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

For those works that they apply them selves unto, are their own inventions, consisting in gestures, apparel, places, times, meats and such like trifles, whereby their neighbour can be holpen neither in body, nor mind, nor in any thing else. For what can it profit me that thy crown is shaven very broad: that thou wearest a grey coal: what profit bringeth it, that thou fastest to day, and keepest holy day to morrow: that thou abstainest from this meat, and eatest that: that thou remainest in this place: that thou readest and mumblest up daily so many words? Surely thou dost nothing else by these, but torment thy self to please Satan, and to be a pernicious and hurtful example to thy neighbours: for there is no Christianity in thy life being such. Thou believest not as it behoveth a Christian to believe, and therefore neither dost thou pray Christianly: Thy fasting also is not true chastising of thy body, but rashly taken upon thee in stead of a good work: In a sum, this thy service and study of religion is no other thing, then in time past among the Jews was the religion of Moloch and Baal, in the honour of whom they did kill and burn even their own children. So pernicious and pestilent an example is this thy holiness, which seemeth so goodly unto thee, which when it marvellously counterfeiteth a show of godliness, it draweth miserable men to the following thereof, and utterly extinguisheth true religion.

For those workes that they apply them selues vnto, are their owne inuentions, consisting in gestures, apparell, places, times, meates and such like trifles, whereby their neighbour can be holpen neither in body, nor minde, nor in any thinge els. For what can it profit me that thy crowne is shauen very broad: that thou wearest a gray coule: what profit bringeth it, that thou fastest to day, and keepest holy day to morrow: that thou abstainest from this meate, and eatest that: that thou remainest in this place: that thou readest and mumblest vp daily so many wordes? Surely thou doost nothing els by these, but torment thy selfe to please Satan, and to be a pernicious and hurtfull example to thy neighbours: for there is no Christianitie in thy life being such. Thou beleeuest not as it behoueth a Christian to beleeue, and therefore neither doost thou pray Christianly: Thy fasting also is not true chastising of thy body, but rashly taken vpon thee in steede of a good worke: In a summe, this thy seruice and study of religion is no other thing, then in time past amonge the Iewes was the religion of Moloch and Baal, in the honour of whom they did kill and burne euen their owne children. So pernitious and pestilent an example is this thy holines, which seemeth so goodly vnto thee, which when it meruelously counterfaiteth a shew of godlines, it draweth miserable men to the following thereof, and vtterly extinguisheth true religion.