the question he woulde sodaynlye cutte off the occasion of doubt or else the wordes Euen as are referred only to that which is next afore that is to saye that by the hearing of fayth lhey had the ministration of the Spirite and of vertues as if he would say that there shined in the grace giuen vnto them a similitude or likenesse with Abraham Beleeued God With this Testimonie hee proueth as well in this place as in the fourth Chapter to the Romaynes that men are iustified by fayth because Fayth was imputed to Abraham for righteousnesse Fyrste brieflye is to be vnderstanded what Fayth in this place meaneth with Paule secondlye what righteousnesse thyrdlye why fayth is deemed the cause of iustification Fayth is not taken for euerye perswasion which men may haue of the truth of God for be it that Caine had a hundred tymes beleeued God when he tolde him he would punishe him he hadde not bene the nere to obtayne righteousnesse Abraham therefore was iustified by beleeuing because whereas he had of God a promise of his fatherly goodnesse he did certaynely and surely embrace the same than Fayth in this place hath a relation and respecte vnto suche a worde of GOD as men hauing it in possession may rest in it and sticke fast to it As touching the worde Righteousnesse the manner of speaking of Moses is to be marked for whereas he sayth It was imputed to Abraham for righteousnesse because he beleeued hee declareth thereby that he is righteous that is so taken with GOD. And whereas men haue not righteteousnesse layde vp in themselues they obtayne the same by imputation because GOD doth impute Fayth vnto them for righteousnesse Wee are sayde than to bee iustifyed by Faith not because fayth doth poure into vs an habite or qualitie but because we are accepted before GOD. And why is there so great honour attributed to faith that it is called the cause of our righteousnesse Firste wee must knowe that it is the instrumentall cause onely for to speake properly our righteousnesse is nothing else but a free accepting of GOD in which lieth the foundation of our saluation but because the Lorde in giuing vnto vs a Testimonie of his loue and grace thorowe the Gospell doeth communicate vnto vs that righteousnesse which I haue spoken off therefore we take holde of it by fayth Therefore when we attribute mans iustification vnto fayth wee dispute not of the principall cause but we note onelye the manner whereby men come to true righteousnesse For this righteousnesse is the meere gifte of God and not a qualitye whiche sticketh or is in man but is possessed onely by Fayth neyther yet that by the deserte or merite of Fayth that it should be as a due rewarde but because we receaue by Fayth that which GOD of his owne accorde and good will doth giue therefore all these speeches are of like force That we are iustified by the grace of God That Christe is our righteousnesse That the mercye of GOD is the cause of our righteousnesse That righteousnesse is gotten vnto vs by the death and resurrection of Christ That righteousnesse is giuen vnto vs by the Gospell That we obtayne righteousnesse by Fayth Whereby it appeareth howe childishlye they erre whiche woulde make these propositions agree together Wee are iustified by Fayth and Workes both for hee that is iust by Fayth he being bare and voyde of his owne righteousnesse resteth in the onlye grace of GOD. And this is the reason why Paule to the Romaynes doth conclude that Abraham is destytute of Glorye before GOD because hee hath obtained righteousnesse by Fayth Rom. 4.2 for it is not sayde that Fayth was imputed vnto him for parte of righteousnesse but for righteousnesse simplye without more wordes therefore Fayth was vnto him in the whole for righteousnesse Fynallye Fayth beholdeth nothing beside the mercye of GOD and Christ deade and raysed agayne Therefore all merite of workes is shutte out from the cause of iustification when as all is assigned to fayth For fayth for that it contayneth in it selfe the free goodnesse of God Christ with all his good things the testimony and witnesse of our adoption whiche is giuen in the Gospell is vtterly opposite and set against the law the merits of workes and the worthinesse of men for whereas the Sophisters doe thinke that it is only set agaynst ceremonies the order of the disputation or reasoning shall by and by with small adoe thorowly reproue them We must therefore beare in mind that they that are iust by fayth are iust without themselues that is in Christ whereby also the foolishe cauillation of some which dally with Paule is confuted because say they Moses calleth righteousnesse goodnesse or honesty and so it signifieth nothing else but Abraham was accounted a good man because he beleeued God Such frantike sprites doth Sathan at these dayes rayse vp to ouerthrow the certayntie of the Scripture with crooked slaunders as it were with mynes But Paule who knew that Moses in that place taught not children grammar but that he spake of the iudgement of God did not without cause take the worde Righteousnesse after the maner of a Diuine for we are not deemed righteous before GOD after the like reason wherewith we haue prayse of goodnesse before men but when we bring perfecte obedience of the Lawe For righteousnesse is opposite or sette againste the breaking of the Lawe yea euen in the least iote or tittle but because we haue not it I meane righteousnesse of our selues God doth freelye giue it vnto vs. Obiection But here the Iewes shake vp Paule for that he hath wrongfully wrested Moses wordes to serue his owne turne for Moses there in that place doth not entreate of Christe or of the life euerlasting but maketh mention onely of the earthye promise The Papistes also are not farre off from the Iewes for albeit they dare not reproche Paule yet they do altogether ouerturne Paules intent and purpose Answere I aunswere Paule taketh it for a thing graunted as an vndoubted Principle among Christians that whatsoeuer promises the Lorde gaue vnto Abraham they did appertayne or depend on that firste promise I am thy God Genesis 17.1 Thy rewarde is exreeding greate Gen. 15.1 And in thy seede shal all nations be blessed Gen. 22.17 18. And therfore whē Abraham heard this Thy seed shal be as the sande of the sea c. he stayed not in that word but rather he included it in the grace of adoption as the part in the whole moreouer whatsoeuer promise was giuen he did not otherwise receiue the same than as a testimonye of the fatherly grace of God that thereby hee mighte take sure confidence of saluation For euen in this doe the Children of God differ from the vnbeleeuers for that they in deede haue the vse of God his benefites together with the children of God but yet like beastes they regarde not that which is higher but as for God his Children because
them to keepe the lawe from which he himselfe woulde be free For beside this that euery man ought to keepe that Law which he prescribeth vnto other in this yet he offended the more for that hee would compell the Gentils to Iudaisme and he being himselfe a Iew permitted to himselfe libertye For the Law was giuen to the Iewes and not to the Gentils Therfore he vseth an Argumēt a minori ad mains frō the les to the more furthermore this was an hard and a violent coaction that he did renounce vnto the Gentils communion or partaking except they wold receaue the yoke of the law which was an vniust offer conditiō And the whole force of the reprehending cōsisteth in this word * That is the law which of Chrisostom Hierom was not perceiued for the vse of ceremonies was free to edification so that the faithfull were not robbed of their liberty nor necessitie laid vpon thē from the which the gospel hath set thē free 15 We are by nature Iewes I know that to some it semeth to be a figure called Anthypophora in English an obiectiō as thogh Paul did preuēt in the persō of the aduerse party that which he mought obiect that is that the Iewes haue a greater priuiledge as they commonly saye not that they might boast immunitie or freedome from the law for it shoulde haue bene more then vnlikelye for them vnto whome the lawe was giuen to boast of that but because they ought by certayne notable tokens to be distinguished from the Gentils That therfore I neither wholy reiect neyther yet altogether allowe as by and by it shall appeare Some doe vnderstande this as spoken in the person of Paule but in this sence if thou wouldest laye the burthen of the Lawe vppon the Iewes it were more agreeable to reason for it commeth vnto them by inheritaunce but this exposition doth not agree neither It is rather than the seconde parte of the sentence which beginneth with the figure Occupatio Occupatio is a Figure whereby in preuenting our aduersaries Obiections we confute the same for whereas there was a difference betwene the Iewes and the Gentils for that the Gentils were vnholy and vncleane but the Iewes holy as farre forthe as God had adopted them for his people the Iewes might contende as touching this prerogatiue But Paule by preuenting dothe wisely wreste it to the contrarye for seing that the Iewes themselues with all their dignitie were constrained to flie to the faithe of Christ howe muche more behoued it the Gentils to get saluation by faith The mind of Paule than is thus We which seme to excell other which haue bine through the benifite of his couenaunt alwayes nighe God haue neuer the later founde no reason or meane to get saluation but vy beleuing in Christ why than should we prescribe any other meane vnto the Gentils For if the Lawe were necessarie or els could preuaile the folowers thereof vnto saluation it would moste of all haue preuailed vs vnto whome it was giuen and if so be that we haue left it and are gone vnto Christ much lesse are the gentils to be vrged to take it vppon thē The word Sinner doth signifie here as it doth often in other places vnholye or lost and estraunged from God such were the Gentils who had no fellowship with God but the Iewes were by adoption the Children of God and therefore segregate or set apart into holynesse Whereas he sayth by nature hee doth not meane that they are by nature free from the corruption of mankinde for Dauid who discended by lineage from Abraham confesseth that he was begotte of vncleane seede Psa 51.7 but the remedye of grace wherewith they were sanctified didde suppresse the corruption of nature to whiche they were in daunger And because the promise made the blessing an inheritaunce therefore it is called a good thing naturall or by nature So to the Romaynes Chap. 11. ver 16. he sayth they were sprong oute of an holy roote Therefore when hee sayth We are by nature Iewes is as muche as if he shoulde saye Wee are borne holye not by our owne desart but because we are chosen of God to be his people We than which by nature were Iewes what haue we done wee haue beleeued in Christ To what ende haue wee beleeued that by the fayth of Christe we mighte be iustifyed For what cause Because we were conuinced and put oute of doubte that men could not obtayne righteousnesse by the workes of the Lawe Hee than reasoneth after the nature and effecte of faith that the Iewes are not iustified by the Lawe For as they who would establish their owne righteousnesse of workes are not subiecte to the righteousnesse of GOD Rom. 10.3 so on the contrary part they whiche beleeue in Christe doe confesse themselues to be sinners and renounce the righteousnesse of workes Hee is busied here in the chiefest questyon naye rather in the whole summe almost of the controuersie is included in this proposition wherefore it is meete the more dilligently to stande vpon the discussing of this present place Firste and formost this is to be noted that righteousnesse must bee sought by the fayth of Christ because we cannot bee iustified by workes Now it is demaunded what hee meaneth by Workes of the Law The Papistes being beguiled by Origen and Hierome doe suppose that the controuersie is of shadowes onelye nay rather they doe firmely define so and therefore they doe alwaye by the Workes of the Law interprete ceremonies as though Paule didde not dispute of the free righteousnesse which is giuen vnto vs by Christ neyther doe they holde it to be an absurditie that no man is iustified by the workes of the Law Without rime or reason and yet they holde that wee are accounted righteous before GOD through the merite of workes To bee shorte they account no mention to be made of morall workes in this place But the Texte doeth plainelye shewe that the morall law is comprehended also in these wordes for almoste whatsoeuer thinges Paule will afterwarde adde or speake they doe pertayne to the morall lawe rather than to the ceremoniall moreouer he doeth alway set the free accepting or allowing wherewith God doth vouchsafe to accepte vs agaynste the righteousnesse of the law But the aduersaries obiect Obiection That workes shoulde haue bene named without any addition except Paule would restrayne it to some certaine specialtye I aunswere Answere That of this kinde of speaking there is a very good reason for although a man might excell the Aungels in holynesse yet were there no rewarde due for his workes except in this respect because it is promised of the Lorde therefore wheras the perfection or perfect obseruation of the lawe is righteousnes and hath the reward of eternall life laide vp therfore it commeth of God who pronounceth that they shall haue the victory which doe fulfil the same of which matter I will speake more in place
to God that forsooth nowe hee liueth not by his owne life but that he is so liued with the hidden vertue power of Christ that Christ may he sayde to liue and to flourish in him For as the soule nourisheth the body with life so also doth Christ inspire life into his membres A notable sentence That the faythfull liue without themselues that is to saye in Christ which cannot be but they must haue a true and a substātiall communicating with him Finally Christ liueth in vs two maner of wayes One life is whan hee gouerneth vs with his spirite and doth direct all our doinges The other is that hee maketh vs pertakers of his righteousnesse that when wee bee not able in our selues yet in him we maye be acceptable vnto God The first belongeth to regeneration or new byrth the seconde belongeth to the free accepting of righteousnesse of the which we may vnderstande this place to meane although if any man had rather vnderstand it of both I willingly will embrace it In as much as I now liue in the flesh There is here almost no sentence which hath not bene torn with sundry expositions as some expounde flesh in this place to be the euil of nature corrupted But Paule doth meane it more simply to be the bodily life For the faithfull by liuing in the flesh doe neuerthelesse not liue after the flesh although it doe also comprehend the infirmities in which wee are now helde enwrapped Or else there had ben another obiection in a readinesse Obiection Thou also liuest a bodily and fraile life where not onely this corruptible bodie doth exercise his offices wheras it is susteined or fed with meat and drinke but also it is in like manner compassed with many vices so that on euery side the face of death doth shewe it selfe this is not the heauenly life of Christ A Paradox is a sentence or opinyon straunge and contrary to the opinyon of the most part Aunswer therfore it is a paradox contrary to all reason that whereas thou doest manifestely liue after the common maner of men yet thou sayest thou haste no life of thine owne Paule aunswereth that it namelye his life consisteth in fayth whereby he auoucheth that it is a misterie hidden from the sence of man The life than whiche wee obtayne by fayth appeareth not to the eyes but it is perceyued within in the conscience by the efficacie of the spirite and therfore the bodily life letteth not but that we maye by fayth possesse the heauenly life Ephe. 1.20 He hath placed vs in heauenly thinges c. Also Now yee are the Citizens of the Saynts and of the housholde of God Ephe. 2.19 Also to the Philippians 3.20 Our conuersation is in heauen Also to the Colossians We are dead and our lyfe is hid with Christ in God to be short Paule is full of such testimonyes whereby hee affirmeth that we doe so liue in the world that neuerthelesse we liue also in heauen not only because there is our head but also that by the right or interest of vnitie we haue a life common with him as S. Iohn speaketh cap. 14. ver 1. In the meane while let vs note that here he bringeth his reason from the nature of fayth that he may teache vs that it is no absurditie if that life bee hid which is graffed or placed in fayth because that thing whiche we hope for doth not yet appeare that fayth maye be named the knowledge of thinges inuisible Which hath loued me These wordes are added to expresse the force of Fayth or else this thought would come into euery mans mynde Whence cōmeth such vertue of fayth that it should shead out vppon vs the life of Christ therefore the hypostasis whereon fayth leaneth Substance or foundation doth declare the loue and death of Christ for thereof is the effecte of fayth to be estimated Howe commeth it to passe than that wee liue by the fayth of Christ because he hath loued vs and giuen himselfe for vs. the loue I saye wherwith Christ hath imbraced vs did cause that he did make himselfe one with vs that hath he done by his death for in giuing himselfe for vs he hath suffered no otherwise than in our person and therfore whatsoeuer faith findeth in Christe of the same it maketh vs partakers Wheras he maketh mention of Loue he meaneth that whiche is taught 1. Ioh. 4.19 Not because we loued him firste but that he hath preuented vs firste with his loue For if he being prouoked with merites had redemed vs the cause therof would haue bene tolde but now Paule ascribeth all vnto loue it is therfore free or without merite For the order must be marked He hath loued vs and giuen himselfe for vs. which is as muche as if he hadde sayde There was no other cause wherefore hee shoulde dye but because he loued vs. and that at such time as we were his enimies as he teacheth Rom. 5.10 And giuen himselfe We cannot wel expresse with any wordes how great a thing this is for who canne declare in wordes howe greate the excellencie of the Sonne of GOD is hee hath appoynted himselfe to bee the price to redeeme vs. Vnder the worde giuen is included the whole commoditie whiche commeth vnto vs by the death of Christe that is to saye that it is the Sacrifice of Purging the Washing Satisfaction c. Neyther haue these wordes for me a small force in them because it was not ynough to consider or thinke that Christ died for the saluation of the worlde excepte euerye one doe challenge priuatelye vnto himselfe the effect and possession of this grace 21 I cast not awaye There is a greate emphasis or vehemencie in those wordes for what and how horrible vnkyndenesse is it to contemne so inestimable grace of GOD and purchase with so greate a price Hee accuseth the false Apostles of this sacriledge whiche is robbing Christe of his honour which being not contence with Christe alone doe thrust in also other helpes of saluation For the grace of GOD is refused excepte that wee renounce all other thinges and embrace Christe alone finallye what hath a man left him after he hath refused the grace of God and made himselfe vnworthye of it For if righteousnes Gratis which I haue translated for nothing is taken for frustra which is in vaine that is there should be nothing much worth in the death of Christ or Christe died for nor reward For this is the rewarde of his death that by purging of our sinnes he hath reconciled vs vnto his Father hereof it followeth that by his grace we are iustified and therfore not by workes The Papists interprete it of the ceremoniall Lawe but who seeth not that it hath respecte to the whole Lawe for it is as muche as Paule shoulde saye If wee our selues deserue righteousnesse than Christe hath suffered in vayne for therefore suffered hee that hee mighte obtayne righteousnesse for vs. and
charity whereas the law cōsisteth of ii tables of which the first is a doctrine cōcerning the worshipping of God the dutyes of godlynesse the later is a doctrine of loue or charity for it is an absurditie to make of the part the whole Som in expounding this place wynd away on this fashion saying that no other thing is taught in the firste table but that we should loue God with all our hart But Paul doth playnely speake of charitie toward our neighbours than must we seeke another solution that is stronger I graunt that pietie toward God standeth before loue toward our neighbors and that therefore the obseruing or keeping of the first table is of more waight in the sight of God than of the later But piety or godlinesse is a thing hidden from the sence or vnderstanding of men as God himselfe is inuisible and though ceremonyes were ordayned to testifie the same I meane godlynesse yet were they no sure proofes thereof for often it happeneth that none are more stout and busie obseruers of ceremonies than bee hypocrites God therefore will take a triall of our affection toward him by our loue toward our brethren whiche hee setteth downe vnto vs one toward another And this is the reason why loue is called the fulfilling of the law not only in this place but also Ro. 13.8 not because it excelleth the worshipping of God but for that it is a confirmatiō therof I sayd euē now that God is inuisible but he manifesteth himself vnto vs in our bretherē and requireth in the person of them that whiche is due to himselfe Loue therefore toward men riseth not but of the feare and loue of God Therefore it is no maruaile if the effect contayn by the figure Synecdoche vnder it the cause whereof it is a signe He shall goe to worke disorderly whatsoeuer he bee that seperateth the loue of God from the loue of men Thou shalt loue thy neighbour For he that shall loue muste yeelde vnto euery one his right he will do wrong to no man he will hurt no man hee will doe good to all as much as lyeth in his power for what else is spoken off in all the seconde Table and this reason also doth Paule bring out in the Epistle to the Romaines Finally vnder the name of Neighbour are all men contayned for the nature that is common both to pore and riche doth ioyne vs and maketh vs one as Esay warneth Cha 58.7 Despise not thine owne flesh But specially the Image of God ought to be a most holy bande of knitting vs together and therfore in this case there is no difference of friend and foe neyther maye the vngratiousnesse of men wipe out the lawe of nature This parcell As thy selfe meaneth thus much As euerye man is bent by the affection of the flesh to loue himselfe so is commended vnto vs by God the loue toward our neighbours They ouerthrow the wordes of the Lord but expound them not who gather thereof as all the Sorbonistes doe that the loue of our selues ought to be alway first in order because the thing ruled ought to be inferiour to that which ruleth or is the rule They are Asses and haue not a crumme of charitie for if the loue of our selues were a rule it would follow that it were right and holy and allowed before God but neuer shal we loue our neighboures sincerely and according to the minde of the Lorde vntill we haue amended and corrected that same loue of our selues for the affections are contrary and disagreeing when as the loue of our selues engendreth as well the neglecting as the contemning of others engendreth crueltie is the Fountaine and well-spring of couetousnesse rapines deceites and of all suche lyke mischiefes enforceth vs to impaciencie and armeth vs with the desire of reuenge Therefore the Lord requireth this that it may be chaunged into loue 15 If you bite and deuoure A man maye coniecture as well by the thing it selfe as also by the wordes that the Galathians striued and were at odddes among themselues for that they did disagree in doctrine hee nowe declareth by the ende of such dealing how deadly an euill strife is in the Church Moreouer it is very like that the Lorde by false doctrines hadde reuenged their ambition loftinesse and other their vices as hee is accustomed and also testifieth by Moses Deut. 13. ver 2. By bytinges and deuouring he meaneth in my iudgemente both hatefull slaunders accusations taunts and suche like brawles and also iniuries and wrongs done by fraude or violence What is the ende hereof at the length consuming or deuouring saith he but yet it is the propertie of charitie that one of vs should defend and preserue another I wold to god this would alwaies come into our mind as ofte as the diuell doeth procure vs vnto contentions namely that no other thing can come of the inward dissentions of the members but a destruction and consumption of the whole bodye And what a wretched and mad thing is it that we who are members of one body do willingly and of our own accord conspire one of vs to destroy another I saye then walke in the Spirite The remedie followeth the ruine of the Church is no small euill we must therefore dilligently preuent it as oft as it is at hande But what is the meane or the waye forsooth if the flesh haue not dominion in vs but that wee giue our selues to be gouerned of the spirite of God And hee doth withall shew that the Galathians are carnall and voyd of God his spirite for that they led such a life as became not christians for wherof came it that one of them wounded another but because they were ledde after the lust of the fleshe This than hee sayth is a token that they walke not after the Spirite You must marke the worde Fulfill whereby hee meaneth that the children of God although they be as yet endaungered vnto vices as long as they are oppressed with the burthen of the flesh yet are they not vtterly addicted vnto them or in bondage to them but doe indeauour to resist and fight agaynst them neyther is the spirituall man free from the desires of the flesh but that he is often prouoked of them but he doth not yeeld that he maye suffer them to raigne which to doe is to fulfill them Looke vpon the eight to the Romaynes 17 The flesh couereth against He putteth thē in minde of the difficulty to the end they may know that they cannot spiritually ouercome without contending the difficultie riseth hereof that our disposition resisteth the spirite For vnder the name of Flesh I haue sayd in the Epistle to the Romanes that there is meant the nature of man for where as the Sophisters restraine it to the inferiour sences as they call them it is refelled by many places and the contrarye taketh awaye all the doubte For the Spirite signifieth a refourmed nature or the grace of regeneration