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

Now Satan persuadeth miserable men unto this madness, as also he persuaded Christ to cast him self down from a pinnacle of the temple, by places of Scripture perverted and misapplied, wherein works are commanded, whereby he maketh them believe, that the Angels shall keep them, that is, that they shall be approved of God, when as in deed they can by nothing so offend him, as by that mad trust and confidence in works. For they acknowledge not, that the Scripture doth no where require works without faith, or that it doth every where require a sound & lively faith from which works proceed. We have at large declared who are such, namely, incredulous hypocrites, which are given to works without faith, which falsely boast of the name of Christians, challenging to them selves to be chief in the flock of Christ: For this tentation must be in the holy city. Now these two tentations, and the causes of them do greatly differ: In the former ⟨p. 348⟩the cause why men do not believe is need and hunger, for they are thereby moved to distrust God, and despair of his goodness. In the latter the cause why they do not believe is overmuch abundance, for that miserable men are full of most plentiful and abundant treasure, so that they loath it, coveting to have some other special thing, whereby they may procure the salvation of their souls. So our case standeth ill in both respects: If we have nothing we despair, and distrust God: If we have plenty of things, we loath them, and require other, being then also void of faith. Concerning the first, we fly and hate scarcity and seek plenty: concerning the latter, we seek scarcity, and fly plenty. Howsoever God dealeth with us, we are not content: our incredulity is a bottomless pit of malice and ungodliness.

Now Satan persuadeth miserable men vnto this madnes, as also he persuaded Christ to cast him selfe downe from a pinnacle of the temple, by places of Scripture peruerted and misapplied, wherein workes are commaunded, whereby he maketh them beleeue, that the Angells shall keepe them, that is, that they shall be approued of God, when as in deede they can by nothing so offend him, as by that madde trust and confidence in workes. For they acknowledge not, yt the Scripture doth no where require works without faith, or that it doth euery where require a sound & liuely faith from which works proceede. We haue at large declared who are such, namely, incredulous hypocrites, which are giuen to workes without faith, which falsely boast of the name of Christians, chalenging to them selues to be chiefe in ye flock of Christ: For this tentation must be in the holy citie. Now these two tentations, and the causes of them doe greatly differ: In the former