iudgement of all kindes of doctrine and trades of life It approueth establisheth ciuill gouernment houshold gouernment and all kindes of life that are ordained and appoynted of god It rooteth vp all doctrines of errour sedition confusion and such like and it putteth away the feare of sinne and death and to be short it discouereth all subtile slights and works of the Deuill and openeth the benefits and loue of God towards vs in Christ What with a mischiefe meanes the world to hate this word this glad tidings of euerlasting comfort grace saluation and eternall life so bitterly and to persecute it with such hellish outrage Paule before called this present world euill and wicked that is to say the Deuils kingdome For els it would acknowledge the benefite and mercie of God but forasmuch as it is vnder the dominion of the deuill it doth therefore carelesly and desperatly despise persecute these things louing darknes errours and the kingdome of the Deuill more then the light truth kingdome of Christ And this it doth not through ignorance or errour but through the malice of the deuill Which thing hereby may sufficiently appeare in that Christ the sonne of God by giuing him selfe to death for the sinnes of all men hath gained nothing els of this froward and forlorne world but that for this his inestimable benefite it blasphemeth him and persecuteth his most healthfull word and faine would yet still naile him to the crosse if it could Therefore not onely the world dwelleth in darkenes but it is darkenes it selfe as it is written in the first of Iohn Paule therfore amplifieth these words From Christ vvho hath called you As though he would say My preaching was not of the hard lawes of Moses neither taught I that you should be bondslaues vnder the yoke but I preached the onely doctrine of grace and freedome from the lawe sinne death the deuill and damnation That is to say that Christ hath mercifully called you in grace that ye should be freemen vnder Christ and not bōdmen vnder Moses whose Disciples ye are now become againe by meanes of your false Apostles who by the lawe of Moises called you not vnto grace but vnto wrath to the hating of God to sinne and death But Christes calling bringeth grace and sauing health For they that be called by him in stede of the lawe that worketh sorrow doe gaine the glad tidings of the Gospel and are translated out of Gods wrath into his fauour out of sinne into righteousnes and out of death into life And will you suffer your selues to be carried yea and that so soone and so easily an other way from such a liuing fountaine full of grace and and life Now if Moses call men to Gods wrath and to sinne by the law of God whither shall the Pope call men by his owne traditions The other sense that the father calleth in the grace of Christ is also good but the former sense concerning Christ serueth more fitly for the comforting of afflicted consciences Verse 6 Vnto an other Gospell Here we may learne to espie the craftie sleights and subtilties of the Deuill No heretike commeth vnder the title of errours and of the Deuill neither doth the Deuill himselfe come as a Deuill in his owne likenes especially that white Deuill which we spake of before Yea euen the blacke deuill which forceth men to manifest wickednes maketh a cloke for them to couer that sinne which they committe or purpose to committe The murtherer in his rage seeth not that murther is so greate and horrible a sinne as it is in deede for that he hath a cloke to couer the same Whoremasters theeues couetous persons drunkards and such others haue wherwith to flatter them selues and couer their sinnes So the blacke deuill also commeth out disguised and counterfet in all his works and deuises But in spirituall matters where Sathan commeth forth not blacke but white in the likenes of an Angell or of God him selfe there he passeth himselfe with most craftie dissimulation and wonderfull sleights and is wont to set forth to sale his most deadly poison for the doctrine of grace for the word of God for the Gospell of Christ For this cause Paule calleth the doctrine of the false Apostles Sathans ministers a gospell also saying vnto an other Gospell but in derision As though he would say ye Galathians haue now other Euangelistes and an other Gospell My Gospell is now despised of you it is now no more in estimation among you Hereby it may easily be gathered that these false Apostles had condemned the Gospell of Paule among the Galathians saying Paule in deede hath begunne well but to haue begunne well it is not enough for there remaine yet many higher matters Like as they say in the .15 of the Acts It is not enough for you to beleue in Christ or to be baptised but it behoueth also that ye be circumcised For except ye be circumcised after the lavv of Moses ye can not be saued This is asmuch to say as Christ is a good workman which hath in deede begunne a building but he hath not finished it for this must Moses doe So at this day when the fantasticall Anabaptistes and others can not manifestly condemne vs they say These Lutherans haue the spirite of fearefulnes they dare not franckly and freely professe the truth and goe thorow with it In deede they haue laid a foundation that is to say they haue well taught faith in Christ but the beginning midle and end must be ioyned together To bring this to passe God hath not giuen it vnto them but hath left it vnto vs So these peruerse and deuelish spirits set out and aduaunce their owne wicked preachings calling them the word of God and so deceaue many vnder the colour of Gods name For the Deuill will not be ougly and blacke in his ministers but faire and white And to the end he may appeare to be such a one he setteth out and decketh all his words and works with the colour of truth and with the name of God. Hereof is sprong that common prouerbe among the Germains In Gods name beginneth all mischiefe Wherefore let vs learne that this is a speciall point of the deuils cunning that if he can not hurt by persecuting and destroying he doth it vnder a colour of correcting and building vp So now a dayes he persecuteth vs with force and sword that when we are once taken away and dispatched he may not onely deface the Gospell but vtterly ouerthrow it But hitherto he hath preuailed nothing for he hath slaine many who haue constantly confessed this our doctrine to be holy and heauenly through whose bloud the Church is not destroied but wattred Forasmuch therefore as he could preuaile nothing that way he stirreth vp wicked spirits and vngodly teachers which at the first allow our doctrine and teach the same with a common consent together with
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
therof as the childe of Adam where the law accuseth me death reigneth ouer me and at length will deuoure me But I haue an other righteousnesse and life aboue this life which is Christ the sonne of God who knoweth no sinne nor death but is righteousnesse and life eternall by whome this my body being dead and brought into dust shal be raised vp againe and deliuered from the bondage of the lawe and sinne and shal be sanctified together with the spirite So bothe these continue whilest we heere liue The flesh is accused exercised with temptations oppressed with heauinesse and sorrowe brused by this actiue righteousnesse of the law but the spirit reigneth reioyceth and is saued by this passiue and christian righteousnesse because it knoweth that it hath a Lord in heauen at the right hand of his father who hath abolished the law sinne death and hath troden vnder his feete all euils led them captiue and triumphed ouer them in him selfe Coloss 2.15 S. Paule therfore in this Epistle goeth about diligētly to instruct vs to comfort vs to holde vs in the perfect knowledge of this most excellent and christian righteousnesse For if the article of Iustification be once lost then is all true christian doctrine lost And as many as are in the world that holde not this doctrine are either Iewes Turkes Papists or heretikes For betwene the righteousnesse of the law and the christian righteousnesse there is no meane He then that strayeth from this christian righteousnesse must needes fall into the righteousnesse of the law that is to say when he hath lost Christ he must fall into the confidence of his owne workes Therfore doe we so often repeate and so earnestly set forthe this doctrine of Faith or Christian righteousnesse that by this meanes it may be kept in continuall exercise and may be plainly discerned from the actiue righteousnesse of the law Otherwise we shall neuer be able to holde the true diuinitie for by this onely doctrine that Church is built and in this it consisteth but by by we shall either become Canonists obseruers of Ceremonies obseruers of the law or papists and Christ so darkened that none in the Churche shall be either rightly taught or comforted Wherfore if we will be teachers and leaders of other it behoueth vs to haue a great care of these matters and to marke well this distinction betweene the righteousnesse of the law and the righteousnesse of Christ And this distinction is easie to be vttered in wordes but in vse and experience it is very hard althoughe it be neuer so diligently exercised and practised for that in the houre of death or in other agonies of the conscience these two sortes of righteousnesse do encoūter more nere together then thou wouldest wishe or desire Wherfore I doe admonishe you especially such as shall become instructers and guiders of consciences and also euery one apart that ye exercise your selues continually by studie by reading by meditation of the worde and by prayer that in the time of temptation ye may be able to instruct and comfort bothe your owne consciences and others and to bring them from the law to grace from the actiue and working righteousnesse to the passiue and receiued righteousnesse and to conclude from Moises to Christ For the deuill is wont in affliction and in the cōflict of conscience by the law to make vs afraide and to lay against vs the conscience of sinne our wicked life past the wrathe and iudgement of God hell and eternall death that by this meanes he may driue vs to desperation make vs bondslaues to him selfe plucke vs from Christ Furthermore he is wont to set against vs those places of the gospell wherin Christ him selfe requireth workes of vs with plaine wordes threatneth danmation to those that doe them not Nowe if here we be not able to iudge betwene these two kinds of righteousnes if we take not hould of Christ by fayth sitting at the right hand of God who maketh intercession vnto the father for vs miserable sinners then are we vnder the lawe and not vnder grace and Christ is no more a Sauiour but a lawe geuer so that now there remaineth no more saluation but certaine desperation and euerlasting death except repentance follow Let vs then diligently learne to iudge betwene these two kindes of righteousnes that we may know how farre we ought to obey the law Now we haue sayd before that that law in a Christian ought not to passe his bounds but ought to haue dominion onely vpon the flesh which is in subiection vnto it remaineth vnder the same When it is thus the lawe is kept within his bounds But if it shall presume to creepe into thy conscience there seeke to raigne see thou play the cunning Logician and make true diuision Geue no more to the lawe then is conuenient but say thou O lawe thou wouldest clime vp into the kingdome of my conscience and there reigne and reproue it of sinne and wouldest take from me the ioy of my hart which I haue by faith in Christ and driue me to desperation that I might be without all hope and vtterly perish This thou doest besides thine office keepe thy selfe within thy boundes and exercise thy power vpon the fleshe but touch not my conscience for I am baptised by the gospell am called to the pertaking of righteousnes of euerlasting life to the kingdome of Christ wherin my conscience is at rest where no law is but altogither forgeuenes of sinnes peace quietnes ioy health and euerlasting life Trouble me not in these matters for I will not suffer thee so intollerable a tyrante and cruell tormenter to reigne in my conscience for it is the seate and temple of Christ the sonne of God who is the King of righteousnes peace and my most sweete Sauiour and Mediatour he shall keepe my conscience ioyfull and quiet in the sound and pure doctrine of the gospell and in the knowledge of this Christian heauenly righteousnes When I haue this righteousnes reigning in my hart I descend from heauen as the raine making frutefull the earth that is to say I come forth into an other kingdome and I doe good workes how and whensoeuer occasion is offered If I be a minister of the word I preach I comfort the broken harted I administer the sacraments If I be a housholder I gouerne my house and my family I bringe vp my children in the knowledge feare of god If I be a magistrate the charge that is geuen me from aboue I diligently execute If I be a seruant I doe my masters busines faithfully To conclude whosoeuer he be that is assuredly persuaded that Christ is his righteousnes he doth not only chearefully and gladly worke well in his vocation but also submitteth him selfe through loue to the magistrates and to their lawes yea though they be seuere sharpe and cruell and if necessitie doe so
for his mischeuous deedes What is this els but to heape vpon him that is already most miserably afflicted extreme perdition and destruction and through a false confidence in his owne death to shew him the ready way to hell Hereby these hypocrites doe plainely declare that they neither teache nor vnderstande one letter or syllable concerning grace the Gospell or Christ They retaine onely in outwarde shewe the name of the Gospell and of Christ that they may begile the heartes of the people Notwithstanding they denying and reiecting Christ in deede doe attribute more to the traditions of men then to the Gospell of Christ Which thing to be true so many kindes of false worshippe so many religious orders so many ceremonies and so many wilworkes doe witnesse All which things were instituted as auailable to deserue grace righteousnes and euerlasting life In their confessions they make no mention of faith or the merite of Christ but teach and set forth the satisfactions and merits of men as it may plainly appeare in this forme of absolution I speake nothing here of other matters which the Monkes vsed among themselues yea and such as would be counted more deuout and more religious then others which I thinke good here to sette downe that our posteritie may see howe greate and howe horrible the kingdome of the Pope is The forme of a Monkish absolution God forgeue thee my brother The merite of the passion of our Lord Iesus Christ and of blessed Saincte Mary alwaies a virgine and of all the Saincts the merite of thine order the streitnes of thy religion the humilitie of thy confession the contrition of thy hart the good workes which thou hast done and shalt doe for the loue of our Lord Iesus Christ be vnto thee auaileable for the remission of thy sinnes the encrease of desert and grace and the reward of euerlasting life Amen Ye heare the merite of Christ mencioned in these words but if ye weye them well ye shall perceaue that Christ is there altogether vnprofitable and that the glory and name of a iustifier and Sauiour is quite taken from him and geuen to Monkish merites Is not this to take the name of God in vaine Is not this to confesse Christ in wordes and in very deede to deny his power and blaspheme his name I my selfe also was once entangled with this errour I thought Christ to be a iudge although I confessed with my mouth that he suffered and died for mans redemption and ought to be pacified by the obseruation of my rule and order Therfore when I prayed or when I said Masse I vsed to adde this in the end O Lord Iesus I come vnto thee I pray thee that these burthens and this streitnes of my rule and religion may be a full recompence for all my sinnes But now I geue thankes vnto God the father of all mercies which hath called me out of darkenes vnto the light of his glorious Gospell hath geuen vnto me plentifull knowledge of Christ Iesus my lord for whose sake I coūt al things to be but losse yea I esteme them but as dunge that I may gaine Christ and that I may be found in him not hauing mine owne righteousnes out of the rule of Augustine but that righteousnes which cometh by faith in Christ Vnto whom with the father the holy ghost be praise and glory world without end Amen We conclude therefore with Paule that we are iustified by faith onely in Christ without the law Now after that a man is once iustified and possesseth Christ by faith and knoweth that he is his righteousnes and life doubtles he will not be idle but as a good tree he wil bring forth good frutes For the beleuing man hath the holy Ghost and wher the holy Ghost dwelleth it will not suffer a man to be idle but stirreth him vp to all exercises of pietie and godlines and of true religion to the loue of God to the patient suffering of afflictions to praier to thankes geuing to the exercise of charitie towards all men Hitherto we haue handled the first argument wherin Paule contendeth that either we can not be iustified by the law or els that Christ must needes be the minister of sinne But this is impossible wherefore we conclude that iustification cometh not by the law Of this place we haue largely entreated as it is well worthy and yet can it not be caught and setforth sufficiently Verse 19. For I through the lavv am deade to the lavv that I might liue vnto God. These are maruelous words and vnknowne kindes of speach which mans reason can in no wise vnderstand And although they be but few yet are they vttered with greate zeale and vehemencie of spirite and as it were in greate displeasure As if he should say why doe ye boast so much of the law wherof in this case I will be ignoraunt But if ye will needes haue the law I also haue the law Wherfore as though he were moued through indignation of the holy Ghost he calleth grace it selfe the law geuing a new name to the effect and working of grace in contempt of the law of Moses and the false Apostles which contended that the law was necessary to iustification and so he setteth the law against the law And this is a sweete kind of speach and full of consolation when in the scriptures and specially in Paule the law is set against the law sinne against sinne death against death captiuitie against captiuitie hell against hell the altar against the altar the lambe against the lambe the passeouer against the passeouer In the .8 to the Romaines it is sayd For sinne he condemned sinne Psal. 68. and Ephes 4. He hath led captiuitie captiue Hosee 13. O death I vvill be thy death O hel I vvill be thy destruction So he saith here that through the lawe he is dead to the lawe As if he sayd The lawe of Moses accuseth and condemneth me but against that accusing and condemning lawe I haue an other lawe which is grace and libertie This lawe accuseth the accusing law and condemneth the condemning law So death killeth death but this killing death is life it selfe But it is called the death of death by abundance of spirite or vehement indignation against death So righteousnes boroweth the name of sin because it condemneth sin this cōdemning of sin is true righteousnes And here Paule semeth to be an heretike yea of all heretikes the greatest his heresie is straunge and monstrous For he sayth that he being dead to the lavv liueth to God. The false apostles taught this doctrine Except thou liue to the lawe thou art dead to God that is to say vnlesse thou liue after the lawe thou art dead before god But Paule sayeth quite contrary If thou be not dead to the law thou canst not liue to God. The doctrine of our aduersaries at this day is
Paule here vseth and is proper vnto him alone is full of consolation Likewise in the .7 chapter to the Romaines he setteth the law of the spirite against the law of the mēbers And because this is a straunge and a maruelous manner of speaking therfore it entreth more easily into the mind and sticketh faster in the memorie Moreouer when he saith I through the lavv am dead to the lavv it soundeth more swetely then if he should say I through libertie am dead to the law For he setteth before vs as it were a certaine picture as if the law were fighting against the law As though he should say O law if thou canst accuse me terrifie me and bind me I will set aboue and against thee an other law that is to say an other tormentor which shall accuse thee bind thee and triumph ouer thee Whē thou art thus bound and suppressed then am I at libertie So then grace is a law not to me for it bindeth me not but to my law which this law so bindeth that it can not hurt me any more Thus Paule goeth about to draw vs wholy from the beholding of the law sinne death all other euils and to bring vs vnto Christ that there we might behold this ioyfull conflict to witte the law fighting against the law that it may be to me libertie sinne against sinne that it may be to me righteousnes death against death that I may obtaine life Christ fighting against the Deuill that I may be the child of God and destroying hell that I may enioy the kingdome of heauen Verse 19. That I might liue vnto God. That is to say that I might liue before god Ye see then that there is no life vnlesse ye be without the law yea vnlesse ye be vtterly dead vnto the law I meane in conscience Notwithstanding in the meane season as I haue often said so long as the body liueth the flesh must be exercised with lawes and vexed with exactions and penalties of lawes as were the Egyptians But the inward man not subiect to the law but deliuered and freed from it is a liuely iust and holy person not of himselfe but in Christ because he beleueth in him as foloweth Verse 20. I am crucified vvith Christ This he addeth to declare that the law is a deuourer of the law Not onely saith he I am dead to the law through the law that I may liue to God but also I am crucified with Christ But Christ is Lord ouer the law because he is crucified and dead vnto the law Therfore am I also Lord ouer the law for I likewise am crucified and dead vnto the lawe for as much as I am crucified and dead with Christ By what meanes By grace and faith Through this faith because I am nowe crucified and deade vnto the law therfore the law looseth all his power which it had ouer me euen as it hath lost all his power which it had ouer Christ Wherfore euen as Christ himselfe was crucified to the law sinne death and the Deuill so that they haue no further power ouer him euen so I through faith being now crucified with Christ in spirite am crucified and deade to the law sinne death and the Deuill so that they haue no further power ouer me but are now crucified and deade vnto me Paule speaketh not here of crucifying by imitation or example for to follow the example of Christ is also to be crucified with him which crucifying belongeth to the flesh Wherof Peter speaketh in his 1. epistle and .2 chapter Christ suffered for vs saith he leauing vnto vs an example that vve should follovv his steppes But he speaketh here of that high crucifying wherby sinne the deuil and death are crucified in Christ not in me Here Christ Iesus doth all himselfe alone But I beleuing in Christ am by faith crucified also with Christ so that all these things are crucified and dead vnto me Verse 20. Thus I liue I speake not so saith he of my death and crucifying as though I now liued not Yea I liue for I am quickned by this death and crucifying through the which I die That is for as much as I am deliuered from the law sinne and death I now liue in deede Wherfore that crucifying and that death wherby I am crucified and dead to the law sinne death and all euils is to me resurrection and life For Christ crucifieth the Deuill he killeth death condemneth sinne and bindeth the law and I beleuing this am deliuered from the law sinne death and the Deuill The law therfore is bound dead and crucified vnto me I againe am bound dead crucified vnto it Wherfore euen by this death and crucifying that is to say by this grace or liberty I now liue Here as before I haue sayd we must obserue Paules maner of speaking He saith that we are dead and crucified to the law where as in very deede the law it selfe is dead and crucified vnto vs. But this maner of speach he vseth here of purpose that it may be the more sweete and comfortable vnto vs For the law which notwithstanding continueth liueth and reigneth in the whole world which also accuseth and condemneth all men is crucified and dead vnto those onely which beleue in Christ and therfore to them alone belongeth this glory that they are dead to sinne hell death and the Deuill Verse 20. Yet novv not I. That is to say not in mine owne person nor in mine owne substance Here he plainly sheweth by what meanes he liueth And he teacheth what true Christian righteousnes is namely that righteousnes wherby Christ liueth in vs and not that which is in our person Therefore when we speake of Christian righteousnes we must vtterly reiect the person And here Christ and my conscience must become one body so that nothing remaine in my sight but Christ crucified and raised from the dead But if I behold my selfe only and set Christ aside I am gone For by and by I fall into this cogitation Christ is in heauen and thou art on the earth how shalt thou now come vnto him Forsoth I will liue holily and doe that which the law requireth so shall I enter into life Here returning to my selfe and considering what I am what I ought to be and what I am bound to doe I lose Christ out of sight who is my righteousnes and life Who being lost there is no counsell nor succour now remaining but certaine desperation and destruction must needes follow And this is a common euil among men For such is our misery that when tentation or death cometh by and by setting Christ aside we consider our owne life past and what we haue done Here except we be raised vppe againe by faith we must needes perish Wherefore we must learne in such conflicts terrours of conscience forgetting our selues and setting the law our life past and all our works
Scriptures of the Fathers Prophetes and Kings how they wrought righteousnes raised vp the deade ouercame kingdomes thou must remember that these and such like sayinges are to be expounded as the Epistle to the Hebrewes expoundeth them that is By faith they vvrought righteousnes by faith they raised vp the deade by faith they subdued Kinges and kingedomes So that faith incorporateth the worke and geueth it his perfection And this the aduersaries if they be wel in their wittes can not denye neyther haue they any thinge to saye or obiecte againste it In deede they can cry out that the scripture speaketh oftentimes of doing and walking And we alwaies aunswer them againe that it speaketh also of faithful Doing For first reason must be lightened by faith before it can worke Now when it hath a true opinion and knowledge of God then is the worke incarnate and incorporate into it so that what soeuer is attributed to faith is afterwardes attributed to works also but yet because of faith onely and alone Wherfore in reading of the Scriptures we must learn to put a difference betwene the true and the hypocriticall the morall and the spiritual Doing of the law So shall we be able to declare the true meaning of all those places which seeme to maintaine the righteousnes of works Now the true Doing of the law is a faithfull and a spirituall Doing which he hath not that seeketh righteousnes by works Therfore euery Doer of the law and euery holy morall worker is accursed For he walketh in the presumption of his owne righteousnes against God whiles he wil be iustified by mans free wil reason so in doing of the law he doth it not And this according to Paule is to be vnder the workes of the law that is to say that hypocrites do the law and yet in doing it they do it not for they vnderstād this word Doing according to the literal sense of the law which in true Christian diuinitie is nothing worth In deede they worke many things but in the presumptiō of their owne righteousnes and without the knowledge of God and faith as the Pharise did Luke 18. and as Paule did before his conuersion therfore they are blind and miserably erre and so remaine vnder the Curse Wherefore againe I admonish you that such sentences as the aduersaries doe alledge out of the scriptures concerning workes and rewards therof must be spiritually expounded As if they alledge this sentence out of Daniel .4 chap. Redeeme thy sinnes by almes deedes thou must not here expounde these wordes after the morall sense but after the meaning of the Gospell So shall thou see that this word Redeme signifieth no moral but a spirituall Doing that is to say it comprehēdeth faith For in the Scriptures the worke as I haue said requireth also a good will and right iudgement of reason to goe before not morall as they would haue it but diuine and spirituall which is faith By this meanes thou shalt be able to stoppe the mouthes of these peuish Sophisters For they them selues are compelled to graunt and so they teach also out of Aristotle that euery good worke procedeth out of mans choise or free will. If this be true in Philosophie much more must this good will and righte iudgement of reason guided by faith goe before the worke in Diuinitie and diuine matters And this doe all wordes of the imperatiue mode that is all such wordes as are commaūding signifie in the Scriptures all such words also as teach the lawe as the Epistle to the Hebrewes doth plainly declare By Faith Abel offred c. Now admit the case that this solution is not sufficient although it be in deede most sure and certaine yet notwithstanding let this be the argument of all arguments and the principall mirrour of Christians to beholde against all the tentations and obiections not onely of the aduersaries but also of the Deuill him selfe namely to apprehend and to holde fast the head which is Christ Moreouer admitte that the Sophisters being more craftie and subtill then I should so snare and entangle me with their arguments which they bring for the maintenaunce of workes against Faith that I should knowe no way how to wynde my selfe out which notwithstanding is impossible for them to doe yet wil I rather geue reuerence and credite to Christ alone then be perswaded with all the places they are able to alledge for the establishing of the righteousnes of works against the docrine of Faith. Wherfore they must be simply and plainly aunswered after this māner Here is Christ there are the testimonies of the Scripture touching the law and works Now Christ is the Lord of the Scripture and of all works He also is Lord of heauen the earth the Saboth the temple righteousnes life wrath sinne death generally of all things whatsoeuer And Paule his Apostle sheweth that he was made sinne and became accursed for me I heare then that I coulde by no other meanes be deliuered from my sinne my death and my malediction but by his death and bloudsheeding Wherefore I conclude that it properly appertained to Christ him selfe to ouercome my sinne death and malediction in his owne body and not to the workes of the law or mine owne workes And herevnto reason is constrained to agree and say that Christe is not the worke of the lawe or my worke that his bloud and death is not circumcision the obseruation of the ceremonies of the lawe and much lesse a Monkes cowle a shauen crowne abstinence vowes and such like Wherefore if he be the price of my redemption if he be made sinne and malediction that he might iustifie me and blesse me I care not if thou bring a thousand places of the Scripture for the righteousnes of workes against the righteousnes of Faith and crie out neuer so much that the Scripture is against me I haue the author and Lorde of the scripture with me on whose side I will rather stand then beleue all the rablemente of Lawworkers and meritemongers Albeit it is impossible that the Scripture should be against this doctrine vnlesse it be among the senseles and indurate hypocrites but among the godly and such as haue vnderstanding it geueth witnesse for Iesus Christ his lord See therfore how thou canst reconcile the Scripture which thou sayest is against my doctrine As for me I will sticke to the author of the Scripture Therefore if any man thinketh himselfe not well able to reconcile such places of the Scripture or aunswer vnto the same sufficiently and yet notwithstanding is constrained to heare the obiections and cauillations of the aduersaries let him aunswere simply and plainely after this sorte Thou settest against me the seruaunte that is to say the scripture and that not wholy neither yet the principall parte thereof but onely certaine places as touching workes This seruaunte I leaue vnto thee But I come with the
diligently teach we sustaine the hatred and cruell persecution of the Deuill and of the world For Sathan feeleth the power and fruite of this Article And that there is in deede no more sinne death or malediction since Christ nowe raigneth we confesse daily in the Creede of the Apostles I beleue that there is an holy Church Which is in deede nothing else but as if we should say I beleue that there is no sinne no malediction no death in the Church of god For they which do beleue in Christ are no sinners are not giltie of death but are holy and righteous lordes ouer sinne and death liuing for euer But Faith onely seeth this for we say I beleeue an holy Church But if thou beleue reason and thine owne eyes thou wilt iudge cleane contrary For thou seest many things in the Godly which offend thee Thou seest them sometime to fall into sinne and to be weake in Faith to be subiect vnto wrath enuie and such other euill affections therefore the Church is not holy I deny the consequēce If I looke vpon mine owne person or the person of my brother it shall neuer be holy But if I behold Christ who hath sanctified and clensed his Church then is it altogether holy for he hath taken away the sinnes of the whole world Therfore where sinnes are seene and felt there are they in deede no sinnes For according to Paules Diuinitie there is no sin no death no maledictiō any more in the world but in Christ who is the Lambe of God that hath taken away the sinnes of the world who is made a Curse that he might deliuer vs from the Curse Contrariwise according to Philosophie and reason sinne death and the Curse are no where else but in the world in the flesh or in sinners For a Sophisticall Diuine can speake no otherwise of sinne then doth the Heathen Philosopher Like as sayeth he the colour sticketh in the wall euen so doth sinne in the world in the flesh or in the conscience therfore it is to be purged by contrary operations to witte by charitie But true Diuinitie teacheth that there is no sinne in the world any more for Christ vpon whom the Father hath cast the sinnes of the whole world hath vanquished and killed the same in his owne body He once dying for sinne and raised vp againe dieth nowe no more Therefore whersoeuer is a true faith in Christ there sinne is abolished dead and buried in deede But where no Faith in Christ is there sinne doth still remaine And albeit the remnaunts of sinne be as yet in the Saintes because they beleue not perfectly yet are they dead in that they are not imputed vnto them because of their Faith in Christe This is therfore a strong and a mighty argument which Paule here prosecuteth against the righteousnes of workes It is not the lawe nor workes that doe deliuer vs from the euerlasting Curse but Christe alone See therefore good Christian reader I beseech thee that thou distinguish Christ from the law and diligently marke how Paule speaketh and what he sayth All sayth he which doe not fulfil the law are necessarily vnder the Curse But no man fulfilleth the law therfore all men are vnder the Curse He addeth moreouer an other proposition Christ hath redemed vs frō the Curse of the law being made a Curse for vs It followeth then that the lawe and workes doe not redeeme vs from the Curse but doe bring vs rather vnder the Curse Charitie therefore which as the Schoolemen say geueth forme and perfection vnto Faith hath not onely not redemed vs from the Curse but rather it wrappeth vs more and more in the Curse This text then is plaine that all men yea the Apostles Prophets and Patriarks had remained vnder the Curse if Christ had not set him selfe against sinne death the Curse of the law the wrath and iudgemēt of God and ouercome them in his owne body for no power of flesh and bloud could ouercome these huge and hideous Monsters But now Christ is not the law or the worke of the law but a diuine and humane person which tooke vpon him sinne the condemnation of the lawe and death not for him selfe but for vs Wherfore all the weight and force hereof consisteth in this word For vs. We must not thē imagine Christ to be innocent as a priuate person as doe the Schoolemen and almost all the Fathers haue done which is holy and righteous for him selfe onely True it is in deede that Christe is a person most pure and vnspotted but thou must not stay there for thou hast not yet Christe although thou knowe him to be God and man but then thou hast him in deede when thou beleeuest that this most pure and innocent person is freely geuen vnto thee of the Father to be thy high Priest and Sauiouer yea rather thy seruaunt that he putting off his innocentie and holines and taking thy sinnefull person vpon him might beare thy sinne thy death and thy Curse and might be made a sacrifice and a Curse for thee that by this meanes he might deliuer thee from the Curse of the lawe Ye see then with what an Apostolike spirite Paule handleth this argument of the Blessing and of the Curse whilest he not onely maketh Christ subiect to the Curse but sayth also that he is made a Curse So in the. 2. Corrin 5. he calleth him Sinne when he sayth He hath made him to be Sinne for vs vvhich knevv no sinne that vve shoulde be made the righteousnes of God in him And although these sentences may be well expounded after this maner Christ is made a Curse that is to say a sacrifice for the Curse and Sinne that is a sacrifice for sinne yet in my iudgement it is better to keepe the proper signification of the words because there is a greater force and vehemencie therin For when a sinner cometh to the knowledge of him selfe in deede he feeleth not onely that he is miserable but misery it selfe not onely that he is a sinner is accursed but euen sinne and malediction it selfe For it is in deede a great matter to beare sinne the wrath of God malediction and death Wherefore that man which hath a true feeling of these things as Christ did truely effectually feele them for all mākinde is made euen sinne death and malediction it selfe Paule therefore handleth this place with a true Apostolicall spirite There is neither Sophister nor Lawyer nor Iew nor Anabaptist nor any other that speaketh as he doeth For who durst alleage this place out of Moises Accursed is euery one that hangeth on tree and applie it vnto Christ Like as Paule then applied this sentence to Christ euen so may we apply vnto Christe not onely that whole 27. chap. of Deuteronomie but also may gather all the Curses of Moises lawe together and expound the same of Christ For as
rather since Christe is nowe reuealed and geuen vnto me I liue in him who is my righteousnes who also hath abolished thee O lawe And thus let Christe be alwayes before thine eyes as a certaine Summarie of all argumeÌ„ts for the defence of Faith against the righteousnes of the flesh against the lawe and against all workes and merites what so euer Hetherto I haue rehersed almost all but specially the principall arguments which the Apostle Paule handleth in this Epistle for the confirmation of this Doctrine of Iustification Among which the argument as touching the promise made vnto Abraham and to the other Fathers is the waightiest and of greatest efficacie which Paule doth chiefly prosecute both here and in the Epistle to the Romaines the wordes wherof he diligently wayeth and moreouer intreateth both of the times and persons Also he standeth vpon this worde Seede applying the same vnto Christe Finally he declareth by the contrary what the lawe worketh namely that it holdeth men vnder the Curse And thus he fortifieth the Article of Christian righteousnes with strong and mighty arguments On the other side he ouerthroweth the arguments of the false apostles which they vsed in defence of the righteousnes of the lawe and he turneth them vpon their owne heades That is to say wheras they contended that righteousnes and life is obtained by the lawe Paule sheweth that they worke nothing but malediction and death in vs Ye contend sayth he that the law is necessary to saluation Haue ye not read that it sayeth He that shall doe these things shall liue in them Now who is he that doth performe or accomplish them No man liuing Therfore as many as are of the vvorkes of the lavve are vnder the Curse And againe in another place The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the lavve Now followeth the conclusion of all these arguments Verse 18. For if the inheritaunce be of the lavve it is no more by the promise c. So he sayth in the .4 to the Romaines For if they vvhich be of the lavve be heires then is Faith but vaine and the promise of none effect And it can not otherwise be for this distinction is plaine that the law is a thing farre differing from the promise Yea naturall reason although it be neuer so blind is compelled to coÌ„fesse that it is one thing to promise and an other thing to require one thing to geue and an other thing to take The lawe doth require and exact of vs our workes the promise of the Seede doth offer vnto vs the spiritual and euerlasting benefites of God and that freely for Christes sake Therefore we obtaine the inheritaunce or Blessing through the promise and not through the lawe For the promise sayeth In thy seede shall all nations of the earth be blessed Therfore he that hath the lawe hath not enough because he hath not yet the Blessing without the which he is compelled to abide vnder the Curse The lawe therfore can not iustifie because the Blessing is not ioyned vnto it Moreouer if the inheritauÌ„ce were of the law then should God be found a lier and the promise should be in vaine Again if the law could obtaine the Blessing why did God then make this promise In thy Seede c. Why did he not rather say Doe this and thou shalt receaue the Blessing or else by keping of the law thou maist deserue euerlasting life This argument is grounded vpon contraries The inheritaunce is geuen by the promise therefore not by the lawe Verse 18. But God gaue it vnto Abraham by promise It can not be denied but that God before the law was gaue vnto Abraham the inheritaunce or Blessing by the promise that is to say remission of sinnes righteousnes saluation and euerlasting life that we should be sonnes heires of God and felow heires with Christe For it is plainly sayd in Genesis In thy seede shall all nations be blessed There the Blessing is geuen frely without respect of the law or works For God gaue the inheritaÌ„ce before Moises was borne or before any maÌ„ had yet once thought of the law Why vauÌ„t ye then that righteousnes cometh by the law seing that righteousnes life and saluation was geuen to your father Abraham without the lawe yea before there was any lawe He that is not moued with these things is blind and obstinate But this argument of the promise I haue before handled more largely and therefore I will now but touch it by the way Hitherto we haue heard the principal part of this Epistle Now the Apostle goeth about to shew the vse and office of the lawe adding certaine similitudes of the Scholemaster and of the liâ—le Heire Also the allegorie of the two sonnes of Abraham Isaacke and Ismael c. Last of all he setteth forth certaine preceptes concerning maners Verse 19. VVherfore then serueth the lavve When we teach that a man is iustified without the law and works then doth this question necessarily folow If the law doe not iustifie why then was it geuen Also Why doth God charge vs and burden vs with the lawe if it doe not iustifie What is the cause that we are so hardly exercised and vexed with it if they which worke but one hower are made equal with vs which haue borne the heate burden of the day When as that grace is once published vnto vs which the Gospell setteth out by and by ariseth this great murmuring without the which the Gospell can not be preached The Iewes had this opinion that if they kepte the lawe they should be iustified therby Therefore when they heard that the Gospell was preached concerning Christ who came into the world to saue not the righteous but sinners that they should goe before them into the kingdom of God they were wonderfully offended complaining that they had borne the heauy yoke of the lawe so many yeares with great labour and toyle and that they were miserably vexed and oppressed with the tyrannie of the law without any profit yea rather to their great hurt Againe that the Gentiles who were Idolaters obteined grace without any labour or trauell So doe our Papists murmur at this day saying What hath it profited vs that we haue liued in a Cloister twentie thirtie or fortie yeares that we haue vowed chastitie pouertie obedience that we haue sayd so many Psalters and so many Canonical Howers so many Masses that we haue so punished our bodies with fasting prayers chastisements c. if a husband a wife a Prince a gouernour a master a scholer if an hireling or a drudge bearing sackes if a wench sweeping the house shall not onely be made equall with vs but also be accepted as better and more worthy before God then we This is therfore an hard question wherewith reason is stricken dumme and can not aunswere but is greatly offended with it Reason after a
owne dreames and vnder the name of the gospell ceremonies and lawes They are like therfore vnto themselues and so they still continue that is to say Monks workers of the lawe and teachers of ceremonies sauing that they deuise newe names and newe workes It is not then a matter of small importance to vnderstand rightly what the law is and what is the true vse and office therof Now for as much as we teach these things both diligently and faithfully we doe therby plainly testifie that we reiect not the law and works as our aduersaries doe falsely accuse vs but we do altogether stablish the law and require the works therof and we say that the law is good and profitable but in his owne proper vse which is first to bridle ciuill transgressiōs and then to reueile and to encrease spiritual transgressions Wherfore the law is also a light which sheweth reueileth not the grace of God not righteousnes and life but sinne death the wrath and iudgement of god For as in the Mount Sina the thundring lightning the thicke darke cloud the hill smoking flaming all that terrible shew did not reioyce nor quicken the children of Israell but terrified and astonished them and shewed howe vnhable they were with all their puritie and holines to abide the Maiestie of God speaking to them out of the cloud euen so the law when it is in his true vse doth nothing else but reueale sinne engender wrath accuse and terrifie men so that it bringeth them to the very brinke of desperation This is the proper vse of the lawe and here it hath an end and it ought to goe no further Contrariwise the Gospel is a light which lightneth quickneth comforteth raiseth vp fearful consciences For it sheweth that God for Christes sake is merciful vnto sinners yea to such as are most vnworthy if they beleue that by his death they are deliuered frō the Curse that is to say from sinne and euerlasting death and that through his victorie the Blessing is freely geuen vnto them that is to say grace forgeuenes of sinnes righteousnes euerlasting life Thus putting a difference betwene the law the Gospel we geue to them both their owne proper vse office Of this differēce betwene the law the gospel there is nothīg to be found in the bokes of the Monks Canonists Scholemen no nor in the bokes of the auncient fathers Augustine did somewhat vnderstand this difference and shewed it Ierome and others knew it not Briefly there was wonderfull silence many yeres as touching this difference in all Schooles and Churches And this thing brought mens consciences into great daunger For vnlesse the gospell be plainly discerned frō the lawe the true Christian doctrine can not be kept sound and vncorrupt Contrariwise if this difference be well knowne then is also the true meane of iustification knowne and then is it an easie matter to discerne faith from workes Christ from Moses and all politike workes For all things without Christe are the ministers of death for the punishment of the wicked Therefore Paule aunswereth to this question after this maner Verse 19. The lavve vvas added because of transgressions That is to say that transgressions might be more encreased knowne and seene And in deede so it cometh to passe For when sinne is reuealed to a man through the law death the wrath and iudgement of God and hell it is vnpossible but that he should become impatient but that he should murmure against God and despise his will. For he can not beare the iudgement of God his owne death and damnation and yet notwithstanding he can not escape them Here he must needes fall into the hatred of God and blasphemie against god Before when he was out of tentation he was a very holy man he worshipped and praised God he bowed his knee before God and gaue him thanks as the Pharisey did Luke 18. But now when sinne and death is reuealed vnto him he wisheth that there were no god The law therfore of it selfe bringeth a special hatred of god And thus sinne is not onely reuealed and knowne by the lawe but also is encreased and stirred vp by the lawe Therfore Paule sayth Rom. 7. Sinne that it might appeare to be sinne vvrought death in me by that vvhich vvas good that sinne might be out of measure sinneful by the commaundement There he entreateth of this effect of the law very largely Paule aunswereth therfore to this question If the lawe doe not iustifie to what end then serueth it Although sayth he it iustifie not yet is it very profitable necessary For first it ciuily restraineth such as are carnall rebellious and obstinate Moreouer it is as a glasse that sheweth vnto a man him selfe that he is a sinner giltie of death and worthy of Gods euerlasting wrath indignation To what profit serueth this humbling this brusing beating downe by this hammer the law I meane To great profite namely that we may haue an entrance vnto grace So then the lawe is a minister that prepareth the way vnto grace For God is the God of the humble the miserable the afflicted the oppressed the desperate and of all those that are vtterly brought to nothing and his nature is to exalt the humble to feede the hungry to geue sight to the blind to comfort the miserable the afflicted the brused and broken harted to iustifie sinners to quicken the dead and to saue the very desperate and damned For he is an almightie creatour making all things of nothing Now that pernicious and pestilent opinion of mans owne righteousnes which will not be a sinner vncleane miserable and damnable but righteous and holy suffreth not God to come to his owne naturall and proper worke Therefore God must needes take this maule in hand the law I meane to driue downe to beat in peeces to bring to nothing this beast with her vaine confidence wisedom righteousnes power that she may so learne at the lēgth by her owne miserie and mischief that she is vtterly forlorne lost and damned Here now when the conscience is thus terrified with the law then cometh the doctrine of the Gospell and grace which reiseth vppe and comforteth the same againe saying Christ came in to the world not to breake the brused reede nor to quench the smoking flaxe but to preach the Gospell of glad tidings to the poore to heale the broken and contrite in heart to preach forgeuenes of sinnes to the captiues c. But here lieth all the difficultie of this matter that when a man is terrified and cast downe he may be able to raise vp him selfe againe and say Now I am brused and afflicted enough the time of the lawe hath tormented and vexed me sharply enough Nowe is the time of grace now is the time to heare Christ out of whose mouth procede the wordes of grace
the lawe bringeth with it may daily be diminished in vs more and more As long then as we liue in the flesh which is not without sinne the lawe oftentimes retourneth and doth his office in one more and in an other lesse as their Faith is strong or weake and yet not to their destruction but to their saluation For this is the exercise of the lawe in the Sainctes namely the continuall mortification of the flesh of reason and of our owne strength and the daily renewing of our inward man as it is sayd in the .2 Cor. 4. We receaue then the first fruites of the spirite the leuen is hidde in the masse of the dough but all the dough is not yet leuened no it is yet but onely begunne to be leuened If I behold the leuen I see nothing else but pure leuen But if I behold the whole masse I see that it is not all pure leuen That is to say If I behold Christe I am altogether pure and holy knowing nothing at all of the lawe for Christe is my leuen But if I behold mine owne flesh I feele in my selfe couetousnes lust anger pride and arrogancie also the feare of death heauines hatred murmuring and impatiencie against God. The more these sinnes are in me the more is Christ absent from me or if he be present he is felt but a litle Here haue we neede of a Scholemaster to exercise and vexe this strong Asse the flesh that by this exercise sinnes may be diminished a way prepared vnto Christe For as Christe came once corporally at the time appoynted abolished the whole lawe vanquished sinne destroyed death and hell euen so he commeth spiritually without ceasing and daily quencheth and killeth these sinnes in vs. This I say that thou mayest be able to aunswere if any shall thus obiecte Christe came into the world and atonce toke away all our sinnes and clensed vs by his bloud what neede we then to heare the Gospell or to receaue the Sacramentes True it is that in as much as thou beholdest Christe the lawe and sinne are quite abolished But Christe is not yet come vnto thee or if he be come yet notwithstanding there are remnauntes of sinne in thee thou art not yet throughly leuened For where concupiscence heauines of spirite and feare of death is there is yet also the lawe and sinne Christ is not yet throughly come but when he cometh in deede he driueth away feare and heauines and bringeth peace and quietnes of conscience So farre forth then as I do apprehend Christ by Faith so much is the lawe abolished vnto me But my flesh the world and the Deuill doe hinder Faith in me that it can not be perfect Right gladly I would that that litle light of Faith which is in my heart were spread thoroughout all my body and all the members thereof but it is not done it is not by and by spreade but onely beginneth to be spreade In the meane season this is our consolation that we hauing the first fruites of the spirite doe nowe beginne to be leuened But we shall be thoroughly leuened when this body of sinne is dissolued and we shall rise newe creatures wholy together with Christe Albeit then that Christe be one and the same yesterday to day and shall be for euer and albeit that all the faithfull which were before Christ had the Gospell and Faith yet notwithstanding Christe came once in the time before determined Faith also came once when the Apostles preached and published the Gospell thoroughout the world Moreouer Christ commeth also spiritually euery day Faith likewise commeth daily by the word of the Gospel Now when Faith is come the Scholemaster is constrained to geue place with his heauy and grenous office Christ cōmeth also spiritually when we stil more and more doe knowe and vnderstand those things which by him are geuen vnto vs and encrease in grace and in the knowledge of him 2. Pet. 3. Verse 26. For ye are all the sonnes of God by Faith in Christ Iesus Paule as a true and an excellent teacher of Faith hath alwayes these wordes in his mouth By Faith In Faith Of Faith which is in Christ Iesus He sayth not ye are the children of God because ye are circumcised because ye haue heard the law and haue done the workes therof as the Iewes doe imagine and the false Apostles teach but by Faith in Iesus Christe The lawe then maketh vs not the children of God and much lesse mens traditions It can not beget vs into a new nature or a new birth but it setteth before vs that old birth wherby we were borne to the kingdome of the Deuill And so it prepareth vs to a new birth which is by Faith in Iesus Christ and not by the lawe as Paule plainly witnesseth For ye are all the children of God by Faith. c. As if he sayd Albeit ye be tormented humbled and killed by the lawe yet hath not the lawe made you righteous or made you the children of God this is the worke of Faith alone What Faith Faith in Christe Faith therefore in Christ maketh vs the children of God and not the lawe The same thing witnesseth also Iohn in the .1 chap. He gaue povver to as many as beleued in him to be the children of God. What tounge either of men or Angels can sufficiently extol and magnifie the great mercy of God towardes vs that we which are miserable sinners and by nature the children of wrath should be called to this grace and glory to be made the children and heires of God fellow heires with the sonne of God and Lordes ouer heauen and earth and that by the onely meanes of our Faith which is in Christ Iesu Verse 27. For all ye that are baptised into Christ haue put on Christ To put on Christ is taken two maner of wayes according to the law according to the gospel According to the law as it is said in the 13. chap. to the Rom Put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ that is folowe the example and vertues of Christe Doe that which he did and suffer that which he suffered And in the .1 Pet. 2. Christ hath suffred for vs leauing vs an example that vve should folovv his steppes Nowe we see in Christ a singuler patience an inestimable mildnes and loue and a wonderfull modestie in all things This goodly apparell we must put on that is to say folowe these vertues But the putting on of Christ according to the Gospell consisteth not in imitation but in a newe birth and a new creation that is to say in putting on Christes innocencie his righteousnes his wisedom his power his sauing health his life and his spirite We are clothed with the lether coate of Adam which is a mortall garment and a garment of sinne that is to say we are all subiect vnto sinne all sold vnder sinne
which is in deede a most miserable kind of bondage But as the power of the tutours and the subiection and bondage of the litle heire is not continuall but onely endureth vnto the time appoynted of the Father which being ended he needeth not to be gouerned by his tutours nor remaineth vnder their subiection any more but with libertie enioyeth the inheritaunce euen so the lawe hath dominion ouer vs and we are constrained to be seruaunts and captiues vnder his gouernment but not for euer For this clause which foloweth must be added vntill the appoynted time of the Father For Christ which was promised came and redemed vs which were oppressed with the tyrannie of the lawe Contrariwise the comming of Christ profiteth not the careles hypocrites the wicked contemners of God nor the desperate which thinke that nothing else remaineth but the terrours of the lawe which they the rudiments of the world So the Emperours lawes be rudiments of the world for they intreat of worldly matters that is to say of things concerning this present life as of goodes possessions enheritaunces murders adulteries robberies c. Whereof speaketh also the second table of the commaundements As for the Popes Canon lawes and Decretals which forbid mariage and meates those Paule in an other place calleth the doctrines of Deuils which are also rudiments of the world but that they doe most wickedly bind mens consciences to the obseruation of outward things contrary to the word of God and faith Wherfore the law of Moises geueth nothing but worldly things that is to say it doth but onely shew ciuily and spiritually the euils that be in the world Notwithstanding if it be in his true vse it driueth the conscience by his terrours to seeke and thirst after the promise of God and to looke vnto Christ But that thou maist so doe thou hast neede of the aide and assistance of the holy Ghost which may say in thy heart It is not the will of God that after the law hath done his office in thee thou shouldest onely be terrified killed but that when thou art brought by the lawe to the knowledge of thy misery and damnation thou shouldest not despaire but beleue in Christ vvho is the end of the lavve to righteousnes to euery one that beleueth Here is no worldly thing done but here all worldly matters and all lawes cease and heauenly things begin now to appeare Therefore so long as we be vnder the rudiments of the world that is to say vnder the lawe which geueth not onely righteousnes and peace of conscience but reuealeth and increaseth sinnes and engendreth wrath we be seruaunts thrall and subiect to the lawe although we haue the promise of the Blessing to come In deede the law sayth Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God but that I may be able so to do or to apprehēd Christ this can not the lawe geue I speake not this to the ende that the lawe should be despised neither doth Paule so meane but it ought to be had in great estimation But because Paule is here in the matter of Iustificatiō it was necessary that he should speake of the law as of a thing very contemptible and odious For Iustification is a farre other maner of thing then the lawe is We can not speake basely and contemptuously enough of the lawe when we are in this matter When the conscience therefore is in the conflict then should she thinke vppon nothing know nothing at all but Christe onely and alone Then should she remoue the lawe vtterly out of her sight and embrace nothing but the promise concerning Christ To say this it is an easie matter but in time of tentation when the conscience wrestleth in the presence of God to doe it in deede of all things it is the hardest to witte that when the lawe accuseth thee terrifieth thee reuealeth vnto thee thy sinne threatneth to thee the wrath of God eternall death that then I say thou shouldest haue such strēgth of faith in Christ as if there had neuer ben any law or any sinne but only Christ mere grace and redemption or that thou shouldest then be able to say O law I will not heare thee for thou hast a stāmering a slow tounge moreouer the fulnes of time is now come and therefore I am free and wil not suffer thy tyrannie any longer Here a man may see how hard a matter it is to separate the lawe from grace Againe how diuine and heauenly a thing it is to hope here euē against hope and how true this proposition of Paule is that we are iustified by Faith alone Learne here therfore to speake of the law as contēptuously as thou cāst in the matter of Iustificatiō by the example of the Apostle which calleth the lawe the rudiments of the world pernicious traditions the strength of sinne the ministerie of death c. For if thou suffer the lawe to beare rule in thy conscience when thou standest before God wrestling against sinne and death then is the lawe in deede nothing else but a sinke of all euils heresies and blasphemies for it doth nothing but encrease sinne accuse and terrifie the conscience threaten death and set forth God as an angry iudge which reiecteth and condemneth sinners Here therefore if thou be wise banish this stutting and stammering Moises farre from thee with his lawe and in any wise let not his terrours and threatnings moue thee Here let him be vtterly suspected vnto thee as an heretike as an excommunicate and condemned person worse then the Pope and the Deuill him selfe and therfore not to be heard or obeyed in any case But out of the matter of Iustification we ought with Paule to thinke reuerently of the law to commend it highly to call it holy righteous good spirituall and diuine Out of the case of conscience we should make a God of it but in the case of conscience it is a very deuill For in the least temptation that can be it is not able to raise vppe to comfort the conscience but it doth cleane contrary it terrifieth it oppresseth it with heauines and plucketh it from the assurance of righteousnes of life and of all goodnes Herevppon Paule a litle after calleth it vveake beggerly rudiments Wherfore let vs not suffer the lawe in any case to beare rule in our conscience especially seing it cost Christe so great a price to deliuer the conscience from the tyrannie of the lawe For he was made a Curse for vs that he might deliuer vs from the Curse of the lawe Let the godly learne therfore that the law and Christ are two contrary things whereof the one can not abide the other For whē Christ is present the law may in no case rule but must depart out of the conscience and leaue the bed which is so streit that it can not hold two as Esay sayth and geue
of tentation experiēce and practise to applie them to him selfe and to feele the excellencie of this libertie and the frute thereof it is a harder matter then can be expressed Therfore our conscience must be enstructed and prepared before hand that when we feele the accusation of the lawe the terrours of sinne the horrour of death and the wrath of God we may remoue these heauie sightes and fearfull fantasies out of our mindes and set in the place thereof the freedome purchased by Christ the forgeuenes of sinnes righteousnes life and the euerlasting mercy of god And albeit the feeling of the contrary be very strong yet let vs assure our selues that it shall not long endure according to that saying of the Prophet For a moment in mine anger I hidde my face from thee for a litle season but vvith euerlasting mercy I haue compassion on thee But this is very hard to doe Wherefore that libertie which Christ hath purchased for vs is not so soone beleued as it is named If it could be apprehended with a sure and a stedfast Faith then no rage or terrour of the word of the law sinne death or the Deuill could be so great but by by it should be swalowed vp as a litle drop of water is swallowed of the maine sea And certainly this Christian libertie swalloweth vp at once taketh quite away the whole heape of euils the law sinne death Gods wrath and briefly the serpent him selfe with his head and whole power and in the stead therof it placeth righteousnes peace euerlasting life c. But blessed is he that vnderstandeth and beleueth Let vs learne therefore to magnifie this our libertie purchased by Iesus Christe the sonne of God by whom all things were created both in heauen and earth Which libertie he hath purchased with no other price then with his owne bloud to deliuer vs not from any bodely or temporall seruitude but from a spirituall and euerlasting bondage vnder mighty and inuincible tyrannes to witte the lawe sinne death and the Deuil and so to reconcile vs vnto God his father Now since these enemies are ouercome and we reconciled vnto God by the death of his sonne it is certaine that we are righteous before God and that what so euer we doe pleaseth him And although there be certaine remnantes of sinne yet still in vs they are not laid to our charge but pardoned for Christes sake Paule vseth wordes of great force and vehemencie Stand sayth he in that libertie vvherin Christe hath made you free This libertie then is not geuen vnto vs by the law or for our righteousnes but freely for Christes sake Which thing Paule here witnesseth and plainly declareth thorow out his whole Epistle Christe also in the .8 of Iohn sayth If the sonne shall make you free there shall ye be free in deede He onely is sette betwixt vs and the euils which trouble and afflict vs he hath ouercome them and taken them away so that they cā no more oppresse vs nor condemne vs In the sted of sinne and death he geueth vnto vs righteousnes and euerlasting life and by this meanes he chaūgeth the bondage and terrours of the law into the liberty of cōscience and consolation of the Gospel which sayeth Be of good comfort my sonne thy sinnes are forgeuen thee Whosoeuer then beleueth in Christ the sonne of God he hath this libertie Reason can not perceaue the excellencie of this matter which when a man considereth in spirite he shall see that it is inestimable For who is able to conceaue in his minde how great and vnspeakable a gift it is to haue the forgeuenes of sinnes righteousnes euerlasting life in the sted of the law sinne death and the wrath of God to haue God him selfe fauourable and merciful for euer The Papists and the hypocrites that seeke the righteousnes of the lawe or their owne righteousnes doe glory that they likewise haue remission of sinnes righteousnes life and the grace of god For they vaunt that they also haue this libertie and they promise the same vnto others but in very deede they are the seruauntes of corruption and in the time of tentation all their vaine confidence vanisheth away euen in a moment For they trust vnto the workes and satisfactions of men and not to the word of God nor vnto Christe Wherefore it is impossible for the Iusticiaries which seeke to winne heauen life and saluation by workes and merites to know what the libertie and deliuerance from sinne is Contrariwise our libertie hath for her foundation Christe him selfe who is our euerlasting high Bishop sitting at the right hand of God making intercessiō for vs Wherfore the forgeuenes of sinnes righteousnes life libertie which we haue through him is sure certaine perpetual so that we beleue this Wherefore if we cleaue vnto Christ with a stedfast Faith and stand fast in that libertie wherein he hath made vs free we shall obtaine those inestimable gifts but if we be carelesse and negligent we shall lose them It is not without cause that Paule biddeth vs watch and stand fast for he knew that the Deuil seeketh nothing more then to spoile vs of this libertie which cost Christe so great a price and to entāgle vs againe by his ministers in the yoke of bondage as foloweth Verse 1. And be not entangled againe vvith the yoke of bondage Paule hath spoken most effectually and profoundly as concerning grace and Christian libertie and with high and mighty wordes hath exhorted the Galathians to continue in the same for it is easily lost Therefore he biddeth them stand fast lest that through negligence or securitie they fall backe againe from grace and Faith to the law and workes Now because reason iudgeth that there can be no daunger in preferring the righteousnes of the law before the righteousnes of Faith therefore with a certaine indignation he enueyeth against the lawe and with great contempt he calleth it a yoke yea a yoke of bondage So Peter calleth it also Acts. 15 VVhy tempt ye God to lay a yoke on the disciples neckes vvhich neither our fathers nor vve vvere able to beare And thus he turneth all things to the contrary For the false Apostles did abase the promise and magnified the law and the works thereof in this wise If ye will be made free say they from sinne and death and obtaine righteousnes and life fulfil the law be circumcised obserue dayes moneths times and yeres offer sacrifices and doe such other like things then shall this obedience of the law iustifie and saue you But Paule sayth the contrary They sayth he that teach the law after this sort do not set mens consciences at libertie but snare and entangle them with a yoke yea and that with a yoke of bondage He speaketh therfore of the law very basely and contemptuously and calleth it an hard bondage and a seruile yoke
imagination the Monkes and Scholemen hadde of their Sainctes as though they hadde bene very senselesse blockes and without all affections The virgine Marie felt great griefe and sorowe of spirite when she missed her sonne Luke 2. Dauid in the Psalmes complaineth that he is almost swalowed vppe with excessiue sorrowe for the greatnes of his temptations and sinnes Paule also complaineth that he hath battelles without and terrours within and that in his flesh he serueth the lawe of sinne He sayeth that he is carefull for all the Churches and that God shewed great mercie towardes him in that he deliuered Epaphroditus being at the poynt of death to life againe lest he should haue had sorrow vppon sorrow Therefore the Sainctes of the Papists are like to the Stoickes who imagined such wise men as in all the world were neuer yet to be found And by this foolish and Deuelish perswasion which proceeded of the ignoraunce of this doctrine of Paule the Scholemen brought both them selues and others without number into horrible desperation When I was a Monke I did oftentimes most hartely wish that I might once be so happy as to see the conuersation and life of some Sainct or holy man But in the meane time I imagined such a Sainct as liued in the wildernes abstaining from meat and drinke and liuing onely with rootes of herbes and colde water and this opinion of those monstrous sainctes I had learned not onely out of the bookes of the Sophisters and Scholemen but also out of the bookes of the fathers For thus wryteth Hierome in a certaine place As touching meates and drinkes I say nothing for as much as it is excesse that euē such as are weake and feeble should vse cold water or eate any sodden thing c. But now in the light of the Gospel we plainly see who they are whom Christ and his Apostles call Saincts Not they which liue a sole a single life or straitly obserue dayes meates apparel such other things or in outward appearance do other great monstrous works as we read of many in the liues of the fathers but they which being called by the sound of the Gospell and baptised doe beleue that they be iustified and clensed by the death of Christ So Paule euery where wryting to Christians calleth them holy the children and heires of God c. Who so euer then doe beleue in Christe whether they be men or women bond or free are all Sainctes not by their owne workes but by the workes of God which they receiue by Faith as his word his Sacraments the passion of Christ his death resurrection victorie and the sending of the holy Ghost To conclude they are Sainctes through such a holines as they freely receaue not through such a holines as they them selues haue gotten by their owne industrie good workes and merites So the ministers of the worde the Magistrates of common weales parents children maisters seruauntes c. are true Saincts if first and before all things they assure themselues that Christ is their wisedom righteousnes sanctification and redemption Secondly if euery one doe his duetie in his vocation according to the rule of Gods word and obey not the flesh but represse the lustes and desires thereof by the spirite Now where as all be not of like strength to resist temptatiōs but many infirmities and offences are seene in the most part of men this nothing hindereth their holines so that their sinnes procede not of an obstinate wilfulnes but onely of frailtie and infirmitie For as I haue sayd before the godly doe feele the desires and lusts of the flesh but they resist them to the ende that they accomplish them not Also if they at any time vnaduisedly fall into sinne yet notwithstāding they obtaine forgeuenes thereof if by Faith in Christe they be raised vppe againe who would not that we should driue away but seeke out and bring whom the straying and lost sheepe c. Therfore God forbid that I should straighte way iudge those which are weake in Faith and maners to be prophane or vnholy if I see that they loue reuerence the word of God to come to the supper of the Lord c. For these God hath receaued counteth them righteous thorough the remissiō of sinnes to him they stand or fall c. Wherefore with great reioysing I geue thankes to God for that he hath abundantly and aboue measure graunted that vnto me which I so earnestly desired of him when I was a Monke For he hath geuen vnto me the grace to see not one but many Sainctes yea an infinite nomber of true sainctes not such as the Sophisters haue deuised but such as Christe himselfe his Apostles doe describe Of the which nomber I assure my selfe to be one For I am baptised and I doe beleue that Christ my Lord by his death hath redemed and deliuered me from all my sinnes and hath geuen to me eternall righteousnes and holines And let him be holden accursed who so euer shall not geue this honour vnto Christe to beleue that by his death his word c. he is iustified and sanctified Wherfore reiecting this foolish and wicked opinion concerning the name of Saincts which in the time of Poperie and ignorance we thought to pertaine onely to the Sainctes which are in heauen and in earth to the Heremites and Monkes which did certaine great and straunge workes let vs now learne by the holy Scripture that all they which faithfully beleue in Christ are Saincts The world hath in great admiration the holines of Benedict Gregorie Bernard Fraunces and such like because it heareth that they haue done in outward appearance and in the iudgement of the world certaine great and excellent workes Doutles Hyllarie Cyrill Athanasius Ambrose Augustine and others were Saincts also which liued not so strait and seuere a life as they did but were conuersant amongs men and did eate common meates drunke wine and vsed clenly and comely apparell so that in a maner there was no difference betwene them other honest men as touching the common custome and the vse of things necessary for this life and yet were they to be preferred farre aboue the other These men taught the doctrine and faith of Christe sincerely purely without any superstition they resisted heretikes they purged the church from innumerable errours their company and familiaritie was comfortable to many and specially to those which were afflicted and heauie harted whom they raised vppe and comforted by the word of god For they did not withdraw them selues from the company of men but they executed their offices euen where most resort of people was Contrariwise the other not onely taught many things contrary to the Faith but also were themselues the authors first inuentours of many superstitions errours abhominable ceremonies and wicked worshippings Therefore except at the houre of death they laid hold of Christe and reposed their whole
A COMMENTARIE OF M. DOCTOR MARTIN LVTHER VPON THE EPIstle of S. Paul to the Galathians first collected and gathered vvord by vvord out of his preaching and novv out of Latine faithfully translated into English for the vnlearned WHEREIN IS SET FORTH MOST EXCELLENTLY THE GLORIOVS RICHES OF Gods grace and power of the gospell with the difference betwene the law and the gospell and strength of faith declared to the ioyfull comfort and confirmation of all true Christian beleevers especially such as inwardly being afflicted and greeued in conscience doe hungre and thirst for iustification in Christ Iesu For whose cause most chiefely this booke is translated and printed and dedicated to the same Whilest ye haue light walke in the light Iohn 12. ANCHORA SPEI Imprinted at London by Thomas Vautroullier dvvelling vvihtin the Blacke frears by Ludgate CVM PRIVILEGIO 1575. To the Reader THIS booke being brought vnto me to peruse and to consider of I thought it my part not onely to allovve of it to the print but also to commend it to the Reader as a treatise most comfortable to all afflicted consciences exercised in the Schole of Christ The Author felt vvhat he spake and had experience of vvhat he vvrote and therefore able more liuely to expresse both the assaultes and the saluing the order of the battell and the meane of the victory Satan is the enemy the victorie is by onely faith in Christ as Iohn recordeth If Christe iustifie vvho can condemne saith S. Paule This most necessarye doctrine the author hath most substantially cleared in this his comment VVhich being vvritten in the Latine tounge certaine godly learned men haue most sincerely translated into our language to the great benefite of all such as vvith humbled hartes vvil diligently reade the same Some beganne it according to such skill as they had Others godly affected not suffering so good a matter in handling to be marred put to their helping hands for the better framing and furthering of so vvorthy a vvorke They refuse to be named seeking neither their ovvne gaine nor glory but thinking it their happines if by any meanes they may releue afflicted mindes doe good to the church of Christ yealding all glory vnto God to vvhom all glory is due Aprilis 28. 1575. Edvvinus London TO ALL AFFLICTED CONSCIENCES VVHICH GRONE FOR SALVATION AND VVRASTLE VNDER THE crosse for the kingdome of Christ grace peace and victorie in the Lorde Iesu our Sauiour IN fewe wordes to declare what is to be sayd for the commendation of this worke although in fewe wordes all can not be expressed that may be said yet briefly to signifie that may suffice this much we thought good to certifie thee godly reader that amongest many other godly english bookes in these our daies printed and translated thou shalt finde but fewe wherein either thy time shall seeme better bestowed or thy labour better recompensed to the profite of thy soule or wherein thou mayest see the spirite and veine of S. Paule more liuely represented to thee then in the diligent reading of this present commentary vpon the epistle of S. Paule to the Galathians In which as in a myrrour or glasse or rather as S. Stephen in the heauens being opened thou mayst see and behold the admirable glory of the Lord and all the riches of heauen thy saluation freely and onely by faith in Christe his loue and grace toward thee so opened thy victory and conquest in him so proued the wrath of God so pacified his lawe satisfied the full kingdome of life set open death hell and hell gates be they neuer so stronge with all the power of sinne flesh and the world vanquished thy conscience discharged all feares and terrours remoued thy spirituall man so refreshed and set at libertie that either thy heart must be heuier then lead or the reading hereof will lift thee vppe aboue thy selfe and giue thee to knowe that of Christe Iesu that thy selfe shalt say thou neuer knewest before though before thou knewest him right well Such spiritual comfort such heauenly doctrine such experience and practise of conscience herein is contained such triumphing ouer Sathan and al his power infernall such contempt of the lawe compared with the Gospell such an holy pride and exaltation of the beleuinge man whom here he maketh a person diuine the Sonne of God the heire of the whole earth conquerour of the world of sinne of death and the deuill with such phrases and speeches of high cōtemplation of Christ of grace of iustificatiō and of faith which faith saith he transfigureth a man into Christ and coupleth him more nere vnto Christ then the husband is coupled to his wife and maketh a man more then a man with such other mighty voices full of spirituall glory and maiestie as the like hath not bene vsed lightly of any writer since the Apostles time neither durst he euer haue vsed the same him selfe had not greate experience and exercise of conscience by inward conflictes and profound agonies framed him thereunto and ministred to him both this knowledge of spirite and boldenes of speech And this commonly is the working and proceeding of Godes vocation euer to worke thinges by the contrary of infidelitie to make faith of pouertie to make riches in misery to shew mercye to turne sorrowe to solace mourning to mirth from afflictions to aduaunce to glory from hell to bring to heauen from death to life from darkenes to light from thraldome to libertie in wildernes to geue waters the barren to make frutefull of thinges that be not to make thinges to be briefely to make all thinges of nought Thus began God first to worke thus he proceeded thus he continueth and so will to the worldes ende The firste seede of promise next to Eue was geuen to Sara yet in what case was Eue before she had the promise And in vvhat barrennes and despaire vvas Sara before she enioyed her welbeloued Isaac The like is to be said of the two mothers of two most excellent children Samuel Iohn Baptiste and yet what griefes sorrowes past ouer their heartes being both past all hope in nature before the goodnes of God did worke Howe longe did Iacob the Patriarke serue in miserable thraldome for his Rachel In what excellent glorye was Ioseph exalted yet what suffered he before of his brethren and how longe imprisonment In what and howe longe seruitude were the sonnes of Israell before Moses was sent vnto them and afterward in what distresse were they cōpassed on euery side whē the sea was forced to geue them place After that againe what an excellent land was promised and geuen vnto them floweing with milke and hony but how were they scourged before in the desert and yet neither had they the lande but their children To ouerpasse many thinges here by the way what an excellent worke was it of God to set vppe Dauid in his kingedome Also what excellent promises were geuen to his throne Yet
him reioice in the troubles which he suffereth by these sectes and seditious spirites continually springing vp one after an other For this is our reioicing euen the testimony of our conscience that we be found standing and fighting in the behalfe of the seede of the woman against the seede of the serpent Let him bite vs by the heele and spare not We againe will not cease to crush his heade by the grace and help of Christ the principall bruser therof who is blessed for euer THE ARGVMENT OF the Epistle of S. Paule to the Galathians FIRST of all it behoueth that we speake of the Argument of this Epistle that is to say what matter S. Paule here cheefely treateth of The Argument is this S. Paule goeth aboute to establishe the Doctrine of Faith grace forgeuenesse of sinnes or Christian righteousnesse to the ende that we may haue a perfecte knowledge and difference betweene Christian righteousnesse and all other kindes of righteousnesse For there be diuers sortes of rightuousnesse There is a politicall or ciuile righteousnesse which Emperours Princes of the world Philosophers and Lawyers deale withall There is also a Ceremoniall righteousnesse which the traditions of men doe teach This righteousnesse parentes and schoolemaisters may teache without daunger because they doe not attribute vnto it any vertue to satisfie for sinne to please God or to deserue grace but they teache suche Ceremonies as are onely necessary for the correction of maners and certaine obseruations concerning this life Besides these there is an other righteousnesse which is called the righteousnesse of the lawe or of the ten commaundements which Moises teacheth This doe we also teache after the doctrine of Faith. There is yet an other righteousnesse which is aboue all these to witte the rightuousnesse of Faith or Christian rightuousnesse the which we must diligently discerne from the other afore rehearsed for they are quite contrary to this rightuousnesse both because they flowe out of the lawes of Emperours the traditions of the Pope and the commaundements of God because they consist also in our workes and may be wrought of vs either by our pure naturall strength as the Sophisters terme it or else by the gifte of god For these kindes of rightuousnesse are also the gift of God like as other good things are which we doe enioy But this most excellent rightuousnesse of Faith I meane which God through Christe without workes imputeth vnto vs is neither Politicall nor Ceremoniall nor the rightuousnesse of Gods lawe nor consisteth in workes but is cleane contrary that is to say a meere passiue righteousnesse as the other aboue are actiue For in this we worke nothing we render nothing vnto God but onely we receaue and suffer an other to worke in vs that is to say god There â—e it seemeth good vnto me to call this righteousnes of faith or Christian righteousnesse the passiue righteousnesse This is a righteousnes hidden in a mistery which the world doth not know yea Christians them selues doe not throughly vnderstand it and can hardly take hold of it in their tentations Therefore it must be diligently taught and continually practised And who so doth not vnderstand or apprehend this righteousnesse in afflictions and terrors of conscience must neades be ouerthrowne For there is no comfort of conscience so firme and so sure as this passiue righteousnesse is But mannes weakenes and misery is so great that in the terrors of conscience daunger of death we behold nothing els but our workes our worthines and the lawe which when it sheweth vnto vs our sinne by and by cure euill life past commeth to remembraunce Then the poore sinner with greate anguish of spirite groneth and thus thinketh with him selfe Alas how desperatly haue I liued would to God I might liue longer Then would I amend my life Thus mans reason can not restraine it selfe from the sight and beholding of this actiue or working righteousnes that is to say her owne righteousnes nor lift vp her eyes to the beholding of the passiue or christian righteousnesse but resteth altogether in the actiue righteousnesse So deepely is this euell rooted in vs. On the other side Sathan abusing the infirmitie of oure nature doth encrease and aggrauate these cogitations in vs Then can it not be but that the pore conscience must be more greeuously troubled confounded and terrified For it is vnpossible that the minde of man of it selfe should conceiue any comfort or loke vp vnto grace onely in the feeling and horror of sinne or constantly reiect all disputing and reasoning about works For this is farre aboue mannes strength and capacitie yea and aboue the lawe of God also True it is that of all things in the world the law is most excellent yet is it not able to quiet a troubled conscience but encreaseth terrors and driueth it to desperation For by the lavve sinne is made aboue measure sinfull Romaines the seuenth and thirtene verse Wherefore the afflicted and troubled conscience hath no remedy against desperation and eternall death vnlesse it take holde of the forgeuenesse of sinnes by grace freely offered in Christe Iesus that is to say this passiue righteousnesse of Faith or Christian righteousnesse Which if it can apprehend then may it be at quiet and boldly say I seeke not this actiue or working righteousnesse althoughe I knowe that I ought to haue it and to fulfill it But be it so that I had it and did fulfill it in deede yet notwithstanding I can not trust vnto it neither dare I set it against the iudgment of god Thus I abandone my selfe from al actiue righteousnesse both of mine owne and of Gods law and embrace onely that passiue righteousnesse which is the righteousnes of grace mercy and forgeuenes of sinnes briefly I rest onely vpon that righteousnesse which is the righteousnesse of Christ and of the holy Ghost Like as the earth engendreth not raine nor is able by her owne strength labor and trauell to procure the same but receaueth it of the meere gift of God from aboue so this heauenly righteousnesse is geuen vs of God without our workes or deseruinges Looke then how much the earth of it selfe is able to doe in getting and procuring to it selfe seasonable showers of raine to make it fruteful euen so much no more are we able to do by our owne strength works in winning this heauenly eternall righteousnesse therfore shall neuer be able to attain vnto it vnles God him self by meere imputation by his vnspeakable gift doe bestow it vpon vs The greatest knowledge then and the greatest wisedome of Christians is not to know the lawe to be ignorant of workes and of the whole actiue righteousnesse especially when the conscience wrestleth with the iudgement of god Like as on the contrary amongst those which are not of the number of Gods people the greatest point of wisedome is to knowe and earnestly to vrge the lawe and
them became a cast away saue Iudas because theyr calling is holy This is the first assault that Paule maketh against the false Apostles which ranne when no man sent them Calling therfore is not to be despised For it is not enough for a man to haue the word pure doctrine but also he must be assured of his calling and he that entreth without this certaintie entreth to no other ende but to kill and to destroy For God neuer prospereth the labour of those that are not called And although they teach some good and profitable matters withall yet they edifie not So our fantasticall spirites at this day haue the wordes of Faith in their mouthes but yet they yeelde no frute but their cheefe ende and purpose is to draw men to their false and peruerse opinions They that haue a certaine and holy calling must sustaine many and great conflictes as they must do whose doctrine is pure and sound that they may constantly abide in their lawfull calling against the infinite and continuall assaultes of the Deuill and rage of the world Heere what should he doe whose calling is vncertaine and doctrine corrupte This is then our comforte which are in the Ministerie of the worde that we haue an office which is heauenly and holy to the which we being lawfully called doe triumph against all the gates of hel On the other side it is an horrible thing when the conscience saith This thou hast done without any lawfull calling Herein such terrour shaketh a mans minde which is not called that he would wish he had neuer heard the word which he teacheth For by his disobedience he maketh all his workes euill were they neuer so good in so much that euen his greatest workes and labours become his greateste sinnes We see then how good and necessary this boasting and glorying of our ministerie is In times past when I was a yong deuine and teacher me thought Paule did vnwisely in glorying so oft of his calling in all his Epistles but I did not vnderstand his purpose For I knew not that the ministerie of Gods word was so waightie a matter I knew nothing of the doctrine of faith and a true conscience in deede for that there was then no certaintie taught either in the Schooles or Churches but al was ful of Sophistical subtilties of the Schoolemē And therfore no man was able to vnderstand the dignitie and power of this holy and spirituall boasting of the true lawfull calling which serueth first to the glory of God and secondly to the aduauncing of our office and moreouer to the saluation of our selues and of the people For by this our boasting we seeke not estimation in the worlde or praise among men or mony or pleasures or fauour of the world But for as much as we be in a diuine calling and in the worke of God and the people haue great neede to be assured of our calling that they may know our word to be the word of God therfore we proudly vaunt and boast of it It is not then a vaine but a most holy pride against the deuil and the world and true humilitie before God. Verse 1. And by God the Father vvhich hath raised him from the dead Paule is so enflamed heere with zeale that he can not tary till he come to the matter it selfe but forthwith in the very title he bursteth out and vttereth what he hath in his heart His intent in this Epistle is to treate of the righteousnes that cometh by faith and to defend the same Againe to ouerthrowe the lawe and the righteousnes that cometh by workes Of such cogitations he is full and out of this wonderfull and exceeding great abundance of the excellent wisedome and knowledge of Christ in his heart his mouth speaketh This flame this great burning fire of his heart cā not be hid nor suffer him to hold his tongue and therfore he thought it not enough to say that he was an Apostle sent by Iesus Christ but also addeth by God the Father vvhich raised him vp from the dead But the adding of these words And by God the father c semeth not necessary But because as I sayd Paule speaketh out of the abundance of his heart his minde burneth with desire to set forth euen in the very entrie of his Epistle the vnsearchable riches of Christ and to preach the righteousnes of God which is called the resurrection of the dead Christ who liueth and is risen againe speaketh out of him and moueth him thus to speake therfore not without cause he addeth that he is also an Apostle By God the father vvhich hath raised vp Iesus Christ from the dead As if he would say I haue to deale with Satan and with those vipers the instrumēts of Satan which go about to spoile me of the righteousnes of Christ who was raised vp by God the to spoile me of the righteousnes of Christ who was raised vp by God the father frō the dead by which alone we are made righteous by which also we shal be raised vp in the last day from death to euerlasting life But they that in such sort goe about to ouerthrow Christes righteousnes do resist the father and the sonne and the worke of them bothe Thus Paule euen at the first entrance bursteth out into the whole matter wherof he treateth in this Epistle For as I sayd he treateth of the resurrection of Christ who rose againe to make vs righteous and in so doing he hath ouercome the lawe sinne death and all euels Christes victorie then is the ouercōming of the law of sinne our flesh the world the deuil death hel all euils and this his victorie hath he geuen vnto vs Although then that these tyraunts and enemies of ours do accuse vs and make vs afraid yet can they not driue vs to despaire nor condemne vs For Christ whom God the father hath raised vp frō the dead is our righteousnes and victory Therfore thanks be to God who hath geuen vs victorie by our Lord Iesus Christ Amen But marke how fitly and to the purpose Paule here speaketh He sayth not by God that hath made heauen and earth which is Lord of the Angels which commaunded Abraham to goe out of his owne coūtrey which sent Moises to Pharao the king which brought Israel out of Egypt as the false Apostles did who boasted of the God of their fathers the creator maintainer and preseruer of all things working wonders among his people but Paule had an other thing in his hart namely the righteousnes of Christ therfore he speaketh words that make much for this his matter saying I am an Apostle neither of men nor by men but by Iesus Christ and God the father vvho hath raised him vp from the dead Ye see then with what feruencie of spirit Paule is led in this matter which he goeth about to establish and maintaine against
But forasmuch as we take in hand to expound this Epistle which we doe not because it is needefull or for any hardnes that is in it but that our consciences may be confirmed against heresies yet to come let it not be tedious vnto you if we repeat these things againe that elsewhere and at other times we teach preach singe and sette out by writing For if we neglect the article of iustification we lose altogether Therefore most necessary it is cheifly and aboue all things that we teach and repete this article continually Like as Moses saith of his law for it can not be beaten into our eares enough or to much Yea though we learne it and vnderstand it well yet is there none that taketh hold of it perfectly or beleueth it with his whole hart so fraile a thing is our flesh and disobedient to the spirite This greeting of the Apostle is straunge vnto the world and was neuer heard of before the preaching of the Gospell And these two words Grace and Peace cōprehend in them whatsoeuer belongeth to Christianitie Grace releaseth sinne and peace maketh the conscience quiet The two Feends that torment vs are sinne and conscience But Christ hath vanquished these two Monsters and troden them vnder foote both in this world and in the world to come This the world doth not knowe and therefore it can teach no certaintie of the ouercomming of sinne conscience and death Only Christians haue this kinde of doctrine and are exercised and armed with it to get victory against sinne despaire and euerlasting death And it is a kinde of doctrine neither proceeding of free wil nor inuented by the reason or wisedome of of man but geuen from aboue Moreouer these two words Grace and Peace doe containe in them the whole summe of Christianitie Grace containeth the remission of sinnes peace a quiet and ioyful conscience But peace of conscience can neuer be had vnlesse sinne be first forgeuē But it is not forgeuen for the fulfilling of the law For no man is able to satisfie the law but the law doth rather shew sinne accuse and terrifie the conscience declare the wrath of God and driue to desperation Much lesse is sinne taken away by the workes and inuentions of men as wicked worshippings straung religious vowes and pilgrimages Finally there is no worke that can take away sinne but sinne is rather encreased by works For the Iusticiaries Meritmongers the more they sweate and labour to bring them selues out of sinne the deeper they are plunged therin For there is no meanes to take away sinne but grace alone Therfore Paule in all the greetings of his epistles setteth grace and peace against sinne and an euill conscience This thing must be diligently marked The words are easy but in tentation it is the hardest thing that can be to be certainly perswaded in our harts that by grace alone without any other meanes either in heauen or earth we haue remission of sinnes and peace with God. The world vnderstādeth not this doctrine therfore it neither will nor can abide it but condemneth it as hereticall and wicked It braggeth of free will of the light of reason and the soundnes of the powers and qualities of nature of good workes as meanes wherby it could deserue and attaine grace and peace that is to say forgeuenes of sinnes and a quiet conscience But it is impossible that the conscience should be quiet and ioyfull vnlesse it haue peace thorowe grace that is to say through the forgiuenes of sinnes promised in Christ Many haue carefully laboured by finding out diuers and sundry religions orders and exercises for this purpose to attaine peace and quietnes of conscience but by so doing they haue plunged them selues in moe and greater miseries for all such deuises are but meanes to encrease doubtfulnes and despaire Therfore there shall be no rest to my bones or thine vnlesse we heare the word of grace and cleaue vnto it stedfastly faithfully Then shall our conscience vndoubtedly finde grace and peace The Apostle doth fittly distinguish this grace and peace from al other kinds of grace peace whatsoeuer He wisheth to the Galathians Grace Peace not from the Emperour or Kings and Princes for these doe commonly persecute the Godly and rise vp against the Lord and Christ his anointed Psal. 2. nor from the world for in the world saith Christ ye shall haue trouble but from God our father c. which is as much to say as he wisheth vnto them a heauēly peace So Christ saith My peace I leaue vnto you my peace I geue you not as the vvorld geueth it do I geue it vnto you The peace of the world graunteth nothing but the peace of our goods and bodies So the Grace or fauoure of the world geueth vs leaue to enioy our goodes casteth vs not out of our possessions But in affliction in the hower of death the grace and fauour of the world can not helpe vs they can not deliuer vs from affliction despaire and death But when the Grace and Peace of God are in the hart then is man strong so that he can neither be cast downe with aduersitie nor puffed vp with prosperitie but walketh on plainly and kepeth the hie way For he taketh hart and courage in the victory of Christes death the confidence thereof beginneth to reigne in his conscience ouer sinne and death because through him he hath assured forgeuenes of his sinnes which after he hath once obtained his conscience is at rest and by the word of Grace is comforted So then a man being comforted hartened by the Grace of God that is by forgeuenes of sinnes and by this peace of conscience is able valiantly to beare and ouercome all troubles yea euen death it selfe This Peace of God is not geuen to the world because the world neuer longeth after it nor vnderstandeth it but to them that beleeue and this commeth to passe by no other meane then by the onely Grace of God. A rule to be obserued that men ought to abstaine from the curious searching of Gods maiestie But why doth the Apostle ioyne in this salutation And from our Lord Iesus Christ Was it not enough to say And from God our father why then doth he couple Iesus Christ vvith the father Ye haue often times heard of vs howe it is a rule and principle in the scriptures diligently to be marked that we must abstaine from the curious searching of Gods maiestie which is intolerable to mans body and much more to his minde No man saith the scripture shall see me and liue The Pope the Turkes the Iewes and all such as trust in their owne merits regard not this rule and therefore remouing Christ the Mediatour out of their sight they speake onely of God before him onely they pray and doe all that they doe As for
example the Monke imagineth thus These works which I doe please god God will regard these my vowes and for them will saue me The Turke saith If I keepe the things that are commaunded in the Alcoran God will accept me and geue me euerlasting life The Ievve thinketh thus If I kepe those things which the law commaundeth I shall finde God mercifull to me and so shall I be saued So also a sort of fond heades at this day bragging of the spirite of reuelations of visions and such other monstrous matters I wote not what doe walke in wonders aboue their reaches These new Monkes haue inuented a new crosse and new workes and they dreame that by doing them they please god To be briefe as many as know not the Article of Iustification take away Christ the mercy seat and will needes comprehend God in his maiestie by the iudgemēt of reason and pacifie him with their workes But true Christian diuinitie as I geue you often warning setteth not God forth vnto vs in his maiestie as Moises and other doctrines do It commaundeth vs not to search out the nature of God but to know his will set out to vs in Christ whom he would haue to take our flesh vpon him to be borne and to die for our sinnes and that this should be preached among all nations For seeing the world by wisedom knew not God in the wisedom of God it pleased God by the foolishnes of preaching to saue thē that beleue 1. Cor. 1. Wherfore when thy conscience standeth in the conflict wrastling against the law sinne and death in the presence of God there is nothing more daungerous then to wander with curious speculatiōs in heauen and there to search out God in his incomprehensible power wisedom and maiestie how he created the world and how he gouerneth it If thou seeke thus to comprehend God and wouldest pacifie him without Christ the Mediator making thy workes a meane betweene him and thy selfe it can not be but that thou must fall as Lucifer did and in horrible despaire lose God and altogether For as God is in his owne nature vnmeasurable incomprehensible and infinite so is he to mans nature intolerable Wherfore if thou wouldest be in safetie and out of perill of conscience and saluation bridle this climing and presumptuous spirite and so seke God as Paule teacheth thee 1. Cor. 1. We sayth he preach Christ crucified a stumbling blocke vnto the Ievves and foolishnes vnto the Grecians but vnto thē vvhich are called both of the Ievves and Grecians vve preach Christ the povver of God the vvisedom of God. Therfore begin thou there where Christ began namely in the wombe of the virgin in the maunger at his mothers breasts c. For to this ende he came downe was borne was conuersant among men suffered was crucified and died that by all meanes he might set forth him selfe plainly before our eies and fasten the eies of our hartes vpon him selfe that he therby might keepe vs from climing vp into heauen and from the curious searching of the diuine maiestie Whensoeuer thou hast to doe therefore in the matter of iustification and disputest with thy selfe howe God is to be found that iustifieth and accepteth sinners where and in what sort he is to be sought then knowe thou that there is no other God besides this man Christ Iesus Embrace him and cleaue to him with all thy hart setting aside all curious speculations of the diuine maiestie For he that is a searcher of Gods maiestie shal be ouerwhelmed of his glory I knowe by experience what I say But these vaine spirites which so deale with God that they exclude the Mediatour beleue me not Christ him selfe saith I am the vvay the truth and the life No man commeth to the father but by me Therefore besides this way Christ thou shalt finde no way to the father but wandering no veritie but hypocrisie and lying no life but eternall death Wherefore marke this well in the matter of iustification that when any of vs all shall haue to wrestle with the lawe sinne death and all other euils we must looke vpon no other God but onely this God incarnate and clothed with mans nature But out of the matter of iustification when thou must dispute with Iewes Turkes Papistes Heretikes c. concerning the power wisdome and maiestie of God then employ all thy witte industrie to that ende and be as profound and as subtill a disputer as thou canst for then thou art in an other veine But in the case of conscience of righteousnes and life which I wish here diligently to be marked against the lawe sinne death and the deuill or in the matter of satisfaction of remission of sinnes of reconciliation and of euerlasting life thou must withdrawe thy minde wholy from all cogitations and searching of the maiestie of God and looke onely vpon this man Iesus Christ who setteth himselfe forth vnto vs to be a Mediatour and saith Come vnto me all ye that labour and are heauy loden and I vvill refreshe you Thus doing thou shalt perceaue the loue goodnes and sweetenes of God thou shalt see his wisdome power and maiestie sweetned and tempered to thy capacitie yea and thou shalt finde in this mirrour and pleasant contemplation all things according to that saying of Paule to the Colossians Chap. 2. Verse 3. In Christ are hid all the treasures of vvisedome and knovvledge Also in the second chapiter Verse 9. For in him dvvelleth the fulnes of the Godhead bodily The world is ignoraūt of this and therefore it searcheth out the will of God setting aside the promise in Christ to his great destruction For no man knovveth the father but the sonne and he to vvhom the sonne vvill reueale him And this is the cause why Paule is wont so often to couple Iesus Christ with God the father euen to teach vs what true Christian religion is which beginneth not at the highest as other religions doe but at the lowest It will haue vs to clime vp by Iacobs ladder whervpon God him selfe leaneth whose feete touch the very earth hard by the head of Iacob Wherfore when so euer thou art occupied in the matter of thy saluation setting aside all curious speculatiōs of Gods vnsearchable maiestie all cogitations of workes of traditions of philosophie yea and of Gods law too runne streight to the maunger and embrace this infant and the virgins litle babe in thine armes and behold him as he was borne sucking growing vp conuersant among men teaching dying rising againe ascending vp aboue all the heauens and hauing power aboue all things By this meanes thou maist shake of all terrours and errours like as the sunne driueth away the cloudes And this sight and contemplation wil keepe thee in the right way that thou maiest follow whether Christ is gonne Therefore Paule in wishing Grace and Peace not onely from God the
father but also from Iesus Christ teacheth first that we should abstaine from the curious searching of the diuine maiestie for God no man knoweth and to heare Christ who is in the bosome of the father and vttereth to vs his will who also is appoynted of the father to be a teacher to the end that euery one of vs should heare him Christ is God by nature The other thing that Paule teacheth here is a confirmation of our Faith That Christ is very god And such like sentences as this is concerning the Godhead of Christ are to be gathered together and marked diligently not onely against the Arians and other heretikes which either haue bene or shal be hereafter but also for the confirmation of our faith For Satan will not faile to impugne in vs all the articles of our Faith ere we die He is a most deadly enemie to Faith because he knoweth that it is the victorie which ouercometh the world Wherfore it standeth vs in hand to labour that our Faith may be certaine and may encrease and be strengthened by diligent and continuall exercise of the word and feruent prayer that we may be able to withstand Satan Now that Christ is very God hereby it is euidently declared in that Paule attributeth the same things equally vnto him which he doth vnto the father namely diuine power as the geuing of grace the forgeuenes of sinnes peace of conscience life victorie ouer sinne death the deuill and hell This were by no meanes lawfull for him to doe nay it were sacrilege thus to doe except he were very God according to that saying I vvill not geue my glory vnto any other Againe No man geueth that to others which he him selfe hath not But seeing Christ geueth Grace Peace and the holy Ghost deliuereth from the power of the deuill from sinne and death it is certaine that he hath an infinite and diuine power equall in all poyntes to the power of the father And in that Christ geueth Grace and Peace he geueth it not as the Apostles gaue and brought the same vnto men by preaching of the gospell but he geueth it as the author and creator The father createth and geueth life Grace Peace all other good things The selfe same things also the sonne createth geueth Now to geue Grace Peace euerlasting life to forgeue sinnes to make righteous to quicken to deliuer from death and the deuill are not the workes of any creature but of the diuine Maiestie alone The Angels can neither create nor geue these things Therefore these workes pertaine onely to the glory of the soueraigne Maiestie the maker of all things And seing Paule doth attribute the selfe same power of creating and geuing all these things vnto Christ equally with the father it must nedes follow that Christ is verely and naturally God. Many such arguments are in Iohn where it is proued and concluded by the workes which are attributed to the sonne as well as to the father that the diuinitie of the father and of the sonne is all one Therfore the giftes which we receiue of the father and which we receiue of the sonne are all one For else Paule would haue spoken otherwise after this manner Grace from God the father and Peace from our Lord Iesus Christ But in knitting them both together he attributeth them equally as well to the sonne as to the father I do therfore so diligently admonish you of this thing because it is daungerous lest among so many errours and in so great varietie and confusion of sectes there might step vp some Arrians Eunomians Macedonians and such other heretikes that might doe harme to the Churches with their subteltie In deede the Arrians were sharpe and subtile fellowes They graunted that Christ hath two natures and that he is called very God of very God howbeit in name onely Christ said they is a most noble and perfect creature aboue the Angels wherby God afterward created heauē and earth and all other things So Mahomet also speaketh honorably of Christ But al this is nothing els but goodly imaginations words pleasant and plausible to mans reason wherby the fantasticall spirites do deceiue men except they take good hede But Paule speaketh otherwise of Christ Ye sayth he are rooted and stablished in this beleefe namely that Christ is not onely a perfect creature but very God who doth the selfe same things that God the father doth He hath the diuine works not of a creature but of the creator because he geueth Grace Peace and to geue them is to condemne sinne to vanquish death and to tread the deuill vnder foote These things no Angell can geue but seing they are attributed vnto Christ it must nedes folow that he is very God by nature Verse 4. VVhich gaue himselfe for our sinnes Paule in a maner in euery word handleth the argumēt of this Epistle He hath nothing in his mouth but christ therfore in euery word ther is a feruencie of spirite and life And marke how well to the purpose he speaketh He sayth not which hath receaued our works at our hāds nor which hath receaued the sacrifices of Moises law worshippings religions Masses vowes and pilgrimages But hath geuen What not golde nor siluer nor beastes nor paschall lambes nor an angel but him selfe For what Not for a crowne not for a kingdome not for our holines or righteousnes but for our sinnes These words are very thūder claps from heauen against all kindes of righteousnes like as is also this sentence of Iohn Behold the lambe of God that taketh avvay the sinnes of the vvorld Therfore we must with diligent attention marke euery word of Paule and not slenderly consider them or lightly passe them ouer for they are full of consolation and confirme fearfull consciences exceedingly But how may we obtaine remission of our sinnes Paule answereth that the man which is called Iesus Christ the sonne of God hath geuē him selfe for them These are excellēt most comfortable words are promises of the olde law that our sinnes are taken away by none other meane then by the sonne of God deliuered vnto death With such gunnes and such artillarie must the Papacie be destroyed and all the all the religions of the heathen all works all merits and all superstitious ceremonies For if our sinnes may be taken away by our owne works merites and satisfactions what needed the sonne of God to be giuen for them But seeing he was giuen for them it followeth that we can not doe them away by our owne works Againe by this sentence it is declared that our sinnes are so great so infinite and inuincible that it is impossible for the whole world to satisfie for one of them and surely the greatnes of the raunsome namely Christ the sonne of God who gaue himselfe for our sinnes declareth sufficiently that we can neither satisfie for sinne
nor haue dominion ouer it The force and power of sinne is set forth and amplified by these words excedingly vvhich gaue himself for our sinnes Therfore here is to be marked the infinite greatnes of the price bestowed for it and then will it appeare euidently that the power of it is so great that by no meanes it could be put away but that the sonne of God must needes be geuen for it He that considereth these things well vnderstandeth that this one word Sinne comprehendeth Gods euerlasting wrath the whole kingdome of Sathan and that it is a thing more horrible then can be expressed which oughte to moue vs and make vs affraide in deede But we are carelesse yea we make lighte of sinne and a matter of nothing which although it bring with it the sting and remorse of conscience yet notwithstanding we thinke it not to be of such weight and force but that by some litle worke or merite we may put it away This sentence therefore witnesseth that all men are seruaunts and bondslaues of sinne as Paule saith in an other place are sould vnder sinne And againe that sinne is a most cruell mighty tiraunt ouer all men which can not be vanquished by the power of any creatures whether they be Angels or men but by the soueraine and infinite power of Iesus Christ who hath geuen him selfe for the same Furthermore this sentence setteth out to the consciences of all men which are terrified with the greatnes of their sinnes a singular comfort For albeit sinne be neuer so inuincible a tyraunt yet notwithstanding forasmuch as Christ hath ouercome it through his death it can not hurt thē that beleue in him Moreouer if we arme our selues with this beliefe and cleaue with all our harts vnto this man Iesus Christ then is light opened and a sounde iudgement geuen vnto vs so as we may most certainly and freely iudge of all kindes of life For when we heare that sinne is such an inuincible Tyraunt thus incontinent by a a necessary consequence we inferre Then what do the Papists Monkes Nunnes Priests Mahometists Anabaptists and al such as trust in their workes which will abolish and ouercome sinne by their owne traditions workes preparatiue satisfactions c Here forthwith we iudge all those sectes to be wicked and pernicious wherby the glory of God and of Christ is not onely defaced but also vtterly taken away and our owne aduaunced and established But wey diligently euery word of Paule and specially marke well this pronoune Our For the effect of altogether consisteth in the well applying of the pronownes which we finde very oftē in the scriptures Wherin also there is euer some vehemencie and power Thou wilt easely say and beleue that Christ the sonne of God was geuen for the sinnes of Peter of Paule and of other Sainctes whom we accompt to haue bene worthy of this grace But it is a very hard thing that thou which iudgest thy selfe vnworthy of this grace shouldest from thy hart say and beleue that Christ was geuen for thine inuincible infinite and horrible sinnes Therfore in generall and without the pronowne it is an easie matter to magnifie and amplifie the benefite of Christ namely that Christ was geuen for sinnes but for other mens sinnes which are worthy But when it commeth to the putting too of this pronowne Our there our weake nature and reason starteth backe and dare not come neere vnto God nor promise to her selfe that so great a treasure should be freely geuen vnto her and therfore she will not haue to doe with God except first she be pure and without sinne Wherfore although she read or heare this sentence vvhich gaue himselfe for our sinnes or such like yet doth she not apply this pronowne Our to her selfe but vnto others which are worthy holy And as for her selfe she will tary till she be made worthy by her owne workes This then is nothing else but that mans reason faine would that sinne were of no greater force and power thē she her selfe dreameth it to be Hereof it commeth that the hypocrites being ignorāt of Christ although they feele the remorse of sinne do thinke notwithstāding that they shal be able easely to put it away by their good works merits secretly in their harts they wish that these words vvhich gaue himself for our sinnes were but as words spoken in humilitie and would haue their sinnes not to be true very sinnes in deede but light small matters To be short mans reason would faine bring and present vnto God a fained and a counterfet sinner which is nothing afraid nor hath any feeling of sinne It would bring him that is whole and not him that hath neede of a Phisician and when it feeleth no sinne then would it beleeue that Christ was geuen for our sinnes The whole world is thus affected specially they that would be counted more holy and religious then others as Monkes and all Iusticiaries These confesse with their mouth that they are sinners and they confesse also that they commit sinnes daily howbeit not so great many but that they are able to put them away by their owne works yea and besides all this they will bring their righteousnes and deserts to Christes iudgement seat and demaund the recompēce of eternal life for them at the iudges hand In the meane while notwithstanding as they pretend great humilitie because they wil not vaunt themselues to be vtterly voide of sinne they faine certaine sinnes that for the forgeuenes therof they may with great deuotion pray with the publican God be mercifull vnto me a sinner Vnto them these words of S. Paule for our sinnes seme to be but light trifeling Therfore they neither vnderstand them nor in temptation when they feele sinne in deede can they take any cōfort of them but they are compelled flatly to despaire This is then the cheefe knowledge true wisedom of Christians to count these wordes of Paule that Christ was deliuered to death not for our righteousnes or holines but for our sinnes which are very sinnes in dede great many yea infinite and inuincible to be most true effectual of great importaūce Therfore thinke them not to be smal such as may be done away by thine owne works neither yet despair thou for the greatnes of them if thou feele thy selfe oppressed therwith either in life or death but learne here of Paule to beleue the Christ was geuen not for fained or counterfait sinnes nor yet for small sinnes but for great huge sinnes not for one or two but for all not for vāquished sinnes for no man no nor Angell is able to ouercome the least sinne that is but for inuincible sinnes And except thou be found in the nūber of those that say Our sinnes that is which haue this doctrine of faith teach heare learne loue beleue the same ther
is no saluatiō for thee Labour therfore diligently that not onely out of the time of tentation but also in the daunger and conflict of death when thy conscience is thorowly afraide with the remembraunce of thy sinnes past and the Deuill assaileth thee with great violence going about to ouerwhelme thee with heapes floudes and whole seas of sinnes to terrifie thee to draw thee from Christ and to driue thee to despaire that then I say thou maist be able to say with sure confidence Christ the sonne of god was geuē not for the righteous holy but for the vnrighteous sinners If I were righteous and had no sinne I should haue no neede of Christ to be my reconciler Why then O thou peuish holy Satan wilt thou make me to be holy and to seke righteousnes in my selfe when in very deede I haue nothing in me but sinnes and most greuous sinnes not fained or trifeling sinnes but such as are against the first table to wit great infidelitie douting despaire contempt of God hatred ignoraunce and blaspheming of God vnthankfulnes abusing of Gods name neglecting lothing and despising the word of god and such like And moreouer these carnall sinnes against the second Table as not to yelde honour to my parents not to obey the magistrates to couet an other mans goods his wife and such like howbeit that these be light faults in respect of those former sinnes And admit that I haue not cōmitted murther whoredom theft and such other sinnes against the second table in fact yet I haue committed them in hart and therfore I am a transgressour of al Gods commaundements and the multitude of my sinnes is so great that they cā not be numbred For I haue sinned aboue the number of the sands of the sea Besides this satan is such a cunning iuggler that he can make of my righteousnes and good workes great sinnes Forsomuch then as my sinnes are so waightie so infinite so horrible and inuincible and that my righteousnes doth nothing further me but rather hinder me before God therfore Christ the sonne of God was geuen to death for them to put them away and to saue me and all men which beleue Herein then consisteth the effect of eternall saluation namely in taking these words to be effectuall true of great importaunce I say not this for naught for I haue oftentimes proued by experience and I daily finde what an hard matter it is to beleue especially in the conflict of conscience that Christ was geuen not for the holy righteous worthy such as were his frends but for wicked sinners vnworthy and his enemies which haue deserued Gods wrath and euerlasting death Let vs therfore arme our harts with these such like sentēces of the holy scipture that we may be able to answer the deuil accusing vs saying thou art a sinner therfore thou art dāned in this sort Because thou saist I am a sinner therfore wil I be righteous saued Nay saith the deuil thou shalt be dāned No say I for I flie vnto Christ vvho hath geuen himself for my sinnes Therfore satā thou shalt nothing preuail agaīst me in that thou gost about to terrifie me in setting forth the greatnes of my sinnes so to bring me into heauines distrust despair hatred cōtempt and blaspheming of God yea rather by this that thou sayst I am a sinner thou geuest me armour weapon against thy selfe that with thine owne sword I may cut thy throte and tread the vnder my feete for Christ died for sinners Moreouer thou thy selfe preachest vnto me the glory of God. For thou puttest me in minde of Gods fatherly loue towards me wretched and damned sinner vvho so loued the vvorld that he gaue his onely begotten sonne that vvhosoeuer beleueth in him might not perish but haue euerlasting life Also as oft as thou obiectest that I am a sinner so often thou callest to my remembraūce the benefit of Christ my redemer vpon whose shoulders and not vpon mine lie all my sinnes For the Lord hath laied all our iniquitie vpon him Againe For the transgression of his people vvas he smitten Wherefore when thou obiectest that I am a sinner thou doest not terrifie me but comfort me aboue measure Who so knoweth this one point of cunning well shall easely auoide all the engins and snares of the Deuill who by putting man in minde of his sinnes driueth him to despaire and destroieth him vnlesse he withstand him with this cunning and with this heauenly wisedome wherby onely sinne death and the Deuill are ouercome But the man that putteth not away the remembraunce of his sinne but keepeth it stil and tormenteth him self with his owne cogitations thinking either to help him selfe by his owne strength and policie or to tarry the time till his conscience may be quieted falleth into Sathans snares and miserably afflicteth him selfe and at length is ouercome with the continuance of the tentation For the Deuill will neuer cease to accuse his conscience Against this tentation we must vse the words of Paule in the which he geueth a very good and a true definition of Christ in this maner Christ is the sonne of God and of the virgine deliuered and put to death for our sinnes Here if the Deuill aledge any other definition of Christ say thou The definition and the thing defined are false therefore I will not receaue this definition I speake not this without cause For I know what moueth me to be so earnest that we should learne to define Christ out of the words of Paule For in deede Christ is no cruel exactor but a forgeuer of the sinnes of the whole world Wherefore if thou be a sinner as in deede we are all set not Christ downe vpon the raigne bowe as a iudge for so shalt thou be terrified and despaire of his mercy but take hold of his true definition namely that Christ the sonne of God and of the virgine is a person not that terrifieth not that afflicteth not that condemneth vs of sinne not that demaundeth an account of vs for our life euill passed but gaue him selfe for our sinnes and with one oblation hath put away the sinnes of the whole world hath nailed them to the crosse and put them cleane out by him selfe Learne this definition diligently and especially so exercise this pronoune our that this one sillable being beleued may swallow vp all thy sinnes that is to say that thou maist know assuredly that Christ hath takē away the sinnes not of certaine men only but also of thee yea of the whole world Thē let not thy sinnes be sinnes only but euen thy own sinnes That is to witte beleeue thou that Christ was not onely geuen for other mens sinnes but also for thine Hold this fast suffer not thy selfe by any meanes to be drawne away frō this most sweete definition of Christ which reioyceth euē the very angels
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
the wisedom and righteousnes of Christ moreouer it darkneth hindreth blasphemeth and persecuteth the same Therfore Paule doth rightly call it the euill or vvicked vvorld for when it is at the best then is it worst In the religious wise and learned men the world is at the best and yet in very dede in them it is double euill I ouerpasse those grosse vices which are against the second table as disobedience to parents to magistrates addulteries whoredomes couetousnes thefts murthers and maliciousnes wherin the world is altogether drowned which notwithstanding are light faultes if ye compare them with the wisedom and righteousnes of the wicked wherwith they fight against the first table This white Deuill which forceth men to commit spirituall sinnes that they may sell them for righteousnes is farre more daungerous then the blacke deuill which onely enforceth them to commit fleshly sinnes which the world acknowledgeth to be sinnes By these wordes then That he might deliuer vs c. Paule sheweth what is the argument of this Epistle to wit that we haue neede of grace and of Christ and that no other creature neither man nor Angell can deliuer man out of this present euill world For these workes are onely belonging to the diuine Maiestie and are not in the power of any either man or Angell that Christ hath put away sinne and hath deliuered vs from the tyrannie and kingdom of the Deuill that is to say from this wicked world which is an obedient seruaunt and a willing follower of the Deuill his god Whatsoeuer that murtherer and father of lies either doth or speaketh that the world as his most loyall and obedient sonne diligently followeth and performeth And therfore it is full of the ignoraunce of God of hatred lying errours blasphemie and of the contempt of God Moreouer of grosse sinnes murthers adulteries fornications theftes robberies and such like because he followeth his father the deuill who is a lier and a murtherer And the more wise righteous and holy men are without Christ so much the more hurt they doe to the gospell So we also that were religious men were double wicked in the Papacie before God did lighten vs with the knowledge of his gospell and yet notwithstanding vnder the colour of true pietie and holines Let these words then of Paule stand as they are in deede true and effectual not coloured or coūterfait namely that this present world is euill Let it nothing at all moue thee that in a great nombre of men there be many excellent vertues and that there is so great a shew of holines in hypocrites But marke thou rather what Paule sayeth out of whose wordes thou maist boldly and freely pronounce this sentence against the world That the world with all his wisedome power and righteousnes is the kingdom of the deuill out of the which God onely is able to deliuer vs by his onely begotten sonne Therfore let vs praise God the father geue him harty thankes for this his vnmeasurable mercy that hath deliuered vs out of the kingdom of the Deuill in which we were holden captiues by his owne sonne when it was impossible to be done by oure own strength And let vs acknowledge together with Paule that all our works righteousnes with all which we could not make the deuil to stoupe one hear bredth are but losse and dung Also let vs cast vnder our feete and vtterly abhorre all the power of free will all Pharasaicall wisedom and righteousnes all religious orders all Masses ceremonies vowes fastings and such like as a most filthie defiled cloth and as the most daungerous poyson of the Deuill Contrariwise let vs extoll and magnifie the glory of Christ who hath deliuered vs by his death not out of a world onely but out of an euill world Paule then by this word Euill sheweth that the kingdom of the world or the Deuils kingdom is a kingdom of iniquitie ignoraunce errour sinne death blasphemie desperation and euerlasting damnation On the other side the kingdom of Christ is a kingdom of equitie light grace remission of sinnes peace consolation sauing health and euerlasting life into the which we are translated by our Lord Iesus Christ to whom be glory world without end So be it Verse 4. According to the vvill of God euen our father Here Paule so placeth and setteth in order euery word that there is not one of them but it fighteth against those false Apostles for the article of iustification Christ sayth he hath deliuered vs out of this most wicked kingdom of the deuill and the world And this hath he done according to the will good pleasure and commaundement of the father wherfore we be not deliuered by our owne will or running nor by our owne wisedom or policie but for that God hath taken mercy vpon vs and hath loued vs like as it is wrytten also in an other place Herein hath appeared the great loue of God tovvardes vs not that vve haue loued God but that he hath loued vs and hath sent his onely begotten sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes That we then are deliuered from this present euill world it is of mere grace and no desert of our ours Paule is so plentifull and so vehement in amplifying and extolling the grace of God that he sharpeneth directeth euery word against the false Apostles There is also here another cause why Paule maketh mention of the Fathers wil which also in many places of S. Iohns gospel is declared wher christ cōmēding his office calleth vs back to his fathers wil that in his words works we should not so much loke vpon him as vpō the father For Christ came into this world toke mans nature vpō him that he might be made a sacrifice for the sinnes of the whole world so recōcile vs to God the father that he alone might declare vnto vs how that this was done through the good pleasure of his father that we by fastning our eyes vpō Christ might be drawn caried streight vnto the father For we must not thinke as I haue warned you before that by the curious searching of the Maiestie of God any thing concerning God can be known to our saluation but by taking hold of Christ who according to the wil of the father hath geuē himself to the death for our sinnes Whē thou shalt acknowledge this to be the wil of God through christ then wrath ceaseth feare and trembling vanisheth away neither doth God appeare any other then mercifull who by his determinate coūsell would that his sonne should die for vs that we might liue thorow him This knowledge maketh the hart chearfull so that it stedfastly beleueth that God is not angry but that he so loueth vs wretched sinners that he gaue his onely begotten sonne for vs It is not for nought therfore that Paule doth so oftē repeat and beat into our minds that
to be briefe all things goe forward prousperously This most happy course of the gospell some madde head would soone stoppe and in one moment would ouerturne all that we in many yeres with greate labour haue builded Euen so it befell to Paule the electe vessell of Christ He had wonne the churches of Galatia with greate care and trauel which the false Apostles in a short time after his departure ouerthrew as this and diuers other of his Epistles doe witnesse So greate is the weakenes and wreatchednes of this present life and we so walke in the middest of Satans snares that one fantasticall head may destroy and vtterly ouerthrow in a short space al that which many true ministers labouring night and day haue builded vp many yeares before This we learne at this day by experience to our great greife and yet we can not remedie this enormitie Seeing then that the church is so softe and so tender a thinge and is so soone ouerthrowne men must watch cherefully against these fantasticall spirites who when they haue heard a few Sermons or haue read a fewe leaues in the holy scriptures by and by they make themselues maisters and controulers of all learners and teachers contrary to the authoritie of all men Many such also thou maiest finde at this day among handicrafts men bold and malapert fellowes who hauing bene tried by no temptations haue neuer learned to feare God nor haue had any taste or feeling of grace These for that they are void of the holy Ghost teach what liketh them selues such things as are plausible to the common people Then the vnskilfull multitude longing to heare newes doe by and by ioine them selues vnto them yea and many also which thinke themselues well seene in the doctrine of faith and after a sort haue bene tried with temptations are seduced by them Sith Paule therefore by his owne experience may teach vs that congregations which are wonne by exceeding greate labour are easily and soone ouerthrowne we ought with singular care to watch against the Deuil raunging euery where lest he come while we sleepe and sow tares among the wheate for though the shepardes be neuer so watchfull and diligent yet is the Christian flocke in daunger of Sathan For Paule as I said with singular studie and diligence had planted churches in Galathia and yet he had scarsly set his foote as they say out of the dore but by and by the false Apostles ouerthrew some whose fall afterward was the cause of greate ruines in the churches of Galatia This so sodaine and so greate a losse no doubt was more bitter vnto the Apostle then death Therefore let vs watch diligently first euery one for him selfe secondly all Teachers not onely for them selues but also for the whole church that we enter not into temptation Verse 6. Ye are remoued avvay Here once againe he vseth not a sharpe but a most gentle word He sayeth not I maruell that ye slide so soone backe that ye are so disobedient light inconstant and vnthankfull but that ye are so soone remoued away As if he would say Ye are altogether patients or sufferers For ye haue done no harme but ye haue suffered and receaued harme To the intent therefore that he might call backe againe those backesliders he rather accuseth those that did remoue then those that were remoued and yet very modestly he blameth them also when he complaineth that they were remoued As if he would say Albeit I embrace you with a fatherly affection and know that ye are deceaued not by your owne fault but by the fault of these false Apostles yet notwithstanding I would haue wished that ye had growne vp a litle more in the strength of sound doctrine Ye tooke not hold enough vpon the word ye rooted not your selues depe enough in it and that is the cause that at so light a blast of winde ye are carried away and remoued Ierome thinketh that Paule ment to enterprete the name of the Galathians by alluding to the Hebrew word Galath which is as much to say as falne or caried away As though he would say Ye are right Galathians both in name and in dede that is to say falne or remoued away Some thinke that we Germans are descended of the Galathians Neither is this diuination perhaps vntrue For we Germans are not much vnlike to them in nature And I my selfe also am constrained to wish to my cuntreimen more stedfastnes and constancie For in all things that we doe at the first brunt we be very hotte but when that heate of our first affections is alaied anone we become more slacke and looke with what rashnes we beginne things with the same we geue them ouer and vtterly reiect them At the first when the light of the gospel after so great darknes of mens traditions began to appeare many were zelously bent to godlines they heard Sermons greedely had the ministers of Gods word in reuerence But now when the doctrine of pietie and godlines is happely reformed with so great encrease of Gods word many which before seemed earnest disciples become contemners and very enemies Who not onely cast of the studie and zeale of Gods word and despise the ministers therof but also hate all good learning and become plaine hogs and bellie Gods worthy doutles to be compared vnto those foolish and inconstant Galathians Verse 6. From him that hath called you in the grace of Christ This place is somewhat doubtfull and therfore it hath a double vnderstanding The first is From that Christ that hath called you in grace The other is From him that is to say from God vvhich hath called you in the grace of Christ I embrace the former For it liketh me that euen as Paule a litle before made Christ the Redemer who by his death deliuereth vs from this present euill world also the giuer of Grace and Peace equally with God the father so he should also make him here the caller in grace For Paules speciall purpose is to beat into our minds the benefite of Christ by whom we come vnto the father There is also in these wordes From him that hath called vs in grace a great vehemencie Wherin is contained withal a contrary relation As if he would say Alas how lightly do you suffer your selues to be withdrawne and remoued from Christ which hath called you not as Moises did to the law workes sinne wrath and damnation but altogether to grace So we also complaine at this day with Paule that the blindnes and peruersnes of men is horrible in that none will receaue the doctrine of grace and saluation Or if there be any that receaue it yet they quickly slide backe againe and fall from it whereas notwithstanding it bringeth with it all good things as well ghostly as bodely namely forgeuenes of sinnes true righteousnes peace of conscience and euerlasting life Moreouer it bringeth light and sound
were in the middes of the Apostles and all the faithfull where this question was so vehemently debated was not yet constrained to be circumcised This victorie Paule carieth away sayth that in this conference it was decided by the consent of all the Apostles the whole Church also approuing the same that Titus should not be circumcised This is a strong argument and maketh very much against the false apostles And with this argument Neither vvas Titus compelled to be circumcised Paule was able to represse and mightely conuince all his aduersaries As if he should say Why doth these counterfait apostles so falsely report of me saying that I am compelled to keepe circumcision by the commaundement of the Apostles seeing I haue the witnes of all the faithfull in Ierusalem and moreouer of all the Apostles them selues that by my pursute and trauaile the contrary was there determined and that I did not onely there preuaile that Titus should not be circumcised but that the Apostles did also approue and ratifie the same Your counterfet apostles therfore do lie deadly which sclaūder me vnder the name of the Apostles and therby deceaue you for I haue the Apostles and all the faithfull not against me but with me And this I proue by the example of Titus Notwithstanding Paule as I haue often sayd did not condemne circumcision as an vnprofitable thing nor constrained any man therevnto For it is neither sinne nor righteousnes to be circumcised or vncircumcised as it is neither sinne nor righteousnes to eate or drinke For vvhether thou eate or eate not thou art neither better nor vvorse But if any mā should adde therto either sinne or righteousnes and say If thou eate thou sinnest if thou abstaine thou art righteous he should shew him selfe both foolish and wicked Therfore to ioyne ceremonies with sinne or righteousnes is great impietie As the Pope doth who in his forme of excommunication threatneth to all those that doe not obey the law of the Bishop of Rome Gods great curse and indignation and so maketh all his lawes necessary to saluation Wherefore the Deuil him selfe speaketh in the person of the Pope in all the Popes decrees For if saluation cōsisteth in keping of the Popes lawes what neede haue we of Christ to be our iustifier and Sauiour Vers 4.5 For all the false brethern that crept in vvho came in priuely to espie out our liberty vvhich vve haue in Christ Iesus that they might bring vs into bōdage To vvhom vve gaue not place by subiection for an houre that the truth of the Gospell might continue vvith you Here Paule sheweth the cause why he went vp to Ierusalem and there conferred his gospell with the other Apostles and why he would not circumcise Titus Not that he might be the more certaine or confirmed in the gospell by the Apostles for he nothing doubted thereof but that the truth of the gospell might continue in the Churches of the Galathians and in all the Churches of the Gentiles We see then that this busines of Paule was no light matter Nowe where he speaketh of the truth of the Gospell he sheweth that there be two gospels a true and a false gospell Indeede the gospell of it selfe is simple true and sincere but by the malice of Satans ministers it is corrupt and defaced Therfore where he saith The truth of the gospel he would haue vs to vnderstād also the contrary As if he would say The false apostles do also preach a faith a gospel but they are both false Therfore haue I set my selfe so constantly against them and in that I would not geue place vnto them I haue brought to passe that the truth of the gospell continueth with you So the Pope and the Anabaptists doe bragge at this day that they teach the Gospell faith in Christ True it is but with such frute as the false apostles once did whom Paule calleth before in the first chapter troublers of the church and subuerters of the gospell of Christ On the other side he sayth that he teacheth the truth of the gospell As if he should say Those things which the false apostles teach bragge they neuer so much that they teach the truth are nothing else but starke lies So all Heretikes pretend the name of God of Christ and of the Church Also they pretend that they will not teach errours or lies but most certaine truth and the pure Gospell of Christ Now the truth of the gospell is that our righteousnes cometh by Faith only without the workes of the law The corruption or falshode of the Gospell is that we are iustified by Faith but not without the workes of the lawe With the like condition the false apostles also preached the Gospel Euen so doe our Papists and craftie Sophisters at this day For they say that we must beleue in Christ and that Faith is the foundation of our saluation but it iustifieth not except it be furnished with charitie This is not the truth of the Gospell but falshode and dissimulation But the true Gospell in deede is that works or charitie are not the ornament or perfection of faith but that faith of it selfe is Gods gift and Gods worke in our hearts which therefore iustifieth vs because it apprehendeth Christ our redemer Mans reason hath the law for his obiect thus thinking with it selfe This I haue done this I haue not done But faith being in her owne proper office hath no other obiect but Iesus Christ the sonne of god deliuered to death for the sinnes of the whole world It loketh not to charitie It sayeth not what haue I done what haue I offended what haue I deserued but what hath Christ done what hath he deserued Here the truth of the gospel answereth thee he hath redemed thee from thy sinne from the Deuil from eternall death Faith therefore acknowledgeth that in this one person Iesus Christ it hath forgeuenes of sinnes and eternall life He that turneth his eyes away from this obiect hath not true Faith but a fantasie and a vaine opinion and turneth his eyes from the promise to the law which terrifieth and driueth to desperation Wherfore those things which the Sophisters Scholemen haue taught cōcerning the iustifying faith being furnished with charitie are no thing else but mere dreames For that faith which apprehēdeth Christ the sonne of God is furnished with him is the same faith that iustifieth and not that faith which includeth charitie For a true a stedfast faith must lay hold vpon nothing else but Christ alone and in the afflictions and terrours of conscience it hath nothing else to leane vnto but this Diamond Christ Iesus Wherfore he that apprehendeth Christ by faith although he be neuer so much terrified with the law pressed downe with the weight of his sinnes yet may he be bold to glory that he is righteous How or by what meanes Euen by that
precious Pearle Christ which he possesseth by faith This our aduersaries vnderstand not and therfore they cast away this precious Pearle Christ in his place they set charitie which they say is their precious Diamund Now when they can not tell what Faith is it is vnpossible that they should haue faith much lesse can they teach it vnto others And as for that which they will seme to haue it is nothing else but a very dreame an opinion and naturall reason and not faith This I say to the end ye may perceaue that Paule mentioning here the truth of the Gospell speaketh with great feruencie of spirite for the more reproofe of the contrary For by these wordes he reprehendeth the false apostles for that they had taught a false gospell for they required circumcision the obseruation of the law as necessary to saluation Moreouer they went about by craftie sleights and policie to entrap Paule for they watched him narowly to see whether he would circumcise Titus or no Also whether he durst withstand them in the presence of the Apostles and for this cause he reprehendeth them bitterly They vveÌ„t about sayth he to spie out our libertie vvhich vve haue in Christ Iesu that they might bring vs into boÌ„dage Wherfore the false apostles armed them selues on euery side that they might coÌ„uince and confound him before the whole congregation Besides this they went about to abuse the authoritie of the Apostles in whose presence they accused him saying Paule hath brought Titus being vncircumcised into the company of all the faithfull he denieth and condemneth the law in your presence which are Apostles If he dare be so bold to atteÌ„pt this here before you what wil not he attempt in your absence among the Gentiles Wherfore when he perceaued that he was so craftely assailed he stroÌ„gly withstode the false apostles saying we did not suffer our liberty which we haue in Christ Iesu to come in dauÌ„ger although the false brethren sought by all meanes to snare vs and put vs to much trouble but we ouercame them euen by the iudgement of the Apostles themselues and we would not yelde vnto them no not one hower for no doubt their drift was to haue caused Paule to surcease from this liberty for a time sithens we saw that they required the obseruation of the law as necessary to saluation But if they had alleaged nothing els but charitable bearing with the brethren no doubt but Paule would haue giuen them place But it was an other thing that they sought to witte that they might bring Paule and all that stucke to his doctrine into bondage Therefore he would not yelde vnto them no not the space of one moment In like maner doe we also offer to the Papistes all that is to be offered yea and more then we ought Onely we except the libertie of conscience which we haue in Christ Iesus For we will not suffer our consciences to be bound to any worke so that by doing this thing or that we should be righteous or leauing the same vndone we should be damned We are contented to eate the same meates that they eate we wil kepe their feastes and fasting daies so that they will suffer vs to doe the same with a free conscience and leaue these threatning words wherw t they haue terrified and brought vnder their subiection the whole world saying we commauÌ„d we charge we charge againe we excoÌ„municate c. but this liberty we can not obtaine like as Paule also could not in his time Therefore we doe as he did For when he saw that he could not obtaine this libertie he would not geue place to the false Apostles for the space of one hower Wherefore like as our aduersaries wil not leaue this free vnto vs that onely faith in Christ iustifieth so on the other side neither will we nor can we geue place vnto them that faith furnished with charitie iustifieth Here we wil and we ought also to be rebellious and obstinate against them for els we should lose the truth of the Gospell we should lose our liberty which we haue not in the Emperour not in Kings and Princes not in that moÌ„ster the Pope not in the world not in flesh bloude reason c but which we haue in Christ Iesus We should lose faith in Christ which as before I haue said appreheÌ„deth nothing els but that precious pearle Christ This faith whereby we are regenerate iustified and engrafted into Christ if our aduersaries will leaue vnto vs sound and vncorrupt we offer vnto them that we will doe all things so that they be not contrary to this faith But because we can not obtaine this at their haâ—des we againe for our parte will not yelde vnto them one heares breadth â–ª For here is a great and a weighty matter in hand namely touching the death of the sonne of God who by the will and commaundement of the father was made flesh was crucified and died for the sinnes of the world If faith here geue place then is this death and resurrection of the sonne of God in vaine then is it but a fable that Christ is the Sauiour of the world then is God also found a lier because he hath not performed that he promised Our stoutnes therefore in this matter is godly and holy For by it we seeke to preserue our liberty which we haue in Christ Iesus and therby to retaine the truth of the Gospell which if we lose then doe we also lose God Christ all the promises faith righteousnes and euerlasting life But some man will say The lawe is diuine and holy Let the law haue his glory but yet no law be it neuer so diuine and holy ought to teach me that I am iustified and shall liue through it I graunt it may teach me that I ought to loue God and my neighbour also to liue in chastitie sobernes patience c. but it ought not to shew me how I should be deliuered from sinne the Deuill death and hell Here I must take counsell of the Gospell I must harken to the Gospell which teacheth me not what I ought to doe for that is the proper office of the law but what Iesus Christ the sonne of God hath done for me to wit that he suffered and died to deliuer me from sinne and death The Gospell willeth me to receaue this and to beleue it And this is the truth of the Gospell It is also the principall article of all Christian doctrine wherein the knowledge of all godlines consisteth Most necessary it is therfore that we should know this article wel teach it vnto others and beate it into their heades continually For as it is very tender so is it soone hurt This Paule had well tried and of this haue all the godly also good experience To conclude Paule would not circumcise Titus and as he saith for no other cause but for that certaine false
may see how farre from the truth these blinde guides and leaders of the blinde haue strayed and how by this wicked and blasphemous doctrine they haue not onely darkned but taken away the Gospell and buried Christ vtterly For if I being in deadly sinne can doe any litle worke which is not onely acceptable in Gods sight according to the substaunce but also is able to deserue grace of congruence and when I haue receaued this grace I may do workes according to grace that is to say according to loue and gette of right and duetie eternall life what neede haue I now of the grace of God forgeuenes of sinnes of the promise and of the death and victorie of Christ Christ is now to me in vaine and of none effect For I haue freewill and power to doe good works wherby I deserue grace of congruence and afterwards of duety and by the worthines of my worke eternall life Such monstrous horrible blasphemies should be set forth rather to the Turkes and Iewes then to the church of Christ And this plainly declareth that the Pope with his Bishops Doctors priests with all his religious rable had no knowledge or regard of holy matters and that they were not careful for the health of the seely and miserably scattered flocke For if they had seene but through a cloud what Paule calleth sinne and what he calleth grace they would neuer haue compelled the people to beleue such abhominations execrable lies as they haue done By deadly sinne they vnderstoode onely the externall worke committed against the law as murther theft and such like They could not see that ignoraunce hatred and contempt of God in the heart ingratitude murmuring against God and resisting the will of God are also deadly sinne and that the flesh can not thinke speake or do any thing but that which is deuelish and altogether against god If they had seene these mischeefes fast rooted in the nature of man they would neuer haue deuised such impudent and execrable dreames touching the desert of congruence and worthines Wherefore we must properly and plainly define what a wicked man or a deadly sinner is He is such a holy and bloudy hypocrite as Paule was whē he went to Damascus to persecute Iesus of Nazareth to abolish the doctrine of the gospel to murther the faithful vtterly to ouerthrow the church of Christ And who will not say but that these were horrible sinnes Yet could not Paule see them For he was so blinded with a peruerse zeale of God that he thought these abhominatiōs to be perfect righteousnes and high seruice vnto God and shall we say that such as defend these horrible sinnes to be perfect righteousnes doe deserue grace Wherfore with Paule we vtterly deny the merite of congruence worthines and affirme that these speculatiōs are nothing else but mere deceites of Satan which were neuer done in dede nor notified by any examples For God neuer gaue to any man grace and euerlasting life for the merite of congruence or worthines These disputatiōs therfore of the Scholemen touching the merite of congruence worthines are nothing else but vaine toyes dreames of idle braines to no other end and purpose but to draw men from the true worship of God. And herevpon is the whole papacie grounded For there is no religious person but he hath this imagination I am able by the obseruation of my holy order to deserue grace of congruence and by the workes which I doe after that I haue receiued this grace I am able to heape vp such treasure of merite as shall not onely be sufficient for me to obtaine eternall life but also to geue or sell vnto others Thus haue all the religious orders taught and thus haue they liued And to defend this horrible blasphemie against Christ the Papists doe at this day attempt against vs what they can And there is not one of them all but the more holy hypocrite and meritemunger he is the more cruell and deadly enemy he is to the Gospell of Christ The true vvay to Christianitie Now the true way to Christianitie is this that a man aboue al things doe acknowledge him selfe to be a sinner by the lawe and that it is impossible for him to doe any good worke For the lawe sayth Thou art an euill tree and therefore all that thou thinkest speakest or doest is against god Thou canst not therefore deserue grace by thy workes Which if thou goe about to doe thou committest yet a more greeuous offence For since thou art an euill tree thou canst not but bring forth euill frutes that is to say sinnes For vvhat so euer is not of Faith is sinne Wherfore he that would deserue grace by workes going before Faith goeth about to please God with sinnes which is nothing else but to heape sinne vpon sinne to mocke God and to prouoke his wrath When a man is thus instructed by the law then is he terrified humbled then he seeth in deede the greatnes of his sinne and can not finde in him selfe one iote of the loue of God therefore he iustifieth God in his word and confesseth that he is giltie of death and eternall damnation The first part then of Christianitie is the preaching of repentance and the knowledge of our selues The second part is If thou wilt be saued thou maist not seeke saluation by works for God hath sent his onely begotten sonne into the world that we might liue through him He was crucified and died for thee and offred vp thy sinnes in his owne body Here is no congruence or worke done before grace but wrath sinne terrour and death Wherfore the lawe doth nothing else but vtter sinne terrifie and humble and by this meanes prepareth vs to iustification and driueth vs to Christ For God hath reueled vnto vs by his word that he will be vnto vs a merciful father without our desertes seing we can deserue nothing wil freely geue vnto vs remission of sinnes righteousnes life euerlasting for Christ his sonnes sake For God geueth his gifts freely vnto all and that is the praise glory of his diuinitie But the Iusticiaries will not receaue grace euerlasting life of him freely but wil deserue the same by their workes For this cause they would vtterly take from him the glory of his Diuinitie To the ende therfore that he may maintaine and defend the same he is cōpelled to send his law before which as a lightning and thundring from heauen may bruse and breake those hard rockes This briefly is our doctrine as touching Christian righteousnes against the abominations and monstrous dreames of the Papists concerning the merite of congruence and worthines or workes before and after grace For a sort of idle monks which neuer had any regard of God or his glory nor of the health of their owne soules which were neuer exercised with any tentations neuer had
other meanes Wherefore euen by this we may plainely see the inestimable pacience of God in that he hath not long agoe destroyed the whole Papacy and consumed it with fire and brimstone as he did Sodome and Gomorre But now these ioly felowes goe about not onely to couer but highly to aduance their impietie and filthines This we may in no case dissemble We must therefore with all diligence set forth the article of iustification that the same as a most cleare Sunne may bring to light the darknes of their hypocrisie and may discouer their filthines and shame For this cause we doe so often repete and so earnestly set forth the righteousnes of faith that the aduersaries may be confounded and this article established cōfirmed in our hearts And this is a most necessary thing for if we once lose this Sunne we fal againe into our former darknes And most horrible it is that the Pope should euer be able to bring this to passe in the church that Christ should be denyed troden vnder foote spitte vpon blasphemed yea and that euen by the Gospell and sacraments which he hath so darkned and turned into such an horrible abuse that he hath made them to serue him against Christ to set vp and stablish his detestable abhominations O deepe darkenes O horrible wrath of God. Verse 16. Euen vve I say haue beleeued in Iesus Christ that vve might be iustified This is the true meane to become a Christian euen to be iustified by faith in Iesus Christ and not by the workes of the lawe Here we may not stand vpon the wicked glose of the Scholemen which say that faith then iustifieth when charitie and good workes are ioyned withal With this pestilent glose the Sophisters haue darkened peruerted this such other like sentences in Paule wherein he manifestly attributeth iustification to faith onely in Christ But when a man heareth that he ought to beleue in Christ and yet faith notwithstanding iustifieth not except it be formed and adorned with charitie by and by faith faileth him and thus he thinketh with him selfe If faith without charitie iustifieth not then is faith in vaine and vnprofitable and charitie only iustifieth For except Faith be adorned and furnished with charitie it is nothing And to approue this their pernicious and pestilēt glose they alledge this place out of the Corinthes Though I speake vvith the tounges of men angels haue no loue I am nothing This place is their brasen wall But these men are without vnderstanding therfore they can see or vnderstand nothing in Paule And moreouer they haue not onely done iniury to the words of Paule but also they haue denied Christ buried al his benefits Wherfore we must auoid this their glose as a most deadly and deuilish poison and conclude with Paule that we are iustified not by faith furnished with charitie but by faith onely and alone We graunt that we must also teach good workes and charitie but it must be done in time and place that is to say when the question is concerning workes and toucheth not this article of iustification But here the matter resteth in this point to know by what meanes we are iustified and attaine eternall life To this we aunswere with Paule that by faith onely in Christ we are pronounced righteous and not by the workes of the law or charitie Not because we reiect good workes but for that we will not suffer our selues to be remoued from this anker hold of our saluation which Sathan most desireth Since then we are now in the matter of iustification we reiect and condemne all good workes for this place will admitte no disputation of good workes Wherefore in this matter we doe generally cut of all lawes and all the workes of the law But the law is good iust and holy True it is But when we are in the matter of iustification there is no time or place to speake of the law but the question is what Christ is and what benefite he hath brought vnto vs Christ is not the law he is not my worke or the worke of the law he is not my charitie my chastitie my obedience my pouerty but he is the Lord of life and death a Mediatour a Sauiour a redemer of those that are vnder the law and sinne In him vve are by faith and he in vs. This bridegrome must be alone with the bride in his secrete chamber all the seruants and family being put apart But afterwards when the dore is open and he cometh forth then may the seruauntes and hādmaides returne to minister vnto them Then may charitie and good workes beginne to doe their office Let vs learne therefore to discerne all lawes yea euen the law of God and all workes from faith and from Christ that we may define Christ rightly and know that he is not the law and therfore he is no exactor of the law and workes but he is the lambe of God that taketh avvay the sinnes of the vvorld This doth faith alone lay hold of and not charitie which notwithstanding as a certaine thankfulnes must follow faith Wherefore victory ouer sinne and death saluation and euerlasting life come not by the law nor by the workes of the law nor yet by the power of free will but by the Lord Iesus Christ only alone Verse 16. That vve might be iustified by faith in Christ and not by the vvorkes of the lavv Paule speaketh not here of the ceremoniall law onely as before we haue sayd but of the whole law For the ceremoniall law was as well the law of God as the morall law was As for example Circumcision the institution of the Priesthoode the seruice and ceremonies of the temple were commaunded of God no lesse then the ten commaundements Moreouer when Abraham was commaunded to offer vp his sonne Isaac in sacrifice it was a law This worke of Abraham pleased God no lesse then other works of the ceremoniall law did and yet was not he iustified by this work but by faith for the scripture saith Abraham beleued God and it vvas counted to him for righteousnes But since the reueiling of Christ say they the ceremoniall lawe killeth and bringeth death Yea so doth the lawe of the ten commaundements also without faith in Christe Moreouer there may no law be suffred to raigne in the conscience but onely the law of the spirite and life wherby we are made free in Christ from the lawe of the letter and of death from the workes therof and from all sinnes Not because the lawe is euill but for that it is not able to iustifie vs for it hath a plaine contrary effect and working It is an high and an excellent matter to be at peace with God and therefore in this case we haue neede of a farre other Mediatour then Moses or the lawe Here we must doe nothing at all but onely receaue the
Christ in so much that without circumcision and keping of the lawe they denied the iustification of faith for except ye be circumcised sayd they after the lawe of Moses ye can not be saued euen so at this day these straite exactors of the lawe besides the righteousnes of Faith doe require the keping of the commaundementes of God according to that saying Doe this and thou shalt liue Also If thou vvilt enter into life kepe the commaundemēts Wherfore there is not one among them be he neuer so wise that vnderstandeth that difference betwene the lawe and grace But we put a difference and say that we do not here dispute whether we ought to doe good workes whether the law be good holy and iust whether it ought to be kept or no for this is an other maner of question But our question is concerning iustification and whether the lawe doe iustifie or no. This the aduersaries will not heare they will not aunswere to this question nor make any distinction as we doe but onely crie out that good workes ought to be done that the lawe ought to be obserued We know that well enough But because these are diuers and distinct matters we will not suffer them to be mingled together That good workes ought to be done we will hereafter declare when time shall serue But since we are nowe in the matter of iustification we set aside here all good workes for the which the aduersaries doe so earnestly striue ascribing vnto them wholy the office of iustifying which is to take from Christ his glory and to ascribe the same vnto workes Wherfore this is a strong argument which I haue oftentimes vsed to my great comfort If then vvhile vve seeke to be made righteous by Christ c. As though Paule should say If we being iustified by Christ are counted yet as not iustified and righteous but as sinners which are yet to be iustified by the lawe then may we not seeke iustification in Christ but in the law But if iustification cometh by the lawe then cometh it not by grace Now if iustification cometh not by grace but by the lawe what hath Christ done and wrought by his death by his preaching by his victorie which he hath obtained ouer the lawe sinne and death and by sending the holy Ghost We must cōclude therfore that either we are iustified by Christ or else that we are made sinners culpable and giltie through him But if the lawe doe iustifie then can it not be auoided but needes it must folowe that we are made sinners through Christ and so Christ is a minister of sinne The case standing thus let vs then set downe this proposition Euery one that beleueth in the Lord Iesus Christ is a sinner and is giltie of eternall death and if he flie not vnto the lawe doing the workes thereof he shall not be saued The holy Scripture especially the new Testament maketh often mention of faith in Christ highly aduaūceth the same which saith that vvhosoeuer beleueth in him is saued perisheth not is not iudged is not confounded hath eternal life c. But contrariwise they say he that beleueth in him is condemned because he hath faith without works which doth condemne Thus doe they peruert all things making of Christ a destroyer and a murtherer and of Moses a Sauiour And is not this an horrible blasphemy so to teach that by doing good works thou shalt be made worthy of eternall life but by beleuing in Christ thou shalt be made culpable and giltie of eternall death that the law being kept accomplished saueth faith in Christ condēneth These selfe same words I graūt the aduersaries doe not vse but in very deede such is their doctrine For faith infused say they which properly they call faith in Christ doth not make vs free frō sinne but that faith which is furnished with charitie Hereof it followeth that faith in Christ without the law saueth vs not This is plainly to affirme that Christ leaueth vs in our sinnes and in the wrath of God and maketh vs giltie of eternall death On the other side if thou keepe the law and doe the works therof then faith iustifieth thee because it hath works without the which faith auaileth nothing Therefore works iustifie and not faith O horrible impietie What pernicious and cursed doctrine is this Paule therfore groundeth his Argument vpon an impossibilitie a sufficient diuision If we being iustified in Christ are yet found sinners and can not be iustified but by any other meane thē by Christ that is to witte by the law then can not Christ iustifie vs but he onely accuseth and condemneth vs and so consequently it followeth that Christ dyed in vaine and that these with other like places are false Behold the lābe of God that taketh avvay the sinnes of the vvorld Also He that beleueth in him hath euerlasting life yea the whole scripture is false which beareth witnesse that Christ is the Iustifier and Sauiour of the world For if we be found sinners after that we be iustified by Christ it followeth of necessitie that they which fulfill the law are iustified without Christ If this be true thē are we either Turks or Ievves or Tartariās professing the name and word of God in outward shew but in deede and veritie vtterly denying Christ and his word It is greate impiety therfore to affirme that faith except it be adorned with charitie iustifieth not But if the aduersaries wil needes defend this doctrine why do they not then reiect faith in Christ altogether especially seing they make nothing els of it but a vaine qualitie in the soule which without Christ auaileth nothing why doe they not say in plaine wordes that workes doe iustifie and not faith Yea why doe they not generally denie not onely Paule but also the whole gospel as in very deede they do which attribute righteousnes to works and not to faith alone For if faith and works together doe iustifie then is the disputation of Paule altogether false which plainly prononceth that a man is not iustified by the deedes of the law but by faith alone in Iesus Christ Verse 17. Is Christ therefore the minister of sinne This is a kinde of speach vsed of the Hebrewes which Paule in the 2. Cor. 3. doth also vse Where he most diuinely and plainly speaketh of these two ministeries to witte of the letter and the spirite of the law and grace or of death and life And he saith that Moses the minister of the law hath the ministery of sinne as he calleth it and of death and condemnation For Paule is wont to geue reprochfull names vnto the law and among all the Apostles he onely vseth this maner of speach the other do not so speake And very necessary it is that such as are studious of the holy scripture should vnderstand this maner of speach vsed of the Apostle Now a
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
These two propositions are cleane contrary to reason and therefore no craftie Sophister or lawworker can vnderstand them But learne thou the true vnderstanding thereof He that liueth to the lawe that is seketh to be iustified by the workes of the lawe is and remaineth a sinner therfore he is dead condemned For the law can not iustifie and saue him but accuseth terrifieth killeth him Therfore to liue vnto the law is to die vnto God and contrariwise to die to the law is to liue vnto god Wherefore if thou wilt liue vnto God thou must die to the lawe but if thou wilt liue to the lawe thou shalt die to god Now to liue vnto God is to be iustified by grace or by faith for Christes sake without the lawe and workes This is then the proper and true definition of a Christian that he is the childe of grace and remission of sinnes because he is vnder no lawe but is aboue the lawe sinne death and hell And euen as Christ is free from the graue and Peter from the prison so is a Christian free from the lawe And such a respect there is betwene the iustified conscience and the lawe as is betwene Christ raised vp from the graue and the graue and as is betwene Peter deliuered from the prison and the prison And like as Christ by his death and resurrection is dead to the graue so that it hath now no power ouer him nor is able any lōger to holde him but the stone being rolled away the seales broken and the kepers astonished he riseth againe and goeth away without any let and as Peter by his deliueraunce is freed from the prison goeth whether he will euen so the conscience by grace is deliuered from the law So is euery one that is borne of the spirite But the flesh knoweth not from whence this cometh nor whether it goeth for it can not iudge but after the lawe But on the contrary the spirite sayeth let the law accuse me let sinne and death terrifie me neuer so much yet I doe not therfore despaire for I haue the lawe against the lawe sinne against sinne and death against death Therefore when I feele the remorse and sting of conscience for sinne I behold that brasen serpent Christ hanging vppon the crosse There I finde an other sinne against my sinne which accuseth and deuoureth me Now this other sinne namely in the flesh of Christ which taketh away the sinnes of the world is almightie it condemneth and swaloweth vp my sinne So my sinne is condemned by sinne that is by Christ crucified vvho is made sinne for vs that vve might be made the righteousnes of God through him In like maner I finde death in my flesh which afflicteth and killeth me but I haue in me a contrary death which is the death for this death crucifieth and swaloweth vp my death These things be not done by the lawe or workes but by Christ crucified vppon whose shoulders lie all the euils of mankinde the lawe sinne death the Deuill and hell and all these doe die in him for by his death he hath killed them But we must receaue this benefite of Christ with a sure faith For like as neither the lawe nor any worke thereof is offered vnto vs but Christ alone so nothing is required of vs but Faith alone whereby we apprehend Christ and beleue that our sinnes and our death are condemned and abolished in the sinne and death of Christ Thus haue we alwayes most certaine and sure arguments which necessarily conclude that iustification cometh by faith alone For how should the lawe and workes auaile to iustification seeing that Paule is so earnest both against the lawe and workes and sayeth plainely that we must be dead to the lawe if we will liue to god But if we be dead to the lawe and the lawe be dead to vs then hath it nothing to doe with vs How then should it auaile any thing at all to our iustification Wherefore we must needes say that we be iustified by grace alone or by faith alone in Christ without the lawe and workes This the blinde Sophisters doe not vnderstand and therefore they dreame that Faith iustifieth not except it doe the workes of charitie By this meanes Faith which beleueth in Christ becometh vnprofitable and of none effect for the vertue of iustifying is taken from it except it be furnished with charitie But let vs nowe set aparte the lawe and charitie vntil an other time let vs rest onely vpon the poynt of this present matter which is this that Iesus Christ the sonne of God died vpon the crosse did beare in his body my sinnes the lawe death the Deuill and hell These inuincible enemies and tyrannes doe oppresse vexe and trouble me and therefore I am carefull howe I may be deliuered out of their handes iustified and saued Here I finde neither lawe worke nor charitie which is able to deliuer me from their tyrannie There is none but the Lord Iesus onely and alone which taketh away the lawe killeth and destroyeth my death in his body and by this meanes spoyleth hell iudgeth and crucifieth the Deuill and throweth him downe into hell To be briefe all the enemies which did before torment and oppresse me Christ Iesus hath brought to naught Hath spoyled them and made a shevv of them openly triumphing by him selfe ouer them in such sort that they can nowe rule and raigne no more ouer me but are constrained to obey me By this we may plainely see that there is nothing here for vs to doe Onely it belongeth vnto vs to heare that these things haue bene wrought and done in this sort and by faith to apprehend the same And this is the true formed and furnished faith in dede Now when I haue thus apprehended Christ by faith and through him am dead to the lawe iustified from sinne deliuered from death the deuill and hell then I doe good works I loue God I geue thankes to him I exercise charitie towardes my neighbour But this charitie or workes folowing do neither forme nor adorne my faith but my faith formeth and adorneth charitie This is our diuinitie which seemeth straunge and maruelous or rather foolish to carnall reason to witte that I am not onely blinde and deafe to the lawe yea deliuered and freed from the law but also wholy dead vnto the same This sentence of Paule Through the lavv I am dead to the lavv is full of consolation Which if it may enter into a man in due season take sure hold in his heart with good vnderstanding it may so worke that it will make him able to stand against all daungers of death and all terrours of conscience and sinne although they assaile him accuse him and would driue him to desperation neuer so much True it is that euery man is tempted if not in his life yet at his death There when the law accuseth
him and sheweth vnto him his sinnes his cōscience by and by saith Thou hast sinned If then thou take good hold of that which Paule here teacheth thou wilt answere I graunt I haue sinned Then will God punish thee Nay he will not so doe Why doth not the lawe of God so say I haue nothing to doe with that lawe Why so Because I haue an other lawe which striketh this lawe dumme that is to say libertie What libertie is that The libertie of Christ for by Christ I am vtterly freed from the lawe Therfore that lawe which is remaineth a law to the wicked is to me libertie and bindeth that law which would condemne me And by this meanes that lawe which would bind me and hold me captiue is now fast bound it selfe and holden captiue by grace and libertie which is now my lawe which sayth to that accusing law Thou shalt not hold this man bound captiue for he is mine but I wil hold thee in captiuitie and bind thy hands that thou shalt not hurt him for he liueth now vnto Christ and is dead vnto thee This to do is to dash out the teeth of the lawe to wrast his sting and all his weapons from him and to spoile him of all his force And yet the same law notwithstanding continueth and remaineth stil to the wicked and vnbeleuers And to vs also that be weake so farre forth as we lacke faith it continueth yet still in his force here it hath his edge teeth But if I do beleue in Christ although sinne driue me neuer so much to despaire yet staying vpō this libertie which I haue in Christ I confesse that I haue sinned but my sinne which is a cōdemned sinne is in Christ which is a condemning sinne Now this condemning sinne is stronger then that which is condemned for it is iustifying grace righteousnes life saluation Thus when I feele the terrour of death I say Thou hast nothing to doe with me O death for I haue an other death which killeth thee my death that death which killeth is stronger then that which is killed Thus a faithfull man by faith onely in Christ may raise vppe him selfe and conceaue such sure and sound consolation that he shall not neede to feare the deuill sinne death or any euils And although the Deuill set vpon him with all might and maine and goe about with all the terrours of the world to oppresse him yet he conceaueth good hope euen in the middes therof and thus he sayth Sir Deuill I feare not thy threatninges terrours for ther is one whose name is Iesus Christ in whom I beleue he hath abolished the law condemned sinne vanquished death and destroyed hell and he is thy Tormentor O Satan for he hath boūd thee and holdeth thee captiue to the end that thou shouldest no more hurt me or any that beleueth in him This faith the Deuill can not ouercome but is ouercome of it For this is the victorie sayth S. Iohn that ouercometh the vvorld euen our faith Who is it that ouercometh the world but he which beleueth that Iesus is the sonne of God Paule therfore through a vehement zeale and indignatiō of spirit calleth grace it selfe the lawe which notwithstanding is an exceding inestimable libertie of grace which we haue in Christ Iesu Moreouer he geueth this opprobrious name vnto the law for our consolation to let vs vnderstand that there is a new name geuen vnto it to witte that it is not now aliue any more but dead and condemned And here which is a pleasant sight to behold he bringeth forthe the lawe and setteth it before vs as a theefe and a robber which is already condemned and adiudged to death For he describeth it as it were a prisoner hauing both handes and feete fast bound and all his power taken away so that it can not exercise his tyrannie that is to say it can not accuse and condemne any more And with this most pleasaunt sight he maketh it odious and contemptible to the conscience so that now he which beleueth in Christ dare boldly and with a holy pride triumph ouer the lawe after this maner I am a sinner If thou canst doe any thing against me O lawe nowe doe thy worst So farre of is it then that the law is now terrible vnto him which doth beleue Since Christ is risen from death why should he nowe feare the graue Since Peter is deliuered from the prison why should he now feare it When the maiden was at the point of death then might she in deede feare the bedde but being now reised vp why should she feare it In like maner why should a Christian which enioyeth and possesseth Christ by faith feare the law True it is that he feeleth the terrours of the law but he is not ouercome of them but staying vpon the libertie which he hath in Christ he saith I heare thee murmuring O law that thou wouldest accuse and condemne me but this troubleth me nothing at all Thou art to me as the graue was vnto Christ For I see that thou art fast bound hand and foote and this hath my lawe done What law is that libertie which is called the law not because it bindeth me but because it bindeth my law The law of the ten commaundements did bind me But against that law I haue an other law euen the law of grace which notwithstanding is to me no law neither doth it bind me but setteth me at liberty And this is a law against that accusing and condemning law which law it so bindeth that it hath no power to hurt me any more So against my death which bindeth me I haue an other death that is to say life which quickneth me in Christ and this death looseth and freeth me from the bondes of my death and with the same bondes bindeth my death So death which bound me is now fast bound which killed me is now killed by death that is to say by life it selfe Thus Christ with most sweete names is called my law my sinne my death against the law against sinne against death wheras in very deede he is nothing els but meere libertie righteousnes life and euerlasting saluation And for this cause he is made the law of the law the sinne of sinne the death of death that he might redeme me from the curse of the law iustifie me and quicken me So then whiles Christ is the lawe he is also libertie whiles he is sinne he is righteousnes and whiles he is death he is life For in that he suffered the law to accuse him sinne to condemne him and death to deuoure him he abolished the law he condemned sinne he destroied death he iustified and saued me So is Christ the poison of the law sinne and death and the remedy for the obtaining of libertie righteousnes and euerlasting life This maner of speach which
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
to guide a shippe to build a house and to doe such other things as are subiect vnto man for these things are not taken from him We doe not then denie but that these sentences are true in the corporall kingdom But if ye wrest them to the spirituall kingdom I vtterly deny them for there as I said we are cleane ouerwhelmed and drowned in sinne Whatsoeuer is in our wil is euil whatsoeuer is in our vnderstanding is errour Wherefore in spirituall matters man hath nothing but darknes errours ignoraunce malice and peruersenes both of wil and vnderstanding How then should he worke well fulfill the lawe and loue God Wherfore Paule sayth here that Christ first began and not we He euen he sayth Paule loued me gaue him selfe for me As if he said He found in me no good will or right vnderstāding but this good Lord had mercy vpon me He saw me to be nothing els but wicked going astray contemning God and flying from him more and more yea rebelling against God taken led and caryed away captiue of the deuill Thus of his mere mercy preuenting my reason my wil and my vnderstanding he loued me and so loued me that he gaue him selfe for me to the ende that I might be freed from the law sinne the deuill death Againe these wordes The sonne of God hath loued me and geuen him selfe for me are mightie thūdrings and lightnings from heauē against the righteousnes of the law all the works therof So great so horrible wickednes errour darknes and ignorance was in my wil and vnderstanding that it was vnpossible for me to be raūsomed by any other meanes then by such an inestimable price Why do we then vaūt of the soundnes of nature of the rule of reason of free will and of doing what in vs lieth Why do I offer vnto god being angry with me who as Moses sayth is a cōsuming fire this my rotten stubble and straw yea horrible sinnes claime of him to reward me with grace euerlasting life for them since here I learne such wickednes to lie lurkīg in my nature that the whole world all creatures therin were not able to counteruaile the indignation of God but that the very sonne of God him selfe must needes be deliuered for the same But let vs consider well this price and let vs behold this captiue deliuered as Paule sayth for me the sonne of God I meane and we shal see him without all comparison to excede excell all creatures What wilt thou doe when thou hearest the Apostle say that such an inestimable price was geuen for thee Wilt thou bring thy cowle thy shauen crowne thy chastitie thy obedience thy pouertie thy works thy merites What shall all these doe Yea what shall the law of Moses auaile What shall the works of all men all the suffering of the Martyrs profite thee What is the obedience of all the holy angels in comparison of the sonne of God deliuered and that most shamefully euen to the death of the crosse so that there was no droppe of his most precious bloud but it was shedde and that for thy sinnes If thou couldest rightly consider this incomparable price thou shouldest hold as accursed all these ceremonies vowes works and merites before grace and after and throw them all downe to hell For it is an horrible blasphemy to imagine that there is any worke wherby thou shouldest presume to pacifie God since thou seest that ther is nothing which is able to pacifie him but this inestimable price euen the death bloud of the sonne of god one drop wherof is more precious then al the creatures in the world Verse 20. For me Who is this me Euen I wretched and damnable sinner so dearly beloued of the sonne of God that he gaue himselfe for me If I then through works or merites could haue loued the sonne of God and so come vnto him what needed he to deliuer himselfe for me Hereby it appereth how coldly the Papistes handled yea how they vtterly neglected the holy scriptures and doctrine of faith For if they had considered but onely these words that it behoued the sonne of God to be geuen for me it had bene vnpossible that so many monstrous sectes should haue spronge vp amongest them For faith would by and by haue aunswered why doest thou choose this kind of life this religiō this worke Doest thou this to please God or to be iustified therby Doest thou not heare O thou wretch that the sonne of God shed his bloud for thee Thus true fayth in Christ would easilie haue withstande all maner of sectes Wherefore I say as I haue often times said that there is no remedie against Sectes or power to resist them but this onely article of Christian righteousnes If we lose this article it is impossible for vs to withstand any errours or Sectes As we may see at this daye in the phanaticall spirites the Anabaptistes and such like who being fallen away from this article of iustification will neuer cease to fall erre and seduce vntill they come to the fulnes of all iniquitie There is no dout but they will raise vp innumerable sectes and still deuise new workes But what are al these things though they haue neuer so goodly a shew of holines if ye compare them to the death and bloud of the sonne of God vvho gaue himselfe for me Consider well I pray you who this sonne of God is how glorious he is how mightie he is What is heauen and earth in comparison of him Let all the Papistes and all the authors of sectes yea though the whole world take their part be throwne downe into hell withall their righteousnes workes and merits rather then the truth of the Gospell should be blemished and the glory of Christ perish What meane they they then to bragge so much of workes and merits If I being a wretched and a damned sinner could be redemed by any other price what needed the sonne of God to be geuen for me But because there was no other price either in heauen or in earth but Christ the sonne of God therefore it was most necessary that he should be deliuered for me Moreouer this he did of inestimable loue For Paule sayth vvhich loued me Wherfore these wordes vvhich loued me are full of faith And he that can vtter this litle word Me and apply it vnto him selfe with a true and constant faith as Paule did shal be a good disputer with Paule against the lawe For he deliuered neither shepe oxe golde nor siluer but euen God him selfe entierly and wholy for me euen for me I say a miserable and wretched sinner Nowe therefore in that the sonne of God was thus deliuered to death for me I take comfort and applie this benefite vnto my selfe And this maner of applying is the right force of faith in deede These wordes which are the pure preaching of grace and Christian
righteousnes in deede Paule setteth against the righteousnes of the law As if he sayd Be it so that the law is an heauenly doctrine and hath also his glory yet notwithstanding it loued not me nor gaue it selfe for me yea it accuseth me terrifieth me and driueth me to desperation But I haue now an other which hath deliuered me from the terrours of the law sinne and death and hath brought me vnto libertie the righteousnes of God and eternall life who is called the sonne of God to whom be praise and glory for euermore Faith therefore as I haue said embraceth and wrappeth in it selfe Christ Iesus the sonne of God deliuered to death for vs as Paule here teacheth who being apprehended by faith geueth vnto vs righteousnes and life And here he setteth out most liuely the Priesthode and offices of Christ which are to pacifie God to make intercession for sinners to offer vppe him selfe a sacrifice for their sinnes to redeme to instruct and to comfort them Let vs learne therefore to geue a true definition of Christ not as the Scholedoctours do and such as seeke righteousnes by their owne workes which make him a new law-geuer who abolishing the olde lawe hath established a newe To these Christ is nothing else but an exactor and a tyranne but let vs define him as Paule here doth namely that he is the sonne of God who not for our desert or any righteousnes of ours but of his owne free mercie offered vppe him selfe a sacrifice for vs sinners that he might sanctifie vs for euer Christ then is no Moses no exactor no geuer of lawes but a geuer of grace a Sauiour and one that is full of mercie briefly he is nothing else but infinite mercie and goodnes freely geuen and bountifully geuing vnto vs And thus shall you paint out Christ in his right coloures If you suffer him to be painted out to you any otherwise then thus when tentation and trouble cometh you shall soone be ouerthrowne Nowe as it is the greatest knowledge and cunning that Christians cā haue thus to define Christ so of all things it is the most hardest For I my selfe euen in this great light of the Gospell wherein I haue bene so long exercised haue much a doe to hold this definition of Christ which Paule here geueth So depely hath this doctrine and pestilent opinion that Christ is a lawgeuer entred in me euen as it were oyle into my boanes Ye yong men therefore are in this case much more happie then we that are olde For ye are not infected with these pernicious errours wherein I haue bene so nusled and so drowned euen from my youth that at the very hearing of the name of Christ my heart hath trēbled and quaked for feare for I was perswaded that he was a seuere iudge Wherefore it is to me a double trauaile trouble to correct and reforme this euill First to forget to condemne and to withstand this olde grounded errour that Christ is a lawgeuer and a Iudge for it often returneth and plucketh me backe Then to plant in my heart a new a true perswasion of Christ that he is a iustifier a Sauiour Ye I say that are yong may learne with much lesse difficultie to know Christ purely and sincerely if ye will. Wherfore if any man feele him selfe oppressed with heauines and anguish of heart he must not impute it vnto Christ although it come vnder the name of Christ but vnto the Deuill who oftentimes cometh vnder the colour of Christ and transformeth himselfe into an Angell of light Let vs learne therefore to put a difference betwene Christ and a lawgeuer not only in word but in practise in deede also that when the Deuil shal come vnder the shadow of Christ shal go about to trouble vs vnder his name we may know him not to be Christ but a very feend in deede For Christ when he cometh is nothing else but ioy and sweetenes to a trembling and broken heart as here Paule witnesseth who setteth him out with this most sweete louing title when he saith vvhich loued me and gaue him selfe for me Christ therefore in very deede is a louer of those which are in bitternes of minde sinne death and such a louer as gaue him selfe for them who is also our high priest that is to say a mediatour betwene God vs wretched sinners What could be sayd I pray you more sweete or comfortable to the poore afflicted conscience Now if these things be true as they are in deede most true or else the Gospell must be nothing else but a fable then are we not iustified by the righteousnes of the lawe and much lesse by our owne righteousnes Read therefore with diligent attention and with great vehemencie these wordes Me and for me and so practise with thy selfe that thou maist well conceaue and print this Me in thy heart and applie it vnto thy selfe with a stedfast faith not doubting but thou art of the number of those to whom this Me belongeth Also that Christ hath not onely loued Peter and Paule and geuen him selfe for them but that the same grace also which is comprehended in this Me doth as well pertaine and extend vnto vs as vnto them For as we can not denie but that we are all sinners and are constrained to say that through the sinne of Adam we were all lost were made the enemies of God subiect to the wrath and iudgement of God and giltie of eternall death for this doe all terrified heartes feele and confesse and more in deede then they should do so can we not denie but that Christ died for our sinnes that he might make vs righteous For he died not to iustifie the righteous but the vnrighteous and to make them the children of God and inheritours of all spirituall heauenly gifts Therfore when I feele confesse my selfe to be a sinner through Adams trāsgression why should I not say that I am made righteous through the righteousnes of Christ especially whē I heare that he loued me gaue himselfe for me This did Paule most stedfastly beleue therfore he speaketh these wordes with so great a vehemencie and full assurance Which he graunt vnto vs in some part at the least who hath loised vs and geuen him selfe for vs. Verse 21. I doe not abrogate or reiect the grace of God Now he prepareth a way to the second argument of this epistle And here ye must diligently consider that to seeke to be iustified by the workes of the law is to reiect the grace of god But I pray you what sinne cā be more execrable or horrible then to reiect the grace of God and to refuse that righteousnes which cometh by Christ It is enough and to much already that we are wicked sinners and transgressours of all the commaundements of God and yet we commit moreouer the most execrable sinne of all sinnes in that
righteousnes should feare vs and make vs to abhorre it And here with this thunderbolt falleth downe all the orders of Monkes and Friers with all the rablement of such supersticious religion For who will not detest his owne vowes his cowle his shauen croune all mens traditions yea the very law of Moses also if he heare that for these things he reiecteth the grace of god and maketh the death of Christ vnprofitable The world hearing this doth not beleue that it is true It thinketh that such horrible wickednes can not enter into any mans heart that he should reiect the grace of God esteme the death of Christ as a thing of nought And yet this sinne commonly reigneth For whosoeuer seeketh righteousnes without Christ either by workes merites satisfactions afflictions or by the law reiecteth the grace of God and despiseth the death of Christ whatsoeuer he protesteth with his mouth to the contrary The third Chapter Verse 1. O foolish Galathians PAVLE here sheweth his Apostolicall care and feruent zeale which he beareth to the church so that in disputing and confuting he intermixeth sometimes gentle exhortations and sometimes he sharply chideth according to his owne rule geuē to Timothy Preach saith he the vvord be instant in season and out of season Improue rebuke exhort 2. Timot. 4. Here the simple reader haply may be deceaued if he be not circumspect to thinke that Paule in teaching keepeth no order at all And surely after the maner of the Rhetoricians he obserueth none but as concerning the spirite he vseth a goodly order Now after that he hath sufficiently proued and with two strong arguments confirmed this article that Christian righteousnes cometh not by keeping of the law but by faith in Christ and withall hath confuted the doctrine of the false Apostles in the middes of this discourse he turneth his talke to the Galathians and reproueth them saying O ye foolish Galathians c. As if he should say Alas from whence are ye falne O ye miserable Galathians I haue most carefully and diligently taught you the truth of the Gospell and ye also haue receaued the same of me with feruent zeale and greate diligence How then cometh it to passe that ye are so suddainly falne away from it who hath bewitched you He rebuketh the Galathians very sharply as it seemeth when he calleth them fooles bewitched and disobedient to the truth Now whether he did this of zeale or compassion I will not here contend both may be true A carnall man would interprete this to be a reuiling rather then a godly reprehension Did Paule then geue an euill example or was he spitefull against the churches of Galatia because he called them foolish and bewitched No not so For with a Christian zeale it is lawfull for an Apostle pastour or preacher sharply to reproue the people committed to his charge and such reprouings are both fatherly godly So parents of a fatherly and motherly affection do sharply reproue and rebuke their children which they would not beare if an other should doe it The Scholemaster sometimes is angry with his scholler he rebuketh him and beateth him with roddes all which he taketh in good parte and would not beare it at the handes of his equall The magistrate likewise is angry he reproueth and punisheth such as are vnder his charge And this discipline is not onely good but also very necessary without the which nothing can be well done Wherfore vnlesse the magistrate the minister the father and mother be angry and vse to reproue or rebuke when case requireth he is vnprofitable and neuer shall discharge his office rightly Wherfore sharpe chidings bitter words are as necessary in euery kind of life as any other vertue els Yet notwithstanding this anger must be so tempered that it procede not of any enuy or malice but onely of a fatherly affection and Christian zeale that is to say it ought not to be childish or womanlike seking reuenge but onely for the correcting of the faulte As the father correcteth not his childe with desire to reuenge but only that the childe therby may be the better And these kindes of anger are good and are called in the scripture ielousies or zeales For in chastising my brother my child my scholler or subiect in this sort I seeke not his destruction but his profite and welfare It may be then that Paule here rebuketh the Galathians either of a very zeale not to destroy them but by this meanes to reduce them into the way againe and to amend them or els of pitie and compassion as it were by way of complaint for that it greueth him that the Galathians should be so miserably seduced As if he should say I am sory and ashamed to heare of this your miserable case your wretched doings c. In like maner doe we also reproue the miserable not that we treade them downe or vpbraide them with their misery but as hauing compassion on them and seeking their amendment This I say lest any man should cauill that Paule railed vpon the churches contrary to the rule of the Gospell In like maner Christ rebuketh the phariseis calling them serpents the generation of vipers the children of the deuil But these are the rebukings of the holy Ghost They are fatherly and motherly and as the chidings of a faithfull frend As it is said also in the prouerbes Better are the vvoundes of a frend then the kisses of an enemy Thus one and the selfe same rebuke if it come out of the mouth of a father may be a great benefite but if it procede out of the mouth of our equall or enemy it is a spitefull reproch When two men doe both one thing in the one it is commendable and in the other it is cleane contrary When Christ and Paule doe reproue it is done with singular vertue and commendation but when a priuate man shall doe the like in him it is a greate vice Therfore one and the selfe same word in the mouth of Paule is a great vertue and a singular benefite but in the mouth of an other it is a shamefull reproch Here is a great vehemencie to be noted in this word Galathians For he calleth them not brethren as els where he is wont to doe but he calleth them by the name of their coūtrey And it should seeme that it was the naturall vice of that nation to be foolish like as it was the fault of the Cretenses to be liars As if he should say As ye are called euen so are ye in deed and so ye continue that is to say foolish Galathians and this ye proue euen now in this busines of the Gospell wherin notwithstāding ye ought to haue shewed your selues most wise but ye continue still in your old nature and shew your selues no changelings Thus Paule by way of correction putteth them in mind of their corrupt nature Moreouer we are here admonished
To whom be glory for euer This bewitching and sorcerie then is nothing else but a plaine illusion of the Deuill printing in the hearte a false opinion of Christ and against Christ and he that is deluded with this opinion is bewitched They therfore that haue this opinion that they are iustified by the workes of the lawe or traditions of men are bewitched for this opinion is against faith and against Christ Paule vseth this word bevvitching in contempt of the false Apostles which so vehemently vrged the doctrine of the lawe and workes As if he should say what a deuelish bewitching is this For as the senses are peruerted by bodely witchcrafte so are the mindes of men also deluded by this spirituall with craft Verse 1. That ye should not obey the truth The Galathians at the first did gladly heare and obey the truth Therfore where he sayth VVho hath bevvitched you he sheweth that they were bewitched by these false apostles and were fallen away from that truth which they before did obey But this seemeth yet a more bitter and vehement kinde of speech when he sayeth that they doe not beleeue the truth For he signifieth by these wordes that they are bewitched and that he would deliuer them from this witcherie and yet they will not acknowledge nor receaue this benefite For it is certaine that he did not reduce all from the errour of the false Apostles vnto the truth but that many of them remained yet still bewitched Therfore he vseth these sharpe and vehement wordes VVho hath bevvitched you As if he would say Ye are so deluded and bewitched that nowe ye can not obey the truth I feare lest many of you are vtterly lost and so falne away that ye will neuer returne againe to the truthe Here haue ye yet an other goodly commendation of the lawe and mans owne righteousnes that it so bewitcheth men that they can not obey the truth Hereof the Apostles and the fathers of the primitiue Church did oftentimes make mention There is a sinne vnto death for vvhich I say thou shouldest not pray 1. Iohn 5. And againe It is impossible that they vvhich vvere once lightned and haue tasted of the heauenly gift and vvere made pertakers of the holy ghost and haue tasted of the good vvorde of God and of the povvers of the vvorld to come if they fall avvay should be renued againe by repentaunce c. Heb. 6. These wordes sound at the first as if some Nouatian had spoken them But the Apostles were constrained to speake after this maner because of the Heretikes And yet notwithstanding they did not hereby denie but that they which were fallen might returne againe to the fellowship of the faithfull After the same manner must we also speake at this day because of the authors and maisters of errours sectes that such shall neuer retourne to the truth Notwithstanding some there are which doe retourne but such as are not greatly bewitched or strongly deluded But the captaines and the authors of this sorcerie doe neuer retourne For to them we may well attribute this title which Paule here geueth vnto them that they can not heare nor abide the truth but studie rather how they may resist it Verse 1. To vvhom Iesus Christ before vvas described in your sight It was bitterly spoken where he said before that they were so bewitched that they could not obey the truth But it is more bitterly said when he addeth that Christ was so liuely described before them that they might handle him with their handes and yet they would not obey the truth Thus he conuinceth them euen by their owne experience As though he would say Ye are so bewitched and deluded with the deuillish opinions of the false apostles that now ye will not obey the truth And wheras I haue with great trauel and diligence set forth Christ plainly before your eyes yet doth this profit you nothing at al. In these wordes he hath respect to the former arguments wherby he proued that to those that will be iustified by the lawe Christe is but the minister of sinne that such doe reiect the grace of God and that to them Christ died in vaine Which arguments he had before more vehemently prosecuted and more largely amplified in their presence as if a painter had purtred Christ Iesus before their eies Now being absent he putteth them in minde of the same things saying To vvhom Iesus Christ vvas described in your sight As if he said There is no painter that with his colours can so liuely set out Christ vnto you as I haue painted him out by my preaching and yet notwithstāding ye still remaine most miserably bewitched Verse 1. And vvas among you crucified What did I then paint out Euen Christ him selfe How was that done In this sort that he is crucified in you or among you He vseth here very rough and sharpe wordes Before he said that they sought righteousnes by the lawe reiected the grace of God and that to them Christ died in vaine Now he addeth moreouer that they crucifie Christ who before liued raigned in them As if he should say Ye haue now not onely reiected the grace of God not onely to you Christ died in vaine but also he is most shamefully crucified among you After the same maner he speaketh Heb. 6. Crucifying to them selues againe the sonne of God and making a mocke of him c. If a mā do but heare the name of a Monke of his shauen croune of his cowle of his rule it should make him to tremble howe much so euer the Papists doe adore these abominations and bragge that they are perfect religion and holines as I and others did iudge of them before God reuealed his Gospell vnto vs for we were brought vp in the traditions of men which darkened Christ and made him vtterly vnprofitable vnto vs when he heareth Paule say as here he doth that euen they which seeke to be iustified by the lawe of God be not onely deniers and murtherers of Christ but also they doe most wickedly crucifie him againe Nowe if they be crucifiers of Christ which seeke to be iustified by the righteousnes of the law of God and the works therof what are they I pray you which seeke saluation and eternall life by the dregges and filthie dunge of mans righteousnes and by the doctrine of Deuils But who could euer beleeue or thinke that it was so horrible and so abhominable a sinne to be made a religious man for so they call thē namely to be made a Massing priest a Monke a Frier a Nunne Doutles no man Yea they them selues say moreouer that Monkerie is a new baptisme Can there be any thing more horrible then that the kingdome of the Papists is the kingdome of such as spitefully spitte in the face of Christ the sonne of God and crucifie him againe For in deede they crucifie him a fresh who
so that the worde be not onely my voice but may be hearde of thee and may enter into thy hearte and be beleued of thee then is it truly and in deede the hearing of faith thorowe the which thou receauest the holy Ghost which after thou hast once receaued thou shalt also mortifie thy flesh The faithfull doe finde by their owne experience howe gladly they would hold and embrace the word when they heare it with a full faith and abandon this opinion of the lawe and of their owne righteousnes but they feele in their flesh a mightie resistaunce against the spirite For reason and the flesh will needes worke together This saying Ye must be circumcised and keepe the lavve can not be vtterly rooted out of our mindes but it sticketh fast in the hearts of all the faithfull There is therfore in the faithfull a continuall conflict betwene the hearing of faith and the workes of the lawe For the conscience alwayes murmureth and thinketh that this is too easie a way that by the onely hearing of the word righteousnes the holy ghost and life euerlasting is promised vnto vs But come once to an earnest trial therof and then tell me how easie a thing it is to heare the word of faith In deede he which geueth is great moreouer he geueth great things willingly and freely and vpbraideth no man therwith but thy capacitie is hard and faith weake still striuing against thee so that thou art not able to receaue this gift But let thy conscience murmure against thee neuer so much let this Must come neuer so oftē into thy minde yet stand fast hold out vntill thou ouercome this Must So as faith encreaseth by litle and litle that opinion of the righteousnes of the lawe will diminish But this can not be done without great conflict Verse 3. Are ye so foolish that after ye haue begone in the spirite ye vvould novv finish or be made perfect by the flesh This argument being concluded how that the holy ghost cometh not by the workes of the lawe but through the preaching of faith he beginneth here to exhort the Galathians and to terrifie them from a double daunger and incommoditie The first is Are ye so foolish that after ye haue begone in the spirite ye vvould novv ende in the flesh The other followeth Haue ye suffred so great things in vaine As if he said Ye began in the spirite that is your religion was excellently well begone As also a litle after he saith Ye ranne vvel c. But what haue ye gotten therby Forsoth ye will nowe ende in the flesh yea rather ye are ended in the flesh Paule here setteth the spirite against the flesh He calleth not the flesh as before I haue said lust beastly passions or sensual appetites for he intreateth not here of lust or of other fleshly desires but of forgeuenes of sinnes of iustifying the conscience of obteining righteousnes before God of deliueraunce from the lawe sinne and death and yet notwithstanding he sayth here that they forsaking the spirite doe now ende in the flesh Flesh therfore is here taken for the very righteousnes and wisedome of the flesh and the iudgement of reason which goeth about to be made righteous by the law Whatsoeuer then is best and most excellent in man as the wisedome of reason yea and the righteousnes of the law it selfe the same here Paule calleth flesh And this place must be well weyed and considered because of the slaunderous and cauilling Papists which wrest the same against vs saying that we in Poperie began in the spirite but now hauing maried wiues we ende in the flesh As though a single life or not to haue a wife were a spirituall life and as though it nothing hindred their spirituall life if a man not contented with one whore haue many They are mad men not vnderstanding what the spirite or what the flesh is The spirite is whatsoeuer is done in vs through the spirite The flesh whatsoeuer is done in vs according to the flesh without the spirite Wherfore all the dueties of a Christian man as to loue his wife to bring vp his children to gouerne his familie and such like which vnto them are worldly and carnal are the frutes of the spirite These blinde buzzardes can not discerne the things which are the good creatures of God from vices Here also is to be noted that the Apostle sayth the Galathians did begin in the spirite He should here haue added actiuely Nunc carne consummatis that now ye ende in the flesh But he doth not so but sayth passiuely carne consummamini that ye ende yea or rather are ended in the flesh The righteousnes of the law which Paule here calleth the flesh is so farre of from iustifying that they which after the receauing of the holy ghost through the hearing of faith fall backe againe vnto it are ended in it that is to say are vtterly destroyed Therfore who so euer teach that the lawe ought to be fulfilled to this ende that men might be iustified thereby whiles they goe about to quiet their consciences they hurt them whiles they would iustifie them they condemne them Paule euermore by the way hath a glaunce at these false apostles for they stil vrged the law saying Faith onely in Christ taketh not away sinne pacifieth not the wrath of God iustifieth not Therfore if ye will obtaine these benefites ye must not onely beleeue in Christ but therwith ye must also keepe the law be circumcised keepe the feastes sacrifices c. Thus doing ye shall be free from sinne from the wrath of God from euerlasting death yea rather sayth Paule by the selfe same things ye establish vnrighteousnes ye prouoke the wrath of God ye adde sinne to sinne ye quench the spirite ye fall away from grace and vtterly reiect the same and ye together with your disciples doe ende in the flesh This is the first daūger from the which he terrifieth the Galathians lest if they seeke to be iustified by the lawe they lose the spirite and forgoe their good beginnings for a wretched ende Verse 4. Haue ye suffered so many things in vaine The other daunger and incommoditie is this Haue ye suffred so many things in vaine As though he would say Consider not onely howe well ye began and howe miserablie ye haue forsaken your good beginnings and your course well begone moreouer that not onely ye haue lost the first fruites of the spirite being fallen againe into the ministerie of sinne and death and into a dolefull and a miserable bondage of the lawe but consider this also that ye haue suffered muche for the Gospels sake and for the name of Christe to witte the spoiling of your goodes railings and reproches daungers both of bodies and liues c. All things were in a happie course and great towardnes with you Ye taught purely ye liued holily and ye endured many euils constantly
nature that is he must needes hate sinne and sinners and this he doth of necessity for otherwise he shoulde be vnrighteous and loue sinne How then can these two contradictories stand together I am a sinner and most worthy of Gods wrath and indignation and yet the father loueth me Here nothing commeth betwene but onely Christ the mediatour The father saith he doth not therfore loue you because ye are worthy of loue but because ye haue loued me and haue beleeued that I came out from him Thus a Christian man abideth in true humilitie feeling sinne in him effectually and confessing himselfe to be worthy of wrath the iudgement of God and euerlasting death for the same that he may be humbled in this life And yet notwithstanding he continueth still in his holy pride in the which he turneth vnto Christ and in him he lifteth vp him selfe against this feeling of Gods wrath and iudgement and beleueth that not only the remnants of sinne are not imputed vnto him but that also he is loued of the father not for his own sake but for Christes sake whom the father loueth Hereby now we may see how faith iustifieth without works and yet notwithstanding how imputation of righteousnes is also necessary Sinnes doe remaine in vs which God vtterly hateth Therefore it is necessary that we should haue imputation of righteousnes which we obtaine through Christ and for Christes sake who is geuen vnto vs and receaued of vs by faith In the meane time as long as we liue here we are caried and norished in the bosome of mercy and long sufferance of God vntill the body of sinne be abolished and we raised vp as newe creatures in that great day Then shall there be newe heauens and a new earth in which righteousnes shal dwell In the meane while vnder this heauen sinne and wicked men do dwell and the godly also haue sinne dwelling in them For this cause Paule Rom. 7. cōplaineth of sinne which remaineth in the Saincts yet notwithstanding he saith afterwards in the 8. chapter that there is no damnation to them vvhich are in Christ Iesu Now how shall these things so contrary and repugnant be reconciled together that sinne in vs is no sinne that he which is damnable shall not be condemned that he which is reiected shall not be reiected that he which is worthy of the wrath of God and euerlasting damnation shall not be punished The onely reconciler hereof is the mediatour betwene God and man euen the man Iesus Christ as Paule sayth There is no condemnation to them vvhich are in Christ Iesu Verse 7. Knovve ye therfore that they vvhich are of faith the same are the children of Abraham This is the generall argument and whole disputation of Paule against the Iewes that they which beleeue are the children of Abraham and not they which are borne of his flesh and his bloud This disputation Paule vehemently prosecuteth in this place and in the 4. and 9. chapit to the Rom. For this was the greatest confidence and glory of the Iewes VVe are the seede and children of Abraham He was circumcised and kept the lawe therfore if we will be the true children of Abraham we must folow our father c. It was no doubt an excellent glory and great dignitie to be the seede of Abraham For no man could denie but that God spake to the seede and of the seede of Abraham But this prerogatiue nothing profited the vnbeleuing Iewes By reason wherof Paule especially in this place mightely striueth against this argument and wresteth from the Iewes this strong affiance in them selues And this could he as the elect vessell of Christ doe aboue all other For if we at the beginning should haue disputed with the Iewes without Paule peraduenture we should haue preuailed very litle against them So then Paule reasoneth against the Iewes which stoode so proudly vpon this opinion that they were the children of Abraham saying VVe are the seede of Abraham Well what then Abraham was circumcised kept the lawe we doe the same All this I graunt What will ye therefore looke to be iustified and saued No not so But let vs come to the Patriarke Abraham himselfe and let vs see by what meanes he was iustified and saued Doutles not for his excellent vertues and holy workes not because he forsooke his countrey kinred and fathers house not because he was circumcised and obserued the lawe not because he was about to offer vp in sacrifice at the commaundement of God his sonne Isacke in whom he had the promise of posteritie but because he beleued Therfore he was not iustified by any other meanes then by faith alone If ye then will be iustified by the lawe much more ought Abraham your father to be iustified by the lawe But Abraham could not otherwise be iustified nor receaue forgeuenes of sinnes and the holy Ghost then by faith alone Since this is true by the testimonie of the scripture why stande ye so much vpon circumcision and the lawe contending that ye haue righteousnes and saluation therby when as your father Abraham him selfe euen your headspring of whom ye doe so much glory was iustified and saued without these by faith alone What can be brought against this argument Paule therfore concludeth with this sentence They vvhich are of faith are the children of Abraham that corporall birth or carnall seede maketh not the children of Abraham before God. As though he would say There is none before God accompted as the childe of this Abraham who is the seruaunt of God whom God hath chosen and made righteous by faith through carnall generation but he must haue such children geuen him before God as he was a father But he was a father of faith and was iustified and pleased God not because he could beget children after the flesh not because he had circumcision and the lawe but because he beleeued in god Therfore he that will be a childe of the beleeuing Abraham must also him selfe beleeue or else he is not a childe of the elect acceptable and iustified Abraham but onely of the begetting Abraham which is nothing else but a man conceaued borne wrapt in sinne without the forgeuenes of sinnes without faith without the holy ghost as an other man is and therfore cōdemned Such also are the children carnally begotten of him hauing nothing in them like vnto their father but flesh and bloud sinne and death therefore these are also damned This glorious boasting then Vve are the seede of Abraham is to no purpose This argument Paule setteth out plainly in the .9 to the Romains by two examples of the holy scripture The first is of Ismaell and Isaac which were both the seede and naturall children of Abraham and yet notwithstanding Ismaell which was begotten of Abraham as Isaac was yea and should also haue bene the first begotten if
throughout the whole world Therefore whatsoeuer is without that Blessing is accursed And this Paul sheweth plainly when he sayth Verse 10. For as many as are of the vvorks of the lavv are accursed Here ye see that the Curse is as it were a floude swallowing vp whatsoeuer is without Abraham that is to say without faith and the promise of the Blessing of Abraham Now if the law it selfe geuen by Moses at the cōmaūdement of God maketh them subiect to the Curse which are vnder it much more shall the lawes and traditions deuised by mans braine doe the same He therefore that will auoid the Curse must lay hold vpon the promise of Blessing or vpon the faith of Abraham or els shall he abide vnder the Curse Vpon this place therefore shal be blessed in thee it followeth that all nations whether they were before Abraham in his time or after him are accursed shall remaine vnder the Curse for euer vnlesse they be blessed in the faith of Abraham vnto whom the promise of Blessing was geuen to be published by his seede throughout the whole world To know these things it is very necessary for they helpe greatly to comfort troubled and afflicted consciences moreouer they teach vs to separate the righteousnes of Faith from the righteousnes of the flesh or ciuill righteousnes For we must note that Paule here is in hande not with a matter of policie but with a matter diuine and spirituall before God lest any mad braine should cauill and say that he curseth and cōdemneth politike lawes and Magistrates Here all the Sophisters and popish Scholemen are dumme and can say nothing Therefore the readers must be admonished that in this place ther is nothing handled as touching ciuill lawes or touching manners and matters politicall which are the ordinaunces of God and good thinges and the scripture elsewhere approueth and commendeth the same but of a spirituall righteousnes by which we are iustified before God and are called the children of God in the kingdom of heauen To be briefe there is nothing handled here concerning the bodily life but concerding euerlasting life where no blessing is to be hoped for or righteousnes to be sought either through the law or traditions or whatsoeuer can be named in this life besides the promise of Abrahams Blessing Let ciuill lawes and ordinaunces abide in their right place and order let the magistrate make good and notable lawes yet notwithstanding they deliuer no man from the Curse of Gods law The kingdome of Babylon ordained of God and by him committed vnto Kings had excellent lawes and all nations were commaunded to obey them notwithstanding this obedience of the lawes did not saue it from the Curse of the lawe of god In like manner we obey the lawes of Princes and magistrates but we are not thereby made righteous before God For here we are in an other matter It is not without cause that I doe so earnestly vrge this distinction For it is very necessary to knowe it Albeit there are very fewe that doe marke it and vnderstand it in deede Againe the confounding and mingling together of the heauenly and ciuill righteousnes is very easie In the ciuill righteousnes we must haue regarde to lawes and workes but in the spirituall diuine and heauenly righteousnes we must vtterly reiect all lawes and workes and set the onely promise and Blessing before our eies which layeth before vs Christ the geuer of this Blessing and of grace and our onely Sauiour So that this spirituall righteousnes secluding the law and all workes looketh only vnto the grace and blessing which is geuen by Christ as it was promised to Abraham and of him beleued Hereby we may plainely see that this argument is inuincible For if we must hope to receaue this blessing by Christ alone then it must needes followe of the contrary that it is not receaued by the law For the blessing was geuen to faithful Abraham before the law and without the law Now like as Abraham beleued in Christ to come the geuer of the Blessing so and by the same faith we beleue in Christ being come and so are we now iustified by faith as Abraham was then iustied by faith They therfore which are vnder the lawe are not blessed but doe remaine vnder the Curse This the Pope and his proude Prelates neither doe nor can beleue neither can they abide this doctrine Yet must we not holde our peace but must cōfesse the truth and say that the Papacie is accursed yea all the lawes and ciuill ordinaunces of the Emperour are accursed For according to Paule whatsoeuer is without the promise and faith of Abraham is accursed When our aduersaries heare this by and by they peruert and sclaūder our words as though we taught that the Magistrates should not be honoured but that we raise vp seditions against the Emperour that we condemne all lawes that we ouerthrow and destroy common weales c. But they doe vs greate wronge For we put a difference betwene the corporall and the spirituall Blessing and we say that the Emperour is blessed with a corporall blessing For to haue a kingdom lawes and ciuill ordinaunces to haue a wife children house and landes is a blessing For all these thinges are the good creatures and giftes of God. But we are not deliuered from the euerlasting Curse by this corporall blessing which is but temporall and must haue an ende Therefore we condemne not lawes neither doe we stirre vp sedition against the Emperour but we teach that he must be obeied that he must be feared reuerenced and honoured but yet ciuily But when we speake of the blessing after the manner of Diuines then we say boldely with Paule that all thinges which are without the faith and promise of Abraham are accursed and abide vnder that heauēly and euerlasting Curse For ther we must looke for an other life after this an other Blessing after this corporall Blessing To conclude we say that all corporall things are the good creatures of god Therefore as I haue said to haue wife children goodes to haue politike lawes and orders are the good blessings of God in their place that is to say they are temporall blessings belonging to this life But these blessinges the Iusticiaries and Lawworkers of all ages as the Iewes Papists Sectaries and such like do confound and mingle together For they put no difference betweene corporall and spirituall blessings Therefore they say We haue a lawe and this lawe is good holy and righteous therefore we are iustified through it Who denieth but that the lawe is good holy righteous And yet is it also the lawe of malediction of sinne of wrath and of death Therfore we make here a distinction betweene the corporall and spirituall Blessing say that God hath a double Blessing one corporall for this life and an other spirituall for the euerlasting life Therfore to haue ritches
selfe same works saith he which the other Apostles did notwithstanding because the person was reprobate the iudgemēt of reason peruerse therefore his workes were hypocriticall and not true as were the workes of the other Apostles how like soeuer they seemed to be in outward shewe Wherfore they them selues are constrained to graunt that in politike and externall matters workes doe not iustifie vnlesse there be ioyned withall an vpright heart will and iudgement Howe much more are they compelled to confesse the same in spirituall matters where before all things there must be a knowledge of God and faith which may purifie the hearte They walke therefore in workes and in the righteousnes of the law as Iudas did in the works of the Apostles not vnderstanding what they say or what they affirme And although Paule saith plainely euery where that the law iustifieth not but causeth wrath vttereth sinne reueileth the indignation and iudgement of God and threateneth euerlasting death yet notwithstanding reading these things they see them not much lesse doe they vnderstand them Therefore they deserue not to be called hypocrites but visours and shadowes of disguised hypocrites moste miserably bewitched in that they dreame that they are made righteous by the workes of the lawe Wherefore as I haue said this worde Doer of the lavv as they define it is an imagined terme a very monster and no where to be founde Wherefore when Paule proueth this place VVhosoeuer are are of the vvorks of the lavv are vnder the curse by this sentence of Moises Cursed is euery one that abideth not in all that is vvrytten in this booke he proueth not one contrary by an other as at the first sight it may appeare but he proueth it rightly and in true order For Moises meaneth and teacheth the selfe same thing that Paule doth when he sayeth Cursed is euery one vvhich shall not doe all c. But no man doeth them therfore whosoeuer are of the workes of the lawe keepe not the lawe If they keepe it not they are vnder the curse But seeing there be two sortes of men that are doers of the lawe as before I haue sayde true doers and hypocrites the true doers must be seperated from the hypocrites The true doers of the lawe are they which through Faith are the good tree before the fruite doers and workers before the works Of these speaketh Moises also and except they be such they are vnder the Curse But the hypocrites are not of this sorte for they haue this opinion that they will obtaine righteousnes through their workes and thereby make the person iust and acceptable For thus they thinke We that are sinners and vnrighteous will be made righteous Howe shall that be By good woorkes Therefore they doe euen like as a foolish builder which goeth about of the rouffe to make the foundation of the fruites to make the tree For when they seeke to be iustified by woorkes of the woorkes they would make the worker which is directly against Moises which maketh such a worker subiect to the curse as well as Paule doth Therefore whiles they goe about to doe the lawe they not onely doe it not but also denie as I haue sayd the first commaundement the promises of God the promised Blessing of Abraham they renounce Faith and they goe about to make them selues blessed by their owne workes that is to say to make them selues righteous to deliuer them selues from sinne and death to ouercome the Deuill and by violence to lay holde vppon the kingdome of heauen And this is plainly to renounce God and to set them selues in the place of god For all these are the workes of the diuine Maiestie alone and not of any creature either in heauen or in earth Hereupon Paule was able easily to foreshewe out of the first commaundement the abhominations that were to come which Antichrist should bring into the Church For all they which teach that any other worshippe is necessary to saluation then that which God requireth of vs by the first commaundement which is the feare of God Faith and the loue of God are plaine Antichristes and set them selues in the place of god That such should come Christe him selfe foretolde when he sayeth in the xxiiii Chapter of Mathew Many shall come in my name saying I am Christ So we also at this day may boldely and easily pronounce that who soeuer seeketh righteousnes by workes without faith denieth God and maketh him selfe god For thus he thinketh If I doe this worke I shall be righteous I shall be a conquerer of sinne death the Deuill the wrath of God and of hell and shall obtaine life euerlasting And what is this els I pray you but to chalenge that worke vnto him selfe which doth belong to God alone and to shew in deede that he him selfe is God Therefore it is an easie matter for vs to prophesie and most certainely to Iudge of all those which are without faith that they are not onely Idolaters but very Idols which denie God and set them selues in the place of god Vpon the same grounde Peter also prophecieth when he saith There shal be amongest you false teachers vvhich priuely shall bringe in damnable heresies and shall denie the Lorde c. and make marchandise of the people And in the olde testament all the prophesies against Idolatry sprang out of the first commaundement For all the wicked kings and Prophetes with all the vnfaithfull people did nothing els but that which the Pope and all hypocrites alwaies doe They contemning the first commaundement and worship appointed of God and despising the promise of Abrahams seede euen that seede in whom all nations should be blessed and sanctified ordained a wicked worshippe cleane contrary to the worde of God and saide With this worship will we serue God and set out his praise which hath brought vs out of the land of Egypt So Ieroboam made two golden calues and saide Beholde thy Gods O Israell vvhich brought thee out of the land of Egypt This he saide of the true God which had redeemed Israell and yet both he and all the people were Idolaters For they worshipped God contrary to the first commaundement They onely regarded the worke which being done they counted them selues righteous before god And what was this els but to deny God him selfe whom they confessed with their mouth and saide that he had brought them out of the lande of Egypt Paule speaketh of such Idolaters when he saith They confesse that they knovv God but in their deedes they denie him Wherfore all hypocrites idolaters goe about to doe those workes which do properly pertaine to the diuine maiestie doe belong to Christ onely and alone In deede they say not in plaine wordes I am God I am Christ and yet in very deede they proudly chalenge vnto themselues the Diuinitie office of Christ and therfore it is as much in effect as if
happy But where are they They are not therfore Doers of the lawe except they be first made righteous before and without the lawe through faith Wherefore when Paule curseth and condemneth those that are of the works of the law he speaketh not of such as are iustified through faith but of such as goe about to be iustified by works without faith in Christ This I say lest any man should follow the fond imagination of Ierome who being deceaued by Origene vnderstoode nothing at all in Paule but onely considered of him as a meere ciuill Lawyer Hereupon he reasoneth after this manner The holy Patriarches Prophetes and Kinges were circumcised and offered sacrifice therefore they obserued the law But it were a wicked thing to say that they are vnder the Curse therfore all they that are of the works of the law are not vnder the Curse Thus he fighteth against Paule without all iudgement making no difference betwene the true doers of the law iustified by faith and those workers which seeke to be iustified by the lawe without faith But Paule speaketh here nothing at all against those that are iustified by faith and are true doers of the law in deede for they are not of the workes of the law but againste those which not onely doe not keepe the law but also sinne against the same For the law commaundeth that we should feare loue worship God with a true faith This they doe not but choose out new kindes of worship and workes which were neuer commaunded of God by which God is not pacified but more prouoked to anger according to that saying They vvorship me in vaine vvith the commaundementes of men Therefore they are full of impietie rebelles against God and idolaters sinning greuously against the first commaundement aboue all the rest Moreouer they haue also wicked concupiscence and other greate passions Briefely there is no good thing in them but that outwardly they would seeme to be righteous and would haue men to thinke that they doe the law So we also which are made righteous by faith as were the Patriarches Prophetes and all the Sainctes are not of the works of the law as concerning the matter of iustification But in that we are in the flesh and haue as yet the remnauntes of sinne in vs we are vnder the law yet not vnder the Curse because the remnaunts of sinne are not imputed vnto vs for Christes sake in whom we beleue For the flesh is an enemy vnto God that concupiscence which yet remaineth in vs not onely fulfilleth not the law but also sinneth against the same rebelling against vs and leading vs captiue into bondage Rom. 7. Now if the law be not fulfilled in the Sainctes but that many things are done in them contrary to the law if euill concupiscence and the remnauntes of sinne are yet remaining in them which doe so hinder them that they can not feare and loue God they can not call vpon God with assured trust they can not praise God and reuerence his worde as they should do much more is this true in a man which is not yet iustified by faith but is an enemy vnto God and with all his hearte despiseth and hateth the worde and worke of god Ye see then that Paule speaketh here of such as will fulfill the law and be iustified thereby although they haue not yet receaued faith and not of the fathers and Saincts as Ierome imagineth which are iustified by faith already Verse 13. Christ hath redeemed vs from the the Curse of the lavv vvhen he vvas made a Curse for vs For it is vvritten Cursed is euery one that hangeth on tree Here againe Ierome and the Schoolemen which followe him are much troubled and miserably racke this most comfortable place seeking to remoue this ignominie and reproche from Christ that he should be called a Curse or execration They shift of this sentence after this manner that Paule spake not here in good earnest And therefore they moste wickedly affirme that the Scripture in Paule agreeth not with it selfe And this they proue after this manner The sentence saye they of Moses which Paule here alleadgeth speaketh not of Christ Moreouer this generall clause vvho so euer which Paule hath is not added in Moses Again Paule omitteth this word of God which is in Moses To conclude it is euident enough that Moses speaketh of a theefe or a malefactor which by his euil deedes hath deserued the gallowes as the Scripture plainly witnesseth in the 21. chapter of Deuteronomy Therefore they aske this question howe this sentence may be applied to Christ that he is accursed of God and hanged vpon a tree seing that he is no malefactor or theefe but righteous and holy This may peraduenture moue the simple and ignoraunt who thinke that the Sophisters or Scholemen speake these things not only wittely but religiously also and by this meanes doe maintaine the honour and glorie of Christ warning all Christians to beware that they thinke not so wickedly of Christ that he should be made a Curse c. Therefore let vs see what the meaning and purpose of Paule is Paule here did well fortifie his wordes and spake very aduisedly and to the purpose But here againe we must make a distinction as the words of Paule doe plainely shewe For he saith not that Christ was made a Curse for him selfe but for vs Therefore all the weight of the matter standeth in this word For vs. For Christ is innocent as concerning his owne person and therefore he ought not to haue bene hanged vpon a tree but because accordinge to the lawe of Moses euery theefe and malefactor ought to be hanged therefore Christe also according to the lawe ought to be hanged for he sustained the person of a sinner and of a theefe not of one but of all sinners and theeues For we are sinners and theeues and therefore giltie of death and euerlastinge damnation But Christe tooke all our sinnes vpon him and for them died vpon the crosse therefore it behoued that he should become a transgressour and as Esay the Prophet sayth chapter .53 to be reckened and accounted among transgressours and trespassers And this no doubte all the Prophetes did foresee in spirite that Christe shoulde become the greatest transgressour murtherer adulterer theefe rebell and blasphemer that euer was or coulde be in all the worlde For he being made a sacrifice for the sinnes of the whole worlde is not nowe an innocent person and without sinnes is not nowe the Sonne of God borne of the virgin Marie but a sinner which hath and carieth the sinne of Paule which was a blasphemer oppressour and persecuter of Peter which denied Christ of Dauid which was an adulterer a murtherer and caused the Gentiles to blaspheme the name of the Lorde and briefely which hath and beareth all the sinnes of all men in his bodie not that he him selfe committed them
but for that he receaued them being committed or done of vs and layed them vpon his owne bodie that he might make satisfaction for them with his owne bloude Therefore this generall sentence of Moses comprehendeth him also albeit in his owne person he was innocente because it found him amongest sinners and transgressours Like as the magistrate taketh him for a theefe punisheth him whom he findeth amonge other theeues and transgressours though he neuer committed any thinge worthy of death Nowe Christ was not onely founde amonge sinners but of his owne accorde and by the will of his father he woulde also be a companion of sinners takinge vpon him the flesh and bloud of those which were sinners theeues and plunged in all kindes of sinne When the lawe therefore founde him among theeues it condemned and killed him as a theefe The Sophisters and Scholemen doe spoile vs of this knowledge of Christe and moste heauenly comforte namely that Christe was made a Curse to the ende he might deliuer vs from the Curse of the lawe when they separate him from sinnes and sinners and onely sette him out vnto vs as an example to be followed By this meanes they make Christ not onely vnprofitable vnto vs but also a Iudge and a Tyraunte which is angry with our sinnes and condemneth sinners But we must as well wrappe Christ and knowe him to be wrapped in our sinnes in our malediction in our death and in all our euils as he is wrapped in our flesh and in our bloud But some man will say It is very obsurde and sclaunderous to call the Sonne of God a cursed sinner I aunswere If thou wilt denye him to be a sinner and to be accursed deny also that he was crucified and died For it is no lesse absurde to say that the Sonne of God as our faith confesseth and beleeueth was crucified and suffered the paines of sinne and death then to say that he is a sinner and accursed But if it be not absurde to confesse and beleue that Christ was crucified betwene two theeues then is it not absurde to saye also that he was accursed and of all sinners the greatest These wordes of Paule are not spoken in vaine Christ vvas made a Curse for vs God made Christ vvhich knevve no sinne to become sinne for vs that vve in him might be made the righteousnes of god 2. Cor. 5. After the same maner Iohn the Baptist calleth him The Lambe of God vvhich taketh avvay the sinnes of the vvorlde He verely is innocente because he is the vnspotted and vndefiled Lambe of god But because he beareth the sinnes of the worlde his innocencie is charged with the sinnes and gilte of the whole worlde Whatsoeuer sinnes I thou and we all haue done or shall doe hereafter they are Christes owne sinnes as verely as if he him selfe had done them To be briefe our sinne must needes become Christes owne sinne or els we shall perish for euer This true knowledge of Christ which Paule and the Prophetes haue moste plainely deliuerede vnto vs the wicked Scholemen and Sophisters haue darkened and defaced Esay in the .53 chapter speaketh thus of Christ God saith he laid the iniquitie of vs all vpon him We must not make these wordes lesse then they are but leaue them in their owne proper signification For God dallieth not in the wordes of the Prophet but speaketh earnestly of greate loue to wit that Christ this Lambe of God shoulde beare the sinnes of vs all But what is it to beare The Sophisters aūswere to be punished Wery well But wherfore is Christ punished It is not because he hath sinne and beareth sinne Nowe that Christe hath sinne the holy Ghoste witnesseth in the 40. Psalme My sinnes haue taken suche holde of me that I am not able to looke vppe yea they are more in number then the heares of my heade In this psalme and certaine others the holy Ghost speaketh in the person of Christe and in plaine wordes wittenesseth that he had sinnes For this testimonie is not the voice of an innocent Christ but of a suffering Christ which tooke vpon him to beare the person of all sinners and therefore was made giltie of the sinnes of the whole worlde Wherefore Christ was not onely crucified and died but sinne also through the diuine loue was laide vpon him When sinne was layed vpon him then cometh the lawe and saith euery sinner must dye Therefore O Christ if thou wilt aunswere become giltie and suffer punishment for sinners thou must also beare sinne and malediction Paule therefore doth very well alleadge this generall sentence out of Moses as concerning Christ Euery one that hangeth vpon the tree is the accursed of God but Christ hath hanged vpon the tree therefore Christ is the accursed of God. And this is a singular consolation for all Christians so to cloth Christ with our sinnes and to wrappe him in my sinnes thy sinnes and in the sinnes of the whole world and so to beholde him bearing all our iniquities For the beholdinge of him after this manner shall easilie vanquish all the fantasticall opinions of the Papistes concerning the iustification of workes For they doe imagine as I haue sayde a certaine faith formed and adorned with charitie By this say they sinnes are taken away and mē are iustified before God. And what is this els I pray you but to vnwrappe Christ and to strip him quite out of our sinnes to make him innocente and to charge and ouerwhelme our selues with our owne sinnes and to looke vpon them not in Christ but in our selues Yea what is this els but to take Christ cleane away and to make him vtterly vnprofitable vnto vs For if it be so that we put away sinne by the workes of the law and charitie then Christ taketh them not away For if he be the Lambe of God ordained from the beginning to take away the sinnes of the world and moreouer if he be so wrapped in our sinnes that he be became accursed for vs it must needes followe that we can not be iustified by workes For God hath laide our sinnes not vpon vs but vpon his Sonne Christ that he bearing the punishment thereof might be our peace and that by his stripes we might be healed Therefore they can not be taken away by vs To this all the Scripture beareth witnesse and we also doe confesse the same in the Articles of the Christian beleefe when we say I beleue in Iesus Christ the Sonne of God which suffered was crucified and died for vs. Hereby it appeareth that the doctrine of the Gospel which of all other is most sweete and ful of singular consolations speaketh nothing of our workes or of the workes of the lawe but of the inestimable mercy and loue of God towardes vs most wretched and miserable sinners to witte that our most mercifull father seeing vs to be oppressed and ouerwhelmed with
the curse of the lawe and so to be holden vnder the same that we could neuer be deliuered by our owne strength out of it he sent his onely sonne into the world and laied vpon him all the sinnes of all men saying Be thou Peter that denier Paule that persecuter blasphemer and cruell oppressor Dauid that adulterer that sinner which did eate the apple in Paradise that theefe hanginge vpon the crosse and briefely be thou the person which hath committed the sinnes of all men See therefore that thou pay and satisfie for them Here now cometh the law and saith I finde him a sinner and that such a one as hath taken vpon himselfe the sinnes of all men and I see no sinnes els but in him therefore let him die vpon the crosse and so he setteth vpon him and killeth him By this meanes the whole world is purged and clensed from all sinnes so deliuered frō death and all euils Now sinne being vanquished and death abolished by this one mā God would see nothing els in the whole world if it did beleue but a meere clensing righteousnes And if any remnaunts of sinne should remaine yet for the great glory that is in Christ God would winke at them not behold thē Thus we must magnifie the article of Christian righteousnes againste the righteousnes of the lawe and workes albeit no eloquence is able sufficiently to set forth the inestimable greatnes therof Wherfore the argument that Paule handleth in this place of al other is most mighty against all the righteousnes of the lawe For it containeth this inuincible opposition which can not be denied that is if the sinnes of the whole world be in that one man Iesus Christ then are they not in the world But if they be not in him then are they yet in the world Also if Christ be made giltie of all the sinnes which we all haue committed thē are we loosed from all sinnes but not by our selues nor by our owne workes or merites but by him But if he be innocent and beare not our sinnes then doe we beare them and in them we shall die and be damned But thankes be to God vvho hath geuen vs victorie by our Lorde Iesus Christ Amen But now let vs see by what meanes these two thinges so contrary so repugnant may be reconciled together in this one person Christ Not onely my sinnes and thine but also the sinnes of the whole world either past present or to come doe take holde vpon him and goe about to condemne him as also they do in deede condemne him But because in the self same person which is the highest the greatest and the onely sinner there is also an euerlasting and inuincible righteousnes therefore these two doe encounter together the highest the greatest and the onely sinne and the highest the greatest and the onely righteousnes Here one of them must needes be ouercome and geue place to the other seeing they fight together with so great force and power The sinne therfore of the whole world cometh vpon righteousnes with all maine might In this combate what is done Righteousnes is euerlasting immortall and inuincible Sinne also is a most mightie and cruell Tyranne ruling and raigning ouer the whole world subduing and bringing all men into bondage To conclude sinne is a strong and a mightie God which deuoureth all mankinde learned vnlearned holy mightie and wise men This Tyranne I say flieth vpō Christ will needes swallow him vp as he doth all other But he seeth not that he is a person of inuincible and euerlasting righteousnes Therefore in this combate sinne must needes be vanquished and killed and righteousnes must ouercome liue raigne So in Christ all sinne is vanquished killed buried righteousnes remaineth a conquerour and raigneth for euer In like manner death which is an omnipotent Queene and Emperesse of the whole world killing Kings Princes and generally all men doth mightely encounter with life thinking vtterly to ouercome it and to swallow it vp and that it goeth about it bringeth to passe in deede But because life was immortall therefore when it was ouercome yet did it ouercome and get the victory vanquishing and killing death Death therfore through Christ is vanquished abolished throughout the whole world so that now it is but a painted death which losing his stinge can no more hurte those that beleue in Christ who is become the death of death as Hoseas the prophet saith O death I vvil be thy death So the Curse which is the wrathe of God vppon the whole world hath the like conflict with the Blessing that is to say with grace and the eternall mercye of God in Christe The Curse therefore fighteth against the Blessing and would condemne it and bring it to nought but it can not so doe For the Blessing is diuine and euerlasting and therfore the Curse must needes geue place For if the blessing in Christ could be ouercome then should God himselfe also be ouercome But this is impossible therefore Christ the power of God righteousnes Blessing grace and life ouercometh destroieth these monsters sinne death and the Curse without warre or weapōs in his owne body and in himselfe as Paule deliteth to speake Spoiling saith he all principalities and povvers and triumphing ouer them in himselfe so that they can not any more hurt those that doe beleue And this circumstāce In him selfe maketh that combate much more wonderfull glorious For it sheweth that it was necessary that these inestimable things should be accōplished in that one only person Christ to witte that the Curse sinne death should be destroied the Blessing righteousnes and life should succede in their place and that so the whole creature through this one person should be renued Therefore if thou looke vpon this person Christ thou shalt see sinne death the wrath of God hell the Deuill and all euils vanquished and mortified in him Forasmuch then as Christ reigneth by his grace in the heartes of the faithfull there is no sinne no death no curse but where Christ is not knowne there all these thinges doe still remaine Therefore all they which beleue not doe lacke this inestimable benefite and glorious victory For this as S. Iohn saith is our victory that ouercometh the vvorld euen our faith This is the principal Article of all Christian doctrine which the popish Scholemen haue altogether darkened And here ye see how necessary a thing it is to beleue and to cōfesse the Article of the Diuinitie of Christ which when Arrius denied he must needes also deny the Article of our redemption For to ouercome the sinne of the world death the Curse and the wrath of God in himselfe is not the worke of any creature but of the diuine power Therefore he which in him selfe should ouercome these must needes be
truly and naturally god For against this mightie power of sinne death and the curse which of it selfe reigneth throughout the world and in the whole creature it was necessary to set a more high and mightie power But besides the soueraigne and diuine power no such power can be found Wherfore to abolish sinne to destroy death to take away the curse in himselfe and againe to geue righteousnes to bringe life to light and to geue the Blessing are the workes of the diuine power onely and alone Now because the Scripture doth attribute all these to Christe therefore he in him selfe is life righteousnes and Blessing which is naturally and substantially god Wherefore they that denye the Diuinitie of Christ doe lose all Christianitie and become altogether Gentiles and Turkes We must learne therfore diligently the Article of iustification as I often admonish you For all the other Articles of our faith are comprehended in it and if that remaine sounde then are all the rest sound Wherfore when we teach that men are iustified by Christ that Christ is the conquerour of sinne death and the euerlasting Curse we witnes therewithall that he is naturally and substantially God. Hereby we may plainely se how horrible the wickednes and blindnes of the Papistes was which taught that these cruell and mightie Tirauntes sinne death and the Curse which swallowe vp all mankinde must be vanquished not by the righteousnes of the law of God which although it be iust good and holy can doe nothing but bring men vnder the Curse but by the righteousnes of mannes owne workes as by fasting pilgrimages masses vowes such other like paltrie But I pray you was there euer any founde that being furnished with this armour ouercame sinne death and the Deuill Paule in the .6 chapter to the Ephesians describeth a farre other manner of armour which we must vse against these most cruell and raging beastes Therefore in that these blind buzzardes and leaders of the blind haue set vs naked and without armour before these inuincible and most mightie Tyrauntes they haue not onely deliuered vs vnto them to be deuoured but also haue made vs ten times greater and more wicked sinners then either theeues whores or murtherers For it belongeth onely to the diuine power to destroy sinne and to abolish death to create righteousnes and to geue life They haue attributed this diuine power to our owne workes saying If thou shalt doe this worke or that thou shalt ouercome sinne death and the wrath of God And by this meanes they set vs in Gods place making vs in very deede if I may so say euen naturally God himselfe And herein the Papistes vnder the name of Christe haue shewed them selues to be seuen folde more wicked Idolaters then euer were the Gentiles For it hapneth to them as it doth to the Sowe which after she is washed walloweth her selfe againe in the myre And as Christ sayth After they are falne away from faith an euill spirite entreth againe into the house out of that which he was driuen and taketh vnto him seuen worse spirites then him selfe and there dwelleth And then the later ende of that man is worse then the beginninge Let vs therfore receaue this most sweete doctrine and full of comfort with thankes geuing and with an assured Faith which teacheth that Christ being made a Curse for vs that is a sinner subiecte to the wrath of God did put vpon him our person and laid our sinnes vpon his owne shoulders saying I haue committed the sinnes which all men haue committed Therefore he was made a Curse in deede according to the lawe not for him selfe but as Paule sayeth for vs For vnlesse he had taken vpon himselfe my sinnes and thine and the sinnes of the whole world the law had had no right ouer him which condemneth none but sinners onely and holdeth them vnder the Curse Wherfore he coulde neither haue ben made a Curse nor die sith the onely cause of the Curse and of Death is sinne from the which he was free But because he had taken vpon him our sinnes not by constraint but of his owne good wil it behoued him to beare the punishment wrath of God not for his owne person which was iust and inuincible and therfore could be found in no wise giltie but for our person So making a happie chaunge with vs he tooke vpon him our sinnefull person and gaue vnto vs his innocente and victorious person Wherwith we being now clothed are freed from the Curse of the lawe for Christ was willingly made a Curse for vs saying As touching mine owne person I am blessed and neede nothing But I will put of mine owne person and will put vppon me your person and your apparell that is your humane nature and will walke in the same among you and will suffer Death to deliuer you from Death Nowe he thus bearing the sinne of the whole world in our person was taken suffered was crucified and put to death became a Curse for vs But because he was a person diuine and euerlasting it was impossible that death should holde him Wherefore he rose againe the third day from death and now liueth for euer and there is neither sinne nor death nor our shape founde in him any more but meere righteousnes life and euerlasting blessednes This image and this myrrour we must haue continually before vs and beholde the same with a stedfast eye of Faith. He that doth so hath this innocencie and victory of Christ although he be neuer so great a sinner By Faith onely therefore we are made righteous for Faith layeth hold vpon this innocencie this victorie of Christ Loke then howe much thou beleuest this so much thou doest enioy it If thou beleeue sinne death and the Curse to be abolished they are abolished For Christ hath vanquished and taken away these in him selfe and will haue vs to beleue that like as in his owne person there is now no appearaunce of a sinner nor token of death euen so is there none in ours seeing he hath performed all things for vs. Wherfore if sinne vexe thee and death terrifie thee thinke that it is as it is in deede but an imagination a false illusion of the Deuil For in very deede there is now no Sinne no Curse no Death no Deuill any more for Christ hath vāquished and abolished all these things Therefore the victorie of Christ is most certaine and there is no defect in the thing it selfe since it is most true but in our incredulitie for it is a hard matter to reason to beleeue these inestimable good things and vnspeakeable riches Moreouer the Deuill also with his vaine spirites ceaseth not to assaile vs. The Deuill with his fiery dartes his ministers with their wicked and false Doctrine goe about to wrest from vs and vtterly to deface this doctrine And specially for this Article which we doe so
promise made vnto Abraham In thy seede shall all nations be blessed might so be fulfilled Therfore by no other meanes could this be done that is here promised but that Iesus Christ must needes become a Curse and ioyne him selfe to those that were accursed that so he might take away the Curse from them and through his Blessing might bring vnto them righteousnes and life And here marke as I haue also forewarned you that this word Blessing is not in vaine as the Iewes dreame who expoūd it to be but a salutation by word of mouth or by wryting But Paule entreateth here of sinne and righteousnes of death and life before god He speaketh therefore of inestimable and incomprehensible things when he sayth that the Blessing of Abraham might come vpon the Gentiles through Iesus Christ Ye see moreouer what merits we bring by what meanes we obtain this Blessing This is the merite of Congruence worthines these are the works preparatiue wherby we obtain this righteousnes that Christ Iesus was made a Curse for vs For we are ignorant of God enemies of God dead in sinne accursed and what is our desert then What can he deserue that is accursed ignorāt of God dead in sinnes and subiect to the wrath iudgement of God When the Pope excōmunicateth a man whatsoeuer he doth is counted accursed How much more then may we say that he is accursed before God as all we are before we know Christ which doth nothing else but cursed things Wherefore there is no other way to auoide the Curse but to beleue and with assured confidēce to say Thou Christ art my sinne my Curse or rather I am thy sinne thy Curse thy death thy wrath of God thy hell and contrariwise thou arte my righteousnes my Blessing my life my grace of God and my heauen For the text sayeth plainely Christe is made a Curse for vs. Therefore we are the cause that he was made a Curse nay rather we are his Curse This is an excellent place full of spiritual consolation albeit it satisfie not the blind hard harted Iewes yet it satisfieth vs that are baptised and haue receaued this doctrine and concludeth most mightely that we are blessed through the Curse the sinne the death of Christ that is to say we are iustified and quickned vnto life So long as sinne death and the Curse do abide in vs sinne terrifieth death killeth and the Curse condemneth vs But when these are translated and laid vpon Christes backe then are these euils made his owne and his good thinges are made ours Let vs therefore learne in all tentations to translate sinne death the Curse and all euils which oppresse vs from our selues vnto Christ and againe from him vnto our selues righteousnes mercy life and blessing For he beareth all our euils vpon him God the father cast the iniquities of vs all as Esay the Prophet saith vpon him And he hath taken them vpon him willingly for he was not giltie But this he did that he might fulfill the will of his father by the which we are made holy for euer This is that infinite and vnmeasurable mercy of God which Paule would gladly amplifie with all eloquence and plentie of wordes but the slender capacitie of mans heart can not comprehende and much lesse vtter that vnsearchable deapth and burning zeale of Gods loue towards vs And verely the inestimable greatnes of Gods mercy not only engendreth an hardnes to beleue but also incredulitie it selfe For I doe not onely heare that almightie God the creatour and maker of all things is good and merciful but also that the same high souereigne Maiestie was so careful for me a damnable sinner a child of wrath and of euerlasting death that he spared not his owne deare Sonne but deliuered him to a most opprobrious and shamefull death that he hāging betwene two theeues might be made a Curse and sinne for me a cursed sinner that I might be made blessed that is to say the childe and heire of god Who can sufficiently praise and magnify this exceeding great goodnes of God Not all the Angels in heauen Therfore the doctrine of the Gospell the booke of God speaketh of farre other matters then any booke of policie or philosophie yea or the booke of Moses himselfe to wit of the vnspeakeable and most diuine giftes of God which farre passe the capacitie and vnderstanding both of men and Angels Verse 14. That vve might receaue the promise of the spirite through faith This is a phrase of the Hebrewes The promise of the spirite that is to say the spirite promised Now the spirite is freedom from the law sinne death the Curse hel and from the wrath and iudgement of god Here is no merite or worthines of ours but a free promise and a gifte geuen through the Seede of Abraham that we may be free from all euils and obtaine all good things whatsoeuer And this libertye gift of the spirite we receiue not by any other merites then by Faith alone For that onely taketh holde of the promise of God as Paule plainly sayth in this place that vve might receaue the promise of the spirite not by vvorkes but by Faith. This is in dede a sweete and a true Apostolike doctrine which sheweth that those things are fulfilled for vs now geuen to vs which many Prophets Kings desired to see to heare And such like places as this one is were gathered together out of diuers sayings of the Prophets which forsaw long before in spirite that all things should be chaūged repaired and gouerned by this man Christe Therfore the Iewes hauing the law of God did notwithstanding besides that law looke for Christ None of the Prophets or gouernours of the people of God did make any new lawe but Elias Samuel Dauid all the other Prophets did abide vnder the law of Moses they did not appoint any new tables or a new kingdom priesthode for that new chaunge of the kingly priesthoode of the law the worship was referred kept to him only of whom Moises had prophesied longe before The Lord thy God shal raise vp a Prophet vnto thee of thine ovvne nation and from among thy brethren Him shalt thou heare As if he should say Thou shalt heare him onely and none besides him This the Fathers well vnderstode for none could teach greater and higher poynts then Moises him selfe who made excellent lawes of high and great matters as are the ten commaundemēts especially the first commaundement I am the Lord thy God Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God vvith all thy heart c. This law concerning the loue of God doth comprehend the very Angels also Therfore it is the headspring of all diuine wisedom And yet was it necessary notwithstanding that an other teacher should come that is to say
should say I of meere mercye doe promise vnto thee the Christ shall come of thy seede who shall bring the Blessing vpon all nations oppressed with sinne and death that is to say which shall deliuer the nations from the euerlasting Curse to wit from sinne death receauiÌ„g this promise by faith In thy seede c Wherefore euen as the false Apostles were in time past so are all the Papistes and Iusticiaries at this day peruerters and destroyers not of mans Testament because they are forbidden by the law but of Gods TestameÌ„t whom they feare nothing at all although he be a consuming fier For such is the nature of all hypocrites that they will obserue mans law exactely but the lawes of God they doe despise and most wickedly transgresse But the time shall come when they shall beare an horrible iudgement and shall feele what it is to contemne and peruerte the Testament of god This argument then grounded vpon the ordinauÌ„ce of God is strong enough Verse 16. Novv to Abraham and his seede vvere the promises made He saith not And to the Seedes as speaking of many but and to thy Seede as of one vvhich is Christ Here by a newe name he calleth the promises of God made vnto Abraham concerninge Christe that shoulde bringe the Blessinge vnto all nations a Testament And in deede the promise is nothinge else but a Testament not yet reuealed but sealed vppe Nowe a Testament is not a lawe but a donation or free gifte For heires looke not for lawes exactions or any burdens to be laide vpon them by the Testament but they looke for the inheritaunce confirmed thereby First of all therefore he expoundeth the wordes Afterwardes he applieth the similitude and standeth vpon this worde Seede There were no lawes geuen vnto Abraham saith he but a Testament was made and deliuered vnto him that is to say the promises were pronounced vnto him as touching the spirituall Blessing therefore somewhat was promised and geuen vnto him If then the Testament of a man be kept why shoulde not rather the Testament of God be kept whereof the Testament of man is but a shadowe Againe if we will keepe the signes why doe we not rather keepe the things which they signifie Now the promises are made vnto him not in all the Iewes or in many Seedes but in one Seede which is Christ The Iewes will not receaue this interpretation of Paule For they say that the singular number is here put for the plurall one for many But we gladly receaue this meaning and interpretation of Paule who oftentimes repeteth this worde Seede and expoundeth this Seede to be Christ and this he doth with a true Apostolicall spirite Let the Iewes deny it as much as they will we notwithstanding haue argumentes stronge enough which Paule hath before rehersed which also confirme this thinge and they can not deny them Hitherto as touching the similitude of Gods ordinaunce that is to say of mans Testament Now he expoundeth and amplifieth the same Verse 17. And this I say that the lavv vvhich vvas 430. yeares after can not disanull the couenaunte that vvas confirmed before of God in respect of Christ that it should make the promise of none effect Here the Iewes might obiect that God was not onely content to geue promises to Abraham but also after 430. yeares he made the law God therefore mistrusting his owne promises as vnsufficient to iustifie added thereto a better thinge that is to say the law to the end that when the same as a better successor was come not the idle but the doers of the law might be made righteous thereby The law therefore which followed the promise did abrogate the promise Such euasions and starting holes the Iewes seeke out To this cauillation Paule aunswereth very well and to the purpose and strongly confuâ—eth the same The law saith he was geuen 430. yeares after the promise was made In thy Seede c. and it could not make the promise voide and vnprofitable For the promise is the Testament of God confirmed by God himselfe in Christ so many yeares before the law Now that which God once hath promised and confirmed he calleth not backe againe but it remaineth ratified and sure for euer Why then was the law added In deede it was deliuered so many ages after to the posteritie of Abraham not to the end he might through it obtaine the Blessing for it is the office of the law to bring meÌ„ vnder the Curse and not to blesse but that there might be in the world a certaine people which might haue the word and testimonie of Christ out of the which Christ also according to the flesh might be borne And that men being kept and shut vp vnder the lawe might sigh and grone for their deliueraunce through the Seede of Abraham which is Christ which onely should and could blesse that is to say deliuer all nations from sinne and euerlasting death Moreouer the ceremonies commauÌ„ded in the lawe did foreshadowe Christ Wherefore the promise was not abolished either by the law or by the ceremonies of the law but rather by the same as by certaine seales it was for a time confirmed vntill the letters themselues or the writing of the Testament to wit the promise might be opened and by the preaching of the Gospell might be spread abroad among all nations But let vs suffer the law and the promise to encounter together and then shall we see which of them is the stronger that is to say whether the promise be able to abolish the lawe or the lawe the promise If the law abolish the promise then it followeth that we by our works make God a lier and his promise of none effect For if the law doe iustifie vs and deliver vs from sinne and death and consequently our workes and our owne strength performing the lawe then the promise made to Abraham is vtterly voide and vnprofitable and so consequently God is a lier and a dissembler For when he which promiseth will not performe his promise but maketh it of none effect what doth he els but shew himselfe to be a lier and a dissembler But it is impossible that the lawe should make God a lier or that our workes should make the promise void nay rather it must needes be firme stable for euer for God promiseth not in vaine although we were able to keepe and fulfil the lawe And let vs admitte that all men were as holy as Angels so that they should not neede the promise which notwithstanding is impossible yet must we thinke that the same promise abideth most sure and certaine or else God should be found a lier which either hath promised in vaine or else wil not or can not performe his promises Therfore like as the promise was before the lawe so is it farre more excellent then the lawe And God did excellently well in that he gaue the
rent in peeces this beast which is called the opinion of righteousnes Therefore sayeth God by Ieremie his Prophet My vvorde is a hammer breaking rockes For as long as the opinion of righteousnes abideth in man so long there abideth also in him incomprehensible pride presumption securitie hatred of God contempt of grace and mercie ignorance of the promises and of Christe The preaching of free remission of sinnes through Christ can not enter in to the heart of such a one neither can he feele any taste or sauour thereof For that mightie rocke and adamant wall to witte the opinion of righteousnes wherwith the heart is enuironed doth resist it As therefore the opinion of righteousnes is a great and an horrible monster a rebellious obstinate and stiffenecked beast so for the destroying and ouerthrowing thereof God hath neede of a mightie hammer that is to say the lawe which then is in his proper vse and office when it accuseth and discouereth sinne after this sort Beholde thou hast transgressed all the commaundementes of god c and so it striketh a terrour into the conscience so that it feeleth God to be offended and angrie in deede and it selfe to be giltie of eternall death Here the pore afflicted sinner feeleth the intolerable burden of the lawe and is beaten downe euen to desperation so that now being oppressed with great anguish and terrour he desireth death or else seeketh to destroy him selfe Wherefore the lawe is that hammer that fier that mightie strong winde and that terrible earthquake renting the mountaines breaking the rocks that is to say the proud and obstinate hypocrites Elias not being able to abide these terrours of the law which by these things are signified couered his head with his mantell Notwithstanding when that tempest ceased of which he was a beholder there came a soft and a gracious wind in the which the Lord was But it behoued that the tempest of fire of winde and the earthquake should passe before the Lord should reueale him selfe in that gracious winde This terrible shewe and maiestie wherin God gaue his lawe in Mount Sina did represent the vse of the lawe There was in the people of Israel which came out of Egypt a singular holines They gloried and said VVe are the people of God vve vvil doe all those things vvhich the Lord our God hath commaunded Moreouer Moises did sanctifie the people and badde them wash their garments refraine froÌ„ their wiues and prepare them selues against the third day There was not one of them but he was full of holineâ—â—â— The third day Moises bringeth the people out of their tentes to tâ— tâ—â—â—â—rtaine into the sight of the Lord that they might heare his voice Wâ—â—â—â—owed then When the children of Israell did see the horrible shew of the Mount smoking and burning the blacke cloudes and the lightnings flashing vppe and downe in this horrible darknes heard the sound of the truÌ„pet blowing long and waxing lowder and lowder and moreouer when they heard the thundrings and lightnings they were afraid and standing a farre of they say vnto Moises VVe vvill doe all things vvillingly so that the Lord speake not vnto vs lest that vve die and this great fier consume vs Teach thou vs and vve vvill hearken vnto thee I pray you what did their purifying their holines their white garmentes and refraining from their wiues profite them Nothing at all There was not one of them that could abide this presence of the Lord in his Maiestie and glory but all being amazed and shaken with terrour fledde backe as if they had bene driuen by the Deuill For God is a coÌ„suming fier in whose sight no flesh is able to stand The law of God therfore hath properly and peculiarly that office which it had then in Mount Sina when it was first geuen and was first heard of them that were washed righteous purified and chast and yet notwithstanding it brought that holy people into such a knowledge of their owne misery that they were throwne downe euen to death and desperation No puritie nor holines could then helpe them but there was in them such a feeling of their owne vncleanes vnworthines sin and of the iudgement and wrath of God that they fled from the sight of the Lord and could not abide to heare his voice VVhat flesh vvas there euer sayd they that heard the voice of the liuing God speaking out of the middes of the fier and yet liued This day haue vve seene that God talketh vvith man and yet he liueth They speake nowe farre otherwise then they did a litle before when they said We are the holy people of God whom the Lord hath chosen for his owne peculiar people before all the nations vppon that earth We will doe all things which the Lord hath spoken So it hapneth at length to all Iusticiaries who being drunken with the opinion of their owne righteousnes doe thinke when they are out of tentation that they are beloued of God and that God regardeth their vowes their fastings their prayers their wilworks and that for the same he must geue vnto them a singuler crowne in heauen But when that thundring lightning fier and that hammer which breaketh in peeces the rockes that is to say the law of God commeth suddenly vpon them reuealing vnto them their sinne the wrath iudgement of God then the selfe same thing hapneth vnto them which hapned to the Iewes standing at the foote of Mount Sina Here I admonish all such as feare God and specially such as shal become teachers of others hereafter that they diligently learne out of Paule to vnderstand the true and proper vse of the law which I feare after our time wil be troden vnder foote vtterly abolished by the enemies of the truth For euen now whiles we are yet liuing and employ all our diligence to set forth the office and vse both of the lawe and the Gospel notwithstanding there be very few yea euen among those which will be counted Christians and make a profession of the Gospel with vs that vnderstand these things rightly as they should doe What think ye then shall come to passe when we are dead and gone I speake nothing of the Anabaptists of the new Arrians and such other vaine spirites who are no lesse ignorant of these matters then are the Papists although they talke neuer so much to the contrary For they are reuolted from the pure doctrine of the Gospell to lawes and traditions and therfore they teach not Christ They bragge and they sweare that they seeke nothing else but the glory of Christe and the saluation of their brethern and that they teach the word of God purely but in very deede they corrupt it and wrest it to an other sense so that they make it too sound according to their owne imagination Therfore vnder the name of Christe they teach nothing else but their
blessed Seede which is Christ who hath gracious lippes wherwith he accuseth and terrifieth not but speaketh of farre better things then doth the lawe namely of grace peace forgeuenes of sinnes victorie ouer sinne death the Deuill and damnation gotten by his death and passion vnto all beleuers Paule therfore sheweth by these words Vntill the Seede should come vnto whom the Blessing was promised howe long the lawe should endure literally and spiritually After the letter it ceased after the blessed Seede came in to the world taking vpon him our flesh geuing the holy Ghost and wryting a newe lawe in our hearts But the spirituall time of the lawe doth not ende at once but continueth rooted in the conscience Therfore it is a hard matter for a man which is exercised with the spirituall vse of the lawe to see the ende of the lawe For in these terrours and feeling of sinne the minde can not conceaue this hope that God is mercifull and that he will forgeue sinnes for Christes sake but it iudgeth only that God is angrie with sinners and that he accuseth and condemneth them If faith come not here to raise vppe againe the pore afflicted conscience or else according to that saying of Christ vvhere tvvo or three are gathered together in my name c. there be some faithfull brother at hand that may comfort him by the worde of God which is so oppressed and beaten downe by the lawe desperation and death must needes folow Therfore it is a perillous thing for a man to be alone VVoe be to him that is alone sayth the Preacher for vvhen he falleth he hath none to raise him vp Wherefore they that ordeined that cursed Monkish and solitarie life gaue occasion to many thousandes to despaire If a man should separate him selfe frō the company of other for a day or two to be occupied in prayer as we read of Christ that sometime he went a side alone into the Mount and by night continued in prayer there were no daunger therein But when they constrained men continually to liue a solitarie life it was a deuice of the Deuil him self For when a man is tempted and is alone he is not able to reise vppe him selfe no not in the least tentation that can be Ver. 19. And it vvas ordeined by Angels in the hand of a Mediatour This is a litle digression from his purpose which he neither declareth nor finisheth but onely toucheth it by the way and so proceedeth For he retourneth incontinent to his purpose when he sayeth what is the lawe then contrary to the promises of God Nowe this was the occasion of his digression He fell into this difference betwene the lawe and the Gospell to witte that the lawe added to the promises did differ from the gospell not onely in respect of time but also of the author and the principal cause therof For the lawe was deliuered by the Angels Heb. 1 but the Gospell by the Lord him selfe Wherfore the Gospell is farre more excellent then the lawe For the lawe is the voice of the seruauntes but the Gospell is the voyce of the Lord him selfe Therfore to abase and to diminish the authority of the lawe and to exalt and magnifie the Gospell he sayth that the lawe was a doctrine geuen to continue but for a small time for it endured but onely vntill the fulnes of the promise that is to say vntill the blessed Seede came which fulfilled the promise but that the Gospel was for euer For all the faithfull haue had alway one and the selfe same Gospel from the beginning of the world and by that they were saued The lawe therefore is farre inferiour to the Gospell because it was ordained by the Angelles which are but seruauntes and endured but for a short time whereas the Gospell was ordeined by the Lord him selfe to continue for euer Hebrues 1. For it vvas promised before all vvorldes Tit. 1. Moreouer the word of the lawe was not ordeined by the Angels being but seruauntes but also by an other seruaunt farre inferiour to the Angels namely by a man that is as here he sayeth by the hand of a Mediatour that is to say Moises Nowe Christ is not a seruaunt but the Lord him selfe He is not a Mediatour betwene God and man according to the lawe as Moises was but he is a Mediatour of a better Testament The law therfore was ordeined by Angels as seruauntes For Moises and the people heard God speaking in the Mount Sina that is to say they heard the angels speaking in the person of god Therfore Stephen in the seuenth of the Actes sayeth Ye haue receaued the lavve by the ministerie of the Angels and ye haue not regarded it Also the text in the third of Exodus sheweth plainely that the Angell appeared vnto Moises in a flame of fire and spake vnto him from the middest of the bush Paule therefore signifieth that Christe is a Mediaotur of a farre better Testament then Moises And here he alludeth to that history in Moises concerning the geuing of the lawe which sayeth that Moises ledde the people out of their tentes to meete with God and that he placed them at the foote of the Mount Sina There was an heauie and an horrible sight The whole Mount was on a flaming fier When the people sawe this they began to tremble for they thought that they should haue ben suddenly destroyed in this fearfull tempest Because therefore they could not abide the lawe sounding so horribly out of Mount Sina for that terrifying voice of the lawe would haue killed the people they sayd vnto Moises their Mediatour Come thou hether and heare vvhat the Lord sayeth and speake thou vnto vs. And he aunswered I my selfe sayeth he vvas a Mediatour and one that stoode betvvene God and you c. By these places it is plaine enough that Moises was appoynted a Mediatour betwene the people and the lawe speaking Wherfore Paule by this historie goeth about to declare that it is impossible that righteousnes should come by the lawe As if he should say howe can the lawe iustifie seeing the whole people of Israell being purified and sanctified yea and Moises him selfe the Mediatour betwene God and the people were afraide and trembled at the voice of the lawe as it is sayd in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Here was nothing but feare and trembling But what righteousnes and holines is this not to be able to beare yea not to be able or willing to heare the lawe but to flie from it and so to hate it that it is impossible to hate and abhorre any thing more in the whole world as the historie moste plainly testifieth that the people when they heard the lawe did hate nothing more then the lawe and rather wished death then to heare the lawe So when sinne is discouered as it were by certaine bright beames which the law striketh into the heart
Notwithstanding Moises is a Mediatour in this sort as I haue sayd which doth nothing else but chaunge the voyce of the lawe and maketh it tolerable so that the people may abide the hearing thereof but geueth no power to accomplish the same To conclude he is a Mediatour but onely of the veile and therfore he geueth no power to performe the law but onely in the veile Therefore his disciples in that he is a Mediatour of the veile must alwayes be hypocrites But what thinke ye should haue come to passe if that the lawe had bene geuen without Moises either else before or after Moises and that there had ben no Mediatour and in the meane season the people should not haue ben suffered either to flie away or else to haue had any Mediatour Here either the people being beaten downe with intolerable feare should haue perished forthwith or if they should haue escaped there must nedes haue come some other Mediatour which should haue set him selfe betwene the law and the people to this end that both the people might be preserued and the lawe remaine in his force and strength and also an attonement might be made betwene the lawe and the people In deede Moises cometh in the meane season and is made a Mediatour he putteth on a veile and couereth his face but he can not deliuer mens consciences from the anguish and terrour which the law bringeth Therefore when a man in the hower of death or in the conflict of conscience feeleth the wrath and iudgement of God for sinne which the law reuealeth and encreaseth here to keepe him from desperation secluding Moises with his veile he must haue a Mediatour which may say vnto him Although thou be a sinner yet shalt thou remaine that is to say thou shalt not die although the lawe with his wrath and malediction doe still remaine This Mediatour is Iesus Christ which chaungeth not the voice of the law nor hideth the same with a veile as Moises did nor leadeth me out of the sight of the law but he setteth him selfe against the wrath of the law and taketh it away and satisfieth the lawe in his owne body by himselfe And by the Gospel he saith vnto me In deede the law threatneth vnto thee the wrath of God and eternall death but be not afraid flie not away but stand still I supply and performe all thinges for thee I satisfie the law for thee This is a Mediatour which farre excelleth Moises who setteth him selfe betwene God being angry and the sinner The intercession of Moses here profiteth nothing he hath done his office he with his veile is now vanished away Here the miserable sinner being vtterly desperate or a man now approching vnto death God being offended angry doe encounter together Therefore there must come a farre other Mediatour then Moises which may satisfie the lawe take away the wrath therof and may reconcile vnto God which is angry that poore sinner miserable and gilty of eternall death Of this Mediatour Paule speaketh briefely when he saith A Mediatour is not a Mediatour of one For this word Mediatour properly signifieth such a one as doth the office of a Mediatour betwene the partie that is offended and the offender We are the offenders God with his law is he which is offended And the offence is such that God can not pardon it neither can we satisfie for the same Therefore betwene God who of him selfe is but one and vs there is wonderfull discord Moreouer God can not reuoke his law but he will haue it obserued and kept And we which haue transgressed the law can not flie from the presence of God. Christ therefore hath seth him selfe a Mediatour betwene two which are quite contrary and vtterly separate asunder with an infinite and euerlastinge separation and hath reconciled them together And how hath he done this He hath put avvay as Paule saith in an other place the hādvvriting vvhich vvas against vs vvhich by ordinaunces that is by the law vvas cōtrary vnto vs and he hath taken it and fastened it to the Crosse and hath spoiled principalities and povvers and hath made a shevve of them openly and hath triumphed ouer them by him selfe Therefore he is not a Mediatour of one but of two vtterly disagreeing betweene them selues This is also a mighty place and of greate efficacie to confute and confounde the righteousnes of the law and to teach vs that in the matter of Iustification it ought to be vtterly remoued out of our sight Also this word Mediatour ministreth sufficient matter to proue that the lawe iustifieth not for els what neede should we haue of a Mediatour Seing then that mans nature can not abide the hearinge of the lawe much lesse is it able to accomplish the lawe or to agree with the lawe This doctrine which I doe so often repete and not without tediousnes doe still beate into your heades is the true doctrine of the lawe which euery Christian ought with all diligence to learne that he may be able truly to define what the law is what is the true vse and office what are the limites what is the power the time and the ende thereof For it hath an effect quite contrary to the iudgement of all men which haue this pestilent and pernicious opinion naturally rooted in them that the law iustifieth Therefore I feare lest this doctrine will be darkened and defaced againe when we are deade For the world must be replenished with horrible darkenes errours before the latter day come He therefore that is able to vnderstand this let him vnderstand it that the law in true Christian Diuinitie and in his true and proper definition doth not iustifie but hath a cleane contrary effect For it sheweth and discouereth vnto vs our selues it setteth God before vs in his anger it reueileth Gods wrath it terrifieth vs and it doth not only reueile sinne but also mightily encreaseth sinne so that where sinne was before but litle now by the law which bringeth the same to light it becometh exceeding sinfull so that a man now beginneth to hate the law and to flie from it with a perfect hatred to abhorre God the maker of the law This is not to be iustified by the law and that euen reason it selfe is compelled to graūt but to commit a double sinne against the law First not onely to haue a wil so disagreeing frō the law that thou canst not heare it but also to do contrary to that which it cōmaundeth And secondly so to hate it that thou wouldest wish it were abolished together with God himselfe who is the author therof and absolutely good Now what greater blasphemy what sinne more horrible can be imagined then to hate God to abhorre his law not to suffer the hearing thereof which notwithstanding is good and holy For the history doth plainely witnes that the people of Israell refused to heare that excellent
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
no man can obtaine life except first he be righteous then in deede righteousnes should come by the law Moreouer if there were any state of life any worke any religion whereby a man might obtaine remission of sinnes righteousnes and life then should these thinges in deede iustifie and geue life but this is impossible for Verse 22. The scripture hath concluded all men vnder sinne Where First in the promises them selues as touching Christ as Genesis 3. The Seede of the vvoman shall breake the head of the serpent And Genesis 22. In thy Seede c. Whersoeuer then is any promise in the scriptures made vnto the fathers concerning Christ there the Blessing is promised that is righteousnes saluation and eternall life Therefore by the contrary it is euident that they which must receaue the Blessing are subiect to the Curse that is to say sinne eternall death for els to what ende was the Blessing promised Secondly the Scripture shutteth men vnder sinne and vnder the Curse especially by the law because it is his peculiar office to reueale sinne engender wrath as we haue declared throughout this Epistle but chiefely by this sentence of Paule VVhosoeuer are of the vvorks of the lavv are vnder the Curse Also by that place which the Apostle alleaged out of the .27 chapt of Deut Cursed is euery one that abideth not in all the vvordes of this lavve to doe them c. For these sentences in plaine wordes doe shut vnder sinne and vnder the Curse not onely those which sinne manifestly against the law or doe not outwardly accōplish the law but also those which are vnder the law and with all endeuour go about to performe the same and such were the Iewes as before I haue sayd Much more then doth the same place of Paule shut vppe vnder sinne and vnder the Curse all Monkes Friers Heremites Carthusians and such like with their professions rules and religions to the which they attributed such holines that when a mā had once made a vowe of his profession if he died by and by they dreamed that he went streight to heauen But here ye heare plainly that the Scripture shutteth all vnder sinne Therefore neither the vowe nor religion of the Carthusian be it neuer so angelicall is righteousnes before God for the Scripture hath shutte all vnder sinne all are accursed and damned Who pronounceth this sentence The Scripture And where First by this promise The Seede of the vvoman shall bruse the Serpentes head In thee shall be blessed c. and such like places Moreouer by the whole lawe whereof the principall office is to make men giltie of sinne Therefore no Monke no Carthusian no Celestine bruseth the head of the Serpent but they abide brused and broken vnder the Serpents head that is vnder the power of the Deuill Who will beleue this Briefly what so euer is without Christ and his promise whether it be the lawe of God or the lawe of man the Ceremoniall or the morall lawe without all exception is shut vnder sinne For the Scripture shutteth all vnder sinne Now he that saith all excepteth nothing Therefore we conclude with Paule that the policies and lawes of all nations be they neuer so good and necessary with all ceremonies and religions without faith in Christ are and abide vnder sinne death and eternall damnation except faith in Iesus Christ goe withall or rather before all as followeth in the texte Of this matter we haue spoken largely before Wherfore this is a true proposition Onely faith iustifieth without works which notwithstanding our aduersaries can by no meanes abide For Paule here strongly concludeth that the lawe geueth not life because it is not geuen to that ende If then the lawe doe not iustifie and geue life much lesse doe workes iustifie For when Paule sayth that the lawe geueth not life his meaning is that workes also doe not geue life For it is more to say that the law quickeneth geueth life then to say that works doe quicken geue life If then the law it selfe being fulfilled although it be impossible that it should be accomplished doe not iustifie much lesse doe workes iustifie I conclude therefore that faith onely iustifieth and bringeth life without workes Paule can not suffer this addition faith ioyned with works iustifieth but he proceedeth simplie by the negatiue Rom. 3. and before in the second chapiter Therefore by the vvorkes of the lavv sayeth he shall no flesh be iustified And againe in this place The lavve is not geuen to bring life Verse 22. That the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ shoulde be geuen to them that beleue He saide before that the Scripture hath shutte all vnder sinne What for euer No but vntill the promise shoulde be geuen Nowe the promise is the inheritaunce it selfe or the Blessing promised to Abraham to witte the deliueraunce from the lawe sinne death and the Deuill and a free geuing of grace righteousnes saluation and eternal life This promise saith he is not obtained by any merite by any law or by any worke but it is geuen To whom To those that beleue In whom In Iesus Christ who is the blessed Seede which hath redeemed all beleeuers from the Curse that they might receaue the Blessing These wordes be not obscure but plaine enough notwithstanding we must marke them diligently and way well the force and weight therof For if all be shutte vnder sinne it followeth that all nations are accursed and are destitute of the grace of God Also that they are vnder the wrath of God and the power of the Deuill and that no man can be deliuered from thē by any other meanes then by faith in Iesus Christ With these words therfore Paule fighteth strongly against the fantasticall opinions of the Papistes and all Iusticiaries touching the lawe and workes when he sayth that the promise by faith in Iesus Christ might be geuen to all beleeuers Nowe how we shoulde aunswere to those sentences which speake of workes and the rewarde thereof I haue sufficiently declared before And the matter requireth not now that we should speake any thinge of workes For we haue not here taken in hande to entreate of works but of Iustification to witte that it is not obtained by the lawe and works since all things are shutte vnder sinne and vnder the Curse but by Faith in Christ When we are out of the matter of Iustification we can not sufficiently praise and magnifie those workes which are commaunded of god For who can sufficiently commend and set forth the profite fruit of one onely worke which a Christian doth through Faith and in Faith In deede it is more precious then heauen or earth The whole world therefore is not able to geue a worthy recompence to such a good worke Yea the world hath not the grace to magnifie the holy works of the faithfull as they are worthy
and much lesse to rewarde them For it seeth them not or if it doe it esteemeth them not as good workes but as most wicked and detestable crimes and riddeth the world of those which are the doers therof as most pestilent plagues to mankinde So Christ the Sauiour of the world for a recōpence of his incōprehensible inestimable benefites was put to the most ignominious death of the crosse The Apostles also bringing the word of grace eternall life into the world were coūted the ofscouring the outcastes of the whole world This is the goodly reward which the world geueth for so great vnspeakeable benefites But workes done without faith although they haue neuer so goodly a shew of holines are vnder the Curse Wherfore so farre of it is that the doers therof should deserue grace righteousnes eternall life that rather they heape sinne vpon sinne After this maner the Pope that child of perdition and all that follow him doe worke So worke all meritemongers and heretikes which are fallen frō the faith Verse 23. But before faith came He proceedeth in declaring the profite necessitie of the law He said before the the law was added for transgressions Not that it was the principall purpose of God to make a law that should bring death dānation as he saith Rom. 7. VVas that vvhich vvas good saith he made death vnto me God forbid For the law is a word that sheweth life driueth mē vnto it Therfore it is not only geuen as a minister of death but the principal vse end therof is to reueile death that so it might be seene knowen how horrible sinne is notwithstanding it doth not so reueile death as though it tended to no other end but to kill destroy But to this end it reuealeth death that when men are terrified cast downe humbled they should feare god And this doth the 20. chap. of Erodus declare Feare not saith Moses For God is come to proue you that his feare may be before you that ye sinne not The office therfore of the law is to kill yet so that God may reuiue quickē againe The law then is not geuē only to kil but because mā is proud dreameth that he is wise righteous and holy therfore it is necessary he should be humbled by the law that so this beaste the opinion of righteousnes I say might be slaine for otherwise men can not obtaine life Albeit then that the law killeth yet God vseth this effect of the law this death I meane to a good vse that is to say euen to life For God seeing that this vniuersall plague of the whole world to wit mās opinion of his owne righteousnes his hypocrisie cōfidence in his owne holines could not be beatē downe by any other meanes he would that it should be slaine by the law not for euer but that when it is once slaine mā might be raised vppe againe aboue and beyond the lawe and there might heare this voice Feare not I haue not geuen the lawe and killed thee by the lawe to this ende that thou shouldest abide in this death but that thou shouldest feare me and liue For the presuming of good workes and righteousnes standeth not with the feare of God And where the feare of God is not there cā be no thirsting for grace or life God must therefore haue a strong hammer or a mightie maul to breake the rockes and a hote burning fire in the middes of heauen to ouerthrowe the mountaines that is to say to destroy this furious and obstinate beast this presumption I say that when a man by this brusing and breaking is brought to nothīg he should despaire of his owne strēgth righteousnes and holines and being thus throughly terrified should thirst after mercy and remission of sinnes Ver. 23. But before Faith came vve vvere vnder the lavv shut vppe vnto the Faith vvhich should aftervvardes be reuealed That is to say before the time of the Gospell and grace came the office of the law was that we should be shutte vppe and kept vnder the same as it were in prison This is a goodly and a fitte similitude shewing the effect of the law and how righteous it maketh men therefore it is diligently to be weyed No theefe no murtherer no adulterer or other malefactour loueth the chaines and fetters the darke and lothsome prison wherin he lieth fast boūd but rather if he could he would breake and beate in to pouder the prison with his irons and fetters In deede whiles he is in prison he refraineth from doing of euill but not of a good will or for righteousnes sake but because the prison restreineth him that he can not doe it And nowe being fast fettred he hateth not his theft and his murther yea he is sory with all his heart that he can not robbe and steale cutte and slay but he hateth the prison and if he could escape he would robbe and kill as he did before The lawe shutteth men vnder sinne two wayes Ciuily and Spiritually Such is the force of the lawe and the righteousnes that cometh of the lawe compelling vs to be outwardly good when it threatneth death or any other punishment to the transgressours thereof Here we obey the law in deede but for feare of punishment that is vnwillingly and with great indignation But what righteousnes is this when we absteine from doing euill for feare of punishment Wherefore this righteousnes of works is in deede nothing else but to loue sinne to hate righteousnes to detest God with his lawe and to loue and reuerence that which is most horrible and abhominable For looke howe hartely the theefe loueth the prison and hateth his theft so gladly doe we obey the lawe in accomplishing that which it commaundeth and auoiding that which it forbiddeth Notwithstanding this fruite and this profite the lawe bringeth although mens hartes remaine neuer so wicked that first outwardly and ciuily after a sort it restraineth theeues murtherers and other malefactours For if they did not see and vnderstand that sinne is punished in this life by imprisonment by the galowes by the sword and such like and after this life with eternall damnation and hell fire no Magistrate should be able to bridle the fury and rage of men by any lawes bondes or chaines But the threatnings of the lawe strike a terrour in to the hartes of the wicked whereby they are brideled after a sort that they runne not headlong as otherwise they would doe into all kindes of wickednes Notwithstanding they would rather that there were no law no punishment no hell and finally no god If God had not an hell or did not punish the wicked he should be loued and praised of all men But because he punisheth the wicked and all are wicked therefore in as much as they are shut vnder the lawe they can doe no otherwise
then vnder the lawe must not alwayes endure but must onely continue to the cōming or reuealing of Faith which this sweete verse of the Psalme 147. doth teach vs The Lord deliteth in those that feare him that is to say which are in prison vnder the lawe But by and by after he addeth and in those that attend vppon his mercy Therfore we must ioyne these two things together which are in deede as contrary the one to the other as may be For what can be more contrary then to hate and abhorre the wrath of God and againe to trust in his goodnes mercy The one is hell the other is heauē and yet they must be nerely ioyned together in the heart By speculation and naked knowledge a man may easily ioyne them together but by experience and inward practise so to doe of all things it is the hardest which I my selfe haue often proued by mine owne experience Of this matter the Papistes and Sectaries know nothing at all Therefore these wordes of Paule are to them obscure and altogether vnknowne And when the lawe reueileth vnto them their sinne accuseth and terrifieth them they can finde no counsell no rest no helpe or succour but fall to desperation as Caine and Saule did Seeing the lawe therfore as is sayd is our tormentour and our prison certaine it is that we can not loue it but hate it He therefore that sayth he loueth the lawe is a liar and knoweth not what he sayth A theefe and a robber should shewe him selfe to be starke madde that would loue the prison the fetters and chaines Seing thē the law shutteth vs vppe and holdeth vs in prison it can not be but we must needes be extreme enemies to the lawe To conclude so well we loue the lawe and the righteousnes thereof as a murtherer loueth the darke prison the streit bondes and irons How then should the law iustifie vs Verse 23. And shut vp vnder the faith vvhich should after be reueiled This Paule speaketh in respect of the fulnes of the time wherin Christ came But we must applie it not onely to that time but also to the inward man For that which is done as an hystorie and according to the time wherin Christe came abolishing the lawe and bringing libertie and eternall life to light is alwayes done spiritually in euery Christian in whom is found continually somewhile the time of the law and somewhile the time of grace For the Christian man hath a body in whose members as Paule sayth in an other place sinne dwelleth and warreth Nowe I vnderstand sinne to be not onely the deede or the worke but also the roote and the tree together with the fruites as the Scripture vseth to speake of sinne Which is yet not onely rooted in the baptised flesh of euery Christian but also is at deadly warre within it and holdeth it captiue if not to geue consent vnto it or to accomplish the worke yet doth it force him mightely thervnto For albeit a Christian man doe not fall into outward and grosse sinnes as murther adultery theft and such like yet is he not free from impatiencie murmuring hating and blaspheming of God which sinnes to reason and the carnall man are altogether vnknowne These sinnes constraine him yea sore against his will to detest the lawe they compell him to flie from the presence of God they compell him to hate and blaspheme god For as carnall lust is strong in a yong man in a man of full age the desire and loue of glory and in an old man couetousnes euen so in a holy and a faithfull man impatiencie murmuring hatred and blasphemie against God doe mightely preuaile Examples hereof there are many in the Psalmes in Iob in Ieremie and throughout the whole Scripture Paule therfore describing and setting forth this spirituall warfare vseth very behement words and fitte for the purpose as of fighting rebelling holding and leading captiue c. Both these times then of the lawe and the Gospell I meane are in a Christian as touching the affections and inward man The time of the lawe is when the lawe exerciseth me tormenteth me with heauines of heart oppresseth me bringeth me to the knowledge of sinne and encreaseth the same Here the law is in his true vse and perfect worke which a Christian oftentimes feeleth as long as he liueth So there was geuen vnto Paule a pricke in the flesh that is the angell of Satan to buffet him He would gladly haue felt euery moment the ioy of conscience the laughter of the heart and the sweete tast of eternall life Againe he would gladly haue ben deliuered from all trouble and anguish of spirite and therefore he desired that this tentation might be taken from him Notwithstanding this was not done but the Lord sayd vnto him My grace is sufficient for thee For my povver is made perfect through vveaknes This battaile doth euery Christian feele To speake of my selfe there are many howers in the which I chide and contend with God and impatiently resist him The wrath and iudgement of God displeaseth me and againe my impaciencie my murmuring and such like sinnes doe displease him And this is the time of the lawe vnder the which a Christian man continually liueth as touching the flesh For the flesh lusteth continually against the spirite and the spirite against the flesh but in some more and in some lesse The time of grace is when the heart is raised vppe againe by the promise of the free mercy of God and sayeth VVhy art thou heauie O my soule and vvhy doest thou trouble me Doest thou see nothing but the lawe sinne terrour heauines desperation death hell and the Deuill Is there not also grace remission of sinnes righteousnes consolation ioy peace life heauen Christe and God Trouble me no more O my soule What is the lawe what is sinne what are all euils in comparison of these things Trust in God who hath not spared his owne deare sonne but hath geuen him to the death of the crosse for thy sinnes This is then to be shutte vppe vnder the lawe after the flesh not for euer but till Christe be reuealed Therefore when thou art beaten downe tormented and afflicted by the law then say Lady law Thou art not alone neither art thou all things but besides thee there are yet other things much greater and better then thou art namely grace faith and blessing This grace this faith and this blessing doe not accuse me terrifie me condemne me but they comfort me they bid me trust in the Lord and promise vnto me victorie and saluation in Christe There is no cause therfore why I should despaire He that is skilfull in this arte and this cunning may in deede be called a right Diuine The fantasticall spirites their disciples at this day which continually bragge of the spirite do perswade them selues that they are very expert
of that excellent glory of your newe birth and your adoption and call you backe to your olde birth and to the moste miserable seruitude of the lawe making you of the free children of God bonde children of the lawe whiles they will haue a difference of persons according to the lawe In deede there is a difference of persons in the lawe and in the worlde and there it ought to be but not before god All haue sinned and are destitute of the glory of God. Let the Iewes therefore the Gentiles and the whole world keepe silence in the presence of god God hath in deede many ordinaunces lawes degrees and kindes of life but all these helpe nothing to deserue grace and to obtaine eternall life So many as are iustified therefore are iustified not by the obseruation of mans lawe or Gods lawe but by Christe alone who hath abolished all lawes Him doth the Gospell set forth vnto vs for a pacifier of Gods wrath by the sheeding of his owne bloud and a Sauiour And without Faith in him neither shall the Iewe be saued by the law nor the Monke by his order nor the Grecian by his wisedom nor the Magistrate or Master by his vpright gouernement nor the seruaunt by his obedience Verse 28. For ye are all one in Christ Iesu These are excellent wordes In the world and according to the flesh there is a great differēce and inequalitie of persons and the same must be diligently obserued For if the woman would be the man if the sonne would be the father the seruaunt would be the master the subiect would be the magistrate there should be nothing else but a cōfusion of all states and of all things Contrariwise in Christe there is no lawe no difference of persons there is neither Iewe nor Grecian but all are one For there is one body one spirite one hope of vocation There is but one Gospell one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all one Christ Lord of all We haue the same Christ I thou and all the Faithfull which Peter Paule and all the Sainctes had Here therefore the conscience knoweth nothing of the lawe but hath Christ onely before her eyes Therfore Paule is alwayes wont to adde this clause In Christe Iesu Who if he be taken out of our sight then commeth terrour The Popish Schoole diuines doe dreame that Faith is a qualitie cleauing in the heart without Christe This is a deuelish errour But Christe should be so set forth that thou shouldest see nothing besides him and shouldest thinke that nothing cā be more nere vnto thee or more presently within thy heart then he is For he sitteth not idly in heauen but is present with vs working and liuing in vs as he sayth before in the .2 chap. I liue yet not I but Christe liueth in me And here likewise Ye haue put on Christe Faith therefore is a certaine stedfast beholding which looketh vppon nothing else but Christe the conquerour of sinne and death and the geuer of righteousnes saluation and eternal life This is the cause that Paule nameth setteth forth Iesus Christe so often in his Epistles yea almost in euery verse But he setteth him forth by the word for otherwise he can not be comprehended then by the word This was notably and liuely represented by the brasen Serpent which is a figure of Christe Moises commaunded the Iewes which were stong of Serpents in the desert to doe nothing else but stedfastly behold the brasen Serpent and not to turne away their eyes They that did so were healed onely by that stedfast and constant beholding of the Serpent But contrariwise they died which obeied not the commaundement of Moises but looked vppon their woundes and not vppon the Serpent So if I would find comfort when my conscience is afflicted or when I am at the poynt of death I must doe nothing but apprehend Christe by Faith and say I beleue in Iesus Christe the sonne of God who suffered was crucified and died for me c in whose woundes and in whose death I see my sinne and in his resurrection victorie ouer sinne death the Deuil also righteousnes and eternall life Besides him I see nothing I heare nothing This is true Faith concerning Christe and in Christe Whereby we are made members of his body flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones In him therefore vve liue vve moue and vve haue our being Christe and our Faith must be thoroughly ioyned together We must be in heauen and Christ must liue and worke in vs Nowe he liueth and worketh in vs not by speculation and naked knowledge but in deede and by a true and a substantiall presence Verse 29. And if ye be Christes then are ye Abrahams Seede and heires by promise That is to say If ye be beleue and be baptised into Christ if ye beleue I say that he is that promised Seede of Abraham which brought the Blessing to all the Gentiles then are ye the childrē of Abraham not by nature but by adoption For the Scripture attributeth vnto it not onely the children of the flesh but also of adoption and of the promise and foresheweth that they shall receaue the inheritāce and the other shall be cast out of the house So Paule in few wordes translateth the whole glory of Libanus that is to say of the nation of the Iewes vnto the desert that is vnto the Gentiles And this place comprehendeth a singuler consolation to witte that the Gentiles are the children of Abraham and consequently the people of god But they are the children of Abraham not by carnall generation but by the promise The kingdom of heauen then life and the eternall inheritaunce belongeth to the Gentiles And this the Scripture signified long before when it sayeth I haue made thee a Father of many nations Againe In thy Seede shall all nations be blessed Nowe therefore because we which are Gentiles doe beleue and by Faith doe receiue the Blessing promised to Abraham exhibited by Christ therfore the Scripture calleth vs the children and heires of Abraham not after the flesh but after the promise So that promise In thy seede c. belongeth also to all the Gentiles and according to this promise Christ is become ours In dede the promise was made onely to the Iewes and not to vs that are Gentiles Psal. 147. He shevveth his vvorde vnto Iacob c. He hath not delte so vvith euery nation c. Notwithstandyng that which was promised commeth vnto vs by faith by the which onely we apprehende the promise of god Albeit then that the promise be not made vnto vs yet is it made as touching vs and for vs for we are named in the promise In thy seede shall all nations be blessed For the promise sheweth plainely that Abraham should be the father not onely of the Iewish nation but of many
place onely to Christ Let him onely raigne in righteousnes in peace in ioy and life that the cōscience may sleepe and repose it selfe ioyfully in Christe without any feeling of the law sinne and death Paule here of purpose vseth this figuratiue speech Elements of the vvorld whereby as I sayd he doth much abase and diminish the glory and authoritie of the lawe to stirre vs vppe For he that readeth Paule attentiuely when he heareth that he calleth the lawe the ministerie of death the letter that killeth c. by by he thinketh thus with him selfe why doth he geue such odious and as it appeareth to reason blasphemous termes to the lawe which is a diuine doctrine reuealed from heauen To this Paule aunswereth that the law is both holy iust and good and also the ministerie of sinne and death but in diuers respectes Before Christe it is holy after Christe it is death Therefore when Christe is come we ought to know nothing at all of the lawe vnlesse it be in this respect that it hath power and dominion ouer the flesh to bridle it and to keepe it vnder Here is a conflict betwene the law and the flesh to whom the yoke of the lawe is hard and greuous as long as we liue Onely Paule among all the Apostles calleth the lawe the rudiments of the world weake and beggerly elements the strength of sinne the letter that killeth c. The other Apostles spake not so of the law Whosoeuer then will be a right scholer in Christes schoole let him marke diligently this maner of speech vsed of the Apostle Christe calleth him an elect vessell and therefore gaue vnto him an exquisite vtterance and a singuler kinde of speech aboue all the rest of the Apostles that he as an elect vessel might faithfully lay the foundations of the article of Iustification and clearely set forth the same Verse 4. But after the fulnes of time vvas come God sent his sonne made or borne of a vvoman made vnder the lavve that he might redeme them vvhich vvere vnder the lavve That is to say after that the time of the lawe was fulfilled and that Christ was reuealed and had deliuered vs from the law and that the promise was published among all nations c. Marke here diligently how Paule defineth Christe Christe sayth he is the sonne of God and of a woman which for vs sinners was made vnder the law to redeme vs that were vnder the law In these wordes he comprehendeth both the person of Christe and the office of Christe His person consisteth of his diuine and humane nature This he sheweth plainly when he sayth God sent his ovvne sonne borne of a vvoman Christe therefore is very God and very man His office he setteth out in these wordes Being made vnder the lavve to redeame them that vvere vnder the lavve c. And it seemeth that Paule here as it were in reproch calleth the virgine Marie but onely a woman which thing was not wel taken euē of some of the auncient Doctors who would that he should rather haue called her a virgin then a womā But Paule intreateth in this Epistle of the most high principal matter of all to wit of the Gospel of Faith of Christian righteousnes Also what the person of Christ is what is his office what he hath taken vppon him done for our cause what benefits he hath brought to vs wretched sinners Wherfore the excellencie of so high so wōderfull a matter was the cause that he had no regard to her virginitie It was enough for him to set forth preach the inestimable mercy of God which would that his sōne should be borne of that sexe Therfore he maketh no mention of the dignitie of the sexe but onely of the sexe And in that he nameth the sexe he signifieth that Christe was made true and very man of womankinde As if he sayd He was borne not of man and woman but onely of womankinde Therefore when he nameth but onely the womankinde saying made of a vvoman it is as if he should haue sayde made of a virgine Iohn the Euangelist when he thus setteth forth the Word that it vvas in the beginning vvas made flesh speaketh not one word of his mother Furthermore this place also witnesseth that Christe when the time of the lawe was accomplished did abolish the same and so brought libertie to those that were oppressed therewith but made no newe lawe after or besides that old lawe of Moises Wherefore the Monkes and Popish Schoolemen doe no lesse erre and blaspheme Christe in that they imagine that he hath geuen a new lawe besides the lawe of Moises then doe the Turkes which vaunt of their Mahomet as of a new lawgeuer after Christ and better then Christ Christ then came not to abolish the old lawe that he might make a newe but as Paule here sayeth he was sent of his Father into the world to redeme those which were kept in thraldome vnder the lawe These wordes paint out Christe liuely and truly they doe not attribute vnto him the office to make any new law but to redeme them which were vnder the law And Christ himself sayth I iudge no man. And in an other place I came not to iudge the vvorld but that the vvorld should be saued by me That is to say I came not to bring any lawe nor to iudge men according to the same as Moises and other lawgeuers but I haue an higher a better office The lawe killed you and I againe doe iudge condemne and kill the lawe and so I deliuer you from the tyrannie thereof We that are olde men which haue ben so nusled vp in this pernicious doctrine of the Papistes that it hath taken deepe roote euen in our bones and marrow haue conceaued an opinion quite contrary to that which Paule here teacheth For although we confessed with our mouth that Christ redemed vs from the tyrannie of the lawe yet in very dede in our heart we thought him to be a lawgeuer a tyranne and a iudge more terrible then Moises him selfe And this peruerse opinion we can not yet at this day in so great light of the truth vtterly reiect so strongly are those things rooted in our heartes which we learne in our youth But ye which are yet yong and are not infected with this pernicious opinion may learne Christ purely with lesse difficultie thē we that are olde can remoue out of our mindes these blasphemous imaginations which we haue conceaued of him Notwithstanding ye haue not vtterly escaped the deceites of the Deuill For although ye be not as yet infected with this cursed opinion that Christ is a lawgeuer yet haue ye in you the roote whereof it springeth that is ye haue the flesh reason and the corruption of nature which can iudge no otherwise of Christ but that he is a lawgeuer Therefore ye must endeuour with
all your power to learne so to know to apprehend Christ as Paule hath sette him forth in this place But if besides this natural corruption there come also corrupt and wicked teachers of whom the world is full they will encrease this corruption of nature and so shall the euill be doubled that is to say euill instruction will increase and confirme the pernicious errour of blind reason which naturally iudgeth Christ to be a lawgeuer and printeth that errour so mightely in our mindes that without great trauaile and difficultie it can neuer be abolished Wherefore it is very profitable for vs to haue alwayes before our eyes this sweete and comfortable sentence and such like which set out Christe truely and liuely that in our whole life in all daungers in the confession of our Faith before tyrannes and in the hower of death we may boldly and with a sure confidence say O law thou hast no power ouer me and therefore thou dost accuse and condemne me in vaine For I beleue in Iesus Christ the sonne of God whom the Father sent into the world to redeme vs miserable sinners oppressed with the tyrannie of the law He gaue his life and shed his bloud for me Therfore feeling thy terrours and threatnings O law I plunge my conscience in the woundes bloud death resurrection and victory of my Sauiour Christe Besides him I will see nothing I will heare nothing This Faith is our victory whereby we ouercome the terrours of the lawe sinne death and all euils and yet not without great conflicts And here do the childrē of God which are daily exercised with greuous temptatiōs wrastle sweat in deede For oftentimes it commeth into their minds that Christ wil accuse them plead against them that he will require an accompt of their former life and that he wil cōdemne them They can not assure them selues that he is sent of his Father to redeme vs from the tyrannie and oppression of the law And wherof cometh this They haue not yet fully put of the flesh which rebelleth against the spirite Therefore the terrours of the lawe the feare of death and such like sorrowfull and heauy sightes doe oftentimes retourne which hinder our Faith that it can not apprehend the benefite of Christe who hath redemed vs from the bondage of the lawe with such assurance as it should doe But how or by what meanes hath Christe redemed vs This was the maner of our redemption He vvas made vnder the lavve Christe when he came found vs all captiues vnder gouernours and tutours that is to say shutte vppe and holden in prison vnder the lawe What doth he then Although he be Lord of the lawe and therefore the lawe hath no authoritie or power ouer him for he is the sonne of God yet of his owne accord he maketh him selfe subiect to the law Here the law executeth vpon him all the iurisdiction which it had ouer vs It accuseth and terrifieth vs also it maketh vs subiect to sinne death the wrath of God and with his sentence condemneth vs And this is doth by good right for vve are all sinners and by nature the children of vvrath Contrariwise Christe did no sinne neither vvas there any guile found in his mouth therefore he was not subiect to the lawe Yet notwithstanding the lawe was no lesse cruel against this innocent righteous and blessed Lambe then it was against vs cursed and damned sinners yea much more rigorous For it accused him as a blasphemer and a seditious person it made him giltie before God of the sinnes of the whole world it so terrified and oppressed him with heauines and anguish of spirit that he swette bloud and briefly it condemned him to death yea euen to the death of the crosse This was in deede a wonderful combate where the law being a creature geueth such an assault to his creatour and against all right equitie practiseth his whole tyrannie vpon the Sonne of God which it exercised vpon vs the children of wrath Now therfore because the lawe did so horribly and so cursedly sinne against his God it is accused arraigned There Christ sayth O law thou mightie Queene and cruell Regent of all mankinde what haue I done that thou hast accused me terrified me and condemned me which am innocent Here the lawe which had before condemned and killed all men when it hath nothing wherwith to defend or purge it self is againe so condemned vanquished that it loseth his whole right not onely ouer Christ whom it so cruelly handled and killed but also ouer all them that beleue in him For to those Christe sayth Come vnto me all ye that labour vnder the yoke of the law I could haue ouercome the lawe by my absolute power without mine owne smart for I am Lord of the law and therfore it hath no right ouer me But I haue made my selfe subiect vnto the law for your cause which were vnder the law taking your flesh vpon me that is to say of mine inestimable loue I humbled and yelded my self to the same prison tyrannie and bondage of the lawe vnder the which ye serued as captiues and bondslaues I suffered the law to haue dominion ouer me which was his Lord to terrifie me to make me thrall captiue vnto sinne death the wrath of God which it ought not to haue done Therfore I haue vanquished the law by double right authoritie First as the sonne of God Lord of the law Secondly in your person which is as much as if ye had ouercome the law your selues for my victory is yours After this maner Paule speaketh euery where of this maruelous cōbate betwene Christ the law And to make the matter more delectable more apparant he is wōt to set forth the law by a figure called prosopopoeia as a certain mighty person which had cōdemned killed Christ whom Christ againe ouercomming death had conquered cōdemned killed Ephes 2. Killing enmitie in himself And again chap. 4. out of the Psalme 68. Thou art gone vp on high thou hastled captiuitie captiue c. He vseth the same figure also in his Epistles to the Romaines Corinthians Colossians By sinne he condemned sinne c. Christ therfore by this his victory banished the law out of our cōscience so that now it can no more confoūd vs in the sight of God driue vs to desperation or cōdemne vs In dede it ceaseth not still to reueale our sinne to accuse to terrifie vs but the conscience taking hold of this word of the Apostle Christ hath redemed vs from the lavve is raised vp by faith conceaueth great comfort Moreouer it triumpheth ouer the law with a certaine holy pride saying I care not for thy terrours and threatnings For thou hast crucified the sonne of God this hast thou done most vniustly therfore the sinne that thou hast committed
against him can not be forgeuē Thou hast lost thy right and soueraigntie and nowe for euer thou art not onely ouercome condemned and slaine vnto Christe but also to me beleuing in him vnto whom he hath freely geuen this victorie So the law is dead to vs for euer so that we abide in Christ Thankes be therefore to God vvhich hath geuen vs victory through our Lord Iesus Christe These things doe also confirme this doctrine that we are iustified by faith only For when this combate was fought betwixt Christ the law none of our works or deserts came betwene but onely Christ was found who putting vpon him our person made him selfe subiect to the law in perfect innocencie suffered all tyrānie Therfore the law as a theefe a cursed murtherer of the sonne of God loseth all his right and deserueth to be condemned in such sort that wheresoeuer Christe is or is once named there it is compelled to auoid flie away no otherwise thē the Deuil as the Papists imagine flieth frō the crosse Wherfore if we beleue we are deliuered from the law through Christe who hath triumphed ouer it by himself Therfore this glorious triūph purchased vnto vs by Christe is not gotten by any workes but onely by Faith therfore Faith onely iustifieth These wordes then Christe vvas made vnder the lavve c. as they are pithie and import a certaine vehemencie so are they diligently to be weyed and considered For they declare that the Sonne of God being made vnder the lawe did not onely performe one or two workes of the law that is to say he was not onely circumcised or presented in the temple or went vp to Ierusalem with other at the times appoynted or onely liued ciuily vnder the lawe but he suffered all the tyranny of the lawe For the lawe being in his principall vse and ful power set vpon Christe and so horribly assailed him that he felt such anguish and terrour as no man vpon the earth had euer felt the like This his bloudy sweat doth sufficiently witnes also his comfort by the Angell that mighty prayer which he made in the garden and briefly that lamentable cōplaint vpon the crosse O my God vvhy hast thou forsakē me These things he suffered to redeme those which were vnder the law that is to say in heauines of spirite in anguish and terrour and ready to despaire which were oppressed with the heauy burden of their sinnes as in deede we are all oppressed For as touching the flesh we sinne daily against all the commaundements of god But Paule geueth vs good comfort when he sayth God sent his sonne c. So Christe a diuine and humane person begotten of God without beginning and borne of the virgin in the time apoynted came not to make a law but to feele and suffer the terrours of the lawe with all extremitie and to ouercome the same that so he might vtterly abolish the lawe He was not made a teacher of the lawe but an obedient disciple to the law that by this his obedience he might redeme them which were vnder the lawe This is cleane contrary to the doctrine of the Papistes who haue made Christe a lawgeuer yea much more seuere and rigorous thē Moises Paule teacheth here cleane contrary to wit that God humbled his sonne vnder the lawe that is to say constrained him to beare the iudgement and curse of the lawe sinne death c. For Moises the minister of the law sinne wrath and death apprehended bound cōdemned and killed Christ and all this he suffered Therfore Christ standeth as a mere patient not as an agent in respect of the law He is not then a lawgeuer or a iudge after the law but in that he made himselfe subiect to the lawe bearing the condemnation of the law he deliuered vs from the curse therof Now wheras Christ in the Gospell geueth commaundements and teacheth the law or rather expoūdeth it this pertaineth not to the doctrine of Iustification but of good workes Moreouer it is not the proper office of Christe for the which he came principally into the world to teach the law but an accidentall or a by office like as it was to heale the weake to raise vppe the dead c. These are in deede excellent and diuine workes but yet not the very proper and principall workes of Christe For the Prophets also taught the law wrought miracles But Christ is God and man who fighting against the lawe suffered the vttermost cruelty and tyranny therof And in that he suffered the tyranny of the law he vanquished it in himselfe And afterward being raised vppe againe from death he condemned and vtterly abolished the law which was our deadly enemie so that it can not cōdemne and kill the faithfull any more Wherfore the true and proper office of Christ is to wrastle with the lawe with the sinne and the death of the whole world so to wrastle that he must suffer abide al these things and by suffering them in him selfe conquere and abolish them and by this meanes deliuer the Faithfull from the lawe and from all euils Therefore to teach the lawe and to worke myracles are particuler benefites of Christ for the which he came not principally into the world For the Prophets and especially the Apostles did greater myracles then Christ did Iohn 14. Seing then that Christ hath ouercome the law in his owne person it foloweth necessarily that he is naturally God. For there is none else whether he be man or angell which is aboue the law but onely god But Christ is aboue the law for he hath vanquished it therefore he is the sonne of God and naturally god If thou lay hold vpon Christe in such sort as Paule here painteth him out thou cāst not erre nor be confounded Moreouer thou shalt easily iudge of all kindes of life of the religions and ceremonies of the whole world But if this true picture of Christe be defaced or in any wise darkened then foloweth a confusion of all things For the natural man can not iudge of the law of God. Here faileth the cunning of the Philosophers of the Canonistes of all men For the law hath power and dominion ouer man Therfore the law iudgeth man and not man the law onely the Christian hath a true and a certaine iudgement of the law And how That it doth not iustifie Wherfore then is the law made if it doe not iustifie Righteousnes before God which is receaued by Faith alone is not the finall cause why the righteous do obey the law but the peace of the world thankfulnes towardes God and good example of life wherby other be prouoked to beleue the Gospell The Pope hath so confounded and mingled the ceremoniall lawe the morall lawe and Faith together that he hath at length preferred the ceremoniall lawe before the moral lawe and
haue nothing lesse Hereby we may plainly see that the Pope with his doctrine doth nothing else but trouble and torment mens consciences at length driueth them to desperation For he not onely teacheth but also cōmaundeth men to dout Therfore according to the Psalme There is no truth or certaintie in his mouth And in an other place vnder his tōge is iniquitie mischeefe Here we may see what great infirmitie is yet in the Faith of the Godly For if we could be fully perswaded that we are vnder grace that our sinnes are forgeuen that we haue the spirit of Christ that we are the children of God then doubtles we should be ioyfull and thankfull to God for this inestimable gift But because we feele cōtrary motions that is to say feare doutfulnes anguish and heuines of heart such like therfore we can not assure our selues hereof yea our conscience iudgeth it a great presumption and pride to chalenge this glory Wherfore if we will vnderstand this thing rightly and as we should doe we must put it in practise for without experience and practise it can neuer be learned Wherfore let euery man so practise with him selfe that his conscience may be fully assured that he is vnder grace and that his person and his workes doe please god And if he feele in himselfe any wauering or douting let him exercise his Faith and wrastle against this douting and let him endeuour to attaine more certaintie so that he may be able to say I know that I am accepted and that I haue the holy Ghost not for mine owne worthines my worke my merite but for Christes sake who of his inestimable loue towardes vs made him self thrall and subiect to the lawe tooke away the sinnes of the world In him do I beleue If I be a sinner erre he is righteous and can not erre Moreouer I gladly heare read sing wryte of him and I desire nothing more then that his Gospel may be knowne to the whole world and that many may be conuerted vnto him These things doe plainly witnesse that the holy Ghost is present with vs in vs For such things are not wrought in the heart by mans strength nor gotten by his industrie exercise or trauell but are obtained by Christ alone who first maketh vs righteous by the knowledge of him in his holy Gospel and afterwardes he createth a new heart in vs bringeth forth new motions geueth vnto vs that assurance wherby we are perswaded that we please the father for his sake Also he geueth vs a true iudgement whereby we proue trie those things which before we knew not or else altogether despised It behoueth vs therefore to wrastle against this douting that we may daily ouercome it more and more attaine to a full perswasion certainty of Gods fauour towardes vs rooting out of our heartes this cursed opinion that a man ought to dout of the grace fauour of God which hath infected the whole world For if we dout whether we be vnder grace whether we please God for Christes sake or not we deny that Christe hath redemed vs we deny simply all his benefits Ye that are yong mē may easily apprehēd this pure doctrine of the Gospel and abādon this pernicious opinion because ye are not yet poysoned therwith Verse 6. Crying Abba Father Paule might haue sayd God sent the spirite of his sonne into our hearts calling Abba Father Now he sayth not so but crying Abba Father that he might shew and set forth the temptation of a Christian which yet is but weake and weakly beleueth In the .8 to the Rom. he calleth this crying an vnspeakeable groning Likewise he sayeth The spirite helpeth our infirmities For vve knovv not hovve to pray as vve ought but the spirite maketh intercession for vs vvith vnspeakeable gronings c. And this is a singuler consolation when he sayeth here that the spirite of Christ is sent into our hearts crying Abba Father And againe that he helpeth our infirmities making intercession for vs with vnspeakeable gronings He that could assuredly beleue this should neuer be ouercome with any affliction were it neuer so great But there are many things that hinder this Faith in vs First our heart is borne in sinne Moreouer this euill is naturally grafted in vs that we doubt of the good will of God towardes vs and cannot assure our selues that we please God. c. Besides all this the Deuil our aduersarie raūgeth about with terrible rorings and sayeth Thou art a sinner therefore God is angrie with thee and will destroy thee for euer Against these horrible and intolerable rorings we haue nothing whervpon to hold stay our selues but only the word which setteth Christ before vs as a conquerour ouer sinne and death and ouer all euils But to cleaue fast to the word in this tentation and these terrours of conscience herein standeth all the difficultie For then Christe appeareth to no sense We see him not the heart feeleth not his presence or succour in temptation but rather it seemeth that Christ is angrie with vs and that he forsaketh vs Moreouer when a man is tempted and afflicted he feeleth the strength of sinne and the infirmitie of the flesh he douteth he feeleth the flerie dartes of the Deuill the terrours of death the anger and iudgement of god All these things cry out horribly against vs so that we see nothing else but desperation and eternall death But yet in the middest of these terrours of the lawe thundrings of sinne assaultes of death and rorings of the Deuill the holy Ghost sayth Paule cryeth in our hearts Abba Father And this crie surmounteth those mighty and horrible cries of the lawe sinne death the Deuill c it perceth the cloudes and the heauens and ascendeth vp vnto the eares of God. Paule therfore signifieth by these words that there is yet infirmitie in the godly As he doth also in the .8 chap. to the Rom. when he sayeth The spirite helpeth our infirmities For as much therfore as the sense and feeling of the contrary is strong in vs that is to say for as much as we feele more the displeasure of God then his good will and fauour towardes vs therefore the holy Ghost is sent into our heartes which doth not only sigh and make request for vs but mightely crieth Abba Father and praieth for vs according to the wil of God with teares and vnspeakeable gronings And how is this done When we are in terrours and in the conflict of conscience in deede we take hold of Christ and beleue that he is our Sauiour but then doe the law and sinne terrifie and torment vs most of all Moreouer the Deuill assaileth vs with all his engines and fierie darts and goeth about with all his power to plucke Christ from vs and to take from vs all consolations Here we feele our selues almost ouercome and at
the poynt of desperation for then are we that brused reede smoking flaxe which Esay speaketh of notwithstanding in the meane season the holy Ghost helpeth our infirmities maketh intercession for vs with vnspeakeable gronings certifieth our spirits that we are the children of god Thus the minde is raised vp in terrors it loketh vnto his Sauiour high Bishop Iesus Christ it ouercommeth the infirmitie of the flesh it conceaueth comfort againe and sayth Abba Father This groning which then we scantly feele Paule calleth a crying vnspeakeable groning which filleth both heauē and earth Moreouer he calleth it the crying and groning of the spirite because the holy Ghost stirreth vp the same in our heartes when we are weake and oppressed with terrour and tentation Although then the lawe sinne and the Deuill crie out against vs neuer so much with great and terrible rorings which seeme to fill heauen and earth farre to excede this groning of our heart yet can they not hurt vs For the more fiercely they assaile vs accuse and torment vs with their cryings so much the more doe we grone and in groning lay hold vpon Christ call vpon him with heart and mouth cleaue vnto him and beleue that he was made vnder the law that he might deliuer vs from the Curse of the lawe and destroy both sinne and death And thus when we haue taken hold of Christe by Faith we crie through him Abba Father And this our crie doth farre surmount the roring of the lawe sinne the Deuill c. But so farre of is it that we thinke this groning which we make in these terrours and in this our weaknes to be a cry that scarsely we perceaue it to be a groning For our Faith which in tentation thus groneth vnto Christ is very weake if we consider our owne sense and feeling And this is the cause that we heare not this crie We haue but onely the word which when we apprehend in this conflict we haue a litle breathing and then we grone Of this groning some litle feeling we haue but the crie we heare not But he sayeth Paule vvhich searcheth the heartes knovveth vvhat is the meaning of the spirite c. To this searcher of the hearts this small and feeble groning as it seemeth vnto vs is a loud and a mighty cry and an vnspeakeable groning in comparison whereof the great and horrible rorings of the law of sinne of death of the deuill and of hell are nothing neither can they be once heard Paule therfore not without cause calleth this groning of a godly afflicted heart a cry and a groning of the spirite which can not be expressed For it filleth the whole heauen so that the Angels thinke they heare nothing else but this crie But in vs there is a cleane contrary feling For it semeth vnto vs that this our small groning doth not so perce the cloudes that there is nothing else heard in heauen of God and his angels Nay we thinke and especially during the time of tentation that the Deuil horribly roreth against vs that the heauens thunder the earth trēbleth that all will fall vpon vs that all creatures threaten our destruction that hel is opē and ready to swallow vs vp This feling is in our heart these horrible voices and this fearfull shew we heare and we see And this is it that Paul sayth in the .2 Corrin 12 That the strength of Christ is made perfect through our vveaknes For then is Christ almighty in dede then doth he truly raigne and triumph in vs when we are so weake that we can scarsely grone But Paule sayth that this groning is in the eares of God a most mightie cry which filleth both heauen and earth Christ also in the .18 of Luke in the parable of the wicked iudge calleth this groning of a faithfull heart a cry yea such a cry as ceaseth not day night to cry vnto God where he sayth Heare vvhat the vnrighteous iudge sayth Novv shall not God auēge his elect vvhich cry day night vnto him yea though he suffer long for them yea I tel you he vvil auenge them quickly We at this day in so great persecution cōtradiction of the Pope of tyrānes Sectaries which fight against vs both on the right hand on the left can doe nothing else but vtter such gronings And these were our gunnes artillery wherw t we haue so many yeres scattered the coūsels and enterprises of our aduersaries wherby also we haue begon to ouerthrow the kingdom of Antichrist They also shall prouoke Christ to hasten the day of his glorious comming wherein he shall abolish all rule authoritie and power and shall put all his enemies vnder his feete So be it In the .14 of Exodus the Lord speaketh vnto Moises at the red sea saying VVhy criest thou vnto me Yet Moises cried not but trembled and almost despaired for he was in great trouble It seemed that infidelitie raigned in him and not Faith. For he saw the people of Israell so compassed and enclosed with the Egyptians host and with the sea that there was no way whereby they might escape Here Moises durst not once opē his mouth How thē did he crie We must not iudge therfore according to the feeling of our owne heart but according to the word of God which teacheth vs that the holy Ghost is geuen to those that are afflicted terrified ready to despaire to raise them vp to comfort them that they be not ouercome in their tentations afflictions but may ouercome them and yet not without great terrors and troubles The Papistes dreamed that holy men had the holy Ghost in such sort that they neuer had nor felt any tentation They spake of the holy Ghost onely by speculation and naked knowledge But Paule sayeth that the strength of Christe is made perfecte through our vveaknes Also that the spirite helpeth our infirmities and maketh intercession for vs vvith vnspeakeable gronings Therefore we haue then most neede of the helpe and comfort of the holy Ghost yea and then is he most ready to helpe vs when we are most weake and nerest to desperation If any man suffer affliction with a constant and a ioyfull heart then hath the holy Ghost done his office in him And in deede he exerciseth his worke specially and properly in those which haue suffered great terrours and afflictions and haue as the Psalme sayeth approched nigh to the gates of hel As I said of Moses which sawe present death in the waters and on euery side whether so euer he turned his face He was therefore in extreme anguish and desperation and no dout he felt in his heart a mightie crie of the Deuill against him saying All this people shall this day perish for they can escape no way And of this great calamitie thou onely shalt be found to be the authour
because thou hast led them out of Egypt Besides all this the people cried out against him saying Were there no graues in Egypt Thou hast brought vs out that we should die here in the wildernes Had it not bene better for vs to haue serued the Egyptians then here wretchedly to die in the wildernes The holy Ghost was not here in Moises by bare speculation and knowledge onely but truely and effectually who made intercession for him with an vnspeakeable groning so that he sighed vnto the Lord and sayd O Lord at thy commaundement haue I led forth this people helpe vs therfore This groning or sighing vnto God the scripture calleth a crying This matter I haue the more largely prosecuted that I might plainly shew what the office of the holy Ghost is and when he specially exerciseth the same In temptatiō therfore we must in no wise iudge therof according to our owne sense feeling or by the crying of that law sinne the Deuill c. If we then folow our owne sense beleue those cryings we shall thinke our selues to be destitute of all helpe and succour of the holy Ghost and to be vtterly cast away from the presence of god Nay rather let vs then remember what Paule sayth The spirite helpeth our infirmities c. Also it crieth Abba Father that is to say it vttereth a certaine feeble sighing and groning of the heart as it seemeth vnto vs which notwithstanding before God is a loud crie and an vnspeakeable groning Wherfore in the middes of thy temptation and infirmitie cleaue onely vnto Christe grone vnto him he geueth the holy Ghost which crieth Abba Father And this feeble groning is a mighty crie in the eares of God and so filleth heauen and earth that God heareth nothing else and moreouer it drowneth the cries of all other things whatsoeuer Thou must marke also that Paule sayth that the spirite maketh intercession for vs in our temptation not with many wordes or long prayer but onely with a groning which notwithstanding can not be expressed and that he crieth not a loud with teares saying Haue mercy on me O God c. but onely vttereth a litle sound and a feeble groning as Ah Father This is but a litle word and yet notwithstanding it comprehendeth all things The mouth speaketh not but the affection of the heart speaketh after this maner Although I be oppressed with anguish and terrour on euery side and seeme to be forsaken and vtterly cast away from thy presence yet am I thy childe and thou art my Father for Christes sake I am beloued because of the beloued Wherfore this litle word Father conceaued effectually in the heart passeth all the eloquence of Demosthenes Cicero and of the most eloquent Rhetoricians that euer were in the world This matter is not expressed with words but with gronings which gronings cā not be vttered with any wordes or eloquence for no tongue can expresse them I haue vsed many wordes to declare that a Christian must assure him selfe that he is in the fauour of God and that he hath the crying of the holy Ghost in his heart This haue I done that we may learne to reiect and vtterly to abandon that deuillish opinion of the whole kingdom of the Pope which taught that a man ought to be vncertaine and to stand in dout of the grace and fauour of God towards him If this opinion be receaued then Christ profiteth nothing For he that douteth of Gods fauour towardes him must needes dout also of the promises of God and so consequently of the will of God and of the benefites of Christe namely that he was borne suffered died and rose againe for vs c. But there can be no greater blasphemie against God then to deny his promises to deny God himselfe Christ c. Wherfore it was not onely an extreme madnes but an horrible impietie that the Monks did so earnestly entice the youth both men and women to their Monasteries to their religious and holy orders as they called them as to a most certaine state of saluation and yet when they had thus done they bad them doubt of the grace and fauour of God towards them Moreouer the Pope called all the world to the obedience of the holy Church of Rome as to an holy state in the which they might vndoutedly attaine saluatiō and yet after he had brought them vnder the obedience of his lawes he commaunded them to dout of their saluation So the kingdom of Antichrist braggeth and vaunteth at the first of the holines of his orders his rules and his lawes and assuredly promiseth euerlasting life to such as obserue and kepe them But afterwards when these miserable men haue long afflicted their bodies with watching fasting and such like exercises according to the traditions and ordinaunces of men this is all that they gaine thereby that they are vncertaine whether this obedience please God or no Thus Satan most horribly dallied in the death of soules through the Pope and therefore is the Papacie a slaughterhouse of consciences and the very kingdom of the Deuill Nowe to establish and confirme this pernicious cursed errour they alleaged the saying of Salomon Eccle. 9. The iust and the vvise men are in the handes of God and yet no man knovveth vvhether he be vvorthy of loue or of hatred Some vnderstand this of that hatred which is to come and some againe of that which is present but neither of them vnderstand Salomon who in that place meaneth nothing lesse then that which they dreame Moreouer the whole Scripture teacheth vs especially and aboue all things that we should not dout but assure our selues vndoutedly beleue that God is mercifull louing and patient that he is neither dissembler nor deceauer but that he is faithfull and true and kepeth his promise yea and hath performed that he promised in deliuering his only begotten Some to death for our sinnes that euery one that beleueth in him might not perish but haue euerlasting life Here we can not dout but that God is pleased with vs that he loueth vs in dede that the hatred and wrath of God is taken away seeing he suffered his sonne to die for vs wretched sinners Although this matter be sette out and often repeted thoroughout the whole Gospell yet it profited nothing at all This one saying of Salomon peruersly vnderstand did more preuaile especially among the votaries and hypocrites of the straiter religion then all the promises and consolations of the whole Scripture yea then Christe him selfe They abused the Scriptures therfore to their owne destruction and were most iustly punished for despising the Scriptures and reiecting the Gospell It is expedient for vs to know these things First because the Papistes vaunt of their holines as if they had neuer committed any euill Therefore they must be conuinced by their owne abhominations wherewith they haue filled the whole world
as their owne Bookes doe witnes wherof there is yet an infinite nomber Secondly that we may be fully certified that we haue the pure doctrine of the Gospell of which certaintie the Pope can not glory In whose kingdom though all things else were sound and vncorrupt yet this monstrous doctrine of douting of Gods grace and fauour passeth all other monsters And although it be manifest that the enemies of Christes Gospell teach vncertaine things because they commaund that mens consciences should remaine in dout yet notwithstanding they condemne and kill vs as heretikes because we dissent from them and teach those things which are certaine And this they doe with such deuillish rage and crueltie as if they were most assured of their doctrine Let vs therefore geue thankes vnto God that we are deliuered from this monstrous doctrine of douting and can now assure our selues that the holy Ghost crieth and bringeth forth in our heartes vnspeakeable gronings And this is our ankerhold and our foundation The Gospell commaundeth vs to behold not our owne good workes our owne perfection but God the promiser Christ the Mediatour Contrariwise the Pope commaundeth vs to looke not vnto God the promiser nor vnto Christ our high Bishop but vnto our works merites On the one side must nedes folow douting desperation but on that other side assurance of Gods fauour and ioy of the spirit For we cleaue vnto God who can not lie For he sayth Behold I deliuer my Sonne to death that through his bloud he may redeme thee from thy sinnes and from eternall death In this case I can not dout vnlesse I will vtterly deny god And this is the reason that our doctrine is most sure and certaine because it carieth vs out of our selues and from the consideration of our selues to the end that we should not leane to our owne strength to our owne conscience to our owne feeling our owne person and our owne workes but to that which is without vs that is to say the promise and truth of God which can not deceaue vs This the Pope knoweth not and therefore he wickedly imagineth that no man knoweth be he neuer so iust or so wise whether he be worthy of loue or of hatred But if he be iust and wise he knoweth assuredly that he is beloued of God or else he is neither iust nor wise Moreouer this sentence of Salomon speaketh nothing at all of the hatred or fauour of God towardes men but it is a morall sentēce reprouing the ingratitude of men For such is the peruersnes and ingratitude of the world that the better a man deserueth that lesse thāks he shall haue and oftentimes he that should be his most friend shall be his most enemie Contrariwise such as least deserue shall be most estemed So Dauid a holy man and a good King was cast out of his kingdom The Prophetes Christe and his Apostles were slaine To conclude the hystories of all nations witnes that many men well deseruing of their countrey were cast into banishment by their owne Citizens and there liued in great misery and some also shamefully perished in prison Wherefore Salomon in this place speaketh not of the conscience hauing to doe with God and of the fauour and iudgement of God but of the iudgementes and affections of men among them selues As though he would say There are many iust and wise men by whom God worketh much good and geueth peace and quietnes vnto men But so farre of are they from acknowledging the same that oftentimes they requite them againe very ilfauouredly for their well deseruings Therefore although a man doe all things neuer so well yet he knoweth not whether by this his diligence and faithfulnes he deserue the hatred or fauour of men So we at this day when we thought we should haue found fauour among our countreymen the Germains for that we preach vnto them the Gospell of peace life and eternall saluation in stede of fauour we haue found bitter and cruell hatred In deede at the first many were greatly delited with our doctrine and receaued it gladly We supposed that they would haue ben our friends and brethren and that with one consent together with vs they would haue planted and set forth this doctrine to others But now we finde that they are false brethern and our deadly enemies which sow and spread abrode errours false doctrine and that which we teach well and godly they peruert and ouerthrow stirring vp offences in the Churches Whosoeuer therefore doth his duety godly and faithfully in what kinde of life so euer he be and for his well doing receaueth nothing againe but the vnkindnes and hatred of men let him not vexe and torment him selfe therfore but let him say with Christe They hated me vvithout a cause Also For that they should haue loued me they sclaundered me but I did pray The Pope therefore with this deuillish doctrine whereby he commaunded men to dout of the fauour of God towards them tooke away God and all his promises out of the Church buried all the benefites of Christ abolished the whole Gospel These inconueniences do necessarily folow for men doe not leane to the promises of God but to their owne workes and merites Therefore they can not be assured of the good will of God towardes them but must needes dout therof and so at length despaire No man can vnderstand what Gods will is and what pleaseth him but in his word This word assureth vs that God cast away all anger and displeasure which he had conceaued against vs when he gaue his onely begotten sonne for our sinnes c. Wherefore let vs vtterly abandon this deuillish douting wherwith the whole Papacie was poysoned and let vs be fully assured that God is mercifull vnto vs that we please him that he hath a care ouer vs that we haue the holy Ghost which maketh intercession for vs with such crying and groning as can not be expressed Now this is the true crying and groning in deede when a man in tentation calleth vpon God not as a tyranne not as an angry iudge not as a tormēter but as a father although this groning be so soft so secrete that it can scantly be perceaued For in serious tentations and in the time of trial where the conscience wrastleth with the iudgement of God it is wont to call God not a Father but an vniust an angry and cruell tyranne and iudge And this crying which Satan stirreth vp in the heart farre passeth the cry of the spirite and is strongly felt For then it seemeth that God hath forsaken vs and will cast vs downe into hell So the faithful complaine oftētimes in the Psalmes I am cast from the presence of God. Also I am become as a broken vessel c. This is not in deede the groning that crieth Abba Father but the roring of Gods wrath which crieth strongly O cruell iudge O cruel
tormentour c. Here now it is time that thou turne away thine eyes from the law from works and from the sense and feling of thine owne conscience and lay hold by Faith of the promise that is to say of the word of grace life which raiseth vppe againe the conscience so that now it beginneth to grone and say Although the law accuse me sinne and death terrifie me neuer so much yet O my God thou promisest grace righteousnes and euerlasting life through Iesus Christ And so that promise bringeth a sighing a groning which crieth Abba Father Verse 7. VVherfore thou art no more a seruaunt but a sonne This is the shutting vppe and the conclusion of that which he said before As if he should say This being true that we haue receaued the spirite by the Gospell whereby we crie Abba Father then is this decree pronounced in heauen that there is now no bōdage any more but mere libertie and adoption And who bringeth this libertie verely this groning By what meanes The father offreth vnto me by his promise his grace and his fatherly fauour This remaineth then that I should receaue this grace And this is done when I againe with this groning doe crie and with a childly heart doe assent vnto this name Father Here then the Father the Sonne meete and the mariage is made vp without all pompe and solemnitie that is to saye nothing at all cometh betwene no lawe nor worke is here required For what should a man doe in these terrours and horrible darknes of tentations Here is nothing else but the father promising calling me his sonne by Christe who was made vnder the law c. and I receauing and answering by this groning saying Father Here then is no exacting nothing is required but only that childly groning that apprehendeth a sure hope and trust in tribulation and saith Thou promisest and callest me thy childe for Christes sake and I againe receaue this and call thee Father This is in deede to be made children simplie and without any workes But these things without experience and practise can not be vnderstand Paule in this place taketh this word Seruaunt otherwise then he did before in the .3 chapt where he sayeth There is neither bond not free c. Here he calleth him a Seruaūt of the law that is subiect to the law as he did a litle before VVe vvere in bōdage vnder the rudimēts of the vvorld Wherfore to be a Seruaūt in this place after Paule is to be giltie and captiue vnder the law vnder the wrath of God death to behold God not as a merciful Father but as a tormentour an enemie and a tyranne This is in deede to be kept in bondage Babilonicall captiuitie to be cruelly tormented therin For the law deliuereth not from sinne and death but reuealeth and encreaseth sinne engendreth wrath This bondage sayth Paule continueth no longer it oppresseth vs not nor maketh vs heauy any more c. Paule sayeth Thou shalt be no more a seruaunt But the sentence is more generall if we say there shall be no bondage in Christe any more but mere fredome and adoption For when Faith commeth that bondage ceaseth as he sayd before in the third Chapter Now if we by the spirite of Christe crying in our hearts Abba Father be no more seruaūts but children then it foloweth that we are not onely deliuered from the horrible monsters of the Pope and all the abominations of mens traditions but also from all the iurisdiction and power of the lawe of god Wherefore we ought in no wise to suffer the lawe to raigne in our conscience and much lesse the Pope with his vaine threatnings and terrours In deede he roreth mightely as a Lion Apoc. 10. and threatneth to all those that obey not his lawes the wrath and indignation of almighty God and of his blessed Apostles c. But here Paule armeth and comforteth vs against these rorings when he sayth Thou art no more a seruaunt but a sonne Take hold of this consolation by Faith and say O lawe thy tyrannie can haue no place in the throne where Christe my Lord sitteth there I can not heare thee much lesse doe I heare thy monsters O Antichriste for I am free and a sonne who must not be subiect to any bondage or seruile lawe Let not Moises therefore with his lawes much lesse the Pope ascend vppe into the bridechamber there to lie that is to say to raigne in the conscience which Christe hath deliuered from the lawe to the ende that it should not be subiect to any bondage Let the seruauntes abide with the Asse in the valley Let none but Isaac ascend vppe into the Mountaine with his father Abraham that is let the lawe haue dominion ouer the body and ouer the olde man let him be vnder the lawe and suffer the burden to be laide vpon him let him suffer him selfe to be exercised and vexed with the lawe let the lawe limite and prescribe vnto him what he ought to doe what he ought to suffer and how he ought to liue and to gouerne him selfe among men But let it not defile the bed in which Christe should rest and sleepe alone that is to say let it not trouble the cōscience For she alone ought to liue with Christe her Spouse in the kingdom of libertie and adoption If then sayth he by the spirite of Christ ye crie Abba Father then are ye in deede no longer seruaunts but free men sonnes Therfore ye are without the lawe without sinne without death that is to say ye are saued and ye are now quite deliuered frō all euils Wherfore the adoption bringeth with it the eternall kingdom and all that heauenly inheritaunce Now how inestimable the glory of this gift is mans heart is not able to conceaue and much lesse to vtter In the meane time we see this but darkely as it were a farre of We haue this litle groning and feeble Faith which onely resteth vpon the hearing and the sound of the voyce of Christe promising Therefore we must not measure this thing by reason or by our owne feeling but by the promise of god Now because he is infinite therefore his promise is also infinite although it seeme to be neuer so much enclosed in these narrow streites these anguishes I meane Wherfore there is nothing that can now accuse terrifie or binde the conscience any more For there is no more seruitude but adoption which not onely bringeth vnto vs libertie from the law sinne and death but also the inheritaunce of euerlasting life as foloweth Verse 7. Novv if thou be a sonne thou art also the heire of God thorough Christe For he that is a sonne must be also an heire for by his birth he is worthy to be an heire There is no worke or merite that bringeth to him the inheritance but his birth only And so in
obtaining the inheritance he is a mere patient and not an agent that is to say not to beget not to labour not to care but to be borne is that which maketh him an heire So we obtaine eternall gifts namely the forgeuenes of sinnes righteousnes the glory of the resurrection and euerlasting life not as agents but as patiēts that is not by doing but by receiuing Nothing here cometh betwene but faith alone apprehendeth the promise offred Like as therfore a sōne in the politike houshold gouernmēt is made an heire by his onely birth so here faith onely maketh vs sonnes of God borne of the word which is the wombe of God wherin we are conceaued caried borne and nourished vp c. By this birth thē we are made new creatures formed by Faith in the word we are made Christians children and heires of God through Iesus Christ Now being heires we are deliuered from death sinne and the Deuill and we haue righteousnes and eternall life But this farre passeth all mans capacitie that he calleth vs heires not of some rich and mighty Prince not of the Emperour not of the world but of God the almighty creatour of all things This our inheritaunce then as Paule sayth in an other place is inestimable And if a man could comprehend the great excellencie of this matter that he is the sonne and heire of God and with a constant Faith beleue the same this man would esteme all the power and riches of all the kingdoms of the world but as filthie donge in comparison of his eternall inheritāce He would abhorre whatsoeuer is high and glorious in the world yea the greater the pompe glory of the world is the more would he hate it To conclude whatsoeuer the world most highly estemeth and magnifieth that should be in his eyes most vile and abhominable For what is all the world with all his power riches and glory in comparison of God whose sonne and heire he is Furthermore he would heartely desire with Paule to be loosed and to be with Christ and nothing could be more welcome vnto him thē speedy death which he would embrace as a most ioyfull peace knowing that it should be the ende of all his miseries and that through it he should attaine to his enheritance c. Yea a man that could perfectly beleue this should not lōg remaine aliue but should be swalowed vp incontinent with excessiue ioy But the law of the members striuing against the law of the minde hindreth Faith in vs and suffereth it not to be perfect Therefore we haue neede of the helpe comfort of the holy Ghost which in our troubles and afflictions may make intercession for vs with vnspeakeable groning as before I haue sayd Sinne yet remaineth in the flesh which oftentimes oppresseth the conscience and so hindreth faith that we can not with ioy perfectly behold desire those eternall riches which God hath geuen vnto vs through Christ Paule himselfe feeling this battell of the flesh against the spirit crieth out O vvretched mā that I am vvho shall deliuer me from this body of death He accuseth his body which notwithstanding it behoued him to loue calling it by an odious name his death As if he would say My body doth more afflict me more greuously vexe me thē death it self For it hīdred in hī also this ioy of spirit He had not alwayes the sweete and ioyfull cogitations of the heauenly inheritaunce to come but he felt oftentimes also great heauines of spirite anguish and terrours Hereby we may plainly see how hard a matter Faith is which is not easily and quickly apprehended as certaine full and lothing spirites dreame which swallow vppe at once all that is contained in the holy Scriptures The great infirmitie which is in the Sainctes and the striuing of the flesh against the spirite do sufficiently witnesse how feeble Faith is in them For a perfect Faith bringeth by and by a perfect contempt and lothing of this present life If we could fully assure our selues and constantly beleue that God is our Father and we his sonnes and heires then should we vtterly contemne this world with all the glory righteousnes wisedom and power with all the royall scepters and crownes and with all the riches and pleasures therof We should not be so carefull for this life we should not be so addicted to the world and worldly things trusting vnto them when we haue them lamenting and despairing when we lose them but we should doe all things with great loue humilitie and patience But we do the contrary for the flesh is yet strong but Faith is feeble and the spirite weake Therfore Paule sayth very well that we haue here in this life but only the first fruites of the spirite and that in the world to come we shall haue the tenthes also Verse 7. Thorough Christe Paule hath Christ alwayes in his mouth he can not forget him For he did well forsee that nothing should be lesse knowen in the world yea among them which should professe themselues to be Christians then Christe and his Gospell Therefore he talketh of him and setteth him before our eyes cōtinually And as often as he speaketh of grace righteousnes the promise adoption inheritance he is alwayes wōt to adde In Christ or thorough Christ couertly impugning the law As if he would say These things come vnto vs neither by the lawe nor by the workes thereof much lesse by our owne strength or by the workes of mens traditions but onely by Christe Vers 8.9 But euen then vvhen ye knevv not God ye did seruice vnto them vvhich by nature vvere no Gods. But novve seing ye knovv God yea rather are knovvn of God hovv turne you againe vnto impotent and beggerly rudiments vvherevnto ye vvill be in bondage againe This is the conclusion of Paules disputation From this place vnto the end of the Epistle he doth not much dispute but onely geueth precepts as touching maners Notwithstanding he first reproueth the Galathians being sore displeased that this diuine and heauenly doctrine should be so suddenly and so easily remoued out of their heartes As if he would say Ye haue teachers which will bring you backe againe into the bondage of the law This did not I but by my doctrine I called you out of darknes of the ignorance of God into a wōderful light and knowledge of him I brought you out of bōdage and set you in the freedom of the sonnes of God not by preaching vnto you the workes of the lawe or the merites of men but the grace and righteousnes of God and the geuing of heauenly eternal blessings through Christ Now seeing this is true why doe ye so soone forsake the light and returne to darknes Why doe ye suffer your selues so easily to be brought from grace vnto the law from freedom to bondage Here againe we see as before I haue sayd that to fall in
Isaack but onely the word of Sara it is euident enough that Ismael was the sonne of Abraham after the flesh onely without the word of God therefore he was borne at aduenture and vnlooked for as an other childe is This Paule obserued and diligently considered In the .9 Chapt. to the Romaines he prosecuteth the same argument which here he repeteth and setteth forth in an allegorie and concludeth strōgly that all the sonnes of Abraham are not the sonnes of god Abraham saith he hath two sorts of childrē Some are borne of his flesh bloud but the word and promise of God goeth before as Isaack Other are borne without the promise as Ismael Therefore the children of the flesh sayth he are not the children of God but the children of the promise c. And by this argument he mightely stoppeth the mouthes of the proud Iewes which gloried that they were the seede children of Abraham As also Christ doth in the .3 of Math. and in the 8. of Iohn As if he said It foloweth not I am the carnal sede of Abraham therfore I am the childe of god Esau is the naturall sonne therfore the heire Nay rather sayth he they that will be the children of Abraham besides their carnall byrth must be also the sonnes of the promise and must beleue And they are the true children of Abraham and consequently of God who haue the promise and beleue But Ismael because he was not promised of God to Abraham is a sonne after the flesh only and not after the promise and therfore he was borne at aduēture as other children be For no mother knoweth whether she shall haue a childe or no or if she perceaue her selfe to be with childe yet she can not tel whether it shal be a sonne or a daughter But Isaac was expresly named Genesis 17. Sara thy vvife sayth the angell to Abraham shall beare thee a sonne and thou shalt call his name Isaac Here the sonne and the mother are expresly named Thus for this humilitie of Sara because she gaue vp her right and suffred the cōtempt of Agar Genesis 16. God requited her with this honor that she should be the mother of the promised sonne c. Verse 24. The vvhich things are spoken by allegories Allegories doe not strongly proue and perswade in Diuinitie but as certaine pictures they beutifie and sette out the matter For if Paule had not proued the righteousnes of Faith against the righteousnes of workes by strong and pithie arguments he should haue litle preuailed by this allegorie But because he had fortified his cause before with inuincible arguments taken of experience of the example of Abraham the testimonies of the Scripture and similitudes now in the ende of his disputation he addeth an allegorie to geue a beautie to all the rest For it is a seemely thing sometime to adde an allegorie when the foundation is well laide and the matter thorowly proued For as painting is an ornament to set forth and garnish an house already builded so is an allegorie the light of a matter which is already otherwise proued and confirmed Vers 24.25 For these mothers are the tvvo Testamentes the one vvhich is Agar of mount Syna vvhich engendreth vnto bondage For Agar or Syna is a mountaine in Arabia Abraham is a figure of God which hath two sonnes that is to say two sortes of people are represented by Ismael and Isaac These two are borne vnto him by Agar and Sara the which signifie the two Testaments the olde and the new The olde is of mount Syna begetting vnto bondage which is Agar For the Arabians in their lāguage call Agar the same mountaine which the Iewes call Sina which semeth to haue that name of brambles and thornes which also Ptolomaeus and the Greeke commentaries doe witnesse After the same maner diuers names are geuen to many mountaines according to the diuersitie of nations So the mounte which Moses calleth Hermon of the Sidonians is called Sirion and of the Amorites Senir Now this serueth very well to the purpose that mount Sina in the Arabians language signifieth as much as an handmaid and I thinke the likenes of this name gaue Paule light and occasion to seeke out this allegorie Likewise then as Agar the bondmaid brought forth to Abraham a sonne and yet not an heire but a seruaunt so Sina the allegoricall Agar brought forth to God a sonne that is to say a carnall people Againe as Ismael was the true sonne of Abraham so the people of Israel had the true God to be their father which gaue them his law his oracles religion and true seruice and the temple as it is said in the Psalme 147 He shevveth his vvord vnto Iacob his statutes and his iudgements vnto Israel Notwithstanding this onely was the difference Ismael was borne of a bondmaid after the flesh that is to say without the promise and could not therfore be the heire So the misticall Agar that is to say mount Sina where the lawe was geuen and the old Testament ordained brought forth to God who is that great Abraham a people but without the promise that is to say a carnall and a seruile people and not the heire of god For the promises as touching Christ the geuer of all Blessing and as touching the deliuerance from the curse of the law from sinne and death also as touching the free remission of our sinnes of righteousnes and euerlasting life are not added to the lawe but the lawe sayth He that shall doe these things shall liue in them Therefore the promises of the lawe are conditionall promising life not freely but to such as fulfill the law and therefore they leaue mens consciences in doubt for no man fulfilleth the law But the promises of the new Testament haue no such condition ioyned vnto them nor require any thing of vs nor depend vppon any condition of our worthines but bring and geue vnto vs freely forgeuenes of sinnes grace righteousnes and life euerlasting for Christes sake as I haue sayd more largely in an other place Therfore the law or the old Testament containeth onely conditionall promises for it hath alwayes such conditions as these are ioyned to it If ye harken to my voice If ye kepe my statutes if ye vvalke in my vvayes ye shall be my people c. The Iewes not considering this layd hold of those conditionall promises as if they had bene absolute and without all condition which they supposed that God could neuer reuoke but must needes kepe them Herevpon when they heard the Prophets foreshew the destruction of the citie of Ierusalem of the temple of the kingdom and priesthoode which could well discerne betwixt the corporall promises of the lawe and the spirituall promises concerning Christe and his kingdom they persecuted and killed them as heretikes and blasphemers of God For they
sawe not the condition that was annexed If ye kepe my commaundementes it shall goe vvell vvith you c. Therfore Agar the bondmaid bringeth forth but a bond seruaunt Ismael then is not the heire although he be the naturall sonne of Abraham but remaineth a bondman What is here lacking The promise and Blessing of the word So the lawe geuen in mount Sina which the Arabians call Agar begetteth none but seruauntes For the promise made as concerning Christ was not annexed to the lawe Wherfore O ye Galathians if ye forsaking the promise and faith fall backe to the law and works ye shall alwayes continue seruaunts that is ye shall neuer be deliuered from sinne and death but ye shall alwayes abide vnder the curse of the lawe For Agar gendreth not the seede of the promise and heires that is to say the lawe iustifieth not it bringeth not the adoption inheritance but rather it hindreth the inheritance and worketh wrath Verse 25. And it ansvvereth to Ierusalem vvhich novv is and she is in bondage vvith her children This is a wonderfull allegorie As Paule a litle before made Agar of Sina so now of Ierusalem he would gladly make Sara but he dareth not neither can he so doe but is compelled to ioyne Ierusasalem with mount Sina For he sayth The same belongeth to Agar seeing mount Agar reacheth euen to Ierusalem And it is true that there be continuall mountaines reaching from Arabia Petrea vnto Cades Bernea of Iurie He sayth then that this Ierusalem which now is that is to say this earthly and temporall Ierusalem is not Sara but pertaineth to Agar for there Agar raigneth For in it is the law begetting vnto bondage in it is the worship and ceremonies the temple the kingdome the Priesthoode and whatsoeuer was ordained in Sina by the mother which is the lawe the same is done in Ierusalem Therfore I ioyne her with Sina and I cōprehend both in one word to witte Sina or Agar I durst not haue bene so bolde to handle this allegorie after this maner but would rather haue called Ierusalem Sara or the new Testament especially seeing the preaching of the Gospell began in it the holy Ghost was there geuen and the people of the new Testament were there borne and I would haue thought that I had found out a very fitte allegory Wherfore it is not for euery man to vse allegories at his pleasure for a goodly outward shew may soone deceaue a man and cause him to erre Who would not thinke it a very fitte thing to call Sina Agar and Ierusalem Sara In deede Paule maketh Ierusalem Sara but not this corporall Ierusalem which he simplie ioyneth vnto Agar but that spirituall and heauenly Ierusalem in which the law raigneth not nor the carnall people as in that Ierusalē which is in bondage with her children but wherein the promise raigneth wherin is also a spirituall and a free people And to the ende that the lawe should be quite abolished and that whole kingdom which was established in Agar the earthly Ierusalē was horribly destroyed with all her ornamēts the tēple the ceremonies c. Now although the new testament began in it so was spread through out the whole world notwithstanding it appertaineth to Agar that is to say it is the citie of the law of the ceremonies of the priesthoode instituted by Moses Briefly it is gendred of Agar the bondwoman and therfore is in bondage with her children that is to say it walketh in the works of the lawe and neuer attaineth to the libertie of the spirite but abideth continually vnder the lawe sinne an euil conscience the wrath and iudgement of God and vnder the gilt of death and hell In deede it hath the libertie of the flesh it hath a corporall kingdom it hath magistrates riches and possessions and such like things but we speake of the libertie of the spirit wherby we are dead to the law to sinne and death and we liue and raigne in grace forgeuenes of sinnes righteousnes and euerlasting life This can not the earthly Ierusalem performe and therefore it abideth with Agar Verse 26. But Ierusalem vvhich is aboue is free vvhich is the mother of vs all That earthly Ierusalem sayth he which is beneath hauing the policie and ordinances of the law is Agar and is in bondage with her children that is to say she is not deliuered from the lawe sinne and death But Ierusalem which is aboue that is to say the spirituall Ierusalem is Sara albeit Paule addeth not the proper name of Sara but geueth her an other name calling her the free woman that is to say that true Ladie and freewoman which is the mother of vs all begetting vs vnto libertie and not vnto bondage as Agar doth Now this heauenly Ierusalem which is aboue is the Church that is to say the Faithful dispersed thorow out the whole world which haue one and the same Gospell one and the same Faith in Christe the same holy Ghost and the same Sacraments Therfore vnderstand not this word Aboue of the triumphant Church as the Schoolemen do which is heauen but of the militant church in earth as they call it For the godly are sayd to haue theyr conuersation in heauen Philip. 3. Our conuersation is in heauen not locally but in that a Christian beleueth in that he layeth holde of those inestimable heauenly and eternal gifts he is in heauen Ephesians 1. VVhich hath blessed vs vvith all spiritual blessing in heauenly things in Christ We must therfore distinguish the heauēly spiritual Blessing from the earthly For the earthly Blessing is to haue a good ciuill gouernment both in common weales families to haue children peace riches frutes of the earth and other corporall commodities But the heauenly Blessing is to be deliuered from the law sinne and death to be iustified and quickened to life to haue peace with God to haue a faithfull heart a ioyfull conscience and spirituall consolation to haue the knowledge of Iesus Christe to haue the gift of Prophesie and the reuelation of the Scriptures to haue the giftes of the holy Ghost and to reioyce in god These are the heauenly blessings which Christ geueth to his Church Wherfore Ierusalem which is aboue that is to say the heauenly Ierusalem is the church which is now in the world and not the citie of the life to come or the Church triumphant as the idle and vnlearned Monks and the Schooledoctors dreamed which taught that the Scripture hath foure senses the literall sense the figuratiue sense the allegoricall sense and the morall sense and according to these senses they haue foolishly interpreted almost all the wordes of the Scriptures As this word Ierusalem literally signified that citie which was so named figuratiuely a pure conscience allegorically the church militāt morally the celestiall Citie or the church
triumphant With these trifeling and foolish fables they rent the Scriptures into so many and diuers senses that seely poore consciences could receaue no certaine doctrine of any thing But Paule sayeth here that the olde and earthly Ierusalem belongeth vnto Agar and that it is in bondage with her children and is vtterly abolished But the new and heauenly Ierusalem which is a Queene and a freewomā is appoynted of god in earth and not in heauen to be the mother of vs all of whom we haue bene engendred and yet daily are gendred Therefore it is necessary that this our mother should be in earth among men as also her generation is Notwithstanding she gendreth by the holy Ghost by the ministery of the word and sacraments and not in the flesh This I say to the ende that in this matter we should not be caried away with our cogitations into heauen but that we should know that Paule setteth the Ierusalem which is aboue against the earthly Ierusalem not locally but spiritually For there is a distinction betwene those things which are spirituall and those which are corporall or earthly The spirituall things are aboue the earthly are beneath So Ierusalem which is aboue is distinguished from the carnall and temporall Ierusalem which is beneath not locally as I haue sayd but spiritually For this spirituall Ierusalem which tooke her beginning in the corporall Ierusalem hath not any certaine place as hath the other in Iudea but it is dispersed thorow out the whole world and may be in Babylon in Turkie in Tartarie in Scythia in Iudea in Italie in Germanie in the Isles of the sea in the mountaines and valleis and in all places of the world where men dwel which haue the Gospel and beleue in Iesus Christ Wherfore Sara or Ierusalem our free mother is the Church it selfe the spouse of Christe of whom we all are gendred This mother gendreth free children without ceasing to the ende of the world as long as she exerciseth the Ministerie of the word that is to say as long as she preacheth and publisheth the Gospell for this is truely to gender Now she teacheth the Gospell after this maner to witte that we are deliuered from the Curse of the lawe from sinne death and all other euils through Iesus Christ not by the law neither by workes Therefore Ierusalem which is aboue that is to say the Church is not subiect to the law and works but she is free and a mother without the law sinne and death Now such a mother as she is such children she gendreth This allegorie teacheth very aptly that the Church should doe nothing else but preach and teach the Gospell truely and sincerely and by this meanes should gender children So we are all fathers and children one to an other For we are begotten one of an other I being begotten by other through the Gospell doe now beget other which shall also beget other hereafter and so this begetting shall endure to the ende of the world Now I speake of the generation not of Agar the bondmaid which gendreth her bondseruauntes by the lawe but of Sara the freewoman who gendreth heires without the law and without mans workes or endeuours For in that Isaac is heire and not Ismael albeit notwithstāding that both of them were the naturall sonnes of Abraham Isaac had the inheritaunce by the word of promise namely Sara thy vvife shall bring thee a sonne and thou shalt call his name Isaac This did Sara well vnderstand and therefore she sayeth Cast out the bondvvoman and her sonne And Paule also aledgeth these words afterwards Wherfore as Isaac hath the inheritance of his father onely by the promise and by his birth without the law and without works euen so we are borne through the Gospel of that freewomā Sara true heires of the promise She that is to say the church enstrueteth vs nourisheth vs and carieth vs in her wombe in her lappe and in her armes she formeth and fashioneth vs to the image of Christe vntill we grow vppe to a perfect man c. So all things are done by the ministerie of the word Wherefore the office of the freewoman is to gender children to God her husband without ceasing and without end that is to say such children as know that they are iustified by Faith and not by the lawe Verse 27. For it is vvrytten Reioyce thou barren that bearest no children breake forth and crie thou that trauailest not for the desolate haue many moe children then she vvhich hath an husband Paule aledgeth this place out of Esay the Prophet which is altogether allegoricall It is wrytten sayeth he that the mother of many children and she which hath an husband must be sicke and die and contrariwise that the barren she which hath no children must haue aboundance of children After the same maner Hanna singeth in her song out of that which Esay the Prophet tooke his Prophesie 1. Sam. 2. The bovve and the mightie men are broken and the vveake haue girded them selues vvith strength They that vvere full are hired forth for bread and the hungrie are no more hired so that the barren hath borne seuen and she that had many children is feeble A maruellous matter sayth he she that was frutefull shal be made barren and she that was barren frutefull Moreouer such as before were strong full rich glorious righteous and blessed shall become feeble hungrie poore ignominious sinners subiecte to death and damnation And contrariwise the feeble and hungrie c. shal be strong and satisfied c. The Apostle sheweth by this allegorie of the Prophet Esay the difference which is betwixt Agar and Sara that is to say betwixt the sinagoge and the church or betwixt the lawe and the Gospell The lawe being the husband of the frutefull woman that is to say of the sinagoge begetteth very many children For men of all ages not onely idiotes but also the wisest and best that is to say all mankinde except the children of the freewoman doe neither see nor know any other righteousnes then the righteousnes of the law much lesse doe they know any which is more excellent Wherefore they thinke them selues righteous if they folow the lawe and outwardly performe the workes thereof Now although these be frutefull haue many disciples and shine in the righteousnes and glorious workes of the lawe yet notwithstanding they be not free but bondseruauntes For they are the children of Agar which gendreth to bondage Nowe if they be seruauntes they can not be pertakers of the inheritance but shall be cast out of the house for seruauntes remaine not in the house for euer Yea they are already cast out of the kingdom of grace and libertie For he that beleueth not is iudged alreadie They remaine therefore vnder the malediction of the lawe vnder sinne and death vnder the power of the Deuill and vnder the wrath and iudgement of
God. Now if the Morall lawe it selfe or the ten commaundementes of God can doe nothing else but gender seruauntes that is to say can not iustifie but onely terrifie accuse condemne and driue mens consciences to desperation how then I pray you shall the lawes of men or the lawes of the Pope iustifie which are the doctrines of Deuils They therefore that teach and sette forth either the traditions of men or the lawe of God as necessary to obtaine righteousnes before God doe nothing else but gender seruauntes Notwithstanding such teachers are counted the best men they obtaine the fauoure of the world and are most frutefull mothers for they haue an infinite number of disciples For mans reason vnderstandeth not what Faith and true godlines is and therefore it neglecteth and despiseth it and is naturally addicted to superstition and hypocrisie that is to say to the righteousnes of workes Nowe because this righteousnes shineth and flourisheth euery where therefore it is as a mighty Emperesse of the whole world They therfore which teach the righteousnes of workes by the lawe beget many children which outwardly seeme to be free and haue a glorious shew of excellēt vertues but in conscience they are seruauntes and bondslaues of sinne therfore they are to be cast out of the house and condemned Contrariwise Sara the freewoman that is to say the true church seemeth to be barren For the Gospell which is the word of the crosse and affliction which the Church preacheth shineth not so brightly as the doctrine of the law and workes and therfore she hath not so many disciples to cleaue vnto her Moreouer she beareth this title that she forbiddeth good workes maketh men secure idle and negligent raiseth vp heresies and seditions and is the cause of all mischeefe and therefore she seemeth to bring no successe or prosperitie but all things seeme to be full of barennes desolation and desperation Therefore the wicked are certenly perswaded that the church with her doctrine can not long endure The Iewes assured themselues that the church which was plāted by the Apostles should shortly be ouerthrowne the which by an odious name they called a Sect. For thus they speake to Paule in the .28 Chapter of that Acts. As concerning this Sect vve knovv that euery vvhere it is spoken against In like maner how often I pray you haue our aduersaries ben deceaued which somewhiles appoynted one time somewhiles an other when we should be certainly destroyed Christ and his Apostles were oppressed but after their death the doctrine of the Gospell was further spred abrode then it was during their life In like maner our aduersaries may oppresse vs at this day but the word of God shall abide for euer How much so euer then the church seeme to be barren and forsaken weake and despised and outwardly to suffer persecution and moreouer be compelled to heare this reproch that her doctrine is heretical and seditious notwithstanding she alone is frutefull before God she gendreth by the ministerie of the word an infinite number of children heires of righteousnes and euerlasting life And although outwardly they suffer persecution yet in spirite they are most free who not onely are iudges ouer all doctrines works but also are most victorious conquerours against the gates of hell The Prophet therefore confesseth that the church is in heauines for else he would not exhort her to reioyce He graunteth that she is barren before the world For else he would not call her barren and forsaken hauing no children but before God he sayth she is fruteful and therfore he biddeth her reioyce As though he would say Thou art in deede forsaken and barren and hast not the law for thy husband and therefore thou hast no children But reioyce for although thou hast not the lawe for thy husband but art forsaken as a virgine that is ready to marry for he will not call her widowe which should haue an husband if she were not forsakē of him or if he were not slaine thou I say which art solitarie forsaken of thy husband the law and not subiect to the mariage of the lawe shalt be a mother of innumerable children Wherefore the people or the Church of the new Testament is altogether without the lawe as touching the conscience and therefore she semeth to be forsaken in the sight of the world But although she seeme to be neuer so barren without the law and without workes yet notwithstanding she is most frutefull before God bringeth forth an infinite nombre of children not in bondage but in freedome By what meanes Not by the lawe but by the word and spirite of Iesus Christ which is geuen by the Gospell through which she conceaueth bringeth forth and nourisheth her children Paule therefore plainly sheweth by this allegory the difference betwixt the law and the Gospell First when he calleth Agar the olde Testament and Sara the newe Againe when he calleth the one a bondmaind the other a freewoman Moreouer when he sayeth that the maried frutefull is become barren and cast out of the house with her children Contrariwise the barren and forsaken is become frutefull bringeth forth an infinite nōber of children those also inheritours By these differences are resembled the two sortes of people of Faith of the law I meane The people of Faith haue not the lawe for their husband they serue not in bondage they are not borne of that mother Ierusalem which now is but they haue the promise they are free and are borne of free Sara He separateth therefore the spirituall people of the new Testament from the other people of the lawe when he sayeth that the spirituall people are not the children of Agar the bondmaid but of Sara the freewoman which knoweth nothing of the law And by this meanes he placeth the people of faith farre aboue and without the law Now if they be aboue and without the law then are they iustified by the spirituall birth onely which is nothing else but Faith and not by the lawe or by the workes thereof Now as the people of grace neither haue nor can haue the lawe so the people of the lawe neither haue nor can haue grace for it is impossible that the lawe and grace should stand together Therfore we must be iustified by faith lose the righteousnes of the law or else be iustified by the law and lose the righteousnes of Faith. But this is a fowle and a lamētable losse to lose grace and to returne to the lawe Contrariwise it is an happie and blessed losse to lose the lawe and lay hold of grace We therefore folowing the example and diligence of Paule doe endeuour as much as is possible to set forth plainly the difference betwixt the lawe and the Gospell which is very easie as touching the wordes For who seeth not that Agar is not Sara and that Sara is not Agar
famine that the ouerthrowing of common weales kingdoms and countreis that sectes offences and such other infinite euils doe procede altogether of the doctrine of the Gospell Against this great offence we must comfort arme our selues with this sweete cōsolation that the faithfull must beare this name and this title in the world that they are seditious and schismatikes and the authors of innumerable euils And hereof it commeth that our aduersaries thinke they haue a iust cause yea that they doe God high seruice when they hate persecute and kill vs It can not be then but that Ismael must persecute Isaac But Isaac againe persecuteth not Ismael Who so wil not suffer the persecution of Ismael let him not professe himselfe to be a Christian But let our aduersaries which so vehemently amplifie exaggerate these euils at this day tel vs what good thīgs ensued the preaching of the Gospel of Christ and his Apostles Did not the destruction of the kingdom of the Iewes follow was not the Romaine Empire ouerthrowne was not the whole world in an vprore And yet the Gospell was not the cause hereof which Christe and his Apostles preached for the profite and saluation of men and not for their destruction But these things folowed through the fault of the people the nations the Kings Princes who being possessed of the Deuill would not hearkē to the word of grace life and eternall saluation but detested and condemned it as a doctrine most pernicious and hurtfull to religion common weales And that this should so come to passe the holy Ghost foretold by Dauid when he sayeth Psal. 2. VVhy doe the heathen rage and the people murmure in vaine c. Such tumultes and hurly burlies we heare and see at this day The aduersaries lay the fault in our doctrine But the doctrine of grace and peace stirreth not vp these troubles but the people nations kings and Princes of the earth as the Psalme sayeth rage murmure conspire and take counsell not against vs as they thinke nor against our doctrine which they blaspheme as false and seditious but against the Lord and his annoynted Therfore all their counsels and practises are and shall be disappoynted and brought to naught He that dvvelleth in the heauen shall laugh the Lord shall haue them in derision Let thē cry out therfore as long as they list that we raise vp these tumults and seditions notwithstanding this Psalme comforteth vs and saith that they themselues are the authors of these troubles They can not beleue this much lesse can they beleue that it is they which murmure rise vp take coūsell against the Lord his anoynted nay rather they thinke that they maintaine the Lords cause that they defend his glory do him acceptable seruice in persecuting vs but the Psalme lieth not and that shall the ende declare Here we doe nothing but onely suffer as our conscience beareth vs witnesse in the holy Ghost Moreouer the doctrine for the which they raise vp such tumultes and offences is not ours but it is the doctrine of Christe This doctrine we can not deny nor forsake the defence thereof seeing Christ sayth VVhosoeuer shall be ashamed of me and of my vvordes in this adulterous and sinnefull nation of him shal the sonne of man be ashamed vvhen he shall come in his glory and in the glory of the father and of the holy angels He therfore that will preach Christ truely and confesse him to be our righteousnes must be content to heare that he is a pernicious fellow and that he troubleth all things They which haue troubled the world sayd the Iewes of Paul and Silas Acts. 17. are also come vnto vs and haue done contrary to the decrees of Caesar And in the. 24. of the Actes We haue found this pestilent fellow stirring vp sedition among all the Iewes thorow out the whole world and the authour of the Sect of the Nazarites c. In like maner also the Gentiles complaine in the. 16. of the Actes These men trouble our Citie So at this day they accuse Luther to be a troubler of the Papacie and of the Romaine Empire If I would kepe silence then all things should be in peace which the strong man possesseth and the Pope would not persecute me any more But by this meanes the Gospell of Iesus Christe should be blemished defaced If I speake the Pope is troubled and cruelly rageth Either we must lose the Pope an earthly and mortall man or else the immortall God Christ Iesus life and eternall saluation Let the Pope perish then let God be exalted let Christ raigne and triumph for euer Christe himselfe when he foresaw in spirite the great troubles which should folow his preaching cōforted himselfe after this maner I came sayth he to send fire vpon the earth and vvhat vvil I but that it be kindled In like maner we see at this day that great troubles folowe the preaching of the Gospell through the persecution blasphemie of our aduersaries and the ingratitude of the world This matter so greueth vs that oftentimes after the flesh and after the iudgement of reason we thinke it had bene better that the doctrine of the Gospell had not bene published then that after the preaching therof the publike peace should be so troubled But according to the spirite we say boldly with Christe I came to send fire vpon the earth and what will I but that it should now be kindled Now after that this fire is kindled ther folow forthwith great commotions For it is not a King or an Emperour that is thus prouoked but the God of this world which is a most mighty spirite and the Lord of the whole world This weake worde preaching Christ crucified setteth vpon this mightie and terrible aduersarie Behemoth feeling the diuine power of this word stirreth vp all his members shaketh his taile and maketh the depth of the sea to boile like a potte Iob. 41. Hereof come all these tumultes all these furious and cruell rages of the world Wherefore let it not trouble vs that our aduersaries are offended and cry out that there cometh no good by the preaching of the Gospel They are infidels they are blinde and obstinate and therfore it is impossible that they should see any frute of the Gospell But contrariwise we which beleue doe see the inestimable profites and frutes therof although outwardly for a time we be oppressed with infinite euils despised spoiled accused cōdemned as the outcasts and filthy dunge of the whole world and put to death and inwardly afflicted with the feeling of our sinne and vexed with Deuils For we liue in Christe in whom and by whom we are made Kings and Lordes ouer sinne death the flesh the world hel and all euils In whom and by whom also we tread vnder our feete that Dragon and Basiliske which is the King
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
of the freewoman and shall at length be cast into vtter darknes Paule therefore by these wordes bondwoman and freewoman tooke occasion as we haue heard to reiect the righteousnes of the lawe and to confirme the doctrine of Iustification And of purpose he taketh hold of this word freewoman vehemently vrging and amplifying the same especially in the beginning of the chapter folowing Whervpon he taketh occasion to reason of Christian libertie the knowledge whereof is very necessary For the Pope hath in a maner quite ouerthrowne it and made the Church subiect to mans traditions and ceremonies and to a most miserable and filthie bondage That libertie which is purchased by Christ is vnto vs at this day a most strong fort and munition wherby we defend our selues against the tyrannie of the Pope Wherfore we must diligently consider this doctrine of Christian libertie as well to confirme the doctrine of iustification as also to raise vppe and comfort weake consciences against so many troubles offences which our aduersaries doe impute vnto the Gospell Now Christian libertie is a very spirituall thing which the carnall man doth not vnderstand Yea they which haue the first frutes of the spirite and can talke well therof doe very hardly retaine it in their heart It seemeth to reason that it is a matter of small importance Therefore if the holy Ghost do not magnifie it adde a waight vnto it it is conteÌ„ned The fifth Chapter PAVLE now drawing towardes the ende of his Epistle disputeth very vehemeÌ„tly in defence of the doctrine of Faith and Christian libertie against the false apostles the enemies and destroyers of the same against whom he casteth out very thundring wordes to beate them downe and vtterly to vanquish them And therewithall he exhorteth the Galathians to flie their pernicious doctrine as a dangerous poyson In his exhortation he intermingleth threatnings and promises trying euery way that he may kepe them in that libertie which Christ had purchased for them saying Verse 1. Stand fast therefore in that libertie vvherein Christe hath made vs free That is to say Be ye stedfast So Peter sayeth Be sober and vvatch for your aduersarie the Deuill as a roaring Lion vvalketh about seeking vvhom he may deuoure vvhom resist being stedfast in the Faith. Be ye not carelesse sayth he but stedfast and constant Lie not downe and sleepe but stand vp As if he would say It standeth you in hand to be watchfull and constant that ye may keepe and hold fast that libertie wherin Christe hath made you free They that are secure and negligent can not kepe this libertie For Satan most deadly hateth the light of the Gospell that is to say the doctrine of grace libertie consolation and life Therfore when he seeth that it beginneth once to appeare forthwith he fighteth against it with all might and maine stirring vppe stormes and tempests to hinder the course therof and vtterly to ouerthrow it Wherefore Paule warneth the Faithfull not to sleepe not to be negligent but constantly and valiantly to resist Satan that he spoile them not of that libertie which Christe hath purchased for them Euery word hath here a certaine vehemencie Stand sayth he As if he should say Here haue ye neede of great diligence vigilancie In that libertie In what libertie Not in that wherwith the Emperour hath made vs free but in that wherwith Christ hath made vs free The Emperour hath geuen or rather was compelled to geue to the Bishop of Rome a free citie and other landes also immunities priuileges and prerogatiues c. This is also a libertie but it is a ciuill libertie whereby the Pope with all his cleargie is exempt from all publicke charges Moreouer there is a fleshly or rather a deuilish libertie wherby the Deuill chiefly raigneth thorow out the whole world For they that inioy this libertie obey neither God nor lawes but doe what they list This libertie the people seeke and embrace at this day and so doe the Sectaries which will be at libertie in their opinions and in all their doings to the ende they may teach and doe whatsoeuer they dreame to be good and sound without reprehension These stand in that libertie wherein the Deuill hath made them free But we speake not here of this libertie albeit the whole world seeketh no other libertie Neither doe we speake of the ciuill libertie but of a farre other maner of libertie which the Deuill hateth and resisteth with all his power This is that libertie whereby Christe hath made vs free not from an earthly bondage or from the Babylonicall captiuitie or from the tyrannie of the Turkes but froÌ„ Gods euerlasting wrath And where is this done In the conscience There resteth our libertie and goeth no farther For Christe hath made vs free not ciuily nor carnally but diuinely that is to say we are made free in such sort that our coÌ„science is now free and quiet not fearing the wrath of God to come This is that true and inestimable libertie to the excelleÌ„cie maiestie wherof if we compare the other they are but as one droppe of water in respect of the whole sea For who is able to expresse what a thing it is when a man is assured in his heart that God neither is nor will be angry with him but will be for euer a mercifull and a louing father vnto him for Christes sake This is in deede a maruelous and an incomprehensible libertie to haue the most high and soueraigne Maiestie so fauourable vnto vs that he doth not onely defend maintaine and succour vs in this life but also as touching our bodies wâ—ll so deliuer vs that our bodies which are sowen in corruption in dishonor and infirmitie shall rise againe in incorruption in glory and power Wherfore this is an inestimable libertie that we are made free from the wrath of God for euer and is greater then heauen and earth and all other creatures Of this libertie there foloweth an other whereby through Christe we are made free from the lawe sinne death the power of the Deuill hell c. For as the wrath of God can not terrifie vs for that Christe hath deliuered vs from the same so the lawe sinne and death can not accuse and condemne vs And although the law accuse vs and sinne terrifie vs yet they can not driue vs to desperation For Faith which ouercometh the world by and by sayeth These things belong not vnto me for Christe hath made me free and deliuered me from them all Likewise death which is the most mighty and most dreadful thing in all the world is vtterly vanquished in the conscience by this libertie of the spirite Wherfore the maiestie of this Christian libertie is highly to be estemed and diligently considered It is an easie matter for a maÌ„ to speake these words freedome from the wrath of God sinne and death but in the time
And this he doth not without great cause For this pernicious opinion of the lawe that it iustifieth and maketh men righteous before God is deepely rooted in mans reason and all mankinde is so wrapped in it that it can hardly get out And Paul seemeth here to compare those that seeke righteousnes by the lawe vnto oxen that be tied to the yoke to the end he might take from it the glory of iustifying of righteousnes For like as oxen that draw in the yoke with great toile receaue nothing therby but forrage or pasture when they be able to draw the yoke no more are appoynted to the slaughter euen so they that seeke righteousnes by the lawe are captiues and oppressed with the yoke of bondage that is to say with the lawe and when they haue tired themselues a long time in the workes of the lawe with great and greeuous toyle in the ende this is their reward that they are miserable and perpetuall seruaunts And whereof euen of sinne death Gods wrath and of the Deuill Wherefore there is no greater or harder bondage then the bondage of the lawe It is not without cause then that Paule calleth it the yoke of bōdage For as we haue often sayd before the law doth but reueale encrease aggrauate sinne accuse terrify condemne gender wrath and finally it driueth poore consciences into desperation which is the most miserable and most greeuous bondage that can be Rom. 3.4.5 He vseth therefore very vehement wordes For he would gladly perswade them that they should not suffer this importable burden to be layd vpon their shoulders by the false apostles or be entangled againe with the yoke of bondage As if he should say We stād not here vpon a matter of small importance but either of euerlasting libertie or euerlasting bondage For like as freedome from Gods wrath and all euils is not temporall or carnall but euerlasting euen so the bondage of sinne death the Deuill and damnation wherwith all they be oppressed which will be made righteous and saued by the law is not corporall and such as continueth but for a time but euerlasting For such workers of the lawe as goe about to performe and accomplish all things precisely and exactly for of such Paule speaketh can neuer finde quietnes and peace of conscience in this life They alwayes dout of the good will of God towardes them they are alwayes in feare of death of the wrath and iudgement of God and after this life they shal be punished for their vnbeleefe with euerlasting damnation Therefore the doers of the lawe and such as stand altogether vpon the righteousnes and workes thereof are rightly called the Deuils martyrs They take more paines and punish them selues more in purchasing hell according to the prouerbe then the Martyrs of Christe doe in obtaining heauen For they are tormented two maner of wayes First they miserably afflict themselues whilest they liue here by doing of many hard and great workes and all in vaine and afterwardes when they die they reape for a recompence euerlasting damnation Thus are they most miserable Martyrs both in this life and in the life to come and their bondage is euerlasting Cōtrariwise the godly haue troubles in this world but in Christe they haue peace because they beleue that he hath ouercome the world Wherefore we must stand fast in that freedome which Christ hath purchased for vs by his death we must take good heede that we be not entangled againe with the yoke of bondage As it hapneth at this day to the fantasticall spirites who falling away from Faith and from this freedom haue procured vnto them selues here a temporal bondage and in the world to come shall be oppressed with an euerlasting bondage As for the Papistes the most part of them are become at this day plaine Epicures Therfore whiles they may they vse the libertie of the flesh singing this carelesse song Ede bibe lude post mortem nulla voluptas That is Eate drinke make good cheare for after this life there is no pleasure But they are the very bondslaues of the Deuill by whom they are holden captiues at his will and pleasure therefore they shall feele this euerlasting bōdage in hel Hetherto Paules exhortation hath bene vehement and earnest but that which foloweth doth farre passe it Verse 2. Behold I Paule say vnto you that if ye be circumcised Christe shall profite you nothing Paule here wonderfully stirred vppe with zeale and feruencie of spirite thundreth against the law circumcision and these thundring wordes proceding of great zeale and indignation the holy Ghost wresteth frō him in saying Behold I Paule c. I I say who know that I haue not receaued the Gospel by man but by the reuelation of Iesus Christe and haue commission and authoritie from aboue to teach and define c. doe tel you that if ye be circumcised Christ shall profite you nothing at all This is a very hard sentence wherby Paule declareth that to be circumcised is as much as to make Christe vtterly vnprofitable not in respect of himselfe but of the Galathians who being deceaued by the subtelties of the false apostles beleued that besides faith in Christe it was needefull for the faithfull to be circumcised without the which they could not obtaine saluation This place is as it were a touchstone wherby we may most certainely and freely iudge of all doctrines workes religions and ceremonies of all men Whosoeuer teach that there is any thing necessary to saluation whether they be Papists Turks Iewes or Sectaries besides Faith in Christe or shall deuise any worke or religion or obserue any Rule tradition or ceremonie whatsoeuer with this opinion that by such things they shall obtaine forgeuenes of sinnes righteousnes and euerlasting life they heare in this place the sentence of the holy Ghost pronounced against them by the Apostle that Christe profiteth them nothing Seing Paule durst geue this sentence against the lawe and circumcision which were ordained of God himselfe what durst he not doe against the chaffe and the drosse of mens traditions Wherefore this place is a terrible thunderbolt against all the kingdom of the Pope For all the Priestes Monkes and Heremites that liue in their cloisters I speake of the best of them reposed all their trust and confidence in their owne workes righteousnes vowes and merits and not in Christ whom they most wickedly and blasphemously imagined to be an angrie iudge an accuser and cōdemner And therefore here they heare their iudgement that Christ profiteth them nothing For if they can put away sinnes and deserue forgeuenes of sinnes and euerlasting life through their owne righteousnes and straitnes of life then to what purpose was Christe borne What profite haue they by his death and bloudsheding by his resurrection victorie ouer sinne death and the Deuill seeing they are able to ouercome these monsters by their owne
not in the sonnes shall not see life but the vvrath of God abideth vpon him Againe he that beleueth not is iudged alredy Now like as all the doctrine of the Papistes to note this by the way concerning mens traditions workes vowes and merites was most common in the world so was it thought to be the best and most certaine of all others whereby the Deuill hath both sette vppe and stablished his kingdom most mightely Therefore when we at this day doe impugne and vanquish this doctrine by the power of Gods word as chaffe is driuen away by the winde it is no maruell that Satan rageth so cruelly against vs raiseth vppe sclaunders and offences euery where and setteth the whole world in our toppes Then will some man say It had bene better to haue held our peace for then had none of these euils bene raised vppe But we ought more to esteme the fauour of God whose glory we sette forth then to care for the tirranny of the world which persecuteth vs For what is the Pope the whole world in comparison of God In deede we are weake and beare an heauenly treasure in brickle and earthly vesselles but although the vesselles be neuer so brickle yet is the treasure inestimable These wordes Ye are falne from grace must not be coldly or slenderly considered for they are waightie and of great importance He that falleth from grace vtterly loseth the atonement the forgeuenes of sinnes the righteousnes libertie and life that Iesus Christe hath merited for vs by his death and resurrection and in stede thereof he purchaseth to himselfe the wrath and iudgement of God sinne death the bondage of the Deuill and euerlasting damnation And this place strongly confirmeth and fortifieth our doctrine concerning Faith or the article of iustification and maruelously comforteth vs against the cruell rage of the Papists that persecute and condemne vs as heretikes because we teach this article In deede this place ought to feare that enemies of Faith grace that is to say all that seeke righteousnes by works frō persecutīg blaspheming the word of grace life and euerlasting saluation But they be so hardhearted and obstinate that seeing they see not and hearing they heare not and when they read this dreadfull sentence of the Apostle pronounced against them they vnderstand it not Let vs therfore let them alone They are blinde and leaders of the blinde Verse 5. For vve in spirit vvait for the hope of righteousnes through Faith. Paule here knitteth vppe the matter with a notable conclusion saying Ye will be iustified by the lawe by circumcision and by workes but we seeke not to be iustified by this meanes lest Christ should be made vtterly vnprofitable vnto vs and we become detters to performe the whole lawe and so finally fall away from grace but we waite in spirite through Faith for the hope of righteousnes Euery word is here diligently to be noted for they are pithie and full of power He doth not only say as he is wont We are iustified by Faith or in spirite by Faith but moreouer he addeth VVe vvaite for the hope of righteousnes including hope also that he may comprehend the whole matter of Faith. Hope after the maner of the Scriptures is taken two wayes for the thing that is hoped for for the affection of him that hopeth For the thing which is hoped for it is taken in that first chapt to the Coloss For the hopes sake vvhich is layed vppe for you in heauen that is to say the thing which ye hope for For the affection of him that hopeth it is taken in the 8 chap. to the Romaines For vve are saued by hope So hope in this place also may be taken two wayes and so it yeldeth a double sense The first is We waite in spirite through Faith for the hope of righteousnes that is to say the righteousnes hoped for which shall be certainely reuealed in such time as it pleaseth the Lord to geue it The second We wait in spirite by Faith for righteousnes with hope and desire that is to say we are righteous howbeit our righteousnes is not yet reuealed but hangeth yet in hope For as long as we liue here sinne remaineth in our flesh there is also a lawe in our flesh and members rebelling against the lawe of our minde and leading vs captiues vnto the seruice of sinne Now when these affections of the flesh doe rage and raigne and we on the other side through the spirite doe wrastle against the same then is there a place for hope In deede we haue begun to be iustified through Faith whereby also we haue receaued the first frutes of the spirite and the the mortification of the flesh is also begun in vs but we be not yet perfetly righteous It remaineth then that we be perfectly iustified and this is it that we hope for So our righteousnes is not yet in actuall possession but lieth vnder hope This is a sweete and a sound consolation whereby afflicted and troubled consciences feeling their sinne and terrified with euery fierie dart of the Deuill may be maruelously comforted For the feeling of sinne the wrath of God death hell and all other terrours is wonderfull strong in the conflict of conscience as I my selfe being taught by experience doe know Then counsell must be geuen to the poore afflicted in this wise Brother thou desirest to haue a sensible feeling of thy iustification that is thou wouldest haue such a feling of Gods fauour as thou hast of thine owne sinne but that will not be But thy righteousnes ought to surmount all feeling of sinne that is to say thy righteousnes or iustification wherevpon thou holdest standeth not vppon thine owne feeling but vpon thy hoping that it shall be reuealed when it pleaseth the lord Wherefore thou must not iudge according to the feeling of sinne which troubleth and terrifieth thee but according to the promise and doctrine of Faith whereby Christe is promised vnto thee who is thy perfect and euerlasting righteousnes Thus the hope of the afflicted consisting in the inward affection is stirred vppe by Faith in the middest of all terrours and feeling of sinne to hope that he is righteous Moreouer if hope be here taken for the thing which is hoped for it is thus to be vnderstand that that which a man now seeth not he hopeth in time shall be made perfect and clearly reueiled Either sense may well stand but the first touching the inward desire and affection of hoping bringeth more plentifull consolation For my righteousnes is not yet perfect it can not yet be felt yet I doe not despaire for Faith sheweth vnto me Christe in whom I trust and when I haue laid hold of him by Faith I wrastle against the fierie dartes of the Deuil and I take a good heart through hope against the feeling of sinne assuring my selfe that I haue a perfect righteousnes prepared
also for by them hope is stirred vppe But Faith as also I haue shewed before goeth before hope for it is the beginning of life and beginneth before all tribulation For it learneth Christe and apprehendeth him without the crosse Notwithstāding the knowledge of Christ can not be long without the crosse without troubles and conflictes In this case the minde must be stirred vppe to a fortitude of spirite For hope is nothing else but a spirituall fortitude as Faith is nothing else but a spirituall prudence which consisteth in suffering according to this saying That through patience c. These three things then dwell together in the faithful Faith which teacheth the truth defendeth from errours Hope which endureth ouercōeth al aduersities as well bodely as ghostly Charitie which worketh all good things as it foloweth in the text And so is a man entire and perfect in this life as wel within as without vntill the righteousnes be reuealed which he waiteth for and this shal be a perfect an euerlasting righteousnes Moreouer this place containeth both a singuler doctrine consolation As touching the doctrine it sheweth that we are made righteous not by the workes sacrifices or ceremonies of Moises lawe much lesse by the works and traditions of mē but by Christ alone What so euer is in vs besides him is of the flesh and not of the spirite What so euer then the world counteth to be good and holy without Christe is nothing else but sinne errour and flesh Wherfore circumcision and the obseruation of the lawe also the workes religions and vowes of the Monkes and of all such as trust in their owne righteousnes are altogether carnall But we sayth Paule are farre aboue all these things in the spirite and inward man For we possesse Christe by Faith and in the middes of our afflictions through hope we wait for that righteousnes which we possesse alredy by Faith. The comfort is this that in serious conflicts and terrours wherin the feeling of sinne heauines of syirite desperation such like is very stronge for they enter deepely into the hearte and mightely assaile it thou must not folow thine owne feeling For if thou doe thou wilt say I feele the horrible terrours of the lawe and the tyrannie of sinne not onely rebelling against me but also subduing and leading me captiue and I feele no comfort or righteousnes at all Therefore I am a sinner and not righteous If I be a sinner then am I giltie of euerlasting death But against this feeling thou must wrastle and say Although I feele my selfe vtterly ouerwhelmed and swalowed vp with sinne and my heart telleth me that God is offended and angrie with me yet in very deede it is not true but that mine owne sense and feeling so iudgeth The word of God which in these terrours I ought to folow and not mine owne sense teacheth a farre other thing namely that God is neare vnto them that are of a troubled heart and saueth them that are of an humble spirite Also he despiseth not an humble and a contrite heart Moreouer Paul sheweth here that they that are iustified in spirite by Faith doe not yet feele the hope of righteousnes but wait still for it Wherfore when the lawe accuseth and sinne terrifieth thee and thou feelest nothing but the wrath and iudgement of God despaire not for all that but take vnto thee the armour of God the shield of Faith the helmet of hope and the sword of the spirite and trie how good and how valiant a warriour thou art Lay hold of Christe by Faith who is the Lord of the law and sinne and of all things else which accompanie them Beleuing in him thou art iustified which thing reason and the feeling of thine owne heart when thou art tempted doe not tell thee but the word of god Moreouer in the middest of these conflictes and terrours which often returne and exercise thee waite thou patiently through hope for righteousnes which thou hast now by Faith although it be yet but begun and imperfect vntill it be reuealed made perfect in the kingdom of heauen But thou wilt say I feele not my selfe to haue any righteousnes or at least wise I feele it but very litle Thou must not feele but beleue that thou hast righteousnes And except thou beleue that thou art righteous thou doest great iniurie vnto Christe who hath clensed thee by the washing of water through the word who also died vpon the crosse condemned sinne and killed death that through him thou mightest obtaine righteousnes euerlasting life These things thou canst not deny except thou wilt openly shew thy self to be wicked blasphemous against God vtterly to despise God all his promises Iesus Christe with all his benefites and so consequently thou canst not denie but that thou art righteous Let vs learne therfore in great and horrible terrours when our conscience feeleth nothing but sinne and iudgeth that God is angrie with vs and that Christ hath turned his face from vs not to folow the sense feeling of our owne hart but to stick to the word of God which saith that God is not angry but looketh to the afflicted to such as are troubled in spirite tremble at his word and that Christ turneth not himselfe away from such as labour and are heauie loden but refresheth and comforteth them This place therefore teacheth plainly that the lawe and workes bring vnto vs no righteousnes or comfort at all but this doth the holy Ghost onely in the Faith of Christe who raiseth vp hope in terrours and tribulations which endureth and ouercommeth all aduersities Very few there be that know how weake and feeble Faith and hope are vnder the crosse and in the conflict For it seemeth that they are but as smoking flaxe which is ready by by to be put out with a vehement winde But the faithfull who beleue in the middest of these assaultes and terrours hoping against hope that is to say fighting through Faith in the promise as touching Christe against the feeling of sinne and of the wrath of God doe afterwardes finde by experience that this sparke of Faith being very little as it appeareth to naturall reason for reason can scarsely feele it is as a mighty fire and swaloweth vp all our sinnes and all terrours There is nothing more deare or precious in all the world to the true children of God then this doctrine For they that vnderstand this doctrine doe know that wherof all the world is ignorant namely that sinne death and all other miseries afflictions and calamities as well corporall as spirituall doe turne to the benefite and profit of the elect Moreouer they know that God is then most nere vnto them when he seemeth to be farthest of and that he is then a most mercifull louing Sauiour when he semeth to be most angry to afflict to destroy
the necessity of his brother The greefe hereof maketh me sometimes so vnpatient that many times I wish such swine which tread precious pearles vnder their feete were yet still remaining vnder the tyrannie of the Pope For it is vnpossible that this people of Gomorrha should be gouerned by the Gospell of peace Moreouer euen we which teach the word doe not now our duetie with so great zeale and diligence in the light of the Gospell as we did afore in the darknes of ignoraunce For the more certaine we be of the freedome purchased vnto vs by Christ so much the more cold and negligent we be in handling the word in prayer in well doing and in suffering aduersites And if Sathan did not vexe vs inwardly with spirituall tentations and outwardly with the persecutions of our aduersaries and moreouer with the contempt and ingratitude of our owne fellowes we should become vtterly careles negligent and vntoward to all good workes and so in time we should lose the knowledge and Faith of Christ forsake the ministerie of the word and seeke an easier kinde of life for the flesh Which thing many of our men begin to doe for that they trauailing in the ministerie of the word can not onely not liue of their labour but also are most miserably entreated euen of those by whom they were deliuered from the seruile bondage of the Pope by the preaching of the Gospell These men forsaking poore and offensiue Christ entangle them selues with the affaires of this present life seruing their owne bellies and not Christe but with what fruite that shall they finde by experience in time to come For as much then as we know that the Deuill layeth waite most of all for vs that haue the world for the rest he holdeth in captiuitie and slauerie at his pleasure and laboureth with might and maine to take from vs the libertie of the spirite or at least wise to turne the same into the libertie of the flesh we teach and exhort our brethern with singuler care and diligence by the example of Paule that they thinke not this libertie of the spirite purchased by the death of Christ to be geuen vnto them that they should make it an occasion of carnall libertie or as Peter sayeth should vse the same as a cloke for their wickednes but that they should serue one an other through loue To the ende therfore that Christians should not abuse this libertie as I haue sayd the Apostle layeth a yoke and bondage vppon their flesh by the lawe of mutuall loue Wherefore let the godly remember that in conscience before God they be free from the curse of the lawe from sinne and from death for Christes sake but as touching the body they are seruauntes and must serue one an other through charitie according to this commaundement of Paule Let euery man therfore endeuour to doe his duetie diligently in his calling to helpe his neighbour to the vttermost of his power This is it which Paule here requireth of vs Serue ye one an other through loue Which words doe not set the Christians at libertie but shut them vnder bondage as touching the flesh Moreouer this doctrine concerning mutuall loue which we must maintaine and exercise one towardes an other can not be beaten into the heades of carnall men nor sinke into their heartes The Christians doe gladly receaue and obey this doctrine Others as soone as liberty is preached by and by doe thus inferre If I be free then may I doe what I list This thing is mine owne why then should I not sell it for as much as I may gette Moreouer seeing we obtaine not saluation by our good works why should we geue any thing to that poore Thus doe they most carelesly shake of the yoke and bondage of the flesh and turne the libertie of the spirite into wantonnes and sleshly libertie But we tell such carelesse contemners although they beleue vs not but laugh vs to scorne that if they vse their bodies and their goodes after their owne lust as in deede they doe for they neither helpe the poore nor lend to the needie but beguile their brethern in bargaining snatching scraping vnto themselues by hooke or by crooke what so euer they can gette we tell them I say that they be not free bragge they neuer so much of their libertie but haue lost Christe and Christian libertie are become the bondslaues of the Deuill and are seuen times worser vnder the name of Christian libertie then they were before vnder the tyrannie of the Pope For the Deuill which was driuen out of them hath taken vnto him seuen other feends worse then him selfe and is returned into them againe therefore the ende of these men is worse then the beginning As touching vs we haue a cōmaundemēt of God to preach the gospel which offereth to all men libertie from the law sinne death and Gods wrath frely for Christes sake if they beleue It is not in our power to conceale or reuoke this libertie now published by the Gospel for Christ hath geuen it vnto vs freely purchased it by his death Neither can we cōstraine those swine which runne headlong into all licentiousnes dissolutenes of the flesh to helpe other mē with their bodies or goodes therefore we doe what we can that is to say we diligently admonish them that they ought so to doe If we nothing preuaile by these admonitions we commit the matter to God and he will recompence these scorners with iust punishment in his good time In the meane while this is our comfort that as touching the godly our labour is not lost of whom many no doubt by our ministerie are deliuered out of the bondage of the Deuill and translated into the libertie of the spirite These which notwithstanding are but few which acknowledge the glory of this libertie of the spirit on the other side are ready through charitie to serue other men and know themselues to be detters to their brethern as touching the flesh doe more reioyce vs than the innumerable multitude of those that abuse this libertie are able to discourage vs. Paule vseth here very apte and plaine wordes when he sayeth Brethern ye are called into libertie And because no mā should dreame that he speaketh of the libertie of the flesh he expoundeth him selfe what maner of libertie he meaneth saying Onely vse not your libertie as an occasion to the flesh but serue ye one an other through loue Wherfore let euery Christian know that as touching the conscience Christ hath made him Lord ouer the lawe sinne and death so that they haue no power ouer him Cōtrariwise let him know that this outward bondage is layed vpon his body that he should serue his neighbour through loue They that vnderstand Christian libertie otherwise enioy the commodities of the Gospell to their owne destruction and are worse Idolaters vnder the name of Christe then they were before
of our neighbour In the meane time notwithstanding that we may be righteous in this life also we haue Christe the Mercie seat and throne of grace and because we beleue in him sinne is not imputed vnto vs Faith therfore is our righteousnes in this life But in the life to come when we shall be thorowly clensed and deliuered from all sinnes and concupiscence we shall haue no more neede of Faith and hope but we shall then loue perfectly It is a great errour therfore to attribute iustification or righteousnes to loue whiche is nothinge or if it be any thinge yet is it not so great that it can pacifie God for loue euen in the faithfull as I haue sayd is imperfect and impure But no vncleane thing shall enter into the kingdom of god Notwithstanding in the meane while this trust and confidence sustaineth vs that Christe who a lonely committed no sinne and in whose mouth was neuer foūd any guile doth ouershadow vs with his righteousnes We being couered with this cloud and shrouded vnder this shadow this heauen of remission of sinnes throne of grace doe begin to loue and to fulfill the law Yet for this fulfilling we are not iustified nor accepted of God whilest we liue here But whē Christ hath deliuered vp the kingdom to God his father abolished all principalitie and God shall be all in all then shall Faith and hope cease and loue shall be perfect and euerlasting 1. Cor. 13. This thing the popish Schoolemen vnderstand not and therfore when they heare that loue is the summe of the whole lawe by and by they inferre Ergo the law iustifieth Or contrariwise when they read in Paule that Faith maketh a man righteous yea say they Faith formed and furnished with charitie But that is not the meaning of Paule as I haue largely declared before If we were pure from all sinne and were inflamed with perfect loue both towardes God and our neighbour then should we in deede be righteous and holy through loue and God could require no more of vs This is not done in this present life but is differred vntill the life to come In deede we receaue here the gift and first frutes of the spirite so that we begin to loue howbeit very slenderly But if we loued God truely and perfectly as the law of God requireth which sayeth Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God vvith all thy heart vvith all thy soule and vvith all thy strength then should we be as well contented with pouertie as with wealth with paine as with pleasure with life as with death Yea he that could loue God truly and perfectly in dede should not long continue in this life but should straight way be swalowed vp by this charitie But now mans nature is so corrupt and drowned in sinne that it can not haue any right sense or cogitation of god It loueth not God but hateth him deadly Wherfore as Iohn sayth VVe loued not god but he loued vs sent his sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes And as Paule sayth before in the second Chap Christe hath loued me and geuen him selfe for me And in the .4 Chap. But vvhen the fulnes of time vvas come God sent forth his sonne made of a vvoman and made vnder the lavve that he might redeme them vvhich vvere vnder the lavv We being redemed and iustified by this Sonne begin to loue according to that saying of Paule in the .8 to the Romains That vvhich vvas impossible to the lavv in as much as it vvas vveake because of the flesh God sending his ovvne sonne in the similitude of sinnefull flesh and for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh that the righteousnes of the lavv might be fulfilled in vs that is might begin to be fulfilled They are mere dreames therfore which the Sophisters and Schoolemen haue taught concerning the fulfilling of the lawe Wherfore Paule sheweth by these words VValke in the spirit how he would haue that sentence to be vnderstād where he sayd Serue ye one an other through loue And againe Loue is the fulfillīg of the lavv c. As if he should say When I bid you loue one an other this is it that I require of you that ye walke in the spirit For I know that ye shall not fulfill the law because sinne dwelleth in you as lōg as ye liue and therfore it is impossible that ye should fulfill the law Notwithstādīg in the meane while endeuor your selues diligētly to walk in the spirit that is wrastle in spirit against the flesh folow spiritual motions c. It appeareth then that he had not forgotten the matter of iustifition For when he biddeth them to walke in the spirit he plainly denieth that works do iustifie As if he shuld say When I speake of the fulfilling of the law I meane not that ye are iustified by the law but this I meane that there be two contrary capitaines in you the spirite and the flesh God hath stirred vp in your bodies a strife and a battaile For the spirite wrastleth against the flesh the flesh against the spirit Here I require nothing else of you but that ye folow the spirit as your captaine and guide that ye resist that captaine the flesh for that is all that ye be able to doe Obey the spirit and fight against the flesh Therfore when I teach you to obserue the lawe and exhort you to loue one an other thinke not that I goe about to reuoke that which I haue taught concerning the doctrine of Faith and that now I attribute iustification to the lawe or to charitie but my meaning is that ye should walke in the spirite and that ye should not fulfill the lustes of the flesh Paule vseth very fitte wordes and to the purpose As if he would say we come not yet to the fulfilling of the lawe therefore we must walke in the spirite and be exercised therein that we may thinke say and doe those things which are of the spirite and resist those things which are of the flesh therfore he addeth Verse 16. And ye shall not fulfill the lustes of the flesh As if he would say The desires or lustes of the flesh be not yet dead in vs but spring vppe againe and fight against the spirite The flesh of no faithful man is so good which being offended would not bite and deuour or at the least omitte somewhat of that commaundement of loue Yea euen at the first brunt he can not refraine him selfe but is angrie with his neighbour desireth to be reuenged and hateth him as an enemie or at the least loueth him not so much as he should doe and as this commaundement requireth And this hapneth euen to the faithfull Therefore the Apostle hath geuen this rule for the faithfull that they should serue one an other through loue that they should beare the burdens and infirmities one of an
holy bellygods the Cleargiemen feele thinke ye who so stuffe and stretch out them selues with all kindes of daintie fare that it is maruell theyr bellies burst not Wherfore these things are wryttē not to Heremites Monks as the Papists dreame nor to sinners in the world onely but to the vniuersall church of Christ and to all the faithfull whom Paule exhorteth to walke in the spirite that they fulfill not the lusts of the flesh that is to say not onely to bridle the grosse motions of the flesh as carnall lust wrath impatiencie such like but also the spirituall motions as douting blasphemie idolatrie contempt and hatred of God c. Paule as I haue said doth not require of the godly that they should vtterly put of or destroy the flesh but that they should so bridle it that it might be subiect to the spirite In the .10 to the Rom. he biddeth vs cherish the flesh For as we may not be cruell to other mens bodies nor vexe them with vnreasonable labour euen so we may not be cruell to our owne bodies Wherfore according to Paules precept we must cherish our flesh that it may be able to indure the labours both of the minde and of the body but yet only for necessities sake and not to nourish the lustes thereof Therefore if thy flesh begin to waxe wanton represse it and bridle it by the spirite If it will not be marrie a wife for it is better to marry then to burne Thus doing thou walkest in the spirit that is thou folowest Gods word and doest his will. Verse 17. For the flesh lusteth against the spirite and the spirite against the flesh When Paule sayeth that the flesh lusteth against the spirite and the spirite against the flesh he admonisheth vs that we must feele the concupiscence of the flesh that is to say not onely carnall lust but also pride wrath heauines impatiencie incredulitie and such like Notwithstāding he would haue vs so to feele them that we consent not vnto them nor accomplish them that is that we neither thinke speake nor doe those things which the flesh prouoketh vs vnto As if it moue vs to anger yet we should be angry in such wise as we are taught in the fourth Psalme that we sinne not As if Paule would thus say I know that the flesh will prouoke you vnto wrath enuie doubting incredulitie and such like But resist it by the spirite that ye sinne not But if ye forsake the guiding of the spirite and folow the flesh ye shall fulfill the lustes of the flesh and ye shall die as Paule sayth in the .8 to the Romaines So this saying of the Apostle is to be vnderstand not of fleshly lust onely but of the whole kingdom of sinne Verse 17. And these are contrary one to the other so that ye can not doe the same things that ye vvould These two captaines or leaders sayth he the flesh and the spirit are one against an other in your body so that ye can not doe what ye would And this place witnesseth plainly that Paule wryteth these things to the faithfull that is to the church beleuing in Christ baptised iustified renewed and hauing ful forgeuenes of sinnes Yet notwithstāding he sayth that she hath flesh rebelling against the spirite After the same maner he speaketh of him selfe in the .7 to the. Rom. I sayeth he am carnall sold vnder sinne And againe I see an other lavv in my mēbers rebelling against the lavv of my minde and leading me captiue vnto the lavv of sinne vvhich is in my mēbers Also O vvretched man that I am vvho shall deliuer me from the body of this death c. Here not onely the Schoolemen but also some of the olde fathers are much troubled seeking how they may excuse Paule For it semeth vnto them absurde and vnseemely to say that that elect vessell of Christ should haue sinne But we credite Pauls owne words wherin he plainly confesseth that he is sold vnder sinne that he is led captiue of sinne that he hath a law in his mēbers rebelling against him that in the flesh he serueth the law of sinne Here againe they answer that the Apostle speaketh in the person of the wicked But the wicked do not cōplaine of the rebellion of their flesh of any battel or cōflict or of the captiuitie bōdage of sinne for sinne mightely raigneth in them This is therfore that very complaint of Paule of al the faithful Wherfore they haue done very wickedly which haue excused Paule all the faithfull to haue no sinne For by this perswasiō which procedeth of ignorāce of the doctrine of faith they haue robbed the church of a singuler consolation they haue abolished the forgeuenes of sinnes and made Christe of none effect Wherfore when Paule sayeth I see an other lavve in my members c. he denieth not that he hath flesh and the vices of the flesh in him It is likely therfore that he felt sometimes the motions of carnal lust But yet no doubt these motions were well suppressed in him by the great and grieuous afflictiōs tentations both of minde and body wherw t he was in a manner continually exercised vexed as his Epistles do declare Or if he at any time being merry strong felt the lust of the flesh wrath impatiency or such like yet he resisted them by the spirite and suffred not those motions to beare rule in him Therefore let vs in no wise suffer such comfortable places wherby Paule describeth the battaile of the flesh against the spirite in his owne body to be corrupted with such folish gloses The Schoolemen the Monkes and such other neuer felt any spirituall tentations and therfore they fought only for the repressing and ouercomming of fleshly lust and lecherie and being proude of that victorie which they neuer yet obtained they thought them selues farre better and more holy then married men I wil not say that vnder this holy pretence rhey nourished and maintained all kindes of horrible sinnes as dissension pride hatred disdaine despising of their neighbours trust in their owne righteousnes presumption contempt of all godlines and of the word of God infidelitie blasphemie and such like Against these sinnes they neuer fought Nay rather they toke them to be no sinnes at all They put righteousnes in the keeping of their foolish and wicked vowes and vnrighteousnes in the neglecting and contemning of the same But this must be our ground and ankerholde that Christ is our onely and perfect righteousnes If we haue nothing whervnto we may trust yet these three things as Paule sayth Faith hope and loue doe remaine Therefore we must alwayes beleue and alwayes hope we must alwayes take hold of Christe as the head and fountaine of our righteousnes He that beleueth in him shal not be ashamed Moreouer we must labour to be outwardly righteous also that is to say not to
waked and stirred vppe to Faith and to call vppon Christe And by this occasion a Christian becommeth a mighty workman and a wonderful creatour which of heauines can make ioy of terrour comfort of sinne righteousnes and of death life when he by this meanes repressing and brideling the flesh maketh it subiect to the spirite Wherfore let not them which feele the lust of the flesh despaire of their saluation Lette them feele it and all the force thereof so that they consent not to it Lette the passions of lust wrath and such other vices shake them so that they doe not ouerthrow them Let sinne assaile them so that they doe not accōplish it Yea the more godly a man is the more doth he feele that battaile And hereof come those lamentable complaintes of the faithfull in the Psalmes and in the whole Scripture Of this battaile the Heremites the Monkes and the Schoolemen and all that seeke righteousnes and saluation by workes know nothing at all But here may some man say that it is a daungerous matter to teach that a man is not condemned if by and by he ouercome not the motions and passions of the flesh which he feeleth For when this doctrine is taught amongst the common people it maketh them carelesse negligent and slouthfull This is it which I sayd a little before that if we teach Faith then carnall men neglect and reiecte workes If works be required then is Faith and consolation of conscience lost Here no man can be compelled neither can there be any certaine rule prescribed But lette euery man diligently trie him selfe to what passion of the flesh he is most subiect and when he findeth that lette him not be carelesse nor flatter him selfe but lette him watch and wrastle in spirite against it that if he can not altogether bridle it yet at the least he doe not fulfill the lust therof This battell of the flesh against the spirit all the children of God haue had and felt And the selfe same doe we also feele and proue He that searcheth his owne cōscience if he be not an hypocrite shall well perceaue that to be true in him selfe which Paule here saith that the flesh lusteth against the spirit All the faithfull therfore do feele and confesse that their flesh resisteth against the spirit and that these two are so contrarye the one to the other in themselues that doe what they can they are not able to performe that which they woulde doe Therefore the fleshe hindreth vs the we cannot keepe the commaundementes of God that we can not loue our neighbours as our selues much lesse can we loue God with all our heart Therefore it is impossible for vs to become righteous by the works of the law In deede there is a good will in vs and so must there be for it is the spirit it self which resisteth the flesh which would gladly doe good fulfill the lawe loue God and his neighbour and such like but the flesh obeyeth not this good will but resisteth it and yet God imputeth not vnto vs this sinne For he is mercifull to those that beleue for Christes sake But it foloweth not therefore that thou shouldest make a light matter of sinne because God doth not impute it True it is that he doth not impute it But to whom and for what cause To such as repent and lay hold by Faith vppon Christe the Mercyseat for whose sake as all their sinnes are forgeuen them euen so that remnants of sinne which are in them be not imputed vnto them They make not their sinne lesse thē it is but amplifie it set it out as it is in dede for they know that it can not be put away by satisfactions works or righteousnes but only by the death of Christe And yet notwithstanding the greatnes and enormitie of their sinne doth not cause them to despaire but they assure thēselues that the same shall not be imputed vnto them or laid vnto their charge This I say lest any man shoulde thinke that after faith is receaued there is litle accoūt to be made of sinne Sinne is truely sinne whether a man commit it before he hath receaued the knowledge of Christe or after And God alwayes hateth sinne yea all sinne is damnable as touchinge the facte it selfe But in that it is not damnable to him that beleueth it commeth of Christe who by his death hath taken away sinne But to him that beleueth not in Christe not onely all his sinnes are damnable but euen his good workes also are sinne according to that saying VVhatsoeuer is not of Faith is sinne Therefore the errour of the Scholemen is moste pernicious which do distinguish sinnes according to the fact and not according to the person He that beleueth hath as great sinne as the vnbeleuer But to him that beleueth it is forgeuen and not imputed To the vnbeleuer it is not pardoned but imputed To the beleuer it is veniall to the vnbeleuer it is mortall and damnable Not for any difference of sinnes or because the sinne of the beleuer is lesse and the sinne of the vnbeleuer greater but for the difference of the persons For the faithfull assureth him selfe by Faith that his sinne is forgeuen him for as much as Christe hath geuen him selfe for it Therfore although he haue sinne in him and daily sinneth yet he continueth godly but contrariwise the vnbeleuer continueth wicked And this is the true wisedome and consolation of the godly that although they haue and commit sinnes yet they know that for Christes sake they are not imputed vnto them This I say for the comfort of the godly For they onely feele in deede that they haue and doe commit sinnes that is to say they feele that they doe not loue God so feruently as they should doe that they doe not beleue him so hartely as they would but rather they oftētimes dout whether God haue a care of them or no they are impatient and are angrie with God in aduersitie Hereof as I haue sayd proceede the sorowfull complaintes of the faithfull in the scriptures and specially in the Psalmes And Paule him selfe complaineth that he is solde vnder sinne And here he saith that the flesh resisteth rebelleth against the spirit But because they mortifie the deedes of that flesh by the spirite as he sayth in an other place also in the ende of this chapiter They crucifie the flesh vvith the desires and lustes thereof therefore these sinnes doe not hurt them nor condemne them But if they obey the flesh in fulfilling the lustes thereof then doe they lose Faith and the holy Ghost And if they doe not abhorre their sinne and returne vnto Christ who hath geuen power to his church to receaue and raise vppe those that be falne that so they may recouer Faith and the holy Ghost they die in their sinnes Wherefore we speake not of them which dreame that they haue Faith and
yet continue still in their sinnes These men haue their iudgement already They that liue after the flesh shall die Also The vvorkes of the flesh are manifest vvhich are adulterie fornication vncleannes vvantonnes idolatrie vvitchcraft hatred debate emulations vvrath contentions seditions heresies enuie murthers drunkennes gluttonie and such like vvhereof I tell you before as also I haue told you that they vvhich doe such things shall not inherite the kingdom of God. Hereby we may see who be the very Saincts in dede They be not stocks stones as the Monkes and Scholemen dreame so that they are neuer moued with any thing neuer feele any lusts or desires of the flesh but as Paule sayth their flesh lusteth against the spirit and therfore they haue sinne and both can doe sinne And the .32 Psalme witnesseth that the faithfull doe confesse their vnrighteousnes pray that the wickednes of their sinne may be forgeuen where it sayeth I vvill confesse against my selfe my vvickednes vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne Therefore shall euery one that is godly make his prayer vnto thee c. Moreouer the whole Church which in deede is holy prayeth that her sinnes may be forgeuen her and it beleueth the forgeuenes of sinnes And in the .143 Psalme Dauid prayeth O Lord enter not into iudgement vvith thy seruaunt for in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustified And in the .130 Psalm If thou O Lord shouldest straitly marke iniquities Lord vvho shall stand in thy presence But vvith thee is mercy c. Thus doe the cheefest saincts and children of God speake and pray as Dauid Paule c. All the faithfull therfore doe speake and pray the same thing and with the same spirit The popish Sophisters read not the Scriptures or if they read thē they haue a veile before their eyes and therfore as they can not iudge rightly of any thing so can they not iudge rightly either of sinne or of holines Verse 18. If ye be led by the spirite ye are not vnder the lavve Paule cannot forget his doctrine of Faith but still repeateth it beateth it into their heades yea euen when he treateth of good works Here some man may obiect How can it be that we should not be vnder the law and yet thou notwithstanding O Paule teachest vs that we haue flesh which lusteth against the spirit fighteth against vs tormēteth vs and bringeth vs into bondage And in deede we feele sinne and can not be deliuered from the feeling therof though we would neuer so faine And what is this else but to be vnder the law But sayth he Let this nothing trouble you onely doe your endeuour that ye may be led by the spirite that is to say shew your selues willing to folow obey that will which resisteth the flesh and doth not accomplish the lustes thereof for this is to be led and to be drawne by the spirite then are ye not vnder the lawe So Paule speaketh of himselfe Rom. 7. In my minde I serue the lavve of God that is to say In spirit I am not subiect to any sinne but yet in my flesh I serue the law of sinne The faithfull then are not vnder the lawe that is to say in spirite for the law can not accuse them nor pronounce sentence of death against them although they feele sinne and confesse them selues to be sinners For the power and strength of the lawe is taken from it by Christ vvho vvas made subiect to the lavve that he might redeme them vvhich vvere vnder the lavve Therefore the lawe cannot accuse that for sinne in the faithfull which is sinne in deede and committed against the lawe So great then is the power and dominion of the spirite that the lawe cannot accuse the godly though they commit that which is sinne in deede For Christe is our righteousnes whom we apprehend by Faith he is without all sinne and therfore the law can not accuse him As long as we cleaue fast vnto him we are ledde by the spirite and are free from the lawe And so the Apostle euen when he teacheth good workes forgetteth not his doctrine concerning Iustification but alwayes sheweth that it is impossible for vs to be iustified by workes For the remnants of sinne cleaue fast in our flesh and therefore so long as our flesh liueth it ceaseth not to lust contrary to the spirite Notwithstanding there cometh no daunger vnto vs thereby because we be free from the law so that we walke in the spirite And with these wordes If ye be ledde by the spirite ye be not vnder the lavve thou maist greatly comfort thy selfe and others that be greeuously tempted For it oftentimes commeth to passe that a mā is so vehemently assailed with wrath hatred impatiencie carnall desire terrour and anguish of spirite or some other lust of the flesh that he can not shake them of though he would neuer so faine What should he doe in this case Should he despaire No God forbid but let him say thus with him selfe Thy flesh fighteth and rageth against the spirite Let it rage as long as it listeth onely see thou that in any case thou consent not to it to fulfill the lusts therof but walke wisely folow the leading of the spirit In so doing thou art free from the law It accuseth and terrifieth thee I graunt but altogether in vaine In this conflict therfore of the flesh against the spirit there is nothing better then to haue the word of God before thine eyes and therin to seeke the comfort of the spirite And let not him which suffereth this temptation be dismayed in that the Deuil can so aggrauate sinne that during the conflict he thinketh him selfe to be vtterly ouerthrowne and feeleth nothing else but the wrath of God and desperation Here in any wise let him not folow his owne feeling and the iudgement of reason but lette him take sure hold of this saying of Paule If ye be led by the spirite that is to wit if ye raise vp and comfort your selues through faith in Christ ye be not vnder the lawe So shall he haue a strong buckler wherewith he may beat backe all the fierie dartes which that wicked feende assaileth him withall How much so euer then the flesh doe boyle and rage yet can not all her motions and rages hurt cōdemne him for as much as he folowing the guiding of the spirite doth not consent vnto the flesh nor fulfill the lustes thereof Therefore when the motions of the flesh doe rage the onely remedie is to take to vs the sword of the spirite that is to say the word of saluation which is that God would not the death of a sinner but that he cōuert liue and to fight against them Which if we doe let vs not doubt but we shall obtaine the victorie although so long as the battaile endureth we feele the plaine
trust in his death and victorie theyr strait and painfull life auailed them nothing at all These things sufficiently declare who be the true Sainctes in deede and which is to be called a holy life Not the life of those which lurke in caues dennes which make their bodies leane with fasting which weare hear and doe other like things with this perswasion and trust that they shall haue some singular reward in heauen aboue all other Christians but of those which be baptised and beleue in Christ which put of the olde man with his workes but not at once For concupiscence and lust remaineth in them so long as they liue the feeling wherof doth hurt them nothing at all if they suffer it not to raigne in them but subdue it to the spirite This doctrine bringeth great consolation to godly mindes that when they feele these dartes of the flesh wherewith Sathan assaileth the spirite they should not despaire As it hapneth to many in the Papacie which thought that they ought to feele no concupiscence of the flesh where as notwithstanding Hierome Gregorie Benedict Barnard and others whom the Monks set before them as a perfect example of chastitie and of all Christian vertues could neuer come so farre as to feele no concupiscence or lust of the flesh Yea they felt it and that very strongly Which thing they acknowledge and plainly confesse in diuers places of their bookes Therfore we rightly confesse in the articles of our beleefe that we beleue there is a holy Church For it is inuisible dwelling in spirit in a place that none can attaine vnto and therefore her holines can not be seene For God doth so hide and couer her with infirmities with sinnes with errours with diuers formes of the crosse and offences that according to the iudgement of reason it is no where to be seene They that are ignorant of this when they see the infirmities and sinnes of those which are baptised which haue the word and beleue it are by and by offended and iudge them not to pertaine to the Church And in the meane while they dreame that the Heremites the Monks and such other shauelings are the church which honour God with their lippes and worship him in vaine because they folow not the word of God but the doctrines and commaundements of men teach others to doe the same And because they doe certaine superstitious and monstrous works which carnal reason magnifieth and highly estemeth therfore they iudge them only to be Saincts and to be the church And in so doing they chaunge and turne this article of the Faith cleane contrary I beleue that there is a holy church c. and in the steede of this word I beleue they put in I see These kinds of righteousnes holines of mans owne deuising are nothing else but spiritual sorceries wherw t the eyes minds of mē are blinded led frō the knowledge of true holines But thus teach we that the Church hath no spot nor wrinkle but is holy and yet through Faith onely in Christ Iesus Againe that she is holy in life and cōuersation by abstaining from the lusts of the flesh and exercise of spirituall works but yet not in such sort that he is deliuered from all euill desires or purged from all wicked opinions and errours For the church alwayes confesseth her sinnes prayeth that her faults may be pardoned Also she beleueth the forgeuenes of sinnes The Saincts therfore doe sinne fall and also erre but yet through ignorance For they would not willingly deny Christe forsake the Gospell c therefore they haue remission of sinnes And if through ignorance they erre also in doctrine yet is this pardoned for in the ende they acknowledge their errour and rest onely vppon the truth and the grace of God offered in Christe as Hierome Gregorie Bernard and others did Let Christians then endeuour to auoide the workes of the flesh but the desires or lustes of the flesh they can not auoide It is very profitable therfore for them to feele the vncleane lustes of the flesh lest they should be puffed vp with some vaine wicked opinion of the righteousnes of their owne works as though they were accepted before God for the same The Monks being puffed vp with this opinion of their owne righteousnes thought thēselues to be so holy that they solde their righteousnes holines to others although they were cōuinced by the testimony of their owne hearts that they were vncleane So pernitious and pestilent a poyson it is for a mā to trust in his owne righteousnes to thinke himselfe to be cleane But the godly because they feele the vnclennes of their owne harts therfore they cānot trust to their own righteousnes This feeling so maketh thē to stoupe so hūbleth them that they cannot trust to their owne good workes but are constrained to flie vnto Christe their Mercy seat and onely succour who hath not a corrupt and sinfull but a most pure and holy flesh which he hath geuen for the life of the world in him they finde a sound and perfect righteousnes Thus they continue in humilitie not counterfet and Monkish but true and vnfained because of the vncleanes which yet remaineth in their flesh for the which if God would straitly iudge them they should be foūd giltie of eternal death But because they lift not vp thē selues proudly against God but with a broken a cōtrite heart humbly acknowledging their sinnes resting wholy vppon the benefite of the Mediatour Christ they come forth into the presence of God and pray that for his sake their sinnes may be forgeuen them God spreadeth ouer them an infinite heauen of grace and doth not impute vnto them their sinnes for Christes sake This I say to the end that we may take heede of the pernicious errours of the Papists touching the holines of life wherin our minds were so wrapped that without great difficultie we could not winde our selues out of them Wherfore doe your endeuour with diligence that ye may discerne and rightly iudge betwene true righteousnes or holines and that which is hypocriticall then shall ye behold the kingdom of Christ with other eyes then carnall reason doth that is with spirituall eyes and certainly iudge those to be true Sainctes in deede which are baptised and beleue in Christe and afterwardes in the same Faith wherby they are iustified and their sinnes both past and present are forgeuen doe abstaine from the desires of the flesh But from these desires they are not thorowly clensed for the flesh lusteth against the spirite Notwithstanding these vncleane rebellious lustes doe still remaine in them to this ende that they may be humbled and being so humbled they may feele the sweetenes of the grace and benefite of Christe So these remnauntes of vncleane lustes and sinnes doe nothing at all hinder but greatly furder the godly For the more they feele
Here is no colouring or new outward shew but a thing done in deede Here is created an other sense and an other iudgement that is to say altogether spirituall which abhorreth those things that before it greatly estemed The Mōkish life and Order did so bewitch vs in time past that we thought there was no other way to saluation But now we iudge of it farre otherwise We are now ashamed of those things which we adored as most heauēly and holy before we were regenerate into this new creature Wherfore the chaunging of garments other outward things is not a new creature as the Monkes dreame but it is the renewing of the minde by the holy Ghost after the which foloweth a chaunge of the members and senses of the whole body For when the heart hath conceaued a new light a new iudgement and new motions through the Gospell it commeth to passe that the inward senses are also renewed for the eares desire to heare the word of God and not the traditiōs and dreames of men The mouth and tounge doe not vaunt of their owne works righteousnes and Rules but they set forth the mercy of God onely offered vnto vs in Christ These chaunges consist not in words but are effectuall and bring a new spirit a new will new senses new operations of the flesh so that the eyes eares mouth and tounge doe not onely see heare and speake otherwise than they did before but the minde also approueth loueth and foloweth an other thing than it did before For before being blinded with popish errours and darknes it imagined God to be a marchaūt who would sell vnto vs his grace for our works and merites But now in the light of the Gospell it assureth vs that we are counted righteous by faith onely in Christ Therfore it now reiecteth all wilworkes and accomlisheth the workes of charitie of our vocation cōmaunded by god It praiseth magnifieth God it reioyceth and glorieth in the only trust and confidence of Gods mercy through Iesus Christ If it must suffer any trouble or affliction it endureth the same cherefully and gladly although the flesh repine and grudge thereat This Paule calleth a new creature Verse 16. And to as many as vvalke according to this rule peace be vpon them and mercy This he addeth as a conclusion This is the onely and true rule wherin we ought to walke namely the new creature which is neither circumcision nor vncircumcision but the new man created vnto the image of God in righteousnes true holines which inwardly is righteous in the spirite and outwardly is holy and cleane in the flesh The Monkes haue a righteousnes and holines but it is hypocriticall and wicked because they hope not to be iustified by onely faith in Christe but by the keping of their Rule Moreouer although outwardly they counterfet an holines and refraine their eyes handes tounge other members from euill yet they haue an vncleane heart ful of filthy lust enuie wrath lecherie idolatrie contempt and hatred of God blasphemie against Christe c. for they are most spitefull and cruell enemies of the truth Wherefore the Rule and religion of the Monkes is most wicked and accursed of God. But this rule whereof Paule speaketh in this place is blessed by the which we liue in the Faith of Christe and are made newe creatures that is to say righteous and holy in deede by the holy ghost without any colouring or coūterfetting To them which walke after this rule belongeth peace that is the fauour of God forgeuenes of sinnes quietnes of conscience and mercy that is to say helpe in afflictions and pardon of the remnantes of sinne which remaine in our flesh Yea although they which walke after this rule be ouertaken with any sinne yet for that they are the children of grace and peace mercy vpholdeth them so that their sinne and fall shall not be layd vnto their charge Verse 16. And vpon the Israel of God. Here he toucheth the false apostles and Iewes which gloried of their fathers bragged that they were the people of God that they had the lawe c. As if he sayd They are the Israel of God which with faithfull Abraham beleue the promises of God offered already in Christ whether they be Iewes or Gentiles and not they which are begotten of Abraham Isaac and Iacob after the flesh This matter is largely handled before in the third Chapter Verse 17. From hence forth let no man put me to busines He concludeth his Epistle with a certaine indignation As if he sayd I haue faithfully taught the Gospel as I haue receaued it by the reuelation of Iesus Christ Who so will not folow it let him folowe what he will so that hereafter he trouble me no more At a word this is my censure that Christe which I haue preached is the onely high Priest and Sauiour of the world Therefore either lette the world walke according to this rule of which I haue spoken here thorough out all this Epistle or else let it perish for euer Verse 17. For I beare in my body the markes of the Lord Iesus This is the true meaning of this place The markes that be in my body doe shew well enough whose seruaunt I am If I sought to please men requiring circumcision the keeping the law as necessary to saluation and reioysing in your flesh as the false apostles doe I needed not to beare these markes in my body But because I am the seruaunt of Iesus Christe and walke after a true rule that is I openly teach and confesse that no man can obtaine the fauour of God righteousnes and saluation but by Christe alone therfore it behoueth me to beare the badges of Christe my Lord which be not markes of mine owne procuring but are laid vppon me against my will by the world and the Deuill for none other cause but for that I preach Iesus to be Christe He calleth therefore the stripes and sufferings which he did beare in his body markes also the fierie dartes of the Deuill anguish and terrour of spirite c. Of these sufferings he maketh mention euery where in his Epistles As Luke also doth in the Acts. I thinke sayth he that God hath sette forth vs the last Apostles as men appoynted to death For vve are made a gasing stocke vnto the vvorld and to the aungels and to men Againe Vnto this houre vve both hunger and thirst and are naked and are buffeted and haue no certaine dvvelling place and labour vvorking vvith our ovvne handes VVe are reuiled vve are persecuted vve are euill spoken of vve are made as the filth of the vvorld the ofscouring of all things Also in an other place In much patience in afflictions in necessities in distresses in stripes in prisonmentes in tumultes in labours by vvatchings by fastings c. And againe In labours more aboundant in stripes aboue
iust doth liue by faith The differeÌ„ce betvvene a true and a false faith The formed faith of the Scholemen True faith before God. Faith only taketh holde of Christ The lavv teacheth loue Deut. 6.5 Mat. 22.37 Mar. 12.29 Exod. 20.6 Mat. 22.40 The beleuing man obtaineth righteousnes and euerlasting life vvith out the lavve and charitie The promise and the lavv faith and vvorks are separate the one from the other The lavv Faith. They that doe the lavv morally The righteousnes of the lavv Galat. 3 1â— The righteousnes of faith Verse 11. The office of the lavv and the office of faith Fides formata Fides informis Fides acquisita such other are cursed and monstrous termes deuised by the Papistes The office of the lavve VVhere is he that doth the lavve The office of faith Rom. 10. â— Rom. 10.4 Christ the end of the lavv Galat. 4.4 5. The Godly do the lavve 1. Cor. 11.11 VVhen faith hath an ondâ— VVho they are that Paule calleth righteous To doe the lavve A double vse of the lavve The imaginatioÌ„ of Ierome vnderstanding Paule as though he spake of the lavv but morally and as it is separate from faith A picture of al Hypocrites Mat 15.9 Rom. 7.23 Remnauntes of sinne in the Sainctes and in the elect of God. Deutâ—â— â—1 â—5 Deut. 3â— â—5 Christ bearing the curse not for himselfe VVhat this vvorde for us importeth Christ tooke vpon him the person of a transgressour and therefore must be hanged Esay 53.12 Christ the greatest sinner of all others because he bare the sinnes of the vvhole vvorld Esay 53.5 Mat. 8 17. 1. Pet. 2. â—â— Christ tooke our sinnes vpon him VVhat incommodities follovve of the doctrine of the ScholemeÌ„ Christ must be vvrapped as vvell in our sinnes as in our flesh and bloud An obiection that Christ ought not to be called a Curse Christ is made a Curse and become sinne for vs 2. Cor. 5. â— Io. 1.29 Christ the Lambe of God 1. Pet. 2.22 Our sinne must become Christes ovvne sinne Esay 53.6 Psal. 40 1â— A singular coÌ„solation of the faithfull * He alludeth to the brasen Serpent The faith of the Papistes formed and made perfect vvith charity Our sinnes are taken avvay by Christ alone Of vvhat pointes the doctrine of the Gospell encreateth The lavv hath accused and killed Christ The article of iustification * This opposition called Antithesis is a comparing and matching of tvvo contraties together 1. Cor. 15.57 A maruelous comâ—ate betvvene sinne and righteousnes in Christ Righteousnes Sinne. Righteousnes the conquerour of sinne The combate betvvene life and death The conquered life the vanquisher of death Hoseas 13.34 The conflict of the curse vvith the blessing Christ the ouercommer of the Curse Colos 2.15 In him selfe Sinne and death abolished to all beleuers Io. 5.40 They that deny the article of the Diuiniti of Christ deny also the article of redeÌ„ption They become Turkes and Gentiles vvhich denie the Diuinitie of Christ Christ God by nature The blindnes and vvickednes of the Papistes The harnesse of Christians â–ª set out Ephes 6. The vvorke of God to abolish death and to geue life 2. Pet. 2. â—1 Luke 11.26 VVhat maner of doctrine the doctrine of the Gospell iâ— Christ tooke our sinnes of his ovvne accord and therfore it behoued him to be made a Curse for them Philip. 2.7 Faith onely layeth holde vpon the victory of Christe The Deuil and heretikes lie in vvait to deceaue the Godly I beleue that there is an holy Church The vveaknes of the godly VVhat the Sophisters thinke of Christe Esay 5â— To the beleuers sinne and death are aboliâ—hed The remnants of sinne dead in the saincts Christ hath redemed vs froÌ„ the Curse therfore not the lavve By nature vve are all vnder the Curse but Christ hath redemed al that beleue in him All men yea the most holy remaine vnder the Curse vvithout Christ Hovve Christ is truely knovven 2. Cor. 5.25 Christ is made a Curse and sinne for vs. All the curses of the lavve be laid vpon Christ This is a most sure argumeÌ„t taken out of the vvhole lavve Paule diligently vvayeth this sentence of Genesis In thy seede c. All nations The Ievves attained not to righteousnes through the lavve Rom. 10. In thy seede Christ became accursed that he might blesse all nations Hovv the nations vvere deliuered froÌ„ the Curse In one person Christ ioyneth God and maÌ„ together Hypocrites are offended at the doctrin of the gospell Psa 88.15.16 The true mysteries The Fathers of the old Testament reioyced more of the benefite of Christ then vve doe The proper office of Apostles The blessing geuen vnto the Gentiles by Christe The vvorde Blessing Our desert vvherby vve obtaine the Blessing The vvay hovv to escape the Curse Our sinnes are cast vpon Christ and his righteousnes is geuen vnto vs. The mercy of God tovvards sinners vnspeakeable The greatnes of Gods mercy is so exceeding that it can scant be beleued Of vvhat things the Gospell entreateth The promise of the spirite The nature of Faith. Verse 14. VVhat maner of doctrine the Apostolicall doctrine is The chaunge of things reserrued to Christ alone Exod. â—0 The first commaundement the spring of all the vvisedom of God. Humaine things must be confirmed by diuine things and not contrarivvise diuine things by humaine things An argument taken from Gods creatures holdeth The often vse of similitudes in the holy scriptures Math. 7.11 Rom 13. Ierems 3â— 16 VVhen arguing from humaâ—ne things is of force VVhen it is not of force Our loue is corrupted The testament of a maÌ„ is not chaunged Gods Testament is chauÌ„ged A Testament or last vvill is confirmed by the death of him that maketh it The TestameÌ„t of God ought to be kept vvith greater fidelitie then mans Testament The TestameÌ„t oâ— last VVill of God. VVho are the destroyers of Gods Testament The nature of hypocrites Paule calleth the promise a Testament The TestameÌ„t of man is a shadovve of Gods Testament Christ the Seede promised to Abraham An obiectioÌ„ of the Ievves Paule confuteth the obiection of the Ievves VVhy the lavv is added to the promise The letters he calleth the vvritten vvill or Testament The promise is confirmed by the lavve therefore not abolished VVhat discommoditie should follovve if the lavve should abolish the promise The lavv doth not abrogate the promise but Faith laying hold vpon the promise doth abrogate the lavv The vvritten lavve A Similitude AbrahaÌ„ vvas not made righteous by the lavve for vvhen he liued ther vvas no lavve VVhat maner of arguments Paule vseth The lavv and the promise must be distinguished Both the lavv and the promise must haue their ovvne proper places appoynted vnto them VVhat incommodities follovve of the mingling of the lavve and the promise together The promise must not be confounded vvith the lavve The argument touching the promise The office of the lavve Galat. 3 1â— Galat. 3.10 1. Cor. 15.56 Verse 14. A difference
an other lawgeuer which requireth good workes but vnto Christ our Iustifier and Sauiour that by Faith in him we might be iustified and not by workes But when a man feeleth the force and strength of the law he doth not vnderstand nor beleue this Therefore he sayth I haue liued wickedly for I haue transgressed all the commaundements of God and therfore I am giltie of eternall death If God would prolong my life certaine yeres or at least certaine moneths I would amend my life and liue holily hereafter Here of the true vse of the lawe he maketh an abuse Reason being ouertaken in these terrours and streites is bolde to promise vnto God the fulfilling of all the workes of the whole law And hereof came so many sectes and swarmes of Monkes and religious hypocrites so many ceremonies and so many workes deuised to deserue grace and remission of sinnes And they which deuised these things thought that the lawe was a Scholemaster to lead thē not vnto Christ but to a new lawe or vnto Christe as a lawgeuer and not as one that hath abolished the lawe But the true vse of the lawe is to teach me that I am brought to the knowledge of my sinne humbled that so I may come vnto Christ and may be iustified by Faith. But Faith is neither lawe nor worke but an assured confidence which apprehendeth Christ vvho is the end of the lavv Rom. 10. And how Not that he hath abolished the olde law and geuen a newe or that he is a iudge which must be pacified by workes as the Papistes haue taught but he is the ende of the lawe to all those that beleue that is to say euery one that beleueth in him is righteous and the lawe shall neuer accuse him The lawe then is good holy and iust so that a man vse it as he should doe Nowe they that abuse the lawe are first the hypocrites which attribute vnto the law a power to iustifie and secondly they which doe despaire not knowing that the lawe is a Scholemaster to lead men vnto Christ that is to say that the lawe humbleth them not to their destruction but to their saluation For God woundeth that he may heale againe he killeth that he may quicken againe Now Paule as before I haue sayd speaketh of those that are to be iustified and not of those which are iustified already Therefore when thou goest about to reason as concerning the lawe thou must take the matter of the lawe or that whervpon the lawe worketh namely the sinner and the wicked person whom the lawe iustifieth not but setteth sinne before his eyes casteth him downe and bringeth him to the knowledge of him selfe it sheweth vnto him hell the wrath and the iudgement of god This is in deede the proper office of the law Then foloweth the vse of this office to witte that the sinner may knowe that the lawe doth not reueale vnto him his sinne and thus humbleth him to the ende he should despaire but that by this accusing and brusing it may driue him vnto Christ the Sauiour and comforter When this is done he is no longer vnder the Scholemaster And this vse is very necessary For seeing the whole world is ouerwhelmed with sinne it hath neede of this ministerie of the lawe that sinne may be reuealed Otherwise no man should euer attaine to righteousnes as before we haue largely declared But what worketh the lawe in them which are already iustified by Christ Paule aunswereth by these wordes which are as it were an addition to that which goeth before Verse 25. But after that Faith is come vve are no longer vnder the Scholemaster That is to say we are free from the lawe from the prison and from our Scholemaster for when Faith is reuealed the lawe terrifieth and tormenteth vs no more Paule here speaketh of Faith as it was preached and published vnto the world by Christ in a certaine time before appoynted For Christ taking vppon him our flesh came once into the world he abolished the lawe with all his effectes and deliuered from eternall death all those which receaue his benefite by Faith. If therefore ye looke vnto Christe and that which he hath done there is now no lawe For he comming in the time appoynted tooke away the lawe Nowe since the law is gone we are not kept vnder the tyrannie therof any more but we liue in ioy and safetie vnder Christ who now sweetely raigneth in vs by his spirit Now where the Lord raigneth there is libertie Wherefore if we could perfectly apprehend Christe which hath abolished the lawe by his death and hath reconciled vs vnto his father that Scholemaster should haue no power ouer vs at all But the lawe of the members rebelling against the lawe of the minde letteth vs that we can not perfectly lay hold vppon Christe The lacke therfore is not in Christ but in vs which haue not yet put of this flesh to the which sinne continually cleaueth as long as we liue Wherfore as touching our selues we are partly free from the law and partly vnder the lawe According to the spirite vve serue vvith Paule the lavve of God but according to the flesh the lavve of sinne Rom. 7. Hereof it foloweth that as touching the conscience we are fully deliuered from the law therfore that Scholemaster must not rule in the cōscience that is he must not afflict the conscience with his terrours threatnings and captiuitie And albeit it goe about to vexe to trouble the conscience neuer so much yet is she not moued therewith. For she hath Christ crucified before her eyes who hath remoued out of the cōscience all the offices of the law putting out the handvvriting of ordinaunces that vvas against vs c. Coloss 2. Therfore euen as a virgin knoweth no man so the conscience must not onely be ignorāt of the law but also it must be vtterly dead vnto the law the law likewise vnto the conscience This is not done by any works or by the righteousnes of the law but by faith which apprehendeth and layeth hold vpon Christ notwithstanding sinne cleaueth still in the flesh as touching the effect thereof which oftentimes accuseth troubleth the conscience So long then as the flesh doth remaine so long this Scholemaster the law doth also remaine which many times terrifieth the conscience maketh it heauie by reuealing of sinne threatning of death Yet is it raised vppe again by the daily cōming of Christ who as he came once into the world at the time before appoynted to redeme vs from the hard and sharpe seruitude of our Scholemaster euen so he commeth daily vnto vs spiritually to the ende that we may encrease in faith and in the knowledge of him that the conscience may apprehend him more fully and perfectly from day to day and that the lawe of the flesh and of sinne with the terrour of death and all euils that