A06521:594
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.
Let us give no occasion of offence in any thing. Forasmuch therefore as there is so acceptable and gracious a time, let us, saith he, use it worthily, and not receive it in vain. First endeavouring to give no occasion of offence to any man, least that our office of preaching Christ be reprehended,1 whereby he sufficiently declareth what offence he meaneth, namely, that the doctrine of the Gospel may not be stumbled at, as though he taught that which is not perfect and sound. Now there may be given a double occasion of offence, whereby the Gospel is reprehended: one, whereby the Heathen are offended, when as some under a pretence of the Gospel seek the liberty of the flesh, will not be ⟨p. 329⟩obedient to magistrates, turning the liberty of the spirit, into fleshly licentiousness. These do marvellously offend the discreeter & wiser sort of the Heathen, and make that they hate the Gospel without a cause, which they think doth teach this licentiousness: and so as it were with a certain force they do by this their insolencie repel and drive them from the faith of Christ: for they measuring all Christians by these, do detest them as light men, and troublers of the common wealth, and therefore not to be suffered. This offence therefore, and this reprehension, or rather hatred and persecution of the Gospel we acknowledge to come through these preposterous Christians. An other offence is, whereby even Christians among themselves are sometime offended, through the unseasonable use of Christian liberty, in meats and other indifferent things, whereat the weaker sort in faith do sometime stumble. Whereof the Apostle hath given many precepts 1. Cor. 8. Rom. 14. He exhorteth therefore here unto that, whereof he admonisheth in other words 1. Cor. 10: So behave your selves, that ye give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Grecians, nor to the Church of God: even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they might be saved. The same he teacheth also Philip. 2. that every man look not on his own things, but on the things of other men, for so all offence should be easily taken away, nay none at all should be given.