A06492:435
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.
With these words he vehemently chargeth the false Apostles and all Merit-mongers,1 that they pervert altogether: for they make of the law grace and of grace the law, of Moses Christ and of Christ Moses. For they teach that besides Christ and all the righteousness of Christ, the observation of the law is necessary to justification. And thus we see that by their intolerable perverseness they make the law Christ: for by this means they attribute that to the law, which properly belongeth unto Christ. If thou do the works of the law (say they) thou shalt be saved: but if thou do them not, thou shalt not be justified although thou do believe in Christ never so much. Now, if it be so that Christ justifieth not, but is the minister of sin (as it must needs follow by their doctrine) then is Christ the law: for we have nothing else of him, seeing he teacheth that we are sinners, then that we have by the law. So Christ being the minister of sin, sendeth us to the law and to Moses, as to our justifier.
With these wordes he vehemently chargeth the false Apostles and all Meritemongers,1 that they peruerte altogether: for they make of the lawe grace and of grace the lawe, of Moses Christ and of Christ Moses. For they teach that besides Christ and all the righteousnes of Christ, the obseruation of the lawe is necessary to iustification. And thus we see that by their intolerable peruersnes they make the lawe Christ: for by this meanes they attribute that to the lawe, which properly belongeth vnto Christ. If thou doe the workes of the lawe (say they) thou shalt be saued: but if thou doe them not, thou shalt not be iustified although thou doe beleue in Christ neuer so much. Now, if it be so that Christ iustifieth not, but is the minister of sinne (as it must needes folowe by their doctrine) then is Christ the lawe: for we haue nothing else of him, seeing he teacheth that we are sinners, then that we haue by the lawe. So Christ being the minister of sinne, sendeth vs to the lawe and to Moses, as to our iustifier.
- 1The Justiciaries make Moses Christ, and the law grace.The Iusticiaries make Moses Christ, and the lavve grace.