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

First he saith, that his spouse is turned into an harlot, and hath estranged her self from God the fountain of life, from whom life, salvation & every good thing floweth, him they have forsaken. Secondly they set up their own traditions, and dig unto them selves a fountain of their own, which can hold no water. So our Papists trust to their own inventions, to their founding of Masses, to their fastings, prayers, and such like things. Which appear to be as a fountain, out of which they would draw life, and blessedness or salvation, when as notwithstanding it is able to hold no water: they forsake God the fountain of life. Afterward he saith: they dare rise against me, that I should not be angry with them, alleging that their works be just, and they will go to law with me. Behold this is an other sin, that they go about to defend their works. Whereupon God also saith: I will contend with thee in judgment, & will show how thou gaddest hither and thither to change thy ways. So faith pertaineth to God alone,¹ whereunto it belongeth to obtain all whatsoever things are necessary, as well temporal things as eternal, and so to obtain them, that it think not that it hath merited in any thing. Also it must again apply it self downward toward our neighbour, with out looking for any recompense, not that blessedness consisteth in that deriving of faith, to wit charity, for neither doth God require that, who will have the conscience ⟨p. 173⟩to rest only in him: even as the spouse must cleave only to her husband and to no other: so also God requireth of us that we trust in him alone. These things Christ declareth when he saith: Be ye merciful as your father is merciful. Wherefore I must so order my conscience toward God, that I undoubtedly believe, that I have him a bountiful and merciful father, as I will afterward declare, and that I also do show mercy toward my neighbour. Which faith must be inward, and carried upward unto God, but works must be without, and derived downward to our neighbour. After this sort Abraham did, when at the mountain in the country of Moria he ascended to God, he left his servants and asses below at the bottom of the mountain, taking only Isaac with him.

First he sayth, that his spouse is turned into an harlot, and hath estraunged her selfe from God the fountaine of life, from whom life, saluation & euery good thing floweth, him they haue forsaken. Secondly they set vp their owne traditions, and digge vnto them selues a fountaine of their owne, which can holde no water. So our Papistes trust to their owne inuentions, to their founding of Masses, to their fastinges, prayers, and such like things. Which appeare to be as a fountaine, out of which they would draw life, and blessednes or saluation, when as notwithstanding it is able to hold no water: they forsake God the fountaine of life. Afterward he sayth: they dare rise against me, that I should not be angrie with them, alleging that their workes be iust, and they will goe to law with me. Beholde this is an other sinne, that they goe about to defende their workes. Whereupon God also sayth: I wil cōtend with thee in iudgment, & wil shew how thou gaddest hither and thither to change thy wayes. So faith pertaineth to God alone,