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A treatise on Good Works
by Dr。 Martin Luther
together with the
Letter of Dedication
by Dr。 Martin Luther； 1520
INTRODUCTION
1。 The Occasion of the Work。 Luther did not impose himself as
reformer upon the Church。 In the course of a conscientious
performance of the duties of his office； to which he had been
regularly and divinely called； and without any urging on his
part； he attained to this position by inward necessity。 In 1515
he received his appointment as the standing substitute for the
sickly city pastor； Simon Heinse； from the city council of
Wittenberg。 Before this time he was obliged to preach only
occasionally in the convent； apart from his activity as teacher
in the University and convent。 Through this appointment he was
in duty bound； by divine and human right； to lead and direct the
congregation at Wittenberg on the true way to life； and it would
have been a denial of the knowledge of salvation which God had
led him to acquire； by way of ardent inner struggles； if he had
led the congregation on any other way than the one God had
revealed to him in His Word。 He could not deny before the
congregation which had been intrusted to his care； what up to
this time he had taught with ever increasing clearness in his
lectures at the University for in the lectures on the Psalms；
which he began to deliver in 1513； he declares his conviction
that faith alone justifies； as can be seen from the complete
manuscript； published since 1885； and with still greater
clearness from his Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans
（1515…1516）； which is accessible since 1908； nor what he had
urged as spiritual adviser of his convent brethren when in deep
distress compare the charming letter to Georg Spenlein； dated
April 8； 1516。
Luther's first literary works to appear in print were also
occasioned by the work of his calling and of his office in the
Wittenberg congregation。 He had no other object in view than to
edify his congregation and to lead it to Christ when； in 1517；
he published his first independent work； the Explanation of the
Seven Penitential Psalms。 On Oct 31 of the same year he published
his 95 Theses against Indulgences。 These were indeed intended as
controversial theses for theologians； but at the same time it is
well known that Luther was moved by his duty toward his
congregation to declare his position in this matter and to put
in issue the whole question as to the right and wrong of
indulgences by means of his theses。 His sermon Of Indulgences and
Grace； occasioned by Tetzel's attack and delivered in the latter
part of March； 1518； as well as his sermon Of Penitence；
delivered about the same time； were also intended for his
congregation。 Before his congregation （Sept。； 1516…Feb。； 1517）
he delivered the Sermons on the Ten Commandments； which were
published in 1518 and the Sermons on the Lord's Prayer； which
were also published in 1518 by Agricola。 Though Luther in the
same year published a series of controversial writings； which
were occasioned by attacks from outside sources； viz。； the
Resolutiones disputationis de Virtute indulgentiarum； the
Asterisci adversus obeliscos Joh。 Eccii； and the Ad dialogum
Silv。 Prieriatis responsio； still he never was diverted by this
necessary rebuttal from his paramount duty； the edification of
the congregation。 The autumn of the year 1518； when he was
confronted with Cajetan； as well as the whole year of 1519； when
he held his disputations with Eck； etc。； were replete with
disquietude and pressing labors； still Luther served his
congregation with a whole series of writings during this time；
and only regretted that he was not entirely at its disposal。 Of
such writings we mention： Explanation of the Lord's Prayer for
the simple Laity （an elaboration of the sermons of 1517）； Brief
Explanation of the Ten Commandments； Instruction concerning
certain Articles； which might be ascribed and imputed to him by
his adversaries； Brief Instruction how to Confess； Of Meditation
on the Sacred Passion of Christ； Of Twofold Righteousness； Of the
Matrimonial Estate； Brief Form to understand and to pray the
Lord's Prayer； Explanation of the Lord's Prayer 〃vor sich und
hinter sich〃； Of Prayer and Processions in Rogation Week； Of
Usury； Of the Sacrament of Penitence； Of Preparation for Death；
Of the Sacrament of Baptism； Of the Sacrament of the Sacred Body；
Of Excommunication。 With but few exceptions these writings all
appeared in print in the year 1519； and again it was the
congregation which Luther sought primarily to serve。 If the
bounds of his congregation spread ever wider beyond Wittenberg；
so that his writings found a surprisingly ready sale； even afar；
that was not Luther's fault。 Even the Tessaradecas consolatoria；
written in 1519 and printed in 1520； a book of consolation； which
was originally intended for the sick Elector of Saxony； was
written by him only upon solicitation from outside sources。
To this circle of writings the treatise Of Good Works also
belongs Though the incentive for its composition came from George
Spalatin； court…preacher to the Elector； who reminded Luther of
a promise he had given； still Luther was willing to undertake it
only when he recalled that in a previous sermon to his
congregation he occasionally had made a similar promise to
deliver a sermon on good works； and when Luther actually
commenced the composition he had nothing else in view but the
preparation of a sermon for his congregation on this important
topic。
But while the work was in progress the material so accumulated
that it far outgrew the bounds of a sermon for his congregation。
On March 25。 he wrote to Spalatin that it would become a whole
booklet instead of a sermon； on May 5。 he again emphasizes the
growth of the material； on May 13。 he speaks of its completion
at an early date； and on June 8。 he could send Melanchthon a
printed copy。 It was entitled： Von den guten werckenn： D。 M。 L。
Vuittenberg。 On the last page it bore the printer's mark： Getruck
zu Wittenberg bey dem iungen Melchior Lotther。 Im Tausent
funfhundert vnnd zweyntzigsten Jar。 It filled not less than 58
leaves； quarto。 In spite of its volume； however； the intention
of the book for the congregation remained； now however； not only
for the narrow circle of the Wittenberg congregation； but for the
Christian layman in general。 In the dedicatory preface Luther
lays the greatest stress upon this； for he writes： 〃Though I know
of a great many； and must hear it daily； who think lightly of my
poverty and say that I write only small Sexternlein （tracts of
small volume） and German sermons for the untaught laity； I will
not permit that to move me。 Would to God that during my life I
had served but one layman for his betterment with all my powers；
it would be sufficient for me； I would thank God and suffer all
my books to perish thereafter。。。。 Most willingly I will leave the
honor of greater things to others； and not at all will I be
ashamed of preaching and writing German to the untaught laity。〃
Since Luther had dedicated the afore…mentioned Tessaradecas
consolatoria to the reigning Prince； he now； probably on
Spalatin's recommendation； dedicated the Treatise on Good Works
to his brother John； who afterward； in 1525； succeeded Frederick
in the Electorate。 There was probably good reason for dedicating
the book to a member of the reigning house。 Princes have reason
to take a special interest in the fact that preaching on good
works should occur within their realm； for the safety and sane
development of their kingdom depend largely upon the cultivation
of morality on the part of their subjects。 Time and again the
papal church had commended herself to princes and statesmen by
her emphatic teaching of good works。 Luther； on the other hand；
had been accused like the Apostle Paul before him （Rom。 3 31）
that the zealous performance of good works had abated； that
the bonds of discipline had slackened and that； as a necessary
consequence； lawlessness and shameless immorality were being
promoted by his doctrine of justification by faith alone。 Before
1517 the rumor had already spread that Luther intended to do away
with good works。 Duke George of Saxony had received no good
impression from a sermon Luther had delivered at Dresden； because
he feared the consequences which Luther's doctrine of
justification by faith alone might have upon the morals of the
masses。 Under these circumstances it would not have been
surprising if a member of the Electoral house should harbor like
scruples； especially since the full comprehension of Luther's
preaching on good works depended on an evangelical understanding
of faith； as deep as was Luther's own。 The Middle Ages had
differentiated between fides informis； a formless faith； and
fides formata or informata； a formed or ornate faith。 The former
w