A06492:654
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.
Paul by these words, Abraham believed, maketh the chiefest worship, the chiefest duty, the chiefest obedience and the chiefest sacrifice, of faith in God. Let him that is a Rhetorician, amplify this place, and he shall see that faith is an almighty thing, & that the power thereof is inestimable and infinite.1 For it giveth glory unto God, which is the highest service that can be given unto him. Now, to give glory unto God,2 is to believe in him, to count him true, wise, righteous, merciful, almighty, briefly to acknowledge him to be the author and giver of all goodness.3 This reason doth not, but faith. That is it which maketh us divine people, and (as a man would say) it is the creator of a certain divinity, not in the substance of God, but in us. For without faith God loseth in us his glory, wisdom, righteousness, truth, and mercy. To conclude: There no majesty or divinity remaineth unto God, where faith is not. And the chiefest thing that God requireth of man is, that he give unto him his glory and his divinity: that is to say, that he take him not for an idol, but for God: who regardeth him, heareth him, showeth mercy unto him, and helpeth him. This being done, then hath God his full and perfect divinity, that is, he hath whatsoever a faithful heart can attribute unto him. To be able therefore to give that glory unto God, it is the wisdom of wisdoms, the righteousness of righteousnesses, the religion of religions, and sacrifice of sacrifices. Hereby we may perceive, what an high and excellent righteousness faith is, and so by the contrary, what an horrible and grievous sin infidelity is.
Paule by these wordes, Abraham beleeued, maketh the cheefest worship, the cheefest duetie, the cheefest obedience and the cheefest sacrifice, of faith in God. Let him yt is a Rethorician, amplifie this place, and he shall see that faith is an almighty thing, & that the power therof is inestimable and infinite.1 For it geueth glory vnto God, which is the highest seruice that can be geuen vnto him. Nowe, to geue glory vnto God,2