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

But he is to be counted an excellent Master, and highly to be esteemed, which teacheth the chief point and whole sum of doctrine, to wit, how the hart and conscience, yea and the whole man must live. They know nothing of that thing, although they be very full of words, but do altogether err from the sum & principal point of the law. In the mean season they entangle the minds of the hearers with such a confused company of words, that they know neither how to make a beginning nor end of speaking, and it is uncertain whereunto that disordered company of words doth serve, whereby no man can be made better, much less can he confirm his conscience thereby, as we hitherto have enough and too much seen and tried in the Papacy among our Preachers of dreams. What therefore is the sum of that doctrine, which is to be taught to the people? Saint Paul answereth: The end of the commandment is love out of a pure hart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.

But he is to be counted an excellent Maister, and highly to be esteemed, which teacheth the chiefe point and whole summe of doctrine, to wit, how the hart and conscience, yea and the whole man must liue. They know nothing of that thing, although they be very full of wordes, but doe altogither erre from the summe & principall point of the lawe. In the meane season they intangle the mindes of ye hearers with such a confused company of words, that they know neither how to make a beginning nor end of speaking, and it is vncertaine whereunto that disordered companie of wordes doth serue, whereby no man can be made better, much lesse can he confirme his conscience thereby, as we hitherto haue enough and too much seene and tried in the Papacie amonge our Preachers of dreames. What therefore is the summe of that doctrine, which is to be taught to the people? Sainct Paule aunswereth: The ende of the commaundement is loue out of a pure hart, and of a good conscience, and of faith vnfeyned.

This is that Helen,¹ here thou hast the sum of Christian life most excellently and fully comprehended, compendiously and briefly uttered, and which may be not unfitly printed in thy memory. Thou must endeavour, if thou wilt not err from the law, but attain to the chief point thereof (that thou mayst know what is to be done and what to be left undone) to have love proceeding out of a pure hart, from a good conscience, and faith unfeigned. If thy love be of this sort, then is it right, otherwise thou errest from the meaning of the whole law. Now these words are profound, and comprehend much matter in them: Wherefore we must partly expound them, that they may be the better understood, & that we may accustom our selves to Pauls manner of speech. First he attributeth to love the sum of the whole law, wherein it