Martin Luther on Galatians 6:4

Verſe. 4. But let euery man trie his ovvne vvorke, and then he shall haue reioyſing in himſelfe onely, and not in an other. He goeth foreward in painting out thoſe proude and vainglorious felowes.Deſire of vainglory. For the deſire of vainglory is an odious and curſed vice, it is the occaſion of all euils, and troubleth both common weales and conſciences. And ſpecially in ſpirituall matters it is ſuch an euill as is incurable. And albeit that this place may be vnderſtand of the workes of this life or ciuill conuerſation, yet principally the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of the worke of the miniſtery, and inueyeth againſt thoſe vaineglorious heads, which with their fantaſticall opinions doe trouble well enſtructed conſciences. And this is the property of thoſe which are infected wt this poyſon of vainglory,Vainglorious heades. that they haue no regard whether their worke, that is to ſay, their miniſtery be pure, ſimple & faithfull or not: but this they only ſeeke that they may haue the praiſe of the people. So ye falſe apoſtles, when they ſaw that Paule preached the goſpel purely to ye Galathiās, and that they could not bring any better doctrine, they began to finde fault at thoſe things which he had godly & faithfully taught, & to prefer their owne doctrine before the doctrine of Paule, & by this ſubtiltie they wonne ye fauour of the Galathians, & brought Paule into hatred among them. Therfore ye proud & vainglorious do ioyne theſe .iii. vices together.Three vices of the vaineglorious linked together. Firſt they are greedy of glory. Secōdly they are maruelous witty & wily in finding fault wt other mens doings and ſayings, therby to purchaſe ye loue, the wel liking and praiſe of the people. And thirdly when they haue once gotten a name (though it be by other mens trauaile) they become ſo ſtout and full of ſtomacke that they dare venture vpon all things. Therefore they are pernicious and peſtilent felowes, whom I hate euen with my very heart: for they ſeeke their owne, and not that which is of Ieſus Chriſt,Phil. 2.27. &c. Againſt ſuch Paule ſpeaketh here. As if he ſhould ſay: Such vaineglorious ſpirites do their worke, that is to ſay, they teach the Goſpell to this ende that they may winne praiſe & eſtimation among men, that is, that they may be counted excellent doctors, with whom Paule and others might not be compared. And whē they haue gotten this eſtimation, then begin they to reprehend the ſayings and doings of other mē, and highly commend their owne: and by this ſubteltie they bewitch ye mindes of the people, who becauſe they haue itching eares are not only delited with new opinions,The people delited vvith nouelties. but alſo reioyce to ſee thoſe teachers which they had afore, to be abaſed and defaced by theſe new vpſtartes and glorious heades, and all becauſe they are come to a fulnes and lothing of the word. Thus it ought not to be (ſayth he): but let euery man be faithfull in his office: let him not ſeeke his owne glory, nor depende vppon the praiſe & commendation of ye people, but let his only care be to doe his worke truly, that is, let him teach ye goſpel purely.He shall lacke no praiſe that preacheth the Goſpel purely And if his worke be ſincere & ſound, let him aſſure him ſelfe that he ſhall lacke no praiſe either before God or among ye godly. In the meane ſpace if he be not cō mended of ye vnthankful world, let this nothing moue him: For he knoweth that the end of his miniſterie is, not that he, but that Chriſt ſhuld be glorified therby. Wherfore, being furniſhed wt the armour of righteouſnes on the right hand & on the left, let him ſay: I begā not to teach ye goſpel to the ende that the world ſhould magnifie me,The ende of the miniſterie of the vvord. 2. Tim. 4.5. and therfore I wil not ſhrinke frō that which I haue begun if the world hate, ſclaūder or perſecute me. He that is ſuch a one, teacheth the word and attendeth vppon his office faithfully, without any worldly reſpect, that is, without regard of glory or gaine, without the ſtrength, wiſedom or authoritie of any man. He leaneth not to the praiſe of other men, for he hath it in him ſelfe. Wherfore he that truly & faithfully executeth his office, careth not what the world ſpeake of him: he careth not whether the world praiſe or diſpraiſe him, but he hath praiſe in himſelfe,To haue praiſe in himſelfe. which is the teſtimonie of his cōſcience and praiſe or glory in God. He may therfore ſay with Paule: This is our reioyſing, this is our praiſe & glory, euen ye teſtimonie of our conſcience, that in ſimplicitie and ſinceritie before God & not in fleſhly wiſdom, but in ye grace of God we haue had our conuerſation in the world. This glory is vncorrupt & ſtedfaſt: for it depēdeth not on other mens iudgemēts, but of our own cōſciēce, which beareth vs witnes yt we haue taught ye word purely, miniſtred ye ſacraments rightly, & haue done all things wel, & therfore it cā not be defaced or takē frō vs. The other glory which theſe proud ſpirites doe ſeeke,VVhat is the glory of heretikes. is vncertaine & moſt perilous for that they haue it not in thēſelues, but it cōſiſteth in ye mouth & opinion of ye people: Therfore can they not haue ye teſtimony of their owne conſcience, that they haue done all things wt ſimplicity & ſincerity for ye aduauncing of the glory of God onely and the ſaluation of ſoules. For this is it which they ſeeke, that they may be counted famous through the worke and labour of their preaching, and be praiſed of men. They haue therfore a glory, a truſt and a teſtimony, but before men,The glory of the godly. not in themſelues nor before God. The godly doe not deſire glory after this manner. If Paule had had his praiſe before men, and not in himſelfe, he ſhould haue bene compelled to deſpaire, whē he ſaw many cities, countreis and all Aſia fall from him: when he ſaw ſo many offences or ſclaunders, & ſo many hereſies to follow his preaching. Chriſte when he was alone, that is, when he was not onely ſought for by the Iewes to be put to death, I[illegible: 1 letter]hn. 16.32. but alſo was forſaken of his diſciples, was not yet alone, but the father was with him, for he had glory and reioyſing in him ſelfe. So at this day if our truſt, our glory and reioyſing did depende vppon the iudgement and fauour of men, we ſhould die with very anguiſh and ſorrow of heart. For ſo farre of is it that the Papiſtes, Sectaries and the whole world doe iudge vs worthy of any reuerence or praiſe, that they hate & perſecute vs moſt bitterly: yea they wold gladly ouerthrow our miniſterie and roote out our doctrine for euer. Phil. 4.4. The vvorld dishonoreth the godly miniſters of the vvord. We haue therfore nothing before men but reproch: but we reioyce and we glory in the Lord, & therfore we attend vpon our office cherefully and faithfully, which we know is acceptable to him. Thus doing we care not whether our worke doe pleaſe or diſpleaſe the Deuill: whether the world loue vs or hate vs. For we knowing our worke to be well done, and hauing a good conſcience before God,1. Cor. 6.3. goe forward by honour and diſhonour, by euill report and good report, &c. This ſayeth Paule is to haue reioyſing or glory in thy ſelfe. And this admonition is very neceſſary againſt that execrable vice of vaineglory.The Goſpell is the vvord of the croſſe and offence. 1. Cor. 1.18. The Goſpel is a doctrine which both of it ſelfe, and alſo by the malice of the Deuill bringeth with it the croſſe and perſecution. Therfore Paule is wont to call it the word of the croſſe and of offence. It hath not alwayes ſtedfaſt and conſtant diſciples. Many there be that to day make profeſſion thereof and embrace it, which to morrow being offended with the croſſe,The diſciples of the goſpel. will fall from it and deny it. They therfore that teach the Goſpell to the end that they may obtaine the fauour and praiſe of men, muſt needes periſh and their glory be turned vnto ſhame when the people ceaſe to reuerence and magnifie them. Wherfore let all paſtours and miniſters of the word learne to haue glory and reioyſing in them ſelues, and not in the mouth of other men. If there be any that praiſe them, as the godly are wont to doe (By euill report and good report ſaith Paule): yet let them receaue this glory but as a ſhadow of true glory: and let them thinke the ſubſtance of glory to be in deede the teſtimonie of their owne conſcience. He that doth ſo, proueth his owne workd, that is, he regardeth not his owne glory, but his only care is to do his office faithfully, that is to ſay, to teach ye goſpell purely, & to ſhew the true vſe of the Sacraments.VVhat it is for a man to proue his ovvne vvork. When he thus proueth his owne worke, he hath glory and reioyſing in himſelf, which no man can take from him: for he hath it ſurely planted and grounded in his owne heart, & not in other mens mouthes: whom Sathan can very eaſily turne away, and can make that mouth and tounge now full of curſſing, which a little before was full of bleſſing. Therfore (ſayth Paule) if ye be deſirous of glory, ſeeke it where it ſhould be ſought, not in the mouth of other men, but in your owne heart: which ye then doe when ye execute your office truely and faithfully. So ſhall it come to paſſe that beſides the glory which ye haue in your ſelues, ye ſhall haue praiſe and commendation alſo before men. But if ye glory in other men and not in your ſelues, that ſhame & confuſion which ye haue in your ſelues, ſhall not be without reproch and confuſion alſo before men. This haue we ſeene in certaine fantaſticall ſpirites in theſe our dayes, which proued not their worke: that is, they did not ſeeke onely to preach the Goſpell purely and ſimplie, but miſvſed it to gaine praiſe among men, contrary to the ſecond commaundement. Therfore after their inward cōfuſion, there folowed alſo an outward confuſion and ſhame among men, according to that ſaying: Exod 20 7. 1. Sam. 2.30. The Lord vvill not hold him giltleſſe that taketh his name in vaine. And againe: They vvhich deſpiſe me, shall be deſpiſed. Contrariwiſe, if we ſeeke firſt the glory of God by the miniſterie of the word, then ſurely our glory wil folow, according to that ſaying: Him that honoureth me I vvill glorifie. To conclude,1. Cor. 4.2. lette euery man proue his worke: that is, let him doe his endeuour that his miniſterie may be foūd faithful: for this aboue all things is required in the Miniſters of the word. 1. Cor. 4. As if he ſhould ſay: let euery man endeuour purely & faithfully to teach the word, & let him haue an eye to nothing elſe but ye glory of God & the ſaluation of ſoules: then ſhall his worke be faithfull and ſound: then ſhall he haue glory & reioyſing in his owne conſcience, ſo that he may boldly ſay: This my doctrine and miniſterie pleaſeth God. And this is in deede an excellent glory. This ſentence may alſo be well applied to thoſe workes which are done of the faithfull in euery ſtate of life. As if a Magiſtrate,The vvorke of euery mans calling. an houſholder, a ſeruaunt, a ſcholemaſter, a ſcholer abide in his vocation and do his duetie therein faithfully, not troubling him ſelfe with thoſe workes which pertaine not to his vocation, he may glory and reioyce in himſelfe: for he may ſay, I haue done the workes of my vocation appoynted vnto me by God, with ſuch faithfulnes and diligēce as I was able. Therfore I know that this worke being done in faith & obedience to God, pleaſeth God. If other ſpeake euill of it, I paſſe little thereof. For there be alwayes ſome which deſpiſe and ſclaunder the doctrine & life of the godly: but God hath threatned to deſtroy all lying lippes & ſclaunderous tounges. Therfore whileſt ſuch men doe greedely ſeeke after vaineglory, and with lies and ſclaunders goe about to deface the godly,Phil. 3.19. 2. Tim. 3.9. it hapneth to them as Paule ſaith: vvhoſe glory is their shame. And in an other place: Their foolishnes shalbe knovvne to all mē. By whom? Euen by God the righteous iudge, who as he will vtter their falſe accuſations and ſclaunders, ſo will he reueale the righteouſnes of the godly like the none day,Pſal. 37.6. as it is ſaid, Pſal. 17. This clauſe: in himſelfe (to touch this alſo by the way) muſt ſo be vnderſtand yt God be not excluded: That is, that euery man may know, in what godly ſtate of life ſo euer he be, yt his worke is a diuine worke: for it is the worke of his vocation hauing the cōmaundement of God.