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

The weapons of this text.

¹This text fighteth most mightily, and with most plain words against all righteousness and good works of mans reason and free will. For the words are plain. Not by the works of righteousness, which we had done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing, &c. All which words do utterly overthrow our righteousness, attributing all things to the washing of the new birth, and the renewing of the holy Ghost, to Christ and his grace. How can there notwithstanding any presumption as yet remain in us? Wherefore let all sacred and profane laws have a fair show: let all sacrificing priests, monks, and nuns boast of themselves: let all religious and honest men and women seem goodly in outward appearance: let them even raise the dead: if faith in Christ be absent, whereof we have now spoken so much, all these things are to no purpose. These most false shows do as yet deceive the whole world, and seduce almost every one. They make the Gospel obscure, and extinguish the faith of Christ: All their works and orders, although they appear goodly, and they think them to have merited never so much, do avail no more unto salvation, then the works of beasts, or of artificers, whereby they do maintain themselves and theirs, yea they do most hurtfully hinder it. Therefore that I may conclude, take heed as much as thou art able, of these wolves, which under a fair pretence counterfeit themselves sheep, and learn and accustom thy self with a sound faith to cleave unto Christ alone.

¹This text fighteth most mightily, and with most plaine words against all righteousnes and good workes of mans reason and free will. For the wordes are plaine. Not by the workes of righteousnes, which we had done, but according to his mercie he saued vs, by the washing, &c. All which wordes do vtterly ouerthrow our righteousnes, attributing all things to ye washing of the newe birth, and the renewing of the holy Ghost, to Christ and his grace. How can there notwithstanding any presumption as yet remaine in vs? Wherefore let all sacred and prophane lawes haue a fayre shew: let all sacrificing priests, monkes, and nunnes boast of themselues: let all religious and honest men and women seeme goodly in outward appearaunce: let them euen rayse the dead: if faith in Christ be absent, whereof we haue now spoken so much, all these things are to no purpose. These most false shewes do as yet deceiue the whole world, and seduce almost euerie one. They make the Gospell obscure, and extinguish the faith of Christ: All their workes and orders, although they appeare goodly, and they thinke them to haue merited neuer so much, do auaile no more vnto saluation, then the workes of beastes, or of artificers, whereby they do maintaine themselues and theirs, yea they do most hurtfully hinder it. Therefore that I may conclude, take heede as much as thou art able, of these wolues, which vnder a faire pretence counterfet themselues sheepe, and learne and accustome thy selfe with a sound faith to cleaue vnto Christ alone.