Martin Luther on Psalms 126:3

Verse. 3. The Lord hath done great things for vs, therefore we reioyce.

Here you see one Church gathered togither of the Iewes and of the Gentiles, and with one voyce magnifying the workes of the Lorde, that as Paule saith: with one minde and with one mouth God, Rom. 1.5. euen the father of our Lord Iesus Christ might be glorified. For as the Church of the Iewes singeth: The Lord hath done greate thinges for vs: so singeth the Church of the Gentiles also, being both partakers of one fruite, both knowne by one true signe to be the people of the Gospell, namely because they are the people of ioy and gladnes, as these wordes declare: Therefore we reioyce.

Consider now the kingdom of the Pope and the horrible abomination thereof. In the which there was nothing hearde, seene, taught, redde or exercised but mens traditions, mens dreames. which of their owne nature can doe nothing else but discomfort & afflict the conscience. For our tradition bringeth forth an other, one obseruation followeth an other, Mens ordinances must onely serue for the exercise of the body & not to bind the conscience. and that worst of all is, they are not onely burthens to the body (for to that ende tend all the ordinaunces of men, if there be any profitable vse in them) but are now become snares to the conscience. Wherefore there was not one iote of this doctrine in the Popes kingdome that ministred any occasion of ioy or gladnes to the pore conscience. No maruell then if in this kingdome of darkenes the conscience was terrified and found no comfort. For if it be in anguish and terrour, it can not make that distinction whereof we spake before. Great cause haue we therefore to be thankfull vnto God for this inestimable benefite, that we now knowe the doctrine of the Gospell to be the doctrine of consolation & saluation. Through the which doctrine looke how much ioy thou feelest in thy heart, so much thou doest enioy of life and saluation. But if thou feele thy heart still oppressed with heauines, the deuill hath not yet giuen ouer to vexe thee. Wherefore thou must haue thy heart well instructed in the true vse of the lawe and of the Gospell, (as we haue said before) that thou mayst knowe that the lawe ought to be vsed onely against the obstinate and impenitent, and that therein consisteth the true and proper vse of the lawe: but when it vexeth and terrifieth such tender consciences as are to much feared already, it is not rightly vsed, and therefore terrified consciences may in no case harken vnto the law, for to such perteineth laughter and ioy, the preaching, I say, of the Gospell or remission of sinnes giuen vnto vs in Christ: by the which we are also sanctified, but by the law we are not sanctified, but the power and gift of sinne is thereby rather increased in vs.