Martin Luther on Galatians 5:16

Verſe. 16. But I ſay, vvalke in the ſpirite, and ye shall not fulfill the vvorkes of the flesh. As if he ſhould haue ſayd: I haue not forgotten my former diſcourſe concerning Faith, neither doe I now reuoke the ſame in that I exhort you to mutuall loue, ſaying: that the vvhole lavve is fulfilled through loue: but I am ſtill of the ſame minde and opinion that I was before. To the ende therefore that ye may rightly vnderſtand me, I adde this moreouer: VValke in the ſpirite, and ye shall not fulfill the luſtes of the flesh. A confutation of the argument of the Schoolemen: Loue is the fulfilling of the lavve: therfore the lavve iustifieth. Although Paule ſpeaketh here expreſly and plainly enough, yet hath he litle preuailed. For the Schoolemen not vnderſtanding this place of Paule: Loue is the fulfilling of the lavv, haue gathered out of it after this maner: If loue be the fulfilling of the law, it foloweth then that loue is righteouſnes: therfore if we loue, we be righteous. Theſe profound clarkes doe argue from the word to the worke,Arguments from precept to vvorke. from doctrine or preceptes, to life, after this ſort: The lawe hath commaunded loue: therefore the worke of loue foloweth out of hand. But this is a fooliſh conſequence, to draw an argumēt from precepts, and to ground the concluſion vppon workes. True it is that we ought to fulfill the lawe, and to be iuſtified through the fulfilling thereof: but ſinne hindreth vs. In deede the law preſcribeth and commaundeth that we ſhould loue God with all our heart,So euill conſequence of the Sophiſters: It is vvryttē, therfore it is done &c. and that we ſhould loue our neighbour as our ſelues, but it foloweth not: this is wrytten, therfore it is done: the law commaundeth loue, therefore we loue. There is not one man to be found vppon the whole earth, which ſo loueth God and his neighbour, as the lawe requireth. But in the life to come, where we ſhall be throughly clenſed from all vices and ſinnes, and ſhall be made as pure & as cleare as the Sunne: we ſhall loue perfectly and ſhall be righteous through perfect loue. But in this life that puritie is hindred by the fleſh: for as long as we liue, ſinne remaineth in our fleſh.The Loue of our ſelfe corrupt. By reaſon wherof the corrupt loue of our ſelues is ſo mightie, that it farre ſurmounteth ye loue of god & of our neighbour. In the meane time notwithſtanding, that we may be righteous in this life alſo,Sinne is not here layed to our charge becauſe of our Faith in Chriſte. 1. Cor. 13.1[illegible: 1 letter]. we haue Chriſte the Mercie ſeat and throne of grace, and becauſe we beleue in him, ſinne is not imputed vnto vs. Faith therfore is our righteouſnes in this life. But in the life to come, when we ſhall be thorowly clenſed and deliuered from all ſinnes and concupiſcence, we ſhall haue no more neede of Faith and hope, but we ſhall then loue perfectly. It is a great errour therfore to attribute iuſtification or righteouſnes to loue, whiche is nothinge: or if it be any thinge,Charitie can not pacifie God. yet is it not ſo great that it can pacifie God: for loue euen in the faithfull (as I haue ſayd) is imperfect and impure:Apoc. 21.27. But no vncleane thing ſhall enter into the kingdom of God. Notwithſtanding in the meane while this truſt and confidence ſuſtaineth vs, that Chriſte,Eſay. 53.9. 1. Pet. 2.22. 1. Iohn. 3.2. who a lonely committed no ſinne, and in whoſe mouth was neuer foūd any guile, doth ouerſhadow vs with his righteouſnes. We being couered with thisHe alludeth to the place of Exodus, Chapt. 13.21. cloud, and ſhrouded vnder this ſhadow, this heauen of remiſſion of ſinnes & throne of grace: doe begin to loue and to fulfill the law. Yet for this fulfilling we are not iuſtified nor accepted of God whileſt we liue here. But whē Chriſt hath deliuered vp the kingdom to God his father & aboliſhed all principalitie, and God ſhall be all in all: then ſhall Faith and hope ceaſe, and loue ſhall be perfect and euerlaſting. 1. Cor. 13. 1. Cor. 13.12. This thing the popiſh Schoolemen vnderſtand not, and therfore when they heare that loue is the ſumme of the whole lawe, by and by they inferre: Ergo the law iuſtifieth. Or contrariwiſe, when they read in Paule that Faith maketh a man righteous: yea, ſay they, Faith formed and furniſhed with charitie. But that is not the meaning of Paule, Faith adorned vvith charitie is the papiſtes righteouſnes. as I haue largely declared before. If we were pure from all ſinne, and were inflamed with perfect loue both towardes God and our neighbour, then ſhould we in deede be righteous and holy through loue, and God could require no more of vs. This is not done in this preſent life, but is differred vntill ye life to come. Rom. 1.23. In deede we receaue here the gift and firſt frutes of the ſpirite, ſo that we begin to loue, howbeit very ſlenderly. But, if we loued God truely and perfectly as the law of God requireth, which ſayeth: Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God vvith all thy heart, Deut. 6.5. Math. 22.3[illegible: 1 letter]. Marke. 12.2[illegible: 1 letter]. Luke. 10.27. vvith all thy ſoule, and vvith all thy ſtrength then ſhould we be as well contented with pouertie as with wealth, with paine as with pleaſure, & with life as with death.Perfect loue. Yea he that could loue God truly and perfectly in dede, ſhould not long continue in this life, but ſhould ſtraight way be ſwalowed vp by this charitie. But now mans nature is ſo corrupt and drowned in ſinne, that it can not haue any right ſenſe or cogitation of God. It loueth not God, but hateth him deadly. God firſt loued vs. 1. Iohn. 4.10. Galath. 2 4. Galath. 4.4.5. Wherfore as Iohn ſayth: VVe loued not god, but he loued vs, & ſent his ſonne to be a reconciliation for our ſinnes. And as Paule ſayth before in the ſecond Chap: Chriſte hath loued me and geuen him ſelfe for me. And in the .4. Chap. But vvhen the fulnes of time vvas come, God ſent forth his ſonne made of a vvoman, and made vnder the lavve, that he might redeme them vvhich vvere vnder the lavv. We being redemed and iuſtified by this Sonne, begin to loue, according to that ſaying of Paule in the .8. to the Romains: That vvhich vvas impoſſible to the lavv, (in as much as it vvas vveake becauſe of the flesh) God ſending his ovvne ſonne in the ſimilitude of ſinnefull flesh, and for ſinne condemned ſinne in the flesh, that the righteouſnes of the lavv might be fulfilled in vs, that is, might begin to be fulfilled. They are mere dreames therfore which the Sophiſters and Schoolemen haue taught concerning the fulfilling of the lawe. Wherfore Paule ſheweth by theſe words: VValke in the ſpirit, how he would haue that ſentence to be vnderſtād, where he ſayd: Serue ye one an other through loue. And againe: Loue is the fulfillīg of the lavv. &c. As if he ſhould ſay. When I bid you loue one an other, this is it that I require of you, that ye walke in the ſpirit. For I know that ye ſhall not fulfill the law becauſe ſinne dwelleth in you as lōg as ye liue, and therfore it is impoſſible that ye ſhould fulfill the law. Notwithſtā dīg in ye meane while endeuor your ſelues diligētly to walk in ye ſpirit, that is, wraſtle in ſpirit againſt the fleſh, & folow ſpiritual motions. &c. It appeareth then that he had not forgotten the matter of iuſtifition. For when he biddeth them to walke in ye ſpirit, he plainly denieth that works do iuſtifie. As if he ſhuld ſay: When I ſpeake of ye fulfilling of ye law, I meane not that ye are iuſtified by ye law: but this I meane, that there be two contrary capitaines in you, the ſpirite and the fleſh. God hath ſtirred vp in your bodies a ſtrife and a battaile. For the ſpirite wraſtleth againſt the fleſh,Galath. 5.17. & the fleſh againſt the ſpirit. Here I require nothing elſe of you, but that ye folow the ſpirit as your captaine and guide, & that ye reſiſt that captaine ye fleſh: for that is all that ye be able to doe. Obey the ſpirit and fight againſt the fleſh. Therfore when I teach you to obſerue the lawe, and exhort you to loue one an other, thinke not that I goe about to reuoke that which I haue taught concerning the doctrine of Faith, and that now I attribute iuſtification to the lawe or to charitie: but my meaning is, that ye ſhould walke in the ſpirite, and that ye ſhould not fulfill the luſtes of the fleſh. Paule vſeth very fitte wordes and to the purpoſe. As if he would ſay: we come not yet to the fulfilling of the lawe: therefore we muſt walke in the ſpirite and be exerciſed therein, that we may thinke, ſay, and doe thoſe things which are of the ſpirite, and reſiſt thoſe things which are of the fleſh: therfore he addeth.

Verſe. 16. And ye shall not fulfill the luſtes of the flesh. As if he would ſay:Deſires and luſtes of the flesh euen in the godly. The deſires or luſtes of the fleſh be not yet dead in vs, but ſpring vppe againe and fight againſt the ſpirite. The fleſh of no faithful man is ſo good, which being offended would not bite and deuour, or at the leaſt omitte ſomewhat of that commaundement of loue. Yea euen at the firſt brunt he can not refraine him ſelfe, but is angrie with his neighbour, deſireth to be reuenged, and hateth him as an enemie, or at the leaſt loueth him not ſo much as he ſhould doe, and as this commaundement requireth. And this hapneth euen to the faithfull. Therefore the Apoſtle hath geuen this rule for the faithfull, that they ſhould ſerue one an other through loue, that they ſhould beare the burdens and infirmities one of an other, and that they ſhould forgeue one an other. And without this bearing and forbearing through loue, it is impoſſible that peace and concord ſhould continue amongſt Chriſtians. For it can not be, but that thou muſt needes often offend, and be offended. Thou ſeeſt many things in me which offend thee, and I againe ſee many things in thee which miſlike me. Here, if one beare not with an other through loue, there ſhall be no end of diſſenſion, diſcord, enuie, hatred and malice. Wherfore Paul would haue vs to walke in the ſpirit,To vvalke in the ſpirite. leſt we fulfil ye luſt of the fleſh. As if he ſhould ſay: Although ye be moued wt wrath & diſpleaſure againſt your brother, offending you or doing any thing hainouſly agaīſt you, yet notwtſtāding reſiſt & repreſſe theſe violēt motiōs through the ſpirit. Beare with his weaknes and loue him according to that cōmaundement: Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy ſelfe. For thy brother doth not therfore ceaſe to be thy neighbour, becauſe he ſlippeth or offēdeth thee: but thē hath he moſt nede yt thou ſhuldeſt exerciſe and ſhew thy charitie towardes him. And this commaundement: Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy ſelfe, requireth the ſelfe ſame thing: to wit, that thou ſhouldeſt not obey yt fleſh: which when it is offended, hateth, biteth and deuoureth. But wraſte againſt it in ſpirit, and cōtinue through the ſame in the loue of thy neighbour, although thou finde no thing in him worthy of loue. The Scholemen take the concupiſcence of the fleſh for carnall luſt. In deede it is true that euen yt godly, eſpecially ye yōger ſort are tempted with fleſhly luſt. Yea, they alſo that be married (ſo corrupt and peſtilent is fleſh) are not without ſuch carnall luſt. Here let euery one (I ſpeake now to the godly beinge married,VVhat the cōcupiſcence or luſt of the flesh is after Paule. bothe man and wife) diligently examine him ſelfe, and, no doubt, many ſhall finde this in themſelues, that the bewtie and conditions of an other mans wife pleaſeth him better then of his owne: & ſo contrariwiſe. His owne lawfull wife he lotheth or miſliketh & loueth her which is vnlawful. And this cōmō ly is wont to happen, not in marriage onely, but in all other matters. Men ſet light by that which they haue, & are in loue with that which they haue not: as the Poet ſaith: Nitimur in vetitum ſemper cupimuſ que negata: That is, Of things moſt forbidden vve alvvaies are faine: And things moſt denied vve ſeeke to obtaine, I doe not deny therfore but that the concupiſcence of the fleſh comprehendeth carnall luſt, but not that onely For concupiſcence comprehendeth all other corrupt affections, wherewith the very faithful are infected, ſome more, ſome leſſe: as pride, hatred, couetouſnes, impatiency and ſuch like. Yea Paule rehearſeth afterwardes among the works of the fleſh, not only theſe groſſe vices, but alſo idolatry, hereſies and ſuch other. It is plaine therfore that he ſpeaketh of the whole concupiſcēce of the fleſh & of the whole dominion of ſinne, which ſtriueth euē in the godly who haue receaued the firſt fruites of the ſpirite, againſt the dominion of the ſpirite. He ſpeaketh therefore not onely of carnall luſt, pride, couetouſnes. &c: but alſo of incredulitie, diſtruſt, deſpaire, hatred, & contempt of God, idolatrie, hereſies and ſuch other, when he ſayth: And ye shall not fulfill the luſts of the flesh. As if he ſhould ſay: I wryte vnto you that ye ſhould loue one an other. This ye do not, neither can ye doe it becauſe of the fleſh, which is infected and corrupted with concupiſcence, and doth not onely ſtirre vppe ſinne in you, but alſo is ſinne it ſelf. For if ye had perfect charitie, no heauines, no aduerſitie could be ſo great, which ſhould be able to hurt or hinder that charitie: for it would be ſpread throughout the whole body. There ſhould be no wife, were ſhe neuer ſo hard fauoured, whom her huſband would not loue entirely, lothing all other womē, though they were neuer ſo faire and beautifull. But this is not done: therefore it is impoſſible for vs to be made righteous through loue. Wherefore, thinke me not to reuoke and vnſay that which I haue taught concerning Faith: For Faith and hope muſt continue, that by the one we may be iuſtified, and by the other we may be raiſed vppe in aduerſities, and endure vnto the ende. Moreouer, we ſerue one an other through charitie, becauſe Faith is not idle: but charitie is weake and litle. Therefore when I bid you walke in the ſpirite, I doe ſufficiently declare that ye are not iuſtified through charitie. And when I exhort you to walke in the ſpirite, that ye fulfill not the concupiſcence of the fleſh: I doe not require of you that ye ſhould vtterly put of the fleſh or kill it, but that ye ſhould bridle and ſubdue it. For God will haue mankinde to indure euen to the laſt day. And this can not be done without parentes, which doe begette and bring vppe children. Theſe meanes continuing, it muſt needes be that fleſh alſo muſt continue, and conſequently ſinne, for fleſh is not without ſinne. Therefore in reſpect of the fleſh we are ſinners: but in reſpect of the ſpirite, we are righteous: and ſo we are partly ſinners, and partly righteous. Notwithſtanding,Beleuers are both ſinners & righteous. our righteouſnes is much more plentifull then our ſinne, becauſe the holines and righteouſnes of Chriſte our Mediatour doth farre excede the ſinne of the whole world: And the forgeuenes of ſinnes which we haue through him is ſo great, ſo large, and ſo infinite, that it eaſily ſwaloweth vp all ſinnes, ſo that we walke according to the ſpirite. &c. The Papiſtes dreamed that this commaundement belongeth only to their Cleargymen, and that the Apoſtle exhorteth them to liue chaſtly by ſubduing the fleſh wt watching, faſting, labour. &c: and then they ſhould not fulfill the concupiſcence of the fleſh, that is to ſay, carnall luſt. As though the whole concupiſcence of ye fleſh were ouercome when this fleſhly luſt is ſubdued: which notwithſtanding they were neuer able to ſuppreſſe and keepe vnder with any yoke that they could lay vppon the fleſh.Hierome. Which thing Hierome (I ſay nothing of others) who was a maruelous louer and defender of chaſtitie, doth plainly cō feſſe. O (ſaith he) how often haue I thought my ſelfe to be in ye middeſt of the vaine delites and pleaſures of Rome, euen when I was in the wilde wildernes, which being burnt vppe with the heat of the Sunne, yeldeth an ougleſome habitation to the Monks? &c. Againe: I, who for feare of hell had condemned my ſelfe to ſuch a priſon, thought my ſelfe oftētimes to be daūcing among yong wemen, whē I had no other companie but Scorpions and wilde beaſtes. My face was pale with faſting, but my minde was inflamed with deſires in my cold body, and although my fleſh was halfe dead already, yet the flames of fleſhly luſt boyled within me. &c. If Hierome felt in him ſelfe ſuch flames of fleſhly luſt, who liued in the barraine wildernes with bread and water:The vehemēt flames of carnall luſt in Hierome. what do our holy bellygods the Cleargiemen feele (thinke ye): who ſo ſtuffe and ſtretch out them ſelues with all kindes of daintie fare, that it is maruell theyr bellies burſt not? Wherfore theſe things are wryttē, not to Heremites & Monks (as the Papiſts dreame) nor to ſinners in ye world onely: but to the vniuerſall church of Chriſt, and to all the faithfull: whom Paule exhorteth to walke in the ſpirite, that they fulfill not the luſts of ye fleſh: that is to ſay, not onely to bridle the groſſe motions of the fleſh, as carnall luſt, wrath, impatiencie, & ſuch like: but alſo ye ſpirituall motions, as douting, blaſphemie, idolatrie, contempt and hatred of God, &c. The flesh is to be ſubdued & not killed. Epheſ. 5.29. Paule (as I haue ſaid) doth not require of the godly, yt they ſhould vtterly put of or deſtroy the fleſh: but that they ſhould ſo bridle it, that it might be ſubiect to the ſpirite. In the .10. to the Rom. he biddeth vs cheriſh the fleſh. For as we may not be cruell to other mens bodies, nor vexe them with vnreaſonable labour: euen ſo we may not be cruell to our owne bodies. Wherfore, according to Paules precept, we muſt cheriſh our fleſh, that it may be able to indure the labours both of the minde and of the body: but yet only for neceſſities ſake, and not to nouriſh the luſtes thereof. Therefore if thy fleſh begin to waxe wanton, repreſſe it and bridle it by the ſpirite.1. Cor. 7.9. If it will not be, marrie a wife, for it is better to marry then to burne. Thus doing thou walkeſt in the ſpirit, that is, thou foloweſt Gods word and doeſt his will.