A06521:70
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.
But we must diligently consider also, what these wise men signified by their gifts.1 For assuredly they showed by them, that this child is a king, and not a king only, but also God, and man. In offering gold they acknowledged him for a king, as if they would say: We bring unto thee gold, not that we would thereby enrich thee. For gold, silver, and whatsoever is made is thine before, ⟨p. 25⟩but hereby we acknowledge thee to be a most mighty king over all things. So we also offer gold unto Christ,2 when we acknowledge him for our king and Lord: but unto this is required a very strong faith. For if I ought to acknowledge him for my king and Lord, all mine own will must be extinguished, that it reign nothing at all in me: for Christ only must reign & rule in me, that he may do whatsoever it pleaseth him in me, and concerning me, all things must be committed unto him. So the leper in Matthew did, which said unto Christ: Lord, if thou wilt thou canst make me clean. Therefore my will must be utterly extinguished in me, if that I will have Christ to reign in me. Christ also suffered not his own will to rule, but he always submitted him self to the will of his father, which he testifieth in the sixth chapter of the Gospel by S. John: I came down from heaven, not to do mine own vvill, but his vvill which hath sent me. Yea he obeyed his father even unto death, and submitted him self wholly to his will. We imitating this example, which is written for our singular consolation, ought to submit our will to God and his Christ, and to rest confidently upon him. He knoweth how to bring the matter notably well to pass, as it is said Psal. 37. Commit thy way unto God, and put thy trust in him, and he shall bring it to pass. And a little after: Hold thee still in God, and suffer him to work with thee. Such sentences ought to provoke us, patiently to suffer the will of God in us, whether sweet things or sour, commodities or discommodities come unto us: for he knoweth with what temperature to lay them upon us. Blessed is he that believeth these things from his hart. Who being such a one, can be troubled with sorrow? Such a man howsoever he be handled, whether he be burned or drowned, cast into prison, or otherwise grievously dealt with, he taketh all in good part. For he knoweth that these things shall turn to his commodity.