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

Wherefore if a man be thus stricken of God in his hart, that he acknowledgeth him self such a one as ought for his sins to be condemned, he surely is even that very man, whom God by his word hath stricken, and by this stroke hath fastened upon him the bond of his divine grace, whereby he draweth him, that he may provide for his soul, & have care of him. He could first find with him self no help nor counsel, neither did he wish for any, but now he hath found the special consolation & promise of God, which is after this sort: He that asketh receiveth, he that seeketh findeth, & to him that knocketh it is opened. By such a promise man is more & more lifted up in mind, & conceiveth a greater trust and confidence in God. For as soon as he heareth that this is the work of God alone, he desireth of God, as at the hand of his merciful father, that he will vouchsafe to draw him. If so be that he be drawn of God unto Christ, undoubtedly that also shall come unto him, whereof the Lord maketh mention here, namely that he will raise him up at the last day. For he layeth hold on the word of God, & trusteth in God, whereby he hath a certain testimony, that he is he, whom God hath drawn: As John saith in his first Epistle:¹ He that believeth in that Son of God hath the witness in him self. Hereupon it must needs follow, that he is taught of God, and in verity now knoweth God to be no other, but a helper, a comforter, and a Saviour. ⟨p. 229⟩Hereby it is now manifest, that if we believe, God will be no other toward us but a Saviour, helper, and giver of all felicity, who requireth and asketh nothing of us, but will only give and offer unto us, as he him self saith unto Israel Psal. 81: I am God thy Lord, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, & I will fill it. Who would not love such a God, which showeth him self so gentle and loving unto us, and offereth so readily his grace and goodness?

Wherefore if a man be thus striken of God in his hart, that he acknowledgeth him selfe such a one as ought for his sinnes to be condemned, he surely is euen that very man, whom God by his word hath striken, and by this stroke hath fastened vpon him the bond of his diuine grace, wherby he draweth him, that he may prouide for his soule, & haue care of him. He could first find with him selfe no helpe nor counsel, neither did he wish for any, but now he hath found the speciall consolation & promise of God, which is after this sort: He that asketh receiueth, he that seeketh findeth, & to him that knocketh it is opened. By such a promise man is more & more lifted vp in mind, & conceiueth a greater trust and confidence in God. For as soone as he heareth that this is the worke of God alone, he desireth of God, as at the hand of his mercifull father, that he will vouchsafe to drawe him. If so be that he be drawne of God vnto Christ, vndoutedly that also shall come vnto him, whereof the Lord maketh mention here, namely that he wil raise him vp at the last day. For he layeth hold on the word of God, & trusteth in God, whereby he hath a certaine testimony, that he is he, whom God hath drawne: As Iohn sayth in his first Epistle: