A06521:730
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.
Thus Christ dealeth with us also, he suffereth us to be tempted, that we may increase in faith: if in the end of our life when we must dye, we shall have but a spark of such faith, we shall be in a good case, as Christ saith unto his Disciples Matth. 17: If ye have faith as much as is a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain: Remove hence to yonder place, & it shall be removed: and nothing shall be unpossible unto you. A grain of mustard seed is but a small thing, but he that hath faith agreeable to the smallness of this grain, shall be saved. Neither must we so much consider this, that our faith is little, but we must look unto this, we must have regard unto this, that the grain of mustard seed do remain, and be not eaten up of the birds, that Satan pluck not faith out of our hearts. We must not look how little the faith is, but we must regard and take heed that faith be not taken away. Peter had faith upon the sea, and therefore was he carried of the water, that he should not be drowned, if he had so persevered in faith, he might well have walked an hundred miles upon the sea, but when he failed in faith, he began to be drowned. So Moses had a strong faith, but he fell from it. It consisteth not in the strength or slenderness of faith, that we do stand, but in ⟨p. 415⟩persevering and remaining faithful. It may be that he shall persevere in faith, which hath but a slender faith, and he that hath a strong faith shall fall and doubt. Moses and Peter had an excellent faith, so that Moses by faith did lead the people through the middest of the sea and death, and Peter without doubting went down out of the ship into the sea, but they fall from their faith, howbeit God raiseth them up quickly again. But the Thief on the cross having once laid hold of faith, continued constant. Now God therefore suffereth it to be thus, that he may bring down rash arrogance, that we do not gloriously extol our selves, but always remain in fear & awe. For when tentation cometh upon us, we do forthwith fall into error, if God do not assist & strengthen us, of which thing we may see a very goodly similitude in a tree,1 which in the spring time buddeth and openeth it self, so that it doth as it were become white by reason of the blossoms. A shower falling upon it, many of the blossoms are shaken of, & the frost also doth much more consume them.