Martin Luther on Galatians 3:4

Verſe. 4. Haue ye ſuffered ſo many things in vaine? The other daunger and incommoditie is this: Haue ye ſuffred ſo many things in vaine? As though he would ſay: Conſider not onely howe well ye began, and howe miſerablie ye haue forſaken your good beginnings, and your courſe well begone: moreouer, that not onely ye haue loſt the firſt fruites of the ſpirite, being fallen againe into the miniſterie of ſinne and death, and into a dolefull and a miſerable bondage of the lawe: but conſider this alſo, that ye haue ſuffered muche for the Goſpels ſake, and for the name of Chriſte: to witte, the ſpoiling of your goodes, railings and reproches, daungers both of bodies and liues. &c. All things were in a happie courſe and great towardnes with you. Ye taught purely, ye liued holily, and ye endured many euils conſtantly for the name of Chriſte. But nowe all is loſt, as well doctrine as faith, as well doing as ſuffering, as well the ſpirite as the fruites thereof. Hereby it appeareth ſufficiently what inconuenience the righteouſnes of the lawe and mans owne righteouſnes bringeth:VVhat inconueniences mās ovvne righteouſnes, or the righteouſnes of the lavv doe bring. to witte, that they which truſt in it, doe loſe at once vnſpeakeable benefites. Nowe, what a miſerable thing is it, ſo ſodenly to loſe ſuch ineſtimable glory and aſſuraunce of conſcience towardes God? alſo to endure ſo many great and greeuous afflictions, as loſſe of goods, wife, children, body, and life, and yet notwithſtanding to ſuſtaine all theſe things in vaine? And out of theſe two places, much matter may be gathered to ſet forth and amplifie at large the goodly commendation of the lawe and mans owne righteouſnes, if a man would ſtand vpon euery parcell by it ſelfe, and declare what ſpirite it was wherwith they began: what, how great, and how many the afflictions were which they endured for Chriſtes ſake. But no eloquence can ſufficiently ſet forth theſe matters. For they are ineſtimable things wherof Paule here entreateth: to wit the glory of God, victory ouer the world, the fleſh and the deuill, righteouſnes and euerlaſting life: and on the other ſide, ſinne, deſperation, eternall death, and hell. And yet notwithſtanding in a moment we loſe all theſe incomparable gifts, and procure vnto our ſelues theſe horrible and endles miſeries, and al by falſe teachers, when they leade vs away frō the truth of ye goſpel vnto falſe doctrine. And this not only they doe eaſily bring to paſſe, but alſo vnder the ſhew of great holines.

Verſe. 4. If notvvithſtanding it be in vaine. This he addeth as a correction: wherby he mitigateth the reprehenſion that goeth before, which was ſomewhat ſharpe. And this he doth as an Apoſtle, leſt he ſhould terrifie the Galathians too much. Although he chide them, yet notwithſtanding he alwayes doth it in ſuch ſorte, that he poureth in ſweete oyle withall, leſt he ſhould driue them to deſperation. He ſaith therfore: If notvvithſtanding it be in vaine. As if he would ſay: yet I doe not take away all hope from you: but if ye would ſo end in the fleſh, that is to ſay, follow the righteouſnes of the lawe and forſake the ſpirite, as ye haue begone: then knowe ye, that all your glory and affiaunce which ye haue in God, is in vaine, and all your afflictions are vnprofitable. In deede I muſt needes ſpeake ſomwhat more roughly vnto you in this matter: I muſt be more feruent in the defence therof, and more ſharpe in chiding of you, eſpecially the matter being ſo waightie, and conſtraining me thervnto, left ye ſhould thinke it to be but a trifle to caſt away the doctrine of Paule, and receaue an other. Notwithſtanding, I will not vtterly diſcourage you, ſo that ye repent and amende. For ſickely and ſcabbed children may not be caſt away, but muſt be holpen and ſeene to more carefully then they which are in health. So that Paule here like a cunning Phiſician, layeth all the fault in a manner, vpon the falſe Apoſtles, the authors and onely cauſe of this deadly diſeaſe. Contrariwiſe he entreateth the Galathians very gently, to the ende that by this his mildnes he might heale them, and reſtore them againe. We therfore by the example of Paule, ought in like manner to reprehend the weake, and ſo to heale and remoue their diſeaſe, that in the meane time we leaue not of to cheriſh and comfort them, leſt if we handle them too ſharply, they fall into deſperation.