A06492:1093
Commentary upon the Epistle to the Galatians
A commentary of M. Doctor Martin Luther upon the Epistle of S. Paul to the Galatians first collected and gathered word by word out of his preaching, and now out of Latin faithfully translated into English for the unlearned. Wherein is set forth most excellently the glorious riches of Gods grace ...A commentarie of M. Doctor Martin Luther vpon the Epistle of S. Paul to the Galathians first collected and gathered vvord by vvord out of his preaching, and novv out of Latine faithfully translated into English for the vnlearned. Wherein is set forth most excellently the glorious riches of Gods grace ...
London: printed by Thomas Vautroullier dwelling wihtin sic, 1575London: printed by Thomas Vautroullier dvvelling vvihtin sic, 1575
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
And who so listeth to amplify this matter, may further say, that the law is a weak and a beggarly rudiment, because it maketh men more weak and beggarly: Again, because that of it self it hath no power or riches whereby it is able to give or to bring righteousness: And moreover, that it is not only weak and beggarly, but even weakness and beggary it self. How then shall it enrich or strengthen those, which were before both weak and beggarly? Therefore to seek to be justified by the law, is as much as if a man being weak and feeble ⟨p. 192⟩already, would seek some other greater evil whereby he might overcome his weakness and poverty, which notwithstanding would bring unto him utter destruction. As if he which hath the falling sickness, would seek to join unto it the Pestilence for a remedy: or if a Leper should come to a Leper, or a beggar to a beggar, the one to help and to enrich the other.
And who so listeth to amplifie this matter, may further say, that the lawe is a weake and a beggerly rudiment, because it maketh men more weake and beggerly: Againe, because that of it selfe it hath no power or riches whereby it is able to geue or to bring righteousnes: And moreouer, that it is not onely weake and beggerly, but euē weaknes and beggery it selfe. How then shall it enrich or strengthen those, which were before both weake and beggerly? Therefore to seeke to be iustified by the lawe, is as much as if a man being weake and feeble ⟨p. 192⟩already, would seeke some other greater euill wherby he might ouercome his weaknes and pouertie, which notwithstanding would bring vnto him vtter destructiō. As if he which hath ye falling sicknes, would seeke to ioyne vnto it the Pestilence for a remedy: or if a Leaper should come to a Leaper, or a begger to a begger, the one to helpe and to enrich the other.
Paul therefore showeth,1 that they which seek to be justified by the law, have this commodity thereby, that daily they become more and more weak and beggarly. For they be weak and beggarly of them selves: that is to say, they are by nature the children of wrath, subject to death and everlasting damnation: and yet they lay hold upon that which is nothing else but mere weakness and beggary, seeking to be strengthened and enriched thereby. Therefore every one that falleth from the promise to the law, from faith to works, doth nothing else but lay upon him self such a burden, being weak and feeble already, as he is not able to bear.