A06521:575
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.
According to the history this text setteth before us an example of faith and diffidence: whereof we may learn both what a strong and invincible thing faith is, and that it must be exercised & tried even in great matters, and full of peril: and also how desperate a thing on the other side diffidence is, and how full of fear and trembling, which can never do any thing rightly or well. This doth experience most lively set forth in the Disciples.1 They, when they entered into the ship with Christ, and whilst there was calmness in the lake, were nothing disquieted in mind, neither felt any fear. Then if one should have asked them whether they believed, they would have answered without doubt that they did believe. For they did not know that their hart did trust in that quietness, for that all troubles were absent, and therefore did rest upon a thing visible, and not upon the invisible grace of God. Which then was made manifest, as soon as the tempest was risen, and the waves did cover the ship: for by and by all their trust and confidence ceased, for that the quietness and calmness whereunto they trusted was taken away, and diffidence, which before when all things were prosperous did lurk in their minds, did then appear. For this is the nature of diffidence, that it believeth or knoweth no more then it feeleth. Forasmuch therefore as it had possessed the breasts of the Apostles, they felt nothing now but the fearful tempest, and the waves covering the ship, they saw the sea swelling and greatly raging to threaten nothing ⟨p. 318⟩but death. These things only did they think upon, these only did they consider, and therefore could there be no measure or end of fear and trembling in their minds: the more they weighed in their mind the peril, so much more were they terrified, and seemed even now to stick in the very jaws of death, hoping for no life or deliverance. And as they could not so much as think any thing else because of their unbelief, so all comfort also was far from them. For diffidence or unbelief hath nothing whereunto it may trust or flee, wherefore when outward adversity cometh, it admitteth nothing into the mind but it, and therefore it can never feel any peace or quietness while this remaineth. So in hell, where diffidence exerciseth full tyranny, there can never be any intermission of desperation, trembling and terror.
ACcording to the historie this text setteth before vs an example of faith and diffidence: wherof we may learne both what a stronge and inuincible thinge faith is, and that it must be exercised & tryed euen in great matters, and full of perill: and also howe desperate a thing on the other side diffidence is, and howe full of feare and trembling, which can neuer doe any thinge rightly or wel. This doth experience most liuely set forth in the Disciples.