Collected Sermons, Title page – Dedication
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 hauehave 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 commō ly 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 vnderunder the lawe, and them that be vnderunder 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 vsus, wherin is contained a moſt ſweet conſolation againſt the Lawe, Sinne, Death and Satan. 446.
33 A Sermon vponupon the Goſpell on S. Matthias day. 456.
34 A Sermon vponupon 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 vntounto that vvhichwhich 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 vvhichwhich 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 onelyonly 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 vntounto his feete, and a light vntounto 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 vvhichwhich 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 hauehave 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 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 vvhichwhich 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 onelyonly true God, and vvhom he hath ſent Ieſus Chriſt, and the infinit riches vvhichwhich are compriſed in him, and offered vntounto vsus through him of God his Father: that he humbled him ſelfe to exalt vsus, that he became a ſeruaunt to ſet vsus at libertie, that he vvas empouerished to make vsus rich, that he dyed for our ſinnes, & roſe again for our iuſtification, that through his meanes merciemercy 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 onelyonly meanes by vvhichwhich all good thinges are attained: ſo that they vvhichwhich 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 vvhichwhich hath God to his Father? vvho both is able to giuegive all thinges neceſſary, for his is the earth and all that therein is, and alſo vvill giuegive 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 vntounto 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, vvhichwhich 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, (vvhichwhich 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 vnderunder the lavve, that he might redeeme them vvhichwhich vvere in bondage vnderunder the lavve, & of ſeruile bondmen make them free ſonnes, euen the children of God.
Furthermore, if griefe and heauines come vponupon him, he is here taught vvhere true ioy may be had, euen in Chriſt Ieſus alone, that in him onelyonly he may fynde ſure comfort, ſouereigne medicines, preſent remedie, true ioy of heart and quietnes of conſcience. Finally, vvhereas vve are ſynnefull, and hauehave 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 vsus. 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 shalbe 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 vvhichwhich 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 vsus all to death, hovv shall he not vvith him giuegive vsus all thinges alſo?
Novv foraſmuch as theſe thinges, and the right meanes to attaine vntounto 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 onelyonly to inſtruct them vvhichwhich be ignorant in matters of ſaluation, but alſo to increaſe and confirme the knovvledge of ſuch, as hauehave 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 shalbe needeleſſe much to ſtand vponupon this point, ſeeing it is not vnknovvne to the faithfull vvith hovv great endeuour they ought to auoyde that vvhichwhich is euill, and embrace that vvhichwhich is good, and therefore shall ſyncere & perfect doctrine concerning good vvorkes be vntounto them no leſſe commodious and profitable, then needefull and neceſſarie.
For the cauſes aboue ſpecified eſpecially among other, I hauehave (right VVorshipfull) though not finely, yet faithfully tranſlated theſe Sermons into our vulgar tounge, and hauehave done myne endeuour for the publishing of the ſame, vvhichwhich 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 the holy Mount Sion, that is, in the Church of God: ſo doe they vvith the ſame Dauid deſyre the building of this houſe of God, the florishing of this vine, the peace and proſperitie of this heauenly Ieruſalem, and therefore that vvhichwhich is a meane and furtherance hereunto they doe not onelyonly louelove and like, but alſo hiely eſteeme, and hartily praye for. VVherefore (right VVorshipfull) I thinke it altogether ſuperfluous to goe about vvith vvordes to procure your vvell liking and accepting of theſe Sermons, foraſmuch as they tend onelyonly to this ende, that the Church of God may by them be edified, as in the premiſſes is of me declared. VVhereas in tranſlating them I hauehave vſed a plaine kynde of ſtile (yet ſuch as ſufficiently expreſſeth the meaning of the author) and not ſtudied for curious vvordes & eloquēt phraſes, the cauſe thereof is, for that I preferre plainneſſe vvith profit, before much curioſitie vvith ſmaller commoditie, ſo that I nothinge at all feare that in this reſpect they shalbe miſliked of the godly, vvhoſe miſliking onelyonly I endeuour to auoide.
Thus (as it ſeemes vntounto me) hauing intreated ſufficiently of thoſe thinges vvhichwhich I thought pertinent to my preſent purpoſe, I doe here conclude, deſyring the Lord God, that he vvill by his holy Spirit alvvayes gouerne and direct you in the true obedience of his bleſſed vvorde, to the glorie of his diuine Name, to the profit of your neighbours, and comfort of your conſcience, ſo shall you aſſuredly hauehave proſperous ſucceſſe in all your affayres, and at the laſt obtaine euerlaſting ioyes and endleſſe felicitie, by the onelyonly meanes of Chriſt Ieſus our Sauiour.
Your Worſhips humbly at commaundement W. GACE.