A06492:681
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.
To the first I answer thus, that faith is nothing else but the truth of the heart: that is to say, a true and a right opinion of the heart as touching God. Now, faith only thinketh and judgeth rightly of God,1 and not reason. And then a man thinketh rightly of God,2 when he believeth his word. But when he will measure God without the word, and believe him according to the wisdom of reason, he hath no right opinion of God in his heart and therefore he can not think or judge of him as he should do. As for example: when a Monk imagineth that his Cowl, his shaven crown and his vows do please God, & that grace and everlasting life is given unto him for the same,3 he hath no true opinion of God, but false and full of impiety. Truth therefore is faith it self, which judgeth rightly of God, namely that God regardeth not our works & righteousness, because we are unclean: but that he will have mercy upon us, look upon us, accept us, justify us and save us,4 if we believe in his Son whom he hath sent to be a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. This is a true opinion of God, and in very deed nothing else but faith it self. I can not comprehend nor be fully assured by reason, that I am received into gods favour for Christs ⟨image 118⟩sake: but I hear this to be pronounced by the Gospel, and I lay hold upon it by faith.
To the first I aunswere thus, that faith is nothing else but the truth of the hearte: that is to say, a true and a right opinion of the hearte as touching God. Now, faith only thinketh and iudgeth rightly of God,1 and not reason. And then a man thinketh rightly of God,2 when he beleueth his word. But when he will measure God without the word, and beleue him according to the wisedome of reason, he hath no right opinion of God in his heart and therfore he cā not thinke or iudge of him as he should doe. As for example: when a Monke imagineth that his Cowle, his shauen croune and his vowes doe please God, & that grace and euerlasting life is geuen vnto him for the same,