A06492:313
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 I speak least any man should think that Paul utterly condemneth these outward veils or persons. For he saith not that there ought to be no person, but that there is no respect of persons with God. There must be persons and outward veils:1 God hath given them and they are his good creatures: but we must put no trust in them. All the matter is in the right using of things, & not in the things themselves, as before I have said. There is no fault in circumcision or uncircumcision (for circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing) but in the use thereof. To put righteousness in the one, and unrighteousness in the other, that use is damnable and ought to be taken away: which being removed, circumcision and uncircumcision are things tolerable.
This I speake least any man should thinke yt Paule vtterly condemneth these outward veiles or persons. For he sayth not that there ought to be no person, but that ther is no respect of persons with God. There must be persons and outward veiles:1 God hath geuen them and they are his good creatures: but we must put no trust in them. All the matter is in the right vsing of things, & not in the things thēselues, as before I haue sayd. There is no fault in circumcision or vncircumcision (for circumcision is nothing, and vncircumcision is nothing) but in the vse therof. To put righteousnes in the one, and vnrighteousnes in the other, that vse is damnable and ought to be taken away: which being remoued, circumcision and vncircumcision are things tolerable.
- 1The outward veils are Gods good creatures, but we must not trust in them, which is wicked.The outvvard veiles are Gods good creatures, but vve must not trust in them, vvhich is vvicked.
So the Prince, the magistrate, the preacher, the schoolmaster, the scholar, the father, the mother, the children, the master, the servant are persons and outward veils, which God will have us to acknowledge, love and reverence as his creatures, which also must needs be had in this life: but he will not have us so to reverence them or trust unto them, that we forget him. And to the end that we should not too much magnify the outward persons or put any trust in them, God leaveth in them offences and sins, yea great and foul sins, to teach us what