A Treatise Touching the Liberty of a Christian

¶ A Treatise of Martin Luther touching Christian liberty.

¶ A Treatise of Martyne Luther touching Christian liberty.

Many men have been of opinion that Christian faith is an easy matter, yea of them also not a few have accounted it in the number of Virtues, even as a companion of virtue it self. And this have they done, because they have had no trial thereof by any proof, nor have at any time tasted of what force & power it is: whereas it cannot be possible that any man may be able to write pithily, or understand effectually the things that are written concerning the same truly, unless being pinched at some one time or another with some cross of tribulation, he hath felt the inward spirit thereof: But who so hath had but a mean taste of the same, can never possibly be satisfied with writing, speaking, thinking, and hearing thereof. For it is a lively spring unto everlasting ⟨p. 2⟩life, ¹according as Christ calleth it in the fourth of John. Wherein my self, albeit I make no vaunt of my store, and withal do acknowledge the weakness of mine imbecility, yet do nevertheless trust, that by means of sundry and grievous temptations wherewith I have bin turmoiled, I have attained no small dram of Faith. And that I am thereof able to treat (though not so eloquently, yet certes more substantially) than those literal and over subtle schoolmen have hitherto yet disputed, as men altogether ignorant in the things which themselves have written. To the end therefore I may discover a more easy way to the unlettered to wade herein (to whose capacities I do only apply my self) I do set down first these two propositions touching the freedom and bondage of the spirit.

MAny men haue beene of opinion that Christian faith is an easie matter, yea of them also not a few haue accompted it in the number of Vertues, euen as a companion of vertue it self. And this haue they done, because they haue had no tryall thereof by any proofe, nor haue at any time tasted of what force & power it is: whereas it cannot be possible that any man may bée able to write pithily, or vnderstand effectually the things that are written concerning the same truly, vnlesse being pinched at some one time or another with some crosse of tribulation, he hath felt the inward spirit thereof: But who so hath had but a meane taste of the same, can neuer possibly bee satisfied with writing, speaking, thinking, and hearing thereof. For it is a liuely spring vnto euerlasting