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

Christ speaketh not here of very children: there may be some notable doctor, whom he calleth a child in this place. Contrariwise ⟨p. 461⟩there may be a rustical fellow, whom he calleth here wise and prudent. In the eight Psal. David also calleth these infants and children, when he saith: Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies. They surely by whom God ordained strength against his enemies, which should extol his glory through the whole world, were not babes or children in very deed. Those therefore the Lord calleth children here, which compt their own works for nothing, attribute nothing to their own wisdom,¹ make nothing of themselves, but think God only to be wise and of understanding. Wherefore they are humble and lowly, and how great soever they are, do submit themselves to God, of whom only they suffer themselves to be taught. Now other be over wise, and will learn nothing of God, yea they presumptuously take to themselves judgement and censure over the doctrine and works of God, whereof thou mayest read in the first and second chapter of the Epistle to the Corinthians. Wherefore Christ saith Luke 16: The children of this world are in their generation wiser then the children of light. But the foolish children of light are of greater estimation before God, then the wise children of this world. Of these children the Lord speaketh: Thou hast hid them from the wise and men of understanding, and hast revealed them to babes. For the wise and prudent know not these things, but the children and fools know them. How cometh it to pass that the wise know them not? because thou hast hidden them from them. How do the children know them? because thou hast revealed them. What he meaneth hereby, we may gather of those things that were spoken before, to wit that he had preached the Gospel of the kingdom of God in many cities of Judea, as in Chorazin, Bethsaida, and in his own city Capernaum, which cities their own wisdom being a hinderance and let unto them, did not receive the foolish preaching of the Gospel. The Gospel is a good and joyful message, which teacheth me to know the glory of God, by which knowledge I obtain pardon of my since, and life eternal:² As Christ saith to his father in the Gospel of