Martin Luther on Galatians 5:10

Verſe. 10. I haue truſt in you through the Lord. As if he would ſay: I haue taught, admoniſhed, and reproued you enough, ſo that ye would hearken vnto me. Notwithſtanding I hope wel of you in the Lord. Here riſeth a queſtion, whether Paule doth wel whē he ſayth he hath a good hope or truſt of the Galathians, ſeing the holy Scripture forbiddeth any truſt to be put in men. Both Faith and charitie haue their truſt and beleefe,VVhether vve may truſt vnto men? but after diuers ſorts by reaſon of the diuerſitie of their obiectes. Faith truſteth in God, and therfore it can not be deceaued: charitie beleueth man and therefore it is often deceaued. Now, this Faith that ſpringeth of charitie is ſo neceſſary to this preſent life, that without it life can not continue in the world. For if one man ſhould not beleue & truſt an other, what life ſhould we liue vpon earth? The true Chriſtians doe ſooner beleue and geue credite through charitie, then the childrē of this world doe. For faith towards men is a fruite of ye ſpirit, or of chriſtian Faith in the godly. Herevpon Paule had a truſt of yt Galathians, yea though they were falne frō his doctrine: but yet through ye Lord. As if he ſhould ſay: I truſt vnto you ſo farre forth, as the Lord is in you, & ye in him: that is to ſay, ſo farre forth as ye abide in the truth. From which if you fall away, ſeduced by the miniſters of Sathan, I will not truſt vnto you any more. Thus it is lawfull for the godly to truſt and beleue men.

Verſe. 10. That ye vvill be none othervviſe minded. To witte, concerning doctrine & Faith, then I haue taught you, & ye haue learned of me: That is to ſay, I haue a good hope & truſt of you, yt ye will not receaue any other doctrine which ſhalbe contrary to mine.

Verſe. 10. But he that troubleth you shall beare his condemnation, vvhatſoeuer he be. By this ſentence Paule, as it were a iudge ſitting vpon the iudgement ſeat, cōdemneth the falſe apoſtles, calling them by a very odious name,VVicked teachers are troublers of mens conſciences. troublers of the Galathians: whom they eſtemed to be very godly men, and farre better teachers then Paule. And withall he goeth about to terrifie the Galathians with this horrible ſentence: whereby he ſo boldly condemneth the falſe apoſtles, to the ende that they ſhould flie their falſe doctrine as a moſt daungerous plague. As if he ſhould ſay: What meane ye to geue eare to thoſe peſtilent felowes, which teach you not, but onely trouble you. The doctrine that they deliuer vnto you is nothing elſe but a trouble vnto your conſciences. Wherefore how great ſo euer they be, they ſhall beare their condemnation. Now, a man may vnderſtand by theſe words: VVhoſoeuer he be, that the falſe apoſtles in outward appearance were very good and holy men.The aucthoritie of the falſe apoſtles. And peraduenture there was amongſt them ſome notable diſciple of the Apoſtles of great name and aucthoritie. For it is not without cauſe that he vſeth ſuch vehemēt & pithie words. He ſpeaketh after the ſame maner alſo in the firſt Chapter, ſaying: If vve or an Angell from heauen preach vnto you othervviſe then vve haue preached vnto you, let him be accurſed. Galath. 1.8.[illegible: 1 letter]. And it is not to be doubted but that many were offended with this vehemencie of the Apoſtle, thinking thus with them ſelues: Wherfore doth Paule breake charitie? why is he ſo obſtinate in ſo ſmall a matter? why doth he ſo raſhly pronounce ſentence of eternall damnation againſt thoſe that are miniſters as well as he? He paſſeth nothing of all this: but procedeth on ſtill, and boldly curſeth and condemneth all thoſe that peruert the doctrine of faith, be they neuer ſo highly eſtemed, ſeeme they neuer ſo holy and learned. Wherefore (as I geue often warning) we muſt diligently diſcerne betwene doctrine and life. Doctrine is heauen, life is the earth.The differēce betvvixt doctrine & life. In life is ſinne, errour, vncleanes and miſerie, mingled with vineger, as the prouerbe ſayth. There let charitie winke, forbeare, be beguiled, beleue, hope, and ſuffer all things: there let forgeuenes of ſinnes preuaile as much as may be, ſo that ſinne and errour be not defended and maintained. But in doctrine like as there is no errour, ſo hath it no neede of pardon.No errour in the doctrine of Faith. Wherfore there is no compariſon betwene doctrine and life. One litle poynt of doctrine is of more valew, then heauen and earth: and therefore we can not abide to haue the leaſt iote thereof to be corrupted. But we can very well wincke at the offences and errours of life. For we alſo doe daily erre in life and conuerſation, yea all the ſainctes erre: and this doe they earneſtly confeſſe in the Lordes prayer, and in the Crede. But our doctrine, bleſſed be God, is pure: we haue all the articles of our Faith grounded vppon the holy Scripture. Thoſe the Deuill would gladly corrupt and ouerthrow. Therefore he aſſaileth vs ſo craftely with this goodly argument, that we ought not to breake charitie and the vnitie of the churches.