Martin Luther on Galatians 6:12

Verſe. 12. As many as deſire to pleaſe in the flesh, compell you to be circumciſed, onely becauſe they vvould not ſuffer the perſecution of the croſſe of Chriſt. Before he curſed the falſe apoſtles. Now as it were repeating yt ſame thing againe, but with other words, he accuſeth them very ſharply, to the ende he may feare and turne away the Galathians from their doctrine, notwithſtanding the great authority which they ſeemed to haue. The teachers which ye haue (ſayeth he) are ſuch as firſt regard not the glory of Chriſte and the ſaluation of your ſoules,Enormities in the falſe apoſtles. but onely ſeeke their owne glory: ſecondly, they flie the croſſe: thirdly, they vnderſtād not thoſe things which they teach. Theſe falſe teachers being accuſed of the Apoſtle for three ſuch execrable enormities, were worthy to be auoided of all men. But yet all the Galathians obeyed not this warning of Paule. And Paule doth the falſe apoſtles no wrong when he ſo vehemently inueyeth againſt them: but he iuſtly condemneth them by his Apoſtolike authority. In like maner when we call the Pope Antichriſte, his biſhops and his ſhauelings a curſed generation, we ſclaunder them not, but by Gods authoritie we iudge them to be accurſed, according to that which is ſayd in the firſt Chapter:Galath. 1.8. If vve or an angell from heauen preach othervviſe then vve haue preached vnto you, accurſed be he: For they hate, perſecute and ouerthrow the doctrine of Chriſt. Your teachers (ſayth he) are vaine heads, and not regarding the glory of Chriſt and your ſaluation, they ſeeke onely their owne glory. Againe, becauſe they are afraid of the croſſe, they preach circumciſion and the righteouſnes of the fleſh, leſt they ſhould prouoke the Iewes to hate and perſecute them. Wherfore, although ye heare them neuer ſo gladly and neuer ſo long: yet ſhall ye heare but ſuch as make theyr belly their God,Phil. 3.19. ſeeke their owne glory, and ſhunne the croſſe. And here is to be noted a certaine vehemencie in this word compell. For circumciſion is nothing of it ſelfe: but to be compelled to circumciſion, and when a man hath receaued it to put righteouſnes and holines therein, and if it be not receaued to make it a ſinne, that is an iniurie vnto Chriſt. Of this matter I haue ſpoken largely enough heretofore.