A06521:849
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.
Verily, verily I say unto you, he that believeth in me, the works that I do, he shall do also, and greater then these shall he do. As if he should say: Doubt not any thing but that ye shall know the Father by me, and that my word is the power of God, & that by my word ye shall be sustained, although I be even crucified. Ye shall have trial hereof in your selves, for if ye believe in me, ye shall not only work such works and show such signs as I do, but even greater. Which came to pass after the ascension of Christ, when the Apostles wrought greater miracles as well among the Jews as Gentiles, then Christ him self. But what is the cause hereof? The Lord him self addeth it saying:
Verely, verely I say vnto you, he that beleeueth in me, the vvorkes that I doe, he shall doe also, and greater then these shall he doe. As if he should say: Dout not any thing but that ye shall know the Father by me, and that my word is the power of God, & that by my word ye shal be sustained, although I be euen crucified. Ye shall haue triall hereof in your selues, for if ye beleeue in me, ye shall not onely worke such workes and shew such signes as I doe, but euen greater. Which came to passe after the ascention of Christ, when the Apostles wrought greater miracles as well among the Iewes as Gentiles, then Christ him selfe. But what is the cause hereof? The Lord him selfe addeth it saying:
For I go unto my Father. That is, I will begin a kingdom, where I will fulfil all things. Here the Lord annexeth the conclusion ⟨p. 480⟩of all the questions and consolations going before. For a little before Christ had taught, that the Father is known by him, and that is because he is in the Father, he therefore is showed by that word, by which the Father is showed. But that he might confirm this, to wit, that his word is the power of the Father, he added and said: He that believeth in me, the works that I do, he shall do also. That is, by faith in me ye also shall do those works, and know that my word is the virtue and power of God. But why doth he say: I go to the Father? I answer: Because Christ is in the Father, therefore doth he the works of the Father, but we do them not also therefore, but for that Christ who is in the Father, is now in us. For to go to the Father is to fulfil all things, & as Paul according to the saying of the Psalm declareth, to give gifts unto men, to lighten and to sanctify. For this is the kingdom of Christ, whereby he reigneth in earth in the hearts of the believers, and sitteth upon the throne of his Father David. The Lord also speaketh these words: I go to the Father, to comfort his Disciples. For as he did before begin to confirm them, that they should not be troubled and offended, although he should dye, but courageously cleave to him, and believe in him: So here he promiseth them that they shall be glorified, for he goeth to the Father, who shall deliver all things into his hands, that he may mightily obtain a kingdom over all things that are in heaven and earth. Wherefore they ought nothing at all to fear. He yet comforteth them more and saith: