Special and chosen sermons of D. Martin Luther collected out of his writings and preachings for the necessary instruction and edification of such, as hunger and seeke after the perfect knowledge and inestimable glorie which is in Christ Iesu, to the comfort and saluation of their soules. Englished by VV.G.

A SERMON OF D. MAR∣TIN LVTHER VPON THE GO∣SPELL ON SAINCT THOMAS DAY, CONCERNING THE VVORKS VVHICH Christ hath wrough for vs, wherin is con∣tained a most sweete consolation a∣gainst the Law, Sinne, Death, and Satan.

Ioh. 20.

Verse 24. THomas one of the twelue, called Didimus, was not with them whē Iesus came.

25. The other Disciples therfore sayd vnto him, we haue seene the Lord: but he said vnto them: Except I see in his hands the print of the nayles, and put my finger into the print of the nayles, and put mine hand into his side, I will not beleeue it.

26. And eyght dayes after agayne his Disciples were within, & Thomas with them. Thē came Iesus when the dores were shut, and stoode in the middes, and sayd: Peace be vnto you.

27. After sayd he to Thomas, Put thy finger here, and see myne handes, & put forth thyne hand, and put it into my side, and be not faithles, but faithfull.

28. Then Thomas aunswered and sayd vnto him: Thou art my Lord and my God.

29. Iesus sayd vnto him: Thomas because thou hast seene me, thou beleeuest, blessed are they, that haue not seene and haue beleeued.

The summe of this Gospell.

1 THomas doth not beleeue that Christ is risen from the dead, but when he seeth and feeleth him.

2 The Disciples beleue not without manifest signes. But blessed are they that haue not seene, but doe beleeue the word onely.

3 It is a great matter to know Christ God and man. He which attaineth to this knowledg of Christ, feareth neither sinne nor death, neither the deuill nor hell: briefly he is quiet from all anguish & ten∣tation. For he hath a greater and mightier then he which is in the world, as Iohn sayth in his first Epistle chap. 4.

The exposition of this Gospell.

I Know nothing more certaine concerning S. Tho∣mas, then that which this Gospell mentioneth of him. Other things which are written of him in the booke of Legends, are most impudent lyes. And albeit they were partly true, yet haue they no au∣thoritie, neither make vs any thing the better. Wherfore we will leaue them vntouched, & speake something of this Gospel, which shal be more profitable & necessary for vs then all those Legends. The former part of this Gospell fell out about the euentyde of the Passeouer, when two had returned from Emmaus, & shewed vnto the other Disciples, that the Lorde was risen againe. The latter part fell out the eight day after the Passeouer. It is mer∣uelous how comfortable this Gospell is, shewing vnto you, the frutes of faith, namely peace, and ioye, as Paule sayth Rom. 5: being iustified therefore by faith, we haue peace toward God, through our Lord Iesus Christ. But now we will entreat in few wordes, what this is that the Lord sheweth to his Disciples his handes and his feete, whereby is declared vnto vs, what commo∣ditie

we haue by Christ, whereunto he profiteth vs, and what we must loke for of him. It is engraffed in the harts of all men as it were by nature, to haue a certen wil to be honest & godly, & euery one thinketh how he may come to saluation, wherby it hath come to passe, that one hath inuented this thing, an other that, being ve∣rily persuaded, that thereby he should make God fauourable vnto him, and obtaine heauen, but none such at any time hath stoode in y^e right way, forasmuch as all haue had this drift, that they might procure Gods fauour by deedes and good workes. Notable Do∣ctors also and holy fathers haue written & taught many things, how we might attaine vnto godlines. About this they haue mise∣rably troubled them selues, but as we see, and to our notable losse haue felt, they haue done litle. Wherefore it is exceeding neces∣sary, that some sound knowledge be had hereof, wherby we must endeuour to true godlines, forasmuch as it is a thing of no small importance. For he that is deceiued here, lozeth the summe and chiefe point of all Christianitie: hereof therefore we must nowe speake somewhat.

True & sound righteousnes consisteth not in our owne works, but in the works of an other. Take an example hereof: One buil∣deth temples, an other for religions sake goeth to S. Iames, to Aquisgrane, to Rome, to the holy sepulcher, the third pineth him selfe with fastings, prayeth, weareth a cowle, goeth bare foote, or worketh some other such worke whatsoeuer it be, these are our owne workes. God hath not commaunded them, but men and hy∣pocrites, iustifiers of them selues haue inuented them, and haue thought that they are precious good workes, and greatly estee∣med of God, sweetely persuading them selues, that they are by them deliuered from sinnes, and that God is pacified towards them. But these workes chosen of their owne proper will, are no∣thing worth at all, neither can stand, forasmuch as they proceede not of faith, yea they are sinnes, as Sainct Paule saith Rom. 14: VVhatsoeuer is not of faith, is sinne. These our works therefore are defiled and vncleane in the sight of God, yea he doth abhorre and loathe them. Wherefore if we will haue to doe with God, we must not ascend trusting to our owne workes, but to the workes of an other. But which are those workes of an other, that are al∣lowed of God? Truely the workes of our Lorde Iesus Christ, whom God the father sent downe from heauen, that by his death

and passion he might satisfie for our sinnes. This satisfaction fel out vpon this occasion: We were subiect to great daunger, grie∣uous tyrannes had power ouer vs, which day and night without ceasing did vexe vs. The law which God gaue vnto man, did vrge vs, and required many thinges of vs, which we were not able to performe, and therefore it condemned vs. Sinne also did lye vpon vs as a heauy burden which the lawe did oft times make greater & greater. Death went about to deuour vs, inasmuch as it is the wages of sinne, Satan also endeuoured to throw vs downe head∣long to hell, inasmuch as he would punish vs for our sinnes com∣mitted: all thinges were full of trembling and anguish.

God taking pitie vpon this so great calamity, sent his only be∣gotten sonne, and that of his mere grace & goodnes, without our desert, that he might deliuer vs out of so great tyrannie, which he mightely did after this sorte: He satisfied the law, and fulfilled it perfectly. For he loued God with all his heart, and with all his soule, & with all his strength: he loued his neighbour also as him selfe, in these the whole law and the Prophetes do consist. Nowe whatsoeuer Christ did, it consisted in these two. He loued God, in∣asmuch as he obeyed his will, he tooke vpon him the nature of man, and performed in all obedience those thinges that were en∣ioyned him of the father, as Paul saith Phil. 2: He became obe∣dient to the father vnto the death, euen the death of the crosse. Secondly, he loued his neighbour: for all y^e workes which he did in the earth, tended vnto this end, that he might therby profit his neighbour, and therefore he so loued his neighbour, that he euen died for him, as he saith himselfe to his disciples Ioh. 15: Greater loue then this hath no man, when any man bestoweth his life for his frends: S. Paul doth more set forth this, saying, for his ene∣mies, when he writeth thus Rom. 5: But God setteth out his loue towards vs, seeing that while we were yet sinners Christ died for vs. Forasmuch then as Christ hath so fulfilled y^e law, it could not accuse him, neither was sinne of any force with him. He set vpon it, and did preuaile ouer it, and swallowed it vp, it was enforced to be extinguished of him, no otherwise then a sparke of fire in the most wide sea. For in him was nothing but mere righteous∣nes. Death also came, and went about to deuour him, it deuou∣red him in deede, but it could not digest him, it was enforced to yeeld him vp againe, yea and this deuouring was an vtter dis∣commoditie

to death, for the case being quite altered, Christ de∣uoured death it selfe. For it had set vpon him, against whome it had no right, forasmuch as not a whit of sinne did appeare in him. Where sinne is not, there death hath nothing to doe, as Sainct Paule sayth 1. Cor. 15: The stinge of death is sinne, with this it killeth, otherwise it should be dull, and haue no strength. Satan also made a triall of his strength in him, but in vaine, and to his owne griefe, for he layde handes on him, with whome he had no∣thing to doe. The wretch was ouercome in this conflict, and went away with shame, as Christ sayth, Ioh. 14: The Prince of this world commeth, and hath nought in me. Hell also did open his mouth, and would haue deuoured Christ, but contrariwise it was deuoured of him. And so in this conflict the Law, Sinne, Death, Satan and hell were vanquished, ouer all which he triumphed & gloried with great pompe, as Paule sayth Col. 2.

All these thinges were not onely done for our commoditie, but also if we beleeue in this Lorde Christ, they are giuen vnto vs. For whatsoeuer he hath, it serueth for vs, yea he him selfe is ours, as Paule sayth Rom. 8. God spared not his owne sonne, but gaue him for vs all to death, how shall he not with him giue vs all thinges also? So that I may boldly glorie of all victorie, which he obtained ouer the law, sinne, death, the deuill, and may chalenge to my selfe all his workes, euen as if they were myne owne, and I my selfe had done them, so that I beleeue in Christ. Otherwise his workes shall profitte me nothinge at all, if they were not giuen vnto me. These are the workes of an other which doe commende vs before God, and saue vs. Our owne workes shall doe nothing, we are weaker, then that we can resist euen the least sinne, so farre is it of that we are able to encounter with death, Satan, and hell. Wherefore when the Lawe shall come, and accuse thee, that thou doost not obserue it, sende it vnto Christ, and say: There is that man which hath fulfilled the lawe, to him I cleaue, he hath fulfilled it for me, and hath giuen his fullfilling vnto me: when it heareth these thinges, it will be quiet. If sinne come, and woulde haue thee by the throte, sende it vnto Christ, and saye: As much as thou mayst doe agaynst him, so much right shalt thou haue agaynst me: for I am in him, and he is in me. If death creepe vppon thee, and attempt to deuoure thee, saye vnto it: Good Maistres

death, doost thou knowe this man? come and byte out his tooth, hast thou forgotten howe litle thy byting preuayled with him once? goe too if it be a pleasure vnto thee, encounter with him agayne. Thou hadst persuaded thy selfe, that thou shouldest haue preuayled somewhat agaynst him, when he did hange betwene two theeues, & dyed an ignominious death, which was counted cursed both before God and the worlde. But what didst thou gayne thereby? Thou didst byte in deede, but it turned worst to thy selfe. I pertaine to this man, I am his, and he is myne, and where he abydeth, there also will I abyde. Thou couldest hurte him nothinge, wherefore also let me alone. After the same sorte if the Deuill, if hell come violently vppon thee, and trouble thee, sende them vnto Christ, and thou shalt easily make them to cease.

And thus ye see what Christ is vnto vs, namely such a man as is giuen vnto vs of God, that he might extinguish sinnes, vanquish death, destroy hell, ouercome the Deuill, and all these for our commoditie. If he had not done this, nor giuen vnto vs these thinges, we had bene for euer vnder the curse of the law, vn∣der sinne, vnder death, vnder the deuill, and vnder hell. God hath deliuered vs from these by that Christ. Wherefore S. Paul saith out of the Prophet Osee 1. Cor. 15: Death is swalowed vp into victorie. O death where is thy stinge? O hell where is thy victo∣rie? The stinge of death is sinne, and the strength of sinne is the law. But thankes be vnto God, which hath giuen vs victorie through our Lorde Iesus Christ. Hereof we may easily vnder∣stand, what kinde of workes those be, which doe make vs entire and righteous before God. Surely they are the workes of an o∣ther, and not our owne workes chosen of our selues. Wherefore the whole Papacie falleth here, with all the most precious and holy workes thereof, which hath this drift onely, that miserable, wretched, and blinded men may be persuaded, that they obtayne heauen by their merits, and their owne workes. Hereuppon haue spronge so many orders, that they can not almost be num∣bred, of which one striued to be holier then an other, according as they exercised harder, greater, and weightier workes. But this their miserable labour, anguish, prayers, fastinges, chasti∣sing of the body, and such like, were vaine workes, and of no va∣lue at all, neither had they so much power, that they were able

to take away so much as euen the least sinne, which they call ve∣niall. They were altogither vnmindfull of this saying Esay 29, which the Lord repeteth Matth. 15: This people dravveth nere vnto me vvith their mouth, & honoureth me vvith their lippes, but their heart is farre of from me. But in vaine they vvorshippe me, teaching such doctrines, as are nothing els but the precepts of men. Hereupon now thou maist gather with thy selfe, that all holy men, although they be exceeding holy, yet do obtaine salua∣tion, not by their owne holines, merites or workes. And not so much as Mary her selfe the mother of God, was made righteous & holy in respect of her virginitie, or in that she was the mother of God, but saluation hath come vnto all by Iesus Christ, as by the workes of an other. Wherfore this is diligently to be noted, that our felicitie doth not consist in our owne workes, but in the workes of an other, namely of Christ Iesus our Sauiour, which we obtaine through only faith in him.

This also the historie of this Gospell seemeth to signifie, when as the Lorde sheweth to his disciples, but specially to Thomas, his handes & feete. By which deede he declareth, that it was ne∣cessary, that those handes and feete should do these things, & that no other works, that is, their owne, & not the workes of an other, do pertaine vnto saluation. For in the Scriptures by handes and feete workes & conuersation are signified. These hands and feete Christ doth as yet eftsoones shew to vs & say: Behold, I am that onely man, whose workes & conuersation are of force with God, thou shalt labour in vaine with thine owne workes, thine owne righteousnes maketh nothing hereunto, it hath an other end. If thou be righteous, it is profitable to thee among mē, here in eart thou hast the glory & praise thereof, as Paul sayth Rom. 4. But before God this thy righteousnes is of no estimation, thou must set in place thereof an other, namely mine, this God my father doth allow. For I haue deliuered thee from sinnes, death, the de∣uell, hell, & from all euell, thou shouldest neuer haue escaped out of these by thine owne power, but hadst lyen as yet most deepely drowned in them. I haue appeased the wrath of God, and of an angrie iudge, haue made him, a gentle, mercifull and gracious father, beleeue this and it goeth well with thee, thou art then safe, entire, and righteous. Beware that thou presume not to deale before God with thine owne works, but if thou wilt do any

thing with him, creepe into me, put on me, and thou shalt obtaine of my Father, whatsoeuer thou desirest and askest, as he him selfe sayth vnto his Disciples Ioh. 16: Verely, verely I say vnto you, whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name, he will giue it you. Wherefore as from the beginning sinne which was an others, hath bene deriued vnto vs from Adam, for neither I, nor thou haue eate of the apple: so also by the righteousnes of an other we must be restored vnto righteousnes and integrity. This other is Christ Iesus, by whose righteousnes and works we are all saued, as I haue nowe sufficiently declared. This S. Paule hath very pithily comprehended euen in one sentence, where 1. Cor. 1. he sayth thus: Christ Iesus is made vnto vs of God, wise∣dom, and righteousnes, and sanctification, & redemption, that, according as it is written, he that reioyceth, let him reioyce in the Lord. And Rom. 4. he sayth: Iesus Christ was deliuered to death for our sinnes, and is risen againe for our iustification. In these two litle sentences are briefly comprised, and ioyned togi∣ther, whatsoeuer thinges we must looke for from Christ.

Howbeit all these thinges are enioyed by faith, for he that is without faith, to him they are vnpossible to be comprehended, yea they are counted foolishnes to reason & to the world, as Paul sayth 1. Cor 1: Christ vnto the Iewes is euen a stumbling block, and vnto the Grecians, foolishnes, that is, when Christ is prea∣ched, that he is our righteousnes, that saluation commeth vnto vs by him, and that by him we are made the children of euerla∣sting life, without our owne workes and righteousnes, then those holy men, and iustifiers of them selues are offended, no otherwise then the Iewes. Moreouer to the prudent and wise men of this world, it seemeth foolishnes and a certaine ridiculous thing, that a man being fastned to the crosse and put to death, doth performe these thinges. Whatsoeuer therefore is counted righteous, holy, wise and prudent in the eyes of the world, it is offended and stum∣bleth at this Christ. But, saith Paul moreouer, Vnto thē which are called, both of the Iewes & Grecians, we preach Christ, the power of God, and the wisedom of God. He sayth also Rom. 1. The Gospell of Christ is the power of God vnto saluation to e∣uery one that beleeueth, to the Iew first and also to the Grecian. For by it the righteousnes of God is reuealed from faith to faith, as it is written Haba. 2: The iust shall liue by faith. Wherefore

the Lord sayth very well to the Disciples of Iohn: Blessed is he that shall not be offended in me. So thou seest now plainly, that this faith which we haue in Christ, commeth by the preaching of the Gospell, as Paule affirmeth Rom. 10: Faith is by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Here, here I say doth all the force consist, by the word of God, not by the worde of man. The word of God doth these thinges, not when we publish indulgen∣ces, or preach of workes, as hitherto (alas) it hath bene done, to our exceeding losse, as well in the good thinges of the body as of y^e soule. We made no account of goods which we bestowed plen∣tifully, vnles we had afflicted our body with fastings, chastise∣ment, pilgrimages, and such like trifles. In deede these thinges had bene to be graunted and borne, if they had not with a false confidence in such doing, so miserably and lamentably led vs a∣way & seduced vs from a true faith & confidence in God through Christ. But praise be vnto God, that we haue for the most parte perceiued such delusions. For the world was so full of this mise∣rie and preaching, that it did almost ouerflow, which surely came by the vengeance and wrath of God, for that we contemned his word, and followed mens fables, yea our owne wittes and opini∣ons. Then we were in so great blindnes, that we did almost with∣out difference beleeue euery man, what kind of worke soeuer he brought and gloriously set forth. From these deceitfull follies our consciences are nowe deliuered and set free, but no man doth so much as once giue thanks to God therefore. If we shal be con∣tempteously negligent, a more grieuous miserie shall light vpon vs then this was. Neither should that come vnto vs vndeserued∣ly, forasmuch as we doe greatly procure these euills against our selues by our vnthankefulnes. When as before we gaue with so great aboundance and plentye, that by our liberalitie they were made almost Lordes of the world, nowe hardly six or seuen poore men are maintained in a citie, yea nowe the Minister of a Parish Church hath not sufficient wherewith to liue. Howbeit doe not impute this peruerse kind of liuing to the Gospell, as our aduer∣saries nowe impudently doe. It is not meete, that thou suffer thy poore neighbour by thee to neede: Yea rather the whole Gospel doth specially vrge this, that thou haue a care of thy neighbour, and that thou be seruiceable toward him, that thou help him both with thy counsell, and substance, euen as God hath holpen and

instructed thee.

Such a one without dout he that is endued w^t true faith shew∣eth him selfe: for he bursteth forth, and behaueth him selfe so to∣ward others, as he hath tried God towardes him selfe, and as he desireth to be done to him selfe, if he were pressed with pouertie, anguish, and necessitie. God needeth not our good workes, our prayers, fastings, and buildings of temples, founding of Masses, doe displease him, he requireth not our sacrifices, but rather as Esay sayth, hateth and abhorreth them. He is content with this one thing, that we acknowledge him for our God, trust in him, & giue him thankes, as he sayth Psal. 50: Heare, O my people, & I will speake, I my selfe will testifie against thee O Israell: for I am God euen thy God. I will not reproue thee, because of thy sacrifices, or for thy burnt offerings: because they were not al∣vvay before me. I vvill take no bullocke out of thy house, nor he goates out of thy foldes. For all the beasts of the forest are mine, and so are the cattels vpon a thousand hils. I knovv all the soules vpon the mountaines, and the vvild beasts of the field are in my sight. If I be hungrie, I vvill not tell thee: for the vvhole vvorlde is myne and all that is therein. Thinkest thou that I vvill eate bulles flesh, and drinke the blood of goates? Offer vnto God thankes giuing, and pay thy vovves vnto the most highest. And call vpon me in the time of trouble, so vvill I deliuer thee, and thou shalt prayse me. But God sendeth vs douneward with out works to our neighbours, to the miserable, afflicted, & them that be voyde of comfort. It is our partes to helpe them, to comfort them, to teach and instruct them. And whatsoeuer benefit we shall bestow vpon them, that we shall bestow vpon God & his Christ, as he shall say in the last day: VVhatsoeuer ye haue done vnto one of the least of these my brethren, he haue done it vnto me. Thus ye now haue heard, that we are iustified and made righte∣ous by the workes of an other, namely, by the workes of Christ, which we enioy onely by faith: the same faith charitie doth natu∣rally accompany, whereby we doe so to our neighbour, as we acknowledge that God hath done vnto vs. Here∣of ye haue elsewhere hearde more: here we will now make an ende, and call for the grace of God.

Notes

• True righte∣ousnes is ob¦tained, not by our owne workes, but by the works which Christ hath wrought for vs.
• The mise∣rable case wherein man was before he was deli∣uered by Christ.
• Christ hath fulfilled the law, preuai∣led against sinne ouer∣come death and vanqui∣shed Satan.
• The belee∣uers by faith enioy the workes of Christ as their owne.
• How a Chri∣stian may no¦tably com∣fort him self against the law, sinne, death, Satan.
• The inesti∣mable com∣moditie which the faithfull en∣ioy through Christ.
• We are iusti∣fied before God by no workes or merits of our owne, but onely by the workes of Christ.
• Handes and feete what they com∣monly signi∣fie in the Scripture.
• The prea∣ching of Christ is coū¦ted foolish∣nes of the vnbeleeuers, but of the faithfull the power and wisedom of God.
• The faithful man exerci∣seth charitie toward his neighbour.
• Matth. 25.40