A06521:767
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.
1Thou findest no man in the Gospel, to whom help was denied, or which at any time asked any thing of the Lord, which was not given him. For how many soever went unto him, that were blind, deaf, lame, sick of the palsy, had the dropsy, he received all, and helped them all according to their desire, and healed them of all kinds of diseases,2 as Luke saith: All the whole multitude sought to touch him, for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all. So doeth he also to this woman. The woman heareth him preaching, and perceiveth him to be a bountiful and gracious man, which showeth himself gentle to the whole world, whereupon she hath an affection both to love him, and to cleave unto him. For she maketh account, forasmuch as he putteth away none from him, that he would not deny her his goodness, wherefore leaving all the Apostles, she casteth both her heart and confidence upon Christ alone, and thinketh thus with her self: If I may touch but the hem of his garment, I shall be whole. She thought no other thing in her heart, but, certainly he will help me, if so be that I shall touch his garment with mine hand, yet hath she not so good a courage, that she dare come before his face, she judged her self more unworthy, then that she might either talk with him, or look upon him, for she knew that she had deserved nothing, and that she had bestowed no good thing upon the Lord, hereupon it is that she so behaveth her self, she cometh behind his back, she falleth down at his feet, and toucheth only the hem of his garment. In a sum, here is nothing but mere bashfulness and want of merit: here is no preparation, here is no work, ⟨p. 439⟩and yet the miserable woman promiseth her self much goodness from the Lord, namely that he would heal her. She had bin diseased with an issue of blood twelve whole years, what could she merit thereby? how could she therefore be worthy of any thing? Nevertheless being unworthy, and having merited nothing, she notwithstanding looketh for help of Christ, feeling her self to have great need thereof. And this is a true preparation, both to the grace and goodness of Christ, when I feel my self to stand in need thereof, and then doth it very well fall out, when these two come together, the rich and the poor, Christ and the sinner.