bring nothing before me but the Crucified, embrace Him, fly to Him.  Then go through all the cities of thy world and preach to them.  First say to thine eyes:  Look not on vanity.  To thy ears say:  Listen not to the words of the lazy, but only to the words of Jesus.  To thy tongue say:  Speak no more evil.  For thy tongue is as a great rock that rolls from the summit of a mountain, and at first falls slowly, then ever faster and more furiously.  It begins with gentle murmuring, then it utters small sins, and then greater, until it finally breaks forth in open blasphemy.  To thy palate say:  It is necessary that we do a little penance.  In all thy senses be clean, and turn to the Lord, for He it is who will give you correction and purity.  To thy hands say:  Do good and give alms; and let thy feet go in the good way.  Our reformation has begun in the Spirit of God, if you take it to heart that each one has to preach to himself.  Then will we in the name of Jesus drive out the devils of temptation.  Yes, call upon Jesus as often as temptation approaches:  call upon Him a hundred times and believe firmly, and the temptation will depart.  Then will we speak with new tongues; we will speak with God.  We shall drive away serpents; the enticement of the senses are these serpents.  If we drink anything deadly it will not hurt us; if anger and lust arise in us, at the name of Jesus they will have to give way.  We shall lay our hands upon the sick and heal them; with good deeds shall we strengthen the weak soul.  If thou feelest thy weakness, flee to God, and He will strengthen; therefore He is thy only refuge.  He is thy Savior and thy Lord, who went into the heavens to prepare a place for thee, and to wait thee there.  What do you intend to do?  Go and follow Jesus, who is praised from everlasting to everlasting.  Amen.

LUTHER

THE METHOD AND FRUITS OF JUSTIFICATION

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Martin Luther, leader of the Reformation, was born at Eisleben in 1483, and died there 1546.  His rugged character and powerful intellect, combined with a strong physique, made him a natural orator, so that it was said “his words were half battles.”

Of his own method of preaching he once remarked: 

“When I ascend the pulpit I see no heads, but imagine those that are before me to be all blocks.  When I preach I sink myself deeply down; I regard neither doctors nor masters, of which there are in the church above forty.  But I have an eye to the multitude of young people, children, and servants, of which there are more than two thousand.  I preach to them.  When he preaches on any article a man must first distinguish it, then define, describe, and show what it is; thirdly, he must produce sentences from the Scripture to prove and to strengthen it; fourthly, he must explain it by examples; fifthly, he must adorn it with similitudes; and lastly, he must admonish and arouse the indolent, correct the disobedient, and reprove the authors of false doctrine.”