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

Again, He that shall believe and be baptized, shall be saved. And Joh. 3. he saith: God so loved the world, that he hath given his only begotten Son, that who soever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life. Therefore God hath set forth the mercy seat unto us, whereunto he leadeth us from the judgement seat. Let us leave other before the judgement seat, namely those proud holy ones, contemners and persecutors of the word of God, where they shall hear sentence according to their deeds. We will suffer these to abide in their circle, until they have humbled themselves: but we will not abide in this circle, but will depart from it as far as we shall be able, into the circle of the mercy feat, unto which we do appeal. Neither have we invented this of our own brain, but it is the word of God himself, which threateneth horrible judgement to them, which come with their own holiness, and trusting thereunto, do hope that they shall be able to stand before God the judge, neglecting the mercy seat of Christ. For the sentence standeth, that they shall be set before the judgement seat, as Christ saith Joh. 3: He that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of that only begotten Son of God. He that believeth in him is not condemned, that is, shall not come to the judgement seat, but to the mercy seat, where there is no wrath or rigour, but grace & forgiveness of since, all things being remitted which be not pure, yea being blotted out and so consumed, as a drop of water is consumed of the heat of the sun. For where the mercy seat reigneth, there is nothing else, but mere forgiveness and remission of since.

Againe, He that shall beleeue and be baptized, shalbe saued. And Ioh. 3. he saith: God so loued the world, that he hath giuen his onely begotten Sonne, that who soeuer beleeueth in him, should not perish, but haue euerlasting life. Therefore God hath set forth the mercy seat vnto vs, whereunto he leadeth vs from the iudgement seat. Let vs leaue other before the iudgemēt seat, namely those proud holy ones, contemners and persecuters of the word of God, where they shall heare sentence according to their deedes. We will suffer these to abyde in their circle, vntill they haue humbled themselues: but we will not abyde in this circle, but will depart from it as farre as we shalbe able, into the circle of the mercy feat, vnto which we do appeale. Neither haue we inuented this of our owne braine, but it is the word of God himselfe, which threatneth horrible iudgement to them, which come with their owne holines, and trusting thereunto, do hope that they shalbe able to stand before God the iudge, neglecting the mercy seat of Christ. For the sentence standeth, that they shalbe set before the iudgement seat, as Christ sayth