Commentary upon the Epistle to the Galatians

¹On the other side, we teach and comfort the afflicted sinner after this manner: Brother, it is not possible for thee to become so righteous in this life, that thou shouldest feel no sin at all, that thy body should be clear like the Sun, without spot or blemish: but thou hast as yet wrinkles and spots, & yet art thou holy notwithstanding. But thou wilt say: How can I be holy when I have and feel sin in me? I answer: in that thou doest feel and acknowledge thy sin, it is a good token, give thanks unto God, & despair not. It is one steppe to health, when the sick man doth acknowledge and confess his disease. But how shall I be delivered from sin? Run to Christ the Physician, which healeth them that are broken in heart and saveth sinners. Follow not the judgement of reason, which telleth thee that he is angry with sinners: but kill reason and believe in Christ. If thou believe, thou art righteous, because thou givest glory unto God, that he is almighty, merciful, true &c: then doest thou justify & praise God. To be brief, thou yieldest unto him his divinity and all things else. The sin which remaineth in thee is not laid to thy charge, but is pardoned for Christs sake in whom thou believest, who is perfectly just: whose righteousness is thy righteousness, and thy sin is his sin.

¹On the otherside, we teach and comfort the afflicted sinner after this māner: Brother, it is not possible for thee to become so righteous in this life, that thou shouldest feele no sinne at all, that thy body should be cleare like the Sunne, without spotte or blemish: but thou hast as yet wrinkles and spots, & yet art thou holy notwithstanding. But thou wilt say: How can I be holy when I haue and feele sinne in me? I aunswere: in that thou doest feele and acknowledge thy sinne, it is a good tokē, geue thanks vnto God, & despaire not. It is one steppe to health, when the sicke man doth acknowledge and confesse his disease. But how shall I be deliuered from sinne? Runne to Christ the Phisition, which healeth them that are broken in hearte and saueth sinners. Follow not the iudgement of reason, which telleth thee that he is angry with sinners: but kill reason and beleue in Christ. If thou beleue, thou art righteous, because thou geuest glory vnto God, that he is almighty, merciful, true &c: thē doest thou iustifie & praise God. To be briefe, thou yeldest vnto him his diuinitie and al things else. The sinne which remaineth in thee is not laid to thy charge, but is pardoned for Christs sake in whom thou beleuest, who is perfectly iust: whose righteousnes is thy righteousnes, and thy sinne is his sinne.