Abstract of Commentary on Galatians, Text 2
Divine and Morall Latine Sentences taken out of the Fathers and other Authours, which are in the Margent of the Practiſe of Piety, but not Engliſhed there, which for their excellency and benefit of the Chriſtian Reader, are here tranſlated.
FIdem mitte in Caelum, & eum in terris tanquam preſentem tenuiſti, Aug.
Send thy faith into Heaven, and thou haſt apprehended Chriſt, as if he were preſent upon Earth.
Quomodo negent carnem capacem eſſe reſurrectionis, quae ſanguine, & corpore Chriſti nutritur. Iren.
How can they deny the fleſh to be capable of reſurrection, which is nouriſhed with the body and blood of Chriſt.
Moriuum eſſe Chriſtum etiam Pagani credunt, reſurrexiſſe vero, propria fides Chriſtianorum. Aug.
The Pagans doe beleeve Chriſt to be dead, but that he roſe againe, is the true faith of Chriſtians.
Rerum abſentium, praeſens eſt fides, rerum impoſſibilium, poſſibilis eſt fides.
Of things abſent, faith is preſent; Of things impoſſible, faith is poſſible.
Panem vides, verbum audis, cui potius credis, ſenſui vel Chriſto?
Thou ſeeſt the bread, thou heareſt the word, whether doeſt thou beleeve, thy ſenſe, or Chriſt?
Et Deus erat, & homo erat, & Mater erat, & virgo erat.
He was God, and he was Man; Shee was a Mother, and ſhee was a Virgin.
Mira ſunt quae de Sacramento dicuntur, Fides eſt neceſſaria, ſeientia rationis ſupervacua.
Wonderfull things are ſpoken of the Sacrament; Faith is neceſſary, the knowledge of reaſon moſt vaine.
Haec ſunt quae expetunt ſimplicem creditorem, arguunt impium diſenſſorem, credi oportet ſimpliciter, quod inveſtigari non poteſt utiliter, nolite quaerere quomodo fiat, nolite, &c.
Theſe things require a pure faith, and condemne a wicked diſputer; For that ought to be beleeved ſimply, which cannot be found out profitably, ſearch ye not how it is done, doe yee not, &c.
Scrutari hoc temeritas eſt, credere pietas, noſſe vero vita aeterna. Bern:
To ſearch this is raſhneſſe, to beleeve piety, but to know it eternall life.
Fides ſola juſtificat, ut oculus ſolus vides.
Faith onelyonly juſtifies, as the eye onelyonly ſees.
Ama unum illud bonum, in quo omne bonum, & ſufficit. Anſel.
Love that only good, in whom all goodnes is, and it ſufficeth.
Non delinquenti, ſed peccata relinquenti condonat Deus.
God pardons not a ſinner, but him that forſakes his ſinne.
Qui dat paenitenti veniam, non dabit peceanti paenitentiam. Aug.
He that gives pardon to the penitent, will not give repentance to the ſinner.
Paenitenti veniam ſpoſpondit, ſed vivendi in craſtinum non ſpoſpondit.
He hath promiſed pardon to the penitent, But hee hath not promiſed that he ſhall live till to morrow.
Latronis exemplum, non eſt exemplum imitationis, ſed conſolationis.
The example of the good Theife, is not an example of imitation, but of conſolation.
Tum Deum amare libet, cum perſuaſum habemus ipſum eſſe optimum maximum, ubique praeſentem, omnia in nobis efficientem, eum in quo vivimus, movemur, ſumus. Bucer. in Pſal. 115.
Then it is lawfull to love God, when we are verily perſwaded, that he is the cheifeſt good, every where preſent, effecting all things in us, and he, in whom we live, move, and have our being.
Congruebat filium aſſumere humanam naturam, ut haec perſona quae eſt ſubſtantialis imago aeterni patris, reſtitueret imaginem Dei in nobis corruptam: Athan.
It was neceſſary, that the Son ſhould aſſume humane nature, that that perſon, who is the ſubſtantiall Image of the eternall Father, ſhould reſtore the Image of God corrupted in us.
Incumbit nobis neceſſitas recte vivendi, cum omnia quae facimus, facta ſint coram oculis Judicis cuncta videntis; Boetius.
There is a neceſſitieimpoſed upon us of living well, when all things which we doe, are done before the eyes of a Iudge, who ſees all things.
Semper invenies Deum benigniorem, quam te culpabiliorem. Bern:
Thou ſhalt alwaies finde God more benigne, then thy ſelfe faulty.
Vindictae gladium, miſerecordiae oleo acuit: Niceph.
He hath whetted the Sword of his vengeance, with the oyle of his mercy.
Ad paenam tardus Deus eſt, ad praemia velox; Sed penſare ſolet vi graviore moram.
God is ſlow to puniſh, but ſwift to reward; But his forbearance commonly cauſeth more greivous puniſhment.
Ira Dei non eſt aliud, quam voluntas puniendi. Aug.
The wrath of God is no other, then his will of puniſhing.
Deus poteſt omnia, quae contradictionem non implicant. Aqui.
God can doe all things, which implie not contradiction.
Omnipotentia excludit omnes defectus, quae ſunt impotentia, ſeu poſſe mentiri, mori, peccare, &c.
Omnipotencie excludes all defects, as impotencie, or power to lye, to dye, to ſinne, &c.
Creaturas fecit perfectas in ſuo quaſq genere, ergo ipſe perfectiſſimus eſt in ſe, et per ſe. Scal:
God made every Creature perfect in his kind, therfore he is moſt perfect in himſelfe, and by himſelfe.
In Deo nihil eſt, quod non ſit ipſe Deus. Zanch:
In God there is nothing, which is not God himſelfe.
Exhibet omnia, accipit nihil, ipſum igitur bonum eſt Deus ipſe ſemper.
God gives all things, receives nothing, therefore he is alwaies our cheifeſt good.
Site habcam ſolum, ſane ruat arduus aether, Tellus rupta, ſuo deſſiliatque loco.
If I have God alone, let the high Element conſume, the Earth breake, and remove from his Center.
Poſtquam anima agreſſa eſt de corpore, ſubito judicium Chriſti deſe latum cognoſcit. Aug:
After the Soule is gon out of the bodie, forthwith it knowes the judgement of Chriſt pronounced upon it.
Anima damnata, continuo invaditur a Daemonibus, qui crudeliſſimè eam rapientes, ad infernum deducunt.
The damned Soule, is forthwith encountred by Devils, who moſt cruelly tearing it, doe carry the ſame to Hell.
Ʋbi volat ſpiri…us, ibi erit et corpus. Aug:
Where the ſpirit flies, there alſo ſhall the body be.
Spiri ualia poſt reſurrectionem erunt corpora, non quiae corpora eſſe deſiſtant, ſed quta ſpiritu viuificante ſubſiſtunt. Aug:
After the reſurrection, our bodies ſhall be ſpirituall; Not becauſe they leave of to be bodies, but becauſe they ſubſiſt by a vivificating Spirit.
Res verae ſunt in mundo inviſibili, in mundo viſibili vmbrae rerum. Herm.
True thinges are in the inviſible world, in the viſible world, only the ſhadow of things.
Lumen eſt umbra Dei, et Deus eſt lumen luminis. Plato:
Light is the ſhadow of God, and God is the light of light.
Homo malè utens libero ſuo arbitrio, et ſe, & liberum ſuum arbitrium perdidit. Aug:
Man evilly uſing his free will, loſt himſelfe, and his free will.
Per lapſum, arbitrij libertas in naturalibus manca, in ſupernaturalibus amiſſa eſt, donee gratia reſtituetur. Phil:
By Mans fall, his free will was maymed in naturall things, and quite loſt in ſupernaturall, untill by grace it be reſtored.
Fleres, ſi ſcires vnum tua tempora menſem? Rides quum non ſit forſitan una dies? Tho: Morus.
Wouldeſt thou weepe if thou kneweſt thy life to be but a month long? And doeſt thou laugh, when perchance it is not a day?
Quotidie morimur, quotidie enim demitur pars vitae, et tunc quo que cum creſcimus, vita decreſcit, Ʋives.
We die daylie, for continually a part of our life is taken away, and then alſo when we grow, our life decreaſes.
Quem dies vidit veniens ſuperum, hunc dies vidit fugiens iacentem. Senec.
He that you ſaw in the morning a loft, before night you ſee lyeing in the duſt.
Qui conſcientiae curam abijciunt; nec homines reverentur, nec Deum.
They who have no conſcience, regard neither Men, nor God.
Socrates in foro egreſſus, quam multis, inquit, ego non egeo; Non eſt ergo pauper quinon caret, ſed qui eget.
Socrates going out into the Market, ſaid, how many things are heere which I want not; Therefore he is not poore that wants not, but he who hath need.
Qui notus nimis omnibus, ignotus moritur ſibi: Senec.
He who is too well knowne to all, dies unknown to himſelfe.
Inſaniae damnandi ſunt, qui tam multa anxie congerunt, quum ſit tam paucis opus. Ʋives.
They are to be condemned of madnes, who with ſuch care gather ſoe much, when ſoe little will ſuffice.
Nobile vincendi genus eſt patientia, vincit Qui patitur, ſi vis vincere, diſce pati.
The nobleſt way to overcome, is Patience; He overcomes who ſuffers, if thou wilt overcome, learne to ſuffer.
Opti na injuriae vltio, eſt oblivio.
The beſt revenge of an Injurie, is to forget it.
Ne verbis, quod ſcis, oſtentes, ſed rebus te oſtende ſcire.
Boaſt not in words, but ſhew by thy deedes, what thou knoweſt.
Non refert quanta ſit vitae diuturnitas, ſed qualis ſit adminiſtratio. Vives.
It skils not how long, but how well we live.
Tota vita dies vnus, et mirum ſit, homines non exſatiari iiſdem toties redeuntibus.
All our life is as one day, and it is ſtrange, that men ſhould not be wearied with them ſo often returning:
Non poteſt praeſentem diem recte vivere, is, qui ſe non eum quaſi vltimum victurum eſſe cogitat.
He cannot live well this preſent day, that thinkes not to live ſo, as if it were his laſt.
Neſcit paenitenda loqui, qui proferenda prius ſuo tradidit examini. Caſſiod.
He ſhall not ſpeake thinges to be repented of, who conſiders well firſt, what he is to ſpeake.
Si mendacem te nôrint, nemo tibi credet, etiamſi affirmas veriſſima. Ariſt.
If thou art knowne to be a lier, no man will beleeve thee, though thou ſpeakeſt the truth.
Vera amicitia tantummodo eſt inter bonos; Mali nec inter ſe amici ſunt, nec cum bonis.
True freindſhip is only amongſt the good; For the bad, are neither freindes amongſt themſelues, nor with the good.
Civilem amicum ſic habeas, vt putes poſſe inimicum fieri.
So eſteeme of a civill freind, that thou thinkeſt he may become thine Enemy:
Quod taceri vis, prior ipſe taceas.
What thou deſireſt to be kept ſecret, be ſure firſt, to keepe thy ſelfe ſecret.
Reprehenſio, ſemper vel meliores, vel cautiores nos reddit.
Reprehenſion, doth alwaies make us better, or more cautious.
Si reprehendi fers aegre, reprehendenda ne feceris.
If thou takeſt it ill to be reprehended, doe not thinges worthy of reprehenſion:
Qui facile in ſerijs jurat, in jocis jurabit; qui in jocis, et in mendacio. Vives.
He who commonly ſweares in ſerious matters, will ſweare in jeſt; and he that will in jeſt, will alſo to a lye.
Affabilitas, et Comitas, res ſunt nullius impendij, amicitias tamen magnas conglutinant exhibitae, diſſolvunt praetermiſſae.
Affabilitie and curteſy, are things of no coſt, yet being vſed, doe cauſe great love and friendſhip, and looſe the ſame being omitted.
Omnis peccandi occaſi… vitanda eſt, nam qui am…t periculum, peribit in illo.
All occaſion of ſinning is to be eſchewed, for he that loves danger, ſhall periſh therein.
Nil juvat bonum omen, reclamante conſcientia.
Good fortune delights nothing, where the conſcience accuſes.
Qui ſtatuit aliquid, parte inaudita altera, aequum licet ſtatuerit, haud aequus fuerit. Senec:
Who determines a matter, one parte being not heard, though he judges rightly, yet he was not juſt:
Melius vt pereat vnus, quam vt pereat vnitas.
It were better one ſhould periſh, then that vnitie ſhould periſh.
Nihil eſt aliud tempus, quam vita, quam vnuſquiſque tantum ſe amare profitetur, quum rei nullius magis ſit prodigus quam temporis.
Time is no other thing then our life, which every one profeſſes to love ſo much; yet there is nothing that we are more prodigall of, then of our time.
Non turpe eſt veniam precari, turpe eſt Deum aut hominem habere inimieum.
It is not ill to crave pardon; But it is ill to have God, or man our enemy.
Cui ſemel ignoveris, cura vt illi ſentiat bona fide id eſſe actum, et ſi qua in re illum juvare potes, experiatur te amicum. Vives.
Whom thou doeſt once pardon, take care that he underſtand it be done really, and if in any thing thou canſt helpe him, let him finde thee to be his friend.
In vita tempus quod ſomno impenditur, non eſt vita; vita enim vigilia eſt.
In our life, the time which is ſpent in ſleepe, is not life; for our life is a watch,
Da Domine quod jubes, et jube quod vis. Aug.
Give Lord what thou commandeſt, and command what thou pleaſeſt.
Ʋt ſomnus mortis, ſic lectus imago Sepulchri.
As ſleepe is the Image of death; ſo our bed, of our grave.
Hoc me docuiſti, vt quemadmodum medicamenta, ſic alimenta ſumpturns accedam. Aug:
This thou haſt taught me, that even as I receive medicaments, even ſo I ſhould receive nouriſhment.
Major ſum, & ad majora genitus, quam ut mancipium ſim mei corporis. Senec.
I am greater, and borne to greater things, then that I ſhould be a ſlave to my body.
Saint Auſtine had written over his Table.
Quiſquis amat dictis abſentum rodere famam, Hanc menſam vetitam noverit eſſe ſibi.
Whoſoever delights to ſlander others behinde their backes, let them know, they are forbidden to come to this Table.
Legis ſubſtantia, eſt, ſex diebus terrenis negotiis incumbere, ſeptima, divino cultui dare operam.
The ſubſtance of the Law is, to labour ſix dayes in our worldly affaires, and the ſeventh day, to ſpend in the ſervice of God.
Melius enim arare, quam ſaltare in Sabbato. Aug.
It is better to plow, then dance on the Lords day.
Climax vitae virorum fere ſeptenariis aut novennariis; Faeminarum vero ſenariis definitur. Bodin.
The Climatorie yeere of Mens lives, is commonly accounted by ſevens or nines; But of Women by ſixes.
Praeſentem narrat quaelibet berba Deum.
Every herbe tels us that God is preſent.
Jejunium in Paradiſo praeſcriptum eſt, reverere igitur jejunii canitiem. Baſil.
Faſting was commanded in Paradiſe, therefore reverence it for the Antiquitie.
Quam diù jejunavit Adam, in Paradiſo fuit, comedit, & ejectus eſt. Hierom.
So long as Adam faſted, he was in Paradiſe, he did eate, and was caſt out.
Praeceptum eſſe jejunium video, quibus autem diebus non oporteat jejunare, & quibus oporteat, praecepto Domini, vel Apoſtolorum, non invenio definitum. Aug.
I know faſting is commanded, but on what dayes we ought not to faſt, and on what dayes we ought; I finde not ſet downe by the commandement of our Lord, or his Apoſtles.
Natura os parvum, & guttur arctum homini dedit.
Nature gave man a little mouth, and a ſtraight throate.
Quid prodeſt vacuare corpus ab eſcis, & animam replere peecatis.
What doth it profit, to keepe the body from meate, and to fill the Soule with ſinne.
Qui cibis abſtinent, & mala agunt, Daemones imitantur, quibus culpa adeſt, & cibus deeſt.
Thoſe who faſt, and doe wickedly, imitate the Devils, who eate not, but doe evill.
Vis orationem tuam volare ad Caelum, facito duas alas, Jejunium & eleemoſynam. Aug.
Wouldeſt thou have thy prayer to flye to heaven, make it two wings, faſting, and prayer.
Jejunium orationem corroborat, oratio Jejunium ſanctificat. Bern.
Faſting ſtrengthens prayer, Prayer ſanctifies faſting.
Tota fiducia Chriſtianorum, eſt reſurrectio mortuorum. Tertul. lib. 5.
All the hope of Chriſtians, is, the reſurrection of the dead.
Lucrum eſt, pietatis nomine facere ſumptum.
It is gaine, to beſtow coſt in godlineſſe.
Matrimonium inter aurum & arcam; Divortium inter Deum, & Animam. Aug.
Marriage betweene gold and the Cheſt; Is a divorce betweene God, and the Soule.
Sinit Deus juſtum incidere in calamitates, ut virtutem quae in illis latebat, aliis apertam, manifeſtam que faciat. Damaſ.
God ſuffers the juſt to fall into calamities, that hee might make plaine and manifeſt to others, the vertue which lay hid in them.
Deus calamitates inſtigit, non extinguere, ſed caſtigare nos cupiens. Baſil. Ser. 3.
God afflicts us with calamities, deſiring not to deſtroy, but to chaſtiſe us.
Malum pati, malum non eſt; Malum facere, malum eſt. Chryſ.
To ſuffer evill, is not evill; But to doe evill, is evill.
Novit Dominus mutare ſententiam, ſi tu noveris emendare vitam. Aug. in Pſal. 50.
The Lord knowes to change his ſentence, if thou knoweſt to amend thy life.
Judas non tam ſcelus, quam deſperatio fecit penitus interire. Aug.
Judas his Treaſon, was not ſo much the cauſe of his damnation, as his deſperation.
Sceleratior omnibus O Juda extitiſti, quem non poenitentia duxit ad Dominum, ſed deſperatio traxit ad laqueum. Leo.
Thou waſt more wicked then all O Judas, whom repentance brought not to the Lord, but deſperation drew to the Gallows.
Poſt lachrymas, gemituſque graves, clementia Chriſti, Confeſtim eſt oculos anteponenda tuos.
After teares, and much ſorrow, the clemencie of Chriſt is to be ſet before our eyes.
O faelices nos quorum cauſa jurat Deus! O miſerimos nos! Si non Deo quidem juranti credimus. Tertul.
O happy we, for whoſe cauſe God hath ſworne! O moſt unhappy we! if we doe not beleeve what God hath ſworne.
S. Romitus; Cum quotannis gravi morbo tentaretur a Deo, doluit, quoduno anno liber eſſet, ac ſi a Deo tune deſertus fuiſſet. Vit. Patr. S. Romitus; Being yearly viſited with a grievous ſickneſſe, lamented that he was free one yeare, as if God had forſaken him.
Morbus, non malis adnumerandus, quia multis utiliter accidit. Baſil.
A diſeaſe is not to be numbred with evils, becauſe it happens profitably to many.
Morbus eſt utilis quaedam inſtitutio, quae doc…t caduca aſpernere, & caeleſtia ſperare. Nazian.
A diſeaſe, is a certaine profitable meanes, which teacheth us to deſpiſe earthly things, and hope for heavenly.
Mors praeſentis vitae exitus, & introitus melioris. Bern.
Death is the Exit of this preſent life, and the entrance of a better.
Timor mortis, ipſa mortepejor; Mors porta gloriae. Greg.
The feare of death, is worſe then death it ſelfe; Death is the gate of Glory.
Ʋt moriare pius, diſce vivere piè.
If thou deſireſt to dye well, learne to live well.
Summum hominis bonum, bonus ex hac vita exitus.
The cheifeſt happineſſe of man, is to dye a good death.
Mors ſceptra ligonibus aequat.
Death makes Scepters and Ploughs equall.
Paſtores omnes hic exoratos vellem, ut fideles ex hac vita migrantes, & panem vitae petentes, non viatico ſuo fraudari ſinant, ne lugubris, iſta in iis adimpleatur lamentatio; Parvuli panem petunt, & non ſit qui frangat eis, Lament. 4.4.
I wiſh all Miniſters being deſired, not to ſuffer the faithfull departing out of this World, and deſiring the bread of life, to be defrauded of their Viaticum; leaſt as an addition to their mourning, this Woe be fulfilled in them; The young Children aske bread, and no man breaketh it unto them.
FINIS.
End of the text · Martin Luther, Abstract of Commentary on Galatians (1642)