A06521:48
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.
But how must we use this nativity rightly and with fruit?1 Even as I have said, if we be thus persuaded that he was borne for us, that his nativity is ours. Our nativity is such, that it altogether aboundeth with sin, as David saith Psal. 51: Behold I was shapen in wickedness, & in sin hath my mother conceived me. As if he would say: here is nothing but sin, as well in the conception as in the birth, whatsoever I bring with me from my mothers womb, it is wholly damnable, it is due to death, Satan, & hell. Forasmuch then as our nativity, skin & hear are defiled, what good can come thereof? This is our title which we have received from Adam, in this one thing we may glory and in nothing else at all, namely, that every infant that is borne into this world, is wholly in the power of sin, death, Satan, hell, and eternal damnation: our nativity is altogether miserable, and on every side to be lamented. To deliver us from this nativity, God sent an other nativity, which it behoved to be pure & without all spot, that it might make this unclean & sinful nativity pure. This is that nativity of the Lord Christ his only begotten son.2 Wherefore he would not have him borne of flesh & blood infected with sin, but it behoved that he should be borne of a pure Virgin. He suffered no spot at all or sin in his flesh, but replenished it with the holy Ghost, & permitted nothing to stick therein, but those miseries which proceed of flesh and blood, as hunger, thirst, adversity, and death, sin excepted, as the Epistle to the Heb. chap. 4. witnesseth, that he was in all things tempted in like sort, yet without sin. This is that most excellent thing, which the Lord our God hath done for us, whereof none taketh any fruit, but he that believeth. And none will easily believe this, but he that feeleth of what sort his own nativity is. He that hath no feeling of his own misery, tasteth not of this nativity of Christ. But if we feel our misery, it followeth forthwith that we cry with the Prophet David and say: Behold I was shapen in wickedness, and in sin hath my mother conceived ⟨p. 10⟩me: for we feel our sin and our evil nativity.