A06521:446
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 by this, that those things which we believed should be fulfilled, are now fulfilled, our faith is not any whit made void or frustrate, but much more sound and perfect. For as they of the old time before Christs incarnation believed the promise of God which should be fulfilled, so do we believe that the same is fulfilled,1 and the faith is altogether the same in it self, but that our faith followed theirs, as the fulfilling followeth also the promise. For either faith trusteth in the seed of Abraham, that is in Christ, theirs before his incarnation, ours after it. Wherefore he that should at this day believe with the Jews that Christ is to come, should make God a liar, as though he had not yet fulfilled his promise, which he hath fulfilled, and being fulfilled would have it published and preached. So also should salvation be yet far from the believers, which we should look for being as yet to come, in the time that shall hereafter follow. ⟨p. 239⟩Of this double faith Paul speaketh Rom. 1: By the Gospel righteousness, which God giveth, is revealed from faith to faith. What meaneth this, from faith to faith? nothing else, but that albeit the faith of the Fathers and our faith is the same, whereby it is believed in Christ either to come, or which hath already appeared: yet the Gospel doth lead from their faith to ours, so that it is now necessary not only to believe the promise that was to be fulfilled, but also that it is fulfilled, which it did not behove Abraham and the other Fathers to believe, although they had the same Christ which we have. For there is one faith, one spirit, one Christ, one communion of all Saints, this difference only there is between us, that they went before Christ, we follow him.
Now by this, that those thinges which we beleeued should be fulfilled, are now fulfilled, our faith is not any whit made voide or frustrate, but much more sound and perfect. For as they of the olde time before Christes incarnation beleeued the promise of God which should be fulfilled, so do we beleeue that the same is fulfilled,1 and the faith is altogether the same in it selfe, but that our faith followed theirs, as the fulfilling followeth also the promise. For either faith trusteth in the seede of Abraham, that is in Christ, theirs before his incarnation, ours after it. Wherefore he that should at this day beleeue with the Iewes that Christ is to come, should make God a lyer, as though he had not yet fulfilled his promise, which he hath fulfilled, and being fulfilled would haue it published and preached. So also should saluation be yet farre from the beleeuers, which we should looke for being as yet to come, in the time that shall hereafter follow.