Special and chosen sermons of D. Martin Luther collected out of his writings and…

Glory be to God on high, and in earth peace, good will towards men. Forasmuch as this song is very common, and there be few that rightly understand it, when as notwithstanding it ⟨p. 15⟩containeth many things in it, I think good to handle it somewhat at large. The Angels in this hymn apply three things to three: glory to God, peace to the earth, and good will unto men. The first is the honour or glory of God,¹ with which we must begin, that in all things praise and glory may be ascribed to God, as to him which doeth, giveth, and hath all things, so that none may challenge any good thing at all unto him self, neither ought to count it his own. Glory is so due to God only, that no part thereof may be derived to any other. Adam being persuaded of Satan, went about to take this glory to him self, whereby all men fell into the displeasure of God, & have that vice so throughly fixed in their mind, that no other thing can be so hardly plucked away from them. Every man pleaseth him self, no man can abide to seem that he is nothing, or is able to do nothing, whereof come almost all evils, so many contentions, wars, and innumerable other discommodities. This glory Christ gave to God his father, teaching that all our things are nothing before God but sins, which deserve his wrath and indignation, and nothing less then glory. Wherefore there is no cause, that we should even never so little please our selves or glory in them, but rather that we should be ashamed and fear, being set in so great peril and confusion, that so all our glory and pleasing of our selves may pass away and come to nothing, and we may rejoice being destitute of our own glory, that we may be found & saved in Christ alone.

Glory be to God on high, and in earth peace, good will towards men. Forasmuch as this song is very common, and there be fewe that rightly vnderstande it, when as notwithstanding it ⟨p. 15⟩contayneth many thinges in it, I thinke good to handle it somewhat at large. The Angells in this hymne apply three things to three: glory to God, peace to the earth, and good will vnto men. The first is the honour or glory of God,¹ with which we must beginne, that in all thinges prayse and glory may be asscribed to God, as to him which doeth, giueth, and hath all thinges, so that none may chalenge any good thing at all vnto him selfe, neither ought to count it his owne. Glory is so due to God onely, that no part therof may be deriued to any other. Adam being perswaded of Satan, went about to take this glory to him selfe, whereby all men fell into the displeasure of God, & haue that vice so throughly fixed in their mind, that no other thing can be so hardly pluckt away from them. Euery man pleaseth him selfe, no man can abide to seeme that he is nothing, or is able to doe nothing, whereof come almost all euills, so many contentions, warres, and innumerable other discommodities. This glory Christ gaue to God his father, teaching that all our thinges are nothing before God but sinnes, which deserue his wrath and indignation, and nothing lesse then glory. Wherfore there is no cause, that we should euen neuer so litle please our selues or glory in them, but rather that we should be ashamed and feare, being set in so great perill and confusion, that so all our glory and pleasing of our selues may passe away and come to nothing, and we may reioyce being destitute of our owne glorie, that we may be found & saued in Christ alone.