A06521:771
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.
It is a very goodly similitude, which may most fitly be applied to us: for we do not only bestow temporal things, but our body also by fasting, chastising, and bearing other hard and intolerable burdens, so that some have thereby become mad, and destitute of all strength, yea & at the last lost their life. And I my ⟨p. 441⟩self have been such a one, and have without doubt more resorted to medicines then many other. I could not attain so far, as to leave the Popes law. It seemed a hard and a sore matter unto me to eat flesh on the friday, O good God,1 how hard a thing was it to me, before I durst attempt to do that? Wherefore if any will be delivered from such things, and contemn the traditions of the Pope, truly he must have a strong foundation of faith, which if he shall not have, let him look about him again and again before he attempt it. For if faith be wanting, it will fall out with us as with this woman, who had spent all her substance upon Physicians, amending nothing, but rather waxing worse and worse: In like manner all our works, labours & endeavours shall be lost, all our obedience, with all orders or religions, and whatsoever we have bestowed therein shall be in vain. Howbeit if we have faith, we shall at the last see the decrees of the Pope and popish Bishops to be nothing, because of which before we trembled and were troubled, all which did help us so much, as the Physicians did that good woman, which had bestowed all her substance and riches, yea and her body also, that she might be healed. How many kinds of medicines and syrups thinkest thou did that woman use? how weak, feeble, & sick was she oftentimes made with them? yea if she might have been healed, it may seem she would have taken any medicine, howbeit it profited her nothing, she was afflicted with her disease the space of twelve years. How therefore is this miserable woman at the last helped? When she did light upon a man whose name is Christ, and put her hope and trust in him, she was healed. But who led her to that man? without doubt not the Physicians.
It is a verie goodly similitude, which may most fitly be applied to vs: for we do not onely bestow temporall thinges, but our body also by fasting, chastising, and bearing other hard and intolerable burdens, so that some haue thereby become mad, and destitute of all strength, yea & at the last lost their life. And I my ⟨p. 441⟩