A06521:516
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.
Again, they are of this belief, that they shall be righteous & holy by their own works, and that because of them God will give unto them salvation and eternal blessedness.1 But here see the madness of men: in their opinion and judgement it is a Christian thing, to think that we shall be righteous and saved because of our works, and to believe that these things are given by the grace of God, they condemn as heretical. They attribute that to their own works which they attribute not to the grace of God: they affirm that they do save us, and not this: they trust to works, they can not trust to Gods grace: which blindness worthily cometh unto them, inasmuch as they will not build upon the rock, let them build upon the sand, & so be drowned by their own means, that by their own works and satisfactions they may torment them selves even unto death, gratifying Satan herein, for that they will not rest upon the grace of God, & serve the Lord with a gentle and sweet service.2 For they that are endued with true faith, and do rest upon the grace of the Lord, it is marvellous, how they are in God, by his goodness, of most quiet minds, and greatly rejoicing with holy joy: whereupon they do also with pleasure apply them selves to good works, not to such as these of Cains brood do, as to feigned prayers, fasting, base & filthy apparel, & such like trifles, but to true & right good works, whereby their neighbour is profited, and from whence no small commodity redoundeth unto men. Moreover, they are of most ready minds to suffer whatsoever things, inasmuch as they are certain that God doth favour them, and hath a care of them. These are right honest and profitable men, of whom both God is glorified, & men much profited. When as those of Cains brood serve to no use, either before God or before men, no, they do not so much as profit them selves, but are only an unprofitable lump of earth, yea not only unprofitable, but exceeding pernicious and hurtful also both to them selves, and to others. For inasmuch as they are destitute of true faith, they can not give unto ⟨p. 283⟩God his due glory,3 nor do those good works which may truly profit their neighbour.