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

Howbeit we are sure hereof, that whiles we lye upon the shoulders of Christ, we shall remain safe from all terror and misfortune. For he will not suffer us to be plucked or taken from his neck, neither will he himself cast us of, being so glad and joyful, that he hath found his lost sheep, and brought it again to the rest of the flock. And in a sum, here is no terror, or trouble, or exaction, but mere life and grace, whereby he handleth his sheep most lovingly and gently. But on the contrary Moses, not as a shepherd of miserable and weak sheep, but as a master of stronger cattle, driveth his herds with a staff and a rod three days journey through the desert, until they be tired and weary with walking: of this shepherd those hardened and wild ones are to be tamed and bridled. And we also, ⟨p. 120⟩when we shall be under Moses, to wit, according to the flesh and the outward life, must go, and do that which the law requireth. But in that we are, and are called Christians, we must by no means suffer, that any work be laid upon us, yea or exacted of us, but must give our selves only to Christ to be carried and gently lifted up, not upon horses and chariots, but even upon his only shoulders.¹ Which cometh to pass, as I have said, when he suffereth the word to be preached unto us, and we also believe the same, that he died for us, that on the cross he bare our sins in his body, that he hath overthrown the devil, death, and since, and put them under his feet, and hath made and opened unto us entrance to eternal life. Wherefore we must not have respect to our own life, how righteous and strong we are, but we must study upon his one thing, that we may rest lying upon his shoulders. In this circle we must have no care of sin, death, life, or pensiveness, inasmuch as we have all things to the full in Christ, who beareth and keepeth us.

Howbeit we are sure hereof, that whiles we lye vpon the shoulders of Christ, we shall remayne safe from all terrour and misfortune. For he will not suffer vs to be plucked or taken from his necke, neither will he himselfe cast vs of, being so glad and ioyfull, that he hath found his lost shepe, and brought it againe to the rest of the flocke. And in a summe, here is no terrour, or trouble, or exaction, but mere life and grace, whereby he handleth his shepe most louingly and gently. But on the contrarie Moses, not as a shepeheard of miserable and weake sheepe, but as a maister of stronger cattell, driueth his heards with a staffe and a rod three dayes iourney through the desert, vntill they be tyred and wearie with walking: of this shepeheard those hardedened and wilde ones are to be tamed and bridled. And we also,