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
not all Christians suffered vnto some of which he hath committed the ministerie of his word faithfully to be executed and to other some hath enioyned the charge of hearing the same If there were no other cause beside this whereby we might be moued to heare learne Gods word but for that it is the good pleasure will and commaundement of God yet this one ought to be sufficient great weighty For it is our dutie as creatures to obey our Lorde and Creator and that with all readines of mynde inasmuch as he hath giuen vs so many good thinges and doth as yet daily giue vs moe for which we shall neuer be able to giue him sufficient worthie thankes Howbeit he is not content onely to haue commaunded vs to do this or to require it of vs as bounden dutie but promiseth also that great fruits and commodities shall redound to vs thereby affirming that by this meanes his greatest and highest worship is giuen vnto him For he is the great Lord whom we serue God is serued diuers waies but especially by preaching hearing his worde who hath many and diuers kindes of seruice and manifold maners of worship and whom we may serue diuers wayes But this onely seruice which is giuen to him by hearing the word doth excell all the rest For if any where a faithfull man of the countrie or a citizen or any which is otherwise in subiection doth serue his Lorde or maister he doth by the same seruice also serue God Likewise a childe a manseruaunt or a maydseruaunt if they be obedient and do diligently that which belongeth to their dutie also a Prince and parents if they gouerne well and do their dutie faithfully they all do serue God For it is his will and commaundement which he requireth to be fulfilled of vs. Of such seruices and kindes of worship the world is full For to euerie one in his state his workes are committed and inioyned of God whereby he daily both ought and may serue him that there may be left no place for excuse vnto any man as though he were ignoraunt how and wherefore he must serue God neither that any seeke after other thinges and inuent peculiar maners of seruing God which he hath neither ordained nor commaunded and in the meane season neglect that which he hath commaunded as we haue hitherto done in our blindenes But before all other seruices and doinges of duties he hath most highly esteemed and extolled this seruice both of them that heare God hath appointed time place person and what so euer is requisite that his word may be preached heard and them that preach his word And therefore hath ordained also a speciall day thereunto euerie weeke in which we must applie our selues to no other busines Albeit we serue God also by other labours all the weeke which he hath bound to no time or certaine daye But he hath chosen this daye specially which he hath seuerely commaunded to be kept whereby men maye haue time and leysure to performe this seruice lest any might flie vnto this complaint that he hath no leysure by reason of his labours and busines Moreouer he hath appointed speciall places also for this seruice as among vs temples and houses where we doe come togither Yea he hath instituted and kept the whole order of ministers hereunto giuing also other thinges which pertaine to the performing of the charge of this office as the knowledge of manye tounges and diuers giftes beside And briefely he hath commaunded the whole world by a certaine speciall precept that it thinke this worship or seruice holy and farre more excellent then the rest Which he will haue so to be delighted in of all Christians that it maye be manifest howe much he doeth esteeme it and howe acceptable vnto him the exercise and handlyng of his word is Most weightie causes which ought to me to heare Gods word These things I speake to stirre you vp and to admonish you why ye ought willingly to heare the word of God because it is not only the commaundement of God whereunto we must obey but we haue also most ample promises that it is a thinge acceptable to God and the greatest worship whereby we can doe honour vnto him And it so farre exceedeth other kindes of worship as the brightnes of the sunne exceedeth the brightnes of the other starres and the Sabbath day the other dayes in a summe as much as the heauenly kingdom excelleth the kingdoms of the worlde For here all thinges are holy and specially chosen the time place person and that because of the worde which sanctifieth all thinges vnto vs. Wherefore we must earnestly endeuour that we take heede vnto our selues that we fall not into sluggishnes slothfulnes neither that we be caried away with contempt and lothsomnes of hearing the word as those delicate and cloyed spirits which seeme vnto them selues already to be Maisters and exactly to know all thinges yea farre more perfectly then any can teache them Or as others also which are soone cloyed with it thinking why I haue heard this very often wherefore should I eftsoones heare the same songe They knowe not howe great meruelous a thing it is also howe great worship of God which they do so greatly contemne neglect with so great slothfulnes Wherefore they doe after vnspeakeable meanes prouoke God to wrath hauing his commaundement so in contempt and suffering his promise to be made voyd in them and as much as is in them impayring and hindering by their example so commendable a worship and seruice of God But admit it to be true which notwithstanding is not that thou doost vnderstand all thinges perfectly and as cunningly and skilfully as Christ him selfe yet thou seest how earnestly he performeth the office of preaching and applyeth him selfe vnto this worke whereof notwithstanding he was most skilful before and had not any whit neede thereof as we doe greatly neede it So Paule also a Prince of Apostles albeit he was exceedingly well learned so excellent a Doctor yet going through many countries did eftsoones and euery where preach neither was he wearied or cloyed We must not be wearie of hearing the word of God Wherefore it is meete that thou be nothing at all wearie of hearing this worde inasmuch as the ayde and helpe thereof is exceeding necessary for thee both against the deuil and all other tentations And although for thy instruction thou shouldest not neede it yet oughtest thou not to be wearied or cloyed that thou shouldest not bestowe a fewe howres in a day euery weeke vpon this worship and seruice of God seeing that before applying thy selfe to false worship when thou didst passe the whole day in temples and didst runne from temple to temple from altar to altar thou felst no tediousnes or wearines neither didst say as thou doost at this day O I haue heard no newe thinge I haue heard these thinges before But
didst thinke thus this day and yesterday I went to heare Masse and to morow I mind to goe to heare it againe How much more oughtest thou to doe this now knowing assuredly that this is the right seruice and worship of God to say Albeit I knew most perfectly as I doe not know yet to giue honour and shew obedience vnto God I will doe this seruice and because of his loue and prayse I will heare his word that my Lord may see by this chiefe worship wherewith I am especially delighted that I am willing to serue him For although no other frute or profit come vnto me thereby yet I may reioyce that I haue performed a most holy and acceptable worke vnto him whereunto other kindes of worships and seruices being compared are of small importance Now he that doth not care for these thinges neither is moued with them reuerently to thinke and highly to esteme of the word of God willingly and earnestly to heare and learne it whensoeuer opportunitie and meanes shall be offered I wil haue nothing to do with him For neither may I neither will I draw any man hereunto violently He that contemneth let him contemne still and remaine a swine as he is euen vntill that day when God wil kill him and throw him downe hedlong to hel For such a one can not be a good man neither is it a humane sinne but a certaine deuilish obstinacie A deuilish obstinacie to contemne the hearing of Gods word so greatly to contemne that whereunto God hath appoynted a place person time c. Whereunto moreouer he moueth vs by his commaundement louingly prouoketh vs by his promises stirreth vs vp and admonisheth vs by wordes and offereth all these of his owne accorde and to be bought with no price or treasure which is to be farre fetched or hardly come by the excellencie whereof can in deede be counteruailed with no gold Adde hereunto moreouer that it is a worship or seruice very easie to be done which may be performed without all labour or griefe but that thou must attentiuely heare the Preacher or apply thy mouth to speake and read then which labour none surely is more easie And albeit it is to be feared that thou shalt therefore beare the crosse and suffer persecution yet the worke it selfe is so ioyned with no difficultie as no other labour is no not euen that that is most easie If so be that it be not grieuous vnto thee to sit the whole day in a tauerne or an alehouse or otherwise with thy companions to trifle and sport thy selfe with filthy and vnseemely gestes and pastimes also to singe and prate and yet art not wearie neither feelest any labour thou mayst with as litle paine sit in the temple and heare the Preacher whereby thou seruest God and doost that which is acceptable vnto him What wouldest thou doe if thou shouldest at his commaundement cary stones in quarries or goe armed on pilgrimage to S. Iames or if some other laborious and painefull worke should be enioyned thee as hitherto it hath bene the custom among vs when as we would doe all thinges willingly whatsoeuer was enioyned vs when we were deceiued with meere trifles and most impudent delusions But so doth the Deuill blinde men in whom also he worketh a satietie and lothing of the word of God whereby it commeth to passe that they haue no regard what a treasure the word of God is but liue after a beastly sort contemning all good doctrine Let vs therfore at the last delight in these things thinking thus with our selues that as often as we reade or heare the word of God either priuatly or publikely of whom soeuer it be preached we apply our selues to the chiefe seruice of God which pleaseth God exceedingly well After this sort thou mayst inflame thy selfe to heare and God will inspire thee with his grace God maketh the seede of his worde frutefull in the diligent hearers therof that the seede of his word be not sowne in vaine but may bring forth plentifull frute For the word is neuer taught without frute whensoeuer it shal be diligently and attentiuely heard neither can it be but that by eftsoones hearing it thou shouldest become better And albeit for the present time thou seest or feelest no frute yet in processe of time thou shalt plainly perceiue feele it But it were long here to rehearse the frutes proceeding of the worde nay in deede they can not be all rehearsed These thinges I thought good to speake in steede of a preface before the wordes of S. Paule Exhortation to the hearing of Gods word very needefull to the intent to stirre vs vp more diligently to heare the worde of God and surely there is great neede of such an exhortation daily in euery sermon which also is much pertinent vnto the text which we presently haue in hande For Paule in this place reprehendeth curious spirits which go about by their owne wisedom to be maisters of the word of God and doe by and by falsely perswade them selues that they knowe it well and that they neede not any more the help of any teacher but turne them selues to trifleling and vaine iangling that they may bring forth some new thing which the common sort may be desirous to heare presuming also to be Maisters of the Scripture and of all men labouring to teache euery one and yet not vnderstanding what they speake or whereof they affirme For this is a plague and calamitie that followeth where the word of God is not handled diligently and seriously the learners being wearie of hearing and the teachers slothful in preaching Hereof it commeth that so great companies of hearers slide away and Churches become desolate Of which calamitie vaine talking spirits are the cause which promise new thinges that they may winne the hartes of the multitude vnto them selues boasting that they are Maisters of the Scripture and yet are alwayes such men as are ignorant forasmuch as they haue neuer tried what it is to teach other which we doe nowe plainly fee and the wrath of God is at hand ready to punish our contempt and vnthankefulnes Therefore Paule beginneth his Epistle to his Disciple Timothe so Vaine curious teachers that he should take heede that such teachers doe not arise which can talke many thinges of the lawe bringing many new questions and doctrines what is to be done how righteousnes is to be obtained all which they do for ostentations sake that they may be seene and praysed and seeme to be more learned then other and yet they neuer came so farre as to teach any certayne thinge or that which might be counted to be of any importance but doe all thinges confusedly and out of good order Such bablers vse onely these wordes that we must be honest that good workes must be done and God must be serued c. but they vnderstand not the sense of those wordes what they meane And being asked how