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

Thou mayst see a resemblance hereof in Peter,¹ and the Angel which came into the prison to Peter to deliver him. Both of them were then in the prison, but Peter was there being cast into it of Herod, not of his own accord, wherein he was also to abide, for he could not go forth when he would. But the Angel went into the prison of his own accord, whereupon it was free for him also to go forth when he would: he was there only for Peters sake and not for his own, and freely even at his own will, whom when Peter heard and followed, it was free for him also to go forth of the prison, whereas before it was not. This prison is the Law: Peter is our conscience: The Angel is Christ. Christ being absent, our conscience is held captive of the Law, and being unwilling of it self, is moved unto good things by the threatenings and promises thereof, and is tied and bound unto honest things with these, as with two chains. The keepers of this prison are the teachers of the Law, which declare the force of the Law unto us. So we being bound in the prison of the Law, Christ cometh unto us, and willingly maketh himself subject to the Law, and doth the works of the Law of his own accord, which we did bend our selves to do against our wills, yea and doth them for our sake, that he may join us unto him, and also bring us out together with himself. For he may easily go forth, who is held in the prison by no necessity. If now we cleave unto him, and follow him, we also do ⟨p. 306⟩go forth. But this cleaving to him and following him is nothing else, then to believe in him, and not to doubt that he became man, and was made subject to the law for thy salvations sake. Together with this faith cometh the spirit, he by and by maketh thee ready and willing to do with pleasure all things that the Law requireth: and so truly delivereth thee from the captivity of the Law, those chains of threatenings and promises fall of from thee, and thou mayst now go whither thou list, that is, thou mayst live according to thine own will, or rather according to the will of the holy Ghost ruling all things in thee: finally what good things soever thou doest, thou doest them from the heart, and with great pleasure.

Thou mayst see a resemblaunce hereof in Peter,¹ and the Angell which came into the prison to Peter to deliuer him. Both of them were then in the prison, but Peter was there being cast into it of Herode, not of his owne accord, wherein he was also to abide, for he could not go forth when he would. But the Angell went into the prison of his owne accord, whereupon it was free for him also to go forth when he would: he was there onely for Peters sake and not for his owne, and freely euen at his owne will, whom when Peter heard and folowed, it was free for him also to go forth of the prison, whereas before it was not. This prison is the Lawe: Peter is our conscience: The Angell is Christ. Christ being absent, our conscience is held captiue of the Lawe, and being vnwilling of it selfe, is moued vnto good thinges by the threatninges and promises thereof, and is tied and bound vnto honest thinges with these, as with two chaines. The keepers of this prison are the teachers of the Lawe, which declare the force of the Lawe vnto vs. So we being bound in the prison of the Lawe, Christ commeth vnto vs, and willingly maketh himselfe subiect to the Lawe, and doth the workes of the Lawe of his owne accord, which we did bend our selues to do against our wills, yea and doth them for our sake, that he may ioyne vs vnto him, and also bring vs out togither with himselfe. For he may easily go forth, who is held in the prison by no necessitie. If now we cleaue vnto him, and follow him, we also do