A06492:710
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 know these things it is very necessary, for they help greatly to ⟨image 123⟩comfort troubled and afflicted consciences:1 moreover they teach us to separate the righteousness of Faith from the righteousness of the flesh or civill righteousness. For we must note that Paul here is in hand, not with a matter of policy, but with a matter divine and spiritual before God, lest any mad brain should cavil, and say that he curseth and condemneth politic laws and Magistrates. Here all the Sophisters and popish Schoolmen are dumb and can say nothing. Therefore the readers must be admonished that in this place there is nothing handled as touching civill laws,2 or touching manners and matters political (which are the ordinances of God and good things, and the scripture elsewhere approveth and commendeth the same), but of a spiritual righteousness, by which we are justified before God, and are called the children of God in the kingdom of heaven. To be brief, there is nothing handled here concerning the bodily life, but concerning everlasting life, where no blessing is to be hoped for, or righteousness to be sought either through the law, or traditions, or whatsoever can be named in this life, besides the promise of Abraham's Blessing. Let civill laws and ordinances abide in their right place and order: let the magistrate make good and notable laws, yet notwithstanding they deliver no man from the Curse of Gods law. The kingdom of Babylon ordained of God, and by him committed unto Kings, had excellent laws, and all nations were commanded to obey them: notwithstanding this obedience of the laws did not save it from the Curse of the law of God. In like manner we obey the laws of Princes and magistrates, but we are not thereby made righteous before God: For here we are in an other matter.
To know these things it is very necessary, for they helpe greatly to ⟨image 123⟩comfort troubled and afflicted consciences:1 moreouer they teach vs to separate the righteousnes of Faith from the righteousnes of the flesh or ciuill righteousnes. For we must note that Paule here is in hande, not with a matter of policie, but with a matter diuine and spirituall before God, lest any mad braine should cauill, and say that he curseth and cōdemneth politike lawes and Magistrates. Here all the Sophisters and popish Scholemen are dumme and can say nothing. Therefore the readers must be admonished that in this place ther is nothing handled as touching ciuill lawes,