fleischli serimonies of Moises law with the gospel. For the false apostlis seiden, that Petir and James and othere apostlis, that were with the Lord, medliden kepingis of Moises lawe with the gospel. And also thei seiden, that the feith of Crist without fleischli obseruauncis suffisith not to heelthe of soule. Therfore the apostil wroot to hem, to fredom of the gospel, and cristen feith. And this epistil is departid into tweye principal partis. In the first principal part, he is aboute for to schewe that the feith of the gospel suffisith vnto heelth of lawful men; and this part therfor longith to the feith, and it lastith to the v. chap., there he seith, Crist delyueride vs, etc. And the secunde part, the which longith to maneris, lastith fro the forseid place vnto the eende of the epistil.
An othere prologe [This prologue, as well as the two which immediately follow, are from Sir Peregrine Acland's Ms. (marked z.] .
And thouȝ Grekis ben of scharp wit, netheles Galathis weren foolis and ful slow to vndur|stonde. These Galathies token first of the postle the treuthe of feith and of techyng, but aftirward thei weren temptid of falsse apostlis to bicome Jewis, that is, to holde bodili circum|sicioun and fleishli ceremonyes, ether sacrifices of Moises lawe. And false apostlis counceliden and excitiden Galathies in many maneris, to adde Moises lawe to the gospel; for thei afferm|yden, that the feith of Crist without fleishli obseruaunces sufficith not to heelthe, and that Petre and James and othere apostlis that weren with the Lord, medliden kepyngis of the lawe with the gospel. Thei affermyden also, that Poul him silf dide othere thing in Judee, and prechide othere thing among hethene men. Bi these thingis and othere siche, thei peruertiden Gala|thies, in so myche, that Galathies assentiden to hem, and passiden in to fleishli keping of the lawe. Therfor the postle aȝenclepith hem to the treuthe of cristen feith and of the gospels techyng, and writith to hem fro Effesus, of grace of the gospel; of which he hadde writen also to Romayns, that worshipiden the lawe in liyk maner. But to Romayns, as to wise men, Poul vside hiȝer wit, and deppere ether sotilier argumentis; and to these Galathies, as to lesse wise men, he vsith comyn word and esi. Also to these Galathies he seith, A! ȝe witles Galathies, to aȝenclepe hem so to treuthe. Therfor the entent of the postle in his pistle is, to brynge aȝen Galathies to religioun of feith and to treuthe of the gospel, whiche Galathies weren disseyued bi disseitis of false apostlis. The maner is sich. He biforsettith salutacioun, where he touchith shortli bothe of his dignyte and of the grace of Crist, aȝenus bacbiteris and hem that han glorie of workis of the lawe, and he comendith his persoone, whiche the false apostlis dispiseden. Aftir the salutacioun, he repreueth Galathies of vnstablenesse; aftirward he comendith largilier his owne persoone; aftirward he repreueth Moises lawe in many maneres, and seith it shal not be holdun aftir Crist, that is, aftir Cristis deth and pupplisching of the gospel; for not oneli it profitith not to riȝtfulnesse and helthe, but also it anoieth ether harmeth now. At the laste, he comendith the gospel and the feith of Crist, that it sufficith to heelthe.
An othere prologe.
The fynal conclusioun of the postle in this pistle is this, that bodili circumcisioun and othere sacrifices and obseruaunces of Moises lawe shulen not be kept with the feith of Crist, ȝhe, that tho ben avoided bi Crist, so that afterward tho ben cause of deeth ether of dampnacioun to her keperis. And he doith this, for Galathies, that weren conuertid bifor him, weren disseyued bi false apostlis, so that Galathies circumcididen hem silf, and kepten othere obseruaunces of Moises lawe. And this pistle is departid in to fyue partis bi fyue maneris, bi whiche he pro|cedith to declare the forseid conclusion.
An othere prologe.
In the firste pistle, that is to Romayns, Poul tretith of power; in the laste pistle, that is, to Ebrews, he tretith of presthod and of hoolynesse; and in the myddil pistlis he tretith of wisdom, as in the twei pistlis to Corynthis and in this. And for errour is aȝenus [ȝenus z.] wisdom, in this pistle he tretith of errour, that is, to distrie errour. The mater of this pistle is parfit treuthe of cristen feith, with remouyng of cerymonyals of Moises lawe. The entent is so to reduce Galathies to
