A06521:621
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.
Moreover allegorically we may by this doing of Satan perceive his craft and subtlety. He took Jesus, saith the Evangelist, into the holy City, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple. By this tentation he replenisheth men with cogitations that seem most holy,1 that they may think them selves most plentifully endued with faith, and to stand in a very holy place, when as notwithstanding they are set not in the temple, but on the temple, that is, not in the sincerity of faith, but in a vain ⟨p. 346⟩outward show of faith. Nevertheless he is in the mean season in the holy city, because that this kind of men is wont to be no where but among Christians, where the word of the Lord and the preaching of faith is daily heard, who also like unto Satan, have sentences of Scripture in a readiness as concerning the words, although they always pervert & wrest them to their own error and false imaginations. So Satan recited here unto Christ out of the 91 Psalm, that God doth command his Angels concerning his children, that they keep them, lifting them up with their hands. But the deceiver concealed that which is added, that is,2 in their ways. For thus hath the Psalm: He will give his Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways, &c. So that the custody of Angels is not by the commandment promised unto us, unless we walk in our ways which he hath prescribed us. If we walk in them, we shall assuredly be kept of Angels. Howbeit the devil saith nothing of the ways of the Lord, but promiseth by corrupting the saying of the Psalm, that it is commanded to the Angels, to keep us in what ways soever, whereof the Lord hath commanded nothing. And this is Satan's seducing, and persuasion to tempt God.
Moreouer allegorically we may by this doing of Satan perceiue his craft and suttletie. He tooke Iesus, sayth the Euangelist, into the holy Citie, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple. By this tentation he replenisheth men with cogitations that seeme most holy,1 that they may thinke them selues most plentifully endued with faith, and to stande in a very holy place, when as notwithstanding they are sette not in the temple, but on the temple, that is, not in the synceritie of fayth, but in a vayne