A06492:1427
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.
This battle of the flesh against the spirit, all the children of God have had and felt: And the self same do we also feel and prove. He that searcheth his own conscience, if he be not an hypocrite, shall well perceive that to be true in him self which Paul here saith: that the flesh lusteth against the spirit.1 All the faithful therefore do feel and confess that their flesh resisteth against the spirit, and that these two are so contrary the one to the other in themselves, that, do what they can, they are not able to perform that which they would do. Therefore the flesh hindereth us the we cannot keep the commandments of God, that we can not love our neighbours as our selves, much less can we love God with all our heart: Therefore it is impossible for us to become righteous by the works of the law. In deed there is a good will in us, and so must there be (for it is the spirit it self which resisteth the flesh), which would gladly do good, fulfil the law, love God and his neighbour, and such like, but the flesh obeyeth not this good will, but resisteth it: and yet God imputeth not unto us this sin: For he is merciful to those that believe for Christs sake.
This battell of the flesh against the spirit, all the children of God haue had and felt: And the selfe same doe we also feele and proue. He that searcheth his owne cōscience, if he be not an hypocrite, shall well perceaue that to be true in him selfe which Paule here saith: that ye flesh lusteth against the spirit.1 All the faithfull therfore do feele and confesse that their flesh resisteth against the spirit, and that these two are so contrarye the one to the other in themselues, that, doe what they can, they are not able to performe that which they woulde doe. Therefore the fleshe hindreth vs the we cannot keepe the commaundementes of God, that we can not loue our neighbours as our selues, much lesse can we loue God with all our heart: Therefore it is impossible for vs to become righteous by the works of the law. In deede there is a good will in vs, and so must there be (for it is the spirit it self which resisteth the flesh), which would gladly doe good, fulfill the lawe, loue God and his neighbour, and such like, but the flesh obeyeth not this good will, but resisteth it: and yet God imputeth not vnto vs this sinne: For he is mercifull to those that beleue for Christes sake.