Martin Luther on Galatians 3:11

Habaeue. 2.4. Rom. 1.17. E[illegible: 1 letter]r. 10.38. Verſe. 11. And that no man is iuſtified by the lavve in the ſight of God, it is euident: For the iuſt shall liue by faith. This is an other argument grounded vpon the teſtimony of the Prophet Habacucke. And it is a ſentence of greate weight and aucthoritie, which Paule ſetteth againſt all the ſentences that ſpeake of the lawe and workes. As if he ſhould ſay: what neede we any longe diſputation? Here I bringe forth a moſte plaine teſtimonie of the Prophet, againſte the which no man can cauill: The iuſt man shall liue by faith. If he liue by faith, then he liueth not by the lawe: For the lawe is not of faith. And here Paule excludeth workes and the lawe, as things contrary to faith. The Sophiſters (as they are alwayes ready to corrupt ye ſcriptures) do wreſt and peruert this place after this manner.Hovv the Sophiſters corrupt this place: The iuſt doth liue by faith. The iuſt man doth liue by faith: that is to wirte (ſay they) by a faith which is effectuall or working, or formed and made perfect with charitie: but if it be a faith not formed with charitie, then doth it not iuſtifie. This gloſe they them ſelues haue forged, and by the ſame they doe iniurie to the wordes of the Prophet. If they did call this formed or furniſhed faith, ye true faith which the Goſpell teacheth, this their gloſe ſhould nothing at all offend me, for then faith ſhould not be ſeparated from charitie, but from the vaine opinion of faith:The differēce betvvene a true and a falſe faith. As we alſo put a difference betwene a counterfeit faith and a true faith. The counterfeit faith is that which heareth of God, of Chriſt and of all the myſteries of his incarnation and our redemption: which alſo apprehendeth & beareth away thoſe things which it heareth, yea and can talke goodly thereof, and yet there remaineth nothinge els in the hearte but a naked opinion and a ſounde of the Goſpell: which howe farre of it is from true faith, hereby it may appeare, in that it neither renueth nor changeth the hearte: it maketh not a new man, but leaueth him in the vanity of his former opinion and conuerſation: and this is a very pernicious faith. The morall philoſopher is much better, then the hypocrite hauing ſuch a faith. Wherefore, if they would make a diſtinction betwene their formed faith and a falſe or counterfeit faith (as I haue ſaid) their diſtinction ſhould not offend me. But they ſpeake of faith in ſuch ſorte, that they make charitie the forme and perfection of faith. This is to preferre charitie before faith, and to attribute righteouſnes, not to faith, but to charitie: wherefore when they doe not attribute righteouſnes to faith, but onely for charities ſake, they attribute to faith nothing at al. But the holy Ghoſt which geueth to all men both mouth & tongue, knoweth howe to ſpeake. He coulde haue ſaid,The formed faith of the Scholemen. (as the Sophiſters doe wickedly imagine): The righteous man ſhall liue by faith formed and beautified or made perfecte by charitie. But this he omitteth of purpoſe, and ſaith plainely: The righteous man liueth by faith. Let theſe doltiſh Sophiſters goe therfore, with this their wicked and peſtilent gloſe. We will ſtill hold and extoll this faith, which God himſelfe hath called faith, that is to ſay,True faith before God. a true and a certaine faith which doubteth not of God, nor of the diuine promiſes, nor of the forgeuenes of ſinnes through Chriſt, that we may dwel ſure & ſafe in this our obiect Chriſt: and may keepe ſtill before our eies the paſſion and bloud of the Mediatour and all his benefites.Faith only taketh holde of Chriſt. Now, faith alone which [illegible: 2 letters]ieth holde vpon Chriſt, is the onely meane that we ſuffer not theſe benefites to be takē out of our ſight or wreſted from vs by any meanes. Therfore, reiecting this peſtilent gloſe, we muſt vnderſtād this place of faith onely. And this Paule himſelfe declareth when he diſputeth againſt faith formed with charitie after this ſorte.