A06492:659
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.
Contrariwise, the Justiciaries, and such as seek righteousness by their own works, lacking Faith, in deed do many things. They fast, they pray, they watch, they lay crosses upon themselves.1 But because they think to appease the wrath of God and deserve grace by these things, they give no glory to God: that is, they do not judge him to be merciful, true, and keeping promise. &c. but to be an angry judge, which must be pacified with works, and by this means they despise God, they make him as a liar in all his promises, they deny Christ and all his benefits: to conclude, they thrust God out of his seat and set them selves in his place. For, they rejecting and despising the word of God, do choose unto them selves such worship and works as God hath not commanded. They imagine that God hath a pleasure therein, and they hope to receive a reward of him for the same. Therefore they kill not reason, that mighty enemy of God, but quicken it: and they take from God his majesty and his divinity, and attribute the same unto their own works. Wherefore only faith giveth glory to God, as Paul witnesseth of Abraham. Abraham (sayeth he) was made strong in the faith, 2and gave glory to God, being fully assured, that whatsoever God had promised, he was able to perform, and therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
Contrariwise, the Iusticiaries, and such as seeke righteousnes by their owne woorkes, lacking Faithe, in deede doe many things. They fast, they pray, they watch, they lay crosses vppon themselues.1 But because they thinke to appease the wrath of God and deserue grace by these things, they geue no glory to God: that is, they doe not iudge him to be mercifull, true, and keeping promise. &c. but to be an angrie iudge, which must be pacified with woorkes, and by this meanes they despise God, they make him as a lier in all his promises, they denie Christe and all his benefites: to conclude, they thrust God out of his seate and set them selues in his place. For, they reiecting and despising the worde of God, doe choose vnto them selues such worshippe and woorkes as God hath not commaunded. They imagine that God hath a pleasure therin, and they hope to receiue a reward of him for the same. Therefore they kill not reason, that mightie enemie of God, but quicken it: and they take from God his maiestie and his diuinitie, and attribute the same vnto their owne woorkes. Wherfore onely faith geueth glory to God, as Paule witnesseth of Abraham. Abraham (sayeth he) vvas made strong in the faith,