To All Afflicted Consciences Which Groan for Salvation and Wrestle Under the Cross for the Kingdom of Christ, Grace, Peace, and Victory in the Lord Jesus Our Savior

In few words to declare what is to be said for the commendation of this work, although in few words all cannot be expressed that may be said, yet briefly to signify that may suffice, this much we thought good to certify you, godly reader: that among many other godly English books in these our days printed and translated, you shall find but few, wherein either your time shall seem better bestowed, or your labor better recompensed to the profit of your soul, or wherein you may see the spirit and vein of Saint Paul more lively represented to you, than in the diligent reading of this present commentary upon the epistle of Saint Paul to the Galatians. In which, as in a mirror or glass, or rather as Saint Stephen in the heavens being opened, you may see and behold the admirable glory of the Lord and all the riches of heaven, your salvation freely and only by faith in Christ, his love and grace toward you so opened, your victory and conquest in him so proved, the wrath of God so pacified, his law satisfied, the full kingdom of life set open, death, hell and hell gates, be they never so strong, with all the power of sin, flesh and the world vanquished, your conscience discharged, all fears and terrors removed, your spiritual man so refreshed and set at liberty, that either your heart must be heavier than lead, or the reading hereof will lift you up above yourself, and give you to know that of Christ Jesus, that yourself shall say you never knew before, though before you knew him right well.

Such spiritual comfort, such heavenly doctrine, such experience and practice of conscience herein is contained, such triumphing over Satan and all his infernal power, such contempt of the law compared with the Gospel, such a holy pride and exaltation of the believing man (whom here he makes a divine person, the Son of God, the heir of the whole earth, conqueror of the world, of sin, of death and the devil) with such phrases and speeches of high contemplation, of Christ, of grace, of justification and of faith (which faith, says he, transfigures a man into Christ, and couples him more near to Christ than the husband is coupled to his wife, and makes a man more than a man), with such other mighty voices, full of spiritual glory and majesty, as the like has not been used lightly of any writer since the Apostles' time, neither dared he ever have used the same himself, had not great experience and exercise of conscience by inward conflicts and profound agonies framed him to it, and ministered to him both this knowledge of spirit and boldness of speech.

And this commonly is the working and proceeding of God's calling, ever to work things by the contrary: of unbelief to make faith, of poverty to make riches, in misery to show mercy, to turn sorrow to solace, mourning to mirth, from afflictions to advance to glory, from hell to bring to heaven, from death to life, from darkness to light, from bondage to liberty, in wilderness to give waters, the barren to make fruitful, of things that are not to make things to be, briefly to make all things of nothing. Thus began God first to work, thus he proceeded, thus he continues, and so will to the world's end. The first seed of promise next to Eve, was given to Sarah: yet in what case was Eve before she had the promise? And in what barrenness and despair was Sarah before she enjoyed her well-beloved Isaac? The like is to be said of the two mothers of two most excellent children Samuel and John the Baptist, and yet what griefs and sorrows passed over their hearts, being both past all hope in nature, before the goodness of God did work? How long did Jacob the Patriarch serve in miserable thralldom for his Rachel? In what excellent glory was Joseph exalted? Yet what suffered he before of his brothers, and how long imprisonment? In what and how long servitude were the sons of Israel before Moses was sent to them? And afterward in what distress were they surrounded on every side when the sea was forced to give them place? After that again, what an excellent land was promised and given to them, flowing with milk and honey? But how were they scourged before in the desert, and yet neither had they the land, but their children? To pass over many things here by the way, what an excellent work was it of God to set up David in his kingdom? Also what excellent promises were given to his throne? Yet how hardly escaped he with life? How did the Lord mortify and frame him to his hand before he placed him in quiet? Infinite it were to recite all. Briefly, in all the works of God this is usual to be seen, that he works evermore most excellent things by instruments most humble, and which seem most furthest off. Which of all the Apostles did ever think, when Christ was so humbled and crucified upon the tree, that they should ever see him again? Although he foretold them of his rising before: in so much that Thomas did scarcely believe when he with his eyes saw him. What man would ever have thought that Paul in the raging heat of his persecuting spirit would have turned from a persecutor to such a professor? From such unbelief to such a faith? In so much that Ananias would scarcely believe the Lord when he told him. Such is the omnipotence of the Lord our God, ever working lightly by the contrary, especially when he has any excellent thing to work to his own glory.

After like sort may we esteem also of Martin Luther, who being first a friar, in what blindness, superstition and darkness, in what dreams and dregs of monkish idolatry he was drowned, his history declares, witness records, and this book also partly does specify. Whose religion was all in popish ceremonies, his zeal without knowledge, understanding no other justification but in works of the law and merits of his own making, only believing the history (as many do) of Christ's death and resurrection, but not knowing the power and strength thereof. After he had thus continued a long space, more pharisaical and zealous in these monkish ways than the common sort of that order, at length it so pleased almighty God to begin with this man: first to touch his conscience with some remorse and feeling of sin, his mind with fears and misdoubts, whereby he was driven to seek further: so that by searching, seeking, conferring, and by reading of Saint Paul, some sparkles of better knowledge began by little and little to appear, which after in time grew up to greater increase. But here it happened to him as commonly it does to all good Christians: the more that the true knowledge of Christ in him increased, the more Satan the enemy stirred with his fiery darts, with doubts and objections, with false terrors and subtle assaults, seeking by all means possible how to oppress the inward soul which would fain take his rest in Christ. In these spiritual conflicts and inward wrestlings, how grievously he was encumbered, fighting against incredulity, error and desperation, marvelous it is to consider: in so much, that three days and three nights together he lay upon his bed without meat, drink or any sleep, like a dead man (as some of him do write) laboring in soul and spirit upon a certain place of Saint Paul in the third chapter to the Romans, which was: Ad ostendendam iustitiam suam: that is, to show his justice, thinking Christ to be sent to no other end but to show forth God's justice as an executor of the law, till at length, being answered and satisfied by the Lord touching the right meaning of those words, signifying the justice of God to be executed upon his Son to save us from the stroke thereof, he immediately upon the same started up from his bed, so confirmed in faith, as nothing afterward could appall him. Besides other manifold and grievous temptations (which I speak not of) of all sorts and kinds, except only of avarice, with the which vice only he was never once tempted nor touched, as of him is written by them that were conversant with him.

In this mean while, during these conflicts and exercises of M. Luther, which notwithstanding did him no hurt, but rather turned to his more furtherance in spiritual knowledge, Pope Leo the 10th sent a Jubilee with his pardons abroad through all Christian realms and dominions, whereby he gathered together innumerable riches and treasure. The collectors thereof promised to every one that would put 10 shillings in the box, license to eat white meat and flesh in lent, and power to deliver what soul he would out of purgatory, and moreover full pardon from all his sins, were they never so heinous. But if it were but one jot less than 10 shillings, they preached that it would profit him nothing. The abomination thereof was so horrible, that when no other man dared speak, yet Luther could not of conscience hold his peace, but drawing out certain articles, desired gently to dispute the matter, writing withal a most humble admonition to the Pope, submitting himself in most lowly wise to his censure and judgment. But the Pope thinking great scorn to be controlled of such a friar, took the matter so hot, that he with all his cardinals, with all the rabble of monks and friars, bishops and archbishops, colleges and universities, kings and princes, with the emperor also himself, were all upon him. If the omnipotent providence of the Lord from above had not sustained him, what was it for one poor friar to have endured all these sharp assaults of Satan, all the violence of the whole world, having no less than the sun, the moon and seven stars (as they say) against him? Being hated of men, assailed by devils, rejected of nations, by solemn authority condemned, distressed with infirmities, and with all manner of temptations tried and proved. And yet for all these temptations such was his life, that (as Erasmus writing to Cardinal Wolsey affirms) none of all his enemies could ever charge him with any note of just reprehension. Again, such were his citations out of the Scripture, that Roffensis writing to Erasmus, confesses himself to be astonished at them.

And thus much by way of preface touching the conflicts and exercises of this man. Which we thought good to insinuate to the Christian reader for sundry purposes: First to note the merciful clemency of Christ our Savior in calling so superstitious and idolatrous a friar so graciously to such a light of his gospel, his grace in justifying him, his might in preserving him, his help in comforting him, his glory in prospering him, one against so many, and so prospering him, that the whole kingdom of the Pope had no power either to withstand him, or to maintain itself: Secondly for this respect also and purpose, that the reader considering the marvelous working of the Lord in this man, may the better credit the doctrine which he teaches. And though his doctrine as touching a little circumstance of the sacrament cannot be thoroughly defended, yet neither is that any great marvel in him, who being occupied in weightier points of religion, had no leisure to travel in the searching out of this matter, neither ought it to be any prejudice to all the rest which he taught so soundly of the weightier principles and grounds of Christ's Gospel and our justification only by faith in Christ. And yet in the same matter of the sacrament, notwithstanding that he alters somewhat from Zuinglius, sticking too near to the letter: yet he joins not so with the Papist, that he leaves there any transubstantiation or idolatry. Therefore the matter being no greater than so, nor directly against any article of our creed, let not us be so nice, for one little wart to cast away the whole body. It were doubtless to be wished, that in good teachers and preachers of Christ, there were no defect or imperfection. But he that can abide nothing with his blemish, let him, if he can, name any Doctor or writer (the scripture only except) Greek or Latin, old or new, either beyond the Alps or on this side the Alps, or himself also, whatever he be, which has not erred in some sentence or in some exposition of holy scripture. But if he cannot so do, then let him learn by himself to bear with other, to take the best and leave the worst (although there is no such matter in this book to be feared, forasmuch as we having a respect to the simple have purposely sponged out and omitted such stumbling places, being but few, which might offend) and to give God thanks for anything that is good, and namely for this which he has given to us by Luther, in opening to us his grace, mercy and good will in his Son so excellently through the preaching of this man: who if he had not taught the difference between the law and the gospel, and set out to us our justification, victory and liberty by faith only in Christ so plainly, so plentifully and so assuredly as he has done, who ever dared have been so bold to open his mouth in such words, or so confidently to stand in this doctrine of faith and grace? For if there have been since the time of Luther, and be yet some, which openly defend that works be necessary to salvation, where he before so mightily has taught the contrary: what then would these have done if Luther had not been? who also did forewarn us of the same, prophesying that after his time this doctrine of justification would be almost extinguished in the church, as in certain places experience begins partly to prove.

Therefore, so much as the Lord shall give us grace, let us hold constantly the comfortable doctrine of faith and justification, and not lose that the Lord so freely has given, calling upon the Lord with all obedience and diligence, to give us grace with Saint Paul, not to refuse the grace which he bestows upon us, nor to be offended with this joyful doctrine, as many be. And therefore as our duty was for our part to set it abroad, so our counsel is no less to every studious reader thereof, to pray for grace, rightly to understand that he reads. For unless the special grace of Christ does help, hard it is to flesh and blood to comprehend this mystical doctrine of faith only. So strange it is to carnal reason, so dark to the world, so many enemies it has, that except the Spirit of God from above does reveal it, learning cannot reach it, wisdom is offended, nature is astonished, devils do not know it, men do persecute it. Briefly, as there is no way to life so easy, so is there none so hard: Easy to whom it is given from above: hard to the carnal sense not yet inspired. The ignorance whereof is the root of all errors, sects and divisions, not only in all Christendom, but also in the whole world. The Jew thinks to be saved by his Moses law, the Turk by his Alcoran, the philosopher by his moral virtues. Besides these, comes another sort of people, not so ill as the Jew, nor so heathen as the philosopher, but having some part of both, which refuse not utterly the name of Christ, but with Christ do join partly the law of Moses, partly the moral and natural discipline of philosophy, and partly their own ceremonies and traditions, to make a perfect way to heaven. And these here in this commentary are called papists, of the Pope their author, being divided within themselves more than into a hundred diverse sects, orders and professions of Cardinals, Friars, Monks, Nuns, Priests, Hermits, and other votaries. All which seem to spring up of no other cause but only upon ignorance of this doctrine. And no marvel: For take away this doctrine of justification by faith only in Christ, and leave a man to his own inventions, what end will there be of new devices? Such a perilous thing is it to err in the first foundation: whereupon the higher you build, the greater is the fall. And yet such builders are not without their props to hold up their workmanship of works against this doctrine of justifying faith, pretending for their defense the testimony of Saint James, where he seems to attribute justification to works and not to faith only.

Touching which matter of justification, for as much as in the sequel of this treatise the author has discoursed upon the same at large, it shall not be much needful to use many words at this present. This briefly may suffice by way of preface, in a word or two to advertise the Christian reader, whoever takes in hand with profit and judgment to read this book, that in him two things are specially to be required: first to read it wholly together, and not by pieces and parts here and there, but to take it in order as it lies, conferring one place with another, whereby to understand the better the right meaning of the writer, how and in what sense he excludes good works, and how not: how he neglects the law, and how he magnifies the law. For, as in case of justifying before God, the free promise of the gospel admits no condition, but faith only in Christ Jesus: so in case of dutiful obedience, Luther here excludes no good works, but rather exhorts to it, and that in many places. Thus times and cases discreetly must be distinguished.

The second thing to be required is, that in reading hereof, he that seeks to take fruit hereby, does bring such a mind with him to the reading, as the author himself did to the preaching of it: that is, he has need to have his senses exercised somewhat in such spiritual conflicts, and to be well humbled before with the fear of God and inward repentance, or else he shall hardly conceive the excellent sweetness either of this writer or any other. For although most true it is, that no greater comfort to the soul of man can be found in any book next to the holy Scripture, than in this commentary of M. Luther: so this comfort has little place, but only where the conscience being in heaviness has need of the physician's hand. The others, who feel themselves whole and are not touched in soul with any sorrow, as they little care for these books, so have they little understanding of this doctrine when they read it. And this is the cause in my mind, why the Pope and his papists have so little feeling and liking of Luther's doctrine, and all because they commonly are never greatly vexed in spirit with any deep affliction, but rather deride them that be beaten down with such conflicts and temptations of Satan, as they did by Luther, whom because God suffered to be tried and exercised with the buffets of the enemy, they say therefore that he learned his divinity of the Devil. But how he learned his divinity, let us hear what he himself in this book, folio 197 and 198, confesses in these words, saying: Unless we had been exercised with violence and crafty assaults by tyrants and heretics; and in our heart with terrors and fiery darts of the devil, Paul had been to us no less obscure, than he was in times past to the whole world and yet is to this day to our adversaries the papists, the Anabaptists and other our adversaries: And therefore the gift of knowledge of the Scripture and our studies through such inward and outward conflicts, open to us the mind of Paul and of all the Scriptures, etc.

But let these ignorant papists, whoever they be, taste a little the same or like as Luther did, and then see what they will say. Experience gives demonstration. For how many of them do we see, for all their auricular confession, which puffs them up in false security, but at length, when they lie at the point of death, where death on the one side and God's justice on the other side is before their eyes, for the most part either they despair, or else leaving all other helps, they only stick to faith and the blood of Christ Jesus, and in very deed many of them are glad to die Lutherans however 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 stoutely withstand this doctrine of justification by faith only, they are much deceived. And where they allege Saint James for them, that is soon answered if we rightly discern the meaning of Saint James and of Saint Paul: of whom the one speaks 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 is it true which Saint James says, how that faith without works does not justify: whose purpose is, not to show us what makes a just man before God, but only to declare the necessary conjunction of good works in him that by faith is justified. The other speaks 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 is it true likewise that Saint Paul says, that faith only without works does justify.

The which proposition of S. Paul the better to understand and to join it with S. James, here is to be noted for the satisfying of the caviling adversary, that the proposition is to be taken full and whole, as S. Paul does 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 does justify. But whom does it justify? The worldling? The licentious ruffian? The voluptuous Epicure? The carnal gospeler? Paul means no such thing, but only the mourning and laboring soul, the grieved conscience, the repenting heart, the mending sinner: And in him the proposition is true, according to the doctrine of S. Paul: Credenti in eum qui iustificat impium, fides eius imputatur ad iustitiam: that is, to him that believes in him which justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Contrariwise, let faith have relation to the obstinate and willful rebel, who contrary to conscience continues and delights in sin, and in him it is true likewise that S. James says: and non ex fide tantum, that is, and not by faith only, meaning thereby that faith avails 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 does save them: but that faith in Christ works justification in none but only in such as heartily repent and are willing to amend. So that: Credite Euangelio, believe the gospel, has ever: agite poenitentiam, repent and amend going withal. Not that repentance saves any malefactor from the law, but only shows the person whom faith in Christ only does 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 you, gentle reader, with any longer preface, as we commend this good work to your godly studies, so we commend both you and your studies to the grace of Christ Jesus the Son of God, heartily wishing and craving of his majesty, that you may take no less profit and consolation by reading hereof, than our purpose was to do you good in setting the same forth to your comfort and edification, which the Lord grant, Amen, Amen.

Although everything that could be said in praise of this work cannot be expressed in a few words, we want to briefly convey what may be enough, godly reader: among the many fine English books printed and translated in our day, you will find few in which your time is better spent, your effort better rewarded for your soul's profit, or in which you may see the spirit and voice of Saint Paul more vividly represented, than in a careful reading of this commentary on Saint Paul's epistle to the Galatians. In it, as in a mirror — or rather, as Stephen saw when the heavens opened — you may behold the remarkable glory of the Lord and all the riches of heaven: your salvation freely given through faith in Christ alone, His love and grace toward you fully opened, your victory and conquest in Him fully proved, the wrath of God satisfied, His law fulfilled, the full kingdom of life laid open, death and hell and the gates of hell — however strong they may be — together with all the power of sin, flesh, and the world defeated, your conscience discharged, all fears and terrors removed, and your inner self so refreshed and set free that either your heart must be heavier than lead, or the reading of this book will lift you above yourself and reveal to you things about Christ Jesus that you will say you never knew before — even if you thought you knew Him well.

This book contains such spiritual comfort, such heavenly doctrine, such firsthand experience and practice of conscience, such triumph over Satan and all his infernal power, such a sweeping view of law compared with the Gospel, and such a holy pride and exaltation of the believing person — whom Luther here makes a divine being: son of God, heir of the whole earth, conqueror of the world, of sin, of death, and of the devil — with such phrases and expressions of high contemplation regarding Christ, grace, justification, and faith (which faith, he says, transforms a man into Christ and joins him to Christ more closely than a husband is joined to his wife, and makes a man more than a man) — with such other mighty voices, full of spiritual glory and majesty, as no writer since the apostles' time has lightly used, and which Luther himself would never have dared to use had not profound experience and the testing of conscience through deep inward conflict and spiritual anguish shaped him for it and given him both this knowledge of the Spirit and this boldness of speech.

This is commonly how God works and calls: He always brings about the most excellent things by their opposites — from unbelief He creates faith, from poverty He creates riches, in misery He shows mercy, turning sorrow into comfort, mourning into joy, advancing from affliction to glory, bringing from hell to heaven, from death to life, from darkness to light, from bondage to freedom, giving water in the wilderness, making the barren fruitful, and creating out of nothing all things that exist. God began to work this way at the very start, and He has continued and will continue to do so to the end of the world. The first seed of promise after Eve was given to Sarah — yet what was Sarah's condition before she received the promise? And in what barrenness and despair was she before she enjoyed her beloved Isaac? The same could be said of the two mothers of two most excellent children — Samuel and John the Baptist — and yet what grief and sorrow passed through their hearts, both being beyond all natural hope, before God's goodness acted. How long did the patriarch Jacob serve in miserable bondage for his Rachel? In what excellent glory was Joseph ultimately raised? Yet what did he suffer first at the hands of his brothers, and how long was his imprisonment? In what long servitude were the sons of Israel before Moses was sent to them? And afterward, in what desperate straits were they surrounded on every side — until the sea itself was compelled to make way for them? After that again, what an excellent land was promised and given to them, flowing with milk and honey! But how were they tested in the desert before they received it — and even then, it was not they but their children who entered the land! To pass over much else, what an excellent work it was for God to establish David in his kingdom! And what glorious promises were given to his throne! Yet how narrowly did he escape with his life? How did the Lord humble and shape him before placing him in peace? It would take forever to recount it all. In short, throughout all God's works it is plain to see: He always brings about the most excellent things through the most humble instruments — through those who seem furthest from the goal. Which of the apostles ever thought, when Christ was so humbled and crucified on the cross, that they would ever see Him again? Even though He had told them beforehand about His resurrection — so much so that Thomas could scarcely believe even when he saw Him with his own eyes. What man would ever have imagined that Paul, in the raging heat of his persecuting fury, would turn from a persecutor into such a confessor of the faith? From such unbelief to such faith? Ananias himself could scarcely believe the Lord when He told him. Such is the power of the Lord our God — always working, especially through opposites, and most powerfully when He has some excellent thing to bring about for His own glory.

In the same way we may consider Martin Luther, who began as a friar — his history records, and this book partly describes, just how deep he was sunk in blindness, superstition, and darkness, in the dreams and dregs of monkish idolatry. His religion consisted entirely of popish ceremonies; his zeal was without understanding; he knew no justification except through works of the law and merits of his own making; he believed only the historical facts of Christ's death and resurrection (as many do), without knowing their power and significance. After he had continued in this way for a long time — more rigidly devoted to these monkish practices than the average member of his order — it pleased almighty God to begin working in him: first by touching his conscience with some awareness and feeling of sin, and his mind with fears and doubts, which drove him to seek further understanding. By searching, seeking, conferring with others, and by reading Saint Paul, small sparks of better knowledge began to appear little by little, which in time grew into greater light. But here the same thing happened to him that commonly happens to all good Christians: the more the true knowledge of Christ grew in him, the more Satan the enemy stirred up his attacks — with doubts and objections, with false fears and subtle assaults, seeking by every possible means to crush the inward soul that longed to find its rest in Christ. How severely he was troubled in these spiritual conflicts and inward wrestlings, fighting against unbelief, error, and despair, is remarkable to consider. At one point he lay on his bed for three days and three nights without food, drink, or sleep, like a dead man — as some writers report — laboring in soul and spirit over a particular passage of Saint Paul in the third chapter of Romans: "Ad ostendendam iustitiam suam" — that is, "to show his justice" — thinking Christ was sent for no other purpose than to display God's justice as an enforcer of the law, until at length the Lord answered and satisfied him regarding the true meaning of those words — that God's justice was executed upon His Son to save us from its penalty. Immediately upon receiving that understanding, he sprang up from his bed, so confirmed in faith that nothing could shake him afterward. Beyond this, he endured many other severe temptations of every kind — with the sole exception of greed, a vice by which, as those who lived with him testify, he was never once tempted or touched.

Meanwhile, during these conflicts and trials of Luther — which, however, did him no harm but rather advanced his spiritual knowledge — Pope Leo X sent out a Jubilee with his pardons throughout all Christian kingdoms and territories, by which he gathered enormous riches and treasure. The collectors of those funds promised anyone who put ten shillings in the box a license to eat white meat and flesh during Lent, the power to deliver any soul he chose from purgatory, and complete pardon from all his sins, no matter how terrible. But if the payment was even one coin short of ten shillings, they preached that it would profit him nothing. The abuse was so horrifying that when no other man dared speak, Luther could not in good conscience remain silent. He drew up certain articles and calmly requested a debate on the matter, at the same time writing a most humble letter to the Pope, submitting himself in the most lowly manner to his judgment. But the Pope, thinking it great dishonor to be challenged by such a friar, reacted so hotly that he, along with all his cardinals, the entire rabble of monks and friars, bishops and archbishops, colleges and universities, kings and princes, and the emperor himself, all turned against Luther. If the almighty providence of the Lord from above had not sustained him, what could one poor friar have done against such fierce attacks of Satan, such violence from the whole world — having no less than the sun, the moon, and seven stars (as they say) against him? He was hated by men, assailed by devils, rejected by nations, formally condemned by authority, weakened by illness, and tested by every kind of temptation. And yet through all these temptations, his life was such that — as Erasmus affirmed in a letter to Cardinal Wolsey — none of his enemies could ever charge him with any justifiable fault. Moreover, his use of Scripture was such that Roffensis, writing to Erasmus, confesses he was astonished by it.

This much by way of preface regarding the conflicts and trials of this man. We thought it worthwhile to mention these things to the Christian reader for several reasons. First, to note the merciful kindness of Christ our Savior in calling so superstitious and idolatrous a friar so graciously into such a light of His Gospel — His grace in justifying Luther, His power in preserving him, His help in comforting him, His glory in prospering him: one man against so many, and prospering him so thoroughly that the whole power of the Papacy could neither withstand him nor maintain itself against him. Second, so that the reader, considering the remarkable way the Lord worked in this man, may more readily trust the doctrine he teaches. Although his teaching on one small point regarding the sacrament cannot be fully defended, this is no great surprise in a man who was occupied with weightier matters of religion and had no time to thoroughly investigate that question. Nor should that imperfection cast doubt on all the rest — which he taught so soundly regarding the weightier principles and foundations of Christ's Gospel and our justification by faith in Christ alone. Even on the matter of the sacrament, though he differs somewhat from Zuinglius by staying too close to the letter, he does not go so far with the papists as to leave any transubstantiation or idolatry in his view. Since the matter is no greater than that, and does not directly contradict any article of our creed, let us not be so particular as to throw away the whole body for one small blemish. It would certainly be desirable if good teachers and preachers of Christ had no defect or imperfection. But whoever can tolerate no blemish, let him — if he can — name any doctor or writer, whether Greek or Latin, ancient or modern, from any part of the world, or himself for that matter, who has not erred in some statement or some interpretation of Holy Scripture. If he cannot do that, then let him learn, as he would have others bear with him, to take the best and leave the worst — though in this particular book there is nothing of the kind to fear, since we, with concern for the simple reader, have deliberately removed and omitted the few stumbling points that might cause offense. Let him give thanks to God for whatever is good — and especially for this: what God has given us through Luther in so excellently opening to us His grace, mercy, and goodwill through His Son. For if Luther had not so plainly, so fully, and so confidently taught the distinction between law and Gospel and set before us our justification, victory, and liberty by faith in Christ alone, who would ever have dared open his mouth to speak in such terms or to stand so boldly in this doctrine of faith and grace? Indeed, even after Luther so mightily taught that works are not necessary for salvation, there have been and still are some who openly defend that they are — so what would these people have taught if Luther had never lived? Luther himself warned us of this, prophesying that after his time the doctrine of justification would be nearly extinguished in the church — as experience in certain places has already begun to show.

Therefore, as much as the Lord gives us grace, let us hold firmly to the comforting doctrine of faith and justification, and not lose what the Lord has so freely given. Let us call upon the Lord with all obedience and diligence to grant us grace — along with Saint Paul — not to refuse the grace He freely offers, and not to be offended by this joyful doctrine, as so many are. As it was our duty to spread this doctrine abroad, so it is equally our counsel to every diligent reader: pray for grace to rightly understand what you read. For unless the special grace of Christ helps, it is hard for flesh and blood to grasp this mysterious doctrine of faith alone. It is so foreign to natural reason, so dark to the world, and has so many enemies that unless God's Spirit reveals it from above, learning cannot reach it, wisdom is offended by it, nature is astonished at it, devils do not know it, and men persecute it. In short, there is no path to life so easy, and yet none so hard — easy for those to whom it is given from above, hard for the natural mind not yet inspired. Ignorance of this doctrine is the root of all errors, sects, and divisions, not only throughout Christendom but throughout the whole world. The Jew thinks to be saved by the law of Moses, the Muslim by his Quran, the philosopher by his moral virtues. Beyond these, there is another sort of people — not as far gone as the Jew, nor as pagan as the philosopher — who do not entirely reject the name of Christ, but who combine Christ with part of the law of Moses, part of the moral and natural discipline of philosophy, and part of their own ceremonies and traditions, to construct their own path to heaven. These are called papists in this commentary — after the Pope, their founder — themselves divided into more than a hundred different sects, orders, and professions: Cardinals, Friars, Monks, Nuns, Priests, Hermits, and other devoted religious groups. All of these seem to arise from no other cause than ignorance of this doctrine. No wonder — for take away the doctrine of justification by faith alone in Christ, and leave a man to his own inventions, and there will be no end to new schemes. It is a dangerous thing to err at the very foundation: the higher you build on it, the greater the fall. And yet such builders are not without their arguments to prop up their system of works against this doctrine of justifying faith, citing the testimony of Saint James, who appears to attribute justification to works rather than to faith alone.

Since the author has discussed the matter of justification at length in the body of this work, there is no need to say much about it here. This brief note in the preface will be enough to advise the Christian reader who wishes to read this book with profit and sound judgment: two things are especially required. First, read it from beginning to end, not in scattered pieces here and there, but in order as it stands, comparing one passage with another — this will help you better understand the author's true meaning: how and in what sense he sets aside good works, and in what sense he does not; how he seems to neglect the law, and how he magnifies it. For when it comes to justification before God, the free promise of the Gospel admits no condition but faith alone in Christ Jesus. But when it comes to the duty of obedience, Luther excludes no good works — rather, he urges them in many places. These two matters and the circumstances belonging to each must be carefully distinguished.

The second thing required of the reader who wishes to benefit from this book is to bring to the reading the same kind of mind the author brought to his preaching — that is, his spiritual senses must be somewhat trained through inward conflict, and he must have been genuinely humbled by the fear of God and true repentance. Without this, he will scarcely grasp the excellent sweetness of this writer or of any other like him. For although it is very true that no greater comfort to the human soul can be found in any book outside of Holy Scripture than in this commentary by Luther, yet that comfort has little place except where a troubled conscience is in need of the physician's hand. Those who feel themselves spiritually healthy and have no inward sorrow care little for such books, and when they read them they understand little of this doctrine. This is why, in my view, the Pope and his papists feel so little and like so little of Luther's doctrine — they are rarely ever deeply troubled in spirit by any serious affliction, but instead mock those who are beaten down by the conflicts and temptations of Satan. They did the same to Luther — because God allowed him to be tested and tried by the enemy's blows, they said he learned his divinity from the devil. But how he actually learned it, let us hear from Luther himself, who writes in this book: "Unless we had been exercised with violence and cunning assaults by tyrants and heretics, and in our hearts with fears and fiery darts of the devil, Paul would have been no less obscure to us than he was in former times to the whole world — and still is to this day to our opponents the papists, the Anabaptists, and other adversaries. Therefore the gift of understanding Scripture, and our studies through such inward and outward conflicts, open to us the mind of Paul and of all the Scriptures."

But let these ignorant papists, whoever they may be, taste a little of what Luther experienced — then see what they say. Experience is the proof. How many of them do we see who, for all their private confession — which fills them with false security — yet at the point of death, when death stands on one side and God's justice on the other, mostly either despair, or else, abandoning all other supports, cling solely to faith and the blood of Christ Jesus. Many of them, in the end, are glad to die as Lutherans — however much they hated Luther in life. What shall we then say of Luther's doctrine? If papists themselves are glad to die in it, why are they unwilling to live in it? And if it is true at one moment, how can the passage of time make false what was once true?

Those who so boldly resist the doctrine of justification by faith alone are badly mistaken. As for their appeal to Saint James — that is easily answered once we rightly understand what James and Paul each mean. James speaks of a person's righteousness before men — that is, good works as the visible demonstration of true faith, proving to other people that one is a genuine believer, rather than describing the act of justification before God. So what James says is true: faith without works does not justify — but his purpose is not to tell us what makes a person righteous before God. Rather, he declares that good works are necessarily present in a person who has been justified by faith. Paul, on the other hand, speaks of righteousness and justification not before men but before God — and his purpose is not to exclude good works from true faith, as though they should not be done, but to teach us where the true foundation and hope of our salvation must rest: in faith alone. So what Paul says is equally true: faith alone, without works, justifies.

To better understand Saint Paul's statement and to reconcile it with Saint James, one important point must be noted for the benefit of those who raise objections: Paul's statement must be taken in its full meaning, matching the right subject with the right predicate — as the scholastic theologians would say. That is, faith in Christ as justifying must always be understood in relation to the truly repentant and sorrowing sinner. Understood this way, the statement is completely true: faith alone, without works, justifies. But whom does it justify? The worldly person? The reckless lawbreaker? The pleasure-seeking person who lives only for indulgence? The person who claims the Gospel while living carnally? Paul means none of these. He means only the mourning and laboring soul, the troubled conscience, the repentant heart, the sinner who is turning from his ways. In such a person the statement is true, according to Paul's teaching: "To the one who believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness." Conversely, let that same faith be considered in relation to the stubborn and willful rebel who, against his own conscience, continues and delights in sin — and then what James says is equally true: "not by faith only." James means that faith does not result in justification except in those who have a genuine will and purpose to amend their lives. Not that repentance and turning from sin saves them, but that faith in Christ works justification only in those who truly repent and are willing to change. So the command "Believe the Gospel" always goes together with "Repent and amend." Not that repentance saves a sinner from the law's penalty, but that it identifies the person in whom faith in Christ alone does save and justify.

But enough of this — more than is strictly necessary — especially since the book itself will fully satisfy the reader on all such questions. And so, ceasing to detain you, gentle reader, with any longer preface: as we commend this good work to your devout study, so we commend both you and your study to the grace of Christ Jesus the Son of God, sincerely wishing and asking of His majesty that you may receive no less profit and comfort from reading it than our purpose was to bring you good in setting it before you — which the Lord grant. Amen.