Martin Luther on Galatians 6:2

Verſe. 2. Beare ye one an others burden, & ſo fulfil the lavv of Chriſt. This is a gentle cōmaundemēt: to ye which he ioyneth a great cōmendatiō. The law of Chriſt is ye law of loue. Chriſt after he had redemed vs, renewed vs & made vs his church: gaue vs no other law but ye law of mutual loue. Iohn. 13. A nevv cōmaūdemēt geue I to you, that ye loue together, &c. And to loue is not (as ye Popiſh Sophiſters dreame) to wiſh well one to an other: but one to beare an others burdē, that is, to beare thoſe things which he greeuous vnto thee, and which thou wouldeſt not willingly beare. Therfore Chriſtians muſt haue ſtrong ſhoulders & mighty bones that they may beare fleſh, that is, the weaknes of their brethern: for Paule ſayth yt they haue burdens & troubles. Loue therfore is milde, courteous, patient, not in receiuing but in geuing. Loue. 1. Cor. 13.4. For it is conſtrained to winke at many things & to beare them. Faithful teachers do ſee in the church many errours & offences which they are cōpelled to beare. In ye common weale ſubiectes are neuer ſo obedient to the lawes of the magiſtrates as they ſhould be. Therefore vnleſſe ye magiſtrate can winke & diſſemble in time & place, he ſhal neuer be meete to rule the commō wealth. In houſhold affaires there be many things done which diſpleaſe the maſter of ye houſe. But if we can beare & winke at our owne vices & offences which we daily cōmit: let vs alſo beare other mens faults, according to that ſaying: bear ye one an others burdē, Rom. 13.9. &c. Again: Thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thy ſelf. Seing then there be vices in euery ſtate of life & in all men, therfore Paule ſetteth forth the law of Chriſt vnto ye faithful, wherby he exhorteth them to beare one an others burden. They which do not ſo, doe plainly witneſſe that they vnderſtand not one iote of the law of Chriſt, which is the law of loue: which (as Paule ſayth. 1. Cor. 13.) beleueth all things, hopeth all things, and beareth all the burdens of the brethern: yet alwayes holding notwithſtanding the firſt cōmaundement, wherin they that offend do not tranſgreſſe the law of Chriſt, that is to ſay, the law of charitie, they doe not hurt nor offend their neighbour, but Chriſte and his kingdom which he hath purchaſed with his owne blood.VVhoſe burdens are to be borne. This kingdom is not maintained by the lawe of charitie, but by the word of God, by Faith and by the holy Ghoſt. This commaundement then of bearing one an others burden, belongeth not to them which deny Chriſt, and not only doe not acknowledge their ſinne, but alſo defend it: neither doth it belong vnto thoſe which continue ſtill in their ſinnes (who alſo do partly deny Chriſt):1. Tim. 5.22. but ſuch muſt be forſakē leſt we become partakers of their euil workes. On the contrary, they which willingly heare the word of God & beleue, and yet notwtſtāding againſt their will do fall into ſinne, & after they be admoniſhed doe not only receaue ſuch admonition gladly, but alſo deteſt their ſinne & endeuour to amend: theſe I ſay are they which be ouertaken wt ſinne, and haue the burdens that Paule commaūdeth vs to beare. In this caſe let vs not be rigorous and merciles: but after the example of Chriſt, who beareth and forbeareth ſuch, let vs beare and forbeare them alſo: for if he puniſh not ſuch (which thing notwithſtanding he might iuſtly doe) much leſſe ought we ſo to doe.