A06521:485
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 let us weigh the words of the Apostle, for they are placed not without a spiritual skilfulness, he saith: Let your patient mind or softness be known unto all men. Where thou must not think that he commandeth thee to be made known unto all men,1 or that thou oughtest to tell thy patient mind or softness before all men. For he saith not, tell it forth, but let it be known, that is, endeavour to practise it toward men, I do not command that ye should think or speak of it, but that ye labour that it may be known in deed, while all men do try and feel it, that no man may say any other thing of you, then that ye be of a patient mind, and pliant, applying your selves to all men, being enforced so to say even by manifest experience. So that if any man were never so much bent to speak otherwise of you, his mouth might be stopped by yt testimony of all other, witnessing of your patient mind and meekness. So saith Christ Matth. 5. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. And Peter saith:2 Have your conversation honest among the Gentiles, that they which speak evil of you as of evil doers, may by your good works, which they shall see, glorify God in the day of visitation. It is not surely in our power, that our patient mind should be known and acknowledged of all men, but it shall be sufficient for us, if we endeavour that all men may have trial thereof in us, and that no man may find it wanting in our life.
But let vs weie the wordes of the Apostle, for they are placed not without a spirituall skilfulnes, he sayth: Let your patient minde or softnes be knowne vnto all men. Where thou must not thinke that he commaundeth thee to be made knowne vnto all men,1 or that thou oughtest to tell thy patient mind or softnes before all men. For he sayth not, tell it forth, but let it be knowne, that is, endeuour to practize it toward men, I doe not commaund that ye shoulde thinke or speake of it, but that ye labour that it may be knowne in deede, while all men doe trie and feele it, that no man may say any other thing of you, then that ye be of a patient minde, and pliant, applying your selues to all men, being enforced so to say euen by manifest experience. So that if any man were neuer so much bent to speake otherwise of you, his mouth might be stopped by yt testimonie of all other, witnessing of your patient mind and meekenes. So sayth Christ