SPECIAL AND CHOSEN SERMONS OF D. MARTIN LVTHER COLLECTED OVT 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. Philip. 3.8.9 I thinke all thinges but losse for the excellencie of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I haue counted all thinges losse and doe iudge them but vile that I may winne Christ and be found in him not hauing myne owne righteousnes which is of the lawe but that which is through the faith of Christ euen the righteousnes which is of God through faith ANCHORA SPEI Imprinted at London by Thomas Vautroullier dwelling in the Blacke Friers by Ludgate CVM PRIVILEGIO 1578. A CATALOGVE OR REHEARsall of the Sermons conteined in this booke 1 A Sermon of the natiuitie of Christ pag. 1. 2 A Sermon of the Epiphanie or Appearing of Christ 19. 3 A Sermon of the Genealogie or Pedegre of Christ 35. 4 A Sermon of the Hymne of Zacharias commōly called Benedictus 45. 5 A Sermon of the Meditation of Christes passion 67. 6 A Sermon of the frute and vertue of Christ his resurrection 74. 7 A Sermon of the good shepeheard 79. 8 A Sermon of the lost shepe 92. 9 A Sermon of the woman of Canaan 122. 10 A Sermon of saluation freely by grace without the workes and merits of men 129. 11 A Sermon of the kingdom of God 153. 12 A Sermon of Prayer 161. 13 A Sermon concerning the bidding of Guests to the great supper 164. 14 A Sermon of the workes of charitie 170. 15 A Sermon of the summe of Christian life 182. 16 A Sermon of the question of the Pharisees and aunswer of Christ concerning giuing tribute to Cesar 213. 17 A Sermon of saluation by Christ alone 225. 18 A Sermon of good workes the frutes of faith 234. 19 A Sermon of ioy in God and a patient mind toward men 254. 20 A Sermon of them that be vnder the lawe and them that be vnder grace 274. 21 A Sermon of faith and diffidence in daunger trouble 316. 22 A Sermon of the life of a Christian 324. 23 A Sermon of tentation 336. 24 A Sermon of the leading of a godly life 351. 25 A Sermon of Gods prouidence and care for his children 463. 26 A Sermon of truste in God in penurie and distresse 371. 27 A Sermon against the contempt of Gods word 379. 28 A Sermon of the Law and the Gospel 391. 29 A Sermon of the exercise and increasing of faith 406. 30 A Sermon of remission of sinnes to the contrite and broken in hart terrible iudgement to the indurate and obstinate 418. 31 A Sermon of trust and hope in Christ that by him we shall obtaine all good thinges 431. 32 A Sermon of the workes which Christ hathe wrought for vs wherin is contained a most sweet consolation against the Lawe Sinne Death and Satan 446. 33 A Sermon vpon the Gospell on S. Matthias day 456. 34 A Sermon vpon the Gospell on the feaste of S. Philip and Iames. 469. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL SYR THOMAS HENNEAGE KNIGHT TREASVRER OF HER MAiesties priuie chamber VV. GACE wisheth peace and saluation in Christ COnsydering right VVorshipfull that saying of Dauid alleaged by the Apostle Paul that there is none that vnderstandeth none that seeketh after God that all are gone out of the vvay and become vnprofitable me thinkes it doth liuely set forth the blindnesse of mans vnderstanding the vvickednesse of his vvill and his peruersnes and vnhabilitie vnto that vvhich is good VVhereof if vve had not many testimonies of Scripture yet common experience vvere able to confirme the same vvhen vve daily see men so carefull to liue and so carelesse to liue vvell Hovvbeit this is no meruell for as a tree vvhose roote is rotten and infected vvith venimous sappe bringeth forth none but corrupt and naughty frute so from mans hart vvhich is corrupt and infected vvith the venim of sinne can proceede nothing that is good Novv mans vnderstanding being blinde he is not able of him selfe to attaine to the knovvledge of God and consequently vvithout some other meanes or helpe can not be saued for this as our Sauiour in the Gospell sayth is life euerlasting to knovv one onely true God and him vvhom he hath sent Iesus Christ. Againe mans vvill being corrupt he is not able to serue God as his dutie requireth as to honour him as his Lord to obey him as his father to trust in him as his Protector and preseruer to be thankefull to him for his infinite benefites c. VVherefore leste man being ignorant of God should be excluded from saluation or lest through the vvickednes of his vvill and inclination to euill he should dishonour so high a Lord disobey so good a father distrust so carefull a preseruer and be vnthankefull to so gracious a giuer vvho doth not see hovv requisite and needefull it is that he should by good instructions be brought to the knovvledge of the Lorde God and by godly exhortations and admonitions be reclaimed from his vvicked vvayes to the performance of his dutie Novv forasmuch as God hath in his vvord reuealed so much of him selfe as is expedient for man to knovv hath therein also prescribed that maner of seruing him vvhereof be accepteth man must out of it learne the true knovvledge and right seruice of God and therefore most necessary it is that this vvord be preached taught that therby man may learne to knovv God and truely to vvorship serue him being knovvne So shall his minde be enlightened vvith diuine knovvledge and his vvill reformed according to Gods vvil so shall this vvord be a lanterne vnto his feete and a light vnto his paths vvhereby he may be directed in al his vvayes But alas this is a thing to be lamented that the haruest is great but the labourers are fevv For among them vvhich supply the places of labourers in the Lordes haruest some there be vvho doe vvith diligence discharge their dutie many moe there are vvho albeit they be able yet doe eyther quite neglect it or very sclēderly execute it but greatest is the number of them vvho for lacke of skil knovvledge are not able at all to performe it VVherefore there is great neede to pray the Lord of the haruest that he vvill send forth labourers into his haruest vvhereby many moe then doe may receiue the Gospell of Christ Iesus euen to the saluation of their soules The premisses vvell vveyed I thinke right VVorshipfull there may a sufficient reason be gathered vvhy I did purpose the publishing of these Sermons of D. Martin Luther in our vulgar tongue and vvhy at the last I haue by some labour and paynes brought the sayd purposed publishing to passe I vvas in deede at the first procured thereunto by a learned Father of this lande vvhose
death sinne and Satan why and free from Satan Howe commeth this to passe After this sorte Your brotherly charitie hath oftentimes heard heretofore that God leaueth in vs an appearance and feeling of death and the deuill so that my sinne disquieteth me and troubleth my conscience and would driue me vnto desperation Moreouer the iudgement of God terrifieth me death assaileth me as if it would deuoure me Satan is at hande and seeketh to suppresse me God suffereth these to remaine taketh them not quite away For this appearance must continue that we may perceiue and feele that we are nothing else of our selues but sinners subiect to sinne and Satan And yet vnder this appearance lieth hid life innocencie and dominion and victorie ouer sinne Satan hell c as Christ him selfe sayth Matth. 16. Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my Church the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it he sayth not they shall not assaile it nor fight against it for these two remayne to sinne and death Nowe it is also expedient that I feele the biting of sinne the terrour of the wrath of God the horrour of death yea and death it selfe But all this is a certaine outward appearance before my sight and the sight of the world The cōfort of Christians against sinne death and Satan which knowe and iudge none otherwise but that sinne death and Satan are present Notwithstanding in the meane season vnder that assault and terrour the word and spirit are encouraging me preseruing me assuring me that God is not angry with me that my sinne is forgiuen me that I shall neither dye nor be forsaken Vpon this foundation hope my hart doth wholy rest And no man hauing such a confidēce in God remaineth vnder sinne neither is drowned in death but is made a conquerour of sinne and death This is not to preuaile or ouercome for that albeit Satan attempteth yet he doth not get the victorie We call the house of Dauid a mortal house sinnefull and subiect to the deuill according to the maner of all flesh and blood and yet notwithstanding the horne of saluation is raysed vp in the same The kingdom of faith that men of that kingdom may enioy saluation and felicitie Hereby ye see that this kingdom is the kingdom of faith which can not be touched nor outwardly perceiued of any which one can not shewe to an other but euery one must haue it in him self that when he shall draw neare vnto death shal feele sinne or euen see death before him he may then in faith lay hold on this kingdom beleue that his sinnes are forgiuen him For Christ therefore died that thou mightest be in this kingdom of faith Wherefore sinne shal encounter with thee in vaine death is taken away Christ is with thee who can hurt thee who can do any euill vnto thee Here life and death sinne and innocencie Christ and Satan doe fight one with an other but Christ life innocencie doe ouercome and conquer This is soone spoken but not so easily felt yea the contrary surely is rather felt Wherefore if thou wilt esteeme and consider this kingdom according to the iudgement of the world thou shalt vtterly erre and be deceiued The world calleth that a good peaceable kingdom where all thinges are quiet prosperous and goe well forward where is safetie peace and innocencie outwardly But here is the kingdom of saluation and grace although it alwayes appeare otherwise Wherefore all these thinges are to be vnderstood in spirit and faith not to be iudged according to the person or outward appearance Neither ought it to seeme straunge that this kingdom doth flourish in the middes of sinnes the force of Satan death wherof Zacharias here singeth euen from the bottom of his hart and knoweth well how it commeth to passe faith and the spirit reuealing it Concerning sinne I haue seene or knowen none in whom it is not Euen the most holy are not free from sinne Rom. 7.18 Whomsoeuer thou settest before thee sinne will by and by appeare Paule a most holy Apostle affirmeth of him selfe that he feeleth sinne in his members VVill sayth he is present with me but I find no meanes to performe that which is good For I doe not the good thing which I would but the euil which I would not that do I. He wished in deede to be free from sinnes but yet he could not but liue in them And I and such like are also desirous to be exempted from sinnes but that can by no meanes be brought to passe we doe onely represse and keepe them vnder when we haue fallen into sinne we rise againe But as long as we are clothed with this flesh and beare the burden thereof about with vs so long sinne is not extinguished nor can be wholy subdued We may well goe about and endeuour to subdue it notwithstanding old Adam will leade his life also vntill he shall dye and come vnto the graue What shall I neede to say any more The kingdom of Christ is a certaine speciall kingdom wherein euery one of the Sainctes is compelled to make this confession Almighty God vnto whose power all thinges acknowledge them selues subiect I confesse my self to be a miserable sinner reuenge not I beseech thee my old iniquities Al also must sing this song Our father c. forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. Other righteous holy ones which knowe no measure or ende of their righteousnes and holines doe vnderstand nothing hereof and therefore this Gospell is not preached vnto them seeing that they thinke the kingdom of Christ to be such that there is no sinne at all in it but that all thinges in it are cleane pure they require such a Christian as is wholy cleane from all filth of sinne and without sinne as Christ him selfe such a one they shall neuer be able to finde Now he is a Christian who being a sinner confesseth him self a sinner who hateth the feeling of sinne striuing against it from his hart He is not a Christian which thinketh that he hath no sinne neither feeleth any But if thou knowest any such he is an Antichristian and not a true Christian The kingdom of Christ therefore consisteth among sinnes it is established there where he hath set it that is in the house of Dauid Yea set Dauid him selfe before your eyes and ye shal finde him to haue bene a sinner who notwithstanding is bold to glory that he is a seruant acceptable to his Lord. There is none of the faithfull which ought to be ashamed of this maner of praying vnto God or of any other not much vnlike vnto it Lorde forgiue vs our sinne is it therefore true that they haue sinne because they say so yea truely for if they should lye they should be the children of Satan But godly Christians are weary of this life greatly desiring the life
that be his and the iudgement which we haue deserued he taketh vpon himselfe he suffered the punishment due vnto vs willingly making himselfe subiect to death and the curse that is to eternall damnation no otherwise then if he had transgressed the whole Lawe and had more then all deserued the sentence thereof against transgressours when as he did not onely not breake the Lawe but himselfe alone fulfilled it yea and fulfilled it when as he ought nothing to it so that he suffered otherwise then he deserued in two respects both for that he had ought nothing to the Lawe if he had not obserued it and also for that moreouer he most diligently obserued it so that if the Law had had especiall dominion ouer him yet had he come in no daunger thereof But on the other side whereas we suffer we suffer by double right both for that by the transgression of the Lawe we haue deserued all the punishment thereof also for that if we had deserued nothing yet being creatures we ought to be obedient to the will of our Creator Hereof it now plainly appeareth what this meaneth that Christ was made vnder the Lawe Why Christ was made vnder the Law that he might redeeme them which liue vnder the lawe for our sakes for our sakes I say and not for his owne he performed that and that of no necessitie but of his great loue toward vs and thereby he hath declared his vnspeakeable both goodnes and mercy toward vs being made accursed for vs that he might deliuer vs from the curse of the lawe He willingly made himselfe subiect to the iudgement of the lawe did himselfe beare the sentēce pronounced against vs that as many of vs as do beleeue in him might be free for euer Whereby marke what an incomparable treasure faith bringeth vnto thee By fayth we enioy an incomparable treasure whereby thou enioyest Christ and all his workes that thou mayst trust vnto them no otherwise then if thou thy selfe hadst done them For Christ did them not for himselfe whom surely they could profit nothinge he hauing no neede of any thinge but by them he layd vp the treasure of saluation for vs whereunto we should trust and being made blessed might enioye it With which fayth also the spirit of the sonnes commeth which beareth witnes with our spirit that we are the sonnes and heires of God What should God nowe adde vnto these How can a mynde hearing these thinges containe it selfe that it should not loue God againe with a most ardent affection and be most sweetely delighted in him What in any wise maye come to be done or suffered which thou wouldest not willingly take vpon thee with exceeding ioye and most high prayse of God with a reioycing and triumphing mynde Which mynde if thou wantest it is a certaine argument of a faint or surely a dead fayth for the greater thy fayth is so much more ready also and willinge is thy mynde to those thinges which God either sendeth or commaundeth This in deede is the true deliueraunce from the Lawe and the damnation of the Lawe that is from synne and death which deliueraunce commeth to vs by Christ Yet not so that there is nowe no lawe or death but that they do not now trouble the beleeuers any thinge that is they are as though they were not For the Lawe can not conuince them of synne neither can death confound them but by fayth they most happily passe from synne and death to righteousnes and life Here Munkes Nunnes c were to be exhorted if there were as yet left any place with them for counsell and admonition that they would obserue their ordinaunces How mens ordinances ceremonies c. are to be obserued ceremonies prayers apparell and such like as Christ obserued the lawe by which meanes surely they should bring vnto them no damnation That is that they would set the faith of Christ in the first place and commit the rule of their heart vnto him acknowledgeing that by that fayth onely they do obtaine righteousnes and saluation and that all their ordinaunces workes do auaile nothing hereunto Againe that they would make themselues subiect to them of their owne accord in no other respect then that by them they might serue their neighbours and subdue the arrogancie of the flesh But now seing they are occupied in them with this double erroneous opinion as though they were necessarie to saluation and righteousnes and if they did not obserue them they should grieuously synne they are vnto them a most certaine destruction nothing but delusion and synne whereby with their great affliction they draw vnto hell where they shall fully suffer the vexations and torments vnder the Abbat the deuell which being miserable and foolish men they haue here begon For all their life doth vtterly disagree with the fayth of the sonnes and that which belongeth onely to fayth to wit to iustifie and saue vs they attribute to their workes Wherefore these men can not both thus sticke vnto their ordinances and therewithall haue faith which suffereth it selfe to be addicted to no certaine workes but what thinges soeuer the Lord either sendeth or commaundeth or the necessitie and neede of our neighbour requireth it suffreth and doth them with great willingnes ioy These he that is endued with faith counteth his workes hauing in the meane season no regard of Masses or fasting which some appoint to certaine dayes of choise of apparell of meates of persons of places and such like yea he greatly disalloweth of these inasmuch as they trouble Christian libertie These thinges shall suffize to haue bin spoken concerning the exposition of this place of Paul where about the matter it selfe required to spend so many wordes forasmuch as the nature of faith is so vnknowen For vnles thou do well vnderstand the nature of faith thou shalt perceiue nothing or very litle in the writinges of Paul Verse 6. And because ye are sonnes God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts which cryeth Abba Father Here we see verie plainly that the holy Ghost commeth vnto the Saincts by no workes but by faith alone for Paul saith And because ye are sonnes God hath sent forth the Spirit 〈◊〉 Sōnes beleeue when seruaunts onely worke sonn̄es are free from the Lawe seruaunts are held vnder the Lawe as appeareth plainly by those thinges that are before spoken But how commeth it to passe that he saith Because ye are sonnes A question God hath sent forth the Spirit c. seeing it is before said that by the comming of the spirit we are chaunged from seruaunts vnto the state of sonnes so that the spirit must be first sent vnto vs before we are sonnes But here as though we could be sonnes before the comming of the spirit The answer he sayth Because ye are sonnes c. To this question we must aunswere that Paul speaketh here after the same sort that he
this prayer he shewed his faith which faith being perceiued the Lorde could not but graunt his desire wherefore rising forthwith he went with him in this going this historie of the woman came to passe which had bene diseased of an issue of blood twelue yeares as we haue now hearde When therefore the Lorde was entred into the Rulers house he sawe the minstrells and the multitude making noyse which were there according to the lawe of Moses and did sounde the trumpet and pipes as in our cuntrie they ringe the bells to gather the people togither But he commaunded the multitude to go forth saying The child is not dead but sleepeth And they laught him to scorne and mocked him Which giueth vs to vnderstand The preaching of the Gospell is contemned and counted foolishnes of the world that when it is preached that Christ is he which saueth that our works preuaile nothing then the world can not conteine it selfe but that it scorneth mocketh for it can not be persuaded that Christ doth helpe and succour euen as this people without all dout sayd after this sort Beholde what an excellent Maister and a goodly Phisitian he is what could he haue holpen which knoweth not yet what it is to sleepe and what to be dead This title must needes remayne to the Gospell in the world that the preaching thereof is counted foolish and contemptible For Satan can not abide that honour should be giuen to this Gospel before the world for it bringeth but smal commoditie to his kingdom which forasmuch as he perceiueth full well he practizeth all craftes and wiles that he may either altogither hinder it or at the least make it to preuaile litle with them that be his whose hartes he hath wholy blinded and possessed that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ shoulde not shine vnto them as S. Paule sayth 2. Cor. 4. Neither yet can it be that this preaching of Christ should not be frutefull forasmuch as it is not vttered in vaine for albeit it be receiued but of a few that doth not greatly skill When therefore Satan perceiueth any thing to be taken from him and that that preaching is ordained plainly against his kingdom Satan a most grieuous enemie to the preaching of the Gospell he doth without delay pursue it contemne it and assaile it on euery side that euen now he is fierce and rageth in the whole world For the Gospell of Christ ouerthroweth whatsoeuer the world and Satan delight in and whatsoeuer to the worlde seemeth most holy goodly For the worlde imagineth to it selfe such a God as hath regard to our good workes and will be pleased with the erecting of Masses and vigiles for them that are departed with Rosaries as they call them habit shauing and whatsoeuer other trifles are vsed in the Papacie Now if there come any which bringeth the Gospell and inueyeth against these vaine toyes of the Pope and sayth that they are nothing worth but are meere delusions inasmuch as they are repugnant to Christ and the Scripture he is counted a most wicked felow and therefore must be punished he is reproued as an heretike and a seducer of the people so that they burst forth into great wordes and say wilt thou gouerne all the whole world doost thou thinke thy selfe the wisest man that is and were our forefathers foolish and without all vnderstanding many holy men haue done these workes and haue preached of them and wilt thou come and turne them all to nothing thou shalt not doe it Then rage and furie beginneth yea persecution slaying and murdering and the Deuill will seeme to haue a iust cause howsoeuer the matter goeth Thus much shall suffize at this time concerning this text Now ye must take especial heede that out of the Gospells ye learne throughly how all things consist in the onely person whose name is Christ and lay vp this in the depth of your hart that a Christian hath his name of Christ For I know how much it auaileth both in tentation and in aduersitie to hold that fast Let vs now by prayer call for the grace of God that at the last we may with most earnest zeale and harty affection embrace true Christianitie Amen **** A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER VPON THE GOSPELL ON SAINCT THOMAS DAY CONCERNING THE VVORKS VVHICH Christ hath wrough for vs wherin is contained a most sweete consolation against the Law Sinne Death and Satan Ioh. 20. Verse 24. THomas one of the twelue called Didimus was not with them whē Iesus came 25. The other Disciples therfore sayd vnto him we haue seene the Lord but he said vnto them Except I see in his hands the print of the nayles and put my finger into the print of the nayles and put mine hand into his side I will not beleeue it 26. And eyght dayes after agayne his Disciples were within Thomas with them Thē came Iesus when the dores were shut and stoode in the middes and sayd Peace be vnto you 27. After sayd he to Thomas Put thy finger here and see myne handes put forth thyne hand and put it into my side and be not faithles but faithfull 28. Then Thomas aunswered and sayd vnto him Thou art my Lord and my God 29. Iesus sayd vnto him Thomas because thou hast seene me thou beleeuest blessed are they that haue not seene and haue beleeued The summe of this Gospell 1 THomas doth not beleeue that Christ is risen from the dead but when he seeth and feeleth him 2 The Disciples beleue not without manifest signes But blessed are they that haue not seene but doe beleeue the word onely 3 It is a great matter to know Christ God and man He which attaineth to this knowledg of Christ feareth neither sinne nor death neither the deuill nor hell briefly he is quiet from all anguish tentation For he hath a greater and mightier then he which is in the world as Iohn sayth in his first Epistle chap. 4. The exposition of this Gospell I Know nothing more certaine concerning S. Thomas then that which this Gospell mentioneth of him Other things which are written of him in the booke of Legends are most impudent lyes And albeit they were partly true yet haue they no authoritie neither make vs any thing the better Wherfore we will leaue them vntouched speake something of this Gospel which shal be more profitable necessary for vs then all those Legends The former part of this Gospell fell out about the euentyde of the Passeouer when two had returned from Emmaus shewed vnto the other Disciples that the Lorde was risen againe The latter part fell out the eight day after the Passeouer It is meruelous how comfortable this Gospell is shewing vnto you the frutes of faith namely peace and ioye as Paule sayth Rom. 5 being iustified therefore by faith we haue peace toward God through our Lord Iesus Christ But now we will entreat in few wordes
what this is that the Lord sheweth to his Disciples his handes and his feete whereby is declared vnto vs what commoditie we haue by Christ whereunto he profiteth vs and what we must loke for of him It is engraffed in the harts of all men as it were by nature to haue a certen wil to be honest godly euery one thinketh how he may come to saluation wherby it hath come to passe that one hath inuented this thing an other that being verily persuaded that thereby he should make God fauourable vnto him and obtaine heauen but none such at any time hath stoode in the right way forasmuch as all haue had this drift that they might procure Gods fauour by deedes and good workes Notable Doctors also and holy fathers haue written taught many things how we might attaine vnto godlines About this they haue miserably troubled them selues but as we see and to our notable losse haue felt they haue done litle Wherefore it is exceeding necessary that some sound knowledge be had hereof wherby we must endeuour to true godlines forasmuch as it is a thing of no small importance For he that is deceiued here lozeth the summe and chiefe point of all Christianitie hereof therefore we must nowe speake somewhat True righteousnes is obtained not by our owne workes but by the works which Christ hath wrought for vs. True sound righteousnes consisteth not in our owne works but in the works of an other Take an example hereof One buildeth temples an other for religions sake goeth to S. Iames to Aquisgrane to Rome to the holy sepulcher the third pineth him selfe with fastings prayeth weareth a cowle goeth bare foote or worketh some other such worke whatsoeuer it be these are our owne workes God hath not commaunded them but men and hypocrites iustifiers of them selues haue inuented them and haue thought that they are precious good workes and greatly esteemed of God sweetely persuading them selues that they are by them deliuered from sinnes and that God is pacified towards them But these workes chosen of their owne proper will are nothing worth at all neither can stand forasmuch as they proceede not of faith yea they are sinnes as Sainct Paule saith Rom. 14 VVhatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne These our works therefore are defiled and vncleane in the sight of God yea he doth abhorre and loathe them Wherefore if we will haue to doe with God we must not ascend trusting to our owne workes but to the workes of an other But which are those workes of an other that are allowed of God Truely the workes of our Lorde Iesus Christ whom God the father sent downe from heauen that by his death and passion he might satisfie for our sinnes This satisfaction fel out vpon this occasion We were subiect to great daunger The miserable case wherein man was before he was deliuered by Christ grieuous tyrannes had power ouer vs which day and night without ceasing did vexe vs. The law which God gaue vnto man did vrge vs and required many thinges of vs which we were not able to performe and therefore it condemned vs. Sinne also did lye vpon vs as a heauy burden which the lawe did oft times make greater greater Death went about to deuour vs inasmuch as it is the wages of sinne Satan also endeuoured to throw vs downe headlong to hell inasmuch as he would punish vs for our sinnes committed all thinges were full of trembling and anguish God taking pitie vpon this so great calamity sent his only begotten sonne and that of his mere grace goodnes without our desert that he might deliuer vs out of so great tyrannie which he mightely did after this sorte He satisfied the law Christ hath fulfilled the law preuailed against sinne ouercome death and vanquished Satan and fulfilled it perfectly For he loued God with all his heart and with all his soule with all his strength he loued his neighbour also as him selfe in these the whole law and the Prophetes do consist Nowe whatsoeuer Christ did it consisted in these two He loued God inasmuch as he obeyed his will he tooke vpon him the nature of man and performed in all obedience those thinges that were enioyned him of the father as Paul saith Phil. 2 He became obedient to the father vnto the death euen the death of the crosse Secondly he loued his neighbour for all the workes which he did in the earth tended vnto this end that he might therby profit his neighbour and therefore he so loued his neighbour that he euen died for him as he saith himselfe to his disciples Ioh. 15 Greater loue then this hath no man when any man bestoweth his life for his frends S. Paul doth more set forth this saying for his enemies when he writeth thus Rom. 5 But God setteth out his loue towards vs seeing that while we were yet sinners Christ died for vs. Forasmuch then as Christ hath so fulfilled the law it could not accuse him neither was sinne of any force with him He set vpon it and did preuaile ouer it and swallowed it vp it was enforced to be extinguished of him no otherwise then a sparke of fire in the most wide sea For in him was nothing but mere righteousnes Death also came and went about to deuour him it deuoured him in deede but it could not digest him it was enforced to yeeld him vp againe yea and this deuouring was an vtter discommoditie to death for the case being quite altered Christ deuoured death it selfe For it had set vpon him against whome it had no right forasmuch as not a whit of sinne did appeare in him Where sinne is not there death hath nothing to doe as Sainct Paule sayth 1. Cor. 15 The stinge of death is sinne with this it killeth otherwise it should be dull and haue no strength Satan also made a triall of his strength in him but in vaine and to his owne griefe for he layde handes on him with whome he had nothing to doe The wretch was ouercome in this conflict and went away with shame as Christ sayth Ioh. 14 The Prince of this world commeth and hath nought in me Hell also did open his mouth and would haue deuoured Christ but contrariwise it was deuoured of him And so in this conflict the Law Sinne Death Satan and hell were vanquished ouer all which he triumphed gloried with great pompe as Paule sayth Col. 2. The beleeuers by faith enioy the workes of Christ as their owne All these thinges were not onely done for our commoditie but also if we beleeue in this Lorde Christ they are giuen vnto vs. For whatsoeuer he hath it serueth for vs yea he him selfe is ours as Paule sayth Rom. 8. God spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all to death how shall he not with him giue vs all thinges also So that I may boldly glorie of all victorie which he obtained ouer the law sinne death the deuill and may chalenge to my selfe all his workes euen as if they were myne owne and I my selfe had done them so that I beleeue in Christ Otherwise his workes shall profitte me nothinge at all if they were not giuen vnto me These are the workes of an other which doe commende vs before God and saue vs. Our owne workes shall doe nothing we are weaker then that we can resist euen the least sinne so
farre is it of that we are able to encounter with death How a Christian may notably comfort him self against the law sinne death Satan Satan and hell Wherefore when the Lawe shall come and accuse thee that thou doost not obserue it sende it vnto Christ and say There is that man which hath fulfilled the lawe to him I cleaue he hath fulfilled it for me and hath giuen his fullfilling vnto me when it heareth these thinges it will be quiet If sinne come and woulde haue thee by the throte sende it vnto Christ and saye As much as thou mayst doe agaynst him so much right shalt thou haue agaynst me for I am in him and he is in me If death creepe vppon thee and attempt to deuoure thee saye vnto it Good Maistres death doost thou knowe this man come and byte out his tooth hast thou forgotten howe litle thy byting preuayled with him once goe too if it be a pleasure vnto thee encounter with him agayne Thou hadst persuaded thy selfe that thou shouldest haue preuayled somewhat agaynst him when he did hange betwene two theeues dyed an ignominious death which was counted cursed both before God and the worlde But what didst thou gayne thereby Thou didst byte in deede but it turned worst to thy selfe I pertaine to this man I am his and he is myne and where he abydeth there also will I abyde Thou couldest hurte him nothinge wherefore also let me alone After the same sorte if the Deuill if hell come violently vppon thee and trouble thee sende them vnto Christ and thou shalt easily make them to cease And thus ye see what Christ is vnto vs The inestimable commoditie which the faithfull enioy through Christ namely such a man as is giuen vnto vs of God that he might extinguish sinnes vanquish death destroy hell ouercome the Deuill and all these for our commoditie If he had not done this nor giuen vnto vs these thinges we had bene for euer vnder the curse of the law vnder sinne vnder death vnder the deuill and vnder hell God hath deliuered vs from these by that Christ Wherefore S. Paul saith out of the Prophet Osee 1. Cor. 15 Death is swalowed vp into victorie O death where is thy stinge O hell where is thy victorie The stinge of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the law But thankes be vnto God which hath giuen vs victorie through our Lorde Iesus Christ We are iustified before God by no workes or merits of our owne but onely by the workes of Christ Hereof we may easily vnderstand what kinde of workes those be which doe make vs entire and righteous before God Surely they are the workes of an other and not our owne workes chosen of our selues Wherefore the whole Papacie falleth here with all the most precious and holy workes thereof which hath this drift onely that miserable wretched and blinded men may be persuaded that they obtayne heauen by their merits and their owne workes Hereuppon haue spronge so many orders that they can not almost be numbred of which one striued to be holier then an other according as they exercised harder greater and weightier workes But this their miserable labour anguish prayers fastinges chastising of the body and such like were vaine workes and of no value at all neither had they so much power that they were able to take away so much as euen the least sinne which they call veniall They were altogither vnmindfull of this saying Esay 29 which the Lord repeteth Matth. 15 This people dravveth nere vnto me vvith their mouth honoureth me vvith their lippes but their heart is farre of from me But in vaine they vvorshippe me teaching such doctrines as are nothing els but the precepts of men Hereupon now thou maist gather with thy selfe that all holy men although they be exceeding holy yet do obtaine saluation not by their owne holines merites or workes And not so much as Mary her selfe the mother of God was made righteous holy in respect of her virginitie or in that she was the mother of God but saluation hath come vnto all by Iesus Christ as by the workes of an other Wherfore this is diligently to be noted that our felicitie doth not consist in our owne workes but in the workes of an other namely of Christ Iesus our Sauiour which we obtaine through only faith in him This also the historie of this Gospell seemeth to signifie when as the Lorde sheweth to his disciples but specially to Thomas his handes feete By which deede he declareth that it was necessary that those handes and feete should do these things that no other works that is their owne not the workes of an other do pertaine vnto saluation Handes and feete what they commonly signifie in the Scripture For in the Scriptures by handes and feete workes conuersation are signified These hands and feete Christ doth as yet eftsoones shew to vs say Behold I am that onely man whose workes conuersation are of force with God thou shalt labour in vaine with thine owne workes thine owne righteousnes maketh nothing hereunto it hath an other end If thou be righteous it is profitable to thee among mē here in eart thou hast the glory praise thereof as Paul sayth Rom. 4. But before God this thy righteousnes is of no estimation thou must set in place thereof an other namely mine this God my father doth allow For I haue deliuered thee from sinnes death the deuell hell from all euell thou shouldest neuer haue escaped out of these by thine owne power but hadst lyen as yet most deepely drowned in them I haue appeased the wrath of God and of an angrie iudge haue made him a gentle mercifull and gracious father beleeue this and it goeth well with thee thou art then safe entire and righteous Beware that thou presume not to deale before God with thine owne works but if thou wilt do any thing with him creepe into me put on me and thou shalt obtaine of my Father whatsoeuer thou desirest and askest as he him selfe sayth vnto his Disciples Ioh. 16 Verely verely I say vnto you whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name he will giue it you Wherefore as from the beginning sinne which was an others hath bene deriued vnto vs from Adam for neither I nor thou haue eate of the apple so also by the righteousnes of an other we must be restored vnto righteousnes and integrity This other is Christ Iesus by whose righteousnes
grieuous to be borne but my burden is not so grieuous it is light and tolerable ye may easily beare it Our wisemen saye now that the yoke of Christ is more grieuous then the yoke of the Lawe was and they alleage the fift chapter of Matthewe But Christ dothe there interprete the Lawe how it ought to be vnderstood he doth not make lawes but sayth that murders and adulteries proceede from an euell and vncleane heart And so he doth onely expounde the Lawe of Moses and prescribeth not any lawes there Why the yoke of Christ is saide to be easie But the yoke of Christ is therefore easie and his burden light because he taketh awaye not onely ceremoniall and mans lawes but euen the whole lawe the curse synne death and what soeuer maye come vnto vs from the Lawe all this Christ taketh awaye from me and endueth me with his spirit by the motion and instinct whereof I doe gladly willingly and with pleasure performe all the duties of the Lawe It is therefore also called easie sweete and light for that he himselfe helpeth vs and taketh part of the burden if we be not of strength sufficient It appeareth in deede grieuous and intolerable to the world but it is otherwise when there is one ready to ease the burden It is a common saying it is good to sing with a fit compainō you two will easily beare the burden although one alone were not of strēgh sufficiēt to beare it Thus much shall suffize for the exposition of this Gospell **** A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER VPON THE GOSPELL ON THE FEAST OF S. PHILIP AND IAMES Iohn 14. Verse 1. IEsus said vnto his disciples Let not your heart be troubled ye beleeue in God beleeue also in me 2. In my Fathers house are manie dwelling places if it were not so I would haue tould you I go to prepare a place for you 3. And if I go to prepare a place for you I will come againe and receiue you vnto my selfe that where I am there may ye be also 4. And whither I go ye know and the waye ye knowe 5. Thomas said vnto him Lord we know not whither thou goest how can we then knowe the waye 6. Iesus said vnto him I am the Waie the Truth and the Life No man commeth vnto the Father but by me 7. If ye had knowne me ye should haue knowne my Father also and from hence forth ye know him and haue seene him 8. Philippe said vnto him Lord shew vs thy Father and it suffiseth vs. 9. Iesus said vnto him Haue I bin so long time with you and hast thou not knowne me Philip he that hath seene me hath seene my Father how then sayest thou Shewe vs thy Father 10. Beleeuest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father is in me The wordes that I speake vnto you I speake not of my selfe but the Father that dwelleth in me he doth the workes 11. Beleeue me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me at the least beleeue me for the verie workes sake 12. Verely verely I say vnto you he that beleeueth in me the workes that I do he shall do also and greater then these shalhe do for I go vnto my Father 13. And whatsoeuer ye aske in my Name that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Sonne 14. If ye shall aske any thing in my name I will doe it The summe of this Gospell 1 IN this Gospell is contained a comfort against offence that tempteth vs through the crosse and persecution 2 Without the merit of Christ no man commeth to glorie Therefore he sayth In my Fathers house are many dwelling places For many are elect frō euerlasting of God the Father which notwithstanding can not come vnto glorie without Christ 3 The Disciples beleeued in Christ yet did they not vnderstād that he should come vnto glorie by death Wherein we must marke that fayth being vnperfect in the Apostles and Disciples of Christ is a comfort vnto vs if we rest vpon the foundation Christ 4 In Philip we see a verie grosse fayth for he will see and know by experience Wherefore Christ sayth If ye will not beleeue my wordes at the last beleeue the workes that the Father is in me and I in the Father 5 These wordes I say vnto you he that beleeueth in me the workes that I do he shall do also c. shew that Christ shall reigne in vs when he is glorified with the Father 6 And thus we see that in all this Gospell Christ requireth nothing els of them that be his but fayth The exposition of this Gospell IN the beginning of this Gospell Christ declareth wherefore he came and what office he executeth which is properly the preaching of the Gospell to wit that he is he which prepareth dwelling places with the Father and wil when he commeth againe receiue vs vnto himselfe Moreouer he sayth that he is the way the truth and the life which he afterward more plainly expresseth when he sayth No man commeth vnto the Father but by me Also when he sayth If ye had knowne me ye should haue knowne my Father also Hereunto moreouer pertaineth that which he sayth vnto Philip He that hath seene me hath seene my Father This is the chiefe and the greatest thing in this Gospell vnto which all are to be referred Hereof we ought to learne that we are not iustified by our owne strength neither saued by our owne merits but are sanctified by the spirit of Christ and saued by grace that Christ is the way leading to saluation We will discusse and examine this Gospell throughout as God shall giue vs grace These wordes the Lord spake vnto his Disciples after his Supper when he was now about to depart from them Forasmuch as he had said many thinges vnto them of his departure and passion they were after a sort troubled and terrified wherefore the Lord beginneth louingly to comfort thē saying Let not your heart be troubled As if he would say I perceiue that my departure dothe grieue you and that ye are therefore troubled But seeing it can not be otherwise be not discomforted there is no cause why ye should therefore be troubled I will come againe vnto you Notwithstanding ye shall see many thinges in me before whereat ye wil be offended they shal crucifie me and vnworthely handle me But be not ye troubled because of these thinges be not afrayde it wil be better shortly after the will of the Father is such Howbeit flesh can not do otherwise but be offended if it seeth Christ to be crucified it byandby reuolteth from him it beleeueth him not neither counteth him for a Sauiour Which also it doth when it seeth holy men suffer persecution to be afflicted and tormented for then it thinketh that God hath no care of them Against this offence Christ aforehand confirmeth his Disciples and sayth Ye beleeue in God beleeue also in
of Bethlehem were Thou reuoluest in thy mind childish and altogether foolish cogitations Why doost thou not performe the like duties nowe Behold Christ walking before thee in thy neighbour do for him bestowe benefits vpon him whatsoeuer thou shalt bestow vpon thy neighbour which is needy and destitute of helpe that thou shalt bestow vpon Christ him selfe as he shall say in the last day to the elect Matth. 25.40 VVhatsoeuer ye haue done to one of the least of these my brethren ye haue done it to me Wherfore it is a vaine and very foolish thing to admit such childish cogitations Let vs therefore at the last open our eyes let vs not heare examples of so great importance in vaine otherwise the time will come when we shall be grieuously punished But with what wordes did the Angell speake vnto the shepeheards the Euangelist sayth after this sort Then the Angell sayd vnto them Be not afraid for behold I bring you glad tidings of great ioy that shall be to all people that is that vnto you is borne this day in the citie of Dauid a Sauiour vvhich is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a signe to you Ye shall find the babe svvadled and layd in a maunger Learne by these wordes of the Angell how to vse rightly the natiuitie of the Lord Christ neither let it suffice you to heare them onely A great treasure hidden in the earth or some other where is to no vse but if it be opened and occupied then is it profitable and precious Wherefore giue heede hereunto that thou mayst vse this natiuitie otherwise it shal be no commoditie and comfort vnto thee For whereas thou knowest the bare historie onely to witte what came to passe in his natiuitie and that he was borne needy and poore thou shalt take no greater commoditie hereby then if thou heare a historie written of the king of Fraunce or of some other puissant Prince whereby no commoditie or comfort should come vnto thee But how must we vse this natiuitie rightly and with frute What it is to vse the natiuitie of christ aright Our owne natiuitie of what sort it is Euen as I haue sayd if we be thus perswaded that he was borne for vs that his natiuitie is ours Our natiuitie is such that it altogether aboundeth with sinne as Dauid sayth Psal 51 Behold I was shapen in wickednes in sinne hath my mother conceiued me As if he would say here is nothing but sinne as well in the conception as in the birth whatsoeuer I bring with me from my mothers wombe it is wholly damnable it is due to death Satan hell Forasmuch then as our natiuitie skin heare are defiled what good can come therof This is our title which we haue receiued from Adam in this one thing we may glory and in nothing else at all namely that euery infant that is borne into this world is wholy in the power of sinne death Satan hel and eternall damnation our natiuitie is altogether miserable and on euery side to be lamented To deliuer vs from this natiuitie God sent an other natiuitie which it behoued to be pure without all spot that it might make this vncleane sinnefull natiuitie pure This is that natiuitie of the Lorde Christ his onely begotten sonne The natiuity of Christ Wherefore he woulde not haue him borne of flesh blood infected with synne but it behoued that he shoulde be borne of a pure Virgine He suffered no spot at all or sinne in his flesh but replenished it with the holy Ghost permitted nothing to sticke therein but those miseries which proceede of flesh and blood as hunger thirst aduersitie and death sinne excepted as the Epistle to the Heb. chap. 4. witnesseth that he was in all things tempted in like sort yet without sinne This is that most excellent thing which the Lord our God hath done for vs whereof none taketh any frute but he that beleeueth And none will easily beleeue this but he that feeleth of what sorte his owne natiuitie is He that hath no feeling of his owne miserie tasteth not of this natiuitie of Christ But if we feele our miserie it followeth forthwith that we cry with the Prophet Dauid and say Behold I was shapen in wickednes and in sinne hath my mother conceiued me for we feele our sinne and our euill natiuitie When death shall come vpon vs and our heart shal be touched with anguish grief thē at the last it may be that we would cast of this happy pure natiuitie and will excedingly thirst after it to enioy it But now when as we feele not our sinnes neither doe as yet tast of the bitternes of sinne it stideth coldly to the hart we heare it in deede but truely it doth not throughly enter vnto the hart For if a man did beleue that this natiuitie was for his commoditie he would feare neither sinne nor death Wherefore I haue sayd that a Christian must beleeue and dout nothing that the natiuitie of Christ is as well his as it is the Lord Christes And as he hath of the virgin pure blood and flesh so that he him selfe also is pure and that this virgin is his mother spiritually as she was the mother of Christ carnally Let the hart haue sure confidence in this perswasion otherwise it will be in an euil case This the Angell signifieth in these wordes when he sayth Vnto you he is borne Christ is borne vnto vs and is made wholy ours as if he sayd what soeuer he is and hath ye may chalenge it to your selues Also he is your Sauiour not that ye should onely looke vppon him but which is able to deliuer you from the tyrannie of sinne death Satan and all euell yea and how great soeuer he be he is borne vnto you and is yours with all that he hath Nowe forasmuch as he is myne and hath chaunged his natiuitie into myne his flesh blood also is myne he him selfe is myne with all wherewith he is endued so that I dare saye vnto his mother Beholde that child which thou hast brought forth is mine his flesh and blood are my flesh and blood yea and thou art my mother and I will be counted of thee for thy sonne for whatsoeuer Christ bringeth with him it must be myne euen as he himselfe is myne If so be that his natiuitie be myne being of a virgin and without synne replenished with the holy Ghost my natiuitie also must be of a virgin and pure from synne Here now Eue the first mother is no more my mother for it must needes be that that natiuitie doe vtterly die and perish that there may be no sinne remayning Here this mother Marie is to be set against that mother of whome I was borne in sinne And thus the Angel bringeth with him great ioy for it can not be but that the hart should be made glad when it enioyeth this Sauiour as his owne When
he hath before most exactly satisfied the commaundemēts of God Though we coulde and should fulfill the commaūdementes of God yet should we merit nothīg of him Now it hath bin spoken at large that our workes are nothing before God whereby we can not fulfill so much as the least commaundement of God how much lesse shall we be able so to satisfie the iustice of God that we may become worthie of his grace Moreouer if we were able to fulfill all the commaundements of God and in all thinges to satisfie his iustice notwithstanding we had not as yet deserued grace and saluation neither should he therefore owe it vnto vs for that he may by the right of creation require as due seruice all those things of vs his creatures created to liue vnto him Wherefore it should yet come of grace and mercie what soeuer should come from him to vs. This Christ declared verie well Luke 17. speaking in a parable VVhich of you hauing a seruaunt plowing or feeding cattell would saye vnto him by and by when he were come from the field Go and sit downe at the table and would not rather say to him dresse wherewith I may suppe and girde thy selfe and serue me till I haue eaten and dronken and afterward eat thou and drinke thou Doeth he thanke that seruaunt because he did that which was commaunded vnto him I trowe not So likewise ye when ye haue done all those things which are commaunded you say VVe are vnprofitable seruaunts we haue done that which was our dutie to do Seing then that heauen is giuen of grace and for no merit euē vnto those if there were any such which haue done all things that were commaunded them according to that promise If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commaundements what shall we boast of our good workes which although they were most absolute yet should they be vnworthie of heauen but inasmuch as it is giuen vs by the free and mercifull promise We had need of one who should satisfie the diuine iustice for vs. Hereupon for that we must so satisfie the diuine iustice and yet notwithstanding our workes are not able to attaine thereunto whereunto if they should attaine yet should they deserue no grace or saluatiō for that they are before due God first gaue vnto vs a man which should satisfie the diuine iustice for vs in all thinges Againe he hath by the same man bestowed this grace and bountifulnes vpon vs that albeit we without our owne merit and worthines Not by our owen merit but by the merit of Christ are we saued yea hauing euel deserued and being vnworthie do receiue grace yet it commeth not vnto vs altogither freely and without all merit for we haue it through the merit and satisfaction of Christ Whereupon Paul sayth Rom. 5 As by the offence of one sinne came on all men to condemnation so by the iustifying of one that is of Iesus Christ the benefite aboūded toward all men to the iustification of life That is As without all our merit and owne worke we fell into synne being borne synners so againe without all our merit and meanes we are redeemed from sinnes by the washing of the spirit borne againe the sonnes of God partakers of grace and saluation And this is the cause why the Apostle where he speaketh of faith and grace is wont to adde by Iesus Christ whereby surely he would giue vs to vnderstand that none should count it sufficient if he say I beleeue in God Christ being neglected He that truly beleeueth must acknowledge that his faith can not be acceptable to God yea that it can be no faith at all if all the commaundements of God be not before fulfilled which seeing it is aboue thy abilitie and if it were not yet notwithstanding thou hadst perfourmed nothing but that thou oughtest and hadst as yet merited nothing hauing fulfilled euen all the commaundements of God thou hast neede of an other which in all thinges may satisfie the diuine iustice for thee and may also merit heauen for thee Now this other is our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ who hath for thee fulfilled the whole Lawe and merited for thee that God now according to his iustice can not but giue heauen vnto thee and in all thinges acknowledge thee for his sonne and heire And this is a true and sound faith which trusteth in God by Christ and is certaine that by his merit it hath already receiued of God saluation which shortly after shal be reuealed with blessed aboundance of felicitie Christian faith Neither can any other be called Christian faith but that whereby it is beleeued that by Christ do come vnto vs both satisfaction which we owe to the iustice of God and the gift of saluation which we our selues by no meanes if the Lawe could euen be fulfilled of vs can merit Whereupon Paul Rom. 4. sayth We haue all things necessary to saluation not by any merit of our owen but by the merit and meanes of Iesus Christ Christ was deliuered to death for our synnes and rose againe for our iustification That is by Christ we haue receiued not onely remission of synnes but moreouer also that before God we are accounted righteous the sonnes of his grace To the same effect also tendeth that which he sayth Rom. 3 Whom God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood Where againe we learne that it is true faith which trusteth in the blood of Christ and beleeueth that thereby it shall obtaine grace Whereas thou beleeuest that he hath shed his blood for thee thou receiuest satisfaction in that thou acknowledgest him the reconciliation thou confessest that by his merit the diuine grace and saluation do come vnto thee We haue all things without our owne merit and meanes but not without the merit and meanes of Christ who hath for this cause shed his blood Wherefore that we may allude vnto the parable of Christ we must containe our selues vnder his winges and not vpon trust in our selues flie out and contend to come vnto God otherwise we shal be a praye to the hellish kite For as it hath bin oftē sayd our righteousnes our merits yea and our faith shall preuaile nothing without this our mediatour Christ And therefore he sayth Ioh. 14 No man cōmeth vnto the Father but by me And in the whole Gospell what other thing doth he but endeuour to take vs out of our selues and to transferre vs to himselfe vnder his winges that we may trust onely in his satisfaction and merit The same the Apostle also teacheth in the wordes following That we being iustified by his grace should be made heires according to the hope of eternall life We are iustified by the grace of Christ Iesus He sayth that we are iustified not by our owne workes but by the grace of the same Iesus Christ That is we are therefore iustified for that Christ hath the grace of
vs from the Lawe for this that we might receiue the adoption of the sonnes both which come vnto vs by faith Thus therefore we haue those fiue thinges whereof Paul admonished vs in this so plentifull and fruitfull a place A question But here riseth a questiō Forasmuch as to be vnder the Law is to be subiect to the Lawe by compulsion and to obey the Law no otherwise then vnwillingly so that none of them which are vnder the Lawe are able to satisfie the Lawe why Paul sayth that Christ was made vnder the Lawe The answer I aunswere that the Apostle maketh a verie great differēce betweene Christ who was made vnder the Lawe Great differēce between Christes being vnder the Law ours and other men which are borne vnder the Lawe For whereas he sayth that Christ was made vnder the Lawe he would signifie that Christ did put himselfe vnder the Lawe of his owne accord and was with his will made subiect vnto it of the Father when as he might not haue bin vnder the Lawe But we were vnder the Lawe being the seruaunts of the Lawe by nature and bearing the dominion thereof vnwillingly as Christ was willingly not by nature and against his will Wherefore there is as great difference betweene It is one thing to be made vnder the Lawe an other to be vnder the Lawe by nature To be made vnder the Lawe and To be vnder the Lawe by nature as betweene these To be subiect to the Lawe of free will and To be subiect to the Lawe by seruile constraint It was free vnto Christ to be vnder the Law or not to be vnder it and he made himselfe subiect to it of his owne accord that he might most diligently do all thinges that the Law requireth but we were vnder the Lawe euen against our will Thou mayst see a resemblaunce hereof in Peter Ours and Christs being vnder the Law and our deliueraunce frō the same most excellently resembled and the Angell which came into the prison to Peter to deliuer him Both of them were then in the prison but Peter was there being cast into it of Herode not of his owne accord wherein he was also to abide for he could not go forth when he would But the Angell went into the prison of his owne accord whereupon it was free for him also to go forth when he would he was there onely for Peters sake and not for his owne and freely euen at his owne will whom when Peter heard and folowed it was free for him also to go forth of the prison whereas before it was not This prison is the Lawe Peter is our conscience The Angell is Christ Christ being absent our conscience is held captiue of the Lawe and being vnwilling of it selfe is moued vnto good thinges by the threatninges and promises thereof and is tied and bound vnto honest thinges with these as with two chaines The keepers of this prison are the teachers of the Lawe which declare the force of the Lawe vnto vs. So we being bound in the prison of the Lawe Christ commeth vnto vs and willingly maketh himselfe subiect to the Lawe and doth the workes of the Lawe of his owne accord which we did bend our selues to do against our wills yea and doth them for our sake that he may ioyne vs vnto him and also bring vs out togither with himselfe For he may easily go forth who is held in the prison by no necessitie If now we cleaue vnto him and follow him we also do goe forth But this cleauing to him and following him is nothing els then to beleeue in him and not to dout that he became man and was made subiect to the lawe for thy saluations sake Togither with this fayth commeth the spirit he by and by maketh thee ready and willing to do with pleasure all thinges that the Lawe requireth and so truly deliuereth thee from the captiuitie of the Lawe those chaines of threatninges and promises fall of from thee and thou mayst now go whither thou list that is thou mayst liue according to thine owne will or rather according to the wil of the holy Ghost ruling all thinges in thee finally what good thinges soeuer thou doest thou doest them from the heart and with great pleasure Christ made vnder the Law after two sorts Moreouer that it may be made more plaine after what sort Christ made himselfe subiect to the Lawe we must vnderstand that he was made vnder the Lawe after two sorts both for that he did perfectly performe the workes of the Lawe and also for that he suffered and ouercame the curse and punishment thereof for our sake For he was circumcised presented in the temple and the time of the purification being finished was obedient to his parents All which thinges he might haue omitted being Lord of the Lawe and ouer all Howbeit he applied himselfe to these thinges freely of his owne will not being either compelled by any feare or allured by any hope In outward workes he was in the meane season altogether like vnto them which were vnder the Law that is which did the workes of the Law against their wills inasmuch as his free spirit was hidden from others euen as also the seruile and constrained will of others is hidden And so he both was vnder the Lawe and not vnder the Lawe He behaued himselfe outwardly in workes as they which are vnwillingly held vnder the Lawe whereas notwithstanding he was not vnder the Lawe as they but of his owne free will Wherefore in respect of his worke he was vnder the Lawe but in respect of his will he was free from the Lawe How we are vnder the Law But we as well by will as by workes are vnder the Lawe by nature for that we do workes according to the rule of the Lawe of necessitie yea and we do them with that will which the Lawe constraineth and vrgeth in asmuch as we do not endeuour to do them of our owne accord Christ made himselfe subiect to the punishment of the Lawe also for our sakes of his owne will He did not onely performe those workes which the Lawe commaundeth but he suffered the punishment also which was due to vs being transgressors thereof The Lawe condemneth to death and the eternall curse all those that continue not in all thinges that are written in the booke of the Lawe to do them as Paule Gal. 3. reciteth out of Moses Leuit. 18. Now it is declared at large before that the Lawe is fulfilled of no man but that all men are against their willes held captiues of the Law wherefore euerie one is subiect to death and to the curse so that there is no man subiect to the Lawe in respect of workes and will which is not also subiect to it in respect of the curse For it curseth and condemneth all that do not performe it with their whole heart But here Christ maketh intercession for them
sayth proueth If thou be a sonne thou art also an heire For it is sayd before that we become the sonnes of God by faith without any workes therefore heires also as this place witnesseth for by nature they that are sonnes the same also are heires But if this inheritance of the Father be nowe thyne by fayth surely thou art riche in all good things before thou hast wrought any thinge For howe should it be that by faith thou art the heire of God wtout any works through onely grace and that thou mayst againe first merit it by works Wherefore the case standeth as I often times say To a man that is baptized and beleueth in Christ the heauenly inheritance of the Father is already giuen at once that is all good thinges they are only hid as yet by faith for that the maner of the present life can not suffer that he shoulde enioye them being reuealed Whereupon Paule sayth Rom. 8 Ye are saued but by hope for ye doe not as yet see it but doe yet waite when the possession of your good thinges shall be reuealed And 1. Pet. 1. it is sayd Your saluation is reserued in heauen and prepared for you to be shewed in the last time VVhereunto the workes of a Christian ought to be referred Wherefore the workes of a Christian ought not to haue regard of merit which is the maner of seruaunts but onely of the vse and commoditie of his neighbours that he doe not liue and worke to him selfe but to his neighbour whereby he may truely liue to the glory of God For by faith he is rich in all good thinges and truely blessed Nowe the Apostle addeth through Christ lest that any thinke that so great inheritance commeth vnto vs freely Although we are saued frely with out all merit in respect of our selues yet Christ hath merited and with a deare price purchased saluation for vs. and without al cost For although it be giuen vnto vs without our cost and without all our merit yet it cost Christ a deare price who that he might purchase it for vs was made vnder the lawe and satisfied it for vs both by life also by death So those benefits which of loue we bestowe vpon our neighbour doe come vnto him freely and without any charges or labour vnto him notwithstanding they cost vs some thing inasmuch as we bestow vpon him although freely and of meere goodnes yet those thinges that are our owne whether it be labour or part of our substance euen as Christ hath bestowed those thinges that be his vpon vs. And thus hath Paule called backe his Galathians from the teachers of workes which preached nothing but the law peruerting the Gospell of Christ All which thinges are very necessary to be marked of vs also For the Pope with his Prelats and Monks hath now too long a time with intruding and vrging his lawes which are foolish and most pernitious inasmuch as they doe euery where disagree with the word of God seduced almost the whole world from the Gospell of Christ plainly extinguished the faith of sonnes according as the Scripture hath in diuers places very manifestly prophesied of his kingdom Wherefore let euery one that desireth to obtaine saluation most diligently take heede of him and all his Apostles no otherwise then of Satan him selfe and his chiefe and most pernitious Apostles A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER CONCERNING FAITH AND DIFFIDENCE IN daunger and trouble Matth. 8. Verse 23. WHen Iesus was entered into the ship his Disciples followed him 24. And behold there arose a great tempest in the sea so that the ship was couered with waues but he was asleepe 25. Then his Disciples came and awoke him saying Maister saue vs we perish 26. And he sayd vnto them Why are ye feareful O ye of litle faith Then he arose and rebuked the windes and the sea so there was a great calme 27. And the men merueiled saying What man is this that both the windes the sea obey him ACcording to the historie this text setteth before vs an example of faith and diffidence wherof we may learne both what a stronge and inuincible thinge faith is and that it must be exercised tryed euen in great matters and full of perill and also howe desperate a thing on the other side diffidence is and howe full of feare and trembling which can neuer doe any thinge rightly or wel This doth experience most liuely set forth in the Disciples How desperate fearefull a thinge diffidence is it appeareth by the example of Christes Disciples They when they entered into the ship with Christ and whilest there was calmnes in the lake were nothing disquieted in mind neither felt any feare Then if one should haue asked them whether they beleeued they would haue aunswered without dout that they did beleeue For they did not know that their hart did trust in that quietnes for that all troubles were absent and therefore did rest vpon a thinge visible and not vpon the inuisible grace of God Which then was made manifest as soone as the tempest was risen and the waues did couer the ship for by and by all their trust and confidence ceassed for that the quietnes and calmnes whereunto they trusted was taken away and diffidence which before when al things were prosperous did lurke in their minds did then appeare For this is the nature of diffidence that it beleeueth or knoweth no more then it feeleth Forasmuch therefore as it had possessed the brestes of the Apostles they felt nothing now but the fearefull tempest and the waues couering the ship they saw the sea swelling and greatly raging to threaten nothing but death These thinges onely did they thinke vpon these onely did they consider and therefore could there be no measure or ende of feare and trembling in their mindes the more they weyed in their mind the perill so much more were they terrified and seemed euen now to sticke in the very iawes of death hoping for no life or deliuerance And as they could not so much as thinke any thing els because of their vnbeliefe so all comfort also was farre from them For diffidence or vnbeliefe hath nothing whereunto it may trust or flee wherfore when outward aduersitie commeth it admitteth nothing into the mind but it and therefore it can neuer feele any peace or quietnes while this remaineth So in hell where diffidence exerciseth full tyrannie there can neuer be any intermission of desperation trembling and terrour What faith doth in trouble daunger But if the Disciples had bene then endued with a sound faith and if it had ruled in this daunger it would haue remoued from the mind the wind and all this tempest in steede of these would wholy haue thought vpon the power of God and his grace promised whereunto it would no otherwise haue trusted then if it had sate vpon a most stronge rocke farre from the
be one such foūd in the earth For we alwayes finde our selues readier to wrath hatred enuie worldly pleasure c then to meekenes other vertues I finde in me not onely a sparke but euen a fierie fornace of wicked lust for there is no loue in myne heart no not in all my members Wherefore here in the Lawe as it were in a certaine glasse I see whatsoeuer is in me to be damnable and cursed For not one iote of the Law must perish but all must be fulfilled Matth. 5 18. as Christ saith Truly I say vnto you till heauē earth passe one iote or title of the Lawe shall not scape till all be fulfilled Now thou fyndest not this in thee that thou doest with all thy soule and heart with cheerefulnes and pleasure whatsoeuer the Law exacteth and requireth of thee Hereupon thou art damned and vnder the dominion of Satan The Lawe therefore serueth vs thus farre to teach vs that we are condemned for by it we fynde all wicked desyres in vs and yet not so much as a sparke of them ought to be in vs. Howbeit our Scholemen not marking this haue taught that if one do according to his abilitie God doeth giue his grace vnto him They are blynde guides They graunt themselues that a man is caried with no pleasure or cheerefulnes to that which is good and yet do they also teach if one worketh although it be with griefe difficultie and slouthfulnes that it is well with him before God But Christ hath taught otherwise in this place that we should worke that which is good with pleasure and loue readines and facilitie Whom therefore shall we rather beleeue Christ or the Scholemen but I leaue that to your iudgement Of such corrupt and euell vnderstanding of the Lawe Monasteries afterwardes came whereby entred in this opinion that it was thought to be sufficient to saluation to liue in a Monasterie and to follow the orders thereof although that were done euen with griefe of mynde We must worke with pleasure and cheerefulnes not with grudging or griefe So they taught But Christ will haue vs to worke with pleasure and cheerefulnes so that if any thinge be done with burden or griefe of conscience it is synne remoue thy selfe therefore quickly from such a worke Wherefore thus it might be said vnto them Behold O man thou miserable creature oughtest to be caried with a certaine delight to the doinge of the lawe of God but thou commest with no pleasure or cheerefulnes hereunto now see that thou shew thy pleasure and loue herein otherwise thou shalt be the enemie of God and the friend of Satan thus men leauing their owne rashnes might come to the knowledge of themselues and might then say Therefore O God am I condemned and that not vniustly Hereupon it followeth that we are all vnder Satan as long as we feele in vs this difficultie and hardnes to doe that which is good Wherefore if I should speake the trueth I should say thus I fynde in deede somethinge that is good in the lawe of God but it is my death and if it could be I would wish that it were not So are all men affected in their heart as S. Paule plainly teacheth Rom. 7. If we should remaine in such condemnation we must needes perish for euer There is therefore an other part that is the Gospell The office of the Gospell which sheweth comfort and saluation declaring where that is to be had whereby the Lawe is fulfilled When therefore I know by the Lawe that I am a condemned man then ly I halfe dead among theeues Satan hath spoiled my soule and hath moreouer in Adam taken away all faith all righteousnes and hath left nothing but bodily life which is also qulckly extinguished Then come Leuites and Priestes which teach this and that but can helpe nothing and so passe by But when the Samaritane commeth he helpeth that is when Christ commeth he sheweth his mercy vnto vs saying after this sort Behold thou oughtest in deede to loue God with all thine heart but thou doest it not now beleeue onely in me thou shalt enioy my obedience as thine owne this onely helpeth me Then he putteth me on his owne beast that is on himselfe and carieth me into the Inne that is into the Church of the faithfull then he by and by poureth his grace into me that is oyle that I may feele my selfe to be layd vpon his shoulder that at the last maketh me to be of a good cheere quiet well affected in conscience Afterward he poureth in wine also which with his sharpnes may abate tame the force of old Adam And yet am I not so wholy restored vnto health health is in deede poured in begon but not yet wholy finished then Christ hath care of me by his grace poured into me doth purifie me that frō day to day I may become more chast meeke gētle faithfull c vntill I wholy dy for then I shal be altogether made perfect So when we shall come to God the father and be asked of him whether we beleeued in God whether we loued him c the Samaritane Christ our Lord who hath layed vs on his owne beast will come forth and saye Loe Father although they haue not wholy fulfilled thy Lawe yet haue I fulfilled it suffer thou that to turne to the commoditie of them that beleeue in me So is it needefull that all the Saincts albeit verie holy be layed vpon the backe of Christ If so be that the holiest of all as the Priestes and Leuites could not satisfie the Lawe how shall we go about with our fained workes as with shauing habit c to fulfill the same O wretched miserable calamitie These things shall now suffize to haue bin spoken concerning this text Let vs pray vnto God that he will giue vs his grace **** A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER CONCERNING THE EXERCISE AND INCREASING OF FAITH Iohn 4. Verse 46. THere was a certeine ruler whose sonne was sicke at Capernaum 47. When he heard that Iesus was come out of Iudea into Galile he wēt vnto him besought him that he would go downe heale his sonne for he was euen ready to die 48. Then said Iesus vnto him Except ye see signes and wonders ye will not beleeue 49. The ruler said vnto him Syr goe downe before my sonne die 50. Iesus said vnto him Goe thy waie thy sonne liueth and the man beleeued the word that Iesus had spoken vnto him and went his waye 51. And as he was now going downe his seruaūts met him saying Thy sonne liueth 52. Then enquired he of them the houre when he beganne to amend And they said vnto him yesterdaye the seuenth houre the feuer lefte him 53. Then the father knew that it was the same houre in the which Iesus had said vnto him Thy sonne liueth and he beleeued and all his household 54. This second miracle
hast grace restored Howbeit he requireth this of thee that thou also forgiue thy neighbour all things which he hath cōmitted against thee otherwise thou shalt not be in this kingdō of grace neither shalt becōe partaker of that which the Gospell preacheth that thy sinnes may be forgiuen thee This briefly is the summe meaning of this text Moreouer we must not here omit to declare who they be that receiue the Gospell and vnto whom it is acceptable For surely that kingdom and gouernment wherin God reigneth and ruleth by the Gospell is most excellent and gentle forasmuch as in it meere forgiuenes of sinnes is preached howebeit it pearseth not into the hart of euery one neither is it considered or esteemed of all For thou mayst finde many light and vnconstant men Abuse of the Gospell who abuse the Gospel and leade their life dissolutely and loosely doing what they list who thinke that they should be rebuked of none seeing that the Gospel teacheth nothing but forgiuenes of sinnes The Gospell is not preached to these who do so vilely esteeme of a precious treasure and deale lightly with it Wherefore neither doe they pertaine to this kingdom but to worldly gouernment that they may be stopped let from doing whatsoeuer they like and list To whom the Gospel is preached To whom then is it preached to them which throughly feele such miserie as this seruaunt did here Wherefore consider what happeneth vnto him The Lord taketh pitie of his miserie forgiueth him more then he durst desire But before this is done the text sayth the Lord first tooke account of his seruaunts and when he began to recken one was brought vnto him which owed him ten thousand talents and because he had nothing to pay his Lord commaunded him to be sold and his wife and children and all that he had and the dette to be payed Which truely were no pleasant wordes but euen exceeding seueritie and most terrible iudgement then is he brought into so great perplexitie and distresse that he falleth downe on the ground and asketh mercie and promiseth more then he hath or is able to pay saying Lord refraine thyne anger toward me and I will pay thee all Here is set forth vnto vs who they be vnto whom the Gospell is acceptable For so commeth it to passe betwene God and vs. When God will take an account of vs he sendeth forth the preaching of his law The preaching of the law whereby we learne to know what we ought to doe as when God sayth to the conscience Thou shalt worship no other God but shalt acknowledge me alone for God shalt loue me with all thine hart and repose thy trust and hope in me onely This is the booke of accounts wherein is written what we owe which he taking into his hands readeth before vs and sayth Lo this thou oughtest to haue done thou oughtest to feare loue and worship me alone thou oughtest to trust in me alone and from me to promise to thy selfe all good thinges Howbeit thou doost otherwise thou art mine aduersarie thou beleeuest not in me but reposest thy trust in other things and in a summe thou feest here that thou doost not obserue so much as the least point of the lawe When the conscience hath heard these thinges and the law hath touched one well he seeth then what he ought to doe and what he hath not done and findeth that he hath not kept so much as a letter of the law and is compelled to confesse that he hath not performed that obedience and dutie which God iustly requireth of him What doth the Lord now When the conscience is thus touched and feeleth it selfe condemned and is distressed with exceeding great miserie he sayth Sell him and whatsoeuer he hath and let him pay the det This is the iudgement which forthwith followeth when the law hath reuealed sinne and sayd This thou must doe that thou oughtest to haue done and thou hast done nothing thereof for to sinne is required punishment that man may be compelled to pay For God hath not so made his lawe that he doth not punish them that transgresse it It is not sweete pleasant but bringeth bitter and horrible paine with it it deliuereth vs to Satan it casteth vs downe to hell and leaueth vs wrapped in tentation vntill we haue payed the vtmost farthing This S. Paule hath notably well declared Rom. 4 where he sayth The law worketh nothing but wrath That is when it reuealeth vnto vs that we haue done vniustly it setteth nothing before vs but wrath indignation For when the conscienee seeth that it hath committed euill it feeleth that it hath deserued eternall death after which followeth punishment whereupon it is compelled to despeire This is that that the Lorde commaundeth this seruaunt togither with all his substance to be solde forasmuch as he is not able to pay But what doth the seruaunt say the foolish fellow thinketh yet that he shall pay the dette he falleth downe and prayeth that he wil haue patience with him This is the wound and crosse of all consciences that when sinne biteth them so that they feele in how euill case they are before God there is no rest in them but they runne hither and thither seeking about that they may be deliuered from sinnes rashly take vpon them as yet to do so great thinges as wherewith they shall pay God Superstitious meanes inuented by men to be deliuered from sinne and to purchase Gods fauour as we hitherto haue bene instructed whereupon came so many pilgrimages collegiate houses Monasteries Masses other trifles We pyned our selues with fasting we scourged our selues with whippes we were made Monkes and Nunnes therefore onely for that we went about to leade such a life and to do such and so many works as whereunto God might haue respect and thereby be pacified thinking so to appease and make quiet our consciences so we committed the same thinges that this foolish fellow did Such a hart as is touched with the lawe throughly feeleth it owne miserie and calamitie is humbled truely and in deede Whereupon it falleth downe before the Lord and craueth mercy Howbeit it is yet defiled with this vice that it striueth to helpe it selfe which thinge can not be taken away from nature When as the conscience feeleth such miserie it dareth presume to promise more then all the Angells in heauen are able to performe Then is it an easie matter to persuade it to apply it selfe to doe whatsoeuer can be required of it For it findeth it selfe alwayes in such a case that it hopeth that it is able by workes to satisfie for sinnes Consider those thinges which haue bene hitherto of longe time done in the world then shalt thou find these thinges to be so For thus was it preached Giue somewhat to the building of a Church Get to be admitted into an holy Monasterie institute Masses and thy sinnes shall be forgiuen thee