until Silo come. And therefore God did choose this people specially to himself, and made a kingdom of them, only for Christs cause. Moreover there were many sentences in the Scripture which declared that they should serve none, For they should be the chiefest and not the lowest, &c. 3This and such like sayings the Scribes had beaten into the peoples heads, wherewith they were greatly disturbed: