A06492:591
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 Paul useth in this place very rigorous and bitter words, to the end that he may fear and call back the Galatians from the doctrine of the false Apostles. As if he should say: Consider well what ye have done. Ye have crucified Christ again (and this I do so plainly show and paint out before your eyes, that ye may see it, yea and touch it with your hands) because ye seek to be justified by the law. But if righteousness come by the law, then is Christ a minister of sin, and his death altogether in vain. If this be true, then must it needs follow that Christ is crucified again in you.
Wherefore Paule vseth in this place very rigorous and bitter wordes, to the ende that he may feare and call backe the Galathians from the doctrine of the false Apostles. As if he should say: Consider well what ye haue done. Ye haue crucified Christ againe (and this I doe so plainly shewe and paint out before your eyes, that ye may see it, yea and touch it with your handes) because ye seeke to be iustified by the lawe. But if righteousnes come by the lawe, then is Christ a minister of sinne, and his death altogether in vaine. If this be true, then must it needes follow that Christ is crucified againe in you.
And it is not without cause that he addeth this clause, in you, 1or among you. For Christ is no more crucified, or dieth any more in his own person (as is said in the sixth chapter to the Romans): but he dieth in us when we rejecting true doctrine, grace, faith, free remission of sins, seek to be justified by our own works,2 or else by the works commanded in the law. Here Christ is crucified in us again. Now, this false and wicked persuasion, to seek righteousness by the law and works, is nothing else (as I have before more amply declared) but the illusion of the Devil, wherewith men are so bewitched, that in no wise they can acknowledge the benefit of Christ: yea in all their life they can do nothing else but, not only deny the Lord who hath bought them and in whose name they are baptised, but also crucify him again in them selves. Who so ever then hath a fear of God and a true heart to Christ and his religion, let him fly quickly out of this Babylon, and let him tremble at the very name of the Papacy.