A06521:67
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 God doth sooner suffer him self to lack his own honour and due service, then that he would have us to leave of from doing our duty toward our neighbour, as Christ witnesseth ⟨p. 23⟩Matth. 5. If thou bring thy gift to the altar, 1and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee, leave there thine offering before the altar, and go thy way: first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come, and offer thy gift. Here ye do most plainly both hear and see, that God will not be served, unless we first go to our neighbour, and be reconciled to him. For the same cause also God rejecteth the sacrifices of the Jews, as it is in the Prophecy of Isaiah chap. 1 for that they did neglect those things which were more necessary, namely mercy and faith: for thus he saith: Why offer ye so many sacrifices unto me? I am full of the burnt offerings of weathers, & of the fat of fed beasts, I have no pleasure in the blood of bullocks, lams, & goats. When ye come to appear before me treading in my courts, who hath required this at your hands? Offer me no mo oblations, for it is but lost labour: incense is an abominable thing unto me. I may not away with your new moons, your sabbaths, & solemn meetings, your solemn assemblies are wicked. I hate your new moons and appointed feasts even from my very hart, they make me weary, I can not abide them. When ye hold out your hands, I will turn mine eyes from you: and though ye make many prayers, yet I will hear nothing at all, seeing your hands are full of blood. Wash you, make you clean, put away your evil thoughts out of my sight, cease from doing of evil. Learn to do well, apply your selves to equity, deliver the oppressed, help the fatherless to his right, defend the widow, & so forth as is there rehearsed of Isaiah. By these words of Isaiah ye see what God requireth, & what he alloweth. When we neglect those works, by which our neighbour is served, he again will neglect us. For whatsoever benefit we bestow upon our neighbour, that we bestow upon God and Christ him self, as he shall pronounce in the last judgement:2 Whatsoever ye have done to one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Moreouer God doth sooner suffer him selfe to lacke his owne honour and due seruice, then that he woulde haue vs to leaue of from doing our dutie toward our neighbour, as Christ witnesseth