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

¹Secondly, Satan cometh, and tempteth Christ with this care for the belly, and diffidence of the goodness of God, saying: If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. As if he should say according to the Dutch proverb: Trust in God, and in the mean season neglect to bake bread. Tarry till a roasted chicken fly into thy mouth. Go now, and say that thou hast a God, who is careful for thee. Where is now that thy heavenly Father, who hath so great a care of thee? Hath he not goodlily forsaken thee? Eat now and drink of thy faith, and let us see how thou shall be sufficed: it were well wi•• thee, if thou couldest feed on stones. What a goodly son of God art thou? How fatherly doth he behave himself toward thee? He sendeth thee not so much as a piece of bread, but suffereth thee here to be pined with hunger. Go now, and believe yet that thou art the son of God, and he thy Father. Surely with these and such like cogitations he tempteth all the children of God, which ⟨p. 341⟩Christ also undoubtedly felt, for he was not a block or stone, but very man, although pure from sin, as he also continued, which is not given unto us. Now that the Devil tempted Christ with care of the belly, diffidence and wicked desire, the answer of Christ doth sufficiently declare: Man liveth not by bread alone. Which is as much as if he had said: Thou wilt have me have regard to bread alone, thou dealest with me, as though I ought to have no other care but of meat and food for the belly. This tentation is very common,² even among men that are of the most perfect sort, but they especially feel it, which when they are poor, have notwithstanding a wife and children to nourish and maintain, and therewithal an empty house. Hereupon Paul calleth covetousness the root of all evils, for that it is the right offspring of diffidence. And what thing else, but this diffidence and care of the belly, is the cause that many are so loath to marry? what else doth hold so many thousand men in whoredom & unchaste living, and detaineth them from matrimony, but this immoderate care of the belly, and ungodly fear lest they should be pined and perish with hunger?

¹Secondly, Satan commeth, and tempteth Christ with this care for the bellie, and diffidence of the goodnes of God, saying: If thou be the Sonne of God, commaund that these stones be made bread. As if he should say according to ye Dutch prouerbe: Trust in God, and in the meane season neglect to bake bread. Tarie till a rosted chicken flie into thy mouth. Go now, and say that thou hast a God, who is carefull for thee. Where is now that thy heauenly Father, who hath so great a care of thee? Hath he not goodlily forsaken thee? Eate now and drinke of thy faith, and let vs see how thou shalbe suffised: it were well wi thee, if thou couldest feede on stones. What a goodly sonne of God art thou? How fatherly doth he behaue himselfe toward thee? He sendeth thee not so much as a peece of breade, but suffreth thee here to be pined with hunger. Go now, and beleeue yet that thou art the sonne of God, and he thy Father. Surely with these and such like cogitations he tempteth all the children of God, which