Martin Luther on Galatians 3:22

Verſe. 22. The ſcripture hath concluded all men vnder ſinne. Where? Firſt in the promiſes them ſelues as touching Chriſt, as Geneſis. 3. The Seede of the vvoman shall breake the head of the ſerpent. Geneſ. 3.15. Geneſ. 22. And Geneſis. 22. In thy Seede &c. Wherſoeuer then is any promiſe in the ſcriptures made vnto the fathers concerning Chriſt, there the Bleſſing is promiſed, that is, righteouſnes, ſaluation, and eternall life.The ſcripture shutteth all vnder the Curſe firſt by the promiſe. Therefore by the contrary it is euident, that they which muſt receaue the Bleſſing are ſubiect to the Curſe, that is to ſay, ſinne & eternall death: for els to what ende was the Bleſſing promiſed? Secondly, the Scripture ſhutteth men vnder ſinne and vnder the Curſe eſpecially by the law, becauſe it is his peculiar office to reueale ſinne & engender wrath,Secondly by the lavve. as we haue declared throughout this Epiſtle, but chiefely by this ſentence of Paule: VVhoſoeuer are of the vvorks of the lavv are vnder the Curſe: Galat. 3.10. Alſo by that place which the Apoſtle alleaged out of the .27. chapt. of Deut: Deut. 27.26. Curſed is euery one that abideth not in all the vvordes of this lavve to doe them. &c. For theſe ſentences in plaine wordes doe ſhut vnder ſinne and vnder the Curſe, not onely thoſe which ſinne manifeſtly againſt the law,Curſed is euery one that abideth not in all things. &c. or doe not outwardly accōpliſh the law: but alſo thoſe which are vnder the law, and wt all endeuour go about to performe the ſame: and ſuch were the Iewes, as before I haue ſayd. Much more then doth the ſame place of Paule ſhut vppe vnder ſinne and vnder the Curſe, all Monkes, Friers, Heremites, Carthuſians and ſuch like, with their profeſſions, rules, and religions, to the which they attributed ſuch holines, that when a mā had once made a vowe of his profeſſion, if he died by and by, they dreamed that he went ſtreight to heauen. But here ye heare plainly that the Scripture ſhutteth all vnder ſinne. Therefore neither the vowe nor religion of the Carthuſian, be it neuer ſo angelicall, is righteouſnes before God: for the Scripture hath ſhutte all vnder ſinne, all are accurſed and damned. Who pronounceth this ſentence? The Scripture. And where? Firſt by this promiſe: The Seede of the vvoman shall bruſe the Serpentes head. In thee shall be bleſſed. The principall office of the lavve. &c. and ſuch like places: Moreouer, by the whole lawe, whereof the principall office is to make men giltie of ſinne. Therefore no Monke, no Carthuſian, no Celeſtine bruſeth the head of the Serpent, but they abide bruſed and broken vnder the Serpents head, that is, vnder the power of the Deuill.Theſe things in Luthers time vvere counted ſo high a ſeruice to God, that ſcarce any mā vvould beleue they could be ſo abhominable. Who will beleue this? Briefly, what ſo euer is without Chriſt and his promiſe, whether it be the lawe of God or the lawe of man, the Ceremoniall or the morall lawe, without all exception, is ſhut vnder ſinne: For the Scripture ſhutteth all vnder ſinne. Now, he that ſaith all, excepteth nothing. Therefore we conclude with Paule, that the policies and lawes of all nations, be they neuer ſo good and neceſſary, with all ceremonies and religions without faith in Chriſt, are and abide vnder ſinne, death and eternall damnation, except faith in Ieſus Chriſt goe withall or rather before all, as followeth in the texte. Of this matter we haue ſpoken largely before. Wherfore this is a true propoſition:Onely Faith iuſtifieth. Onely faith iuſtifieth wt out works (which notwithſtanding our aduerſaries can by no meanes abide): For Paule here ſtrongly concludeth that the lawe geueth not life, becauſe it is not geuen to that ende.If the lavv iuſtifie not, much leſſe do vvorks iuſtify. If then the lawe doe not iuſtifie and geue life, much leſſe doe workes iuſtifie. For when Paule ſayth that the lawe geueth not life, his meaning is that workes alſo doe not geue life. For it is more to ſay, yt the law quickeneth & geueth life, then to ſay that works doe quicken & geue life. If then the law it ſelfe being fulfilled (although it be impoſſible that it ſhould be accompliſhed) doe not iuſtifie, much leſſe doe workes iuſtifie. I conclude therefore that faith onely iuſtifieth and bringeth life without workes. Paule can not ſuffer this addition: faith ioyned with works iuſtifieth: but he proceedeth ſimplie by the negatiue, Rom. 3. and before in the ſecond chapiter: Therefore by the vvorkes of the lavv (ſayeth he) shall no flesh be iuſtified. Rom. 3.[illegible: 2 letters]. And againe in this place: The lavve is not geuen to bring life.

Verſe. 22. That the promiſe by the faith of Ieſus Chriſt shoulde be geuen to them that beleue. He ſaide before that the Scripture hath ſhutte all vnder ſinne. What, for euer? No, but vntill the promiſe ſhoulde be geuen. Nowe, the promiſe is the inheritaunce it ſelfe, or the Bleſſing promiſed to Abraham: The promiſe geuen to Abraham. to witte, the deliueraunce from the lawe, ſinne, death and the Deuill, and a free geuing of grace, righteouſnes, ſaluation and eternal life. This promiſe (ſaith he) is not obtained by any merite, by any law, or by any worke,The promiſe geuen to them that beleue. but it is geuen. To whom? To thoſe that beleue. In whom? In Ieſus Chriſt, who is the bleſſed Seede, which hath redeemed all beleeuers from the Curſe, yt they might receaue the Bleſſing. Theſe wordes be not obſcure, but plaine enough: notwithſtanding we muſt marke them diligently and way well the force and weight therof. For if all be ſhutte vnder ſinne, it followeth that all nations are accurſed and are deſtitute of the grace of God: Alſo that they are vnder the wrath of God and the power of the Deuill, and that no man can be deliuered from thē by any other meanes then by faith in Ieſus Chriſt. With theſe words therfore Paule fighteth ſtrongly againſt the fantaſticall opinions of the Papiſtes and all Iuſticiaries touching the lawe and workes, when he ſayth: that the promiſe by faith in Ieſus Chriſt might be geuen to all beleeuers. Nowe, how we ſhoulde aunſwere to thoſe ſentences which ſpeake of workes and the rewarde thereof, I haue ſufficiently declared before. And the matter requireth not now yt we ſhould ſpeake any thinge of workes.The ſentences concerning vvorks. For we haue not here taken in hande to entreate of works, but of Iuſtification: to witte, that it is not obtained by the lawe and works, ſince all things are ſhutte vnder ſinne and vnder the Curſe: but by Faith in Chriſt.The commendation of vvorkes out of the matter of Iuſtificatiō When we are out of the matter of Iuſtification, we can not ſufficiently praiſe and magnifie thoſe workes which are commaunded of God. For who can ſufficiently commend and ſet forth the profite & fruit of one onely worke, which a Chriſtian doth through Faith and in Faith? In deede it is more precious then heauen or earth. The whole world therefore is not able to geue a worthy recompence to ſuch a good worke. Yea the world hath not the grace to magnifie the holy works of the faithfull as they are worthy, and much leſſe to rewarde them: For it ſeeth them not: or if it doe, it eſteemeth them not as good workes, but as moſt wicked and deteſtable crimes, and riddeth the world of thoſe which are the doers therof, as moſt peſtilent plagues to mankinde. So Chriſt the Sauiour of the world, for a recōpence of his incōprehenſible & ineſtimable benefites,Hovv [illegible: 1 word] and [illegible: 1 word] ſt[illegible: 2 letters] vvarded [illegible: 1 word] vvo[illegible: 1 letter]ld [illegible: 1 word] their benefite. was put to ye moſt ignominious death of the croſſe. The Apoſtles alſo bringing ye word of grace & eternall life into the world, were coūted the ofſcouring & the outcaſtes of the whole world. This is the goodly reward which the world geueth for ſo great & vnſpeakeable benefites. But workes done wtout faith, although they haue neuer ſo goodly a ſhew of holines, are vnder ye Curſe. Wherfore, ſo farre of it is yt the doers therof ſhould deſerue grace, righteouſnes & eternall life, yt rather they heape ſinne vpon ſinne.VVorks vvithout faith. 2. Theſ. 2.3. After this maner the Pope, that child of perdition, and all that follow him, doe worke. So worke all meritemongers and heretikes which are fallen frō the faith.