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

We make almost a sport & trifling matter of the Gospel. For no man embraceth it from his hart, no man frameth his manners according unto it. Which is a manifest argument of blindness. O thing surely most miserable. I fear lest the matter will shortly come to that pass, that all Germany will fall together upon an heap, which (alas) in part of the commonalty hath already had a lamentable beginning, we have lost a great multitude of people, almost an hundred thousand men have been slain only between the feasts of Easter and Whitsuntide. It is a hard work of God, and I fear me the war begun is not yet at an end, this is only a forewarning and threatening whereby God would terrify us, that we might diligently take heed to our selves: it was nothing but the Foxes tail, if he come again with his whip, he will scourge us more grievously. But we will behave our selves as the Jews behaved them selves, until there shall be place for no succour nor help. Now we might prevent it, now were the time to know what should be best for us, and to receive the Gospel with peace, for at this day grace is offered unto us, whereby we may live peaceably, but we suffer day to pass after day, year after year, applying our selves less to the Gospel then before. No man doth now pray unto God for the increase of his word, no man receiveth it in his hart. If so be that the time shall pass, no prayers shall any more help. We weigh not this matter in our hart, we think our selves safe, we do not throughly perceive the great misery already come to pass, neither do we consider in our minds, how miserably God punisheth us with false prophets and sects, which he on every side sendeth unto us, which preach so securely, ⟨p. 385⟩as if they had wholly received into their breast the spirit the comforter. Those which we counted best of all do go away, & bring men into such a perplexity, that they almost know not either what is to be done or not to be done. But this is only the beginning, albeit sufficient horrible and cruel. For there can not be greater affliction and misery, then if the Lord send amongst us sects and false prophets, which are so rash and bold, that it is greatly to be lamented.

We make almost a sport & trifling matter of the Gospel. For no man embraceth it from his hart, no man frameth his maners according vnto it. Which is a manifest argument of blindnes. O thing surely most miserable. I feare lest the matter will shortly come to that passe, that all Germanie will fall togither vpon an heape, which (alas) in part of the communaltie hath already had a lamētable beginning, we haue lost a great multitude of people, almost an hundred thousand men haue bene slaine onely betwene the feasts of Easter and Whitsontide. It is a hard worke of God, and I feare me the warre begon is not yet at an ende, this is onely a forewarning and threatning wherby God would terrifie vs, that we might diligently take heede to our selues: it was nothing but the Foxes tayle, if he come againe with his whippe, he will scourge vs more grieuously. But we will behaue our selues as the Iewes behaued them selues, vntill there shall be place for no succour nor helpe. Now we might preuent it, now were the time to knowe what shoulde be best for vs, and to receiue the Gospell with peace, for at this day grace is offered vnto vs, whereby we may liue peaceably, but we suffer day to passe after day, yeare after yeare, applying our selues lesse to the Gospel then before. No man doth now pray vnto God for ye increase of his word, no man receiueth it in his hart. If so be that the time shall passe, no prayers shal any more helpe. We wey not this matter in our hart, we thinke our selues safe, we do not throughly perceiue the great miserie already come to passe, neither doe we consider in our minds, how miserably God punisheth vs with false prophets and sects, which he on euery side sendeth vnto vs, which preach so securely,