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

Here is set forth unto us, who they be, unto whom the Gospel is acceptable. For so cometh it to pass between God and us. When God will take an account of us, he sendeth forth the preaching of his law,¹ whereby we learn to know what we ought to do: as when God saith to the conscience: Thou shalt worship no other God, but shalt acknowledge me alone for God, shalt love me with all thine hart, and repose thy trust and hope in me only. This is the book of accounts, wherein is written what we owe, which he taking into his hands, readeth before us, and saith. Lo, this thou oughtest to have done, thou oughtest to fear, love, and worship me alone, thou oughtest to trust in me alone, and from me to promise to thy self all good things. Howbeit thou dost otherwise, thou art mine adversary, thou believest not in me, but reposest thy trust in other things: and in a sum, thou feest here, that thou dost not observe so much as the least point of the law. When the conscience hath heard these things, and the law hath touched one well, he seeth then what he ought to do, and what he hath not done, and findeth that he hath not kept so much as a letter of the law, and is compelled to confess, that he hath not performed that obedience and duty which God justly requireth of him. What doth the Lord now? When the conscience is thus touched, and feeleth it self condemned, and is distressed with exceeding ⟨p. 423⟩great misery, he saith: Sell him, and whatsoever he hath, and let him pay the debt. This is the judgement, which forthwith followeth, when the law hath revealed sin, and said: This thou must do, that thou oughtest to have done, and thou hast done nothing thereof: for to sin is required punishment, that man may be compelled to pay. For God hath not so made his law, that he doth not punish them that transgress it. It is not sweet & pleasant, but bringeth bitter and horrible pain with it, it delivereth us to Satan, it casteth us down to hell, and leaveth us wrapped in tentation, until we have payed the utmost farthing. This S. Paul hath notably well declared Rom. 4, where he saith: The law worketh nothing but wrath. That is, when it revealeth unto us, that we have done unjustly, it setteth nothing before us, but wrath & indignation.

Here is set forth vnto vs, who they be, vnto whom the Gospell is acceptable. For so commeth it to passe betwene God and vs. When God will take an account of vs, he sendeth forth the preaching of his law,