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

Miserable men rejoiced that by this means they might provide for them selves, and therefore they pined and afflicted them selves, that they might be unburdened of their sins, yet did it prevail them nothing. For the conscience remained in doubt as before, that it knew not how it stood before God. But if it were secure and quiet, it fell into that which is worse, to think that God hath respect unto works, neither can reason do any other but depend of works. The Lord therefore is touched with affection of mercy toward that misery, wherewith the servant so entangled & snared with sins, is holden, & taking pity upon him, doth forgive and dismiss him. Here is now set forth unto us, what is the special office & quality of the gospel, & how God dealeth with us. When thou art so drowned in sins, & weariest thy self, that thou mayst deliver thy self from them, the Gospel cometh to thee,¹ & saith: Do not so dear brother, it prevaileth nothing, although thou afflict and torment thy self even till thou be mad, thy works do not profit, but the mercy of God shall deliver thee, who is touched with thy misery: for he seeth thee wrapped in calamity, & wearying thy self, that thou mayst deliver thy self out of the mire, & yet art not able: he, I say, hath regard unto this, that thou art not able to pay, whereupon he forgiveth thee all, and that of his mere mercy. For he doth not forgive thee the debt either for thy works or merits, but for that he taketh pity upon thy cry, complaint and mourning, and thy falling down before his knees: that is, God hath respect to an humbled hart, as the Prophet saith Psal. 51: The sacrifice of God is a ⟨p. 445⟩troubled spirit: a broken & contrite hart, O God, shalt thou not despise. Such a hart he saith, as is broken and humbled, which is not able to help it self, but craveth the help of God, and rejoiceth in it, such a heart is an acceptable sacrifice to God, and he that hath it is in the right way to heaven. Now God having showed this mercy unto him, and taken pity on his misery, ceaseth to follow his right, and abrogateth it, and saith no more: Sell whatsoever thou hast and pay the debt: although he might go forward and say: Thou must pay, for this my law requireth, which I will not have abrogated for thy sake:

Miserable men reioyced that by this meanes they might prouide for them selues, and therefore they pyned and afflicted them selues, that they might be vnburdened of their sinnes, yet did it preuaile them nothing. For the conscience remained in dout as before, that it knewe not how it stoode before God. But if it were secure and quiet, it fell into that which is worse, to thinke that God hath respect vnto workes, neither can reason doe any other but depend of works. The Lord therfore is touched wt affection of mercy toward that misery, wherewt ye seruaunt so entangled & snared wt sinnes, is holden, & taking pitie vpon him, doth forgiue and dimisse him. Here is now set forth vnto vs, what is ye special office & qualitie of ye gospel, & how God dealeth with vs. When thou art so drowned in sinnes, & weariest thy self, that thou mayst deliuer thy selfe from them, the Gospell commeth to thee,