Special and chosen sermons of D. Martin Luther collected out of his writings and…

Now consider how great an evil it is, when one judgeth an other. The kingdom of Christ, as we have heard, is so ordained, that it healeth and justifieth only sick and miserable consciences, wherefore all they are far deceived, which have regard only to the strong and whole. It is great therefore and very effectual knowledge whereby Christ is well known. It is grafted in us by nature to be altogether evil and wicked, & yet notwithstanding we would have every one to be honest, we earnestly regard strong Christians, not looking therewithal to the sick and weak, thinking them not to be Christians, if they are not strong, and judge others evil, if they be not altogether holy, when as we our selves in the mean season exceed the rest in naughtiness. Now the cause hereof is our most corrupt nature,¹ & our blind reason, which will measure the kingdom of God according to her own opinion, whereby it thinketh that those things are unclean before God, which seem unclean unto it self, wherefore that opinion must be removed out of our mind. For if thou hast very much regard thereunto, thou shalt at the last come into the mind to think: alas, what shall become of me, if all Christians must be such, namely, strong, whole, and godly? When shall I once attain so far? And so thou shalt bring thy self into such a perplexity, that thou shalt hardly ever attain unto true comfort and joy. Thou therefore must be so affected, that thou say: Most gracious Jesus, although I find my self altogether weak, diseased, and in a wretched state, yet I will not therefore cast of all hope, but will fly unto thee, that thou mayst succour me, For thou only art the shepherd, & the good shepherd, such a one I am persuaded that thou art, wherefore I will not despair or be discouraged, although I come unto thee being void of ⟨p. 88⟩works. We must therefore bestow our diligence that we may wisely & well know Christ, that in his kingdom only the weak and diseased are conversant, and that it is nothing else, but as it were an hospital, wherein only the sick and feeble do lie, of whom a care must be had. But few men have this knowledge, for this wisdom is exceeding hard to be attained unto, so that it is wanting even unto them sometime, who have the Gospel and the spirit, neither can any wisdom come unto men which is greater then it.

Now consider how great an euill it is, when one iudgeth an other. The kingdom of Christ, as we haue heard, is so ordeined, that it healeth and iustifieth onely sicke and miserable consciences, wherefore all they are farre deceiued, which haue regard only to the stronge and whole. It is great therefore and very effectuall knowledge whereby Christ is well knowne. It is graffed in vs by nature to be altogither euill and wicked, & yet notwithstanding we would haue euery one to be honest, we earnestly regard stronge Christians, not looking therewithall to the sicke and weake, thinking them not to be Christians, if they are not stronge, and iudge others euill, if they be not altogither holy, when as we our selues in the meane season exceede the rest in naughtines. Now the cause hereof is our most corrupt nature,