d, "Thou, thou thyself, must love;" not, "Let
someone else love for you." Though one can and should pray that God
may be gracious to another and help him, yet no one will be saved
unless he himself fulfils God's command. It is not enough merely to
pray that another may escape punishment, as the venders of indulgences
teach; much rather, we should pray that he become righteous and
observe God's precepts.

30. Second, the commandment names the most noble virtue--love. It does
not say, "Thou shalt feed thy neighbor, give him drink, clothe him,"
all of which things are inestimably good works; it says, "Thou shalt
love him." Love is the chief virtue, the fountain of all virtues. Love
gives food and drink; it clothes, comforts, persuades, relieves and
rescues. What shall we say of it, for behold he who loves gives
himself, body and soul, property and honor, all his powers inner and
external, for his needy neighbor's benefit, whether it be friend or
enemy; he withholds nothing wherewith he may serve another. There is
no virtue like love; there can be no special work assigned it as in
the case of limited virtues, such as chastity, mercy, patience,
meekness, and the like. Love does all things. It will suffer in life
and in death, in every condition, and that even for its enemies. Well
may Paul here say that all other commandments are briefly comprehended
in the injunction, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."

31. Third, the commandment names, as the sphere of our love, the
noblest field, the dearest friend--our neighbor. It does not say,
"Thou shalt love the rich, the mighty, the learned, the saint." No,
the unrestrained love designated in this most perfect commandment does
not apportion itself among the few. With it is no respect of persons.
It is the nature of false, carnal, worldly love to respect the
individual, and to love only so long as it hopes to derive profit.
When such hope ceases, that love also ceases. The commandment of our
text, however, requires of us free, spontaneous love to all men,
whoever they may be, and whether friend or foe, a love that seeks not
profit, and administers only what is beneficial. Such love is most
active and powerful in serving the poor, the needy, the sick, the
wicked, the simple-minded and the hostile; among these it is always
and under all circumstances necessary to suffer and endure, to serve
and do good.

32. Note here, this commandment makes us all equal before God, without