vvordes and iudgement I make no small account of but aftervvard entring into deeper consideration of the matter and vveying on the one side the great ignorance of many euen in matters of saluation togither vvith the dayly dishonouring of God by vngodly life and on the other side the diuine doctrine and most vvholsom exhortations vvhich these Sermons conteine I vvas more forcibly stirred vp thereunto and thought that the painefull perusing of them and frutefull follovving of that vvhereof they entreat vvould be a souereigne salue to help to cure such daungerous diseases For by them may they learne to knovv one onely true God and vvhom he hath sent Iesus Christ and the infinit riches vvhich are comprised in him and offered vnto vs through him of God his Father that he humbled him selfe to exalt vs that he became a seruaunt to set vs at libertie that he vvas empouerished to make vs rich that he dyed for our sinnes rose again for our iustification that through his meanes mercie hath svvallovved vp miserie and bounty hath ouercome all euill finally that vvithout him there is no ioy nor consolation no peace nor quietnes no felicitie nor saluation but that he is the onely meanes by vvhich all good thinges are attained so that they vvhich enioy him receiue not one gift alone as vvith Salomon vvisedom vvith Samson strength vvith Iob patience vvith Paule zeale c but for pouertie they receiue riches for vveakenes strength for folly vvisedom for seruitude freedom for griefe ioy for sinne righteousnes for death life yea all good thinges vvhatsoeuer VVherefore if the faithfull man be pressed vvith pouertie he may here learne that by Christ he is adopted to be the Sonne of God and so may be comforted saying to him selfe Hovv can he be poore vvhich hath God to his Father vvho both is able to giue all thinges necessary for his is the earth and all that therein is and also vvill giue the same because he is most louing and gracious to his children Againe if he feele in him selfe vveaknes he may learne here that he is not able of him selfe to attaine vnto strength but that it is the gift of Christ vvho strengtheneth such as beleeue in him so may be stirred vp by harty prayer to aske the same of him that he vvill vouchsafe by his holy spirit to strengthen and confirme him that he may be able to performe that by grace vvhich by nature and of him selfe he shall neuer be able to doe as mightely to subdue the rebellious flesh strongly to resist and at the last valiauntly to ouercome the tentations of Satan patiently to beare the troubles of the vvorld and constantly to contemne the allurements of the same Moreouer if he thirst after diuine and heauenly vvisedom vvhich is to knovv God aright and those thinges that are necessary to be knovvne to the attaining of saluation he may finde here largely and liuely set forth that Christ came his Fathers Embassadour and Messenger to men that by him they might be brought to the right knovvledge of God and into all truth so that by him vve are enlightened vvith the knovvledge of God by him vve are instructed in all truth and consequently by him vve obtaine diuine and heauenly vvisedom Here also shall he learne that Christ vvas made vnder the lavve that he might redeeme them vvhich vvere in bondage vnder the lavve of seruile bondmen make them free sonnes euen the children of God Furthermore if griefe and heauines come vpon him he is here taught vvhere true ioy may be had euen in Christ Iesus alone that in him onely he may fynde sure comfort souereigne medicines present remedie true ioy of heart and quietnes of conscience Finally vvhereas vve are synnefull and haue by our synnes iustly deserued Gods eternall vvrath and most heauie vengeance he shall here learne that Christ hath payed the ransome for our synnes and pacified Gods most grieuous vvrath and displeasure iustly conceiued against vs. And because it is not sufficient that due satisfaction be made for synnes and Gods vvrath appeased but vve must also appeare righteous before God it is here shevved that as by one mans disobedience many vvere made synners so by the obedience of one namely of Iesus Christ as many as beleeue in him shal be made righteous inasmuch as his righteousnes is imputed to them as their ovvne vvhereby they appeare perfectly righteous before God and are accepted of him so that vvhereas they had of themselues deserued eternall death they are through Christ accounted vvorthie of euerlasting life But vvhat doe I goe about to rehearse the infinite treasures vvhich the faithfull enioy through Christ it shall be sufficient to conclude vvith the Apostle Paule and say If God spared not his ovvne Sonne but gaue him for vs all to death hovv shall he not vvith him giue vs all thinges also Novv forasmuch as these thinges and the right meanes to attaine vnto them are in these Sermons of that most learned Diuine Martin Luther most learnedly yea euen diuinely set forth they may vndoutedly be a singular meane not onely to instruct them vvhich be ignorant in matters of saluation but also to increase and confirme the knovvledge of such as haue already vvell profited in Christian religion Hovvbeit there is annexed hereunto sound and absolute doctrine concerning good vvorkes and godly conuersation as being most necessary to be of all Christiās perfectly knovvne and effectually follovved For Christians through Christ being become the Sonnes of God hovv vnmeete yea hovv abhominable a thinge is it that they should resemble Satan in their doinges being novv made the members of Christ hovv detestable a thing is it that they should be instruments of iniquitie being novv the temple of the holy Ghost hovv beastly a thinge vvere it to defyle the same vvith the filthines of synne Finally hauing receiued so many and so great benefites of God through Christ hovv vvicked and shamefull a thinge should it be to be vnthankefull to so gracious a God to be disobedient to so louing a Father in any vvise to displease so mercifull a Sauiour But it shal be needelesse much to stand vpon this point seeing it is not vnknovvne to the faithfull vvith hovv great endeuour they ought to auoyde that vvhich is euill and embrace that vvhich is good and therefore shall syncere perfect doctrine concerning good vvorkes be vnto them no lesse commodious and profitable then needefull and necessarie For the causes aboue specified especially among other I haue right VVorshipfull though not finely yet faithfully translated these Sermons into our vulgar tounge and haue done myne endeuour for the publishing of the same vvhich I doe humbly dedicate to your VVorships protection by your zealous godlines and godly zeale chiefly moued thereunto vvhereby I am induced to thinke that you vvill vvell accept of them For as the godly do vvith Dauid delight in the Arke of the Couenant in the Tabernacle of the Lord in
therefore beleeued and we do also beleeue to wit the Fathers and we with a like and common faith in the same Christ although not after the same maner as it is saide And as by reason of this communion of faith which we haue a like in the same Christ we say we haue beleeued or we did beleeue when as not we but the Fathers haue beleeued or did beleeue so they againe did say that they should heare see and beleeue in Christ when as not they but we do liue in that time We read not in a few places of the Scriptures that they which were before the incarnation of Christ tooke vpon them the person of them which are after it and they which are after it of them which were before it because of the communion of faith and the same Christ which they haue in common and so there is as it were one companie of beleeuers Now whereas the Apostle saith How saluatiō is neerer vnto vs then it was to the beleuers before Christes incarnation that saluation is now neerer vnto vs then when we beleeued that is when our Fathers those auncient beleeuers did looke for it to come we must not vnderstād it of the neerenes of possession as though we now had it neerer and more certainly then they for the Fathers had altogither the same faith as it is said and the same Christ wherefore saluation was as neere vnto them as vnto vs. For Christ yesterday and to day the same also is for euer Heb. 13. Christ continueth the same from the beginning of the world euen vnto the end by whom all are saued alike But Paul speaketh of the neerenes of reuealing that what soeuer thinges were saide before concerning Christ they were now fulfilles death being ouercome the Lord did sitte at the right hand of the Father the Gospell was preached abroad in the world by which Christ did come vnto all in the whole world for this cause Paul sayth that our saluation is neerer then when it was hidden and knowne vnto few men because that Christ being not yet glorified it was not meete that the preaching of saluation should be made publike or common Whereas therefore the Apostle sayth here Our saluation is now neerer vs he sayth the same thing in the Epistle to Titus in other wordes The grace of God which bringeth saluation hath appeared that is hath sprong forth and is euerie where commonly preached although it was not hid before in any of the Saincts notwithstāding it was not yet commonly knowne vnto the world After the same sort the Scripture speaketh in many places when it sometime saith that Christ is to come sometime that he is come although he alwayes hath bin and is in all the elect Howbeit because he had not before his resurrection come to all by publike preaching the Scripture speaketh diuersly of his comming For because of this publike preaching he came in the flesh being made man for his incarnation had not bin profitable to any The cōming of Christ by the preaching of the Gospell if the Gospell had not thereupon bin preached by which he came into the whole world and whereby it is commonly knowne why he was made man whereby that blessing promised to Abraham is now published and made common to all which by the Gospell beleeue in Christ Hereupon Paul sayth verie well Rom. 1. that the Gospel was promised of God c. as though he would say although God hath promised euerie where in the writinges of the Prophets his sonne in the flesh yet forasmuch as all that should be done that the Gospell might be preached abroad in the world whereby he commeth spiritually to the myndes of the beleeuers which comming onely bringeth saluation and is farre to be preferred before that comming in the flesh inasmuch as it was done because of this I say rather that God promised by the Prophets in the Scriptures the Gospell concerning his sonne For God considered the Gospell and our faith in all these thinges for which he would also haue him to be made man that the Gospel might be preached of him that being made man he hath saued vs by his death and that the saluation which he hath wrought might go into the whole world and be made neere vnto all Some haue taught fower comminges of Christ according to the fower sundayes in Aduent as they call it but this comming of Christ by the Gospell which is most necessarie of all and of which all do depend of which Paul here speaketh this cōming I say they could not see inasmuch as they are ignoraunt both what the Gospell is and to what end it was giuen They babbie many things of the comming of Christ and neuertheles they driue him further from themselues thē heauen is distaunt from the earth For what can Christ profit any man which doth not possesse him by faith or how can any man possesse him by faith where the Gospell is not preached The night is passed and the day is at hand By the daye what is signified His meaning in effect is that saluation is at hand For by the day Paule vnderstandeth the Gospell namely that it is that daye whereby our hearts and mindes are enlightned therefore such a day being sprong our saluation is certainly at hand that is Christ and his grace promised in time past to Abraham hath shined forth by preaching in the whole world giueth light vnto all men raiseth all out of sleepe sheweth true and eternall good things wherein we may be hereafter occupied What is here ment by the night and may walke honestly in this day Contrariwise by the night all doctrine is to be vnderstood which is not the Gospell beside which none can bring saluation But if thou do a litle more exactly wey the wordes thou shalt see that Paule describeth that part of the daye which is most delectable of all and most full of all pleasauntnes namely the ioyfull and amiable morning and the rising of the sunne For it is the morning when the night is gone and ended and the daye is nowe come whereupon all thinges are meruelously cheered and recreated the birdes sing other lyuing creatures doe stirre vp with alacritie and ioyfulnes men being as it were made aliue againe doe goe forth to their labours all thinges the daye springing and the morning shining are so affected as though the world were renued and all thinges restored to life againe Wherefore in many places of the Scripture the ioyfull The preaching of the Gospell likened to the morning prosperous and quickning preaching of the Gospell is likened to the morning and the rising of the sunne as it is here of Paule who calleth the Gospell the day sprinking or arising Also Psal 110 In the daye of thy power shall the people offer thee free will offeringes of the wombe of the morning shall the dewe of thy children spring Here also the Gospell is plainly called the wombe of the
requiring him selfe to be counted for a rule whereunto the rest ought to apply and order them selues An old Interpreter translateth it modestie which if thou vnderstand it aright and not for the onely moderation temperancie of meate and apparell as it is wont commonly to be taken is not altogither vnfitly translated namely if thou vnderstand it to be a vertue whereby one thinking modestly of him self endeuoureth to order and apply him selfe vnto all according to the capacitie and abilitie of euery one ready to permit to take in good part to obey to giue place to doe to omit to suffer all thinges as he shall see it will profit his neighbour albeit he must suffer hinderance and losse of his substance name and body thereby That these thinges may be made more playne it shall be good to declare them by examples An example of a patient minde in Paule Paule 1. Cor. 9 writeth thus of him self Vnto the Iewes I become as a Iew that I may winne the Iewes to them that are vnder the lawe as though I were vnder the lawe to them that are without lawe as though I were without lawe when I am not without lawe as pertaining to God but am in the lavve through Christ I am made all thinges to all men that I might by all meanes saue some Behold thou seest here the patient pliant minde rightly obseruing those things which are here commaunded For those things that he writeth of him selfe haue this meaning Sometimes he did eate drinke and doe all thinges as a Iewe albeit it was not necessary that he should so doe sometimes he did eate and drinke with the Gentiles and did all thinges as free from the lawe For onely faith in God and loue toward our neighbour are necessarily required all other thinges are free so that we may freely obserue them for one mans sake omit them for an other mans sake as we shall perceiue it to be profitable to euery one Now it is contrary to this modestie or meekenes if one hauing an impatient mind trusteth to his owne wit An impatient minde what it doth and contendeth that one thing among the rest is necessary which thou must either omit or obserue and so applying him selfe vnto none but contending to haue all other to apply them selues vnto him he neglecteth peruerteth the softnes meekenes which is here taught yea the libertie of faith also such some of the Iewes were vnto whom we must giue no place euen as Paule yeelded not vnto them We see the same example commonly in Christ but specially Matth. 12 Mar. 2. where we reade that he suffered his Disciples to breake the Sabbath he him selfe also when the case so required did breake it when it was otherwise he did keepe it whereof he gaue this reason The Sonne of man is Lord euen of the Sabbath Which is as much to say as the Sabbath is free that thou mayst breake it for one mans sake and commoditie and for the sake and commoditie of an other thou mayst keepe it So Paule caused Timothe to be circumcised because of the Iewes for that they thought that it was of importance to their saluation againe he would not haue Titus circumcised because certain Iewes did vniustly vrge it so that the circumcision of Titus would haue bene rather a confirmation of errour vnto them then haue profited them any thing Paule therefore would keepe circumcision free that he might sometime vse it and sometime not vse it as he should perceiue it to be commodious and profitable to euery one How the ordinaunces decrees of men must be obserued or not obserued So to come to other matters when the Pope commaundeth to make confession to fast to abstaine from or vse this or that kind of meate c and exacteth these thinges as necessary to saluation they are to be vtterly contemned and those thinges that are contrary to these are most freely to be done but if he should not commaund them as necessary if any man might be holpen or edified in any thinge by the obseruation of them surely they were to be obserued but freely and of loue onely as also they are to be omitted if the omitting of them may be profitable to any The reason of this libertie is this The Sonne of man is Lord of the Sabbath if of the Sabbath howe much more of the traditions of men Whatsoeuer thou shalt obserue vpon this libertie it can not hurt any but to obserue them of necessitie it extinguisheth faith and the Gospell Likewise if one liue as yet in a Monasterie if he obserue the vowes and ordinaunces of that life vpon Christian libertie and of loue to his brethren that he may edifie them and of no necessitie neither with the hinderance of his owne or other mens saluation he shall doe godly for he is free but if those thinges be straitly required as necessary to saluation then before thou suffer thy selfe to be brought into this errour Monasteries shauings hoods vowes rules ordinaunces and all such like must be left and the contrary must be done to witnes that onely faith and loue are necessary for a Christian and that all other thinges are free so that he may eyther omit or doe them for the edifying and cause of them with whom he liueth Whatsoeuer thou shalt obserue vpon libertie and of loue is godly but if thou obserue any thing of necessitie it is vngodly The same is to be sayd of all other ordinaunces and decrees of men which are wont to be obserued in Monasteries that whatsoeuer doth not disagree with the worde of God thou mayst being free eyther obserue or omit it according as thou shalt knowe it to be profitable and acceptable to them with whom thou art conuersant but if they be required as necessary reiect them all vtterly and tread them vnder thy feete Hereupon thou now seest what a deuilish thing the Papacie Monasteries be For whatsoeuer things be fre to be permitted to free loue onely they make them necessary Christian liberty turned of the Papistes into meere necessitie and say the keeping of them is of importance to saluation wherby truely as much as is in them they togither peruert and extinguish the Gospell and faith I passe ouer with silence that they hereupon set and sell the care of the bellie in steede of the seruice of God For how many among them at this day do for Gods cause not rather for the bellies sake take vpon them to be Monkes or Clerkes do frequent the quier sing pray say Masse or doe any such thinge wherein they counterfait and corrupt the true worship seruice of God The common subuersion of all Monasteries were the best reformation of all these thinges from which so much discommoditie and no whit of profite may be looked for Before one Monasterie could be perswaded concerning true Christian libertie infinite thousands of soules in others should perish
wherefore forasmuch as they bringe no commoditie at all neither is there any neede of them and they are cause of greater hinderance to a Christian common weale then can be thought and can not by any meanes be reformed what can be more profitable then that they be vtterly ouerthrowne and abolished Moreouer that we may admonish here concerning the ciuill Magistrate when he commaundeth or requireth any thing Obedience to the ciuill Magistrate doth not hinder Christian libertie yea if he compel thereunto we must obey for there commeth no losse of Christian libertie or of faith hereby forasmuch as they doe not contend that those thinges are necessary to saluation which they do ordaine or require but onely to maintaine outward rule publike tranquillitie and gouernment so the conscience remaineth free Wherefore forasmuch as it doth nothing hinder faith to do those things which the ciuill Magistrate commaundeth but doth also profit the common weale it shall be without dout a point of Christian obedience to endeuour to do them with a willing mind that we may be such as are pliant agreeable to all men willing to doe all things ready to deserue well of euery one to gratifie all Howbeit if any should contend that those commaundements of the ciuill Magistrate be necessary to saluation then as it is sayd of the traditions of the Papistes the contrary rather were to be done or at the lest it were to be witnessed that thou doost them onely for the common weales sake because so it is profitable to others and not that thou mayst obtaine saluation by them which we haue gotten by Christ Iesus alone as many of vs as beleeue in him According to this doctrine the examples before mentioned euery one ought to behaue him selfe in euery thinge toward all men as Paule here teacheth that he sticke not to his owne iudgement or right but that he shew him selfe pliant vnto others and haue regard of those thinges which he shall knowe will be acceptable and profitable to his neighbours When therefore it doth nothing hinder thy faith and profiteth thy neighbour to yeeld somewhat of thine owne right if thou doe it not thou art without charitie neglectest that Christian softnes patient mind that Paule here speaketh of Yea if thou hast regard hereof as he that truly beleeueth in Christ ought to haue thou must take it patiently euen when any man doth iniurie vnto thee or endamage thee and so interprete it in the better part and alwaies think on that A most worthy saying of a right Christian Martyr which that Martyr when all his substance was taken from him sayd But they shall not take away Christ from me So whatsoeuer chaunceth vnto thee say thou I haue as yet suffered no losse of my faith why shoulde I not take it in good parte which my neighbour hath done why should I not yeeld vnto him and apply my selfe to his will Thou canst scarce find a more manifest example hereof An example which Christians ought to follow in behauing them selues toward their neighbours then betwene two vnfeyned friendes for as they behaue them selues one toward an other so ought a Christian to behaue him selfe toward euery one Either of them endeuoreth to gratifie other either of them giueth place to other suffereth doth and omitteth whatsoeuer he seeth to be for the profite and commoditie of the other that freely without all constraint Either of them doth diligently apply him selfe to the will of the other neither of them compelleth other to follow his mind if one should vse the goods of an other that other would not be offended but would take it in good part and would not grudge rather to giue more and that I may speake briefly betweene such there is no exaction of lawe no grudging no constraint no necessitie but libertie fauour and good will Contrariwise such as be impatient and obstinate which take nothing in good part of any man but go about to make all things subiect to their owne will and to order all thinges according to their owne iudgement The impatient obstinate are cause of much euill such I say trouble the world and are the cause of all discordes contentions warres whatsoeuer discommoditie there is they say afterward that they did those thinges for the loue of iustice and for that they endeuoured to defend that which is right So that that heathen man sayd not amisse Extreme rigour is extreme iniurie And Salomon also sayth Eccles 7. Be thou neither too righteous nor ouer wise For as extreme rigour is extreme iniurie so too great wisedom is extreme folly Which also is meant by this common saying when wise men dote they dote beyond measure Surely if God should deale with vs according to right we should perish in a moment wherefore as Paule prayseth in him this moderation of right and incomparable patience and gentlenes saying 2. Cor. 10 I beseech you by the meekenes and gentlenes of Christ so is it also meete that we doe obserue a measure of our iudgement right wisedom prudence and in all thinges apply our selues to the profit commoditie of others But let vs weie the wordes of the Apostle for they are placed not without a spirituall skilfulnes he sayth Let your patient minde or softnes be knowne vnto all men Where thou must not thinke that he commaundeth thee to be made knowne vnto all men How our patient minde must be made knowē vnto all men or that thou oughtest to tell thy patient mind or softnes before all men For he sayth not tell it forth but let it be knowne that is endeuour to practize it toward men I doe not commaund that ye shoulde thinke or speake of it but that ye labour that it may be knowne in deede while all men doe trie and feele it that no man may say any other thing of you then that ye be of a patient minde and pliant applying your selues to all men being enforced so to say euen by manifest experience So that if any man were neuer so much bent to speake otherwise of you his mouth might be stopped by that testimonie of all other witnessing of your patient mind and meekenes So sayth Christ Matth. 5. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen And Peter sayth 1. Pet. 2. Haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles that they which speake euill of you as of euill doers may by your good workes which they shall see glorifie God in the day of visitation It is not surely in our power that our patient mind should be knowne and acknowledged of all men but it shal be sufficient for vs if we endeuour that all men may haue triall thereof in vs and that no man may finde it wanting in our life Moreouer all men is not so to be taken that thou shouldest vnderstand thereby all men