A06521:625
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 the devil took him up into an exceeding high mountain. 1Here he tempteth with vain glory & power of the world, as by the words of the devil doth plainly appear, who showing Christ the kingdoms of the world, offered them to him, if he would worship him. By this tentation they are overcome which revolt from faith, that they may enjoy glory and power here, or at least do so temper their faith that they lose not these things. In the number of these are all heretics and troublers of the Church, which do therefore either leave, or oppugn the sincerity of faith, that being exempted out of the common number they may be extolled on hie. So we may place this tentation on the right hand, as the first assaileth us on the left. For as the first tentation is of adversity, whereby we are moved to indignation, impatience, & diffidence, so this third tentation is of prosperity, whereby we are provoked to delights, glory, pleasures, and whatsoever is excellent and delectable in the world. The second tentation is altogether spiritual, whereby Satan by deceit, and marvellous & secret subtlety goeth about to withdraw man from faith. For whom he can not overcome with poverty, scarcity, necessity, & misery, them he tempteth with riches, favour, glory, delights, power, &c: & so he assaileth us on either side, yea when he prevaileth by neither way, he goeth about, as Peter saith, & attempteth all means, that whom he can overcome neither by adversity, that is, by the first tentation, nor by prosperity, that is, by the third tentation, he may overcome either by error, blindness, or false understanding of the Scripture, that is, by the second tentation which is ⟨p. 349⟩spiritual, and therefore most hurtful. By which if he prevail against any they are also overcome both on the left side and on the right. For whether they suffer such poverty, or enjoy plenty of things, whether they contend, or yield unto all things, both is nothing: while they are in error, either patience in adversity or constancy in prosperity can be of no importance. For in both even heretics often times do notably excel, and it is a practise of the devil eftsoons to feign him self overcome in the first and third tentation, that he may reign victor by the second.
Againe the deuil tooke him vp into an exceeding high moū taine. 1