Martin Luther's Writings

How must the dear virgin Mary have felt when the angel came and brought her the message that she was to be mother of the Highest? Who then was about her that believed this, or stood by her? Ought she to have taken it into the account that there were the daughters of so many rich, noble, great lords and princes there, and should God not have known how to find any other one for this high duty, to which no virgin had ever been called but herself, a poor, unknown, despised maiden? Also, how did the patriarch Abraham act, when he had to go forth from Chaldaea, and travel alone, as if he alone were a Christian and all the world condemned? But he had to give himself no concern about that, nor look around upon others, but had to speak thus: "How God manages with the whole world, I will let him see to that; but I will stick to his word and follow that, although I see all the world going differently;" as also Mary must have thought: "What God will do with others, that I will let him care for; but I will abide by the word that I hear, and that tells me what he will do to me." So we must also conclude: I see that the pope, bishops, princes, sectaries, civilians, and peasants, do as they please, despise and ridicule us with the greatest assurance, so that I might say: Do you then think that you alone are right gainst all of them? But go along pope, princes, learned men, and all the world;
I know that the doctrine is right, and that it is the word of God: I will abide by that, whatever may happen.

From Luther's Commentary on the Sermon on the Mount [Matt. 7:13,14]