Martin Luther on Galatians 5:1

The fifth Chapter.

PAVLE now drawing towardes the ende of his Epiſtle, diſputeth very vehemētly in defence of the doctrine of Faith and Chriſtian libertie, againſt the falſe apoſtles, the enemies and deſtroyers of the ſame: againſt whom he caſteth out very thundring wordes, to beate them downe and vtterly to vanquiſh them.Paule trieth euery vvay to kepe the Galathians in the liberty of the Goſpell. And therewithall he exhorteth the Galathians to flie their pernicious doctrine as a dangerous poyſon. In his exhortation he intermingleth threatnings and promiſes, trying euery way that he may kepe them in that libertie which Chriſt had purchaſed for them, ſaying:

Verſe. 1. Stand faſt therefore in that libertie vvherein Chriſte hath made vs free. That is to ſay: Be ye ſtedfaſt. So Peter ſayeth: Be ſober and vvatch, for your aduerſarie the Deuill as a roaring Lion vvalketh about, 1. Pet. 5.3.[illegible: 1 letter]. ſeeking vvhom he may deuoure, vvhom reſiſt, being ſtedfaſt in the Faith. Be ye not careleſſe (ſayth he) but ſtedfaſt and conſtant. Lie not downe and ſleepe, but ſtand vp. As if he would ſay: It ſtandeth you in hand to be watchfull and conſtant,The godly muſt ſtād faſt that they loſe not their libertie in Chriſte. that ye may keepe and hold faſt that libertie wherin Chriſte hath made you free. They that are ſecure and negligent can not kepe this libertie. For Satan moſt deadly hateth the light of the Goſpell, that is to ſay, the doctrine of grace, libertie, conſolation and life.Satan deadly hateth the light of the Goſpell. Therfore when he ſeeth that it beginneth once to appeare, forthwith he fighteth againſt it with all might and maine, ſtirring vppe ſtormes and tempeſts to hinder the courſe therof, and vtterly to ouerthrow it. Wherefore Paule warneth the Faithfull not to ſleepe, not to be negligent: but conſtantly and valiantly to reſiſt Satan, that he ſpoile them not of that libertie which Chriſte hath purchaſed for them. Euery word hath here a certaine vehemencie. Stand, ſayth he. As if he ſhould ſay: Here haue ye neede of great diligence & vigilancie. In that libertie. In what libertie? Not in that wherwith the Emperour hath made vs free, but in that wherwith Chriſt hath made vs free. The Emperour hath geuen, or rather was compelled to geue to the Biſhop of Rome a free citie and other landes: alſo immunities,The freedome of the Papiſts. priuileges and prerogatiues. &c. This is alſo a libertie, but it is a ciuill libertie, whereby the Pope with all his cleargie is exempt from all publicke charges.The fleshly libertie. Moreouer there is a fleſhly or rather a deuiliſh libertie, wherby the Deuill chiefly raigneth thorow out ye whole world. For they that inioy this libertie obey neither God nor lawes, but doe what they liſt. This libertie the people ſeeke and embrace at this day:The Anabaptiſts and Libertines vvill be free to doe vvhat they liſt. and ſo doe the Sectaries which will be at libertie in their opinions and in all their doings, to the ende they may teach and doe whatſoeuer they dreame to be good and ſound, without reprehenſion. Theſe ſtand in that libertie wherein the Deuill hath made them free. But we ſpeake not here of this libertie: albeit the whole world ſeeketh no other libertie. Neither doe we ſpeake of the ciuill libertie: but of a farre other maner of libertie which the Deuill hateth and reſiſteth with all his power. This is that libertie whereby Chriſte hath made vs free: not from an earthly bondage, or from the Babylonicall captiuitie, or from the tyrannie of ye Turkes, but frō Gods euerlaſting wrath. And where is this done? In the conſcience. There reſteth our libertie, and goeth no farther. For Chriſte hath made vs free, not ciuily nor carnally, but diuinely,Freedom from the vvrath of God to come. that is to ſay, we are made free in ſuch ſort, that our cōſcience is now free and quiet, not fearing the wrath of God to come. This is that true and ineſtimable libertie, to the excellēcie & maieſtie wherof if we compare ye other, they are but as one droppe of water in reſpect of ye whole ſea.To haue God fauourable vnto vs for Chriſtes ſake, is an incomprehenſible freedome. For who is able to expreſſe what a thing it is when a man is aſſured in his heart, that God neither is nor will be angry with him, but will be for euer a mercifull and a louing father vnto him for Chriſtes ſake? This is in deede a maruelous and an incomprehenſible libertie, to haue the moſt high and ſoueraigne Maieſtie ſo fauourable vnto vs, that he doth not onely defend, maintaine and ſuccour vs in this life,1. Cor. 15.41.43.44. but alſo as touching our bodies w[illegible: 1 letter]ll ſo deliuer vs, that our bodies which are ſowen in corruption, in diſhonor and infirmitie, ſhall riſe againe in incorruption,Freedom from the lavv, ſinne and death. &c in glory and power. Wherfore this is an ineſtimable libertie, that we are made free from the wrath of God for euer: and is greater then heauen and earth and all other creatures. Of this libertie there foloweth an other, whereby through Chriſte we are made free from the lawe, ſinne, death, the power of the Deuill, hell, &c. For as the wrath of God can not terrifie vs for that Chriſte hath deliuered vs from the ſame: ſo the lawe, ſinne and death, can not accuſe and condemne vs. And although the law accuſe vs and ſinne terrifie vs, yet they can not driue vs to deſperation. For Faith, which ouercometh the world, by and by ſayeth: Theſe things belong not vnto me: for Chriſte hath made me free, and deliuered me from them all. Likewiſe death which is the moſt mighty and moſt dreadful thing in all the world, is vtterly vanquiſhed in the conſcience by this libertie of the ſpirite. Wherfore the maieſtie of this Chriſtian libertie is highly to be eſtemed, and diligently conſidered. It is an eaſie matter for a mā to ſpeake theſe words [freedome from the wrath of God,The fruites of Chriſtian liberty are not eaſily felt and laid hold of in tentations. ſinne, and death] but in the time of tentation, experiēce and practiſe to applie them to him ſelfe, and to feele the excellencie of this libertie and the frute thereof, it is a harder matter then can be expreſſed. Therfore our conſcience muſt be enſtructed and prepared before hand, that when we feele the accuſation of the lawe, the terrours of ſinne, the horrour of death and the wrath of God, we may remoue theſe heauie ſightes and fearfull fantaſies out of our mindes,A remedy againſt the terrours of the minde in tentations. and ſet in the place thereof ye freedome purchaſed by Chriſt, ye forgeuenes of ſinnes, righteouſnes, life and ye euerlaſting mercy of god. And albeit ye feeling of the contrary be very ſtrong, yet let vs aſſure our ſelues that it ſhall not long endure: according to that ſaying of the Prophet:Eſay. 54.8. For a moment in mine anger I hidde my face from thee for a litle ſeaſon: but vvith euerlaſting mercy I haue compaſſion on thee. But this is very hard to doe. Wherefore that libertie which Chriſt hath purchaſed for vs, is not ſo ſoone beleued as it is named. If it could be apprehended with a ſure and a ſtedfaſt Faith, then no rage or terrour of the word, of the law, ſinne, death or ye Deuill could be ſo great, but by & by it ſhould be ſwalowed vp as a litle drop of water is ſwallowed of the maine ſea. And certainly this Chriſtian libertie ſwalloweth vp at once & taketh quite away the whole heape of euils, ye law, ſinne, death, Gods wrath, and briefly the ſerpent him ſelfe, with his head and whole power, and in the ſtead therof it placeth righteouſnes, peace & euerlaſting life,Luke. 11 28. Iohn. 13.17. &c. But bleſſed is he that vnderſtandeth and beleueth. Let vs learne therefore to magnifie this our libertie purchaſed by Ieſus Chriſte the ſonne of God,Chriſtian libertie. by whom all things were created both in heauen and earth. Which libertie he hath purchaſed with no other price then with his owne bloud, to deliuer vs, not from any bodely or temporall ſeruitude, but from a ſpirituall and euerlaſting bondage vnder mighty and inuincible tyrannes, to witte, the lawe, ſinne, death and the Deuil, and ſo to reconcile vs vnto God his father. Now, ſince theſe enemies are ouercome, and we reconciled vnto God by the death of his ſonne, it is certaine that we are righteous before God, and that what ſo euer we doe, pleaſeth him. And although there be certaine remnantes of ſinne yet ſtill in vs, they are not laid to our charge, but pardoned for Chriſtes ſake. Paule vſeth wordes of great force and vehemencie.Liberty is frely geuen vnto vs for Chriſtes ſake. Stand (ſayth he) in that libertie vvherin Chriſte hath made you free. This libertie then is not geuen vnto vs by ye law or for our righteouſnes, but freely for Chriſtes ſake: Which thing Paule here witneſſeth, and plainly declareth thorow out his whole Epiſtle.Iohn. [illegible: 1 letter].36. Chriſte alſo in the .8. of Iohn ſayth:) If the ſonne shall make you free, there shall ye be free in deede. He onely is ſette betwixt vs and the euils which trouble and afflict vs: he hath ouercome them and taken them away, ſo that they cā no more oppreſſe vs nor condemne vs. In the ſted of ſinne and death he geueth vnto vs righteouſnes and euerlaſting life: and by this meanes he chaū geth the bondage and terrours of the law, into the liberty of cōſcience and conſolation of the Goſpel,Math. 9.[illegible: 1 letter]. Iohn. 5.24. which ſayeth: Be of good comfort my ſonne, thy ſinnes are forgeuen thee. Whoſoeuer then beleueth in Chriſt the ſonne of God, he hath this libertie. Reaſon can not perceaue the excellencie of this matter: which when a man conſidereth in ſpirite he ſhall ſee that it is ineſtimable. For who is able to conceaue in his minde how great and vnſpeakable a gift it is to haue the forgeuenes of ſinnes, righteouſnes & euerlaſting life, in the ſted of the law, ſinne, death and the wrath of God, & to haue God him ſelfe fauourable and merciful for euer?Hypocrites bragge of God. The Papiſts and the hypocrites that ſeeke the righteouſnes of the lawe or their owne righteouſnes, doe glory that they likewiſe haue remiſſion of ſinnes, righteouſnes, life, and the grace of God. For they vaunt that they alſo haue this libertie, and they promiſe the ſame vnto others: but in very deede they are the ſeruauntes of corruption, and in the time of tentation all their vaine confidence vaniſheth away euen in a moment. For they truſt vnto the workes and ſatiſfactions of men, and not to the word of God nor vnto Chriſte. Wherefore it is impoſſible for the Iuſticiaries which ſeeke to winne heauen, life and ſaluation by workes and merites, to know what the libertie and deliuerance from ſinne is. Contrariwiſe our libertie hath for her foundation Chriſte him ſelfe, who is our euerlaſting high Biſhop, ſitting at the right hand of God & making interceſſiō for vs. Wherfore the forgeuenes of ſinnes, righteouſnes, life & libertie which we haue through him, is ſure, certaine & perpetual, ſo that we beleue this. Wherefore if we cleaue vnto Chriſt with a ſtedfaſt Faith, and ſtand faſt in that libertie wherein he hath made vs free, we ſhall obtaine thoſe ineſtimable gifts: but if we be careleſſe and negligent we ſhall loſe them. It is not without cauſe that Paule biddeth vs watch and ſtand faſt: for he knew that the Deuil ſeeketh nothing more then to ſpoile vs of this libertie which coſt Chriſte ſo great a price, and to entāgle vs againe by his miniſters in the yoke of bondage, as foloweth.

Verſe. 1. And be not entangled againe vvith the yoke of bondage. Paule hath ſpoken moſt effectually and profoundly as concerning grace and Chriſtian libertie, and with high and mighty wordes hath exhorted the Galathians to continue in the ſame: for it is eaſily loſt. Therefore he biddeth them ſtand faſt, leſt that through negligence or ſecuritie they fall backe againe from grace and Faith, to the law and workes. Now, becauſe reaſon iudgeth that there can be no daunger in preferring the righteouſnes of ye law before the righteouſnes of Faith: therefore with a certaine indignation he enueyeth againſt the lawe, and with great contempt he calleth it a yoke, yea a yoke of bondage.Actes. 15.[illegible: 1 letter]0. Actes. 10.43. So Peter calleth it alſo. Acts. 15: VVhy tempt ye God to lay a yoke on the diſciples neckes, vvhich neither our fathers nor vve vvere able to beare? And thus he turneth all things to the contrary. For the falſe Apoſtles did abaſe the promiſe, and magnified the law and the works thereof in this wiſe:The lavve is a yoke of bondage. Galat. 4.10. If ye will be made free (ſay they) from ſinne and death and obtaine righteouſnes and life, fulfil the law, be circumciſed, obſerue dayes, moneths, times and yeres, offer ſacrifices, and doe ſuch other like things: then ſhall this obedience of the law iuſtifie and ſaue you. But Paule ſayth the contrary. They (ſayth he) that teach the law after this ſort, do not ſet mens conſciences at libertie, but ſnare and entangle them with a yoke, yea and that with a yoke of bondage. He ſpeaketh therfore of the law very baſely and contemptuouſly, and calleth it an hard bondage and a ſeruile yoke. And this he doth not without great cauſe. For this pernicious opinion of the lawe, that it iuſtifieth and maketh men righteous before God, is deepely rooted in mans reaſon, and all mankinde is ſo wrapped in it, that it can hardly get out. And Paul ſeemeth here to compare thoſe that ſeeke righteouſnes by the lawe, vnto oxen that be tied to the yoke,Thei that ſeke righteouſnes by the lavve, are compared to oxen tied to the yoke. to the end he might take from it the glory of iuſtifying & of righteouſnes. For like as oxen that draw in the yoke with great toile, receaue nothing therby but forrage or paſture, & when they be able to draw the yoke no more, are appoynted to the ſlaughter: euen ſo they that ſeeke righteouſnes by the lawe are captiues and oppreſſed with the yoke of bondage, that is to ſay, with the lawe: and when they haue tired themſelues a long time in the workes of the lawe with great and greeuous toyle, in the ende this is their reward, that they are miſerable and perpetuall ſeruaunts. And whereof? euen of ſinne, death, Gods wrath, and of the Deuill.No greater bondage then the bondage of the lavve. Wherefore there is no greater or harder bondage, then the bondage of the lawe. It is not without cauſe then, that Paule calleth it the yoke of bōdage. For as we haue often ſayd before, the law doth but reueale, encreaſe & aggrauate ſinne, accuſe, terrify, condemne, & gender wrath, and finally it driueth poore conſciences into deſperation, which is the moſt miſerable and moſt greeuous bondage that can be Rom. 3.4.5. He vſeth therefore very vehement wordes. For he would gladly perſwade them that they ſhould not ſuffer this importable burden to be layd vpon their ſhoulders by the falſe apoſtles, or be entangled againe with the yoke of bondage. As if he ſhould ſay: We ſtād not here vpon a matter of ſmall importance, but either of euerlaſting libertie, or euerlaſting bondage. For like as freedome from Gods wrath and all euils is not temporall or carnall, but euerlaſting: euen ſo the bondage of ſinne, death, the Deuill and damnation (wherwith all they be oppreſſed which will be made righteous and ſaued by the law) is not corporall and ſuch as continueth but for a time, but euerlaſting. For ſuch workers of the lawe as goe about to performe and accompliſh all things preciſely and exactly (for of ſuch Paule ſpeaketh) can neuer finde quietnes and peace of conſcience in this life. They alwayes dout of the good will of God towardes them: they are alwayes in feare of death, of the wrath and iudgement of God: and after this life they ſhalbe puniſhed for their vnbeleefe with euerlaſting damnation. Therefore the doers of the lawe, and ſuch as ſtand altogether vpon the righteouſnes and workes thereof, are rightly called the Deuils martyrs.VVho be the Deuils Martyrs. They take more paines and puniſh them ſelues more in purchaſing hell (according to the prouerbe) then the Martyrs of Chriſte doe in obtaining heauen. For they are tormented two maner of wayes. Firſt, they miſerably afflict themſelues whileſt they liue here by doing of many hard and great workes, and all in vaine: and afterwardes when they die, they reape for a recompence euerlaſting damnation. Thus are they moſt miſerable Martyrs, both in this life and in the life to come, and their bondage is euerlaſting. Cōtrariwiſe, the godly haue troubles in this world, but in Chriſte they haue peace, becauſe they beleue that he hath ouercome the world.Iohn. 16.23. Wherefore we muſt ſtand faſt in that freedome which Chriſt hath purchaſed for vs by his death, & we muſt take good heede that we be not entangled againe with the yoke of bondage: As it hapneth at this day to the fantaſticall ſpirites, who falling away from Faith and from this freedom, haue procured vnto them ſelues here a temporal bondage, and in the world to come ſhall be oppreſſed with an euerlaſting bondage.The corporall libertie of the Papiſtes. As for the Papiſtes, the moſt part of them are become at this day plaine Epicures: Therfore whiles they may,This may truely be ſaid alſo of our Libertines and carnal goſpellers at this day. they vſe the libertie of the fleſh, ſinging this careleſſe ſong: Ede, bibe, lude, post mortem nulla voluptas: That is, Eate, drinke, & make good cheare, for after this life there is no pleaſure. But they are the very bondſlaues of the Deuill, by whom they are holden captiues at his will and pleaſure, therefore they ſhall feele this euerlaſting bōdage in hel. Hetherto Paules exhortation hath bene vehement and earneſt, but that which foloweth doth farre paſſe it.