A06521:652
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.
TO them that believe this text is most easy to be understood, which setteth forth two things unto us, namely faith, and temporal good things, & faith, and eternal good things.1 First it declareth unto them that believe in Christ, that they shall have sufficient wherewith to sustain themselves even in this life: which Christ showeth by this, when he giveth so many fishes to Peter and his companions, as they durst not so much as desire. So that Christ is careful even how to feed the belly, if that cursed incredulity be not na hinderance thereunto. For behold S. Peter, and consider his heart aright in your mind, then shall ye find, that he did not so much as think, that he should take so many fishes. God therefore is present, and causeth fishes to come into the net, even moe then they would have wished. By which example we are admonished that they shall have sufficient of those things that are necessary for the sustentation of this life, which do believe, but they that do not believe can never be satisfied, whereby they fall into all kind of vices. Hereunto pertaineth that which S. Paul saith 1. Tim. 6: Godliness is great gain, if a man be content with that he hath. For we brought nothing into the world, and it is certain, that we may carry nothing out, therefore when we have food and raiment, let us therewith be content. For they that will be rich, fall into tentation and snares, and into many foolish and noisome lusts, which drown men ⟨p. 365⟩in perdition & destruction. For the desire of money is the root of all evil, which while some lusted after, they erred from the faith, & pierced themselves through with many sorrows. This place of S. Paul plainly declareth what followeth our unbelief,2 to wit, that it traveleth to get substance, and laboureth to be rich, and falleth into the tentation and snares of the Devil. But we can not see that, forasmuch as it is spiritual. If we could as well see the hurt, which it bringeth to spiritual things, as we can see that which it bringeth to corporal and outward things, then were it an easy matter to preach unto us. For we see plainly in outward things, how he that is given to the desire of money, scrapeth and gathereth together, doth injury to all men, that he alone may gather together and heap up many things, whereunto he may trust and say: Well, now have I goods enough.