Martin Luther on Galatians 6:14

Verſe. 14. But God forbid that I should glory but in the croſſe of our Lord Ieſu Chriſt. The Apoſtle cloſeth vp the matter with an indignation, & with great vehemencie of ſpirite he caſteth out theſe wordes: But God forbid, The glory of the Chriſtians. &c. As if he ſhould ſay: This carnall glory and ambition of the falſe apoſtles is ſo daungerous a poyſon, that I wiſh it were buried in hell, for it is the cauſe of the deſtruction of many. But let them glory in the fleſh that liſt, and let them periſh with their curſed glory. As for me, I deſire no other glory but that whereby I glory and reioyce in the croſſe of Cbriſte. After the ſame maner ſpeaketh he alſo Rom. 5. VVe glory in our afflictions. Alſo in the .2. Cor. 12. Tvvill glory in mine infirmities. Here Paule ſheweth what is the glory and reioyſing of the Chriſtians, namely to glory and to be proud in tribulations, reproches, infirmities, &c. The world iudgeth of the Chriſtians, not onely that they are wretched and miſerable men, but alſo moſt cruelly, and yet (as it thinketh) with a true zeale hateth, perſecuteth, condemneth, and killeth them as moſt pernicious plages of the ſpirituall & worldly kingdom, that is to ſay, like heretikes and rebels. But becauſe they do not ſuffer theſe things for murther, theft, and ſuch other wickednes, but for the loue of Chriſte whoſe benefite and glory they ſette forth, therefore they glory in tribulations and in the croſſe of Chriſte, and are glad with the Apoſtles that they are counted worthy to ſuffer rebuke for the name of Chriſt.Actes. 5.41. So muſt we glory at this day when the Pope and the whole world moſt cruelly perſecute vs, condemne vs, and kill vs, becauſe we ſuffer theſe things, not for our euil dedes, as theeues, murtherers, &c. but for Chriſtes ſake our Lord and Sauiour, whoſe Goſpell we truly preach. Now, our glory is encreaſed and confirmed principally by theſe two things: Firſt becauſe we are certaine that our doctrine is ſound & perfect: Secondly, becauſe our croſſe and ſuffering is the ſuffering of Chriſt. Therfore when the world perſecuteth and killeth vs,The faithfull ſuffer for Chriſte. we haue no cauſe to complaine or lament, but we ought rather to reioyce and be glad. In deede ye world iudgeth vs to be vnhappy & accurſed. But on the other ſide, Chriſt, who is greater thā the world, and for whom we ſuffer, pronoūceth vs to be bleſſed, & willeth vs to reioyce. Bleſſed are ye (ſayth he) vvhen men reuile you & perſecute you, Math. 5.11.12. and falſly ſay all maner of euill againſt you for my ſake. Reioyce and be glad. Our glory then is an other maner of glory then the glory of the world is,The glory of the vvorld. which reioyceth not in tribulation, reproch, perſecution and death, &c. but glorieth altogether in power, in riches, peace, honour, wiſedom and his owne righteouſnes. But mourning and confuſion is the ende of this glory. Moreouer,The croſſe of Chriſt. the croſſe of Chriſt doth not ſignifie that peece of wood which Chriſt did beare vpon his ſhoulders, and to the which he was afterwardes nailed, but generally it ſignifieth all the afflictions of the faithfull, whoſe ſufferings are Chriſtes ſufferings.2. Cor. 1.5. Col. 1.24. 2. Cor. 1. The ſufferings of Chriſt abound in vs. Againe: Novv reioyce I in my ſufferings for you, and fulfill the reſt of the afflictiōs of Chriſt in my flesh for his bodies ſake vvhich is the Church, &c. The afflictiōs of the godly are the afflictiōs of Chriſt Actes. 9.4. The croſſe of Chriſte therfore generally ſignifieth all ye afflictiōs of ye church which it ſuffereth for Chriſte: which he him ſelfe witneſſeth when he ſayth, Saule Saule, vvhy perſecuteſt thou me: Saule did no violence to Chriſt, but to his Church. But he that toucheth it, toucheth the apple of his eye.Zach. 2.1. There is a more liuely feeling in the head then in the other members of the body. And this we know by experience:The feeling of the head is moſt ſenſible. for the litle toe or the leaſt part of a mannes body being hurt, the head forthwith ſheweth it ſelfe by the countenaunce to feele the greefe thereof. So Chriſte our head maketh all our afflictions his owne, and ſuffereth alſo when we ſuffer which are his body. It is profitable for vs to know theſe things, leſt we ſhould be ſwalowed vppe with ſorow or fal to deſpaire when we ſee that our aduerſaries doe cruelly perſecute, excommunicate & kill vs. But let vs thinke with our ſelues, after the example of Paule, that we muſt glory in the croſſe which we beare, not for our owne ſinnes,The croſſe of the godly i[illegible: 1 letter] ſvveete 2. Cor 1.5. Pſal. 44 22. but for Chriſtes ſake. If we conſider onely in our ſelues ye ſufferings which we endure, they are not only grieuous but intolerable: but when we may ſay: Thy ſufferings O Chriſte abound in vs: Or as is ſaid in the Pſal. 44. For thy ſake are vve killed all the day, then theſe ſufferings are not onely eaſie,Math. 11.30. but alſo ſweete, according to that ſaying: My burden is eaſie and my yoke is ſvveete. Now, it is well knowen that we at this day doe ſuffer the hatred and perſecution of our aduerſaries for none other cauſe, but for that we preach Chriſte faithfully and purely. If we would deny him and approue their pernicious errours and wicked religion, they would not onely ceaſe to hate and perſecute vs, but woulde alſo offer vnto vs honour, riches, and many goodly things. Becauſe therefore we ſuffer theſe things for Chriſtes ſake, we may truely reioyſe and glory wt Paule in ye croſſe of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt:To glory in the croſſe of Chriſt. Rom. 5.3. 2. Cor. 7.5. that is to ſay, not in riches, in power, in the fauour of men, &c. but in afflictions, weaknes, ſorow, fightings in the body, terrours in the ſpirite, perſecutions and all other euils. Wherefore we truſt it will ſhortly come to paſſe, that Chriſte will ſay the ſame to vs that Dauid ſayd to Abiathar the prieſt: I am the cauſe of all your deaths. 1. Sam. 22.22. Zach. 2.[illegible: 1 letter]. Againe: He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eye. As if he had ſayd: he that hurteth you hurteth me. For if ye did not preach my worde and confeſſe me, ye ſhould not ſuffer theſe things.Iohn. 15.19. So ſayth he alſo in Iohn: If ye vvere of the vvorld, the vvorld vvould loue his ovvne: but becauſe I haue choſen you out of the vvorld, therfore the vvorld hateth you. But theſe things are treated of afore.

Verſe. 14. By vvhom the vvorld is crucified to me, & I vnto the vvorld. This is Paules maner of ſpeaking. The world is crucified to me, that is,To be crucified to the vvorld. I iudge the world to be damned. And I am crucified to the world, that is: the world againe iudgeth me to be damned. Thus we crucifie and condemne one an other. I abhorre all the doctrine, righteouſnes and works of the world as the poyſon of the Deuil. The world againe deteſteth my doctrine and deedes, and iudgeth me to be a ſedicious, a pernicious, a peſtilent felow, and an heretike. So at this day the world is crucified to vs, and we vnto the world. We curſe and condemne all mans traditions concerning Maſſes, Orders, vowes, wil-worſhippings, works, & all ye abhominations of ye Pope & other heretikes, as the dirt of the Deuill. They againe do perſecute & kill vs as deſtroyers of religion and troublers of the publike peace. The Monkes dreamed that the world was crucified to them when they entred into their Monaſteries: but by this meanes Chriſt is crucified and not the world, yea the world is deliuered from crucifying and is the more quickened by that opinion of holines and truſt which they had in their owne righteouſnes that entred into religion. Moſt fooliſhly & wickedly therfore was this ſentence of the Apoſtle wreſted to the entring into Monaſteries.The contrary iudgement of the faithful & of the vvorld as concerning true doctrine. He ſpeaketh here of an high matter & of great importance: that is to ſay, that euery faithfull man iudgeth that to be the wiſedom, righteouſnes and power of God, which the world condemneth as the greateſt folly, wickednes and weaknes. And contrariwiſe, that which the world iudgeth to be the higheſt religion and ſeruice of God, the faithfull doe know to be nothing elſe but execrable and horrible blaſphemie againſt God. So the godly condemne the world, and againe the world condemneth the godly. But the godly haue the right iudgement on their ſide:1. Cor. 2.13. for the ſpirituall man iudgeth all things. Wherefore the iudgement of the world touching religion and righteouſnes before God, is as contrary to the iudgement of the godly, as God and the Deuill are contrary the one to the other. For as God is crucified to the Deuill and the Deuill to God: that is to ſay,1. Iohn. 3.8. as God condemneth the doctrine and workes of the Deuill (for the Sonne of God appeared, as Iohn ſayth,Iohn. 8.44. to deſtroy the workes of the Deuill): and contrariwiſe the Deuill condemneth and ouerthroweth the word and the workes of God, for he is murtherer and the father of lies: ſo the world condemneth the doctrine and life of the godly,The vvorld condemneth the life and doctrine of the godly. calling them moſt pernicious heretikes and troublers of the publike peace. And againe, the faithfull call the world the ſonne of the Deuil, which rightly foloweth his fathers ſteppes, that is to ſay, which is as great a murtherer and lier as his father is. This is Paules meaning when he ſayth: vvhereby the vvorld is crucified to me and I vnto the vvorld. Now, the world doth not onely ſignifie in the Scriptures vngodly and wicked men, but the very beſt, the wiſeſt and holieſt men that are of the world. And here by the way he couertly toucheth the falſe apoſtles. As if he ſhould ſay: I vtterly hate and deteſt all glory which is without the croſſe of Chriſt, as a curſed thing: for the world with all the glory thereof is crucified to me and I to the world. Wherefore accurſed be all they which glory in your fleſh and not in the croſſe of Chriſt. Paule therefore witneſſeth by theſe wordes that he hateth the world with a perfect hatred of the holy Ghoſt: and againe,Pſal. 139.22. the world hateth him with a perfect hatred of a wicked ſpirite. As if he ſhould ſay: It is impoſſible that there ſhould be any agreement betweene me and the world. What ſhall I then doe? ſhall I geue place & teach thoſe things which pleaſe the world? No: but with a ſtout courage I will ſet my ſelfe againſt it, and will as well deſpiſe and crucifie it, as it deſpiſeth and crucifieth me. To conclude, Paule here teacheth how we ſhould fight againſt Sathan (which not onely tormenteth our bodies wt ſundry afflictions, but alſo woundeth our hearts continually with his fiery dartes,Epheſ. 6.16. that by this continuance, when he can no otherwiſe preuaile, he may ouerthrow our faith, & bring vs from ye truth & from Chriſt), namely that like as we ſee Paule him ſelfe to haue ſtoutly deſpiſed the world: ſo we alſo ſhould deſpiſe the Deuill the Prince therof, with all his force, deceits & helliſh furies, and ſo truſting to the aide and helpe of Chriſte, ſhould triumph againſt him after this maner: O Sathā, the more thou hurteſt and goeſt about to hurt me, the more proud and ſtout I am againſt thee, and laugh thee to ſcorne. The more thou terrifieſt me, and ſeekeſt to bring me to deſperation, ſo much the more confidence & boldnes I take, & glory in the middeſt of thy furies & malice: not by mine owne power, but by ye power of my Lord and Sauiour Chriſte, whoſe ſtrength is made perfect in my weaknes.2. Cor. 1[illegible: 1 letter].[illegible: 1 letter]. Therfore when I am weake then am I ſtrong. On the contrary, when he ſeeth his threatnings and terrours to be feared, he reioyceth, & then he terrifieth more and more ſuch as are terrified already.