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
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
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
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
require to all manner of burdens and daungers of this present life because he knoweth that this is the will of God that this obedience is acceptable vnto him Thus farre as concerning the argument of this Epistle which S. Paule hath taken in hand to entreate of taking occasion of false teachers which had darkened this righteousnes of faithe amongst the Galathians against whom he commendeth his authority and office The first Chapter Verse 1. Paule an Apostle not of man neither by man but by Iesus Christ and God the father vvhich hath raised him from the dead NOwe that we haue declared the argument and summe of this Epistle to the Galathians we thinke it good before we come to the matter it selfe to shewe what was the occasion that S. Paule wrote this Epistle He had planted among the Galathians the pure doctrine of the gospell and the righteousnesse of faith but by and by after his departure there crept in certaine false teachers which ouerthrew all that he had planted and rightly taught among them For the Deuill can no otherwise doe but furiously impugne this doctrine with all force and subteltie neuer resteth whilest he seeth one sparke therof remaining We also for this onely cause that we preach the gospel do suffer of the world the deuill his ministers bothe on the left hand and on the right all the mischeefe that they can worke against vs. For the gospell is such a doctrine as teacheth a farre higher matter then is the wisedome righteousnes and religion of the world that is to say free remission of sinnes through Christ c. It leaueth these things in their degree to be as they are and commendeth them as the good creatures of god But the world preferreth these creatures before the creator and moreouer by them would put away sinne be deliuered from death deserue euerlasting life This doth the gospel condemne Contrariwise the world can not suffer those things to be condemned which it most esteemeth and best liketh of and therfore it chargeth the gospel that it is a seditious doctrine and full of errors and that it ouerthroweth common wealthes countreis dominions kingdomes and Empires and therfore offendeth both against God the Emperour abolishâ—â—h lawes corrupteth good manners and setteth all men at libertie to doe what they list Wherfore the world in his moste feruent zeale and high seruice of God as to him it seemeth persecuteth this doctrine and abhoreth the teachers and professors therof as the greatest plague that can be in the whole earth Moreouer by the preaching of this doctrine the deuill is ouerthrowne his kingdome is destroyed the lawe sinne and death wherwith as most mightie and inuincible tyraunts he hath brought all maÌ„kinde in subiection vnder his tyrannie are wrested out of his handes Brefely his prisoners are translated out of the kingdome of darknes into the kingdome of light libertie Should the deuill suffer all this Should not the father of lies employ all his force and subtile policies to darkeÌ„ to corrupt and vtterly to roote out this doctrine of saluation and euerlasting life In deede S. Paule coÌ„plaineth in this and all other his Epistles that euen in his time the deuill shewed him selfe a cuÌ„ning workeman in this businesse We thought good to shewe heere by the way that the gospell is such a doctrine as condemneth all manner of righteousnes and preacheth the onely righteousnes of Christ and to them that embrace the same it bringeth peace of conscience and all good thinges and yet notwithstanding the world hateth and persecuteth it most bitterly I said that the occasion why S. Paule wrote this Epistle was for that by and by after his departure false teachers had destroyed those thinges among the Galathians which he with long and greate trauel had builded And these false Apostles being of the circumcision secte of the Phariseis were men of great estimation and authoritie which bragged among the people that they were of that holy chosen stock of the Iewes that they were Israelites of the seede of Abraham that they had the promises and the fathers and finally that they were the ministers of Christ and the Apostles schollers with whom they had bene conuersant had seene their miracles and perhaps had also wrought some signes or miracles them selues For Christ witnesseth that the wicked also doe worke miracles Moreouer these false Apostles by all the crafty meanes they could deuise defaced the authority of S. Paule saying Why doe ye so highly esteeme of Paule why haue ye him in so great reuerence Forsoth he was but the last of all that were conuerted vnto Christ But we are the disciples of the Apostles were familiarly conuersant with them We haue seene Christ working miracles heard him preache Paule came after vs and is inferior vnto vs and it is not possible that God should suffer vs to erre which are of his holy people the ministers of Christ and haue receaued the holy Ghost Again we are many and Paule is but one and alone who neither was conuersant with the Apostles nor hath seene Christ yea he persecuted the church of Christ a great while Would God thinke ye for Paules sake onely suffer so many churches to be deceaued When men hauing such authoritie come into any countrey or citie by and by the people haue them in greate admiration and vnder this coulour of godlines religion they doe not onely deceaue the simple but also the learned yea and those also which seeme to be somewhat confirmed in the faith especially when they bragge as these did that they are the ofspring of the Patriarks the ministers of Christ the Apostles scollers c. Euen so the Pope at this day when he hath no authoritie of the scripture to defend him selfe withal vseth this one argument contenually against vs The church the church Thinkest thou that God is so offended that for a few heretikes of Luthers secte he will cast of his whole church Thinkest thou that he would leaue his church in error so many huÌ„dreth yeres And this conclusion he chiefly standeth vpon that the church can not be ouerthrowne Now like as many are moued with this argument at this day so in Paules time these false Apostles through greate bragging and setting forth of their owne praises blinded the eies of the Galathians so that Paule lost his authoritie among them his doctrine was brought into suspition Against this vaine bragging and boasting of the false Apostles Paule with greate constancie boldnes setteth his apostolical authority highly coÌ„mending his vocation defending his ministery And although elswhere he neuer doth the like he will not geue place to any no not to the apostles them selues much lesse to any of their schollers And to abate their pharisaical pride and shameles boldnes he maketh mention of the history done in Antiochia where he withstode Peter himselfe Besides this
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
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
like to the doctrine of the false apostles of that time If thou wilt liue to God say they liue to the law or after the law But contrariwise we say If thou wilt liue to God thou must be vtterly dead to the law Mans reason and wisedom vnderstandeth not this doctrine therefore it teacheth alwayes the contrary that is If thou wilt liue vnto God thou must kepe the law for it is wryten Do this and thou shalt liue And this is a speciall principle amongst all Diuines he that liueth after the law liueth vnto god Paule sayth the contrary that is we can not liue vnto God vnlesse we be throughly dead to the law Wherfore we must mount vp to this heauenly altitude that we may be assured that we are far aboue the law yea that we are vtterly dead vnto the law Now if we be dead vnto the law then hath the law no power ouer vs as also it hath no power ouer Christ who hath deliuered vs from the same that we might liue vnto god All these things tende to this ende to proue that we are not iustified by the lawe but by faith onely in Iesus Christ And here Paule speaketh not of the ceremoniall lawe onely as before we haue declared more at large but of the whole law whether it be ceremoniall or morall which to a Christian is vtterly abrogate for he is dead vnto it Not that the lawe is vtterly taken away nay it remaineth liueth and raigneth still in the wicked But a godly man is dead vnto the lawe like as he is dead vnto sinne the Deuill death and hell which notwithstanding doe still remaine and the world with all the wicked shall still abide in them Wherfore when the Papist vnderstandeth that the ceremoniall lawe onely is abolished vnderstand thou that Paule and euery Christian is dead to the whole lawe and yet the lawe remaineth still As for example Christ rising from death is free from the graue and yet the graue remaineth stil Peter is deliuered from the prison the sicke of the palsey from his bed the yong mā from his coffen the maiden from her couch and yet the prison the bed the coffen the couch doe remaine still Euen so the lawe is abolished when I am not subiect vnto it the law is dead when I am dead vnto it yet it remaineth still But because I die vnto it by an other law it dieth also vnto me As the graue of Christ the prison of Peter the couch of the maiden c. do still remaine and yet Christ by his resurrection dieth to the graue Peter by his deliueraunce is freed from the prison and the maid through life is deliuered from the couch Wherfore these words I am dead to the lavv are very effectuall For he sayeth not I am free from the law for a time or I am Lord of the lawe but simplie I am dead to the lawe that is to say I haue nothing to do with the law Paule could haue vttred nothīg more effectually against iustification of the law then to say I am dead to the law that is I care nothing at all for the law therfore I am not iustified by it Now to die to the law is not to be bound to the law but to be free from the law not to know it Therfore let him that will liue to God endeuour that he may be found without the law let him come out of the graue with Christ The souldiers were astonished whē Christ was risen out of the graue and they also which saw the maiden raised vp from death to life were amazed So mans reason and wisedom is astonished and becometh foolish when it heareth that we are not iustified except we be dead to the law for it is not able to reach vnto this mysterie But we know that when we apprehend Christ by faith inwardly in conscience we enter into a certain new law which swaloweth vp the old law that held vs captiues As the graue in which Christ lay dead after that he was risen againe was voide and emptie and Christ vanished away so when I beleue in Christ I rise againe with him and die to my graue that is to say the lawe which held me captiue So that now the law is voide and I am escaped out of my prison and graue that is to say the lawe Wherefore the lawe hath no right to accuse me or to hold me any longer for I am risen againe It is necessary that mens consciences should be diligently instructed that they may wel vnderstand the difference betwene that righteousnes of the law grace The righteousnes of grace or the libertie of cōscience doth in no wise pertaine to the flesh For the flesh may not be at liberty but must remaine in the graue the prison the couch it must be in subiection to the law and exercised by the Egyptians But the christian cōscience must be dead to the law that is to say free from the law must haue nothing at all to doe with it It is good to know this for it helpeth very much to the comforting of poore afflicted consciences Wherfore when you see a man terrified and cast downe with the sense and feeling of his sinne say vnto him Brother thou doest not rightly distinguish Thou placest the lawe in thy conscience which should be placed in the flesh Awake arise vp and remember that thou must beleue in Christ the conquerour of the lawe and sinne With this faith thou shalt mount vp aboue and beyond the lawe into that heauen of grace where is no law nor sinne And albeit the law sinne doe still remaine yet they pertaine nothing to thee for thou art dead to the lawe and sinne This is easily sayd but blessed is he which knoweth howe to lay sure hold on these things in time of distresse that is which can say when sinne ouerwayeth him and the law accuseth him what is this to me O lawe that thou accusest me and sayest that I haue committed many sinnes In deede I graunt that I haue committed many sinnes yea and yet stil I doe commit sinnes daily without number This toucheth me nothing I am now deafe and can not heare therefore thou talkest to me in vaine for I am dead vnto thee But if thou wilt needes dispute with me as touching my sinnes get thee to the flesh and members my seruaunts teach them exercise and crucifie them But trouble not me Conscience which am a Ladie and a Queene and haue nothing to doe with thee for I am dead to thee and now I liue to Christ with whom I am vnder an other lawe to witte the lawe of grace which ruleth ouer sinne and the lawe By what meanes By faith in Christ as Paule declareth hereafter But this semeth a straunge and a wonderfull definition that to liue to the lawe is to die to God and to die to the lawe is to liue to god
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
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 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
be cleane deliuered from them by death Let Christians learne with all diligence to vnderstand this article of Christian righteousnes And to this ende let them reade Paule and reade him againe both often and with greate diligence and let them compare the first with the last yea let them compare Paule wholy and fully with himselfe then shall they finde it to be true that Christian righteousnes consisteth in these two things faith which geueth glorie vnto God and Gods imputation For faith is weake as I haue said therfore Gods imputation must needes be ioyned withall that is to say that God will not lay to our charge the remnant of sinne that he will not punish it nor condemne vs for it but that he will couer it and wil frely forgeue it as though it were nothing at all not for our sake neither for our worthines and workes but for Iesus Christes sake in whom we beleue Thus a Christian man is both righteous and a sinner holy and prophane an enemy of God and yet a childe of god These contraries no Sophister will admit for they know not the true manner of iustification And this was the cause why they would haue men to worke well so lōg vntil they should feele no sinne at all in thē and therby they gaue occasiō to many which striuing with al their endeuour to be perfectly righteous yet not able to attaine therevnto to become starke madde And an infinite number also of those which were the authors of this wicked opinion at the pointe of death were driuen into desperation Which thinge had happened vnto me also if Christ had not mercifully looked vpon me and holpen me out of this errour On the otherside we teach and comfort the afflicted sinner after this māner Brother it is not possible for thee to become so righteous in this life that thou shouldest feele no sinne at all that thy body should be cleare like the Sunne without spotte or blemish but thou hast as yet wrinkles and spots yet art thou holy notwithstanding But thou wilt say How can I be holy when I haue and feele sinne in me I aunswere in that thou doest feele and acknowledge thy sinne it is a good tokē geue thanks vnto God despaire not It is one steppe to health when the sicke man doth acknowledge and confesse his disease But how shall I be deliuered from sinne Runne to Christ the Phisition which healeth them that are broken in hearte and saueth sinners Follow not the iudgement of reason which telleth thee that he is angry with sinners but kill reason and beleue in Christ If thou beleue thou art righteous because thou geuest glory vnto God that he is almighty merciful true c thē doest thou iustifie praise god To be briefe thou yeldest vnto him his diuinitie and al things else The sinne which remaineth in thee is not laid to thy charge but is pardoned for Christs sake in whom thou beleuest who is perfectly iust whose righteousnes is thy righteousnes and thy sinne is his sinne Here we see that euery Christian is an high Priest for first he offereth vp and killeth his owne reason and the wisedome of the flesh Then he geueth glory to God that he is righteous true patient pitifull and merciful .. And this is that daily sacrifice of the new testament which must be offered euening and morning The euening sacrifice is to kill reason The morning sacrifice is to glorifie god Thus a Christian daily and continually is occupied in this double sacrifice and in the exercise therof And no man is able to set forth sufficiently the excellencie and dignitie of this Christian sacrifice This is therefore a straunge and a wonderfull definition of Christian righteousnes that it is the imputation of God for righteousnes or vnto righteousnes because of our faith in Christ or for Christs sake When the popish Scholemen heare this definition they laugh at it For they imagine that righteousnes is a certaine quality powred into the soule and afterwards spread into all the partes of man They can not put away the vaine imaginations of reason which teacheth that a right iudgement and a good wil or a good intent is true righteousnes This vnspeakeable gifte therefore excelleth all reason that god doth account and acknowledge him for righteous without workes which embraceth his sonne by faith alone who was sent into the world was borne suffered and was crucified for vs. This matter as touching the words is easie to wit that righteousnes is not essentially in vs but without vs in the grace of God onely in his imputation and that there is no essentiall substance of righteousnes in vs besides that weake faith or first frutes of faith whereby we haue begon to apprehend Christ and yet sinne in that meane time remaineth verely in vs but in very deede it is no such smal or light matter but earnest of weighty importance For Christ which was geuen for vs and whom we apprehend by faith hath done no small thing for vs neither hath he dalied with vs but as Paule said before He hath loued vs and geuen him selfe in very deede for vs He vvas made accursed for vs c. And this is no vaine speculation that Christ was deliuered for my sinnes and was made accursed for me that I might be deliuered from euerlasting death Therfore to apprehend that Sonne by faith and with the heart to beleue in him geuen vnto vs and for vs of God causeth that God doth account that faith although it be vnperfect for perfect righteousnes And we are altogether in an other world farre from reason where we dispute not what we ought to doe or with what works we may deserue grace and forgeuenes of sinnes but we are here in a matter of high and heauenly diuinitie where we doe heare this Gospell or glad tidings that Christ died for vs and that we beleuing this are counted righteous though sinnes notwithstanding do remain in vs and that horrible sinnes So our Sauiour Christ also defineth the righteousnes of faith The father saith he loueth you Wherfore doth he loue you Not because ye were Phariseis vnreproueable in the righteousnes of the law circumcised or because ye did good works and fasted c but because I haue chosen you out of the world ye haue done nothing but that ye haue loued me and beleued that I came out from the father This obiect I being sent from the father into the world pleased you And because you haue apprehended and embraced this obiect therfore the father loueth you and therefore ye please him And yet notwithstanding in an other place he calleth them euil and cōmaundeth them to aske forgeuenes of their sinnes These two things are quite contrary to wit that a Christian is righteous and beloued of God and yet notwithstanding he is a sinner For God cānot deny his owne
and that we are his children with whom he will not be angry but will deliuer vs from sinne from death and all euils and will geue vnto vs righteousnes life and eternall saluation Of this Blessing as I haue said doe the Prophetes preach in euery place who did not so coldly consider those promises made vnto the fathers as the wicked Iewes did and as the popish Scholemen and Sectaries doe at this day but did reade them and way them with greate diligence and also drew out of those promises whatsoeuer they prophecied of Christ or his kingedome So the prophecie of Hoseas 13. chapter I vvill redeeme them from the povver of the graue I vvill deliuer them from death O death I vvill be thy death O graue I vvill be thy destruction and suche like places of the other Prophetes did all spring out of these promises in which God promised to the fathers the brusing of the serpentes heade and the blessing of all nations Moreouer if the nations be blessed that is to say if they be accounted righteous before God it followeth that they are free from sinne and death and are made pertakers of righteousnes saluation and euerlasting life not for their works but for their faith in Christ Therfore that place of Genesis the .12 chapter In thee shall all the nations be blessed speaketh not of the blessing of the mouth but of such a blessing as belongeth to the imputation of righteousnes which is auaileable before God and redemeth from the curse of sinne and from all those euils that doe accumpany sinne Now this Blessing is receaued onely by faith For the text saith plainely Abraham Beleued and it vvas accounted vnto him for righteousnes Wherefore it is a meere spirituall Blessing there is no Blessing in deede but this which although it be cursed in the world as in deede it is yet is it auaileable before god This is therefore a mightie place that they which are of faith are become partakers of this promise of the Blessing made vnto the beleeuing Abraham And by this meanes Paule preuenteth the cauillation of the Iewes which bragge of a begetting and a working Abraham and iust before men and not of a beleeuing Abraham Now like as the Iewes doe glorie onely of a working Abraham euen so the Pope setteth out onely a working Christ or rather an example of Christ He that will liue godly saith he must walke as Christ hath walked according to his owne saying in the .13 of Iohn I haue geuen you an example that you should doe euen as I haue done to you We deny not but that the faithful ought to follow the example of Christ and to worke well but we say that they are not iustified therby before god And Paule doth not here reason what we ought to doe but by what meanes we are made righteous In this matter we must set nothing else before our eies but Iesus Christ dyinge for our sinnes and risinge againe for our righteousnes and him must we apprehende by faith as a gift and not as an example This reason vnderstandeth not therfore as the Iewes follow a working and not a beleuing Abraham euen so the Papistes and all that seeke righteousnes by workes doe behold and apprehend not a iustifying but a working Christ by this meanes they swarue from Christ from righteousnes and saluation And like as the Iewes which were saued ought to follow the beleuing Abraham so we also if we will be deliuered from our sinnes and be saued must take holde of the iustifying and sauing Christ whom Abraham him selfe also by faith did apprehend and through him was blessed It was in deede a greate glorie that Abraham receaued circumcision at the commaundement of God that he was endued with excellent vertues that he obeied God in all things as it is also a greate praise and felicitie to follow the example of Christ working to loue thy neighbour to doe good to them that hurt thee to pray for thine enemies patiently to beare the ingratitude of those which render euill for good but all this auaileth nothing to righteousnes before god The excellent deedes and vertues of Abraham were not the cause that he was counted righteous before God So likewise the imitation and following of the example of Christ doth not make vs righteous before god For to make vs righteous before God there is a farre more excellent price required which is neither the righteousnes of man nor yet of the law Here we must needes haue Christ to blesse vs and saue vs like as Abraham had him to be his blesser and Sauiour Howe Not by works but by faith Wherfore as the beleuing Abraham is a thing farre differing from the working Abraham so is Christe blessing redeming a thing farre differing frō Christ working or geuing example And Paule here speaketh of Christ redeming and Abraham beleuing and not of Christ geuing example or of Abraham working Therefore he addeth purposely and that with greate vehemencie They vvhich are of faith are blessed vvith faithfull Abraham Wherefore we must separate the beleuing and the working Abraham as farre asunder as there is distance betwixt heauen earth A man beleuing in Christ is altogither a diuine man the child of God the inheritour of the world a conquerour of sinne death the world and the Deuill therefore he can not be praised and magnified enough Let vs not suffer this faithfull Abraham to lie hid in his graue as he is hid from the Iewes but let vs highly extoll and magnifie him and let vs fill both heauen and earth with his name so that in respect of this faithfull Abraham we see nothing at al in the working Abraham For when we speake of this faithfull Abraham we are in heauen But afterwards doing those things which the working Abraham did which were carnall and earthly and not diuine and heauenly but in as much as they were geuen vnto him of God we are among men in earth The beleuing Abraham therefore filleth both heauen and earth So euery Christian through his faith filleth heauen and earth so that besides it he ought to behold nothing Now Paule of this word shal be blessed gathereth a contrary argument For the scripture is full of oppositions or contrary relations And it is a great point of cunning to marke wel these kindes of speach in the scriptures and by them to expound the sentences therof as here this word blessing by and by inferreth the contrary that is to say malediction For when the scripture saith that all nations are blessed in faith or with faithfull Abraham it followeth necessarily that all aswel Iewes as Gentiles are accursed without faith or without this beleuing Abraham For the promise of Blessing was geuē to Abraham that in him all natiōs should be blessed There is no Blessing then to be looked for but onely in the promise made vnto Abraham now published by the Gospell
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
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
Christ which should bring teach an other thing farre passing these excellent lawes to witte grace and remission of sinnes This is therfore a mightie text For in this short sentence That vve might receaue the promise of the spirite by faith Paule poureth out at once what so euer he was able to say Therfore when he can goe no further for he could not vtter any greater or more excellent thing he breaketh of and here he stayeth Verse 15. Brethern I speake according to man Though it be but a mans couenaunt vvhen it is confirmed yet no man doth abrogate it or addeth any thing therto After this principall inuincible argument Paule addeth an other grounded vpon the similitude of a mans Testament which semeth to be very weake and such as the Apostle ought not to vse for the confirmation of a matter of so great importance For in high and waightie matters we ought to confirme earthly things by diuine things not diuine and heauenly things by earthly and worldly things And in deede it is true the these arguments of all other are most weake when we goe about to proue and confirme heauenly matters with earthly and corruptible things as Scotus is wont to doe A man sayth he is able to loue God aboue all things for he loueth him self aboue all things therfore much more is he able to loue God aboue all things For a good thing the greater it is the more it is to be loued And hereof he inferreth that a man is able ex puris naturalibus that is to say euen of his owne pure natural strength easily to fulfil that high commaundement Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God vvith all thy heart c. For sayth he a man is able to loue the least good thing aboue all thīgs yea he setteth at naught his life of all other things most deare vnto him for a litle vile money Therfore he can much more doe it for Gods cause Ye haue oftentimes heard of me that ciuill ordinaunces are of God for God hath ordained them and alloweth them as he doth the Sunne the Moone other creatures Therfore an argument taken of the ordinance or of the creatures of God is good so that we vse the same rightly So the Prophets haue very often vsed similitudes and comparisons taken of creatures calling Christ the Sunne the Church the Mone the preachers teachers of the word the Starres Also there are many similitudes in the Prophets of trees thornes flowers and frutes of the earth The new Testament likewise is full of such similitudes Therfore where Gods ordināce is in the creature there may an argument be wel borrowed and applied to diuine and heauenly things So our Sauiour Christ in Mat. 7. argueth frō earthly thīgs to heauēly things whē he sayth If ye then vvhich are euil cā geue to your children good gifts hovv much more shall your Father vvhich is in heauē geue good things to them that aske him Likewise Paule We must obey men therfore much more must we obey god Ieremie also in the 53. chap The Rhecabites obeyed their Father hovv much more ought ye to haue obeyed me Now these things are appoynted of God and are his ordinaunces that Fathers should geue vnto their children that children should obey their parents Therfore such maner of arguments are good when they are grounded vpon the ordinaūce of god But if they be taken from mens corrupt affections they are naught Such is the argument of Scotus I loue the lesser good thing therfore I loue the greater more I deny the consequence For my louing is not Gods ordinaunce but a deuillish corruption In deede it should be so that I louing my selfe or an other creature should much more loue God the creatour but it is not so For the loue wherwith I loue my selfe is corrupt and against God. This I say lest any man should cauill that an argument taken of corruptible things applied to diuine and spirituall matters is nothing worth For this argument as I haue sayd is strōg enough so that we ground the same vpon the ordinaunce of God as we see in this argumēt which we haue in hand For the ciuil law which is an ordinaunce of God sayth that it is not lawfull to breake or to chaunge the testament of a man Yea it commaundeth that the last will or testament of a man be straitly kept For that it is one of the holiest most laudable customes that are among men Now therefore vppon this custome of mans Testament Paule argueth after this maner How cometh it to passe that mā is obeyed and not God Political and ciuill ordinaūces as concerning Testaments and other things are diligently kept There nothing is chaūged nothing is added or taken away But the Testament of God is chaunged that is to say his promise concerning the spiritual Blessing that is concerning heauenly and euerlasting things which the whole world ought not onely to receaue with great zeale and affection but also ought most religiously to reuerence and honour This persuadeth vehemently when we so argue from the examples and lawes of men Therfore he sayth I speake after the maner of men that is to say I bring vnto you a similitude taken of the custome and maner of men As if he should say The testaments of men and such other corruptible things are streitly executed and that which the lawe commaundeth is diligently obserued and kept For when a man maketh his last wil bequeathing his lands and goods to his heires and therupon dieth this last wil is confirmed and ratified by the death of the Testator so that nothing may nowe be either added to it or taken from it according to all law equitie Now if a mās wil be kept with so great fibelity that nothīg is added to it or taken from it after his death how much more ought the last Wil of God to be faithfully kept which he promised and gaue vnto Abraham and his seede after him For when Christ died then was it confirmed in him and after his death the writing of his last Testament was opened that is to say the promised Blessing of Abraham was preached amonge all nations dispersed throughout the whole world This was that last Wil and Testament of God the great Testatour confirmed by the death of Christ therfore no man ought to chaunge it or to adde any thing to it as they that teach the law and mans traditions doe For they say vnlesse thou be circumcised kepe the law do many workes suffer many things thou cāst not be saued This is not the last Will or Testament of god For he said not vnto Abraham if thou doe this or that thou shalt obtaine the Blessing or they that be circumcised keepe the law shall obtaine the same but he saith In thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed As if he
promise so long before the law Which he did of purpose and to this ende that it should not be sayd that righteousnes was geuen through the lawe and not through the promise For if he would that we should haue ben iustified by the lawe then would he haue geuen the law 430. yeares before the promise or else together with the promise But nowe at the first he speaketh not a worde as concerning the lawe but at the length after 430. yeares he geueth the lawe In the meane while all that time he speaketh onely of his promises Therfore the Blessing and free gift of righteousnes came before the lawe through the promise The promise therfore is farre more excellent then the lawe And so the law doth not abolish the promise but Faith in the promise whereby the beleuers euen before Christes time were saued which is now published by the Gospell throughout the whole world destroyeth the law so that it can not encrease sinne any more terrifie sinners or bring them into desperation laying hold vpon the promise through Faith. And in this also lieth a certaine vehemencie specially to be noted that he expressely setteth downe the number of .430 yeares As if he would say Cōsider with your selues how long it was betwene the promise geuen and the lawe It is plaine that Abraham receaued the promise a long time before the lawe For the lawe was geuen to the people of Israel .430 yeares after And this is an inuincible argument gathered and grounded vpon a certaine time And he speaketh not here of the lawe in generall but onely of the written lawe As if he would say God could not then haue regarde to the Ceremonies and workes of the law and geue righteousnes to the obseruers thereof For as yet the lawe was not geuen which commaundeth ceremonies requireth workes and promiseth life to those that obserue them saying The man that shall doe these things shall liue in them And although it promise such things yet it foloweth not therfore that we obtaine these promises For it sayeth plainly The mā that shal do these things c. Now it is certaine that no man can doe them Moreouer Paule sayth that the lawe can not abolish the promise therefore that promise made vnto Abraham .430 yeares before the law remaineth firme and constant And that the matter may be better vnderstand I will declare the same by a similitude If a rich man not constrained but of his owne good will should adopte one to be his sonne whom he knoweth not and to whom he oweth nothing and should appoynt him to be the heire of all his lands and goods certaine yeres after that he hath bestowed this benefite vpon him he should lay vpon him a law to do this or that he cā not now say that he hath deserued this benefite by his owne workes seeing that many yeres before he asking nothing had receaued the same freely and of mere fauour So God could not respect our workes and desertes going before righteousnes for the promise and the gift of the holy Ghost was .430 yeares before the lawe Hereby it appeareth that Abraham obteined not righteousnes before God through the lawe For there was yet no law If there were yet no lawe then was there neither worke nor merite What then Nothing else but the mere promise This promise Abraham beleued and it was counted to him for righteousnes By the selfe same meanes then that the father obteined this promise the children doe also obteine it and holde it So say we also at this day Our sinnes were purged by the death of Christ aboue a thousand and fiue hundreth yeres agoe when there were yet no religious Orders no Canon or rule of Penance no merites of congruence and worthines We can not nowe therfore begin to abolish the same by our owne workes and merites Thus Paule gathereth arguments of similitudes of a certaine time and of persons so sure strong on euery side that no man can deny them Let vs therfore arme and fortifie our consciences with such like arguments For it helpeth vs excedingly to haue them alwayes ready in tentations For they lead vs from the lawe and workes to the promise and to faith from wrath to grace from sinne to righteousnes and from death to life Therfore these two things as I doe often repeate to witte the lawe and the promise must be diligently distinguished For in time in place and in person and generally in all other circumstances they are separate as farre asunder as heauen and earth the beginning of the world and the later ende In deede they are neare neighbours for they are ioyned together in one man or in one soule but in the inward affection as touching their office they ought to be separate farre asonder so that the lawe may haue dominion ouer the flesh and the promise may sweetely and comfortably raigne in the conscience When thou hast thus appoynted vnto them both their own proper place then thou walkest safely betwene them both in the heauen of the promise and in the earth of the lawe In spirite thou walkest in the Paradise of grace and peace In the flesh thou walkest in the earth of workes and of the crosse And nowe the troubles which the flesh is compelled to beare shall not be hard vnto thee because of the sweetenes of the promise which comforteth and reioyceth the hart excedingly But now if thou confound and mingle these two together and place the lawe in the conscience and the promise of libertie in the flesh then thou makest a confusion such as was in Poperie so that thou shalt not knowe what the lawe what the promise what sinne or what righteousnes is Wherfore if thou wilt diuide the worde of truth aright thou must put a great difference betwene the promise and the lawe as touching the inward affections and whole practise of life It is not for naught that Paule prosecuteth this argument so diligently For he foresawe in spirite that this mischiefe should creepe into the Church that the word of God should be confounded that is to say that the promise should be mingled with the lawe and so the promise should be vtterly lost For when the promise is mingled with the lawe it is nowe made nothing else but the very lawe Therefore accustome thy selfe to separate the promise and the law asunder euen in respect of time that when the lawe cometh and accuseth thy conscience thou mayest say Lady lawe thou comest not in season for thou comest to soone Tarry yet vntil .430 yeres be expired and when they are past then come and spare not But if thou come then yet shalt thou come to late For then hath the promise preuented thee .430 yeres to the which I assent and sweetely repose my selfe in the same Therefore I haue nothing to doe with thee I heare thee not For nowe I liue with the beleuing Abraham or
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
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
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
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
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
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
For the law as I haue often sayd being in his owne proper vse accuseth and condemneth a man and in this respect it is not onely a strong and a rich rudiment but also most mighty and most rich yea rather an inuincible power riches and if here the conscience be compared with the law then is it most weake and beggerly For it is so tender a thing that for a small sinne it is so troubled and terrified that it vtterly despaireth vnlesse it be raised vp againe Wherefore the lawe in his proper vse hath more strength and riches then heauen and earth is able to containe in so much that one letter or one tittle of the law is able to kill all mākinde as the hystorie of the lawe geuen by Moises Exod. 19.20 doth witnesse This is the true and diuine vse of the lawe of which Paule speaketh not in this place Paule then entreateth here of hypocrites which are fallen from grace or which haue not yet attained to grace These abusing the law seeke to be iustified by it They exercise and tire themselues day and night in the workes therof as Paule witnesseth of the Iewes Ro. 10. For I beare thē record sayth he that they haue the zeale of God but not according to knovvledge for they being ignoraunt of the righteousnes of god c. Such doe hope so to be strengthened and enriched by the lawe that they may be able to set their power and riches which they haue gotten by the righteousnes therof against the wrath and iudgement of God and so to appease God and to be saued therby In this respect then we may well say that the law is a weake a beggerly rudiment that is to say which can geue neither helpe nor counsell And who so listeth to amplifie this matter may further say that the lawe is a weake and a beggerly rudiment because it maketh men more weake and beggerly Againe because that of it selfe it hath no power or riches whereby it is able to geue or to bring righteousnes And moreouer that it is not onely weake and beggerly but euē weaknes and beggery it selfe How then shall it enrich or strengthen those which were before both weake and beggerly Therefore to seeke to be iustified by the lawe is as much as if a man being weake and feeble already would seeke some other greater euill wherby he might ouercome his weaknes and pouertie which notwithstanding would bring vnto him vtter destructiō As if he which hath the falling sicknes would seeke to ioyne vnto it the Pestilence for a remedy or if a Leaper should come to a Leaper or a begger to a begger the one to helpe and to enrich the other Paule therfore sheweth that they which seeke to be iustified by the lawe haue this commoditie thereby that daily they become more and more weake and beggerly For they be weake and beggerly of them selues that is to say they are by nature the children of wrath subiect to death and euerlasting damnation and yet they lay hold vpon that which is nothing else but mere weaknes and beggerie seeking to be strengthened and enriched therby Therfore euery one that falleth frō the promise to the law from faith to workes doth nothing else but lay vpon him selfe such a burden being weake and feeble already as he is not able to beare Ac. 15. and in bearing therof is made ten times more weake so that at length he is driuen to despaire vnlesse Christe come and deliuer him This thing the Gospell also witnesseth speaking of the woman which was greeued 12. yeres with a bloudy issue suffered many things of many Phisitians vpon whom she had spent all her substance yet could not be cured but the longer she was vnder their hands the worse she was As many therfore as doe the works of the law to the end they may be iustified thereby are not onely not made righteous but twise more vnrighteous then they were before that is as I haue said more weake beggerly more vnapt to doe any good worke This haue I proued to be true both in my self in many others I haue knowen many Monks in the Papacy which with great zeale haue done many great works for the attaining of righteousnes saluation and yet were they more impatiēt more weake more miserable more faithles more fearful more ready to despaire thē any other The ciuil Magistrates who were euer occupied in great and weightie affaires were not so impatient so fearfull so faint hearted so superstitious and so faithles as these Iusticiaries and Meritmongers were Whosoeuer thē seketh righteousnes by the law what cā he imagin else but the god being angry must nedes be pacified with works Now whē he hath once cōceiued this fantasy he beginneth to work But he cā neuer find so many good works as are able to quiet his cōsciēce but stil he desireth moe Yea he findeth sinnes in those works that he hath don already Therfore his conscience can neuer be certified but must needes be alwayes in dout and thus thinke with it selfe Thou hast not sacrificed as thou shouldest doe thou hast not prayed aright this thou hast left vndone this or that sinne thou hast committed Here the heart trembleth and feeleth it selfe oppressed with innumerable sinnes which still encrease without end so that he swarueth from righteousnes more and more vntill at length he fall to desperation Hereof it cometh that many being at the poynt of death haue vttered these desperate words O wretch that I am I haue not kept mine order Whether shall I flie from the wrath of Christ that angry iudge would to God I had ben made a swinheard or the vilest wretch in the whole world Thus the Monke in the ende of his life is more weake more beggerly more faithles and fearfull then he was at the beginning when he first entred into his order The reason is because he would strengthen himselfe through weaknes and enrich him selfe through pouertie The law or mens traditions or the Rule of his order should haue healed him when he was sicke and enriched him when he was poore but he is become more feeble more poore thē the Publicanes and harlots The Publicanes and harlots haue not an heape of good works to trust vnto as the Monks haue but although they feele theyr sinnes neuer so much yet they can say with the Publicane O Lord be mercifull to me a sinner But contrariwise the Monke which hath spent all his time in weake beggerly elements is confirmed in this opinion If thou keepe thy rule thou shalt be saued c. With this false perswasion he is so deluded bewitched that he can not apprehend grace no nor once remember grace Thus notwithstanding all the works which either he doth or hath done be they neuer so many and so great he thinketh that he hath neuer done enough but hath
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 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
whē he was borne he was laid in a maunger in steede of a bedde because there was no roome for him in the Inne afterwards being conuersant amōg men he had not whereon to lay his head and briefly being spoyled of his garmentes and hanging naked on the crosse betwene two theeues he died most miserably but to the Pope for the maintainance of his abhominations and because he oppressing the Gospel taught the doctrines and traditions of men and set vppe idolatrie And as oft as I read the exhortations of Paule whereby he perswadeth the Churches that they should either nourish their pastours or geue somewhat to the reliefe of the poore Sainctes in Iewrie I do greatly maruell and am ashamed that so great an Apostle should be constrained to vse so many wordes for the obtaining of this benefite of the congregations Wryting to the Corrinthians he treateth of this matter in two whole Chapters I would be loth to defame VVyttenberge which in deede is nothing to Corinth as he defamed the Corrinthians in begging so carefully for the reliefe and succour of the poore But this is the lotte of the Gospel when it is preached that not onely no man is willing to geue any thing for the finding of ministers and maintaining of scholers but men begin to spoyle to robbe and to steale and with diuers craftie meanes one to beguile an other To be briefe men seeme suddenly to grow out of kind and to be transformed into cruell beastes Contrariwise when the doctrine of Deuils was preached then men were prodigall and offred all things willingly to those that deceaued them The Prophets doe reproue the same sinne in the Iewes which were loth to geue any liuing to the godly priests and Leuites but gaue all things plentifully to the wicked Now therefore we begin to vnderstand how necessary this commaundement of Paule is as touching the maintenaunce of the ministers of the Church For Sathan can abide nothing lesse then the light of the Gospell Therefore when he seeth that it beginneth to shine then doth he rage and goeth about with all maine and might to quench it And this he attempteth two maner of wayes First by lying spirites and force of tyrannes and then by pouertie and famine But because he could not hetherto oppresse the Gospell in this countrey praised be God by heretikes and tyrannes therefore he attempteth to bring it to passe the other way that is by withdrawing the liuings of the ministers of the word to the ende that they being oppressed with pouertie and necessitie should forsake the ministerie and so the miserable people being destitute of the word of God should become in time as sauage and wilde beastes And Sathan helpeth forwardes this horrible enormitie by vngodly Magistrates in the Cities and also by noble men and gentlemen in the countrey who take away the church goods whereby the ministers of the Gospell should liue and turne them to wicked vses These goods sayeth the Prophet Micha vvere gathered of the hire of a harlot and therefore to a harlottes hire they shall returne Moreouer Sathan turneth men particularly also from the gospell by ouermuch fulnes For when the Gospell is diligently and daily preached many being glutted therwith begin to loth it and by litle and litle become negligent vntoward to all godly exercises Againe there is no man that will now bring vp his children in good learning much lesse in the study of the holy Scripture but they employ them wholy to gainfull artes or occupations All these are Sathans practises to no other ende but that he may oppresse the Gospell in this our countrey without any violence of tyrānes or subtill deuises of heretikes It is not without cause therfore that Paule warneth the hearers of the Gospel to make their pastours and teachers partakers with them in all good things If vve sayth he to the Corinthians haue sovvne to you spirituall things is it a great matter if vve reape your vvorldly things The hearers therefore ought to minister carnall things to thē of whom they haue receaued spirituall things But both husbād men Citizens and gentlemen doe at this day abuse our doctrine that vnder the colour therof they may enrich thēselues Heretofore when the Pope raigned there was no man which paid not somwhat yerely to the priests for masses diriges trentals such trash The begging friers had also their part The marchaūdises of Rome likewise and daily offrings caried away somwhat Frō these from an infinite numbre of such exactions our countreymen are now deliuered by the Gospel But so farre of is it that they are thankfull vnto God for this libertie that of prodigall geuers they are now become starke theeues and robbers will not bestow one farthing vppon the Gospel or the ministers thereof or geue any thing for the reliefe and succour of the poore Saincts which is a certaine token that they haue lost both the word and faith and that they haue no spirituall goodnes in them For it is impossible that such as are godly in deede should suffer their pastours to liue in necessity penurie But for as much as they laugh and reioyce when theyr pastours suffer any aduersitie and withhold their liuing or geue it not with such faithfulnes as they ought it is a plaine token that they are worse then the heathen But they shal feele ere it be lōg what calamities wil folow this vnthankfulnes For they shal lose both temporal spiritual things For this sinne must nedes be grieuously punished And certainly I thinke that the churches in Galatia Corinth and other places were so troubled by the false apostles for no other cause but for that they litle regarded their true pastours preachers For it is good reason that he which refuseth to geue a peny to God who offereth vnto him all good things life euerlasting should geue a peece of gold to the Deuil the author of all euils death euerlasting Who so will not serue God in a litle that to his owne inestimable benefite let him serue that Deuill in much to his extreme vtter cōfusion Now therfore since the light of the Gospel beginneth to shine we see what the Deuill is what the world is In that he saith in al his goods it is not so to be taken that all men are bound to geue all that they haue to their ministers but that they shuld maintaine them liberally and geue them that wherby they may be wel able to liue Verse 7. Be not deceiued for God is not mocked The Apostle prosecuteth this place of the nourishing and maintaining of ministers so earnestly that to his former reprehension and exhortation he addeth now also a threatning saying God is not mocked And here he toucheth to the quicke the propertie of our countrey men which proudly despise our ministerie For they thinke it to be but a sport and a
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