A06521:705
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.
1How can it be that we should love God, when his will is not settled in our mind? If I love God, I can not but love his will also. Now if God send sickness, poverty, shame, and ignominy, it is his will, whereat what do we? we murmur, we grudge, our mind is carried hither and thither, we take it most unpatiently, and yet is this the least. What would we do, if we should leave our body and life for God & Christ his sake? then would we show our selves after an other sort. But in the mean season we do like unto this Pharisee & Lawyer, we lead an honest life outwardly, we worship God, we serve him, we fast, we pray, and behave our selves in outward appearance justly and holily. But God doth not require that of us, but that we should bend our selves to do his will with pleasure and love, cheerfully & lovingly. Wherefore whatsoever the Lord saith here to the Lawyer, he saith it to all us, to wit, that we have yet done nothing, but that all things do yet remain to be done. All men therefore are guilty of death and subject to Satan: All men are liars, vain, filthy, and whatsoever they pretend, it is nothing worth. We are wise in our own matters, that we may scrape together money and goods, and we can speak most sweetly and fairly before men, and cunningly propound or set forth our matter. What doth God care for these things? He requireth of us that we love him with our whole heart, which no man living is able to perform, whereupon of this place is inferred, that we are all sinners, but especially they, whose life hath a goodly outward show only. This is the former part of this text, namely, the preaching of the law: Now followeth the other part, which is the preaching of the Gospel, which declareth how we may fulfil the law, and from whence that fulfilling is to be taken, which we shall learn of that Samaritan.
1How can it be that we should loue God, when his will is not setled in our mynde? If I loue God, I can not but loue his will also. Now if God send sicknes, pouertie, shame, and ignominie, it is his will, whereat what do we? we murmur, we grudge, our mynde is caried hither and thither, we take it most vnpatiently, and yet is this the least. What would we do, if we should leaue our body and life for God & Christ his sake? then would we shew our selues after an other sort. But in the meane season we do like vnto this Pharise & Lawyer, we lead an honest life outwardly, we worship God, we serue him, we fast, we pray, and behaue our selues in outward appearaunce iustly and holily. But God doth not require that of vs, but that we should bend our selues to do his will with pleasure and loue, cheerefully & louingly. Wherefore whatsoeuer the Lord sayth here to the Lawyer, he sayth it to all vs, to wit, that we haue yet done nothing, but that all thinges do yet remaine to be done. All men therefore are giltie of death and subiect to Satan: All men are lyers, vaine, filthie, and whatsoeuer they pretend, it is nothing worth. We are wise in our owne matters, that we may scrape togither money and goods, and we can speake most sweetely and fayrely before men, and cūningly propound or set forth our matter. What doth God care for these thinges? He requireth of vs that we loue him with our whole heart, which no mā liuing is able to performe, whereupon of this place is inferred, that we are all synners, but especially they, whose life hath a goodly outward shew onely. This is the former part of this text, namely, the preaching of the law: Now followeth the other part, which is the preaching of the Gospell, which declareth how we may fulfill the lawe, and from whence that fulfilling is to be taken, which we shall learne of that Samaritane.