Special and chosen sermons of D. Martin Luther collected out of his writings and…

Moreover, then thou doest cast thy sins from thee upon ⟨p. 72⟩Christ,¹ when thou firmly believest that he suffered & was wounded for thy sins, and that he hath paid the full ransom and satisfaction for them, as Isaiah saith chap. 53. The Lord hath thrown upon him all our sins. ²And S. Peter saith: who his own self bare our sins in his body on the tree. S. Paul saith: He hath made him to be sin for us, which knew no sin, that we should be made the righteousness of God in him. In these and such like authorities thou must repose thy hope with all boldness, and that so much the more, as thy conscience doth more grievously vex and trouble thee. But if thou shalt not do this, but presumest that thou shalt be quiet by thy contrition and satisfaction, then thou shalt never come unto quietness, but at the last shalt fall even into desperation. For our sins kept and meddled with within our conscience, and set before the eyes of our hart, are far stronger then we, and do live immortally. But when as we see them laid upon Christ, and to be victoriously conquered of him by his resurrection, and do confidently believe this, then they are dead and brought unto nothing. And yet being laid upon Christ, they must not remain so: for they are swallowed up in the triumph of his resurrection. Soe sayeth Saint Paul: Christ was delivered to death for our sins, and is risen again for our justification, that is, he hath taken upon him our sins in his passion, and hath thereby payed the ransom for them, but by his resurrection he justifieth us, and maketh us free from all sin, if so be that we do believe this.

Moreouer, then thou doest cast thy sinnes from thee vppon ⟨p. 72⟩Christ,¹ when thou firmely beleuest that he suffered & was wounded for thy sinnes, and that he hath payd the ful ransom and satisfaction for thē, as Esaias sayth chap. 53. The Lord hath thrown vpon him all our sinnes. ²And S. Peter sayth: who his owne self bare our sinnes in his body on the tree. S. Paule sayth: He hath made him to be sinne for vs, which knewe no sinne, that we should be made the righteousnes of God in him. In these and such like authorities thou must repose thy hope with all boldnes, and that so much the more, as thy conscience doth more grieuously vexe and trouble thee. But if thou shalt not doe this, but presumest that thou shalt be quiet by thy contrition and satisfaction, then thou shalt neuer come vnto quietnes, but at the last shalt fall euen into desperation. For our sinnes kept and medled with within our conscience, and sette before the eyes of our hart, are farre stronger then we, and doe liue immortally. But when as we see them layd vpon Christ, and to be victoriously conquered of him by his resurrection, and doe confidently beleeue this, then they are dead and brought vnto nothing. And yet being layd vpon Christ, they must not remayne so: for they are swallowed vppe in the triumphe of his resurrection. Soe sayeth Sainct Paule: Christ was deliuered to deathe for our sinnes, and is risen agayne for our iustification, that is, he hath taken vppon him our sinnes in his passion, and hath thereby payed the raunsome for them, but by his resurrection he iustifieth vs, and maketh vs free from all sinne, if so be that we doe beleeue this.