Luther's Works.
An excellent addition to Luther's writings is the index volume that has just appeared in print. It is a short extract of the previous volumes. It is a kind of encyclopedia, in which one can easily find any passage from Luther that one has in mind. It contains, as it were, a floral selection, a collection of Luther's powerful sayings strung together in factual order, given in Luther's own words. Whoever wants to find out in a nutshell what Luther taught, for example, about faith, righteousness, etc., only needs to read the passages listed under these titles. Prof. Hoppe remarks in the preface: “The editor of this index must confess with praise and thanksgiving that he has had rich spiritual blessings in Jesus Christ from his work, and now wishes all who use this index the same blessing of God. For it contains a brief epitome of the precious expositions which the chosen armament of God, Doctor Martin Luther, through the gift of the Holy Spirit, to the praise and glory of God's grace and mercy, has left us on the sacred book of the Bible.” (p. V) We give a sample. Under the heading “Righteousness” [Gerechtigkeit, see “Justice” here] we read column 610:
“Christian righteousness is not such as is in us and sticks, but a foreign one, which is altogether apart from us; namely, Christ Himself is our perfect righteousness. 22, 292. Christian righteousness is in Christ alone and in faith in Him. 13, 2609. Christian righteousness is not my work, merit, obedience to the Law, but that I hear of Christ who bore my sin, and firmly believe this. 13, 1840. Christian righteousness does not come from our heart, nor does it stand in our works, but in faith in Christ. 13, 1991. True righteousness is not found in our works, even if they should be holy and unrighteous, but in the forgiveness of sins and in the grace of God. 13, 771. Christians' righteousness is a peculiar piety that no heart can conceive; one must hear and learn from the Holy Spirit. 13, 595.”
Under the heading “Faith" [Glaube], column 663 reads:
“Faith is a thing in the heart that has its being for itself, given by God as its own work. 22, 39. True faith is something real in the heart, that is, it is a firm and certain trust in God, who has promised mercy and help. 19, 1475. Man can have no other agreement with God or act in any other way than by faith, that is, that not man by any works, but God is the author of blessedness. 19, 34. Faith is not a work, but the teacher and life of works. 19, 43. True faith joyfully takes hold of the Son of God, who was given for us, with outstretched arms and says: “This is my beloved and I am his. 19, 1439. True faith says: I believe that the Son of God suffered and rose again: he did all this for me, for my sins, I am sure of it. 19, 1439. The 'for me' and 'for us', if one believes it, constitutes the true faith and distinguishes it from every other faith that only hears the histories. 19, 1439.” —
To the main index of contents is added a rich index of sayings, that is, the evidence where the interpretations of whole biblical books or parts of them, as well as of many individual sayings, are to be found. G. St. [George Stöckhardt].
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