A06521:457
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.
Let us walk honestly as in the day. No man worketh those things in the day, which he is wont to work in darkness, every one feareth an other, and endeavoureth himself to live honestly. It is commonly said: The night is void of shame, which is true, and therefore men do those things in the night, which they would be ashamed to do in the day, but the day is not without shame, and requireth an honest conversation. After the same sort ought a Christian life to be:1 a Christian ought to commit nothing, whereof he may be ashamed, although the whole world should see his works & doings. For he that liveth and worketh so, that he is unwilling that all his works and doings should be seen and heard of all men, and his whole life be manifestly known unto all, liveth a live unworthy of Christ, according to that which our Saviour himself saith Joh. 3: Every man that doth evil, hateth the light, neither cometh to light, least his deeds should be reproved. But he that doth truth, cometh to the light, that his deeds might be made manifest, that they are wrought according to God. Hereby it appeareth how necessary ⟨p. 246⟩it is, that we should be provoked and exhorted to watch and to put on the armour of light. For what one is there at this day among Christians, which can abide, that all his works should be published openly in the light. Now what a Christian life is this, how hypocritically do we live, when as we can not suffer our life so much as to be disclosed before men, which now is disclosed before God and all his Angels, and in the last day shall be disclosed before all creatures? Wherefore it behoveth a Christian to live so, as he desireth to appear in the last day, and before all.2 Hereupon Paul saith: Walk as the children of light: the fruit of the Spirit is goodness, and righteousness, and truth. And Rom. 12: Procure things honest, not only in the sight of God, but also in the sight of all men. And 2. Cor. 1: Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly purchase, and not in fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world. Howbeit such a life shall nothing at all appear, where faith is not, but where a lively, a cheerful and a strong faith is, there such a life can not be wanting, forasmuch as such a faith is not wearied, with well doing,