A06492:1271
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.
Wherefore this place is a terrible thunderbolt against all the kingdom of the Pope. For all the Priests, Monks,1 and Hermits that live in their cloisters (I speak of the best of them) reposed all their trust and confidence in their own works, righteousness, vows and merits, and not in Christ, whom they most wickedly and blasphemously imagined to be an angry judge, an accuser and condemner: And therefore here they hear their judgement, that Christ profiteth them ⟨image 230⟩nothing. For if they can put away sins and deserve forgiveness of sins and everlasting life through their own righteousness and straitness of life: then to what purpose was Christ borne? What profit have they by his death and bloudsheding, by his resurrection, victory over sin, death and the Devil, seeing they are able to overcome these monsters by their own strength? And what tongue can express, or what heart can conceive how horrible a thing it is to make Christ unprofitable? Therefore the Apostle casteth out these words with great displeasure and indignation: If ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing: that is to say, no profit shall redound unto you of all his benefits: but he hath bestowed them all upon you in vain.
Wherefore this place is a terrible thunderbolt against all the kingdom of the Pope. For all the Priestes, Monkes,1 and Heremites that liue in their cloisters (I speake of the best of them) reposed all their trust and confidence in their owne workes, righteousnes, vowes and merits, and not in Christ, whom they most wickedly and blasphemously imagined to be an angrie iudge, an accuser and cōdemner: And therefore here they heare their iudgement, that Christ profiteth them ⟨image 230⟩nothing. For if they can put away sinnes and deserue forgeuenes of sinnes and euerlasting life through their owne righteousnes and straitnes of life: then to what purpose was Christe borne? What profite haue they by his death and bloudsheding, by his resurrection, victorie ouer sinne, death and the Deuill, seeing they are able to ouercome these monsters by their owne strength? And what toūge can expresse, or what heart can conceaue how horrible a thing it is to make Christ vnprofitable? Therefore the Apostle casteth out these wordes with great displeasure and indignation: If ye be circumcised, Christ shall profite you nothing: that is to say, no profite shall redound vnto you of all his benefites: but he hath bestowed them all vppon you in vaine.