gathered together to be mine so that I must needes confesse either all or perhaps more to haue bene vttered by me in this publike treatise For in my heart this one article raigneth euen the faith of Christ From whom by whom and vnto whom all my diuine studies day and night haue recourse to and froe continually And yet I perceaue that I coulde not reache any thing neare vnto the heighte bredth and depth of suche highe and inestimable wisedome onely certaine bare and poore beginnings as it were fragments doe appeare Wherfore I am ashamed that my so barren and simple Commētaries should be set forthe vpon so worthy an Apostle and elect vessel of god But when I consider againe the infinite and horrible abuses and abominations which alwayes haue raged in the Churche of God and yet at this day cease not to rage against this onely and grounded rocke which we holde to be the article of our iustification that is to say howe not by our selues neither by our workes which are lesse then oure selues but by an other helpe euen the sonne of God Iesus Christ we are redemed from sinne death the deuell and made partakers of eternal life I am compelled to cast of all shame to be bolde aboue measure This rocke did Sathan shake in paradise when he perswaded our first parents that by their owne wisedome and power they should be like vnto God forsaking true Faith in God who had geuen them life and promised the continuaunce therof By and by after this lier and murtherer which will be alwayes like vnto him selfe stirred vp the brother to the murthering of his brother and for none other cause but for that his godly brother by Faith had offered vp a more excellent sacrifice and he offering vp his owne works without faith had not pleased god After this against the same Faith followed a most intollerable persecution of Sathan by the sonnes of Caine vntil God was euen cōstrained at once by the floud to purge the whole world and to defend Noe the preacher of righteousnesse This notwithstanding Sathan continued his seede in Cham the third sonne of Noe. But who is able to recken vp all examples After these things the whole world waxed madde against this Faithe finding out an infinite nombre of idolles and straunge religions wherby euery one as S. Paule sayth walked his owne way trusting by their workes some to pacifye or please a God some a Goddesse some Gods some Goddesses that is to say without the helpe of Christ by their owne workes to redeme them selues from euils and from their sinnes as all the examples and monuments of all nations doe sufficiently witnesse But these are nothing in comparison of that people and congregation of God Israell which not onely had the sure promise of the fathers and afterward the lawe of God geuen vnto them from God him selfe by his angels aboue all other but alwayes and in all things were also certified by the present sayings miracles and examples of that prophets Notwithstanding euen amonge them also Satan did so preuaile that is to say the madde outragious opinion of their owne righteousnes that afterwardes they killed all the prophets yea euen Christ him self the sonne of God their promised Messias for that they had taught that men are accepted into the fauour of God by grace only and not by their owne righteousnes And this is the summe of the doctrine of the deuill and of the world from the beginning We will not seeme to doe euill but yet whatsoeuer we doe that must God allow of all his prophets must consent to it which if they shall refuse to doe they shall dye the death Abell shall dye but Cain shall florishe Let this be our lawe say they and euen so it commeth to passe But in the Church of the Gentiles the matter is and hath beene so vehemētly handled that the fury of the Iewish Sinagoge may wel seeme to be but a sport For they as S. Paul sayth did not knovv Christ their anoynted therfore they crucified the lord of glory But the church of the gentiles hath receyued confessed Christ to be the sonne of god being made our righteousnes this doth she publikely record reade and teach And yet notwithstanding this confession they that would be accounted the church do kill and persecute continually rage against those which beleeue and teach and in their deedes declare nothing els but that Christ is the selfe same thing that they them selues though with fayned wordes and hipocriticall deedes are constrained mawgre their heads to allow and confesse For vnder the name of Christ at this daye they reigne And if they could without the name of Christ hold that seate and kingdome no doubt but they would expresse him to be such a one openly as in their hartes they esteeme him secretly But they esteeme him a great deale lesse then the Iewes doe which at the least thinke him to be Thola that is to say a theefe worthely hanged on the crosse But these men account him as a fable and take him as a fayned God amongest the gentiles as it may plainly appeare at Rome in the Popes court and almost throughout all Italie Because therefore Christ is made as it were a mocke amongest his Christians for Christians they wil be called and for that Cain doth kill Abell continually the abhomination of Sathan doth now chefely raigne it is very necessary that we should diligently handle this Article and set it against Sathan whether we be rude or eloquent learned or vnlearned For this rocke must be published abrode yea though euery man should holde his peace yet euen of the very rockes stones them selues Wherfore I doe most willingly heerein accomplish my duetie and am contented to suffer this long Commentarie and full of wordes to be set forth for the stirring vp of all the brethren in Christ against the sleights and malice of Sathan which in these dayes is turned into suche extreame madnesse against this healthfull knowledge of Christ now reuealed and raised vp againe that as hetherto men haue seemed to be possessed with deuels and starke madde euen so nowe the deuils them selues doe seeme to be possessed of farre worse deuels and to rage euen aboue the furie of deuils which is in deede a great argument that that enemie of truth and life doth perceaue the day of iudgement to be at hand which is the horrible day of his destruction but the most comfortable day of our redemption and shall be the end of all his tyrannie and crueltie For not without cause is he disquieted when his members and powers are so assailed euen as a theefe or an adulterer when the morning appeareth and discloseth his wickednesse is taken tardie and apprehended for the same For who euer heard to passe ouer the abhominations of the Pope so many monsters to burst out at once into
any true feling of sinne or of the terrour of death haue forged these vaine toyes blasphemies of their owne braine and therefore they know not what they say or what they teach Moreouer they can shew no example of any worke done either before or after grace that could iustifie before god Wherfore these are nothing else but vaine fables and lies whereby the Papists deceaue both them selues and other For Paule here plainly affirmeth that a man is not iustified by the works of the lawe either going before grace wherof he here speaketh or comming after You see then that Christian righteousnes is not such an essentiall qualitie engrafted in the nature of man as the Scholemen doe imagine when they say The Diuinitie of the Schole men When a man doth any good worke God accepteth it and for that good worke he poureth into him charitie This infused charitie say they is a qualitie grafted in the heart and this they call formall righteousnes which maner of speaking it is expedient for you to know and they cā abide nothing lesse then to heare that this qualitie furnishing the soule as whitenes doth the wal should not be coūted righteousnes They can clime no higher then to this cogitatiō of mans reason that man is righteous hy his owne formall righteousnes which is grace making him acceptable vnto God that is to say loue or charitie So to this qualitie cleauing vnto the soule that is to wit charitie which is a worke after the law for the law sayth Thou shalt loue the Lord thy god c. they attribute formall righteousnes and they say that this righteousnes is worthy of euerlasting life and he that hath it is formally righteous and moreouer he is effectually or actually righteous because he now doth good workes wherevnto euerlasting life is due This is the opinion of the Scholemen yea euen of the best among them Some other there be which are not so good as Scotus and Occam which sayd that for the obtaining of the grace of God this charity infused or geuen of God is not necessary but that a man euen by his owne naturall strength may procure this charitie aboue all things For so reasoneth Scotus If a man may loue a creature a yong man a maiden a couetous man money which are the lesse good he may also loue God which is the greater good If he haue a loue of the creature through his naturall strength much more hath he a loue of the creator With this argument were all the Sophisters conuicted and none of them all was able to soile it Notwithstanding thus they replie The scripture compelleth vs to cōfesse say they that God besides that naturall loue and charitie which is engrafted in vs wherwith alone he is not contented requireth also charitie which he him selfe geueth And heereby they accuse God as a tyranne and a cruell exactor who is not content that we kepe and fulfil his law but aboue the law which we are of our selues able to fulfill requireth also that we should accomplishe it with other circumstaunce and furniture as apparell to the same As if a Mistres should not be contented that her Cooke had dressed her meate excellently well but should chide her for that she did not prepare the same being decked with precious apparel hauing a croune of gold vpon her head What a mistres were this who besides that which her Cooke was onely bound to doe and also exactly performed would require moreouer precious apparell or a croune of gold which she could not haue Euen so what a one should God be if he should require his lawe to be fulfilled of vs which otherwise by our owne naturall strength we obserue and fulfill with such furniture as we can not haue But here lest they should seeme to aduouch contrary things they make a distinction and say that the law is fulfilled two maner of waies first according to the substance of the deede and secondly according to the minde of the commaunder According to the substance of the deede say they we may fulfil al things which the law commaūdeth but not according to the meaning of the Commaunder which is that God is not contented that thou hast done all things which are commaunded in the law although he can require no more of thee but he yet further requireth that thou shouldest fulfill the law in charitie not that charitie which thou hast by nature but that which is aboue nature and heauēly which he himselfe geueth And what is this els but to make of God a tyranne and a tormentor which requireth of vs that we are not able to performe And it is in a maner as much as if they should say that the fault is not in vs if we be damned but in God which with this circumstance requireth his law to be accomplished of vs. These things I doe the more diligently repete that you may see how farre they haue wādred from the true sense of the scripture which haue sayd that we by our owne naturall strength may loue God aboue all things or at least by the worke wrought we may deserue euerlasting life And because God is not contente that we fulfill the law according to the substance of the deede but will haue vs also to fulfill the same according to the meaning of the Commaunder therefore the scripture further compelleth vs to haue a qualitie aboue nature poured into vs from aboue and that is charitie which they call formall righteousnes adorning and bewtifying faith being also the cause that faith iustifieth vs So faith is the body and the shell charitie the life the kernell the forme and furniture These are the dreames of the Scholemen But we in the steede of this charitie do place faith and we say that faith apprehendeth Iesus Christ who is the forme which adorneth furnisheth faith as the colour adorneth and bewtifieth the wall Christian faith thē is not an idle qualitie or empty huske in the heart which may be in deadly sinne as they say vntill charitie come and quicken it but if it be true faith it is a sure trust and confidence of the heart and a firme consent wherby Christ is apprehended So that Christ is the obiect of faith yea rather euen in faith Christ himselfe is present Faith therefore is a certaine obscure knowledge or rather darkenes which seeth nothing and yet Christ apprehended by faith sitteth in this darknes like as God in Sinai and in the temple satte in the middest of darknes Wherfore our formall righteousnes is not charitie furnishing and beutifying faith but it is faith it self which is as it were a certain cloud in our harts that is to say a stedfast trust affiance in the thing which we see not which is Christ who although he be not seene at all yet is he present Faith therefore iustifieth because it apprehendeth and possesseth this treasure euen
that we thought those works which men had deuised not onely without the will of God but also contrary to his commaundement to be much better then those which the magistrate the houshoulder the childe the seruaunte did at the commaundement of God. Doubtles we ought to haue learned by the word of God that the religious orders of the Papistes which onely they call holy are wicked since there is no commaundement of God at al or testimony in the holy scriptures approuing the same Contrariwise other orders of life which haue the word and warrant of God are holy ordained of god But we were then wrapped in such horrible darkenes that we could not truely iudge of any thing But now at the appearing of the cleare light of the Gospell all kindes of life in the world are vnder our iudgement which is most certaine infallible We may boldly pronounce out of the word of God that the condition of seruauntes which before the world is most vile is farre more acceptable vnto God then all the religious orders of the Papistes For by his word he commendeth approueth and setteth forth the state of seruauntes and so doth he not the orders of Monkes Friers and such other Therfore this argument grounded vpon experience ought to stand in much force with vs also For although diuers men in popery wrought sundry and diuers works both great and painefull yet could they neuer be sure what was the will of God towards them but they were alwaies in doubt they could neuer attaine to the knowledge of God of themselues of their calling nor felte the testimony of the spirite in their heartes But now that the truth of the Gospell appeareth they are fully instructed by the onely hearing of faith in all these things It is not without cause that I doe so largely intreate of these matters For it seemeth to mans reason but a light and a small matter to purchase the holy ghost by the onely hearing of faith and that nothing els is required of vs but that we setting a parte all our works should geue our selues onely to the hearing of the Gospell Mans hearte doth not vnderstand nor beleue that so greate a price namely the holy Ghost is geuen by the onely hearing of faith but reasoneth after this sorte Forgeuenes of sinnes deliueraunce from death the geuing of the holy Ghost of righteousnes and euerlasting life are greate things therfore if thou wilt obtaine these inestimable benefites thou must performe some other greate and weighty matter This opinion the deuill doth wel like and approue also encreaseth the same in the heart Therfore when reason heareth this Thou cāst doe nothing for the obtaining of sinnes but must onely heare the word of God by and by it crieth out saith Fie thou makest too small a count of the remission of sinnes c. So the inestimable greatnes of the gift is the cause that we can not beleue it and because this incomparable treasure is freely offered therfore it is despised But this must we learne that forgeuenes of sinnes Christ and the holy Ghost are freely geuen vnto vs at the onely hearing of faith preached notwithstanding our horrible sinnes and demerits And we must not wey how greate the thing is that is geuen and how vnworthy we are of it for so should the greatnes of the gift our vnworthines terrefie vs but we must thinke that it pleaseth God freely to geue vnto vs this vnspeakeable gifte vnto vs I say which are vnworthy as Christ in Luke sayeth Feare not litle flocke for it is your fathers pleasure to geue vnto you Loe to geue vnto you saith he a kingdome To whom To you vnworthy which are his litle flocke If I then be litle and the thing great nay rather of all things the greatest which God hath geuen vnto me I must thus thinke that he also is great and onely greate which geueth it If he offer it and will geue it I consider not mine owne sinne vnworthines but his fatherly good will towardes me which is the geuer and I receaue the greatnes of the gift with ioy and gladnes am thankful for so inestimable a gifte geuen freely vnto me to me I say vnworthy by the hearing of faith Here againe foolish reason is offended and reproueth vs saying Where ye teach men to do nothing at all for the obtaining of so greate and vnspeakeable a gift but to heare the word of God this seemeth to tend to the greate contempt of grace and to make men secure idle and dissolute so that they slacke their handes and doe no good at all Therfore it is not good to preach this doctrine for it is not true but men must be vrged to labour and to exercise themselues vnto righteousnes and then shall they obtaine this gift This selfe same thing the Pelagians in times past obiected againste the Christians But heare what Paul saith in this place Ye haue receaued the holy Ghost not by your owne labour and trauell not by the workes of the law but by the hearing of faith Briefely heare what Christ himselfe saith and what he aunswereth to Martha being very carefull and hardly bearing that her sister Marie sitting at the feete of Iesus and hearing his worde should leaue her to minister alone Martha Martha saith he thou carest and art troubled about many things but one thing is needefull Marie hath chosen the good parte vvhich shall not be taken from her A man therfore is made a Christian not by working but by hearing Wherfore he that will exercise himselfe to righteousnes let him first exercise himselfe in hearing the gospel Now when he hath heard and receaued the Gospell let him geue thankes to God with a ioyfull and a glad hearte and afterwardes let him exercise him selfe in those good workes which are commaunded in the lawe so that the lawe and workes may follow the hearing of faith So may he quietly walke in the light which is Christ and boldely choose and doe works not hypocriticall but good workes in deede such as he knoweth to please God and to be commaunded of him and contemne all those hypocriticall shadowes of freewill workes Our aduersaries thinke that faith whereby we receaue the holy Ghost is but a light matter but how high and harde a matter it is I my selfe doe finde by experience and so doe all they which with me doe earnestly embrace the same It is soone saide that by the onely hearing of faith the holy Ghost is receaued but it is not so easily heard laied holde on beleued and retained as it is said Wherefore if thou heare of me that Christe is that Lambe of God sacrificed for thy sinnes see also that thou heare it effectually Paule purposely calleth it the hearing of faith and not the worde of faith although there be small difference that is such a word as thou hearing doest beleue
of sinne death How is this done In Faith. For the blessednes which we hope for is not yet reuealed which in the meane time we wait for in patience and yet notwithstanding doe now assuredly possesse the same by faith We ought therfore diligently to learne the article of iustification for that onely is able to support vs against these infinite sclaunders offences to cōfort vs in all our tentatiōs and persecutiōs For we see that it cā not otherwise be but that the world wil be offended with the pure doctrine of the Gospel continually cry out that no good cometh of it For the natural man vnderstandeth not those things vvhich are of the spirit of God for they are folishnes to him 1. Cor. 2. He onely beholdeth the outward euils troubles rebellions murthers sects and such other like things With these sights he is offended and blinded and finally falleth into the contempt blaspheming of God and his word On that contrary part we ought to stay cōfort our selues in this that our aduersaries do not accuse condemne vs for any manifest wickednes which we haue committed as adulterie murther theft such like but for our doctrine And what doe we teach That Christ the sonne of God by the death of the crosse hath redemed vs frō our sinnes from euerlasting death Therfore they do not impugne our life but our doctrine yea the doctrine of Christ not ours Therfore if ther be any offence it is Christes offence not ours so the fault wherfore they persecute vs Christ hath committed and not we Now whether they wil condemne Christ plucke him out of heauē as an heretike seditious person for this fault that he is our onely iustifier and Sauiour let them looke to that As for vs we commending this his owne cause vnto himself are quiet beholders whether of them shal haue the victory Christ or they In dede after the flesh it greueth vs that these Ismaelites hate persecute vs so furiously notwithstanding according to the spirite we glory in these afflictions both because we know that we suffer them not for our sinnes but for Christes cause whose benefite and whose glory we set forth and also because Paule geueth vs warning aforehand that Ismael must mocke Isaac and persecute him The Iewes expound this place which Paule alleageth out of the 21. of Genesis of Ismael mocking persecuting Isaac after this maner that Ismael constrained Isaac to commit Idolatrie If he did so yet I beleue not that it was any such grosse idolatry as the Iewes dreame of to witte that Ismael made images of clay after the maner of the Gentiles which he compelled Isaac to worship For this Abraham would in no wise haue suffred But I thinke that Ismael was in outward shew a holy mā as Caine was who also persecuted his brother and at length killed him not for any corporall thing but because he saw that God estemed him aboue the other In like maner Ismael was outwardly a louer of religion he sacrificed exercised himselfe in well doing Therefore he mocked his brother Isaac would be estemed a better man then he for two causes First for his religion and seruice of God Secōdly for his ciuill gouernment inheritance And these two things he seemed iustly to chalenge to himselfe For he thought that the kingdom and Priesthode pertained to him by the right of Gods law as the first borne and therfore he persecuted Isaac spiritually because of religion and corporally because of his inheritance This persecution alwayes remaineth in the Church especially when the doctrine of the Gospell flourisheth to witte that the children of the flesh mocke the children of the promise and persecute them The Papists persecute vs at this day and for none other cause but for that we teach that righteousnes cometh by the promise For it vexeth the Papistes that we will not worship their Idols that is to say that we set not forth their righteousnes their workes and worshippings deuised and ordained by men as auaileable to obtaine grace and forgeuenes of sinnes And for this cause they goe about to cast vs out of the house that is to say they vaunt that they are the Church the children and people of God and that the inheritance belongeth vnto them c. Contrariwise they excommunicate and banish vs as heretikes and seditious persons and if they can they kill vs also and in so doing they thinke they doe God good seruice So as much as in them lieth they cast vs out of this life and of the life to come The Anabaptistes and such other do hate vs deadly because we impugne detest their errors heresies which they spread abrode daily renue in the church and for this cause they iudge vs to be far worse then the Papists therfore they haue cōceiued a more cruel hatred against vs then against the Papists As soone therfore as the word of God is brought to light the Deuil is angry vseth all his force subtil sleightes to persecute it vtterly to abolish it Therfore he cā no otherwise do but raise vp infinite sects horrible offences cruel persecutions abhominable murthers For he is the father of lying and a murtherer He spreadeth his lies thorowout the world by false teachers he killeth men by tyrannes By these meanes he possesseth both the spirituall and the corporall kingdom the spirituall by the lying of false teachers stirring vppe also without ceasing euery one of vs perticularly by his fierie dartes to heresies and wicked opinions the corporall kingdom by the sword of tyrannes Thus this father of lying and of murther stirreth vp persecution on euery side both spirituall and corporall against the childrē of the freewoman The spirituall persecution which we are at this day constrained to suffer of heretikes is to vs most greeuous intolerable because of the infinite offences and sclaunders wherewith the Deuill goeth about to deface our doctrine For we are enforced to heare that the heresies and errours of the Anabaptistes and other heretikes and all other enormities doe proceede from our doctrine The corporall persecution by which tyrannes lie in wait for our goodes and liues is more tolerable For they persecute vs not for our sinnes but for the testimonie of the word of god Let vs learne therefore euen by the title which Christ geueth to the Deuill to witte that he is the father of lying and murther Iohn 8. that when the Gospel flourisheth and Christ raigneth then sectes of perdition must needes spring vppe and murtherers persecuting the Gospell must rage euery where And Paule sayeth That there must be heresies He that is ignorant of this is soone offended and falling away from the true God and true Faith he retourneth to his olde God and olde false faith Paule therefore in this place armeth
in heauen that is to say that Christ according to his proper and true definition is no Moses no lawgeuer no tyraunt but a Mediator for sinnes a free geuer of grace righteousnes and life who gaue him selfe not for our merits holines righteousnes godly life but for our sinnes In deede Christ is an enterpreter of the law but that is not his proper and principall office These things as touching the words we know wel enough and cā talke of them but in practise and in the conflict when the deuill goeth about to deface Christ to plucke the word of grace out of our hartes we finde that we doe not yet know them well and as we should doe He that at that time could define Christ truly and could magnifie him and behold him as his most sweete Sauiour and high Priest and not as a straite Iudge this man had ouercome all euils and were already in the kingdome of heauen But this to doe in the conflict is of all things the most hardest I speake this by experience for I know the Deuils subtilties who at that time not onely goeth about to feare vs with the terrour of the lawe yea and also of a little mote maketh many beames that is to say of that which is no sinne he maketh a very hell for he is maruelous craftie both in aggrauating sinne and in puffing vp the cōscience euen in good works but also is wont to feare vs with the very person of the Mediatour into the which he transformeth him selfe and laying before vs some place of the scripture or some saying of Christ suddenly he striketh our harts and sheweth him selfe vnto vs in such sort as if he were Christ in deede leauing vs sticking so fast in that cogitation that our conscience would sweare it were the same Christ whose saying he alledged Moreouer such is the subtilty of this enemy that he will not sette before vs Christ entierly and wholy but a peece of Christ onely namely that he is the soone of God and man borne of the virgin and by and by he patcheth therto some other thing that is to say some saying of Christ wherwith he terrifieth the impenitent sinners such as that is in the 13. of Luke Except ye repent ye shall all likevvise perish And so corrupting the true definition of Christ with his poison he bringeth to passe that albeit we beleue him to be Christ the true Mediatour yet in very deede our troubled conscience feeleth and iudgeth him to be a tiraunt and a iudge Thus we being deceaued by Sathan doe easily lose that sweete sight of our high Priest and sauiour Christ which being once lost we shunne him no lesse then the deuill him selfe And this is the cause why I doe so earnestly call vpon you to learne the true and proper definition of Christ out of these words of Paule vvhich gaue him selfe for our sinnes If he gaue him selfe to death for oure sinnes then vndoubtedly he is no tiraunt or iudge which will condemne vs for our sinnes He is no caster downe of the afflicted but a raiser vp of those that are fallen a mercifull releuer and comforter of the heauy and broken harted Els should Paule lie in saying vvhich gaue him selfe for our sinnes If I define Christ thus I define him rightly and take hold of the true Christ and possesse him in deede Also I lette passe the curious speculations touching the diuine maiestie and I stay my selfe in the humanitie of Christ and so I learne truly to know the will of god Here is then no feare but altogether sweetnes ioy peace of conscience and such like And herewithal a light also is opened which sheweth me the true knowledge of God of my selfe of all creatures and of all the iniquitie of the Deuils kingdome We teach no newe thing but we repeate and establish olde things which the apostles all godly teachers haue taught before vs And would to God we could so teach establish them that we might not only haue them in our mouth but also well grounded in the bottome of our harte and especially that we might be able to vse them in the agony and conflicte of death Verse 4. That he might deliuer vs from this present euil vvorld In these words also Paule handleth yet more largely the argument of this Epistle He calleth this whole world which hath bene is and shall be the present vvorld to put a difference betwixt this and that euerlasting world which is to come Moreouer he calleth it an euill world because that whatsoeuer is in this world is subiect to the malice of the Deuil raigning ouer the whole world For this cause the world is said to be the kingdome of the Deuill For there is nothing els in this world but ignoraunce contenpt blasphemy and hatred of god Also disobedience against all the words and works of god In and vnder this kingdome of the world are we Here againe you see that no man is able by his owne workes or his owne strēgth to put away sinne because this present world is euill and as S. Iohn sayth is set vpon mischeefe As many therfore as are in the world are the bond slaues of the deuill constrained to serue him and to doe all things at his pleasure What auailed it then to set vp so many orders of religions for the putting away of sinnes to deuise so many great and exceeding painfull workes to weare heary coates to beat the body with whips till the bloud followed to goe on pilgrimage to S. Iames in harnes and such other like Be it so that thou doest all these things yet neuertheles doth this determinate sentence remaine stil That thou art in this present euel vvorld not in the kingdom of Christ And if thou be not in the kingdom of Christ it is certaine that thou doest belong vnto the kingdom of Satan which is this euil world Therfore all giftes either of the body or of the minde which thou possessest as wisedom righteousnes holines eloquence power beautie riches are but the slauish instruments of the hellish tyrannie and with all these thou art compelled to serue the deuill and to promote and enlarge his kingdom First with thy wisedom thou dost darken the wisedom and knowledge of Christ and by thy wicked doctrine leadest men out of the way so that they can not come to the grace and knowledge of Christ Thou settest out and praisest thine owne righteousnes and holines but the righteousnes of Christ by which onely we are iustified and quickened thou doest detest and condemne as wicked and deuillish To be shorte by thy power thou destroyest the kingdom of Christ and doest abuse the same to roote out the gospell to persecute and kill the ministers of Christ and so many as heare them Wherfore if thou be without Christ this thy wisedom is double foolishnes thy righteousnesse double sinne and impietie because it knoweth not
to bring into contempt yea and vtterly to abolish the law of God and the kingdom of the Iewes contrary to the law of God contrary to the custome of the Iewish nation contrary to the example of the Apostles and to be short contrary to his owne example Wherefore he was to be shunned as an open blasphemer against God and a rebell against the whole common weale of the Iewes saying that they themselues ought rather to be heard who besides that they preached the Gospell rightly were also the very disciples of the Apostles with whom Paule was neuer conuersant By this policie they defamed and defaced Paule among the Galathians so that by this their peruerse dealing of very necessitie Paule is compelled with all his mighte to set him selfe againste these false Apostles whom he boldly reproueth and condemneth say-ing that they are the troublers of the Churches and ouerthrowers of Christes gospell as followeth Verse 7. And intendeth to peruert the Gospell of Christ That is to say they doe not onely goe about to trouble you but also vtterly to abolish and ouerthrow Christes Gospell For these two things the Deuill practiseth most busily First he is not contented to trouble and deceaue many by his false Apostles but moreouer he laboureth vtterly to ouerthrow the Gospell by them and neuer resteth till he haue brought it to passe Yet such peruerters of the Gospell can abide nothing lesse then to heare that they are the Apostles of the Deuill nay rather they glory aboue others in the name of Christ and boast themselues to be the most sincere preachers of the Gospell But because they mingle the law and the Gospell together they can not but be the peruerters of the Gospell For either Christ must remaine and the law perish or the law must remaine and Christ perish For Christ and the law can by no meanes agree and raigne together in the conscience Where the righteousnes of the law ruleth there can not the righteousnes of grace rule And againe where the righteousnes of grace raigneth there can not the righteousnes of the lawe raigne for one of them must needes geue place vnto the other And if thou canst not beleeue that God will forgeue thy sinnes for Christes sake whom he sent into the world to be our high priest how then I pray thee wilt thou beleeue that he will forgeue the same for the works of the law which thou couldest neuer performe Or for thine owne workes which as thou must be compelled to confesse be such as it is impossible for them to counteruaile the iudgement of God Wherefore the doctrine of Grace can by no meanes stande with the Doctrine of the Lawe The one must simplye be refused and abolished and the other confirmed and stablished For as Paule sayeth here to mingle the one with the other is to ouerthrow the Gospell of Christ And yet if it come to debating the greater parte ouercommeth the better For Christ with his side is weake and the Gospell is but a foolish preaching Contrariwise the kingdome of the world and the Deuill the prince thereof are strong Besides that the wisedom and righteousnes of the flesh cary a goodly shew And by this meanes the righteousnes of grace and Faith is lost and the other righteousnes of the law and workes aduaunced and maintained But this is our comforte that the Deuill with all his limmes can not doe what he would He may trouble many but he can not ouerthrow Christes Gospell The truth may be assailed and may come in daunger but pearish it can not It may be assailed but vanquished it can not be For the vvord of the Lord indureth for euer It seemeth to be a light matter to mingle the lawe and the Gospell faith and works together but it doth more mischiefe then mans reason can conceaue For it doth not onely blemish and darken the knowledge of grace but also it taketh away Christ with all his benefits and it vtterly ouerthroweth the Gospell as Paule saith in this place The cause of this great euill is our flesh which being plunged in sinnes seeth no way how to get out but by works therefore it would liue in the righteousnes of the lawe and rest in the trust and confidence of her owne works Wherefore it is vtterly ignoraunt of the doctrine of faith and grace without which notwithstanding it is impossible for the conscience to finde rest and quietnes It appeareth also by these words of Paule And intend to peruert the Gospell of Christ that the false Apostles were exceeding bolde and shamelesse which with all their might set them selues against Paule Wherefore he againe vsing his spirite of zeale and feruencie and being fully perswaded of the certaintie of his calling setteth him selfe strongly against them wōderfully magnifieth his ministery saying Verse 8. But though that vve or an Angell from heauen preach vnto you othervvise then that vve haue preached vnto you let him be accursed Here Paule casteth out very flames of fire and his zeale is so feruent that he beginneth also almost to curse the Angels Although sayth he that we our selues euen I and my brethren Timothy and Titus and as many as teach Christ purely with me I speake not now of those seducers of cōsciences yea or if an angel from heauen preach vnto you c. notwithstanding I would rather that I my selfe my brethren yea the very Angels from heauen also should be holden accursed then that my Gospel should be ouerthrowen This is in deede a vehement zeale that he dare so boldly curse not onely him selfe and his brethren but also euen an Angell from heauen The Greke word Anathema in Hebrew Herem signifieth a thing accursed execrable and detestable which hath nothing to doe no participation or communion with god So the citie Hierico saith Iosua shal be accursed for euer that it neuer be builded vp againe And in the last of Leuiticus it is written Nothing separate from the common vse vvhich shal be separate from man shal be redemed but die the death vvhether it be man or beast So God had appointed that Amalech certaine other cities accursed by gods owne sentence should be vtterly rased and destroied This then is Paules minde I had rather that my selfe and other my brethren yea and an Angell from heauen should be accursed then that we or others should preach any other Gospell then that which we haue preached already So Paule first curseth him selfe for cunning artificers are wont first to finde faulte with themselues that they may the more frely and sharply afterwards reproue others Paule therfore concludeth that there is no other Gospell besides that which he himselfe had preached But he preached not a Gospell which he had him selfe deuised but the same which God promised before by his Prophets in the holy scriptures Rom. 1. Therefore he pronounceth him selfe and others yea euen an Angell from heauen
to conscience a seruaunt and slaue Verse 15. VVe vvhich are Ievves by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles That is to say we are borne vnto the righteousnes of the lawe to Moses and to circumcision and euē in our birth we bring the law with vs We haue the righteousnes of the law by nature as Paule before sayth of him selfe in the first chapter Being zelous of the traditions of the fathers Wherefore if we be compared to the Gentiles we are no sinners we are not without the law without works as the Gentiles but we are Iewes borne we are borne righteous brought vp in righteousnes Our righteousnes beginneth euē with our birth for the Iewish religion is naturall vnto vs. For God commaunded Abraham to circumcise euery man childe the eight day This law of circumcision receiued from the fathers Moses afterward confirmed It is a great matter therfore that we are Iewes by nature Notwithstanding although we haue this prerogatiue that we are righteous by nature borne to the law and the workes therof and are not sinners as the Gentiles yet are we not therfore righteous before God. Hereby it is euident that Paule speaketh not of ceremonies or of the ceremoniall lawe as some doe affirme but of a farre waightier matter namely of the natiuitie of the Iewes whom he denieth to be righteous although they be borne holy be circumcised keepe the lawe haue the adoption the glory the couenaunt the fathers the true worship God Christ the promises liue in them and glory in the same as they say Iohn 8. VVe are the seede of Abraham Also vve haue one father vvhich is God. And to the Romaines Beholde thou art called a Ievv and restest in the lavv c. Wherfore although that Peter and the other Apostles were the children of God righteous according to the law the works and the righteousnes therof circumcision the adoption the couenaūts the promises the Apostleship and all such like yet Christian righteousnes commeth not therby for none of all these is faith in Christ which onely as foloweth in the text iustifieth and not the law Not that the law is euil or damnable for the law circumcision and such like are not therefore condemned because they iustifie not but Paule therfore taketh from them the office of iustification because the false apostles contended that by them without faith and onely by the worke wrought men are iustified saued This was not to be suffred of Paule For where faith ceaseth all things are deadly the law circumcision the adoption the temple the worship of God the promises yea God and Christ him selfe without faith profiteth nothing Paule therfore speaketh generally against all things which are contrary to faith and not against ceremonies onely Verse 16. Knovv that a man is not iustified by the vvorks of the lavv but by the faith of Iesus Christ This clause the vvorke of the lavv reacheth farre and comprehēdeth much We take the worke of the law therefore generally for that which is contrary to grace What so euer is not grace is the law whether it be Iudiciall ceremoniall or the ten commaundements Wherfore if thou couldest doe the workes of the lawe according to this commaūdement Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God vvithall thy heart c. which no mā yet euer did or could do notwithstanding thou shouldest not be iustified before God for a man is not iustified by the workes of the law But hereof we will speake more largely hereafter The worke of the law then according to Paule signifieth the worke of the whole law whether it be ceremoniall or Moral Now if the worke of the morall law doe not iustifie much lesse doth circumcision iustifie which is a worke of the ceremonial law Wherfore when Paule sayth as he oftentimes doth that by the lavv or by the vvorkes of the lavv which are both one a man is not iustified he speaketh generally of the whole law setting the righteousnes of faith against the righteousnes of the whole law For the righteousnes of the law sayth he a man is not pronounced righteous before God but the righteousnes of faith God imputeth freely through grace for Christes sake The lawe no doubt is holy righteous and good and consequently the works of the law are holy righteous and good yet notwithstanding a man is not iustified therby before God. Now the works of the law may be done either before iustificatiō or after There were many good men euen amōgst the Paganes as Xenophon Aristides Fabius Cicero Pomponius Atticus others which before iustification performed the deedes of the lawe and did notable workes Cicero suffered death valiantly in a good a iust cause Pomponius was a cōstant man loued truth for he neuer made lie him self nor could suffer the same in any other Now constancie truth are noble vertues excellent works of the lawe yet were they not iustified therby After iustification Peter Paule al other christians haue done do the works of the law but yet are they not iustified therby I knovv not my selfe giltie in anything sayth Paule and yet am I not therby iustified We see then that he speaketh not of any part of the law but of the whole law and all the workes thereof The Diuinitie of the Sophisters commonly called the Scholemen Wherfore the wicked pernicious opinion of the Papists is vtterly to be condemned which do attribute the merite of grace remission of sinnes to the worke wrought For they say that a good worke before grace is auaileable to obtaine grace of Congruence which they call meritum de Congruo because it is meete and conuenient that God should reward such a worke But when grace is obtained the worke folowing deserueth euerlastīg life of due det worthines which they cal meritum de Condigno As for exāple If a mā being in deadly sin without grace do a good worke of his owne good naturall inclination that is if he say or heare a Masse or geue almes and such like this man of cōgruence deserueth grace When he hath thus obtained grace he doth a worke which of worthines deserueth euerlasting life For the first god is no detter but because he is iust and good it behoueth him to approue such a good worke though it be done in deadly sinne to geue grace for such a seruice But when grace is obtained God is become a detter and is constrained of right and duetie to geue eternal life For now it is not onely a worke of freewill done according to the substance but also done in grace which maketh gratious that is to say in loue This is the Diuinitie of the Antichristian kingdom Which here I recite to the ende that the disputation of Paule may be the better vnderstand For two contrary things being set together be the better knowen and moreouer that all mē
minister of sinne is nothing els but a lawgiuer or a Scholemaster of the law which teacheth good works and charitie and that a man must suffer the crosse and afflictions and follow the example of Christ and of the Sainctes He that teacheth and requireth this is a minister of the lawe of sinne of wrath of death For by this doctrine he doth nothing els but terrifie afflict mens consciences and shutteth them vnder sinne For it is impossible for the nature of man to accomplish the law yea in those that are iustified and haue the holy Ghost the lavv of the members fighteth against the lavv of the mind What will it not then do in the wicked which haue not the holy Ghost Wherfore he that teacheth that righteousnes cometh by the lawe doth not vnderstand what he sayeth or what he affirmeth and much lesse doth he keepe the law but rather he deceaueth himselfe and others and laieth vpon them such a burthen as they are not able to beare requiring and teaching impossible things and at the last he bringeth himselfe and his disciples vnto desperation The right vse and end therfore of the law is to accuse and condemne as giltie such as liue in securitie that they may see themselues to be in daunger of sinne wrath and death eternall that so they may be terrified and brought euen to the brinke of desperation trembling and quaking at the falling of a leafe And in that they are such they are vnder the law For the law requireth perfect obedience vnto God and condemneth al those that doe not accomplish the same Now it is certaine that there is no man liuing which is able to performe this obedience which notwithstanding God streitly requireth of vs. The law therfore iustifieth not but condemneth according to that saying Cursed is he that abideth not in all things that are vvriten in this booke Therefore he that teacheth the law is a minister of the law Wherefore it is not without good cause that Paule in the 2. Cor. 3. calleth the minister of the law the minister of sinne For the law sheweth and vttereth sinne which without the law is deade Now the knowledge of sinne I speake not here of that speculatiue knowledge of hypocrites but of a true knowledge by the which we see the wrath of God against sinne and feele a true tast of death terrifieth the heart driueth downe to desperation killeth and destroyeth Rom. 7. Wherfore these Scholemasters of the law and works are called in the scripture oppressors and tirants For as the taskemasters in Egypt did oppresse the children of Israell with corporall seruitude so doe these lawgiuers and taskemasters driue men into most miserable bondage of soule and at lengthe bring them to desperation and vtter destruction These doe neither know themselues nor the force of the law And it is not possible for them to haue quietnes and peace of conscience in great and inward terrours and in the agony of death yea though they haue obserued the law loued their neighbours done many good works and suffred great afflictions for the law alwaies terrifieth and accuseth saying thou neuer diddest accomplish all that is commaunded in the law but accursed is he that hath not done all things contained therin Wherefore these terrours remaine still in the conscience and encrease more and more And if such Scholemasters of the lawe be not raised vp by Faith and the righteousnes of Christ they are driuen downe headlong to desperation This also was notably figured when the law was geuen as we may see in the .19 and .20 of Exodus Moses brought the people out of the tentes to meete with the Lord that they might heare him speake vnto them out of the darke cloude Then the people being astonished and trembling for feare fled backe which a litle before had promised to doe all that God had commaunded and standing aloofe of sayd vnto Moses VVho can abide to see the fire and to heare the thundrings and noise of the trumpet Talke thou vvith vs and vve vvill heare thee but let not God talke vvith vs lest vve die So the proper office of the lawe is to leade vs out of our tents and tabernacles that is to say from the quietnes and securitie wherin we dwell and from trusting in our selues and to bring vs before the presence of God to reueile his wrath vnto vs and to sette before vs our sinnes Here the conscience feeleth that it hath not satisfied the lawe and that it is not able to satisfie it nor to beare the wrath of God which the lawe reueileth when it bringeth vs forth after this maner before the presence of God that is to say when it feareth vs accuseth vs and setteth before vs our sinnes Here it is impossible that we should be able to stand and therefore being thorowly affraid we flie and we cry out with the children of Israell we shall die we shall die Let not the Lord speake vnto vs but speake thou vnto vs c. He then which teacheth that faith in Christ iustifieth not without the obseruation of the law maketh Christ a minister of sinne that is to say a Scholemaster of the law which teacheth the selfe same doctrine that Moses did By this meanes Christ is no Sauiour no geuer of grace but a cruell tirant which requireth such things as Moses did which no man is able to performe See how all the meritmongers doe take Christ to be but a new lawgeuer and the Gospell to be nothing els but a certaine booke which containeth new lawes concerning works as the Turkes dreame of their Alcoran But as touching lawes there is enough in Moses The Gospell then is a preaching of Christ which forgeueth sinnes geueth grace iustifieth and saueth sinners Now whereas there are commaundements found in the Gospell they are not the Gospell but expositions of the lawe and matters depending vpon the Gospell To conclude if the lawe be the ministery of sinne then is it also the ministery of wrath and of death For as the lawe reueileth sinne so doth it terrifie a man it sheweth vnto him his sinne and the wrath of God and striketh into him a terrour of death and damnation For thus the conscience by and by gathereth Thou hast not kept the commaundements of God therefore God is angry with thee And it thinketh this to be an infallible consequence I haue sinned therfore I must die And so it followeth that the ministery of sinne is the ministery of wrath and condemnation For after that sinne is reueiled by and by ensueth the wrath of God death and damnation And hereof it cometh that many which are not able to beare the iudgement and wrath of God which the lawe setteth before their eyes doe kill hang or drowne themselues Verse 17. God forbid As though he would say Christ is not the minister of sinne but the geuer of
righteousnes and eternal life Wherfore Paule separateth Moses farre from Christ Let Moses then tary on the earth Let him be the Scholemaster of the letter and exactor of the law Let him torment and crucifie sinners But the beleuers sayth Paule haue an other Scholemaster in their conscience not Moses but Christ which hath abolished the lawe and sinne hath ouercome the wrath of God and destroyed death He biddeth vs that laboure and are oppressed with all kindes of euils to come vnto him Therefore when we flie vnto him Moses with his law vanisheth away so that his sepulcher can no where be seene sinne and death can hurt vs no more For Christ our instructor is Lord ouer the lawe sinne and death so that they which beleue in him are deliuered from the same It is therefore the proper office of Christ to deliuer from sinne and from death And this Paule teacheth and repeteth euery where We are condemned and killed by the law but by Christ we are iustified restored to life The lawe astonisheth vs and driueth vs from God but Christ reconcileth vs to God and maketh for vs an entrāce that we may boldly come vnto him For he is the Lambe of God that hath taken away the sinnes of the world Now if the sinne of the world be taken away then is it taken away from me also which doe beleue in him If sinne be taken away then is the wrath of God death and damnation taken away also And in the place of sinne succedeth righteousnes in the place of wrath reconciliation grace in the place of death life and in the place of damnation saluation Let vs learne to practise this distinction not in wordes onely but in life and liuely experience and with an inward feeling For where Christ is there must nedes be ioy of heart and peace of conscience For Christ is our reconciliation righteousnes peace life and saluation Briefly what so euer the pore afflicted cōscience desireth it findeth in Christ abundantly Now Paule goeth about to amplifie this argument and to perswade as foloweth Verse 18. For if I builde againe the things that I haue destroyed I make my selfe a trespasser As if he should say I haue not preached to this ende that I might build againe those thīgs which I once destroyed For if I should so do I should not onely labour in daine but should make my selfe also a trāsgressor and ouerthrowe altogether as the false Apostles doe that is to say of grace and of Christ I should againe make the law and Moses contrariwise of the law and Moses I should make grace and Christ Now by the ministery of the Gospell I haue abolished sinne heauines of heart wrath and death For thus haue I taught Thy conscience O man is subiect to the law sinne and death from which thou canst not be deliuered either by men or Angels But now cometh the Gospell and preacheth vnto thee remission of sinnes by Iesus Christ who hath abolished the law and hath destroyed sinne and death Beleue in him so shalt thou be deliuered from the curse of the law and from the tyrannie of sinne and death thou shalt become righteous and haue eternall life Behold how I haue destroyed the law by the preaching of the Gospell to the end that it should not reigne in thy conscience any more For when the new Gest Christ Iesus cometh into the new house there to dwell alone Moses the old inhabiter must geue place vnto him and depart some whether els Also where Christ the new Gest is come to dwel there can sinne wrath death haue no place but there now dwelleth meere grace righteousnes ioy life true affiance and trust in the father now pacified and reconciled vnto vs gracious long suffering full of mercy for his sonne Christes sake Should I then driuing out Christ and destroying his kingdome which I haue planted through the preaching of the Gospell now build vp againe the law and sette vp the kingdome of Moses In deede this should I doe if I should teach circumcision and the obseruation of the law to be necessary to saluation as the false Apostles doe and by this meanes in the steede of righteousnes and life I should restore againe sinne and death For the law doth nothing els but vtter sinne procure Gods wrath kill and destroy What are the Papists I pray you yea the best of them all but destroyers of the kingdome of Christ and builders vp of the kingdome of the Deuill and of sinne of wrath and eternall death Yea they destroy the church which is Gods building not by the law of Moses as did the false Apostles but by mens traditions and doctrines of Deuils And euen so the fantasticall heads which are at this day and shall come after vs doe destroy and shall destroy those things which we haue built doe build and shall build vp againe those things which we haue destroyed But we by the grace of Christ holding the article of iustification doe assuredly know that we are iustified and reputed righteous before God by faith onely in Christ Therfore we doe not mingle the law and grace faith and works together but we separate them farre asunder And this distinction or difference betwene the law and grace let euery man that feareth God marke diligently and let him suffer the same to take place not in letters and syllables but in practise inward experience So that when he heareth that good works ought to be done and that the example of Christ is to be followed he may be able to iudge rightly and say well all these things will I gladly doe What then followeth Thou shalt then be saued and obtaine euerlasting life Nay not so I graunt in deede that I ought to do good workes patiently to suffer troubles and aflictiōs and to shee l my bloud also if neede be for Christes cause but yet am I not iustified neither doe I obtaine saluation therby We must not therfore draw good workes in to the article of iustification as the Monkes haue done which say that not only good works but also the punishments and torments which malefactors suffer for their wicked deedes doe deserue euerlasting life For thus they comfort them when they are brought to the gallowes or place of execution Suffer willingly and patiently this shamefull death which if thou do thou shalt deserue remission of thy sinnes and euerlasting life What an horrible thing is this that a wretched theefe a murtherer a robber should be so miserably seduced in that extreame anguish and distresse that euen at the very point of death when he is now ready to be hanged or to haue his head cut of he should refuse the Gospell and sweete promises in Christ which are onely able to bring comforte and saluation and should be commaunded to hope for pardon of his sinnes if he willingly and patiently endure that opprobrious death which he suffereth
apart which driue vs to the consideration of our selues onely to turne our eies wholy to that brasen serpent Christ Iesus crucified assuredly beleue that he is our righteousnes and life not fearing the threatnings and terrours of the law sinne death and the iudgement of god For Christ on whom our eies are fixed in whom we liue who also liueth in vs is Lord and conquerour of the law sinne death and all euils In whom most certaine and sure consolation is set forth vnto vs and victory geuen Verse 20. Thus I liue yet not I novv but Christ liueth in me Wher he saith Thus I liue he speaketh it as it were in his owne person Therfore he by and by correcteth himselfe saying yet not I now That is to say I liue not now in mine owne person but Christ liueth in me In deede the person liueth but not in himselfe nor for his owne cause nor for any thing that is in him But who is that I of whom he sayeth yet not I. This I is he which hath the lawe and is bound to doe the workes therof who also is a certaine person seperate from Christ This person Paule reiecteth For as he is seperate from Christ he belongeth to death and hell Therfore he sayeth Novve not I but Christ liueth in me He is my forme my furniture and perfection adorning and beutifying my faith as the colour the cleare light or the whitnes do garnish and beutifie the wall Thus are we constrained grossely to set forth this matter For we can not spiritually conceaue that Christ is so nerely ioyned vnited vnto vs as the colour or whitenes are vnited vnto the wall Christ therfore sayth he thus ioyned and vnited vnto me and abiding in me liueth this life in me which I now liue yea Christ him selfe is this life which I now liue Wherefore Christ and I in this behalfe are both one Now Christ liuing in me abolisheth the lawe condemneth sinne and destroyeth death for it can not be but at his presence all these must nedes vanish away For Christ is euerlasting peace consolation righteousnes and life and to these the terrour of the law heauines of mind sinne hell and death must nedes geue place So Christ liuing and abiding in me taketh away and swalloweth vp all euils which vexe and afflict me This vnion or coniunction then is the cause that I am deliuered from the terrour of the law and sinne am seperate from my self and translated vnto Christ and his kingdom which is a kingdom of grace righteousnes peace ioy life saluation eternal glory Thus I now abiding and dwelling in him what euill is there that can hurt me In the meane season the old man abideth without and is subiecte to the lawe but as concerning iustification Christ and I must be entierly conioyned and vnited together so that he may liue in me and I in him And this is a wonderful maner of speech Now because Christ liueth in me therefore looke what grace righteousnes life peace and saluation is in me it is his and yet notwithstanding the same is mine also by that vnseparable vnion and coniunction which is throughe Faithe by which Christe and I are made as it were one bodye in spirite For as much then as Christ liueth in me it foloweth that as I must nedes be with him pertaker of grace righteousnes life and eternall saluation so the lawe sinne and death can haue no place in me yea the lawe is crucified and swallowed vp of the lawe sinne of sinne and death of death Thus Paule goeth about to draw vs from the beholding of our selues the law workes and to plant in vs true faith in Christ so that in the matter of iustification we should thinke vpon nothing else but grace separating the same farre from the law and works which in this matter ought to haue no place Paule hath his peculiar phrase or kind of speach which is not after the maner of men but diuine and heauenly nor vsed of the Euangelistes or of the rest of the Apostles sauing only of Iohn who also is wont sometimes so to speake And if Paule had not first vsed this phrase and set forth the same vnto vs in plaine words the very Saincts thēselues durst not haue vsed it For it seemeth a very straunge and a monstrous maner of speaking thus to say I liue I liue not I am dead I am not dead I am a sinner I am not a sinner I haue the law I haue not the law Which phrase is sweete and comfortable to all those that beleue in Christ For in that they behold themselues they haue both the law and sinne but in that they looke vnto Christ they are dead to the law and haue no sinne If then in the matter of iustification thou separate the person of Christ from thy person then art thou in the law thou abidest in the law thou liuest in the law and not in Christ and so thou art condemned of the law and dead before God. For thou hast that faith which as the Sophisters dreame is furnished with charitie Thus I speake for examples sake For there was neuer any one found that was saued by this faith And therfore what things soeuer the Sophisters haue written touching this faith are nothing els but vaine toyes and meere deceites of Sathan But let vs graunt that such there be as haue this faith yet are they not therfore iustified For they haue but an historicall Faith concerning Christ which the Deuill also and all the wicked haue Faith therfore must be purely taught namely that thou art so entirely and nerely ioyned vnto Christ that he and thou are made as it were one person so that thou maiest boldly say I am now one with Christ that is to say Christes righteousnes victory and life are mine And again Christ may say I am that sinner that is his sinnes and his death are mine because he is vnited and ioyned vnto me I vnto him For by faith we are so ioyned together that we are become one flesh one bone Eph. 5. we are the members of the body of Christ flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones So that this faith doth couple Christ and me more neare together then the husband is coupled to his wife This faith therfore is not an idle qualitie but the excellencie therof is such that it vtterly confoundeth these foolish dreames of the Sophisters touching their formed faith and counterfeit charitie their merits workes and worthines These things I would gladly set forth more amply if by any meanes I could Hitherto we haue declared this to be the first argument of Paule that either Christ must needes be the minister of sinne or els the lawe doth not iustifie when he had finished this argument he set forth himselfe for an example saying that he was dead vnto that old law by a certaine new law Now he
was once crucified rose againe both in them selues in the church and in the hearts of the faithfull for with their spiteful reproches rebukes sclaūders and iniuries they spit vpon him and with their wicked opinions they wounde him and thrust him thorow that in them he may die most miserably and in the steade of him they set vp a glorious witchcraft wherby men are so miserably charmed and deluded that they cā not know Christ to be their iustifier their reconciler and Sauiour but a minister of sinne their accuser their iudge and their destroyer which must be pacified no otherwise then by our workes and merites And out of this opinion did afterwards spring the most pestilent pernicious doctrine that is in the whole Papacie which is this If thou wilt serue God thou must merite forgeuenes of sinnes and euerlasting life and must also helpe others to attaine saluation Thou must enter into a Monasterie vow obedience chastitie pouertie c. Monks and Friers and the rest of that religious rable being puffed vp with this opinion of their owne holines dreamed that they onely were in the life and state of perfection and that other Christians led but a common life for they did no vndue workes or more then they were bounde to doe that is they did not vowe and keepe chastitie pouertie obedience c. they were but onely baptised and kept the ten commaundements But as for them selues besides that which was common as wel to them as to other Christians they kept also the works of supererogation and the counsels of Christ wherfore they hoped to haue merite and a place in heauen amongs the principall Saintes farre aboue the common sort of Christians This was vndoutedly an horrible illusion of the deuill wherby he hath bewitched almost the whole world And euery man the more holy he would seeme to be the more he is snared with this witcherie that is to say with that pestilent perswasion of his owne righteousnes And this was the cause that we could not know that Iesus Christ was our Mediatour Sauiour but we did thinke that he was a seuere iudge which should be pacified by our owne workes which was nothing else but most horribly to blaspheme Christ and as Paule said before to reiect the grace of God to make the death of Christ of none effect and not onely to kill him but also most shamefully to crucifie him againe And this is the right meaning of that which Christ alledgeth out of Daniell that abomination standeth in the holy place Wherefore euery monke and religious person and euery Iusticiarie seeking remission of sinnes and righteousnes by his owne works or by his afflictions is a crucifier of Christ nowe raigning and liuing although not in the proper person of Christ yet in his owne heart and in the hearts of others And whosoeuer doe enter into Monasteries to the ende that by the keping of their rule and order they may be iustified doe enter into the dennes of theeues and such as crucifie Christ againe Wherefore Paule vseth in this place very rigorous and bitter wordes to the ende that he may feare and call backe the Galathians from the doctrine of the false Apostles As if he should say Consider well what ye haue done Ye haue crucified Christ againe and this I doe so plainly shewe and paint out before your eyes that ye may see it yea and touch it with your handes because ye seeke to be iustified by the lawe But if righteousnes come by the lawe then is Christ a minister of sinne and his death altogether in vaine If this be true then must it needes follow that Christ is crucified againe in you And it is not without cause that he addeth this clause in you or among you For Christ is no more crucified or dieth any more in his owne person as is saide in the sixte chapter to the Romaines but he dieth in vs when we reiecting true doctrine grace faith free remission of sinnes seeke to be iustified by our owne workes or else by the workes commaunded in the law Here Christ is crucified in vs againe Now this false and wicked perswasion to seeke righteousnes by the law and workes is nothing else as I haue before more amplie declared but the illusion of the Deuill wherwith men are so bewitched that in no wise they can acknowledge the benefite of Christ yea in all their life they can doe nothing else but not onely denie the Lord who hath bought them and in whose name they are baptised but also crucifie him againe in them selues Who so euer then hath a feare of God and a true heart to Christ and his religion let him flie quickly out of this Babylon and let him tremble at the very name of the Papacie For the impietie abomination therof is so horrible that no man is able to expresse it with words neither cā it be otherwise seene then with spiritual eies only These two argumentes Paule prosecuteth driueth into the heades of the Galathians very diligently First that they are so bewitched of the deuill that they obey not the truth most clearely set forth before their eies Secondly that they crucifie Christ againe in them selues These seeme to be simple and plaine words and without any high eloquence but in very deede they are so mighty that they exceede all the eloquence of man It can not therfore be cōprehended but onely in spirit how great an impietie it is to seeke to be iustified by the righteousnes of the law or by mans owne righteousnes For as Paul saith here it is nothing els but to be witched of the deuill to be disobedient to the truth and to crucifie Christ againe Are not these goodly commendations of the righteousnes of the law and mans owne righteousnes The Apostle therefore is here kindled with greate zeale and with bitter words he pursueth condemneth the presumption of our owne righteousnes rising vpon the obseruation of the law of God and chargeth it with this impiety that it crucifieth againe the sonne of god Seing then it is so daungerous a thinge it can not be beaten downe enough or condemned as it should be For therof ensueth such a fall as is no lesse then the fall of Lucifer and such a losse as can neuer be recouered and therfore he vseth so sharpe and rigorous words against it that he spareth not the very law of God against the which he so bitterly inueieth that it seemeth he would vtterly reiect and condemne it And this doth he being constrained by greate necessity for otherwise he could not withstand the false Apostles nor defend the righteousnes of faith against them Albeit then that the law be holy iust and good yet must it put on as it were the visour of an hipocrite if he seeke to be iustified by workes Now he presseth them with an argument wherof they themselues had good experience and
vvas imputed vnto him for righteousnes For christian righteousnes consisteth in two things that is to say in faith of the heart and in Gods imputation Faith is in deede a formal righteousnes and yet this righteousnes is not enough for after faith there remaine yet certaine remnaunts of sinne in our flesh This sacrifice of faith began in Abraham but at last it was finished in his death And therfore the other part of righteousnes must needes be added also to finish the same in vs that is to say Gods imputation For faith geueth not enough to God because it is imperfecte yea rather our faith is but a little sparke of faith which beginneth onely to render vnto God his true diuinitie We haue receiued the first fruites of the spirite but not yet the tenthes Besides this reason is not vtterly killed in this life which may appeare by our concupiscence wrath impatience and other fruites of the flesh and of infidelitie yet remaining in vs Yea the holiest that liue haue not yet a full and continuall ioy in God but haue theyr sondry passions sometimes sadde sometimes mirry as the scriptures witnes of the Prophetes and Apostles But such faultes are not layde to their charge because of their faith in Christ for otherwise no flesh should be saued We conclude therefore vpon these wordes It vvas imputed to him for righteousnes that righteousnes in deede beginneth through faith and by the same we haue the first frutes of the spirite but because faith is weake it is not made perfect without Gods imputation Wherefore faith beginneth righteousnes but imputation maketh it perfect vnto the day of Christ The popish Sophisters and Scholemen dispute also of imputation when they speake of the good acceptation of the woorke but besides and cleane contrary to the scripture for they wrest it onely to workes They doe not consider the vncleanenes and inward poyson lurking in the hearte as incredulitie doubting despising and hating of God which most pernicious and perelous beastes are the fountaine and cause of all mischiefe They consider no more but outward and grosse faults and vnrighteousnes which are little riuers proceeding and issuing out of those fountaines Therefore they attribute acceptation to workes that is to say that God doth accept our workes not of dutie but of congruence Contrarywise we excluding all workes doe goe to the very heade of this beast which is called reason which is the fountaine and headespring of all mischiefes For reason feareth not God it loueth not God it trusteth not in God but proudely contemneth him It is not moued either with his threateninges or his promises It is not delighted with his wordes or workes but it murmureth against him it is angry with him iudgeth and hateth him to be short it is an enemy to God not geuing him his glorie This pestilent beast reason I say being once slaine all outward and grosse vices should be nothing Wherfore we must first and afore all thinges goe about by faith to kill infidelitie the contempt and hatred of God murmuring against his iudgement and his wrath and against all his wordes and workes for then doe we kill reason which can be killed by none other meanes but by faith which in beleeuing God geueth vnto him his glory notwithstanding that he speaketh those things which seeme both foolish absurde and vnpossible to reason notwithstanding also that God setteth forth him selfe otherwise then reason is able either to iudge or conceiue that is to say after this maner I will account thee and pronounce thee to be righteous not for the keping of the lawe not for thy workes and thy merites but for thy faith in Iesus Christ mine onely begotten Sonne who was borne suffred was crucified and died for thy sinnes and that sinne which remaineth in thee I will not impute vnto thee If reason then be not killed and al kindes of religion and seruice of God vnder heauen that are inuented by men to get righteousnes before God be not condemned the righteousnes of faith can take no place When reason heareth this by and by it is offended it rageth and vttereth all her malice against God saying Are then my good woorkes nothing Haue I then laboured and borne the burden and heate of the day in vaine Hereof rise those vprours of nations of Kings and Princes against the Lord and against his Christ For the world neither will nor can suffer that his wisedome righteousnes religions and worshippings should be reproued and condemned The Pope with all his Popish rablement will not seeme to erre much lesse will he suffer himselfe to be condemned Therefore let them which be studious of the woorde of God learne out of this saying Abraham beleeued God and it vvas counted to him for righteousnes to sette forthe truely and rightly this true Christian righteousnes after this manner that it is a faith and confidence in the Sonne of God or rather a confidence of the heart in God through Iesus Christe And lette them adde this clause as a difference Which Faith and confidence is accounted righteousnes for Christes sake For these two things as I sayde before woorke Christian righteousnes namely Faith in the heart which is a gifte of God and rightly beleueth in Christ and also that God accepteth this imperfecte Faithe for perfect righteousnes for Christes sake in whom I haue begun to beleue because of this faith in Christ God seeth not my doubting of his good will towards me my distrust my heauines of spirite and other sinnes which are yet in me For as long as I liue in the flesh sinne is verely in me But because I am couered vnder the shadow of Christes winges as is the chicken vnder the winge of the henne and dwell without all feare vnder that most ample and large heauen of the forgeuenes of sinnes which is spread ouer me God couereth and pardoneth the remnant of sinne in me that is to say because of that faith wherwith I began to lay hold vpon Christ he accepteth my imperfect righteousnes euen for perfect righteousnes counteth my sinne for no sinne which notwithstanding is sinne in deede So we shroud our selues vnder the couering of Christes flesh who is our cloudy piller for the day and our fire by the night lest God should see our sinne And although we see it and for the same doe feele the terrors of conscience yet flying vnto Christ our Mediatour and reconciler through whom we are made perfect we are sure and safe For as all things are in him so through him we haue all things who also doth supply whatsoeuer is wanting in vs When we beleue this God winketh at all our sinnes and the remnantes thereof which are yet sticking in our flesh and will haue them so couered as though they were no sinnes Because saith he thou beleuest in my sonne although thou haue many sinnes notwithstanding they must be forgeuen thee vntill thou
lawe those holy and most gracious wordes namely I am the Lord thy God vvhich brought thee out of the land of Egypt and out of the house of bondage Thou shalt haue none other Gods c. Shevving mercy to thousandes c. Honour thy father and thy mother that it may goe vvell vvith thee and that thy daies may be prolonged vpon the earth c. and that they had neede of a Mediatour They could not abide this most excellent perfect and diuine wisedom this most gracious sweete comfortable doctrine Let not the Lorde speake vnto vs say they lest vve die Speake thou vnto vs c. Doubtles it is a merueilous thinge that a man can not heare that which is his whole felicite namely that he hath a God yea a mercifull God which wil shew mercy vnto him in many thousands of generatiōs c. And moreouer that he can not abide that which is his chiefe safetie protectiō defence namely Thou shalt not kil Thou shalt not cōmit adultery Thou shalt not steale For by these wordes the Lord hath compassed and fortified the life of man his wife his children and his goods as it were with a wal against the force and violence of the wicked The law then can doe nothing sauing that by his light it lightneth the cōscience that it may know sinne death the iudgement the hatred and wrath of god Before the law come I am secure I feele no sinne but whē the law cometh sinne death hel are reueiled vnto me This is not to be made righteous but giltie the enemy of God to be condemned to death and hell fire The principall point then of the law in true Christian Diuinitie is to make men not better but worse that is to say it sheweth vnto them their sinne that by the knowledge therof they may be humbled terrified brused and brokē by this meanes may be driuen to seeke comforte and so to come to that blessed Seede Verse 20. But God is one God offendeth no person and therefore needeth no Mediatour But we offend God and therfore we haue neede of a Mediatour not Moses but Christ vvhich speaketh farre better things for vs c. Hitherto he hath continued in his digression Now he retourneth to his purpose Verse 21. Is the lavv then against the promise of God Paule said before that the law iustifieth not Shall we then take away the law No not so For it bringeth with it a certaine commoditie What is that It bringeth men vnto the knowledge of themselues it discouereth and encreaseth sinne c. Here now riseth an other obiection If the lawe doe nothing els but make men worse in shewing vnto them their sinne then is it contrary to the promises of god For it seemeth that God is but onely prouoked to anger and offended through the law and therefore he regardeth not nor performeth his promises We Iewes haue thought the contrary to witte that we are restrained and bridled by this externall discipline to the ende that God being prouoked therby might hastē the performing of his promise and that by this discipline we might deserue the promise Paule aunswereth It is nothing so But contrariwise if ye haue regard to the law the promise is rather hindered For natural reason offendeth God which so faithfully promiseth whiles it will not heare his good and holy lawe For it sayth Let not the Lorde speake vnto vs c. How can it be then that God should performe his promise vnto those which not onely receaue not his law and his discipline but also with a mortal hatred do shunne it flie from it Here therfore as I said riseth this obiection Then the law semeth to hinder the promises of god This obiection Paule toucheth by the way briefely aūswereth saying Verse 21. God forbid Why so First for that God doth not make any promise vnto vs because of our worthines our merits our good works but that he doth is of his meere goodnes and inestimable mercy in Christ He saith not to Abraham All nations shal be blessed in thee because thou hast kept the law but as it is written in the .24 chap. of Iosua when he was yet vncircumcised had no law was yet an idolater he said vnto him Goe out of thine ovvne land c. I vvill be thy protectour c. Also In thy Seede shall all nations be blessed These are absolute meere promises which God freely geueth vnto Abraham without any condition or respect of workes either going before or comming after This is specially against the Iewes which thinke that the promises of God are hindered because of their sinnes God saith Paule doth not slacke his promises because of our sinnes or hasten the same for our righteousnes and merites he regardeth neither the one nor the other Wherefore although we be worse and more sinnefull and brought into a greater contempte and hatred of God by meanes of the lawes yet notwithstanding God is not moued therby to differre his promise For his promise doth not stande vpon our worthines but vpon his onely goodnes and mercy Therefore where the Iewes say The Messias is not yet come because our sinnes doe hinder his cōming it is a detestable lie As though God should become vnrighteous because of our sinnes or made a lier because we are liers He abideth alwaies iust and true his truth therefore is the onely cause that he accomplisheth and performeth his promise Moreouer although the law doe reueile and encrease sinne yet is it not against the promises of God yea rather it confirmeth the promises For as concerning his proper worke and ende it humbleth and prepareth a man so that he vse it rightly to sigh and seeke for mercy For when sinne is reueiled to a man and so encreased by the law then he beginneth to perceaue the wickednes and hatred of mans hearte against the law and against God him selfe the authour of the law Then he feeleth in deede that not only he loueth not God but also hateth and blasphemeth God who is full of goodnes mercy and his lawe which is iust and holy Then is he constrained to cōfesse that there is no good thing in him And thus when he is throwne downe and humbled by the lawe he acknowledgeth him selfe to be most miserable and damnable When the law therfore constraineth a man so to acknowledge his owne corruption and to confesse his sinne from the bottome of his heart then hath it done his office truely and his time is accomplished and ended And nowe is the time of grace that the blessed Seede may come to raise vppe and to comfort him that is so cast downe and humbled by the lawe After this manner the law is not against the promises of god For first the promise hangeth not vpon the lawe but vpon the truth and mercy of God only and alone Secondly when the law is in
this maner I testifie vnto euery man which is circumcised that he is bound to kepe the whole lawe that is to say that he performeth no peece of the law yea that in the very worke of circumcision he is not circumcised and euen in the fulfilling of the law he fulfilleth it not but trāsgresseth it And this seemeth to me to be the simple and true meaning of Paule in this place Afterwardes in the .6 Chapter he expoundeth him selfe saying They themselues vvhich are circumcised keepe not the lavv So he sayth also before in the third Chapter VVhosoeuer are of the vvorkes of the lavve are vnder the curse As if he sayd Although ye be circumcised yet are ye not righteous and free from the lawe but by this deede ye are rather detters and bondseruauntes of the lawe And the more ye goe about to satisfie the lawe and to be sette free from it the more ye intangle and snare your selues in the yoke thereof so that it hath more power to accuse and condemne you This is to goe backward like the crabbe and to wash away filth with filth And this which I say by occasion of Paules words I haue learned both in my selfe and others I haue seene many which haue painfully trauailed and vppon mere conscience haue done as much as was possible for them to doe in fasting in prayer in wearing of heare in punishing and tormenting their bodies with sundry exercises whereby at length they must needes haue vtterly consumed them yea although they had ben made of iron and all to this end that they might obtaine quietnes and peace of conscience notwithstanding the more they trauailed the more they were stricken down with feare specially when the houre of death approched they were so fearfull that I haue seene many murtherers and other male factours condemned to death dying more couragiously then they did which notwithstanding had liued very holily Therefore it is most true that they which doe the lawe doe it not For the more they goe about to fulfill the lawe the more they transgresse it Euen so we say and iudge of mens traditions The more a man striueth to pacifie his conscience therby the more he troubleth and tormenteth it When I was a Monke I endeuored as much as was possible to liue after the streit rule of mine Order I was wont to shriue my selfe with great deuotion and to recken vp all my sinnes yet being alwayes very contrite before and I returned to confession very often and throughly performed the penaunce that was enioyned vnto me Yet for all this my conscience could neuer be fully certified but was alwayes in doubt and sayd This or that thou hast not done rightly thou wast not contrite and sorrowfull inough this sinne thou diddest omitte in thy confession c. Therefore the more I went about to helpe my weake wauering and afflicted conscience by mens traditiōs the more weake and doubtfull and the more afflicted I was And thus the more I obserued mens traditions the more I transgressed them and in seeking after righteousnes by mine Order I could neuer attaine vnto it For it is impossible as Paule sayeth that the conscience should be pacified by the workes of the lawe and much lesse by mens traditions without the promise and glad tidings concerning Christe Wherfore they that seeke to be iustified and quickned by the law are much further of from righteousnes and life then the Publicanes sinners and harlots For they can not trust to their owne works seing they be such for the which they can not hope to obtaine grace and sorgeuenes of sinnes For if righteousnes works done according to the lawe doe not iustifie how can sinnes iustifie which are committed contrary to the lawe Therefore in this poynt they are in farre better case then the Iusticiaries for they haue no affiance in theyr owne workes which greatly hindreth true Faith in Christe if it doe not vtterly take it away Contrariwise the Iusticiaries which abstaine outwardly from sinnes and liue holily and without blame in the sight of the world can not be without the opinion of their owne righteousnes with the which true Faith in Christe can not stande And for this cause they be more miserable then Publicanes and harlotes who offer not their good workes to God in his displeasure that for the same he may recompence them with euerlasting life as the Iusticiaries doe for they haue none to offer but desire that their sinnes may be pardoned for Christes sake c. The other exposition is affirmatiue He that is circumcised is also bound to kepe the whole law For he that receaueth Moses in one poynt must of necessitie receaue him in all And it nothing helpeth to say that circumcision is necessary and not the rest of Moises lawes For by the same reason that thou art bound to keepe circumcision thou art also bound to kepe the whole lawe Now to be bound to kepe the whole lawe is nothing else but to shew in effecte that Christe is not yet come If this be true then are we bound to kepe all the Iewish ceremonies and lawes touching meates places and times and Christe must be looked for as yet to come that he may abolish the Iewish kingdom and priesthoode and sette vppe a new kingdom thorowout the whole world But the whole Scripture witnesseth and the sequele thereof plainely declareth that Christe is already come that by his death he hath redemed mankinde that he hath abolished the lawe and that he hath fulfilled all things which all the Prophetes haue foretolde of him Therefore the lawe being cleane abolished and quite taken away he hath geuen vnto vs grace and truth It is not then the lawe nor the workes thereof but it is Faith in Iesus Christe that maketh a man righteous Some would binde vs at thys day to certaine of Moises lawes that like them best as the false apostles would haue done at that time But this is in no wise to be suffered For if we geue Moises leaue to rule ouer vs in any thing we are bound to obey him in all things Wherefore we will not be burdened with any law of Moises We graunt that he is to be redde amongst vs and to be heard as a Prophet and a witnesse bearer of Christe and moreouer that out of him we may take good examples of good lawes and holy maners But we will not suffer him in any wife to to haue dominion ouer our conscience In this case lette him be deade and buried and lette no man know where his graue is The former exposition that is to say the negatiue seemeth to me to be more apte and more spirituall notwythstanding both are good and both doe condemne the righteousnes of the lawe The first is that we are so farre from obtaining righteousnes of the lawe that the more we goe about to accomplish the law the more we transgresse the lawe The
it signifieth all the afflictions of the faithfull whose sufferings are Christes sufferings 2. Cor. 1. The sufferings of Christ abound in vs. Againe Novv reioyce I in my sufferings for you and fulfill the rest of the afflictiōs of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake vvhich is the Church c. The crosse of Christe therfore generally signifieth all the afflictiōs of the church which it suffereth for Christe which he him selfe witnesseth when he sayth Saule Saule vvhy persecutest thou me Saule did no violence to Christ but to his Church But he that toucheth it toucheth the apple of his eye There is a more liuely feeling in the head then in the other members of the body And this we know by experience for the litle toe or the least part of a mannes body being hurt the head forthwith sheweth it selfe by the countenaunce to feele the greefe thereof So Christe our head maketh all our afflictions his owne and suffereth also when we suffer which are his body It is profitable for vs to know these things lest we should be swalowed vppe with sorow or fal to despaire when we see that our aduersaries doe cruelly persecute excommunicate kill vs But let vs thinke with our selues after the example of Paule that we must glory in the crosse which we beare not for our owne sinnes but for Christes sake If we consider onely in our selues the sufferings which we endure they are not only grieuous but intolerable but when we may say Thy sufferings O Christe abound in vs Or as is said in the Psal. 44. For thy sake are vve killed all the day then these sufferings are not onely easie but also sweete according to that saying My burden is easie and my yoke is svveete Now it is well knowen that we at this day doe suffer the hatred and persecution of our aduersaries for none other cause but for that we preach Christe faithfully and purely If we would deny him and approue their pernicious errours and wicked religion they would not onely cease to hate and persecute vs but woulde also offer vnto vs honour riches and many goodly things Because therefore we suffer these things for Christes sake we may truely reioyse and glory with Paule in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ that is to say not in riches in power in the fauour of men c. but in afflictions weaknes sorow fightings in the body terrours in the spirite persecutions and all other euils Wherefore we trust it will shortly come to passe that Christe will say the same to vs that Dauid sayd to Abiathar the priest I am the cause of all your deaths Againe He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye As if he had sayd he that hurteth you hurteth me For if ye did not preach my worde and confesse me ye should not suffer these things So sayth he also in Iohn If ye vvere of the vvorld the vvorld vvould loue his ovvne but because I haue chosen you out of the vvorld therfore the vvorld hateth you But these things are treated of afore Verse 14. By vvhom the vvorld is crucified to me I vnto the vvorld This is Paules maner of speaking The world is crucified to me that is I iudge the world to be damned And I am crucified to the world that is the world againe iudgeth me to be damned Thus we crucifie and condemne one an other I abhorre all the doctrine righteousnes and works of the world as the poyson of the Deuil The world againe detesteth my doctrine and deedes and iudgeth me to be a sedicious a pernicious a pestilent felow and an heretike So at this day the world is crucified to vs and we vnto the world We curse and condemne all mans traditions concerning Masses Orders vowes wil-worshippings works all the abhominations of the Pope other heretikes as the dirt of the Deuill They againe do persecute kill vs as destroyers of religion and troublers of the publike peace The Monkes dreamed that the world was crucified to them when they entred into their Monasteries but by this meanes Christ is crucified and not the world yea the world is deliuered from crucifying and is the more quickened by that opinion of holines and trust which they had in their owne righteousnes that entred into religion Most foolishly wickedly therfore was this sentence of the Apostle wrested to the entring into Monasteries He speaketh here of an high matter of great importance that is to say that euery faithfull man iudgeth that to be the wisedom righteousnes and power of God which the world condemneth as the greatest folly wickednes and weaknes And contrariwise that which the world iudgeth to be the highest religion and seruice of God the faithfull doe know to be nothing else but execrable and horrible blasphemie against god So the godly condemne the world and againe the world condemneth the godly But the godly haue the right iudgement on their side for the spirituall man iudgeth all things Wherefore the iudgement of the world touching religion and righteousnes before God is as contrary to the iudgement of the godly as God and the Deuill are contrary the one to the other For as God is crucified to the Deuill and the Deuill to God that is to say as God condemneth the doctrine and workes of the Deuill for the Sonne of God appeared as Iohn sayth to destroy the workes of the Deuill and contrariwise the Deuill condemneth and ouerthroweth the word and the workes of God for he is murtherer and the father of lies so the world condemneth the doctrine and life of the godly calling them most pernicious heretikes and troublers of the publike peace And againe the faithfull call the world the sonne of the Deuil which rightly foloweth his fathers steppes that is to say which is as great a murtherer and lier as his father is This is Paules meaning when he sayth vvhereby the vvorld is crucified to me and I vnto the vvorld Now the world doth not onely signifie in the Scriptures vngodly and wicked men but the very best the wisest and holiest men that are of the world And here by the way he couertly toucheth the false apostles As if he should say I vtterly hate and detest all glory which is without the crosse of Christ as a cursed thing for the world with all the glory thereof is crucified to me and I to the world Wherefore accursed be all they which glory in your flesh and not in the crosse of Christ Paule therefore witnesseth by these wordes that he hateth the world with a perfect hatred of the holy Ghost and againe the world hateth him with a perfect hatred of a wicked spirite As if he should say It is impossible that there should be any agreement betweene me and the world What shall I then doe shall I geue place teach those things which please the
measure in prison more plenteously in death oft Of the Ievves fiue times receiued I fortie stripes saue one I vvas thrise beaten vvith roddes I vvas once stoned I suffered thrise shippevvracke night and day haue I bene in the deepe sea In iourneyings I vvas often in perilles of vvaters in perilles of robbers in perilles of mine ovvne nation in perilles among the Gentiles in perilles in the Citie in perilles in the vvildernes in perilles in the sea in perilles among false brethren c. These be the true markes and imprinted signes of which the Apostle speaketh in this place The which we also at this day by the grace of God beare in our bodies for Christes cause For the world persecuteth killeth vs false brethren deadly hate vs SathaÌ„ inwardly in our heart with his fiery dartes terrifieth vs and for none other cause but for that we teach Christ to be our righteousnes life These markes we choose not of any deuotion neither do we gladly suffer them but because the world and the Deuill do lay them vpon vs for Christes cause we are compelled to suffer them and we reioyce in spirite with Paule which is alwayes willing glorieth and reioyceth that we beare them in our body for they are a seale and most sure testimonie of true doctrine and faith These things Paule spake as I shewed afore with a certaine displeasure and indignation Verse 18. Brethren the grace of our Lord Iesus Christe be vvith your spirite Amen This is his last farewell He endeth the Epistle with the same wordes wherewith he began As if he sayd I haue taught you Christ purely I haue entreated you I haue chidden you and I haue lette passe nothing which I thought profitable for you I can say no more but that I heartely pray that our Lord Iesus Christe would blesse and encrease my labour and gouerne you with his holy spirite for euer Thus haue ye the exposition of Paules Epistle to the Galathians The Lord Iesus Christ our iustifier and Sauiour who gaue vnto me the grace and power to expound this Epistle and to you likewise to heare it preserue and stablish both you and me which I most hartely desire that we daily growing more and more in the knowledge of his grace and Faith vnfained may be found vnblameable and without fault in the day of our redemption To whom with the father and the holy Ghost be glory world without end AMEN 1. TIMOT 1. Vnto the King euerlasting immortall inuisible vnto God onely vvise be honour and glory for euer and euer AMEN FINIS Samuul 1. Esay 41. 1. Cor. 1. Hereof reade more in the Apologie of the church of England and in the booke of monuments fol. 992. Col. 2. Rom. 4. Iac. 2. Mar. 1. Mat. 3. Gen. 3 vers 2. Genes 4. Genes 6. 2. Peter 2.5 Genes 10.6 c. 1 Actes 14. Actes 7 5â— The church of the Gentiles 1. Cor. 2.1 1. Cor. 1.30 The argument of iustificatioÌ„ very necessary and diligently to be handled The rage of Sathan a sure argumeÌ„t that the day of iudgemeÌ„t is at hande The outrages of the Anabaptistes The Deuill troubleth not those that are buried and dead in sinne but especially those that are godly and hate sinne Genes 3 ver 15. For vvhose cause specially Luther setteth forth this vvorke and vvho they be that onely vnderstand this doctrine The dignitie of Gods vvord and the sacraments depend not vpon the vvorthines or vnvvorthines of the minister Iudges â—5 4. 1. Timot. 1 1â— Eccles 11 4. Psal. 121.4 The Churche shall neuer be quiet in this vvorld Vnderstande this of pestileÌ„t Libertines vvhich vvould vtterly take avvay the lavv al feare of god and the ministerie of his vvord Osea 4 4. Mich. â— 6. An exhortatioÌ„ to ministers 1. Cor. 11 19. 2. Cor. 6 15. Genes 3 5. 2. Cor. 1.12 Hovve many kindes of righteousnes there are Christian righteousnes The righteousnesse of faithe aptlye called the passiue righteousnes because it coÌ„sisteth in suffering receauing like as the righteousnes of the lavv is called th' actiue righteousnesse because it coÌ„sisteth in doing vvorking The infirmitie of man in teÌ„ptations The lavve can not comfort vs in afflictions The lavve is not giuen to a righteous maÌ„ but to the lavvlesse and disobedient Tit. 1 9 Rom. 3 20. Rom. 6 14. Rom. 10 4. Galat. 3 24 Po. 1 1â— Good vvorkes not forbiddeÌ„ ChristiaÌ„ righteousnesse not vvroughte by vs but vvrought in vs 1. Cor. 15.49 VVe caÌ„ do nothing for the obtaining of ChristiaÌ„ righteousnesse Io. 16 10. Heb. 1 3. 1. Cor. 1 30. Heb. 4.15 Rom. 4 15. 1. Io. 5 18. 1. Iohn 5.18 Rom. 1. vers 19.20.21 c. The drifte of the Apostle in the Epistle to the GalathiaÌ„s See vvhat vve fal into vvhen vve neglecte this doctrine or vvant true zeale to aduaÌ„ce the same 1. Cor. 1.30 Heb. 7.25 Rom. 4. 15. 1. Cor. 6.19 The occasioÌ„ of vvryting this Epistle to the Galathians The Deuil hateth the gospel stirreth vp vvicked meÌ„ against it The doctrine of the gospell The accusatioÌ„s vvhervvith the vvorlde chargeth the gospell The effectes of the gospell Coloss 1. ver 1â— The authority of the false Apostels Io. 8. Rom. 4 4.5.6 Math. 7 ver 22 The argument of the papistes against vs. VVith hovve greate constaÌ„cie S. Paule defendeth his vocation and authoritie against the false Apostles The summe of the tvvo first chapters Galat. 5. The minister of God must be sure of his calling The glorying of S. Paule necessary and holy Rom. 11.13 The Preachers are to be receaued as messengers from God by vvhose ministerie God himselfe speaketh The calling of the Apostles 1 Cor. 10.28 Ephes 4.11 VVho be Apostles Actes 1.24.25 The calling of Mathias Actes 9.15 The Apostles sainctes Math. 27 5. They vvhich be not called do kil and destroy The certaintie of calling VVhat daunger they be in vvhich haue no lavvfull calling VVhy Paule exalteth his calling so in euery place The profite of extolling our calling A holy pride The summe of the Epistle to the GalathiaÌ„s Math. 12.34 VVhat Paule goeth about in this Epistle Rom. 4.24.25 The victorie of Christ is ours 1. Cor. 15.57 Iohn 11.25 VVhy he saith and all the brethern These fantasticall spirites flie the crosse and therfore betake them selues to such places vvhere they may liue at ease The condition of all godly preachers The coÌ„fort of faithfull teachers laboring vnder the crosse 1. Cor. 2 9. The constant faith of Luther 1 Pet. 5 4. The vvord sacramentes are not polluted by our vngodlines The seat of Antichrist 2. Thes 2.4 The churche dispersed through the vvorld Grace Peace The article of of iustificatioÌ„ is continually to be beaten into our heds The greeting of the Apostle straunge and vnheard of to the vvorld Sinne. Conscience The doctrine of Christians Grace Peace Sinne is not released but by grace alone The vvorld knovveth not the doctrine of true godlines Onely by grace is the conscience