A06521:481
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.
Hereupon thou now seest, what a devilish thing the Papacy & Monasteries be. For whatsoever things be free & to be permitted ⟨p. 261⟩to free love only, they make them necessary,1 and say the keeping of them is of importance to salvation, whereby truly as much as is in them, they together pervert and extinguish the Gospel and faith. I pass over with silence, that they hereupon set and sell the care of the belly in stead of the service of God. For how many among them at this day do for Gods cause, & not rather for the bellies sake, take upon them to be Monks or Clerks, do frequent the quier, sing, pray, say Mass, or do any such thing, wherein they counterfeit and corrupt the true worship & service of God? The common subversion of all Monasteries were the best reformation of all these things, from which so much discommodity and no whit of profit may be looked for. Before one Monastery could be persuaded concerning true Christian liberty, infinite thousands of souls in others should perish, wherefore forasmuch as they bring no commodity at all, neither is there any need of them, and they are cause of greater hinderance to a Christian common weal, then can be thought, and can not by any means be reformed, what can be more profitable, then that they be utterly overthrown and abolished?
Hereupon thou now seest, what a deuilish thing the Papacie & Monasteries be. For whatsoeuer things be fre & to be permitted ⟨p. 261⟩to free loue onely, they make them necessary,1 and say the keeping of them is of importance to saluation, wherby truely as much as is in them, they togither peruert and extinguish the Gospell and faith. I passe ouer with silence, that they hereupon set and sell the care of the bellie in steede of the seruice of God. For how many among them at this day do for Gods cause, & not rather for the bellies sake, take vpon them to be Monkes or Clerkes, do frequent the quier, sing, pray, say Masse, or doe any such thinge, wherein they counterfait and corrupt the true worship & seruice of God? The common subuersion of all Monasteries were the best reformation of all these thinges, from which so much discommoditie and no whit of profite may be looked for. Before one Monasterie could be perswaded concerning true Christian libertie, infinite thousands of soules in others should perish, wherefore forasmuch as they bringe no commoditie at all, neither is there any neede of them, and they are cause of greater hinderance to a Christian common weale, then can be thought, and can not by any meanes be reformed, what can be more profitable, then that they be vtterly ouerthrowne and abolished?