Luther's declaration (incomplete here..)
after he had publicly expounded this epistle, he took in hand to interpret the same again, in form as is here set forth;
the cause he declareth in the following words:
'i have taken in hand, in the name of the Lord, yet once again to expound this epistle of st. paul to the galatians;
not because i desire to teach new things or such as ye have not known before,
since that, by the grace of Christ, paul is now thoroughly known unto you,
but for that we have to fear lest satan take from us this doctrine of faith
and bring into the church again the doctrine of works and men's traditions.
wherefore it is very necessary that this doctrine be kept in continual practice and public exercise,
both of hearing and reading.
and although it be never so well known, yet the devil,
who rageth continually, seeki9ng to devour us, is not dead.
likewise our flesh and old man is yet alive.
besides this, all kinds of temptations do vex and oppress us on every side;
so that this doctrine can never be taught, urged and repeated enough.
if this doctrine be lost, then is also the doctrine of truth, life and salvation, also lost and gone.
if this doctrine flourish, then all good things flourish;
religion, the true service of God,l the glory of God,
the right knowledge of all things which are necessary for a christian man to know.
because, therefore, we would be occupied and not idle we will begin now where we made an end,
according to the saying of the song of sirach:
'when a man hath done what he can, he must begin again'.
the argument of the epistle of st. paul to the galatians.
it behoveth us first of all to see what matter st. paul here treateth of.
the argument is this: he goeth about to establish the doctrine of faith, grace, forgiveness of sins
or christian righteousness and all other kinds of righteousness.
for there are divers sorts of righteousness.
there is a civil or political righteousness,
which Kings, princes of this world, magistrates and lawyers deal withal.
there is also a ceremonial righteousness, which the traditions of men do teach.
this righteousness parents and schoolmasters may teach without danger,
because they do not attribute to it any power to satisfy for sin, to please god or to deserve grace,
but they teach such ceremonies as are only necessary for the correction of manners
and certain customs concerning this life.
besides these, there is another righteousness called the righteousness of the law
or the ten commandments which moses teacheth.
this we do also teach but after the doctrine of faith.
above all these there is yet another righteousness, to wit the righteousness of faith
or christian righteousness, the which we must diligently discern from the others aforesaid,
for they are quite contrary to this righteousness,
both because they flow out of the laws of Kings and rulers,
the traditions of the pope and the commandments of god
and also because they consist in our works
and may be wrought by us either by our natural strength, (as the papi8sts term it)
or else by the gift of God.
for these kinds of righteousness are also the gift of God, like all other good things are,
which we do enjoy.
but the most excellent righteousness of faith,
which God through Christ without any works imputeth to us,
is neither political nor ceremonial nor the righteousness of God's law, nor consisteth of works,
but is clean contrary to these.
that is to say it is a mere passive righteousness, as the others are active.
for in the righteousness of faith we work nothing
we render nothing unto God,.
but we only receive and suffer another to word in us,
that is to say God.
therefore it seemeth good unto us to call this righteousness of faith, the passive righteousness.
this is a righteousness hidden in a mystery which the world doth not know, yea,
christians themselves do not thoroughly understand i
and can hardly take hold of it in their temptations.
therefore it must be diligently taught and continually practiced.
and whoso doth not understand or apprehend this righteousnes
in afflictions and terrors of conscience,
must needs be overthrown.
for there is no comfort of conscience so firm and sure as this passive righteousness is.
for the troubled conscience, in view of god's judgment, hath no remedy against
desperation and eternal death,
unless it take hold of the forgiveness of sins by grace freely offered in Christ Jesus,
which is this passive faith or christian righteousness,
which if it can apprehend, then it may be at rest and can boldly say:
i seek not active or working righteousness, for if i had it i could not trust in it
neither dare i set it against the judgment of God.
then i abandon myself from all active righteousness, both of my own and of God's law
and embrace only that passive righteousness
which is the righteousness of grace, mercy and forgiveness of sins.
briefly i rest only upon that righteousness which is the righteousness of Christ and of the Holy Ghost.
the greatest knowledge and the highest wisdom of christians is
not to know the law,
to be ignorant of works and of the whole active righteousness,
especially when the conscience wrestleth with God.
like as on the contrary amongst those who are not of god's people,
the greatest wisdom is to know and to urge the law and the active righteousness.
but it is a strange thing and unknown to the world
to teach christians to be ignorant of the law
and to live before God as if there were no law.
notwithstanding except thou be ignorant of the law and be assuredly persuaded in thine heart,
that there is now no law nor wrath of God
but only grace and mercy for Christ's sake thou canst not be saved,
for by the law cometh the knowledge of sin.
contrariwise works and the keeping of the law is so strictly required in the world
as if there were no promise or grace.
here then is required a wise and faithful disposer of the word of God
who can so moderate the law that it may be kept within its bounds.
he that teacheth that men are justified before God by the observation of the law
passeth the bounds of the law
and confoundeth these two kinds of righteousness, active and passive,
and is an ill logician, for he doth not rightly divide.
contrariwise he that setteth forth the law and works to the old man
and the promise and forgiveness of sins and God's mercy to the new man,
divideth the word well.
for the flesh, or the old man, must be coupled with the law and works;
the spirit or the new man must be joined with the promise of god and His mercy.
wherefore when i see a man oppressed with the law
terrified with sin
and thirsting for comfort,
it is time that i removed out of his sight the law and active righteousness
and that i should set before him, by the gospel, the christian or passive righteousness,
which, excluding moses and his law, offereth the promise made in Christ,
Who came for the afflicted and sinners.
here the man is raised up again and conceiveth the good hope,
neither is he any more under the law, but under grace.
how not under the law?
according to the new man to whom the law doth not appertain.
for the law hath its bounds unto Christ, as paul saith,
'for Christ is the end of the law' rom. 10.4,
who being come, moses ceaseth with his law, circumcision, the sacrifices, the sabbaths,
yea and all the prophets.
this is our divinity whereby we teach how to put a difference between these two kinds of righteousness, active and passive,
to the end that manners and faith, works and grace, policy and religion,
should not be confounded or take the one for the other.
both are necessary, but must be kept within their bounds.
christian righteousness appertaineth to the new man
and the righteousness of the law appertaineth to the old man, which is born of flesh and blood.
upon this old man, as upon an ass, there must be laid a burden that may press him down
and he must not enjoy the freedom of the spirit of grace,
except he first put upon him the new man, by faith in Christ
(which notwithstanding is not fully done in this life),
then may he enjoy the kingdom and inestimable gift of grace.
this i say, to the end that no man should think we reject or forbid good works,
as the papists do slander us,
neither understanding what themselves say
or what we teach.
they know nothing but the righteousness of the law
and yet they will judge of that doctrine which is far above the law,
of which it is impossible that the carnal man should be the judge.
therefore they must needs be offended for they can see no higher than the law.
whatsoever, then, is above the law is to them a great offence.
but we imagine as it were, two worlds, the on heavenly, the other earthly.
in these we place these two kinds of righteousness, being separate the one far from the other.
the righteousness of the law is earthly
and hath to do with earthly things.
but as the earth bringeth not forth fruit except it be watered first from above,
even so by the righteousness of the law,
in doing many things we do nothing
and in fulfilling the law we fulfil it not,
except first we are made righteous by the christian righteousness
which appertaineth nothing to the righteousness of the law
of to the earthly and active righteousness.
but this righteousness is heavenly which we have not of ourselves but receive it from heaven.
we work not for it, but by grace it is wrought in us and is apprehended by faith.
whereby we mount up above all laws and all works.
so that like as we have borne the image of the earthly adam,
so we shall bear the image of the heavenly adam,
which is the new man in a new world,
where is no law, no sin, no remorse or sting of conscience, no death,
but perfect joy, righteousness, grace, peace, salvation and glory.
why, do we then nothing/
do we work nothing for the obtaining of this righteousness?
i answer, nothing at all.
for this is perfect righteousness,
to do nothing,
to hear nothing,
to know nothing of the law or or works,
but to know and believe this only,
that Christ is gone to the Father and is not now seen,
that He sitteth in heaven at the right hand of His Father,
not as judge, but made unto us of God,
wisdom, righteousness, holiness and redemption.
briefly, that He is our high priest intreating for us and reigning over us and in us by grace.
in this heavenly righteousness sin can have no place, for there is no law
and where no law is there can be no transgression (rom. 4.15).
seeing then that sin hath here no place there can be no anguish of conscience, no fear, no heaviness.
therefore st. john saith (I john 5.18):
he that is born of God cannot sin.
but if there is any fear or grief of conscience,
it is a token that this righteousness is withdrawn, that grace is hidden
and that Christ is darkened and out of sight.
but where Christ is truly seen, there must be full and perfect joy in the Lord,
with peace of conscience which thus thinketh:
although i am a sinner by the law and under condemnation of the law,
yet i despair not, yet i die not,
because Christ liveth, who is both my righteousness and my everlasting life.
in that righteousness and life i have no sin, no fear, no sting of death....
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment