Martin Luther on Psalms 125:5

Verse. 5. But those that turne aside by their crooked waies, the Lord shall leade with the workers of iniquitie: but peace shall be vpon Israell.

He sayth not simply: Such as turne aside, but such as turne aside by their owne wickednes. For to giue place to tentations by infirmitie of the flesh or weakenes of mind, or else of faith, and so to decline from the right way (which commeth to passe sometimes euen in the Sainctes, as the example of Peter teacheth) is one thing, and to fall away through wickednes and peruersenes of heart, is another: which can not be in the children of God, but properly belongeth to the wicked and godles. This sort of men hath euer corrupted the Church from the Apostles time, and with a shewe of holines hath deceiued the simple, which because God punisheth them not, but spareth them and suffreth them to prosper in this world, become so proud that they will be counted amongest the holiest, and of the world, are so commonly taken. We see that not onely the godly are mixed with the wicked in this world, but in the Lords floore also the wheate lyeth hidden vnder the chaffe. We must pray therefore that God would bring these hypocrites to light, & giue vnto them their iust punishment with the workers of iniquitie. Then shall peace ensue to the Church of God. For whiles the Lord poureth forth his iust vengeance vppon the wicked which vexe and persecute his true members, he gathereth togither the good and vpright of heare, and openly declareth his fatherly good will and tender loue towards them.