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

But some man will say, he is mine enemy,¹ and doth evil unto me. Surely he is an enemy also to God, unto whom he doth many moe things displeasant unto him, then he can do either to me or thee. But therefore my love ought not to be extinguished or cease, because he is evil, and altogether unworthy thereof. If he be evil, he shall at the last suffer punishment according to his deeds, but his wickedness must not overcome me. But if I can through love rebuke and admonish him, or pray for him, that he may amend, and escape punishment, I must do it readily: I must not be an enemy unto him, or do evil unto him in any wise. For what profit should redound unto me thereby? neither am I made better thereby, and I make him so much the worse. This therefore ought to delight me, if I shall favour him, and bestow benefits upon him, if so be that he will suffer them to be bestowed on him, and pray unto God for him, so I may enjoy peace, and have no trouble or contention with any man, and perhaps I may so profit him, that he will change his life unto the better, and amend. Otherwise surely love being divided or separated, I have more bitterness and sorrow by them, whom I hate, then I have joy and profit by them, whom I love and keep company with. And this is said to trouble the fountain or water, from whence pure love can not flow. As it is certain that the Jews also did, against whom Paul speaketh in this place: for they loved them only of whom they were loved, whereby they defiled the sincerity of love with mans affections, and therefore their hart could not be pure.

But some man will say, he is myne enemie,¹ and doth euill vnto me. Surely he is an enemie also to God, vnto whom he doth many moe thinges displeasant vnto him, then he can doe either to me or thee. But therefore my loue ought not to be extinguished or ceasse, because he is euill, and altogither vnworthy thereof. If he be euill, he shall at the last suffer punishment according to his deedes, but his wickednes must not ouercome me. But if I can through loue rebuke and admonish him, or pray for him, that he may amend, and escape punishment, I must do it readily: I must not be an enemie vnto him, or doe euill vnto him in any wise. For what profit should redound vnto me thereby? neither am I made better thereby, and I make him so much the worse. This therefore ought to delight me, if I shall fauour him, and bestowe benefits vpon him, if so be that he will suffer them to be bestowed on him, and pray vnto God for him, so I may enioy peace, and haue no trouble or contention with any man, and perhaps I may so profit him, that he wil change his life vnto the better, and amend. Otherwise surely loue being diuided or separated, I haue more bitternes and sorrow by them, whom I hate, then I haue ioy and profit by them, whom I loue and keepe companie with. And this is sayd to trouble the fountaine or water, from whence pure loue can not flowe. As it is certaine that the Iewes also did, against whom Paule speaketh in this place: for they loued them onely of whom they were loued, whereby they defiled the synceritie of loue with mans affections, and therefore their hart could not be pure.