himself, take up his cross and follow me."


That the weak in Faith do also belong to the Kingdom of Christ.

The weak in faith, said Luther, do also belong to the kingdom of
Christ, otherwise the Lord would not have said to Peter, "Strengthen
thy brethren," Luke xxii.; and Rom. xiv., "Receive the weak in
faith;" also 1 Thess. v., "Comfort the feeble-minded, support the
weak." If the weak in faith should not belong to Christ, where then
would the Apostles have been, whom the Lord oftentimes (also after
his resurrection, Mark xvi.) reproved because of their unbelief?


That Christ is the only Physician against Death, whom
notwithstanding very few do desire.

A cup of water, said Luther, if a man can have no better, is good to
quench the thirst. A morsel of bread stilleth the hunger, and he
that hath need seeketh earnestly thereafter. So Christ is the best,
surest, and only physic against the most fearful enemy of mankind,
the devil, but they believe it not with their hearts. If they knew
a physician who lived above one hundred miles off, that could
prevent or drive away temporal death, oh, how diligently would he be
sent for! No money nor cost would be spared. Hence it appears how
abominably human nature is spoiled and blinded; yet,
notwithstanding, the small and little heap do stick fast to the true
Physician, and by this art do learn that which the holy old Simeon
well knew, from whence he joyfully sang, "Lord, now lettest thou thy
servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation,"