either they despair, or else, leaving all other helps, they only stick to faith and the blood of Jesus Christ, and in very deed many of them are glad to die Lutherans, howsoever they hated Luther before. And what shall we say, then, of this doctrine of Luther? If the Papists themselves be glad to die in it, why are they unwilling to live in it? "And if it be true at one time, how can alteration of time make that false which is once true."

And therefore, where these men so stoutly withstand this doctrine of justification by faith only, they are much deceived. And when they allege St. James for them, that is soon answered, if we rightly discern the meaning of St. James and St. Paul; of whom the one speaketh of man's righteousness or justification only before men, which is a demonstration of a true faith or a true believer before man, rather than the working of true justification before God. And so it is true which St. James saith, how that faith without works do not justify: whose purpose is, not to shew us what maketh a man just before God; but only to declare the necessary conjunction of good works in him that by faith is justified. The other speaketh of righteousness or justification, not before men, but only before God; meaning not to exclude good works from true faith, that they should not be done, but to teach us wherein the true stay and hope of our salvation ought to be fixed; that is, in faith only. And so it is true likewise that St. Paul saith, that faith only, without works, doth justify.

Paul

Which proposition of St. Paul, the better to understand and to join it with St. James, here is to be noted, for the satisfying of the cavilling adversary, that the proposition is to be taken full and whole, as St. Paul doth mean it; so that with the right subject, we join the right predicatum, as the schoolmen term it; that is, so that faith of Christ, in justifying, ever have relation to the true, penitent, and lamenting sinner. And so is the article most true, that "faith only without works, doth justify." But whom doth it justify? the worldling? the licentious ruffian? the voluptuous epicure? the carnal gospeller? meaneth no such thing, but only the mourning and labouring soul, the grieved conscience, the repenting heart, the amending sinner. And in him the proposition is true, according to the doctrine of St. Paul: "to him that believeth in him which justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." Contrariwise, let faith have relation to the obstinate and wilful rebel, who, contrary to conscience, continueth and delighteth in sin: and in him is true likewise that St. James saith," and not by faith only;" meaning thereby, that faith availeth not to justification, but only in such persons as have a good will and purpose to amend their lives; "not that repentance and turning from iniquity doth save them; but that faith in Christ worketh justification in none but only such as heartily repent and are

willing to amend." So that, "believe the gospel,” hath ever "repent and amend," going with it. Not that repentance saveth any malefactor from the law; but only sheweth the person whom faith in Christ only doth save and justify. But of this enough, and more than greatly needed; especially seeing the book itself here following will satisfy the reader, at large, in all such doubts to this matter appertaining. And thus ceasing to trouble thee, gentle reader, with any longer preface, as we commend this good work to thy godly studies; so we commend both thee and thy studies to the grace of Christ Jesu, the Son of God: heartily wishing and craving of his majesty, that thou mayest take no less profit and consolation by reading hereof, than our purpose was to do thee good in setting the same forth to thy comfort and edification: which the Lord grant. AMEN. AMEN.

FIFTY INCONVENIENCES

That arise out of Man's own Righteousness proceeding of Works, gathered out of this Epistle to the Galatians.

BY M. LUTHER.

3. To trouble the minds of the faithful. 30. That the gospel is preached in vain. 4. To pervert the gospel of Christ.

MARTIN LUTHER'S

PREFACE

UPON THE EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS.

I MYSELF can scarcely believe that I was so plentiful in words, when I did publicly expound this Epistle of St. Paul to the Galatians, as this book sheweth me to have been. Notwithstanding, I perceive all the cogitations which I find in this treatise, by so great diligence of the brethren gathered together, to be mine: so that I must needs confess, either all, or perhaps more, to have been uttered by me in this public treatise; for in my heart this one article reigneth, even the faith of Christ." From whom, by whom, and unto whom, all iny divine studies, day and night, have recourse to and fro continually. And yet I perceive that I could not reach anything near unto the height, breadth, and depth of such high and inestimable wisdom; only certain poor and bare beginnings, and as it were fragments, do appear. Wherefore, I am ashamed that my so barren and simple commentaries should be set forth upon so worthy an apostle and elect vessel of God. But when I consider again the infinite and horrible profanation and abomination which always hath raged in the church of God, and yet at this day ceaseth not to rage against this only and grounded rock, which we hold to be the article of our justification, (that is to say, how, not by ourselves, neither by our works, which are less than ourselves, but by another help, even the Son of God, Jesus Christ, we are redeemed from sin, death, the devil, and made partakers of eternal life,) I am compelled to cast off all shame, and to be "bold above measure."

This rock did Satan shake in paradise, (Gen. iii. 2.) when he persuaded our first parents that, by their own wisdom and power, they should be like unto God; forsaking true faith in God, who had given them life, and promised the continuance thereof. By and by after, this liar and murderer, "which will be always like unto himself," stirred up the brother to the murdering of his brother, (Gen. iv.) and for none other cause but that for his godly brother, by faith, had offered up a more excellent sacrifice, and he offering up his own works, without faith, had not pleased God. Against this, against the same faith, followed a most intolerable persecution of Satan by the sons of Cain; until God was even constrained at once, by the

flood, to purge the whole world, and to defend Noah, the preacher of righteousness. This notwithstanding, Satan contiued his seed in Cham, the third son of Noah. But who is able to reckon up all examples? After these things, the whole world waxed mad against this faith, finding out an infinite number of idols and strange religions, whereby every one (as St. Paul saith), walked his own way, trusted by their works, some to pacify and please a god, some a goddess, some gods, some goddesses: that is to say, without the help of Christ; and by their own works to redeem themselves from all calamities and from their sins, as all the examples and monuments of all nations do sufficiently witness.

But these are nothing in comparison of that people and congregation of God, Israel; which not only had the sure promise of the fathers, and afterward the law of God given unto them from God himself by his angels, above all other; but always and in all things were also certified by the words, by the miracles, and by the examples of the prophets. Notwithstanding, even among them also, Satan, (that is to say, the mad and outrageous opinion of their own righteousness,) did so prevail, that afterwards they killed all the prophets, yea, even Christ himself, the Son of God, their promised Messiah; for that they had taught that men are accepted and received unto the favour of God, by grace only, and not by their own righteousness. And this is the sum of the doctrine of the devil, and of the world, from the beginning: We will not seem to do evil; but yet, whatsoever we do, that must God allow, and all his prophets must consent to it; which if they refuse to do, they shall die the death. Abel shall die, but Cain shall flourish. Let this be our law, (say they,) and even so it cometh to pass.

But in the church of the Gentiles, the matter is and hath been so vehemently handled, that the fury of the Jewish synagogue may well seem to have been but a sport. For they (as St. Paul saith)" did not know Christ their anointed, and therefore they crucified the Lord of glory." But the church of the Gentiles hath received and confessed Christ to be the Son of God, "being made our righteousness;" and this doth she publicly record, read, and teach. And yet, notwithstanding this confession, they that would be accounted the church do kill and persecute, and continually rage against those which believe and teach, and in their deeds declare nothing else, but that Christ is the self-same thing that they themselves (though with feigned words and hypocritical deeds) are constrained, in spite of their teeth, to allow and confess. For under the name of Christ, at this day, they reign. And if they could, without the name of Christ, hold that seat and kingdom, no doubt but they would express him to be such a one openly, as in their hearts they esteem him secretly. But they esteem him a great deal