A06492:964
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.
Hereof it followeth, that as touching the conscience we are fully ⟨image 173⟩delivered from the law, & therefore that Schoolmaster must not rule in the conscience, that is, he must not afflict the conscience with his terrors, threatenings and captivity. And albeit it go about to vex & to trouble the conscience never so much, yet is she not moved therewith. For she hath Christ crucified before her eyes, who hath removed out of the conscience all the offices of the law: putting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, 1&c. Coloss. 2. Therefore, even as a virgin knoweth no man: so the conscience must not only be ignorant of the law, but also it must be utterly dead unto the law, & the law likewise unto the conscience.2 This is not done by any works, or by the righteousness of the law, but by faith which apprehendeth and layeth hold upon Christ. Notwt standing sin cleaveth still in the flesh as touching the effect thereof, which oftentimes accuseth & troubleth the conscience. So long then as the flesh doth remain, so long this Schoolmaster the law doth also remain, which many times terrifieth the conscience, & maketh it heavy by revealing of sin & threatening of death. Yet is it raised up again by the daily coming of Christ: who as he came once into the world at the time before appointed, to redeem us from the hard and sharp servitude of our Schoolmaster: even so he cometh daily unto us spiritually,3 to the end that we may increase in faith and in the knowledge of him, that the conscience may apprehend him more fully and perfectly from day to day, and that the law of the flesh and of sin, with the terror of death and all evils that the law bringeth with it, may daily be diminished in us more and more. As long then as we live in the flesh, which is not without sin, the law oftentimes returneth and doth his office, in one more and in an other less, as their Faith is strong or weak: and yet not to their destruction, but to their salvation. For this is the exercise of the law in the Saints: namely the continual mortification of the flesh, of reason, and of our own strength, and the daily renewing of our inward man,